A Winter Table Setting, Tablecloth by Mother Nature

Welcome to the 281st Tablescape Thursday!

So, you know how I opened Tuesday’s blog post with these words:

“It’s snowing a teensy bit in Georgia today, nothing too serious although I do see the cars crawling very slowly on the road back behind my home.”

I’d like to retract that statement, please!

If you’ve been following the news, you know the weather got crazy really fast around here. I rarely watch TV and never watch the news since it’s always so depressing. When it first began to snow, I remembered an errand I wanted to run close by. I got about 3-4 blocks from the house and realized the roads were already starting to ice over. How weird, usually that doesn’t happen so quickly.

Something inside of me was saying, “GO BACK!” I decided to listen to my intuition and turned around and went back home. I’m really glad I did because the last few days have been unbelievable for the roads around Atlanta.

I still had no clue how bad things were until Wednesday morning when my son called to check on me. We had just talked the night before so I was surprised when he called again the next morning. He said all his friends in Atlanta were on Facebook telling crazy stories about their attempts to get home, so he was calling to make sure all was okay here. Guess I should turn on the news and check the weather once in a while, huh?

Cars are still parked along both sides of the road that runs back behind my house. They have been stuck there for two days now.

Cars stranded in snow and ice, Atlanta 2014

 

I guess the drivers couldn’t make it up the slight hill that runs in front of my subdivision. There’s just enough room for cars to go through single file, although there’s been very few cars going down that road for the last two days. Hopefully, the sun will come out enough tomorrow to warm things up for all those folks who are still stranded in Atlanta and have been unable to get home.

Cars stranded in the snow and ice, Atlanta 2014

 

In the meantime, I have a case of cabin fever and apparently it’s gone to my brain.  I believe in working with whatcha got and Mother Nature blessed me with a sparkly, white tablecloth on the table under the pergola.

Fantasy Table in the Snow

 

Time for a snowy table setting in honor of Winter Storm, “Leon.”

Winter Table Setting, Sakura, David Carter Brown, Christmas Valley

 

All this snow called for a snowflake centerpiece. Snowflakes have landed on the glasses and napkin rings, too.

Silver Ornament Tree with Crystal Swarovski Snowflake and Star Ornaments

 

With all this snow, I’ve made sure to fill the feeders and keep fresh water in the heated bird bath. I’ve also been sprinkling seed all along the deck rails for our feathered friends.

Wren, Georgia January 2014

 

All of the birdie pics in this post were taken earlier in the day through the glass of the bay window in my breakfast room.

Wren on Feeder

 

I was surprised the birds continued coming to the feeders hanging just a few feet away as I created this winter tablescape.

Beautiful Cardinal on Feeder during the snow

 

They were really interested in checking out the tablescape each time I went back inside for flatware, napkins, and such.

Beautiful Cardinal on Feeder in the Snow

 

 I can’t imagine why. 😉 

Sakura, Christmas Village by David Carter Brown in Winter Table Setting

 

Twig flatware worked well for this snowy, outdoor table setting.  (Twig flatware is available here: Twig Flatware)

Snowy Table Setting for the Birds with Sakura, Christmas Village by David Carter Brown

 

If you dined here, you would definitely want your snowflake wine glass filled to the brim. A blanket might be in order, too. 😉

WintryThemed Table Setting with Bird Seed for the Birds

 

Sheer-white napkin sheaths and white, crochet-edged napkins continue the snowy feel of our table setting.

Snow Themed Table Setting with Snowflake Napkin Rings

 

The dishware I chose for this tablescape has a Christmas, snowy winter design.

Table Setting for the Birds

 

I had never seen this pattern until I came across it in Dawn’s wonderful table setting at her blog We Call It Junkin a few weeks ago for Tablescape Thursday. It was love at first sight.

Sakura, Christmas Village, David Carter Brown

 

Dawn uses her dishes all winter since the pattern is so perfect for wintertime. I love that idea!

Sakura, Christmas Village, David Carter Brown

 

This dishware was made by Sakura (2002) and was designed by David Carter Brown. The pattern is called Christmas Valley. What a wonderful soul Mr. Brown must be to create such a heart-warming, beautiful pattern. Each plate is like a Currier & Ives painting.

Sakura, Christmas Village, David Carter Brown 3_wm

 

Since this dishware is no longer in production, having been released in 2002, I looked on both eBay and Replacements.com to find it. I ended up purchasing pieces from both places. The snowflake glasses are from the dollar store a few years ago.

Sakura, Christmas Village, David Carter Brown

 

A bird’s-eye view…

Fantasy Table in the Snow with Sakura, Christmas Village, David Carter Brown

 

David Carter Brown also created a secondary line of salad plates to go with Christmas Valley. It’s called Christmas Village. If I thought I loved Christmas Valley, I just about had a hissy fit when I tripped over Christmas Village. The plates are so pretty and decorative, they look like they should be “for display only,” don’t they? But they’re not, they are dishwasher and microwave safe.

There are four scenes in Christmas Village, as shown below. As you might expect, they depict a wonderful, picturesque village. Don’t they make you want to track down this village and move there tomorrow?! I’ll take the adorable yellow house you can just barely see on the first plate there on the left.

Sakura, David Carter Brown, Christmas Village

 

Hope you are inside where it’s nice and warm! Hang in there…spring is coming!

Fantasy Table in the Snow

 

Looking forward to the beautiful tablescapes linked for this week’s Tablescape Thursday!

Tablescape Thursday

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Comments

  1. Congrats on your lovely new dishes, Susan! And you created a gorgeous table with them, as I knew you would. I love how you set it for the birdie friends, so clever! I’ve seen those Christmas Village pieces on eBay, so tempting, someday I’ll probably break down and get some to go with my Christmas Valley set. By the way, if you ever go to thrifts and antique stores the matching glasses for these come up pretty often. I found 3 for $1.00 one time! Thanks so much for mentioning me in your post, and for hosting. Stay warm in the snow! (We got 3″ here in SC) – Dawn @ We Call It Junkin.com

    • Thanks, Dawn! I hadn’t planned on using them in a table until next Christmas but with all this snow, I couldn’t resist. 🙂 I’d love to find some of the glasses, so I’ll keep my eye out for those. Thanks for that tip!

    • Oh, forgot to mention…the prices I’ve been seeing on eBay for the Christmas Village plates have been really reasonable. I’ve seen them pop up a couple of times over the last few weeks.

  2. Oh my word. This is the best I have ever seen! The bird feed in the bowls and the twig silver is honestly amazing!!!

  3. This is so cute! I’m sure the birds appreciated the dining culture you shared with them too! Those dishes are very cute (both versions) and the snowflake stemware! I’m surprised the birds didn’t jump onto your table to help themselves 🙂
    I hope it warms up enough to melt the snow/ice. It’s amazing to me to see how it crippled your area.

    • I thought they were going to each time I went back inside. I could hear them in the trees and they were being really brave coming to the feeders a few feet away while I was actually on the deck. They don’t normally do that. So, I half expected to find them on the bowls when I came out each time. They are really appreciative of the feeders when there’s snow on the ground.

  4. What a great idea to set the table outside and go with the snow theme! Love the china and all of your snowy details….

  5. Oh Susan, what an enchanting winter tablescape! I’m always so fascinated with your tablescapes, they are truly one of a kind and beautiful! Love all the special details you have on your Whimsical tablescape! Hope you all warm up soon! I know that cabin fever is not fun!

    Nancy

  6. Wow, I feel bad for you guys getting stuck inside. That’s supposed to be a given in the south that the winters are mild….not like up here where just tuesday we had 35 below zero wind temp’s and people were worried about frost bite just from shoveling a sidewalk! It did come with a pleasant surprise tho. A rabbit was trying to stay warm by hiding on my front porch away from the wind…I of course couldn’t let him starve, so in turn he left me some little “jewels” or evidence that he was there. LOL I wish I’d have been able to get a picture of him!

  7. Beautiful!

  8. Susan, I can’t begin to tell you how much I love your snowy table! ♥ And I love seeing the bird shots and seed sprinkled on the deck railing! My sister lives in Marietta and it took her 7 hours to get home from work in the traffic when the snow hit. I feel bad for the all those kids (and their frantic parents) who rode on the bus for hours only to go back to school and sleep on the gym floor. Glad you’re inside warm & cozy!

    • Thanks so much, Mary! Wow, amazing all the stories I’ve been hearing. I don’t know why the roads got so slippery so fast. Usually the snow that first comes down is light and fluffy. I know, I saw all the parents waiting for what seemed like an hour out front of my home…waiting for the school bus to arrive. I was soooo worried about the buses but maybe the weight of the bus keeps it from sliding on the roads like cars do. Glad your sister made it home, finally! Bet she was so relieved when she finally got there. This storm really took everyone by surprise.

  9. Yesterday, I had what I thought was a dreadful experience driving 40 miles to a presentation in the midst of a commute-time snow storm. It took two and a half hours, and I passed spin out after spin out from black ice. Watching the evening news last night, I watched people stuck in their cars for 24 hours and others sleeping on the floors of convenience stores. It made me feel so grateful to have arrive back home safely, and I truly felt blessed to have had the gift of being at my own home shoveling my driveway. Sending “warm” thoughts to all of you from Massachusetts.

  10. Love those dishes, too!! I know your feathered friends enjoyed your table! Thanks for hosting!

  11. Tell us about the silver tree center piece–what is it, where did you/she find it, etc.?
    jw

    • I bought it many, many years ago at Ross-Simon. After I filled up the first one with ornaments, collecting one ornament a year, I went online to the Ross-Simon website and was shocked to see they had them in stock again. So I was able to order another one, that was several years ago. I don’t know if they still carry them. It may be a seasonal thing that they carry only around Christmas. You can search on their site for Silverplate Ornament Tree. If they don’t have them, maybe someone else will.

  12. Never in a million years would I have thought of using the snow as my tablecloth!!! Brilliant!! Your table is such a ray of sunshine in the dead of winter!! I’m with Christine! We had windchill factors of -35 on Tuesday!! No fun! Funny how single digits now feels warm now. You got some great shots of the birds enjoying their treats!

  13. SUSAN! Your table is SO clever! I love it!! Love those plates. Just beautiful. How do you find such wonderful things? Your birdie pictures are so sweet.

    I feel so bad for the folks in Atlanta. I was watching the Today show, and it seems like everyone is bashing Atlanta. We aren’t used to this kind of snow either, but 35 years ago we had a major storm where one school system did not close. The buses couldn’t get through and kids ended up staying in fire stations. I think VA learned its lesson. I hope things get back to normal soon.

    Keep those clever tablescapes coming!

  14. Oh how lovely everything looks with snow. Great bright light too outside. Love those plates.

  15. Susan love you’re cute idea! Perfect for this Atlanta weather this week! I live near you but am away for business this week, so I missed the snow.

  16. Cathy Johnson says

    Susan, you are so creative! I never would have thought to use the snow as a wonderful table cloth and setting. I absolutely LOVE it!!

  17. Your photos made my day! Not sure which I liked more — the table or the birds! Warm thoughts coming your way from St. Louis.

  18. Andrea Campbell says

    I LOVE your table settings, Susan, and love it that you’re treating our feathered friends to a banquet in this terrible weather. Once, at a presentation, I asked the local birder who was speaking, how on earth these these little creatures survived in the frigid temperatures we have. He said, “With great difficulty.” So plaudits to you and all who remember to keep feeders supplied!

  19. ~Susan~
    God bless you for taking care of the birds !! As I was watching the little sparrows eating I thought wow in this freezing weather they are doing fine. 🙂
    Have a sunny day ! stay warm and cozy
    Paula
    IN

  20. This tablescape is ridiculously creative and fabulous!! Who woulda thought to use Mother Nature’s table cloth? It will be pinned on my Snowflake board on Pinterest asap 🙂 And oh how I wish we had cardinals out here in Western WA.

  21. Susan, I just love your style and sense of fun! Your tablescape is for the birds! Another snort. Living in the freakin’ freezing Maryland, I am sooo looking forward to spring but your winter table looks so adorable that I almost don’t mind enjoying a cold outdoor table setting. I say this from the comfort of my cozy warm kitchen. I love all the ideas you’ve given me in your blog and will continue to take good notes!

  22. Thanks Susan for a wonderful table for the birds. I love it and Iam sure the birds will love it to when they realize you did it all for them! Love the dishes too. Stay warm…..

  23. So glad you are are and warm. My husband spent the night at his office and drove home around 3 in the morning yesterday (thankful for that big 4 wheel drive truck now!). Your tables cape is beautiful…the bird pictures are divine!!! So sweet. Your creativity always makes me smile. Incredible!

  24. AWESOME!!! Your table al ‘FRESCO-FROZEN’ is stunning dear Susan, wow!!! I love the dishes and I thnk I have three Winter Bavarian salad plates like yours from my Mil! Thank you for hosting sweetie, I’m posting a Chinese New Year’s setting.
    Hugs,
    FABBY

  25. I love this so much. I really enjoy everything you post. I would like to see what the pergola looks like, I have plans for my husband to build us one this spring!

  26. OK, you are the most dedicated tablescaper in Blogville. I can’t imagine how cold it must have been when you were out there setting the table and taking photos. But what a great idea! The snow covered table top makes the perfect background for those charming dishes. All of your snowflake accessories finish off the table perfectly. Gorgeous photos of birds at the feeder. I’ve been reading about all of those people stuck on the roads in Atlanta. Yikes!! Stay warm and safe. Thank you for hosting. laurie

  27. Hope you’re happy…now begins the search for more dishes. 😉 Love both sets! What a perfect winter tablescape you created with & for Mother Nature. You surprise & inspire us daily with your creativity & taste. Thank you!
    P.S. The yellow house is my favorite too; can you make room for me…even if it’s just for a seasonal visit?

    • LOL I was afraid that would happen! I’m afraid to look at any links this week…that got me in trouble a few weeks ago! 😉
      Thanks, Paula! Sure, we’ll all fit in there together! 🙂

  28. Susan, I love how you made use of Mother Nature’s tablecloth! Those birds have really learned to trust you and reward you for putting out that heated birdbath for them! Your new dishes are so pretty and I’m glad you didn’t have to wait 11 months to use them! 🙂

  29. Gloria in PGH says

    I LOVE YOUR TABLESCAPE!!!!!! You used my favorite flatware and the dishes are too delightful for words. I may be stopping by on eBay to day!! At first I thought the bowls were filled with cereal until I got a closer look. Your photos of the birds are amazing. Love the cardinals!

    I hope things improve for you in Atlanta weatherwise. I’ve been watching the news coverage and feeling so bad for you all. Sending you warm wished from SW Pennsylvania.

  30. Great table, Susan! I’m sure you were ready for a bit of hot chocolate after working on this table! I love all the shots, great variety of birds you have visiting! Thanks again for hosting this fun party! Stay warm!

  31. Hope you’re happy…now begins the search for more dishes. 😉 Love both sets but Christmas Village is my favorite! What a perfect winter tablescape you created with and for Mother Nature. You surprise & inspire daily with your creativity & taste. Thank you!
    P.S. The yellow house is my favorite too; can you make room for me…even if it’s just for a seasonal visit?

  32. Love your winter table setting! The silverware and bird feed in bowls, just made it even better. I have followed your blog for quite some time now, but had forgotten you were in Atlanta area. My husband and I had traveled down from Kentucky on Tuesday headed for Florida. Conditions begin to decline late afternoon, and after signs of icing we decided it was time to quit. We have been holding up in a hotel in Calhoun, Georgia for the last two days, very thankful now that we pulled off when we did. Our sincere sympathy goes out to those that have been stranded, it must have been horrible. We are continuing our journey hopefully today. I appreciate your blog, and all the wonderful ideas you provide . Thanks!!!

  33. Vicki Daugherty says

    Susan you are wacky! Who would have thought to set a table during snow????? That must show your sense of adventure!!! And I imagine you only had one chance at placing items…..cannot smoothe snow out and start over. The dishes are cute but the cardinals outshine them, by far! Thanks for braving the cold and sharing. Warm hugs from Vicki in Louisville KY

    • lol That’s right…that’s why some of the flatware is slightly crooked. I thought I got it all place correctly but in the photos, it looks kind of wonky. There was no adjusting anything once it was placed!
      Thanks, Vicki!

  34. Susan, You’ve heard of that old saying “Be Careful What You Wish For?” Well, you all got it! It went down to 8 degrees last night. I am so ready for Spring! I think the snow/ice has got to Susan’s brain..Putting good china and crystal out for the birds! LOL! That Cardinal is so beautiful! Do you all have any crows around? Watch them that they don’t pick up your beautiful sparkly napkin holder and run off with it. They love anything that’s shiny and sparkles.

    • LOL I’m blaming it on cabin fever! I do have crows and they come down to get the seed from the deck rails but they are too big to sit on the feeders. I scare them away when they attempt to land on the rails because they scare away all the other birds. That’s too funny, never thought about them trying to take the napkin rings! I brought those in pretty quickly after taking the pictures.

  35. What a sweet idea..setting the table for the birds..love the “silverware” too..who would have thought that heated feeder would be put to such a test it’s first time out….glad your safe at home..I don’t watch the news either but I do check in with the weather channel now & then…just to see what’s going on…usually it’s to see how much and long we’ll have rain…here on Maryland’s Eastern Shore we rarely get snow..it’s been nice the last 2 weeks..just wish it wasn’t SO darn COLD.!!

  36. OK, Susan, you officially win the award for “Most Creative Tablescape”!! I always check in on Thursday to see what everyone has come up with and can honestly say that this is the most creative, unique tablescape I’ve ever seen. I love the new dishes–I’d never seen that pattern. You certainly made the best of a bad situation. I hope things thaw out down there soon. We currently don’t have snow here in Illinois, but have been dealing with wind chills far below zero for what seems like weeks. Spring can’t come soon enough.

  37. This was ABSOLUTELY the BEST use of snow I’ve seen!! Just “over the top!” LOVED IT!! franki

  38. The table is gorgeous…and using the snow is just INSPIRED!! I love that you remember our woodland creature friends! Another wonderful Porch post!

  39. I am so glad you listened to your self. I would hate to hear you were out in that ice.

    Do you know what the name of the first bird? The little round brownish-red one. Lovely cardinal.

    • Thanks Madonna! I know it’s a wren. Not sure if there are different kinds of wrens or not. We have lots of them here in Georgia. They are cute and sassy…lots of attitude. 🙂

  40. Hi, Susan,
    Only you would come up with a tablescape that brings “Dr. Zhivago” to mind! It’s just beautiful (love all the snowflakes and delicate napkins!) I’m sure the birds and squirrels in your area have a special place in their hearts for you. They are even grateful enough to stay in their appointed feeding areas and not disturb your table by treading across it and leaving footprints! You have such an imagination. Let me know if the cold get to be too much: you’re welcome to come to So. CA and stay with me! Rosie @ The Magic Hutch

    • Thanks, Rosie! lol I kept wondering if that was going to happen. Every time I went back inside to get something, I wondered if I’d come out and find a bird hoping all around on the table. 🙂 Thanks Rosie…I could use some of that CA sunshine right now!

  41. pam ~ crumpety cottage says

    Susan, I’m glad you’re making the most of your situation (as I knew you would). To be “stuck” inside your beautiful home with all your beautiful things and your creative and fun ideas … wait a minute, I guess that’s not toooo bad, after all! lol. 😀

    Please tell me, who is that chubby fellow dining at your seed buffet in the first bird picture? He’s such a cute, stout little guy. I have always been partial to the male cardinal as they are so beautiful and such bright spots in and around gardens, but that fat little guy stole my heart. He’s practically round! Haha. So cute. How wonderful of you to take such good care of them. 🙂 Stay warm and cozy, my friend.

    • Thanks Pam! He’s a cute little Wren. LOL I always think the same thing…they are like little plump, round puff balls, especially this time of year when it’s so cold out. They are one of the bravest birds…they were still coming to the feeder with me just a few feet away.

  42. pam ~ crumpety cottage says

    P.S. Forgot to mention that your choice of yellow house in the Christmas Village is so ideal for you. It even has the same kind of porch you have!

    I saw you mention just above me that the bird is a wren. I’ll have to watch for them. He is so cute. 😀 Thanks!

    • Didn’t it remind you a little of Oak Hall that I just posted about? I was so surprised how much it looked like it! I would LOVE to know where David Carter Brown got the inspiration for the village he depicted in his designs!

  43. loved this post. everything! beautiful! thank you for sharing 😀

  44. pam ~ crumpety cottage says

    Awww. So cute and brave! (We were posting at the same time, AGAIN!) I’m like you, I avoid the news like the plague so didn’t realize you were having such a tough time down there. So sorry for all the folks who got stranded. I don’t know how we missed it here in Tennessee but sure glad we did. I don’t know how I ever survived all those winters in Alaska. I have come to believe it’s because we were young. You can do anything when you’re young!

  45. I love the snow tablecloth! Your tablescapes are so inspiring. We had rain, sleet, ice, snow here too in New Orleans – luckily they closed the schools and pretty much everything else and told everyone to stay home on Tuesday & Wednesday, we still had over 200 wrecks with people sliding on the ice, could have been much worse. Stay warm and I hope everyone gets home safe.

  46. Susan, I am so tickled to see this marvelous tablescape on your snow covered table. The birdseed in the bowl is the real show stopper. Lady, you are so creative. I had thought to make a cute little tablescape on the table on the patio (not anything as elaborate as this) just a couple of snowmen and a tea set, but we have been under more than two feet of snow for a long time now (not to mention temperatures and wind chill factors well below zero). Way to much to deal with. You really have all of my admiration for coming up with this one. Bravo!!!

  47. My girls and I just enjoyed looking at your winter table! I bet the birds had a hard time staying away while you were photographing. Thanks so much for hosting.
    KC

  48. Susan, I hadn’t intended to link up my post this week because it doesn’t feature dishes, but with all the snow on everyone’s mind I thought it would fit in. When I saw that Dawn was your inspiration for the dishes, I smiled because she was the source for the star of my post. It is a tablescape, just no dishes. Hope it’s OK to bend the rules this week!
    Your creativity is endless. Who would have thought to set a table in the snowy scene outside your window. Bravo! Hope you wore ear muffs, gloves, and a heavy coat. I loved seeing this tablescape with those wonderful dishes. No question the birdies LOVED having this table complete with plenty of snacks.
    Stay warm and cozy inside. 😉

    • That’s too funny, Sarah! I bet she’s getting lots of visits today. 🙂 You know what is so weird is the entire time I was putting the table together, I was never cold and I didn’t have on a coat or gloves. But when I finished and came in and then went back out to bring stuff in, I was freezing then. I must have been so focused, I didn’t notice.

  49. This is wonderful! So perfect for the winter snow storm! Those plates are fabulous! I wanted the yellow house too, can we share it! Love your birds eye view joke! LOL! Glad you turned around and went home so you weren’t one of those stuck on the road for hours!

    Thanks for hosting!
    Katherine
    P.S. – Are those the Swarovski crystal ornaments? I have a lot of those. I like the metal tree they are displayed on. I hang mine from our crystal chandelier in the dining room (and leave them up all year.)

    • Thanks, Katherine! Yup, they are the Swarovski ornaments. I started collecting them the first year they came out, not realizing it was the first year. I’ve continued the collection and it’s grown now over the last twenty years to two trees. I have 5 branches left that are open…will have to get creative about how I hang them after that since I’ll be out of space. I love the idea of hanging them from the chandelier and enjoying them year around! Awesome idea! I usually put these out on the silver trees when I decorate for Christmas and leave them out all winter. Love the idea of having them out all year, though!

  50. This sure is a crazy winter, Susan. We had 2 snowfalls in one week. The snow from the other days is still on the ground cause low last night was 12 degrees but it should melt today because we will go up to 50’s later today, 60’s tomorrow and 70’s on Saturday, lol. But you are braver than this tropically brought up and now southern girl. I would not go out except to take pictures when my friends were sledding on our hill the other day. You sure took advantage of that snowy table. Love your tablescape, so perfect!…Christine

  51. Looks like you got all of our snow, Susan! We only got an extremely light, flour-like dusting of snow here in the Black Hills of South Dakota last night.

    Love your bird photos! Our bird and squirrel feeders are pretty far away from our dining room sliding door to get any good pictures. Maybe we’ll have to install a trail camera out there…

  52. Susan,
    Your creativity never ceases to amaze me! All of your choices were
    absolutely perfect for this tablescape! I am in North Alabama, so we
    missed most of the snow, but my hearts go out to everyone who has
    been so affected by this weather. Hang in there; warmer weather is
    just around the corner!

  53. Lovely table setting, although a bit cold, burrrr, as I sit here is sunny Southern California with upper 70’s to lower 80’s wether. Those plates are very lovely indeed. To bad they are discontinued. Maybe we could all find an e-mail for the manufacturer and convince them to make them again. 🙂

    I love all the bright colorful birds, and it looks like you keep them full and happy.

  54. This is so beautiful and fun. Love it! Your pictures of the birds are gorgeous. Would love to see them sitting on the edge of those bowls on your table 🙂 Wonder if they will venture over there? This has been quite the winter. Feel badly for you all there in Georgia. Sounds like it was quite a mess on the roads! Thanks for the party Susan!

  55. When I saw this table setting I thought “what has Susan done now?” How much fun it was to look at each picture of the table setting on the snow covered table. I love it. I saw pictures of the traffic nightmare in Atlanta and I thought about you. Glad you are safe at home. We got almost 10″ here in SE Virginia which is a blizzard for us. Warmer temps towards the weekend promise melting snow and safer driving. This winter has been one for the record books. Stay warm and safe…Vikki in VA

  56. Patty S Wells says

    Susan, this is such a creative tablescape. Your dinner guests will have something warming to eat, and enjoy your beautiful china, napkins and napkin rings, snowflake wine glasses and stunning center piece. Well done!

  57. Hi Susan,
    what a clever and delightful idea to make a tablescape on a snow covered table. It is beautiful and I too, love
    love love those dishes, Mr. Brown did an amazing job…………for sure……….and so did you, loved all the
    shots of the birds too. Very lovely post…………

    and hope yall thaw out real soon.
    Blessings, Nellie

  58. One word, AMAZING!!!

  59. Cute, cute, cute, cute, cute! I love it! This is one of your cutest ideas ever! Love the table setting and love the bird pics! Good job!

  60. Oh, you are so very cute and clever!!! What a unique tablescape!!! Don’t know if I want to dine out there, but it sure is pretty to look at!!! Love what you did and your new dishes too. And the birds look so happy!!! Hope the weather and conditions have improved for all of you……..keep warm, stay safe……

  61. who would have thought! How creative and wonderful!

  62. Oh Susan, what a great tablescape! I bet the birds came down and had a little treat. Love the dishes and glasses – everything goes so well together.
    Stay warm and hopefully all the snow and ice is melting.
    Mary

  63. Doreen Krajzel says

    Hi Susan
    What a lovely idea, a tabl scape in the snow! We use to go hiking years ago in the snowy fields and than come back to your picnic spot and eat hot chili. What fun that was! I am surprised at the snow, I thought Georgia never did get snow. No wonder everything stops. Love and Hugs, Doreen

  64. Hands down this has to be the most creative (and beautiful) table setting I’ve seen.

  65. Humor and Genius! I hope you don’t mind that I’ve put up one of the pictures as my desktop wallpaper.

  66. Susan, you’ve done it again! Using what we have to work with instead of going out & buying something new, Mother Nature “gifted” you with the perfect tablecloth. Unusual, fun & unique, this really catches your eye & challenges us all to work with what we have. Beautiful & such a fun tablescape!! Love it & admire your creative mind to come up with something else very different. Enjoy the snow, but PLEASE, keep it in Georgia! We’ve had more than enough snow this winter for my liking here in Oklahoma. 🙂

  67. That is a most clever tablescape, Susan! I love the plate patterns that you shared with us, and what a pretty napkin pairing. Hope that the snow is melted away for you by the time you read this!

  68. Beverly Kennedy says

    Absolutely adore your “snowy” tablescape!!! What a darling, creative idea. The dishes are terrific and I love the twig flatware. Where did you find it? Also thanks for thinking of the birds during this cold weather. They have such a difficult time finding food in the winter. I am sure the Southern birds were really shocked as were a lot of the Southern people!!! I always look forward to your blogs so keep blogging. You are the best!!!

  69. I loved it all – the snowy tablecloth, perfect with the twig flatware, love the china! Your bird photos are so beautiful – great post!

  70. poussière d'Argence says

    Très jolie table toute douce et raffinée avec de superbes assiettes, qui représentent bien la saison hivernale.
    Un bon garde manger pour les oiseaux aussi.
    Passez une douce soirée.
    Amitiés de France

  71. Oh Susan! I’ve been thinking about you1 I figured you were ok, but my goodness! Who would have thought this would/could happen down in ‘Hotlanta’!

    I don’t have a tablescape to share, but wanted to chime in and say that ‘tablecloth’ is beautiful! lol Of course, your decorations are stunning, but that goes without saying. And I bet your house is the most popular one in the neighborhood right now with the birdies. Heck, maybe even the entire city!

    I mentioned you in my post today. It’s about small houses. I think I had told you I had picked out the same house on iStock as the one in your header? Anyway…you know what they say…great minds 😉

  72. Truly the way to make lemonade out of lemons!!! I can think of few people who would brave the snow & ice to create like this! It’s lovely and VERY creative!!!

    I’m really sorry about the weather problems you guys are having there. I know that because this is a real rarity your city does not have the equipment necessary to make quick work of the snow & ice disposal. Of course, here in the Kansas City area we are quite accustomed and hardly blink. That doesn’t mean we like it. It just means it’s “old hat” to us. I hope this kind of thing doesn’t happen to you folks there in the South again anytime soon. It’s a real bummer!

    Thank you for hosting again this week!

  73. What a fun and delightful table. I hope you got a picture of the birds dining…..I’m sure they were eager to “sit down” to eat! Please post one if so! VERY FUN! Where did you get the tree for hanging your Swarovski ornanaments. I collect those too and have thought of displaying them that way!

    • Unfortunately, I didn’t catch them dining Toni, but that would have been awesome! 🙂 I found the first tree like that in Ross Simon in Atlanta. Later when it was filled up with ornaments, they had them online. I haven’t seen them on there in a while. Someone emailed me and told me she had called Ross Simon and was told they had been discontinued. Hopefully they will make them again sometime.

  74. Wow! Incredible! You are THE most creative tablescaper in blogland. Who else could have come up with that idea and executed it so perfectly. I’m imagining you with a list of items in order to take to the table so that you don’t place something before it’s time and disturb the perfect snow. Although I guess you’ve done this often enough you wouldn’t need that. You are so clever and so chic. I admire your talent and your compassion for our outdoor friends. You truly are a blessing and I am blessed I found your blog. I feel so at home here. I can’t tell you how much I smile when I’m here. Thank you.

    • Aww, thanks Angela! You are a sweetheart and I truly appreciate your kind words! XO
      I wish I could say I planned things that well but it was a spur of the moment thing. I almost waited too late to create it. By the time I thought of it, it was mid day and already 29 degrees. I was rushing to put it together, no time to think about it because the temps were rising. While I was taking pictures for the post, I could hear water running down the gutter near by where the snow was melting on the roof. The temperature was already at 33 degrees so things were beginning to melt. What’s weird is about an hour or two after I finished taking the pics, it had dropped back down again to 31. Crazy weather! Wish I had thought of creating it that morning…would have had a bit more time to plan and get the flatware placed a bit straighter. 🙂

  75. Why didn’t I think of this? lol. Soooo pretty Mother Nature beauty and your great design skills

  76. Holy snowflakes Susan, weren’t you freezing out there???? What a wonderfully cool idea to use your snow covered table, it is so fabulous! I must say I hope that’s the last snow I will ever see, I live in Birmingham where the nightmare began! They told us a light dusting and sent everything to the gulf coast where the snow was predicted and everyone went on their merry way to work and school. 30 minutes after the snow started the roads were impassible. I was lucky because I stayed home but everyone I knew either had to walk home or stay at work. We just got my husbands car this afternoon. I never want to see snow again!!! I do love your table though, and the bird photos are great!
    Hurry Spring! I’ll take heat any day!

  77. Linda S. in NE says

    I love the new dishes, and thanks for sharing with our feathered friends.

  78. Katherine G says

    Great job making a tablescape in snow – love that! And your bird photos are amazing – I have no luck taking photos through my windows (and they are clean…) any hints on that?
    Stay safe and warm!

    • Katherine, I bet mine are dirty. lol Not sure when they were last cleaned. 🙂 I was just using a zoom lens, Nikkor 18-200mm on my camera, which is a Nikon D7000. That’s it…didn’t do anything special. When you’re using a zoom lens, you need to either have your camera on a tripod or do your best to brace your arm/hand against something because even the slightest movement will blur the photo.

  79. Wow Susan, Brilliant idea to set a winter tablescape outside and use the snow as your tablecloth and backdrop showcasing winter’s beauty. Such a delightful post. I loved the twiggy flatware, the snowflake centerpiece and napkin rings on the crisp sheer napkins and the darling snowflake glasses. You are right the Christmas Valley pattern is so charming. Your birdseed main course and pretty dinner guests entertained us all. Glad you had cabin fever and got creative outside. Also that you listened to your intuition to go back home so you were safe.

  80. What a charming idea. I love everything about your table setting, the dishes, glasses and cutlery.

  81. Girl, you have to stop showing all these gorgeous dishes. I want them all!!! Love your pretty table. The calmness of snow speaks to my soul, winter is my favorite time of year. I love to curl up by the fire and read a good book with my tea cup in hand. Seems like every thing just slows down a bit once winter arrives and the holidays are over.

  82. So good you listened to your instinct! I adore your setting, and how sweet your little friends are!! Bret photos!❤❤

  83. Great photos, rather. 🙂

  84. You just made my day. Everything about this post tickled my fancy, from the cars parked behind your house to setting the table on the snow. I also loved Dawn’s plates, and now everyone knows about them so I won’t be able to find them. Bad Susan… Great photos of the birds, too. Loved this post!

    • lol I know, I thought about that. That happened with the Pottery Barn clock plates. When they appear on eBay now, they always go for a king’s ransom…so I’m never gonna get any of those. I keep wondering if it’s BNOTP readers scooping them up since I’ve blogged about them several times when showing them in table settings and then when making my own DIY clock plates. Sorry about that Jennie. My bad! 😉

  85. Haha, love your wintery tablescape! My daughter and son-in-law both got stuck in that crazy storm! She was able to make it to a friends house – took her 4 hours to go about 5 miles. He spent most of the night at Waffle House! Thankfully both eventually got home safely. Good for you for following your intuition to head home!
    Karee

    • Wow, the stories I’ve heard and read…amazing what people went through! I hope the folks that were in the cars on the road behind my house were almost home and didn’t have to walk very far. I didn’t even know those were out there until the next day or I would have walked up there and taken them some food or water, just in case they needed it. Hopefully they didn’t have far to go.

  86. Susan, your *snow table* is a hoot!! So creative. I can tell you too are a bird lover because you served them on your good china!! I love the Christmas Village plates, move over, I want to live there too!!
    We just had two good Snow Queen offerings, but we are used to it up here in the snowy North, although just three days ago, it felt like Spring.
    Take care when you go out, nothing is that important to risk your life….you can always share the bird’s food..on good china too!!! 🙂

    • lol I like that, Snow Queen offerings. That a great name for it! I think we are going to get some spring like weather in the next few days. My tablecloth melted today…I kind of miss it! 🙂

  87. What a great idea!!! You are so creative. Thanks for sharing.

  88. Susan,
    This is one, definitely, over the top tablescape! I think Martha and Sandra lee would be impressed!
    Ann

  89. Elaine in Laguna says

    Susan, Completely and utterly delightful table setting! So clever to use the snow as a tablecloth. And I love the birdie photos! So sorry to read about the drivers and everyone caught in the snow. Hope it warms up quick. Stay safe.

  90. hey, it pays to read other people’s posted messages..because I missed seeing the Swarovski tree and ornaments the first time..and the details on those plates..now I’ve got to find the yellow house people are mentioning! Oh my gosh, talk about lack of comprehension! I’m going back now and will study that tablescape again. Susan, how long have I been telling you that you sure put together a book on all your tablescapes. It would be a best seller and you’ll see out the first day because all of us blogging fans would make sure of it!

    Has your grandbaby come yet?

  91. Boy, I’d better read back over my own messages and make sure I have typed the right words..must be the cold, sinus infection or whatever I’ve had all week clouding my brain! I have encouraged Susan for a few years to put together a book on all her Tablescapes. It would be a best seller right away because all of her blogging fans would see to that. It would be a sell out the first day it hit the bookstores! Not only are her photographs just beautiful but her creativity , her writing talents make her blog and her personality shows through in all her posts.

  92. Judy MacDonald says

    This is one of the prettiest and most creative tablescapes you’ve ever created, Susan. Hope you continue to stay warm and cozy in that cold and snowy weather.

  93. It is just such a joy to come and see your blog. Honestly, it is one of the highlights of my day 🙂

  94. Reminds me of patio eating in Europe surronded by snow. That fat cardinal couldn;t be prettier!!

  95. Susan, Your industriousness amazes once again, you table is simply enchanting! I was wondering if you had to shovel the porch floor to walk out there? Here in coastal NC, we’ve had ice for 3 days. Schools have been closed since Tuesday! We have thawed out today thankfully… I know what you mean by cabin fever! Bring on the sun!

  96. bobbi duncan says

    Hi Susan. Leave it to you to utilize cabin fever to your ( and our ) advantage. Love, love, love those plates! They so remind me of the works by Linda Nelson Stocks–so sorry she retired. Glad to see you are such a good birdie mama–they really add so much to our lives. I know what you mean about a cold winter–I’ve lived in the Brandywine Valley since 2000 and this is our worst one yet. I was living in Atlanta when that blizzard came through in March of 1993. Do you remember that? We and our friends were out tying ropes to people’s cars, pulling them back onto the road they had slid off of–it was terrible. Thanks so much for such a pretty day-brightener on this very ( b-u-r-r-r! ) dreary day.

    • Thanks, Bobbi! Wow, I just googled Linda Nelson Stocks and you’re right! I love her work!
      They do…they do add so much to our lives. We have definitely had some bad storms here…the ice storms are the worse ones of all! Georgia can go from one extreme to another in just a few days…crazy! Thanks for telling me about Linda Nelson Stocks!

  97. I originally found your blog because I tablescaped before even knowing there was such a thing. (my dining room is the only thing visible from the front door). In all the years I’ve been following you I have to say this is the CUTEST thing I’ve ever seen. You just keep it up missy – you’ve taken us to a whole new level 😀

  98. I would never have thought to set a snowy table! That was brilliant, and I think you deserve a tablescaping award! It looks Beautiful!

  99. Soooo pretty. Love snow except for the driving in it part. So scary. And we’ve had plenty this winter here in Pennsylvania. Love all this dishes too. So cute!

  100. Wow! That is so creative – I’ve never seen anything like that table. It’s delightful! It’s been hard to understand (from way up north) how much trouble you’ve had from only 2 inches of snow – but it seems like it was an ice storm more than anything. Glad you turned around and went home! I love being snowed in – so cozy – as long as we have electric, groceries and wood for the fireplace it’s actually really fun! Love your table.

  101. Jan Elmore says

    Oh my….you’re the best! So, so awesome! Thank you! I want to live where cardinals do!

  102. Had to share this with you as soon as I received it. As you know, I (along with countless others) have been searching for the Christmas Village Salad Plates since this post. Found a set on ebay, inquired about it and this was the Seller’s response: “Hello, The item you are asking about, The Christmas Village salad plates, sold on 1-22-14 for the buy it now price of $45.99 & free shipping. They were recently featured on the blog Between Naps On The Porch. I am sorry that I do not have anymore to sell. They may be harder to find now, and are very adorable. Thank you for the question and for looking at my items.” 😉

    • 🙂 That must be one of the sets I bought! The sweet seller and I chatted back and forth a bit via email after I purchased them and I mentioned to her that I would be using them in a future table setting on my blog, although it would probably be next Christmas. lol I never expected to use them so soon but the snow “event” we had changed all that. 🙂 Paula, do not give up hope for finding them because right after I purchased those salad plates, I was thinking I’d never find 4 more dinner plates to have a complete set of 8. Then the very next day, 5 dinner plates popped up and I bought them on the spot, giving me 9 (8 to use and 1 as a spare in case of breakage.) So you never know when they will pop up again. In my Googling for them, I came across an old, old link that showed them for sale at Sears! So that makes me think that these were readily available back when they were first sold, which means there will be more popping up on eBay with time. So don’t give up! You may want to set up one of those “alerts” you can set up on eBay where they email you when an item fitting that description is listed.

  103. Susan Jones says

    Susan, you know those Christmas Village dishes would be PERFECT if you ever set up another one of those Dickens’ Village tablescapes like you did 3-4 Christmases ago with the villages lined up down the middle of the table! Would love to see that!! And I have to agree when you post about dishes there is a run on them and they disappear! I think I went to 20 or so Walmarts this past Christmas looking for just the salad plates of those dishes you blogged about and never could find any with the bunny rabbit on them 🙁 — hoping they will be out again next Christmas.
    My son was also stuck in that weather a couple of weeks ago. He’s a senior at Georgia Tech and goes down a couple of times a week for an internship at the National Weather Service in Peachtree City. Upon getting back to campus that day what would normally take 45-50 minutes took 4 hours. Talk about a mama stressin’ out! Was so thankful to get that text “I’m back.” Glad you stayed safe!

    • Susan, you’re right…they would be perfect for that! I’ll have to set up the village again next Christmas. 🙂
      I hope they bring the BH&G dishes back again, too. Since they sold so well, hopefully they will.
      Wow, I’m glad he made it back okay. I would have been stressed knowing he was out there, too. I kept wondering if all those folks who were stuck were running their cars the whole time or had to turn them off to conserve on gas. I’m sure he was happy to see his apartment or dorm room again!

  104. Susan, when it comes to tablescape you are the Queen. I love the winter tablescape. Every time i need an idea on how to make up my table for friends coming over or for the holidays, I always turn to you. I have your site saved in my favorites tab.

  105. This is ADORABLE!!! We brought our table and chairs inside for the winter or I would be creating a table for the BIRDS!!!! I LOVE this!!! Will keep this in mind. You are so creative.

  106. It is so hard to look at all of your wonderful posts!! Where do you find the time? I have seen your silver “tree” centerpeice many times before and the snowflake napkin rings (both shown in this tablescape). Do you mind sharing where you purchased both of them? I especially love that silver centerpeice to hang ornaments on. Just lovely for a wintery design to hang snowflake ornaments on! Thank you 🙂 Christina

    • Thanks so much, Christina! I found the little silverplate tree in Ross-Simon many years ago. They had it again a few years later and I purchased a 2nd one since I needed more space. I’m not sure if they ever have it available now, but it would probably be worth checking. Or, you may want to do a search for “silverplate ornament tree” to see if it’s available someplace else.

      I can’t remember where I found the snowflake napkin rings, I think it was Bed, Bath and Beyond. I remember they only had 4 and I wanted one more set. Keeping hoping I’ll find some more one day.

  107. Marni nixon says

    Love the picture of winter at the porch! I especially e joyed the birds! Seeing them gives us hope!!

  108. Hello Susan, I hope you are enjoying the New Year. I love this winter themed tablescape! If possible do you mind sharing where you purchased the silver snowflake napkin rings. They are very unique and prettier than any I saw this past holiday season. Thank you again as always. Your tables capes are beyond beautiful and inspiring.

  109. Carol Matthews says

    Susan – this snow table is totally magical!! I’ve just discovered your blog this week and I’m spending every spare moment going over 10 years worth of tablescapes!! You are my ‘dish hero’ – thanks for sharing your wonderful creations and making me smile every time!!

    • Thanks so much, Carol! I had so much fun putting that table together. 🙂 So glad you are here reading, hope you enjoy!
      XXX

  110. Wanda Bradey says

    How beautiful! I’m sure the birds love you even more! Happy New Year! Cannot wait to see your next blog.

  111. Oh my gosh Susan! I don’t know how I missed this beautiful tablescape. I was over on EBay earlier and found David Carter Brown dinnerware and fell head over heels for this set! I found your post by googling. I think I must have these!

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