Farewell to the Old Picnic Table and Pfaltzgraff Cape May Tablescape

Hi Everyone!  I hope you are having a good week.  The weather is finally getting better here in Massachusetts and I am looking forward to finally getting into the garden.  One thing that will be missing from my yard's landscape this summer, however, will be the old cedar picnic table that has been in the side yard for so many years I have lost count.  The poor thing has been on its last legs for years now but, it has been the backdrop for so many of my blog and business pictures that I am very sad to see it go.

My husband decided that this Mother's Day would mark the beginning a new era for me.  It would bring me a new picnic table.  I was thrilled because the old one was not structurally sounds anymore. But, part of me is really going to miss it.  It has been a clutch player for me whenever I needed a good backdrop for a bouquet, floral arrangement or just to provide a rustic scene. I loved its gray, worn patina; so perfect for so many photo shoots... or at least... I thought so.  The time was ticking for it to be put out to pasture but, I hadn't realize that this would be the week for that event!

I wanted to get one last shot of the old table before my husband took it away but, before I could say words to that effect, I heard the buzz of the chainsaw and knew that it was too late.  The picnic table had been cut into pieces.  I am hoping its demise will spur me on to new ideas for new backgrounds for my pictures. Maybe it will jumpstart a new creativity in me.

Thankfully, I did a photo shoot on the picnic table at the end of last week.  I did it without realizing what was in store. It must have been intuition or something.

 The day of my shoot was a bit cloudy but, actually quite agreeable for taking pictures outside--no shadows!  I have to say, I did love the rustic gray hue of that old picnic table.  Since I live in a contemporary house there are not many places where I get the rustic feel but, I could always find it in the side yard.

Anyway, back to the tablescape.  Every spring I rediscover these "foxglove" dishes in my storage closet.  I have to say...I just love them but, knew they were getting somewhat dated.  It was discovering #Magpie Monday on Instagram that changed my mind in that regard.  On #MagpieMonday all things vintage are celebrated.  So, I thought, "Why not bring out my Cape May dishes one more time?"  They are so pretty and so spring!  After all, the foxglove are blooming in my garden.  Why not go for it?! 

Once I started collecting items for the tablescape I really started to like the rustic versus the formal of the elements of the design.  The picnic table, of course, was rustic as well as the dishes, to be honest.  However, the use of my best silverware, crackled glass stemmed wine glasses and crisp embroidered white napkins added a formal elegance to the whole look.

I have always loved foxglove.  That must have been what had drawn me to this dinnerware in the first place.

The mugs are so cute.

The front and back of the mugs have a totally different design making them so very interesting!

The bowls have yet another design, too.  Luckily, the honeysuckle is in bloom.  I used it to make a table runner of sorts.

What tablescape would be complete without flowers?  The ranunculus softened the rustic look while adding to it, all at the same time...if that makes any sense at all :).

The charger plate is not part of the collection but I really liked the look of the two plates together.  

In the end, I am very glad I dragged out the Cape May dinnerware for one more year.  Even though it is "vintage" now, it is very unique and lovely, why keep it locked up in a storage cabinet?  Why not enjoy it?

Well, now it is on to new imaginations and new uses for my new picnic table.  This one is certainly not vintage or weathered like my old one but, maybe with a coat of gray stain it will bring me years of happiness and inspiration like its predecessor.  As it turns out, I am already thinking up new tablescapes and centerpieces that might bring it a life of its own.  I might even have something in mind before I stain it :).

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