March 13, 2014
Dining With The Leprechauns
I married into an Irish family. I have marched in the St Patrick's Day parade, I make corn beef and cabbage for St Patrick's Day. I decorate a tree for St Patrick's Day, and I set the dinner table on St Patrick's Day with shamrocks and leprechauns. That's as Irish as I am going to get.
What could be more Irish than a leprechaun? I do so adore the wee people.
Long before I met my husband I was fascinated by fairies and leprechauns. One summer when I was around six years old I remember going out into the yard and picking a three leaf clover and pinching two of the three little leaves off to make a tiny clover fairy doll. I took a tiny flower head from a clover plant and placed it onto my single leaf of clover with a tiny dab of my school paste, then I picked a morning glory blossom (for my fairies gown) from our next door neighbors yard and nipped the end off to leave a tiny opening to slip the clover stem into. This was my tiny fairy doll. I made a little shelter for her from whatever I could find outside, sticks, bits of wood, and small pieces of colored glass from around the schoolyard on the other side of our house. Needless to say my fairy doll wilted rather quickly and I would have to start the process all over again if I wanted to play fairy garden.
My fascination with fairies and all of the other wee people started when my parents took me to see Walt Disney's Peter Pan. Tinker Bell was my favorite character in this charming animated movie.
Enough about the fairies, the leprechauns are the main attraction on St Patrick's Day
The wee Irish Lass in the centerpiece was found at a thrift store.
She was placed on a candle holder to make her a bit taller than she really is.
The Orchid flower is the last bloom from this winter's flowering.
I used a green shot glass for a vase.
The lovely little shamrock covered plate on the top of the stack was bought at Marc's (my favorite close out store) the bottom of the plate is marked Shannon (and made in china).
The light green salad plate came from Goodwill (salad plates are fifty cents each and seniors get a 10% discount) it is marked GP Hospitality Collection.
The dinner plate came from the Goodwill Store near where I work. Dinner plates are one dollar each unless marked otherwise. The usual 10% discount brings the price per plate down to ninety cents each. I bought eight of them The were made by Syracuse China, they are marked 10-J USA.
The chargers were bought off of Ebay - made by Lenox
The green plaid place mat is marked St. Nicholas Square. Twenty five cents each at Goodwill (half of the usual fifty cents each)
The small Shamrock bowls came from Marc's.
The glass wear came from the Volunteers Of America Store (I think).
Have a wonderful St Patrick's Day!
Linking to:
Kathleen's 6th Annual St Patrick's Day Crawl
Susan's Tablescape Thursday
Oh so lovely and green. I love the leprechauns - and the fairies - and the shamrocks and all the pretty pretty dishes. This is one of my favorites - what a grand table setting for St. Patricks - it sounds like you are very Irish. :-) I love the story about your flower fairy when you were 6.
ReplyDeleteThe flower fairies are still very vivid in my mind. Even after sixty years I still dream about playing and making flower fairies in the back yard where I grew up. I guess my inner child has not grown up yet.
DeleteCandy, I bow to your thrifting abilities! Wow! Those are some nice plates, and I particularly love the shamrock one. I set my table, tore it apart, and started again! I don't have my leprechauns who join me each year. So I am trying to go more serious and it seems not as much fun. But I have a new addition if I can just get my ducks in a row like you've done with this happy table!
ReplyDeleteMy ancestry is primarily from Scotland, England, France with a bit of Irish, too. But I think everyone likes to be Irish on March 17th!
Erin go braugh!
Serious might not be as much fun as leprechauns but it sure can be beautiful. I can't wait to see your tablescape. I bet it's lovely!
DeleteWonderful table...love all of the leprechauns and fairies...gorgeous details. Love the placemats.
ReplyDeleteCindy, your table is perfect! Love every layer of those pretty dishes. I am not even a teeny bit Irish, but I always make cb & c and soda bread on the 17th. xo
ReplyDeleteGorgeous table, Candy...l am loving all the green, my favorite color. Those dinner plates are awesome. Love the shots of the stacks. Cute collection of leprechauns.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend.
So many pretty things, Candy! I love the centerpiece and those placemats are amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking part in the 6th annual St. Pat's Bog Crawl! Slainte'!
You have so many lovely Irish things! Your table is beautiful and fun!
ReplyDeleteJenna
Hi Candy,
ReplyDeleteYou've set such a pretty and cheerful Irish table! How neat that you married into an Irish family! My favorite things on the table are your "Shannon" shamrock plates and your centerpiece. I LOVE the wee Irish lass and also the green and white, crocheted doily. My other favorite thing is your pretty green glassware.
I hope you have a wonderful St. Paddy's Day, Candy!!
Big Hugs,
Denise
Your dish stack is wonderful! You have a cute selection of leprechauns. I love the little lass the most- she's too cute!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous St. Patrick's Day table! I loved seeing your collection of leprechauns and lassies. I'm so glad you told who made those lovely white chargers because I was going to ask you about them. When I was a child, I made dolls out of sticks and leaves in my grandmother's yard!
ReplyDeleteHappy St. Patrick'd Day and I adore your table. I love fairies and leprechauns too. You're very interesting with the story of when you were a little girl and made the fairies; love that. Oh, I appreciate all the photos, but especially the one where you took the photo from high above.
ReplyDeleteHow can I follow you via e-mail prompts? Thank you!
ReplyDeleteJust enter your email address where it says follow by email. Let me know if you have any problems using this feature.
ReplyDeleteHi Candy- This is going to be a feature at Friday Favorites at http://imnotatrophywife.com
ReplyDeleteBeautiful tablescape! Thanks for all of your support! xo, laura
Hi Candy,
ReplyDeleteWhat a magically enchanting table! You always amaze with your talent for coordinating colour, pattern and motif and this St. Patty's table is no exception. The fairies and leprechauns are the special finishing touches that make this setting a whimsical dining experience!
Poppy
Those shamrock plates are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI did use green dishes on SPD, but didn't set a fancy table.
Wow, Candy, another incredible table, you've done it again! I love all your figurines, and the shamrock plates, oh how I'd love to find some of those! Thank you so much for joining the History & Home link party this week! -Dawn @ We Call It Junkin.com
ReplyDeleteGreat Irish table Candy. Wow you have so many nifty Irish pieces and lucky finds.
ReplyDelete