Welcome, joobee!
They certainly are lovely dishes!
Are they blue glass? And what do you have in the other pattern?
It is hard to see the patern on my monitor.
Maybe start experimenting with a tablecloth with some color or pattern?
Is the flatware gold or is it just my monitor?

Lovely dishes. I am not sure which I love the most---the clear blue ones or the floral.

I am new to the table thing, too, and not very creative. However, I have the dishes bug. It is very very contagious.

I think you need some napkins or placemats. Actually, I think there is a rule or standard about placemats, but I don't know what it is. I told you that I was new to this. Anyway, I think that some color for contrast would be nice. It could also be achieved with a darker tablecloth.

Welcome to the tea party group!

Wow, Judy, I can't imagine having all those pretty dishes and never using them. I think you've done a wonderful job of putting things together. I'm in awe of the people here too, but your first attempt looks like a giant step to me. - Gail

Hi Joobee, so glad you decided to come play with us. Welcome,welcome, welcome!

Love your dishes--both the blue set and that pretty floral one. Is there an interesting story about where you got the dishes? How wonderful that you even have the glasses.

I've been on here a couple of years and still have not mastered doing tablescapes, but it is fun to play at it once in awhile.

I think Kathleen's suggestion of trying a colored or patterned tablecloth is good. And maybe just a bowl of pretty flowers--faux or real for the centerpiece. Or even the addition of some pretty patterned napkins would spice things up. You can also add candles for color too.

Do you have more of those gorgeous floral plates? If so, those will sure make a pretty tablescape too.

Hope you will continue to play with it, and give us an update when you get just the look you want.

Luvs

I have been sick and had a sick DGS staying with me since last Friday and haven't even felt like signing on. I have been checking in and looking for anything new, but not up to typing!!
So, this morning I decided to check in before a busy day of errands (in the rain) and my jaw hit the floor and all I could say was OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH!!
A good thing nobody is here or they would think I was having some kind of spell.

Girl, do you have any idea how BLESSED you are to have those BEAUTIFUL dishes? If only I could find a set like those. Nothing has stopped me in my tracks like those since Judith's AWESOME, pink, Royal Albert 'Lady Carlyle' when I first found this place way back when.
I love me some blue dishes, and these are exquisite. I have one pink plate like your blue ones and it is the most delicate, beautiful dish I've ever held. I've had my eye out for more with no luck so far. But, to have a whole set in blue? You've hit the motherlode! You must share with us every detail of how you got them.

I'm having a hard time typing because I keep going back up to look at them again!

As to suggestions, the only thing I would do is, maybe find some nice napkins to lay on the left to place your fork on. Maybe, some silver chargers under the plates. But, I would be very careful to not do anything to detract the attention from those dishes.
Thank you so much for sharing your dishes with us today. Now, I must start looking for some of these!

Almost forgot in all of my excitement. Welcome,Judy! What took you so long? LOL! Now, back to the topic, we want ALL of the details on these dishes!
Betty

Gee, I hate to be the" follow-up" to Betty's post. I can't possibly top her excitement! Still, I must say, your set is very special.
Isn't it great to find that someone loves what you've been storing for some many years. You came to the right place. Everyone here is just so wonderful and encouraging and funny and helpful. I've been a "member" for a little less than a year and I love it.

Judy, can you make the close-up of the single table setting any larger? (I've got old eyes.) I think everyone is right concerning the tablecloth and napkins. They'd add a punch of color to the table. I'd use two colors, a blue that goes with your dishes and some other complimentary color (I think that's why the floral plate looks so nice with the dishes - it's got colors that blend so nicely with the glass plates.) And I'd try to add a little height to the center, like Luvs mentioned. Do you have a small serving piece in the same or similar glass pattern? You could place some flowers in it.

Anyway, keep playing with it and keep posting your results. It's fun for everyone to see how a table setting evolves. We all admit to setting a table and then making little changes for the next couple of days, moving things around, substituting one thing for another, etc., until we get just the feel we're looking for. The fun is in the creating.

Thanks everyone for the warmest of welcomes.

Now for the story of the dishes. I love blue. I have
to confess that they are reproduction plates. I could
look for 100 years and never find all of the pieces to
a complete set of blue. I have six place settings of
these along with sugar, creamer, cake plate, footed
bowl, glasses and goblets, candleholders and a few other
pieces. I was walking thru J.C Penneys about 18 years
ago and found them. I kept going back and buying them
until I had every piece that they carried. They are
made by Indiana Glass. I only see them on ebay once
in a blue moon!
The center patterned plate is called Laudel. I don't know
a lot about it. I see it rarely on ebay and usually
get outbid.
The flatware is silver, the room is a caffe color and
it reflects in the flatware.
I will look for material for napkins and try a darker
tablecloth.
I'll let you see what I come up with.
Thanks again
Judy

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Judy, welcome to our little corner! Let me add my AWE to everyone else's! Love these dishes...they are simply gorgeous!! And to think you've never even used them!

Now, this is just my opinion...but I think I would use a white or off-white tablecloth like it looks like you already have. The reason I say that is because any type of color that you use in a tablecloth is going to affect the blue color in the dishes. I wouldn't want to take anything away from that beautiful color and I think using white would highlight the dishes. You could always bring in other colors with your napkins, candles and centerpiece.

I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

Judy,
Welcome! And you have some lovely dishes. The glass is absolutely gorgeous. I have no advice regarding placemats and chargers - I am still learning too. Something under the plates will look nice but I cannot tell what that something should be. The dish in the center goes really beautifully with your glass set. I like simple and high contrast so I like the white and blue combo you have going. You do need some pattern - maybe napkins?

Welcome Judy..I am useless for ideas, but your dishes are beautiful! I'm with Mo in thinking they need a white background. I'll be watching to see what you come up with!
It's nice to have you "at the table".

Judy, just wanted to add my "welcome" and say "what pretty dishes" as well. I think the others have given you some great suggestions although you have done wonderfully with your "baby steps"! The fun is in the "playing" with it until it pleases YOU and I hope you have many enjoyable hours (yes, you lose track of time!) doing so!

DD

Hi Judy,
Welcome to our forum! I've been here for several months and haven't even tried a tablescape yet. But I really like printersdevil's suggestion of a dark tablecloth with your beautiful blue dishes. Could we get the white background with a charger, maybe? I think silver accessories would give you a very elegant look, perhaps a silver bowl with flowers for a centerpiece...

Again, welcome. You'll see we have a lot of fun here!

- Magpie

Hi Judy .. and welcome to the forum :>)
Your dishes are absolutely beautiful! I think that I would use a silvery blue tablecloth and maybe robin's egg blue or a powdery blue placemat with lots of votive candles. For the centerpiece, I agree with Valleymagpie.. a pretty silver bowl loaded with flowers. Since the dishes look so delicate I think I would use silverware that has maybe a delicate floral pattern. I'm not a decorator by any means,so this is just my own opinion :>)

Susan

I just wanted to add my WELCOME, JUDY to the others. I'm so clueless when it comes to tablesetting, that I figure I'm the forum dunce for sure! Even after two years here, I still am in awe how the beautiful tables are done. It has been fun watching newbies learn and grow, in spite of not being one of them. LOL.
Your dishes are gorgeous by the way.
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Joobee,

Your dishes are beautiful! And I feel that in this case the beauty of the dishes can get lost with anything else you might add. Simplicity might be the right answer.

The bowl in the middle of the table is lovely but in my humble opinion not substantial enough. Your dishes are not delicate but substantial, even though they are glass.

Why not try bringing in color in other areas of you setting. Two colored table runners "X" crossing the table cloth might be nice with a lighter hue of the same color for the napkins. This might help accent you lovely dishes.

It must be fun working with these dishes - they are so great!

Belle