Oh, wow, @Kswl, you have led me down a rabbit hole for sure. I’ve been looking at the napkins you recommended and changing my mind on color every 15 seconds! On a practical note, I noticed one of the reviewers said the quality had recently diminished and that the napkins now shrink considerably. Have you had that same experience with your recent purchases?

I used to follow The Enchanted Home blog. I can’t remember why I stopped. Her style may be a little OTT for me. Nevertheless, I’d love a tulipiere!

@Jilly, it is the first Thursday of the month. I’ll send your dish assignment later. 😉

😁❤️

Thank you for arranging my Easter table, bbstx. I just ordered the hot pink napkins from Annie Selkie and will used them with my Blue Willow on wicker placemats.

Your luncheon table is going to look sensational.

i think the placemats with yelow will get lost. Must also confess ive never liked blue and yellow. Somehow, to me, it has always seemed, idk idk…childish.

Given thats its a ladies lunch, id go very girly and colorful and have fun with it.

Oh, totally—-she is so far over the top you cant see her except in a satellite photo! But her tablescapes are just fabulous, if somewhat impractical. I have a whole file of pics from her christmas buffet settings over the years.

As to the napkins, i bought my first set of pinks in 2018 and a second set in 2021 and they were identical. They may have changed since then, or maybe in some colors only. I don’t know if they shrink as mine are pre-treated where indicated, washed in luke warm water and hung to dry, then ironed. I would never and don’t ever put anything in the dryer that is all cotton— or is anything I want kept looking nice. I learned that from my mama 🙂

adding, IMO blue and white and yellow is one of those lovely color combinations that just look fresh and pretty and French. So that’s my spirited defense of yellow, lol lol. Bbstx those Booth plates are all over ebay right now… maybe white plates i terspersed with your blue willow and new fruit bowls in the Booth pattern?

You people are a bad influence. I was wavering on the Napoleon Bee flatware. It would look so cute with my Portmeirion dishes but it's not like I exactly NEED new flatware. Then I saw the price at Horchow and pulled the trigger.

Here is my Portmeirion pattern:

Good for you, Pugga-- and yes, would look lovely with your Portmierion botanical! I really can't justify the napolean bee flatware. 😪 My current set is very heavy so i thought maybe i could justify a lighter set for outdoors-- but i entertain too rarely these days (and after some soul searching, decided i am not really interested in picking it up again).

I too am tempted by the bee flatware; for certain reasons (relating to our surnames) the bee is one of our leitmotifs, but I need another stainless pattern like i need more dishes and that would be Not. At. All. I have a very plain Oneida pattern called Othenia, not exciting in any way but I have 16 place settings and need NOTHING else. I bought it back in the days when i thought you could— and should—- buy stuff that could ”go with everything.” Needless to say I have abandoned that precept completely. My dilemma on the Beeware is whether or not to buy eight place settings or 16. I worry that with 8 I wouldn’t have enough 🤔

Seeing that Repousse silver pattern again has also stirred a latent lust. I think I am just going to put down the ipad!

Help I can't stop tablescaping!! :)

For a somewhat unrelated reason, I was working on creating a "tablescape" to go with another small tea set I have, a particularly beloved sugar and creamer heirloom plus a teapot to go with.

I was in the store and I bought a different placemat and table scarf set and was trying it out. It looked HORRID, and I then realized I already had some things to create a nice setting, so I did. Liked it so much I left it up. Although I changed out the tablecloth for my teal one. But anyway, I would like to posit the blue, teal and peach color scheme as one that is good, with accents of green and yellow. I have some lovely peach tulips in my garden planted in honor of my Mom. And they can be mixed with a more salmon or watermelon color . . . This is more contrasting than a blue, yellow and green color scheme, but does include a pinky color. Like I said, it looks better with my teal tablecloth, not so high contrast. But I don't have a photo of that, I do have to attend to some other areas of my life!!

Rats! I’ve been in sales meetings all week amd now I’m obsessing about bee flatware. I’m going to take some deep breaths and hope it passes!

Bbstx, I love your china and recognized it right away. I have a Lenox cobalt and gold pattern (Independence) I bought to mix with my mother's Stanford - a plain gold band pattern., both discontinued. My grandmother had a partial set of Ansley Pembroke I wanted to pair with my china and my mother's because I loved the touches of pink and green with the blue and gold, but the pure white background doesn't really mix with the ivory Lenox patterns. Still, love the combination. The first greetings of spring each year include the pink blossoms on my peach and apple trees. It's the one time of year I crave pink. I love the peonies, but don't know if the 12" rounds would be large enough. If so, I would use those with pink napkins. Get the yellow napkins too and use them in the heat of summer (love the yellow with lots of white -- so cool and refreshing). The flatware is fun, but not essential (good thing since it is on backorder).

Pugga, you NEEDED the bee flatware with that china.

I need to get up in the top of the cabinet and get down a place setting of the Blue Regency so I can play with it to see which accent color I prefer. Because I’ve already done a yellow accent with this luncheon group, I’m leaning towards pink.

Is there any accent color that doesn’t go with blue and white? I can’t think of one offhand.

I’ve about talked myself out of the Napoleon Bee flatware. I don’t need it. I have perfectly good stainless and very nice sterling, service for 12 in each. For a woman who knows downsizing is on the horizon, it seems dumb to buy more flatware.

lascatx got it right-- hot pink and navy is what I yearn for in spring. Also love yellow and navy but it reminds of of the heat of the summer-- when a tall glass of lemonade is so perfect.

Honestly, bbstx, you will set a beautiful table no matter which direction you go. Have fun with it!

True - hard to go wrong with either china or accent color. I think I might like the willow with the yellow more, but both can be played very nicely either way .

And bbstx, I cannot think of a color that cannot pair with blue and white in some fashion. When I redid my kitchen, I wanted white cabinets, but I wanted natural wood and I needed blue somewhere. I did my fridge/pantry wall in floor to ten foot ceiling blue cabinets with a knotty cherry island and breakfast room hutch at the time white kitchens were just starting to return to the limelight (and the "Tuscan" and back and brown builder's neutrals were fading). I was a little nervous about going so big with my choice when I thought of it as my favorite color (and being the first 3 finish kitchen anyone I talked to had even thought about), but in place, I realized it basically acted as a neutral backdrop and went with everything I might want to put with it. Have fun playing with your china!

Bbstx, you dont want to join the Women Who Know Downsizing is On the Horizon and Buy More Flatware Anyway Club? I am offended!

love them!

Nice! At a tennis club? Lucky...... our pro shop sells shoes and restrings rackets :(

I do not need bee flatware, I do not need bee flatware.....

However, my flatware was a wedding present 37+ years ago so I'm due, right?

I love the pink, blue and white color scheme.

jmck, at 37 years old, I’m surprised your flatware isn’t worn down to nubs. Yes! you need bee flatware. 😂

Nice placemats, rubyclaire! I set my table last night with the Blue Willow plates and red napkins and a vase of red tulips. My placemat game was weak, though. All I had that would work were navy placemats. The Blue Willow didn’t show up well against the navy.

The Napoleon Bee flatware is 25% off on Horchow, as Pugga noted. President's Day Sale. Since I perused this thread on Friday, I cannot stop thinking about it.

Well, the flatware ships in early May. I still bought it. It is so cute and I could use at the house where my husband stays a lot while he works in Austin, so I have an excuse ...

For a woman who knows downsizing is on the horizon, it seems dumb to buy more flatware.

A lot of my thoughts start this way!

When I redid my kitchen, I wanted white cabinets, but I wanted natural wood and I needed blue somewhere. I did my fridge/pantry wall in floor to ten foot ceiling blue cabinets with a knotty cherry island and breakfast room hutch

Have we seen this! I'd love if it you posted pics, sounds wonderful.

Without reading any replies or to see if you already decided, I vote #1 because it won't take away from the vase, which is beautiful focal point. :)

Y’all….now, come May, I will be the proud owner of some bee flatware! Thanks a lot (said in a fake indignant tone.) 😂

You have gorgeous plates @bbstx! And I love the tulips and hot pink napkins…very much my taste. Your lunch tablescape is going to be gorgeous!

That really is a good deal, 45 pieces for $131! https://www.horchow.com/p/Wallace-Silversmiths-45-Piece-Napoleon-Bee-Flatware-Service-cprod87840002

How many sets has our influencer sold now?

ARRGGGHHH! I caved and ordered a set. I can always give my old stainless to one of the younger family members. (how’s that for rationalization?)

Honestly, I've spent more on flowers for the table! So go ahead. I hope the quality is there --- I bought a (totally different) set of flatware from Ballard and it was such junk. Everything bent. Some pieces had unfinished edges that could cut one's mouth. Total mess.

I paid more than that for just 4 place settings of my very basic set.

I am still tempted by the bees-- but I don't have a need for it and really don't have room for it.

Yes, i am giving my current set to one of my kid’s college apartments also!

😬 Oh, that’s awful Mtn! I am praying this set is nice…i really hate flatware that doesn’t have a nice heft to it. That’s one of the reasons of snapped it up (in addition to the bees 💕)…it looks like it could be weighty. 🤞🏻

The Bees are Wallace. Because Wallace is a well-known silversmith, I’m hoping the flatware will be acceptable. If not, I’ll return it.

It is lovely, and I'll bet it's fine!

I would trust Wallace to be good quality.

As for downsizing, unlike the set of china I got to mix with my mother's, a set of flatware can be stored in a the space of a shoe box. My original stainless pattern in stored in one of those plastic shoe storage boxes because I still like like it but I put together a larger set when we used to have casual dinners for 10-16 on a regular basis. I think I have flatware for 70 people before I'd have to borrow or resort to plastic. The bees are cute -- but I can't justify more than the honey spoon/server. But I can help enable anyone who has room to tuck a shoe box. LOL

I think the Beeware will be great! It’s 18/10 stainless which is the gold standard for that material. A lot of the cheaper sets of flatware are not even 18/8 and look like they are ready for the trash after a few months in the dishwasher. Mtn I hope the stainless from Ballard wasn’t Bunny Williams’ set with tortoise shell looking handles….i kind of wanted those …🙄

Ordered the napkins @Kswl suggested above. Bought the Flamingo which appears to be about the same color as the Annie Selke pink. I did not order the Annie Selke because I could not wrap my head around the size of the napkin (20x26).

@Zalco/bring back Sophie!, when you get the Annie Selke napkins, please let me know what you think of them.

IME the bigger the napkin the better! I wish i could justify some. : )

ETA, only the bright colors are 50% off (and another 20% today),I almost did buy the white but they are not as much of a screaming bargain.

Thanks, @mtnrdredux_gw [with heavy sarcasm]. You’re such an enabler! I’ve now ordered a dozen of the Annie Selke napkins. They are an extra 20% off today!

Wait wait you started it!

The 20% cant be added to the 50% but if you give them your email you can get another 15%. I gave them a secondary email since apparently I was already on their list. : )

The 20% stacked for me. They are regularly $30/6, but currently are 50% off. Then I got another 20% on top of that.

Amazing-- you can't get nice paper napkins for that price. I still want the green but haven't actually ordered them yet. I am trying to avoid the Annie Selke site because I wouldn't stop at the napkins!

OMG, i must have typed the code in wrong bec it said "invalid." Hey wonder if you can stack the 15%!

So tempting but I have lime, cant stand red, don't use much pink, and the others are not on sale.

Bbstx, I will report back.

It looks like I am ordering the lime green ones now with the added sale.

bbstx - Your table is going to be beautiful, the blue and pink combination is one of my favorites.

Love all the china options, the Blue Willow us my favorite for a luncheon. I have an affinity for china, keep wanting more. But I do not use it often enough.

Keeping my eye on the Wallace Bee flatware just love it. Thank you for sharing. I do need new flatwear, the flatware that came with our desert house is junky. The Wallace Bee flatware is now at the top of my list.

The green Annie Selke arrived and they are, um, BIG.

You can either bunch them up, or do the hanging style that is in vogue.

Yes, the hanging style would work. I'm also not sure about the color - it is a little more yellow green than I anticipated. But the price was excellent...

I just got the hot pink napkins, yes big, which I like. The weave is coarser than I expected, but I am fine with it.

Gorgeous placemats, rubyclaire.

Those napkins are practically lap blankets! Love that you all are getting a great buy, but I cannot justify joining you. This time.

I just received a notice from UPS that something is on its way. I have no idea what it is, but I’m hoping it is my napkins!!

If those napkins are linen, they just might shrink. I got some linen/cotton mix ones yesterday, also HUGE but perhaps some shrinkage. Anyway, I don't mind large napkins as long as they can be artfully folded . . .