As much as I welcome the vibrant color Camellias provide, brightening up a dreary winter landscape, when they first bloom, the color is almost too vivid~
I’m celebrating and enjoying their shabby state. . . the bright pink color of the petals softened and going to rust from our recent rainy weather & cold temperatures~
I found some silverplated trays and some stray cream & sugars for a little project I had in mind, looking for pieces with patina, tarnished and oxidized, and that hadn’t seen the Wright’s silver cream in a decade :)
So I’m at the table with faded blooms, tarnished silver, and transferware dishes that lend some cottage charm, and one that matches my Potting Shed mindset.
Enjoying a flower fix provided by my dish garden~ while I wait for spring~ with my Johnson Brothers Staffordshire Bouquet.
The weathered and faded camellias seemed to be a match for the transferware, with its comforting Old World brown and multicolored blooms.
So I’m enjoying camellias, silver, and transferware
in all their faded glory~
Faded Glory Details:
Dishes/ Staffordshire Bouquet
Jute Runner & Napkin Rings/ Pottery Barn
Napkins/ Kohl’s
Flatware/ assorted patterns and Oneida Community Evening Star
Silverplate pieces/thrift stores
Goblets/unknown
Wishing you an early spring!
I am totally convinced that you have the best eye of anyone in blog land. I would never have conceived of something so pretty with fading camelias.
Plus, that flower “garden” from the earlier post is just wonderful! I clicked to to because I had missed it. I noted that it was posted right after my MIL passed away when I was scarce around here. That is one of the most clever things I’ve ever seen. Just plain love it.
Hi Mary, I’m going to take this as permission to use my mother’s tarnished silver tea set without polishing it next time! It is such a huge job! I love the contrast of your polished flatware with the tarnished charger and pots and agree that the shabby flowers are gorgeous. I was noticing this Valentine’s Day that the roses purchased from florists rarely open to their full glory, while the wild ones from my garden are at their best just when they are really full and “wild” just before the petals fall. Your camellias are just beautiful. I don’t think we have them up here, and if we do they are asleep under the snow now. Linda
Beautiful faded glory. Would you believe — the squirrels are eating my camellia blooms!!!!!!!!!!! Little buggers…..
oxox
You have a perspective that is so wise. Thank you for pointing out the glory of faded and tarnished things and see their beauty too. Life is exactly the same. What insight you have and have done it in your usual artistic and creative way!
Looks perfect! I can’t wait for my flowers to start blooming!
Very pretty, Mary. I love camellias even when they’re faded. Lovely! I also really like the Staffordshire Bouquet china. So pretty. The sun is out today. YAY!!!!
xo,
RJ
Such a beautiful display of gorgeous patinas!…I do not see faded here..just beautiful soft and muted aged tones that you so beautifully arrange…Faded Glory..a great title, for everything is truly glorious!
Just beautiful, plain & simple! I find it hard to believe that you’ve got flowers that are fading already & we’re getting more snow tomorrow. *sigh*
If it weren’t for these grandbabies, I’d move back down south in a heart beat!
Love your pretty china every time you use it.
Hugs,
Rettabug
I am watching my beautiful valentine’s roses fade to glory.. and they are fading perfectly just like your camellias. Beautiful photos and a gorgeous table.. I love the tarnish on the silver.. It adds the perfect charm.. xo marlis
Somehow I missed how you displayed your china on that metal flower pot with the vine growing out of it in your potting shed. You are just so talented at creating artful displays out of anything!
So gorgeous! I love the tarnished silver and the potting shed too, amazing!
Mary, you take faded blooms and tarnished silver and create beauty that is amazing. I’m in awe of the way your creative mind sets about arranging things. Each new post is filled with incredible ideas that only you can dream up. I find myself studying each image for the nuances……the bulbs among the faded blooms, the subtle layers of textures across the table, the clever use of tarnished silver. You make it all look so effortless, and I know it’s not. It takes a unique thought process to create such beauty such as this. Thank you for sharing this genius with all of us. ‘-)
Beautiful Camellias even as they fade. I would not have thought to use tarnished silver. I probably would have polished it and spent hours but your ideas of the faded glory is perfect with the faded camellias and tarnished silver. Both have had their glory and slowly fade away.
Your camellias are beautiful and go so well with your dishes. Mine are just starting to bloom. Love the way you used them with silver pieces. Now I have to find my old silver pieces. i never cut and bring in my camellias but your look so pretty I’m going to cut some this morning.
Thanks so much for sharing.
The patina on the silver is just gorgeous–I like it better than perfectly polished silver! It is a beautiful contrast to the petals… distressed or whole
:-)
What a delightful idea! I love how the fading pink and and brown camellias match your transferware so perfectly! Love the glassware too! What a simple and unique idea and what a great eye and talent! Some day when I grow up I want to be just like you!
Your imagination and creativity knows no bounds! You have given beautiful new life to lovely old and ‘faded’ flowers, dishes and silver plate…such charming pairings.
At one time we collected the odd pieces of sterling silverware and loved mixing them all in the same settings. We had a fire almost 13 years ago and that took care of that…Afterwards, we never kept the collection going …but we do have some pieces left that were damaged and I’ve been wondering what to do with them…Too beautiful even in their current state to discard.
I think I can help with the name of your goblets. I think their the same pattern as mine are. I only own 2 and have been searching for more, as their 2 of my favorites…Ü Thrifted, of course. Libby makes them, and they are crystal. Do yours have a star on the bottom? I have the actual pattern written down. I’m searching for it to share with you. We just moved, so finding it is key….Ü I also collect the same set of dishes as you, though I wish I had as much of Nell’s as you do~ I’ve followed your blog for a long time, but am shy about commenting.
Best Regards,
Lisa
Mary, you have taken something that most would throw out and made them beautiful and charming. All so pretty, but what most fascinated me is that metal (?) tree in pot with your china hanging on in your potting shed. That is so interesting, where did you ever find it..Happy Wednesday..Judy
How perfectly the Camellias complement the dishes. This is beautiful, Mary.
Fabulous combination, Mary! Faded blooms, tarnished silver….the “imperfection” of it all is what makes the table interesting and beautiful! It’s incredible how the slightly worn camellia bloom seems like it just jumped off the dishes!!! I love tarnished silver (for some things!) and have refused to have some pieces dipped for that very reason. Beautiful!
You’ve even made fading flowers gorgeous Mary, very nice! You know how I feel about J-Bro ♥, my big question is… what are you going to do with the daff/narcissus bulbs?:@)
So lovely and so poetic! Gorgeous photos!
Gosh Mary, the faded blooms look perfect with the dishes ( one of my favorite patterns of yours) and the tarnished silver. I love all your mismatched flatware, too. So much to enjoy!
its always wonderful here, not matter whats blooming there is always beauty in all you share~
Absolutely gorgeous!
You have such a talent for making everything you touch beautiful!!! I love your theme and how it is represented through your collection of items and gorgeous photos!! You even make a potting shed looks beautiful!! Amazing
Oh my goodness! Your photos are delicious! I’m pinning :)
<3 Christina @ I Gotta Create!
Wildly Original link party is open.
Camellias in any state are gorgeous to me! And right now when it’s gray most of the time, I’ll take their intense color as well. I enjoyed your lovely dishes in all their settings….so pretty especially with the flowers.
Thank you for showing us how lovely fading camellias can be.
I love your dinnerware pattern. My mother had the same one years ago. Thank you for the walk down memory lane. :)
Such lovely dishes and flowers, truly beautiful photos!
Beautiful! Love the dishes and camelias are one of my favorite flowers! Too bad I can’t seem to get them to grow at my house!
Faded Glory is the perfect title for this. I love the camelias going to rust and somehow you saw their beuty and how they match your dishes. I NEVER would have thought to use the tarnished silver, genius girl. You never, ever disappoint.
I would take any flowers, faded or not!
Such a lovely post with beautiful images. I agree with Debbie, the best that ia out there!
Thanks so much for putting my button up for the blog crawl!
I love tarnished silver and your beautiful blooms are such a gorgeous contrast. Lovely pictures!!
Literary Friday is live now! :D
Playing catch up in blogland can be so rewarding – especially here :) We were away on vacation last week and it’s been a struggle to pick myself out of the post-warm weather vacation blues. Especially, since all I can see is white on the ground right now.
Your blooms are a sight for sore eyes!
I’ve scanned all of your other beautiful posts too – such eye candy. Loved the re-purposed chandelier and the lovely snow shots.
Hi Mary! I know I will always see such a pretty table when I come see you! :)
I just love this display! :)
Have a great weekend!
~Liz
Hi Mary, I love your shabby post of tarnished silver and fading Camellias. I love how you arranged them on the tray with petals sprinkled down your runner. Absolutely charming. Stunning photographs!
Have a lovely week.
Oh my, they may be fading, but your display and pictures are gorgeous. Thanks so much for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty