Lavender Bloom

The Fiesta Tableware Company (FTC) has been busy! Celebrating it's 90th Anniversary, it released a long anticipated and much asked for purple color, "Lavender." We Fiesta people haven't had a true purple since Lilac, which was only sold from 1993-1995. Yes, there have been other purples, Plum, Mulberry, Heather - but no true purple. When it was released earlier this year, I saw it had a dusky hue and was a bit skeptical, but when I received my first piece, I was in love! Lilac definitely leans more pink and Lavender more dusky blue, but it is a beautiful shade. Bestie, Kissy and I were immediately texting of all of the color combinations you could do with Lavender.

And then, FTC released the Lavender Bloom decal - be still my heart! Fiesta had the same thought and paired it with Jade, Meadow, Sky and Plum (also discontinued.) The decal is so pretty! It's not cartoony or too watercolor-ish and I love how it sits at the bottom of the plate. The decal is on Linen, which is also a newish color, a very modern plate. I love the Sky flowers in it, they remind of my favorite weed flower Chicory.

When I was in England visiting the potteries, Sophie Conran for Portmeirion had a very pretty pattern called, "Lavendula," with sprigs of lavender as a border around the plate. I took pictures and sent it to my Bestie because she collects the Fiesta purples for her daughter. I thought the Lavendula would be pretty with them. Good thing we held off, we both love the Fiesta pattern.

I've been thinking about this table since I received the luncheon size plates. I was stuck on a tablecloth, I searched high and low for a lavender linen cloth and couldn't find the right one. Next, I thought about sage, couldn't find one I liked, and in retrospect, sage would not have matched as the greens in the decal are Meadow and Jade. When I ran across this runner, lavender patterned runner I knew it would be perfect. I had planned on layering it on top of a pale green tablecloth, but as I was pulling out all of the dishes, including the rattan chargers, I liked how the wood from my table showed through.

The plate stack is a rattan charger, a Jade and vintage Ivory charger, layered on a Plum and Lavender dinner plate, with a Linen decal'd plate on top. In these pictures the Lavender and Plum look very close in color. In closeup you can definitely see the difference.

My everyday Mikasa Harmony flatware and Noritake Breeze goblets complete the tableware. Green gingham napkins from Pier One and rattan napkin rings finish the placesetting. As I was arranging the flowers bits of the Statice were falling off so I added them to the napkin ring.

Dear hubby bought purple Alstromeria for me, not even knowing I was setting this table, I repurposed the Statice from last and arranged the flowers in a Lilac flared vase. My truck sits on the table most of the summer with a pink polka dot plant in it, it was added to the table too. Bits of Statice also decorated the grill of the truck.

As Bestie, Kissy and I were talking about how to use Lavender, I can see it in fall with Sage and Butterscotch. I love using purples for Halloween, pairing it with Poppy and Chartreuse would work also. All of the color combinations are what make Fiesta so fun!

Fiesta has also released really cute new Halloween and Christmas decals, I definitely don't need more Halloween or Christmas dishes... or that's what I am telling myself right now.