Friday, December 4, 2009

Mid-Century Mom Sets the Table!!!

Mid-Century Mom now has thirteen followers. I consider thirteen a good number, so yay!

I really REALLY wanted to do a Mid-Century Mom Packs for a Vacation post, but time, reality, and my darling children set in to make that impossible. Sigh. Next time (probably around February or March).

One thing I was able to do in my retro experiment over Thanksgiving break? I was able to dress up to the nines and set the Thanksgiving table. I also recreated the butternut squash soup for Thanksgiving feast, but since you all had seen that already, I decided that particular part of the day need not be photographed. :)

The Thanksgiving table is very important in today's modern America. Once upon a time, the dinner table EVERY night was very important in America. While Mr. Mid-Century Mom, Rex, and CW and I sit at a table every evening (or most, anyhow) to have dinner, there is nothing special that happens to prepare the table. It is a minor miracle if I get my laptop off the table...

This image below is the very essence of mid-century America's fascination with the perfectly set table (and for what appears to be BREAKFAST, too). And the woman setting the table? As resplendent as the table itself. This image was my goal in setting the Thanksgiving table.


This image comes courtesy of Corbis. Lots of neat, retro images available there for purchase, etc.


This outfit is a beautiful pencil skirt, a ruffly, feminine swiss dot top, a skinny patent belt, and a cashmere cardigan in a matching hue. My hair is pulled back neatly by a headband. I am wearing sparkly earrings to showcase my face. The shoes are hidden, but they are nude kitten heels (see next photo). Also head on over to My Superfluities at some point to see the outfit itself showcased in its individual parts.

The table I am setting is for a total of six individuals. At this point of the photo essay, I was placing the cutlery just so...you know, fork on the left side, knife and spoon on the right side with a napkin placed underneath.

Table setting isn't rocket science, but keeping things symmetric and pretty can be a challenge if you are using mismatched napkins, cutlery, and plates. :) But in the end, that is my goal...make everything in the house delightful, regardless of circumstance. My '50s housewife muse would be oh so proud.


A full shot of the table and the beginning of the process. Mr. Mid-Century Mom stopped taking photos after the cutlery and napkins were set, so there is not much more excitement here...but the table did look full and especially yummy once done...I promise.

Final Thoughts: I thought cooking dinner was easy as a Mid-Century Mom? Nope! This was by far easier than even I anticipated. The outfit was especially comfortable. And the skirt is a size 6! I guess it goes to show...if you put your mind to something and WANT to enjoy yourself, you will, no matter that there is no sweatpants or hoodies in sight for miles!

Ease of being a mid-century mom: 5 out of 5 (5 is the easiest to be a mid-century mom).

Have a lovely weekend, all. I plan on (in the next week) creating a Mid-Century Mom Does the Laundry post. :)

7 comments:

  1. I bet the meal tasted so much better on a table set by the wonderful Mid-Century Mom!

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  2. Where's the turkey? Just kidding! I am loving this new blog. I read these posts and I am always reminded of Mad Men, which has become one of my favorite shows.

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  3. Can't wait to see your laundry post. Will your laundry soap be in a big clear jar with a scoop??? Will you have a line strung in your backyard to hang your sheets in the sunshine while using those old thick clothes pins?

    Kidding of course ....just picturing things in my head.
    Have a good time with this one!

    :)

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  4. I'm so enjoying this new blog of yours! What a fantastic concept. It definitely makes me think a little differently about the way I do things... your goal of "making everything in the house delightful" is something to aspire to in any small way we can :)

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  5. Thanks for commenting on my BFF Dara post - ha! I was a swimmer in college the same time Dara was a she was a superstar even back then. I think she has the most NCAA wins of any female still to this day. I only made the NCAA finals once and didn't place but she always won. (And she was sprint swimmer and I was distance so she never got to swim against me and beat me - ha!). To make a long story even longer, I went to her book signing, yada-yada and a couple weeks later I was getting my hair done and out of the blue my hairdresser said "your hair color is just the same as Dara Torres. I styled her hair when she was here for a book signing". ha! I took it upon myself to tweet my blog post link to Dara and **guess who** sent me a direct message. ha! So we've been tweeting back and forth and I ams SURE she will want to hang out next time she comes to ATL. She has a really good friend who lives here (who goes to my hairdresser). Whew. Novel over...and out.

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  6. Lovely table setting. We do eat dinner at the table together just about every night, which is pretty impressive nowadays with a 7 & 9 year old. But I admit I'm not always the best about correct table setting. Maybe I need to get the kiddies on that...

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  7. How have I forgotten to comment back on this post...BAD Mid-Century Mom!!!

    Pamela: The dinner did taste amazing, but I say that based on how AWESOME of a cook my mil is...she is very very VERY good at home-cooking Southern style. I have big shoes to fill in my hubby's eyes. Good thing I like to cook! :)

    Rosa: Turkey was hidden in the kitchen. :)

    I feel very much like January Jones when I get all dressed up to do these household chores. My hubby doesn't like Mad Men, but I am thinking of getting the DVDs and just watching them when the kids are napping...

    Beth: Still have to do the real "laundry" post. All I gave you two weeks ago was the folding post. Hmm...new year is upon us!!! :)

    Stylestance: I am even trying to make things delightful when I am not all dressed up in my Mad Men gear...Mid-Century Mom is rubbing off on me. ;)

    Jillian, Inc.: Your post on Dara Torres may be one of my all time favorite posts ever, ever, EVER!!! Seriously, I was on the floor. Must be a swim thing. I told other people about it and while they chuckled, it wasn't a big belly laugh the way I expected. :) Oh, us swimmers, such cards.

    BTW, NCAA finals? Once. Umm, sister, that is FREAKING AWESOME. My stupid college didn't have a swim team back then...I am still ticked to this day. Grrr...

    HeidiG.: You can have dinner together every night? Even in soccer season? You are amazing. Who cares about proper placement of the fork!!! FAMILY Time is where it's at!!!

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