Vintage Decor Rental NC Archives - Southern Vintage Table

Vintage Feature – A Celebration of Numbers: 2021 Update

Seven years to the date, June 13, 2014, Southern Vintage Table celebrated our 1st anniversary! We were quite pleased with our progress during that year and paused to mark our achievements.

Like one of my favorite characters on Sesame Street, Count von Count, I love numbers and it seems like we are always counting at Southern Vintage Table – like, how many vintage blue & white china patterns we have, the number of salad forks in our collection, or the length of a creamy lace overlay.
Sometimes, however, our counting means even more – they mark an achievement – and we have a few of them we’d like to share. Let’s start the countdown with 10 numbers we are celebrating…
Celebration of Numbers, SVT, June 2014

So, 7 years later, we are pausing one again to see how much some our numbers have changed and what new numbers we’d like to note. From 32,957 to 1, here are the ten numbers we are celebrating today and our favorite number is last!

One – 32,957 Users from 1-1-2020 to 6-13-2021

To us, this number is amazing! In 2013 we had 6,605 views (a little different than users but this is the data we have) on our WordPress blog. Today we have a full scale website that folks from all over the world visit.

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC — 2013 Southern Vintage Table

Two – 2,772 Pieces of Vintage Flatware

As before, we didn’t really count each piece but we do have a lot! In 2014 we only collected vintage silver-plated flatware and had enough for 200+ guests. By 2021, we had amassed enough vintage silver-plated and stainless steel pieces to accommodate at least 200+ guests in each variety. Recently, we have added vintage gold-plated to our flatware offerings and now can serve 75 guests. Along with place settings, we have lots of vintage serving pieces – cake servers, tongs, large spoons & forks, pickle forks, and sugar spoons.

This cache of flatware didn’t come so easy – we’ve scoured thrift stores, estate sales, auctions, consignment shops, craigslist, ebay, and more to find these glorious vintage patterns. Now, that’s certainly an accomplishment to note!
Celebration of Numbers, SVT, June 2014

Three – 1,996 Pinterest Pins & 667 Intagram Posts

The major force on the social media scene in 2014 was Pinterest. Folks still use Pinterest for ideas, but Instagram has since become the social media queen. In 2014 we had 882 pins on Pinterest; today we have pinned 1,996 images with 32 public boards. A typical monthly viewership is 29,000 but we have hit 78,000.

Our Instagram account has 667 posts and 1,766 followers. These numbers make us dance!

Four – 839 Facebook Likes and 911 Followers

From 280 to 839 Facebook likes, we are grateful for each of you! We love to share with you our new additions as well as our latest events. And, we love to hear from you!

Five – 402 Published Blog Posts

From 71 in 2014 to 403 Sunday posts in 2021, we have expanded our blog post menu to include Southern Vintage Table Events, Vintage Features, Styled Shoots, Vintage Tips, and News.

Check in with us each Sunday to find out more about our latest vintage find, see photos from our most recent event or hear about our vintage adventures. We appreciate each and every visit!
Celebration of Numbers, SVT, June 2014

Six – 200 Vintage Whitehall Glasses in 9 Colors

Our count of vintage Whitehall goblets has grown in two ways – the total count and the number of colors – from 65 to 200 and 6 colors to 9! Many folks grew up with this popular glassware pattern and they evoke many wonderful family memories.

Seven – 7 Shades of Blue Goblets

Wow – 7 shades of blue in our vintage goblet collection! Don’t forget we also have green, yellow, amber, red, purple, pink, peach, white, and clear. How many you ask? Well, we’ll need to get back to you on that!

Eight – Our 8th Year Anniversary!

Southern Vintage Table has been open for eight years! Whoo-hoo!

It’s been quite an adventure – collecting, researching, cleaning, repairing, photographing, identifying, writing, posting, washing, archiving, sorting – and we continue to love every part of it. Gosh, how to you thank everyone for their support and kindness? Simply and sincerely – Thank You.
Celebration of Numbers, SVT, June 2014

Nine – 9 Vintage Plate Collections

Our vintage plate collection in 2014 totaled about 250 in assorted styles and patterns. Today we have 9 vintage collections or themes of patterns, all of which can be mixed and matched with each other or kept in the same theme. Some vintage collections have about 300, like our blue & white, and others have 30 or so, as in our mostly brown. How many total dinner plates do we have? We’ll get back to you on that, too!

Vintage Midcentury China Patterns — Retro

Ten – Our First Grandbaby Arrives!

Our most wondrous number is one – our first grand baby is born – Isla Elaine Dawson. What a wonderful number this one is!

Vintage Feature – Memorial Day Colors: Vintage Red, White, & Blue Wares

Happy Memorial Day 2020!

We are recognizing this patriotic holiday with our red, white, and blue vintage wares available at Southern Vintage Table. Hope your Memorial holiday is fun-filled and safe!

America is hope. It is compassion. It is excellence. It is valor.
=Paul Tsongas

News – Happy Mother’s Day, Christine!

Happy Mother’s Day! My mother, Christine, was the most extraordinary person I have ever known. She endured incredible hardships and celebrated many triumphs, and her children greatly benefited from her love and wisdom. As a tribute to her, I’d like to share three of the many lessons I learned from her and give an example of how they have been helped me as a small business owner.

1. Only the boring get bored.

Ouch! Yep, this is classic Christine. We lived in the country on a dirt road, had one kinda-working car that mom drove to work, and 3 channels on tv. But, since there were 8 of us, we usually found something to do (or not to do, like housework!) We read, watched tv, listened to records, played outside, and, my favorite, searched for those good luck four-leaf clovers in the front lawn under the dogwood tree. If we got bored, it was our fault, or as mom would say, it was because we were boring, then she’d find something for us to do, like wash the dishes or help fix supper. So we learned not to be bored, or at least not tell mom. As an adult, yes, I sometimes get bored, but I mostly know how to keep busy, which has come in handy these past months during our quarantine.

Never be bored, and you will never be boring. –Eleanor Roosevelt

2. Go for it!

Recently my daughter said I was fearless because I had cut down some small trees using a chain saw. Even though it was not big deal since it was a small battery-operated saw, I loved hearing those words! After giving some thought to her comment, I realized that this can-do attitude was a gift from my mom. For those who knew her, her courageous spirit was contagious..

Southern Vintage Table began with this mantra. When my sister suggested that I start a vintage china rental business, I just knew this was a perfect fit for me. I had recently retired from teaching middle school and was ready for a new challenge. Did I have experience running a business or did I know anything about china? Nope and nope, but I didn’t want to regret not trying. Now, seven years later, I know my mom would be proud of me for “going for it.”

“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” = Nora Ephron

3. There is always a silver lining.

As I think of the countless conversations I had with mom about situations, predicaments, or hardships, she would always see that silver lining. She would magically dissect a negative and transform it into a lesson, opportunity, or gift to be revered.

While my business has come to a halt this spring, I have not faltered in my belief that things will work out, whatever that might mean. I’ve taken this time to work on projects at home, spend time crafting, and catching up on movies that I always meant to watch. I’ve gotten closer to my children, family, and friends via texts, phone calls and FaceTime, and have relaxed on the back deck with my morning coffee. I’m eager to get SVT up and running again, but I have also savored this quiet time at home.

There are always flowers for those who want to see them. —Henri Matisse

Three of the many lessons taught by my spunky, sassy, smart, and strong mother, Christine.
Happy Mother’s Day.

Southern Vintage Table Event – Rolesville’s Chamber Goes Mardi Gras!

What occurs every March, brings folks from the community together, and is always delightful? Yep, you are correct! It’s the annual Rolesville’s Chamber of Commerce Awards and Recognition Dinner!

We love helping with this grand affair for so many reasons. One reason is these business leaders are incredibly gracious and, second, they really enjoy creating a fun, unique celebration for their members. This year’s theme, Mardi Gras, cleverly fit their mantra for the year, “Unmasking the Power of Community.” How cool is that?

The table design was created by members of the chamber, led by Executive Director Rachel Morris, and we happily helped them execute their flawless plan. The final result was colorful, fun, and inviting – a wonderful fit for the exceptional leaders of the Rolesville community!

Thank you, Rolesville COC, for inviting us again to help with this festive affair! It’s always a pleasure!

Venue – The Mill Room at the Factory
Caterer – Cannon Catering
Place Settings and Centerpiece Decor – Southern Vintage Table

Vintage Feature – The Charm of Vintage Tins

Today’s post is an update from 5 years ago! When writing about the charm of vintage tins, we believed our clients would love and appreciate their beauty as we did. Voila – many did and below you’ll see photos of how sweet they look filled with flowers, cookies, or just by themselves!

So, here’s our updated version from February, 2014 with a few new photos sprinkled in as well as SVT’s new logo at the close!

We have fallen in love with another vintage item – tea, candy and biscuit tins. Tins, as they are called because of the tin-covered steel sheets they are made from, vary in colors, patterns, shapes, lids and sizes. The ones we have collected for Southern Vintage Table are simply charming!

Photo by Annie Watts

A flat tin is perfect as a stand for just about anything! With a set of bar glasses, a stack of plates, a vintage greeting card or a plate of cupcakes, these tins add color and history to the table. Of course, you also can put things inside, like your forks, spoons and knives or cookies!

Tins
Photo by Ginny Corbett Photography
Photo by DHS Photography

The vibrant colors of these tins are amazing! Notice the different types of lids on this set of vintage tins.

This classic blue and white vintage tin is pretty both inside and out. When we picked this up from the thrift store shelf, an employee said to be sure to open it up. The inside of the lid is also decorated – a small built-in tray!

We discovered that many of these are probably from the 40s-50s and up to the 70s. Filled with candies, cookies and teas, they became popular items in gift shops and department stores. The majority of our collection has a “Made in England” mark but there are some from Holland, Germany, and America. A few have no mark at all. One thing is certain about these lovelies; they have decorative and even functional uses on the vintage table!

Tins

These lovely vintage tins once held delicious things for us to enjoy. Now, decades later, they continue to enchant us with their sweetness and charm. Add a little vintage delight with our vintage tins from Southern Vintage Table!

Here are a few resources about vintage tins.
What to Look for When Collecting Vintage Tins
Celebrated Biscuit Tins
Biscuit Tin – Wikipedia

Southern Vintage Table Events – Ashli & Matt’s Autumn Lakeside Wedding

An October lakeside evening in NC may be the most perfect setting for a wedding celebration. As shown through these divine photos taken by the talented Ashley Steffens, we definitely agree! Ashli and Matt’s beautifully styled vintage boho wedding was held at the Sunset Lake Lodge in Holly Springs guided by the expertise of wedding planner, Emily Katherine Events. We are so excited to share these with our readers!

We joyfully provided many elements for this vintage boho gala. Vintage dinner plates, jewel-toned goblets, silver-plate flatware, and several of the crocheted overlays. Our charming vintage dresser mirrors framed the gorgeous florals of Springwell Garden.

With our sincerest gratitude, Ashli and Matt, thank you for inviting us to your wedding day. Setting your guests’ tables with our vintage tableware pleased us so much! Best wishes for many happy days, months, and years ahead!

We end our post with this wonderful review from the bride’s mother. Thanks, Kathy, for your kind words!

My experience with SVT exceeded all expectations!My daughter’s dream wedding style was vintage/boho! SVT provided us with the perfect pieces which topped off the decor which exceeded our expectations. Give SVT a call to find your perfect pieces too! We rented vintage dinnerware/glassware and vintage gold trays!

Southern Vintage Table Event – Casey & Alex’s Classic Southern Wedding

JP Pratt’s photos are in and he captured this most exquisite affair, Casey and Alex’s wedding and reception. We featured a few of our own photos in a previous post, First Look at Casey & Alex’s Elegant Reception, but these are the real deal and they are awesome!

As with most weddings, many different vendors provided wares for this beautiful wedding. Our offerings included vintage mixed and matched silver-plate flatware, pink and clear water goblets, and signs. We also provided a lovely collection of vintage floral dessert plates as well as the vintage-framed table numbers. Don’t you love the handwritten cards of photographer Annie Watts, gifted by another sweet bride? We sure do!

Thank you, Casey and Alex, for inviting us to be a part of this beautiful, joy-filled wedding! We loved it all, down to the smallest detail, and we were delighted to be a Yaya guest. Wishing you a lifetime of happiness, love, and fun!

Vendor Team:
Venue – Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church and Carolina Club
Photographer – JP Pratt
Planner – Events by Memory Lane
Florals – Meristem Florals
Rentals – CE Rentals, American Party Rentals, Southern Vintage Table
Video – By Design Films
Band – East Coast Entertainment
Makeup – MC Faces
Cake – Sugarland Chapel Hill

Southern Vintage Table Event – Honoring the Chefs of Thanksgiving at Our Annual Family Reunion

Thanksgiving 2018 for the Bass-Heath-Roberson families and friends was amazing! Fifty years ago the tradition began with our parents and grandparents who traveled far and near to share a homemade Thanksgiving feast. This time-honored ritual has become a favorite holiday celebration and we are grateful for the many memories this day has created for each of us.

Honoring our chefs, past and present, was this year’s holiday theme. Along with our beautiful white stoneware plates, green, brown, and amber goblets, multicolored napkins, and bakelite flatware, we incorporated vintage kitchen decor down the guest tables. Vintage sifters, graters, egg cups, and kitchen tools transformed into vases, filled with foraged florals, berries, moss, and greenery.

We’ll be back next year to do it all over again! Many thanks to Sandy, Rowena, and Sherry for setting the tables and designing the centerpieces. Also, we salute the Rolesville Masonic Lodge for their many good deeds and for generously allowing us to use their meeting hall for our family gathering.

Southern Vintage Table Event – Inspiration for Thanksgiving Tablescape

Our favorite holiday is this week – Thanksgiving! For more than 50 years, the Bass/Heath/Roberson family has come together on this day to catch up with the extended family and share a traditional holiday meal with all the fixings – turkey, ham, collards, chicken & dumplings, dressing, and Sandy’s mashed potatoes, to name just a few. Just typing this makes me so hungry!

The past 5 years, Southern Vintage Table has set the tables for this special family gathering and this year our planning started with a duvet. Yep, a duvet made from a beautiful fabric that now has been transformed into 6 table runners. The rich colors will bring a gorgeous palette of oranges, greens, ambers, and blues to the tables.

To complement the runners, our next decision for the place settings was easy – our white vintage stoneware. With the color scheme of brown, amber, and green, we will be adding a mismatched set of napkins, goblets, and bakelite/stainless flatware. And, since this holiday is all about food, we’re hoping to incorporate our vintage kitchen decor on the tables. Can’t wait to see how it all works out!

Sisters Janis, Sandy, and Rowena will be on hand to help make this memorable for our families, Looking forward to seeing how these pieces create a unique, fun look for this treasured holiday!

Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful and memorab!e, too!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental

Vintage Feature – Three Client Reviews and Three Vintage Views

For wedding professionals, there’s nothing more delightful than receiving kind reviews from their clients. Because we are passionate about our vintage wares and what they represent, we truly love sharing them with others. We strive to do our best to be accommodating, polite, and timely with all of our interactions and events. These three client reviews from Wedding Wire help us know that our collection and efforts are appreciated!

Emma – April, 2018

“Shelly was great to work with and I really enjoyed getting to visit her studio to try different colors and patterns for my wedding reception tables. The mix-and-match blue china and glasses were whimsical yet classic and added a nice touch of color to my tables. There were tons of options to choose from! She was flexible with pick up and drop off.”

Renée – April, 2018

“If you are looking for vintage place settings and rentals for your wedding or other special event, look no further! Southern Vintage Table has everything you can imagine! Shelly is wonderful to work with and was so accommodating through the whole wedding planning process. Shelly and her team did a fabulous job and went above and beyond to make my daughter’s wedding reception even more beautiful than we could have imagined!”

Mallory – May, 2018

“I got the most compliments on my wedding about the table settings and the dishware! Everyone LOVED the eclectic pieces and creativity! The staff was very professional, timely, and accommodating. Would recommend Southern Vintage Table to anyone! Thank you for making our wedding so beautiful!”

Thank you, Emma, Renée, and Mallory, for your lovely reviews and for trusting us to be a part of your wedding day! To read more client reviews, go to Wedding Wire and our newest collaborator, The Knot.