Vintage Tablecloth Love

As ever I'm a bit late to the game but I have only recently fallen under the spell of vintage tablecloths.  I have an old hand-me-down table that seats four but, rather cunningly, has a hidden leaf that folds up and out so that the table can, quite magically, seat six.  This being an odd size makes table cloth buying a puzzle as most tablecloths that I find are far too large.  And not being inclined towards a great deal of frilliness and frou-frou, none of the colours and patterns ever really enticed me.  Then, while out thrifting, I saw this tablecloth peeking out at me from the rack.  The understated colours drew me in like a moth to the flame.

I unfolded it in a daze of anticipation and the weightiness of the linen was and is a wonder to me.  Heart in mouth, I inspected it carefully for holes and found none.  I debated buying it, worried that it wouldn't fit my oddly sized table.  But, as you can see, it did come home with me. And, yes, it was a perfect fit.

Many times, I have considered buying a brand new dining table but the thought of jettisoning my old, scratched, worn, vintage table that has served the family for many a long year and seen many a family meal filled me with guilt.  Repainting it and the four matching chairs seemed too arduous a task.  But now, I see that the tiny touches of blue in the flowers of this wondrous tablecloth match perfectly the faded blue of the chairs and table as if they were made for each other.

Afternoon tea and biscuits seem so more graceful and elegant served atop this lovely field of blossoms. There is something so soothing and meditative about sweeping the heavy linen folds over the table with the flick of a wrist and smoothing it down with one's hands.  The very act becomes imbued with thankfulness and gratitude.

At long last, the puzzle of transforming my old table into something a tad more refined has been solved with the help of this tablecloth.  I have only one puzzle left which is what are the blooms scattered across this field of linen?  Are the larger ones daffodils and the smaller little bells, lily of the valley?  If any of you are avid gardeners and recognize the blooms, please let me know!

I'm linking up with A Stroll Thru Life, French Country Cottage, Thrifty Groove, Type A Decorating, My Romantic Home, Knick of Time.