Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Autumnal Tablescape

Greetings everyone, Autumnal Greetings that is!


It is surely becoming fall here in the Midwest and I'd like to share a tablescape that reflects all the wonderful things I love about Fall. Thank you for visiting me and be sure to visit Susan and all of the wonderful tablescapes at Between Naps on the Porch.






I'm feeling mighty quiet today and I think I'll let the pictures do most of the talking...I say that now, but I never seem to stay too quiet....



The beginnings, some of my favorite colors....








I ran into these sweet coffee mugs at Family Dollar, if you can believe it! You can never have too many mugs at my house...
Look at the faux bois handle...love it!






Right next to the mugs were these cute S&P shakers and I couldn't resist...imagine having a couple of pairs (or more) for each side of the table...no one would have to say "Please pass the salt..." At a dollar for the pair, it's quite affordable!













Place settings:







Centerpiece:










I am using my everyday dishes (love them) and I can't remember whether it was last year or year before, but I found these salad plates with a wonderful embossed detail at Target. It just happens to coordinate with my dishes...yummy!







I typically like to use column candles, but my friend Judy found me some milk glass taper holders and I love them! Thanks Judy!




I put them on a saucer, I didn't want to risk dripage :)



This carving set was a wedding gift, won't this look beautiful with my new Turkey platter?





The famous ceramic Dollar Tree pumpkins...I've had these for a few years now




I found these beautiful linens at TJ Maxx. I only found one set of napkins (4), but I had a wonderful checked napkin that I knew would coordinate well


I love this napkin fold and used a little pumpkin for the center. I love using table coverings, but to change it up a bit I folded the table cloth in half and left the ends of the table expose, I like seeing the wood table too.










Thanks for stopping by! I hope I have left you with a pang in your heart! Loving Fall and I have some more to share in the coming weeks!







I'll be visiting you soon!



Thank you Susan for hosting!






Saturday, September 26, 2009

DIY Terra Cotta Pedestal

It's Metamorphosis Monday! I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch...


Is it OK that I let my pictures do ~some~ of the talking?


My day off was too short. So I only have a small project, which is kind of a usual thing, for me anyway, there are no kitchen remodels, or room makeovers in the near future for me...but what is unusual is that I'm joining Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality to show off some thrifty love and people just wait till you see............

But first a Metamorphosis..............


I needed a stand for a cloche that I have and wanted to find something on the cheap to put it on, better yet, I wanted to make something............

Terra cotta saucers are inexpensive and easily painted. So I measured the circumference of my cloche and off to the gettin' place to buy some saucers.




You'll notice that I have purchased two....one to fit the cloche on and the smaller one to flip over for the stand, or foot, which ever you prefer........




I use E6000 to glue most things, for me it works the best.





Glue the smaller saucer to the bigger one and let that cure






I wanted to paint mine white, but any color would do......I used standard acrylic paint.


I let the paint almost dry, and took a damp cloth and removed some of the paint around the edges. I didn't want to use sandpaper because, if you've ever worked with terra cotta you know it sands off too, right along with the paint. I did a wash of watered down burnt umber and let it dry over night.






OK pictures......take it from here!















Just think of the possibilities!








On to some Thrifty Love.............


On my way home from getting my hair cut on Saturday , I wasn't going to stop, I swear I wasn't, I could see it coming up on the left....I was just going to keep driving.......but then some how I ended up in the turning lane and somehow I parked right in front of the Goodwill and I'm not really sure how it happened...I must have blacked out...but since I was there, I thought I'd go ahead on in.


This is what I found:
Do you see this b-e-a-utiful soup tureen? Well it wasn't this beautiful when I found it, but It washed up wonderfully.............$3.00



Silver tray.....$2.00






Next, I'm lovin' this divided little bowl........$2.00.....can't you just see black olives on one side and green on the other?

OK, I know this is going to be hard to believe but I scored a turkey platter..........$4.00.........Isn't it a beaut? When I got home my husband mention how long my hair appointment was and why did I bring home a platter with a rooster on it.........geez....now you know why I'm here......


Loverly


Well there you have it....thanks for joining me, I know this has been terribly long.




Be sure to visit Susan and Rhoda and all the participants, thank you for hosting ladies!














P.S. I am inching closer and closer to my 100th post and I've got a giveaway in the works, stay tuned!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Tablescape Thursday

I heart Fall. Plain and simple.
I love everything associated with it: mums, pumpkin patches, hay rides, bobbing for apples, mulled cider, you name it- I'm there!
Decorating for fall is one of my favorite things to do and we might as well throw in a tablescape while we're at it...I mean let's face it: I heart tablescapes, too!
I love this guy too...he has been with me since before I was married and it has survived all these years, with 3 boys, including my husband...it's a miracle I tell ya!






I went through a Pfaltzgraff phase back in the late 80's/early 90's when I really wanted to get Ocean Breeze :I couldn't afford it and found a similar pattern that I could and bought two sets of, and again, I have had these dishes forever.






I must confess, I love eating ice cream out of these bowls, and drinking coffee out of these mugs, the best. Yes, my taste have changed over the years, but these remain with me just cuz.Now, you may know this...I found this tablecloth at Kohl's for 80% off. I love combing navy and the brilliant colors of fall, but it's a busy pattern, pretty, but busy. What I need are some non-descript dishes with a little bit of blue....hmmm....lightbulb moment! My Pfaltzgraff knock-offs that I store in the hard to reach cabinet above the fridge will work wonderfully...I'll get the step stool.....
Do your tablescapes evolve? In the middle of photographs, I remember something, or I add something, or I have a better idea...and people you are going to see a lot of that here today....


Let's talk centerpieces:

Did you know that column candles look fantastic in old sewing machine drawers? I have two and usually store my craft paints in them, but I had this idea and decided to use them for a centerpiece.






I used some velvet leaves around the candles and my poor paints will never have a home again!





I did this arrangement for Marty's Cloche Party and I haven't tired of it yet, so it has center stage. I did add some orange hydrangeas around the mouth of the jar for some extra color though



On to the place settings...


I really like it, lovin' the dishes on the woven charger, lovin' the orange linens, but the bowl...so-so.






OK, remove the bowl and grab your leaf plates, yes, I like that better! I also remember that I have little ceramic place card holders shaped like little apples and pears and plums (plums didn't make the final cut), don't forget to use those....

Don't forget the place cards either...Oh look I'm invited to dinner!







Justin is invited too! Thank Goodness-I almost had to do take-out! I wonder what he's cooking tonight!
Now, I know I didn't highlight my flatware or glassware, sorry, but the flatware is the same I use every week and the glassware is the same as I use every other week...But next week....I'm featuring some goodies you've never seen here before...yeah!






Thank you for joining me this week, I was a little chatty, sorry!


I hope I have inspired you!


I can't wait to see all of your tablescapes!


Please join Susan and all of the participants at
Between Naps on the Porch! You will not be disappointed!



Goodbye for now friends!