Sunday, August 26, 2012

Baby Shower Gift Wrap

I had the pleasure of attending another baby shower this weekend.  I am in love with wrapping in craft paper and using the bows, ribbons and tags to express the occasion.

This way I do not have to invest in a new roll of wrapping paper for each occasion.  I have an incredible stash of ribbons and trims left over from various projects or inherited from my mother.  So I wrapped these two gifts up in brown craft paper and then went digging in my drawer for appropriate trims.
For the square package I used a ruffled gingham trim and rolled it around for a flower effect and basted the back of the circular layers to hold it together.  I used a white paper doily first, then the pink grosgrain ribbon, then glued the rolled ruffled flower on top.

I love making Gift Tags!

  They are quick and cute!  I used my Cricut to cut two tags from the Plantin SchoolBook cartridge.  I cut a 3" white and a 2 1/2" brown craft paper colored card stock.  Using a small piece of the doily, I wrapped the corner of the brown tag before I glued it to the white tag for neat edges.  I then used a couple of buttons and ribbon roses to made a little cluster of cuteness in the corner.

For the second gift I started with the same pink grosgrain ribbon, I added some white cluny trim to each side of the ribbon, then so that it would coordinate with the other package I put a strip of gingham ribbon down the center.  I glued all of these ribbons on with a bottle of plain craft glue - it all held together nicely.

I made the bow from the pink grosgrain with a new tool that my girlfriend Alicia, from AliciaDelano Designs, gave me!  I love this little tool - It is called the Bow Easy.  Here is a great link that shows  how to use the Bow Easy and where to buy it - No Time to Stamp? Box and Bow Tutorial.

Again, I added a tag using bakers twine, white and pink gingham card stock and the same technique with the doily and cluster in the corner, but giving it a slightly different look.
Did you guess that this baby was going to be a girl?!?  The parents-to-be have not chosen a name yet, so I could not personalize the gifts. Therefore, I wrote on the back of the tags, hoping that they could use the front of the tags for their scrapbook in the future.

Thanks for stopping by!

I will be linking to the following parties:
The Sunday Showcase @Under the Table and Dreaming
Metamorphis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Talent Tuesday@Vintage Wanna Bee

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Dining on the Deck

We had a beautiful afternoon and I found myself wanting to set a nice table out on our deck.
We replaced our deck furniture cushions this summer with these black, green and tan striped cushions, I pulled my table top from these colors.  I tried to use some natural elements like grapevines and burlap to keep this kind earthy.
I started with a muted tone green table cloth I found in my closet, I bought it years ago and didn't even remember I had it until I was looking for something else and ran across it!  I used some wide burlap ribbon criss-crossing the center of the table as runners.  I tied the ribbon at the edge of the table corners just to give it some interest.

I spray painted some clay pots with chalkboard paint to use as black pedestals for my centerpiece and my candles.  I also topped one of the clay pots with a grapevine ball.

We have plenty of rabbits around the yard (I think they just like teasing my dog!) so I added my little ceramic bunny, I like the fact he has a little bit of rustic quality to him with the cracked paint finish and the paint rubbed off here are there.
I used my Sorrento Signature Dishes - oregano and ivory.  The black placemats were from Bed Bath and Beyond and I noticed they are now on clearance (of course they were not when I bought them - good thing I had some of those coupons!) .  I got the napkins and the flatware at Home Goods much earlier in the year.
After all of this - you would think I would make some sort of natural organic dinner - but we ordered subs from the local pizza place!

Thanks for stopping by!
I am joining the linking parties:
Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Blue and Silver Tablescape

Well, what I started out and how I finished are not always the same!  See - I started out wanting to do a summer tablescape using Queen Ann's Lace and those little blue wildflowers you see growing all over the side of the roads around here.  It didn't quite end up that way though,  what I didn't realize is that those little blue wildflowers pretty much croak as soon as you pick them!  I got my table all set and ready to go, walked my dog down to the field at the end of the street, cut some Queen Ann's Lace and some blue wildflowers (not sure what they are called - don't really want to know now!) and by the time we walked back up to the house, placed them on the table in little vases, started snapping pictures the little blue flowers were all wilted and shriveled.  Not a pretty picture.  I went out in my yard and cut some lavender flowers - not quite what I had in mind - but I just had to roll with it!!


So this is what I ended up with, kind of a Frenchy, blue, silver, flower kind-of Tablescape!

I found these placemats and napkins at Kirkland's on clearance and my mind started going places.  Picture a redhead running through wildflowers in France!!  Kind of scary how my mind works isn't it!!!

For one thing I have never been to France!  Second, any real French person would probably say this has nothing to do with their country!  That brought me back to the wildflowers growing on the side of my own road.

The blue and silver in the placemats and napkins lead me to the denim blue tablecloth from Marshall's, and my silver chargers from Pottery Barn.  


I have a real thing for mercury glass lately - so I had to use my mercury glass candlesticks and bottles.

I have had the Rooster for years and thought he would make a good centerpiece, then threw in the 2 bunnies in a cage for good measure!  ( I felt I needed something to balance out the two sides and the bunnies wanted the job1)


Truthfully, I can't wait for Autumn!!  I am not a summer person.  I sunburn easily and can't stand the heat.  I have never been a huge beach person because of that.  I love the colors of fall and that maybe the reason I live in Ohio, just for the trees in Autumn.  But for now - I will not wish the days away and enjoy the rest of my summer.   I hope you are too - enjoying the rest of your summer!!

Thanks for stopping by.

I will be joining the following parties:
Seasonal Sundays @ The Tablescaper
The Sunday Showcase Party @Under the Table and Dreaming
Busy Monday @ A Pinch of Joy

Thursday, August 16, 2012

A Tablescaper's dream store!

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted anything, but the real job thing gets in the way occasionally!  I had been working out of town for two weeks, got home and left the next day for my niece's wedding in Colorado.  So no time to blog.

But while we were in Colorado -we happened upon what could possibly be my dream store!!  We were enjoying the Pearl Street Shopping area in Boulder Colorado and wandered into a store named Peppercorn - my eyes glazed over!!  My boys went back outside and found benches because they knew it was going to take me a while to get through this store!

Peppercorn * 1235 Pearl Street  * Boulder, Colorado
The employees working at the store were very nice and receptive to me taking some pictures because I told them I  knew some ladies who would enjoy knowing about their shop!
There are two floors of dishes, stemware, flatware, linens, vases and much more.

This was my favorite, the Vietri  dinnerware especially the Francesca Blu pattern.
I had never seen such a variety of linens! Many imported from India.
more beautiful things!



While the beautiful items in this shop where a bit too expensive for me to make any purchases at this time, that did not stop me from enjoying the surroundings.  If you are anywhere near this store at anytime - I highly recommend you stop by, you will be inspired!

Thank you to the ladies at Peppercorn who allowed me to take these photos and share them with all of you!  And thank you to my boys who let me take my time going through the store and my daughter who shared my oohs and aahhs! 

Thanks for stopping by!
Hopefully I can post again soon!

I will am linking up to:
Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch