Friday, December 27, 2013

Christmas Cardinal Tablescape

Has Christmas come and gone already?  I hope not!  Due to an unfortunate chain of events in real life - I have not been able to blog much.  The timing of life's dilemmas happen to coincide with the most Wonderful Time of the Year!  Making it not quite so wonderful for us this year, but certainly we still feel blessed and thankful for all that we have and still find much joy to celebrate!

With that said - I am finally posting my Christmas Table!
I used traditional Red and Green, with a cardinal theme.
We do see quite a few cardinals in our trees, they are the Ohio state bird.
and the cardinals always look so beautiful against the evergreens and the snow. So I thought I would try to bring a little bit of that look to my table for Christmas once I found these plates.
The stemware reminds me of the swirling snow outside our window!
And of course, my hutch had to get into the Christmas mode too!
With some of my Santa collection
and this adorable Merry Christmas cup and saucer
 I just love the fonts used on this set!
I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas Season and are able to enjoy the peace and joy that the Miracle of Christmas brings.

I am linking up at the following parties:
Feathered Nest Fridays @French Country Cottage
Be Inspired @ Common Ground
Seasonal Sundays@The Tablescaper

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Christmas Mantel - Winter Nutcracker Theme

Wow!!  I am way behind in everything these days!!  I attribute that to -  Too much work and not enough play!  I just love decorating my house for Christmas, after all it is The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! 


 So I was glad I had some time too get this far with my Mantel, which has a Winter Nutcracker theme this year.
 I fell in love with these three guys when I found them at Homegoods!


Since our family room is painted in a variegated muted green - I thought this green color would look good on our mantel.   I am so glad I snatched these up the first time I saw them, because when I went back to buy one as a gift - they were all gone.
Once I purchased the new Nutcrackers, I started collecting lighter green Christmas picks to use with the garland I already had so that it would match better with the nutcrackers.  Layering the light green foliage with the dark green garland changed up the look from last year quite a bit.

 Just adding more and more greenery until I was happy with its fullness.

  I used all my snowflakes again.  Since we have snow on the ground now - It just seemed like a natural!
I also pulled some candles and pillar holders I already had out of the cupboard.  I figured the more I can reuse some of the things I already had, the more money I can drop in the Salvation Army bucket on my way out of the stores this year.

Do you notice something missing??  
Yep!!  The stockings!  I was going to dish out some bucks to buy some white knit stockings I saw at Hobby Lobby - and of course when I went back - they were all gone!  I bet you thought I had learned my lesson with the Nutcrackers - but apparently not :)  I am going to try to make some - but we they probably won't be done until Christmas Eve the rate I am going this year!!

I hope you are finding the time you need to prepare for 
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!

I am linking up at the following parties:
Seasonal Sundays @ The Tablescaper
Wow Us Wednesday @Savvy Southern Style
Fall into Fall @ DIY by Design
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Thanksgiving Mantel

Another weekend, another project!  This weekend I got my mantel in order for Thanksgiving.
This all started because my glittered turkey just didn't go with the rest of my Thanksgiving table - so the turkey got banished from the table and had to find another place to hangout for Thanksgiving.
So once Mr. Turkey landed on the Mantel - I had to add more glitz.  Now I will be honest with you - I never thought I would ever use the word glitz together with Thanksgiving - but that is what I did!
I used a mix of naturals and glitter!  
Using my computer, I printed out a simple saying on Kraft Paper Card stock, cut in in a banner shape, distressed the edges with ink and then added a little more sparkle on the edges with some gold glitter.
I used packing tape to tack down the  grapevines to the top edge of my mantel and then used some brown moss to cover up any tape showing.
I would be careful with what you use though- some tapes may pull the paint or finish off of your mantel, this method seems to be fine for the finish on my mantel, but I would hate for anyone to ruin their mantel because of what I was using.
Finishing it all off with a few gold pumpkins, bronze and gold glittered acorns and some gold glitter candles.  I used the same ribbon from the wreath to ties bows around the candles, just to tone them down a bit.  
For us Thanksgiving is all about Family.  We will be gathering with a lot of family next week for great conversation, catching up, some reminiscing, football and of course, food!

I hope you have a very nice Thanksgiving! And don't eat too much!

I will be linking up at the following parties:
Sunday Showcase @ Under the Table and Dreaming
Centerpiece Wednesday @ The Style Sisters
Wow Us Wednesday @Savvy Southern Style

Monday, November 11, 2013

Thanksgiving Tablescape - Wishing you a Pheasant Holiday

I know I am a little early for my Thanksgiving table - but when you work in retail- you do things when you can!!  I work for a toy company, the next six weeks will just be crazy for us little elves who help the stores stock the shelves.  Yesterday ended up being a wonderful relaxing Sunday -  so what better time to set my Thanksgiving Table!  I am very Thankful to God for the many blessings I have, so I always enjoy setting a Thanksgiving Table, even though I do not host Thanksgiving Dinner.

I went with a pheasant theme this year!  
Some of my earliest memories of Thanksgiving include my father and his brothers coming home from hunting, each carrying a few pheasants by the tails, all looking very proud of their success that morning.  

I will, however, spare you from the images still burned in my brain of some dead pheasants being plopped down on the kitchen counter!

and instead, go for some more pleasant images of some beautiful pheasant statues I found on a recent trip to Amish Country.  

 I used some faux pheasant feathers in my centerpiece.  I am pretty sure no pheasants were harmed in the making of this table!
Sticking with the naturals and browns, I pulled out one of my favorite paisley tablecloths in shades of grey and brown.  I used the same dishes I used last year because I love them.

These cream color plates have a beautiful raised pattern of leaves and acorns on them.
The chargers do as well.  The burlap runner is on loan from a friend - left overs from her daughter's wedding - which can be seen at one of my earlier posts by clicking here
I had purchased a couple of these burlap napkins last year, my intent then was not to use them as napkins, but to line some bread baskets.  Luckily when I went back to the little shop I purchased them at - they had some more and I was able add a few more to complete my table. These burlap napkins are  actually made out of cotton, so they are soft and not likely to scratch someones lips off if they were to wipe their mouth!  
 It must have been my lucky week last week because I walked into World Market and found complimentary stemware to the amber glasses I already had - on CLEARANCE!!!  I never saw these there when they were full price - good thing - I probably would have bought them and paid much more for them.  
I wanted to remind everyone why we gather for this day - besides watching football - so I added the little Thankful tags on the napkin rings.  I just printed these out on my computer using Kraft paper card stock and then cut them out on my Cuddlebug using a Spellbinders die  and distressed the edges a bit - but they could easily be done in a rectangle for those who don't have all the scrapbooking supplies.   
  Whether you are traveling, cooking or just enjoying,  I hope you get some time to reflect on what you are Thankful for and have a pleasant Thanksgiving.  

Speaking of being Thankful - Thanks for stopping by and for all the wonderful comments you have left over time.  I read each and every comment and get so much joy from them.  Many times it is those little things in life that mean so much!


Sources:
Table Cloth - Marshalls last year
Chargers - Better Homes and Garden - last year at Walmart
Dishes -Tii Collections Dol Havest Leaves - Butterchurn Kitchenwares in Walnut Creek Ohio last year
Burlap Napkins -by Nancy's Nook -  Olde Picket Fence in Hartville Ohio
Flatware - Ikea in the spring
Stemware - World Market
Pheasants - Berlin Village Gift Barn - Berlin Ohio last month

I will be linking up at the following parties:
Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style
Let's Dish @Cuisine Kathleen
Tablescape Thursday Between Naps on the Porch
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
Seasonal Sundays @ The Tablescaper

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Some Bewitching Trouble! Halloween Table

Witchee Poo got herself into a little bit of a spot here on my Halloween Tablescape!
or should I say she got herself into a bit of a Pot!
She had been trying to stir up some trouble around here for Halloween.
 We knew we where in trouble when she took off her hat.
 I don't want to take a guess as to how she may have ended up in her cauldron -but I think my dog may have had something to do with it!
 She does not really like creepy crawly things and all of these spiders may have proved a bit too much for her.  
So my wonderful watch dog just took care of that mean old nasty witch!  And gave her a more than a taste of her own medicine.
There will be lots of treats for you Brandy!  You saved us from that nasty Witch!
I hope there are a lot of Tricks and Treats for you this Halloween!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sources:
Tablecloth, napkins and Candelabras - Home Goods
White Chargers - Old Time Pottery
Black Flatware and the two dinner plates, swirled and checked - Marshalls- all last year
Orange Plate - Fiesta Ware Outlet
Bat and Spider dessert plates - Elderbeerman
Black Goblets - Kmart - last year
Mercury Glass Potion Bottles and Cauldron - Marshalls - couple years ago
Witches Legs and Hat - Hobby Lobby
Spell Books - just spray painted some old books 

I will be linking up at the following parties:
Seasonal Sundays @ The Tablescaper
Inspire Me Tuesday @A Stroll Thu Life
Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen
Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Sunday, October 13, 2013

White and Gold Fall Tablescape

I have to admit, I am not a fancy person!  So when I decided to try a fancy fall table for Kathleen Cuisine's White Fall Challenge - it really was a Challenge.  So here is my attempt at being fancy!
Kathleen's Challenge was to do a fall table using white dishes. 

Was it cheating when I covered up most of the white dessert plates with pumpkins and leaves?
I hope not- I was kind of thinking it was more of a creative move!
How else was I going to scream out fall to you!
With pumpkins
pumpkins,
and more pumpkins!
Most of what you see here, I already had in my stash!
When I found this table cloth - it just seemed like everything just came together.
The napkins and the candlesticks are new.
Oh - the mini pumpkin stack and the gourds are new- because those are real!
Now, please excuse me while I go change my cloths and put on some makeup!
I feel like I have to get fancied up to sit at my fancy table!

Sources:
Tablecloth- T J Maxx
Gold Chargers, Gold Faux Pumpkins & White Urns - Micheals- all over the years
White Chargers - Old Time Pottery - last year
White Plates and Napkin Rings - Pier One- last year but still available 
Amber Stemware - World Market - last year
Gold Flatware - Value City - years ago when they still existed!
Candlesticks- Marshalls
Napkins - Bed Bath and Beyond
Leaf Vine - one of shops in Ohio's Amish Country-sorry can't remember which one!
I am also not sure where I got the big faux leaves!

I will be linking up to:
Wow Us Wednesday@Savvy Southern Style
Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen
Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
Seasonal Sundays @The Tablescaper