My 6th Blogiversary!

I can't believe that I have been blogging for 6 years! Lately, it's been much more OFF than ON, but it's still by 6th Blogiversary!

Last January I had a frozen water pipe burst and flood three rooms, which took a while to fix and we also added to the work by totally renovating the kitchen and butler's pantry. The result was a year without tablescapes (bad news), but lots of good renovations to our historic house (good news).

I can't promise that I will be a more prolific blogger this year, because BOTH my daughters are engaged to be married (Great News!) and I am planning two weddings! While it is a lot of fun, it is also a lot of work! But I really want to do an engagement tablescape soon!!!

I have made so many friends through blogging and want you all to know how special you are to me!

Since 2014 was a sparse year for tablescaping, I am just sharing my table from my first blog post. You can see the whole blog post HERE: My Winter Wonderland: Barely Blue.

Thanks so much for all the friendship and encouragement through all the years!



I will be sharing this with Tablescape Thursday on Between Naps on the Porch and Let's Dish on Cuisine Kathleen.

My Fifth Blogiversary - Winter Wonderland: Barely Blue

I can't believe that I started this blog five years ago today. I don't really know why I started it. I didn't imagine that anyone would find it interesting. I had never heard of Tablescape Tuesday (now Tablescape Thursday). I had been active in a Table Settings forum on a recipe site and thought it would be nice to have a way to save my tablescape pictures. Right after I published this first entry, I received two comments - then a third comment from Susan at Between Naps on the Porch inviting me to link up at her site. Through her site I have "met" many talented and kind bloggers. I will link this post to her Tablescape Thursday.

I have found that I am a very bad blogger. I get busy with work and family and don't get to post on my on blog or visit my friends' blogs. That being said, I am truly grateful for the friendships I have made with blogging and how tolerant these friends are of my lapses! Anyway, I have rambled on enough - here's to the last five years of blogging and many, many more in the future! Thank you! Jewel

I have decided to use this blog to catalog my table settings. The first table of the year is Winter Wonderland: Barely Blue.

I am submitting this for Tablescape Tuesday hosted by Susan (Between Naps on the Porch).
BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH: Tablescape Tuesday
Thanks Susan!



I didn't want all the sparkle to go away after I put up the Christmas decorations, so I decided that I would create a Winter Wonderland of ice and snow. I spay painted limbs silver and used icicle and snowflake ornaments as well as strung acrylic "jewels" in "Barely Blue" shades. I used Tiffany Blue tulle as a table runner over a slightly off-white table cloth and tulle on the mantle. I put blue "marbles" and clear acrylic pieces that look like cracked ice in a vase to hold the limbs.




I put the vase in the center of a silver wreath from Target and filled in the gap between the wreath and the vase with silver and blue Christmas ornaments.

On the mantle, I put limbs in a blue round vase and made a bow from blue and silver sheer ribbon. I hung jewels, icicles and ornaments in silver and blue on the limbs.





Beside the vase I put silver limbs and golden ferns from Target and silver poinsettias and wired pearls from Michaels. At the ends, I used silver mercury glass candle pillars with white fake candles embossed with silver snowflakes.



In the small white vases, I had small silver spray painted limbs with 3 silver ball ornaments.

On the table, I had mercury glass votive holders from Target in silver and icy green/blue, as well as two different types of clear snowflake holders. I also used small blue vases with white silk flower sprays. I also scattered acrylic jewels on the tulle.



At Cracker Barrel a few days after Christmas, I found these plates for 70% off. I originally thought my table would only have blue, silver and white, but these plates in ivory and gold were such a good deal I couldn't pass them up. The gold allowed me to use gold napkins and glassware with both gold and silver embellishment and I used gold and silver chargers. I also found ribbon with golden snowflakes at Michaels for 70% off which I tied for napkin rings.



Before I found the ribbon, I used silver napkin rings



I will host my garden club on January 20th and use the table as a buffet. I am making cupcakes with fondant snowflakes. I have improvised a cupcake holder/tea tray with two platters and a cake stand from the 70% off Cracker Barrel sale, a flat topped glass bowl and a battery operated tea light.





Comments and suggestions are welcomed! My table and this blog are a work in progress!

4th Anniversary - Barely Blue Winter Wonderland!

1/13/13 was the 4th anniversary of my blog - as we say in blogland, my 4th blogiversary!

I have met many wonderful blogging friends and seen so many beautiful tablescapes in the last three years! In honor of the "Big Day" I am re-posting my first post. As most of you know, it is now Tablescape THURSDAY and here is the link to Between Naps on the Porch. I am also linking to Let's Dish at Cuisine Kathleen!

 Thanks for all the wonderful inspiration!


I have decided to use this blog to catalog my table settings. The first table of the year is Winter Wonderland: Barely Blue.

I am submitting this for Tablescape Tuesday hosted by Susan (Between Naps on the Porch).
BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH: Tablescape Tuesday
Thanks Susan!



I didn't want all the sparkle to go away after I put up the Christmas decorations, so I decided that I would create a Winter Wonderland of ice and snow. I spay painted limbs silver and used icicle and snowflake ornaments as well as strung acrylic "jewels" in "Barely Blue" shades. I used Tiffany Blue tulle as a table runner over a slightly off-white table cloth and tulle on the mantle. I put blue "marbles" and clear acrylic pieces that look like cracked ice in a vase to hold the limbs.





I put the vase in the center of a silver wreath from Target and filled in the gap between the wreath and the vase with silver and blue Christmas ornaments.

On the mantle, I put limbs in a blue round vase and made a bow from blue and silver sheer ribbon. I hung jewels, icicles and ornaments in silver and blue on the limbs.





Beside the vase I put silver limbs and golden ferns from Target and silver poinsettias and wired pearls from Michaels. At the ends, I used silver mercury glass candle pillars with white fake candles embossed with silver snowflakes.



In the small white vases, I had small silver spray painted limbs with 3 silver ball ornaments.

On the table, I had mercury glass votive holders from Target in silver and icy green/blue, as well as two different types of clear snowflake holders. I also used small blue vases with white silk flower sprays. I also scattered acrylic jewels on the tulle.



At Cracker Barrel a few days after Christmas, I found these plates for 70% off. I originally thought my table would only have blue, silver and white, but these plates in ivory and gold were such a good deal I couldn't pass them up. The gold allowed me to use gold napkins and glassware with both gold and silver embellishment and I used gold and silver chargers. I also found ribbon with golden snowflakes at Michaels for 70% off which I tied for napkin rings.



Before I found the ribbon, I used silver napkin rings.



I will host my garden club on January 20th and use the table as a buffet. I am making cupcakes with fondant snowflakes. I have improvised a cupcake holder/tea tray with two platters and a cake stand from the 70% off Cracker Barrel sale, a flat topped glass bowl and a battery operated tea light.

Flash


No Flash to highlight the "Fire and Ice" effect


Comments and suggestions are welcomed! My table and this blog are a work in progress!

Under the Sea Two!

For Let's Dish at Cuisine Kathleen, I am recycling an old, Beachy tablescape to celebrate the beginning of Summer! Be sure and visit Kathleen for lots more Beachy Tables!

Here is a table using the dinner plates from my new Big Lots Gibson Dishes - I call it Under the Sea.



As you can see, I am using my Tiffany Blue Tulle again. It is amazing how many tables I have used it for: Sweet 16 Breakfast at Tiffany's, Tea Time at Monet's Garden, Winter Wonderland and now Under the Sea!

The dinner plates and the napkin rings are Gibson Claremont. The salad plates are made of capiz and were from Target a few years ago. The seersucker napkins and mercury glass votive holders are also from Target.



The flatware is another Target purchase. I had seen it in the store but admit that I didn't appreciate it until I saw it used in a tablescape in my latest Southern Lady magazine. I love how the faceted handles sparkle! The stemware is Fostoria Heritage and the salad bowls are by Cambridge Glass Company "Near Cut."


Here are some pictures of the centerpiece:





I took a footed compote (Target World Bazaar several years ago) and put a blue vase (Michaels) on it. I filled the blue vase with clear acrylic shards/jewels and put silver and pearl stems in it. All of this is from my Winter Wonderland table, but I thought in this setting it seemed watery and bubbly. I surrounded everything with seashells and a few blue glass beads and some silver ornaments.

I added my Target fish salt and pepper shakers



and a pewter shell butter dish (found in my house when we moved in) and some shell butter spreaders ( Target and Big Lots).


So there you have my Under the Sea Tablescape!

November Blue Time Two

I loved this table from last year and wanted to share it with you again! As usual I will be linking to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Thanks to her for hosting this blog party every week!

"November shadows, shade November change
  November spells sweet memory, the season blue remains"
The Avett Brothers "November Blue"


I was interested in doing a Thanksgiving table without using the usual Thanksgiving colors and china. I thought blue would make a pretty table especially with orange as a complementary color. I felt very original until one of my favorite Avett Brothers songs "November Blue" started playing. I think I was subliminally influenced by their music! So I decided to name the tablescape after their song.
 Here's the table:







I started with a warm white tablecloth and used copper colored chargers. I then used Spode Blue Italian Dinner and side plates. On top of the dinner plates I used pumpkin salad plates from Walmart (last year's clearance).




I used my Colonial Shell stainless and Pewter goblets finished off with orange napkins with a copper colored leaf napkin ring.








For my centerpiece I used a blue and white china compote topped with a ceramic orange pumpkin.








I added some orange berries and smaller pumpkins too and pumpkin place card holders in both orange and white.





So here is my November Blue tablescape!








Watching on the mantle are two pairs of Pilgrims.











And over to the side is my antique wicker tea cart with a cornucopia tea set and pumpkin mugs.





I hope you enjoyed my November Blue table and that it inspires you to try different colors for the holidays!

November Blue Tablescape

I loved this table from last year and wanted to share it with you again! As usual I will be linking to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Thanks to her for hosting this blog party every week!

"November shadows, shade November change
  November spells sweet memory, the season blue remains"
The Avett Brothers "November Blue"


I was interested in doing a Thanksgiving table without using the usual Thanksgiving colors and china. I thought blue would make a pretty table especially with orange as a complementary color. I felt very original until one of my favorite Avett Brothers songs "November Blue" started playing. I think I was subliminally influenced by their music! So I decided to name the tablescape after their song.
 Here's the table:







I started with a warm white tablecloth and used copper colored chargers. I then used Spode Blue Italian Dinner and side plates. On top of the dinner plates I used pumpkin salad plates from Walmart (last year's clearance).




I used my Colonial Shell stainless and Pewter goblets finished off with orange napkins with a copper colored leaf napkin ring.








For my centerpiece I used a blue and white china compote topped with a ceramic orange pumpkin.








I added some orange berries and smaller pumpkins too and pumpkin place card holders in both orange and white.





So here is my November Blue tablescape!








Watching on the mantle are two pairs of Pilgrims.











And over to the side is my antique wicker tea cart with a cornucopia tea set and pumpkin mugs.





I hope you enjoyed my November Blue table and that it inspires you to try different colors for the holidays!