Fall Decorating October 2017

I have probably written this before - October is my very favorite month! I love the cooler temperatures and lower humidity of North Carolina's fall, often no need for heat or AC. Of course, sometimes you have those days when you need heat in the morning and AC in the afternoon, but I still love October! Here are some of my Fall decorations so far this year.

In the Dining Room, we have a gold tablecloth and wooden chargers topped with Spode Woodland Turkey plates. I used a new stainless flatware pattern, Williamsburg Shell by Reed and Barton. I used Kirk Steiff pewter goblets and red napkins with woven golden pumpkins. 

I also used my pumpkin place card holders but haven't put the place cards in yet! 

For my centerpiece, I used my silver punch bowl and filled it with plastic grocery bags and covered them with green Spanish Moss from Michaels. Then I put a large faux pumpkin on top and added some fall leaves. I was inspired by Sheila's idea on her blog, My Kentucky Living.

Then I got the idea to add some lights! 

Here's the whole table again with the pumpkin it up.

On the small buffet, I used a silver wine cooler and did the same pumpkin trick!

The hanging shelf above the small buffet is a new piece that I inherited from my mother. I love how it just fits!

Of course, I still have this hanging shelf on the back wall, too!

This is a new pumpkin I painted. It is faux and I painted a Blue Willow type pattern on it with craft paint. It took hours, but I am thrilled with how it turned out.

I made a vignette in my Butler's Pantry featuring the Blue Willow pumpkin.

October is a good month to sit and rock on the porch. There are lots of real pumpkins on the porch!

Before you go, let's have a Pumpkin Tea Party in the Parlor!

I will be sharing with Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch.

Golden Thanksgiving Wishes!

Here is my Thanksgiving 2016 table. I started with a bright golden tablecloth and red and gold napkins. On top of wooden chargers, I am using my Spode Woodland Turkey Dinner plates. The wine glass has a golden design, the napkin rings are a light gold and the flatware has a golden beaded edge.

At each place setting, I have put a Meri Meri Pilgrim cracker and place card.

For the centerpiece, I used one of my many ceramic turkeys on top of a glass cake stand, all on top of a beaded fall leaf charger. I scattered faux golden leaves all around and surrounded the centerpiece with golden mercury glass votives.

On the mantle are lots of Pilgrims and Pumpkins.

Lots of Pilgrims on the Larger Buffet as well!

On the Smaller Buffet is my Paternal Grandmother's Punch Bowl Set, surrounded by some glass punch cups that were my Maternal Grandmother's. Spiced cider, anyone?

Or would you prefer tea? It can be served from this tea cart and my Spode Woodland Tea Pot.

Lots of turkeys in my hanging shelf.

So much to be thankful for this year! I hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful, too!

I will be sharing this with Between Naps on the Porch.

Pumpkins and Pilgrims and Turkey, Oh My!

I think I have shared before that I love fall! I love Christmas, but after Halloween, I decorate for Thanksgiving! 

This tablecloth is a beautiful shade of green, but I just can't get it to photograph beautifully! You will just have to take my word for it!

I am using wooden chargers with leaves embossed on the rim with my Spode Woodland Turkey plates. The stemware has both silver and gold touches just like the flatware. I am using old gold napkins with metal napkin rings.

I found these vintage Thanksgiving images on little clothespins at World Market. They pin right onto the napkin rings!

For my centerpiece, I put a beaded pumpkin placemat in the center and put some leaves and acrylic jewels around and place a turkey in the middle.

I put some corn pillar candles on golden pillars at each end.

Each place got a Thanksgiving Cracker (from Amazon) and a Pilgrim Place Card (from Paper Source).

I can't wait to open the crackers and see our treats!

The dining room tea cart is still full of Thanksgiving goodies.

So is the hanging shelf!

I have a nice selection of Spode Woodland in the kitchen ready for the big day!

Cranberry Serving Set

Covered Vegetable Dish

Love my pie bird!

Tea Pot

Gravy Boat with Stand

And, of course, a Turkey Platter!

My sweet husband saw me drooling over the Staub Pumpkin Cocotte in Sur La Table and bought it for me for a Christmas present. Then he couldn't wait to give it to me, so I am already enjoying it while pumpkins are still in season!

Here is a Hunters' Chicken I prepared in it. Delicious! I just love it!

Still counting my blessings here - I will be sharing this with Between Naps on the Porch and Rustic and Refined.

I've Got Plenty To Be Thankful For!

Just like the Irving Berlin song



Bing Crosby – I've Got Plenty To Be Thankful For - Single Version

As you may know, things changed for me dramatically on Sunday, January 26, 2014! My husband and I walked in the back door and were greeted with a waterfall in our sunroom. As we were screaming and running around, we realized there was also a waterfall in our butler's pantry. Our next door neighbors came over and helped us move our belongings away from the water and a friend who owns a plumbing business sent one of his men out on a cold Sunday night to cut off our water. Then our neighbors helped us mop...and mop... and mop! There was a LOT of water! It was determined that a pipe in one of the upstairs bathrooms had frozen and later thawed and burst. All the water had collapsed the ceilings in both the sunroom and butler's pantry.

Next morning, our insurance agent came over along with our friend who is a historical building contractor. The insurance company OK'd the removal of the vinyl flooring in the sunroom, butler's pantry and kitchen, since it had flooded at least part of all these rooms. Several visits from an adjuster (who got sent to Atlanta during their deep freeze, which delayed our claim for a month or so), we could finally start the repair portion of the project.

We decided that this was as good a time as any to go on and renovate the kitchen, the small mud room attached to it and the butler's pantry. These needed to be renovated, so with everything already being torn up, it seemed like a good time.

BUT all the contents of the Sunroom (which has 4 closets), the Butler's Pantry (which has a walk-in closet), the Kitchen and the Mud Room (which was basically a storage room) had to go into the rest of my house. The Dining Room got filled up first - which made my tablescaping impossible. By the end of the project, the Dining Room looked like Mrs. Haversham's in Great Expectations. The dust of months with the dust of four rooms being sanded added! And NO, I didn't take pictures!!!

But as of a week ago, my Dining Room is back! Just in time for Thanksgiving! I'll be sharing the new room renovations in the next couple of weeks, but for now - here is my Thanksgiving Table! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

I will be sharing with the Tablescaping Party at Rustic and Refined.