Pages

Thursday, January 23, 2014

A Little Snowfall!

I dressed my table in snowflakes this week and what do you know - Mother Nature gave us a little snowfall also!



I started with my silvery gray tablecloth, a beaded white, silver and gold snowflake runner and platinum beaded placements, all from Target. 



On top of the beaded place mat I added a Golden Snowflake plate from Cracker Barrel, my Cambridge Verona flatware which has a gold edge and water goblets with a gold and silver Greek Key design (TJ Maxx). I used creamy white napkins with a silver and rhinestone snowflake napkin ring (Target).



For the centerpiece I had a crystal bowl full of silver and blue ornaments. My daughter Emily added her beaded snowflake Christmas tree topper for the perfect touch!



Mercury glass candle holders with white/silver snowflake candles and silver place card holders complete the table.



Over on the little table is an ornament tree with lots of snowflakes.

My mantle is full of snowmen!




And on my back door there is an icy wreath!


All in all, I think I have more snowflakes on the inside than we saw outside! 


I will be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Stay warm!









Monday, January 13, 2014

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!

Photobucket

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.
Photobucket

Photobucket

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.

Photobucket

Photobucket

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.

Photobucket

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.

Photobucket

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.

Photobucket

Before I found the ribbon, I used silver napkin rings

Photobucket

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.

Photobucket

Photobucket

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

Photobucket

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Happy New Year with a Touch of Teal!

We usually go out of town on New Year's Eve to see a concert by our favorite band, but this year we were on vacation when the tickets went on sale. I tried to get tickets, but never could find good ones, so we just figured that this was meant to be a stay at home year. Glad we didn't get the tickets now, because I have had a nasty cold since the day after Christmas and I still don't feel up to much celebrating. But I decorated my dining room table anyway!



I at first envisioned this as a silver, black, white table with a pop of teal or peacock blue. But there were several problems with this color scheme. My "silver" tablecloth that I bought on clearance last year at Target is really just gray. I wish it were more metallic silver. My ornament tree is gold. Lots of the New Year's Eve ornaments I put on the tree are gold. I didn't have any teal or peacock blue napkins. I KNOW I have some paper ones, but I couldn't even find them! SO, a dash of gold needed to be added in the form of gold napkins with a sliver napkin ring.

My ornament tree on a peacock blue beaded charger and surrounded by silver balls and teal acrylic jewels.

At each place I put a black and rhinestone charger with a white plate, silver/gold flatware and a tiny champagne bucket candle and of course, a champagne flute!
I added a few party hats - one teal-  I have collected through the years as well as noisemakers. 

I hope you have a very Happy New Year filled with wealth, health and happiness!


Wednesday, December 18, 2013

The Twelve Days of Christmas Tablescape

WHEW! It is almost Christmas - already! I can't believe it. While I am wishing for more hours in a day, here is a tablescape based on the carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas."


The idea for this table started last year when my older daughter found a set of ornaments at Target last year on clearance. While they would look great on a Christmas tree, I immediately knew I wanted them on my ornament tree!




I love the colors of these ornaments! 

A few months ago I saw some 12 Days of Christmas salad/dessert plates and placeholders by Caspari with similar colors,, so the rest of the tablescape was born!





I was really happy with how the Caspari paper plates went with the rim colors of my Spode Christmas Tree Grove dinner plates. I used a new set of flatware Cambridge Verona which has a small golden beaded edge.




I am not sure if I will get another blog post done before Christmas. I always have good intentions, but sometimes get too busy!!! If I don't I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Season's Greetings, etc!!!


Thursday, October 31, 2013

Halloween Around the House

Happy Halloween! Just want to share some of my Halloween decorations with you today!

I love that the dogwood leaves match our Indian Red accents on the house.


Mums, pumpkins and Halloween flags greet you at the front or side of the porch.



Step on into the Foyer.


This antique top hat was found in our 130 year old house when we bought it. Jack wears it well!


Halloween Tree



In the Parlor we can have some scary guests!


At the gaming table in the Billiards Room, cute pumpkins serve as a coaster for our drinks!


At night in the Billiard Rooms.


Terracotta  Jack O'Lantern


Edgar Allen Poe's pumpkin


On the mantle


Lit up at night


Back in the Sunroom, there are various decorations.....


including Halloween nutcrackers....


and a new watercolor I got this year!


It is from my favorite local artist Brenda Behr. She is amazing - please visit her website!!! Either click her name above or visit below.



A Happy Halloween to all of you!


BOO, Y'all!