Blue Willow Tablescape

Can you believe that Christmas is this weekend? Time flys by so fast! This will probably be my last tablescape for Christmas, so I hope you draw lots of inspiration.

I have ALWAYS wanted to do a tablescape like this forever and and a day and finally, I decided to do it. Why not? I had the fresh greens from a party I decorated for and the faux fruit is from my arsenal of supplies.This is such a classic look and really, you can't go wrong with fresh greens and fruit and Johnson Brothers blue willow dishes. This will especially appeal to all you southern ladies. :) I wanted to use some magnolia leaves too, but my table just isn't big enough. Had I been working with my table outside, you bet your bottom I would have. The weather here has been so cold (and now rainy) indoors I had to stay

I borrowed part of my MIL's collection and mixed it with my everyday Gibson dishes. Simple glassware and contemporary flatware.

For the centerpieces, I used traditional glass hurricanes (the same that I used at the party), white candles, faux fruit, red berries and fresh mixed pines.

I don't own any blue willow, but I do appreciate the style and history of it. I really do like the oriental landscape depicted on each piece.

I didn't use any place mats, but kept on my linen table runner. It's official, you have to make one, I haven't taken it off since I did. :)

The fruit looks really real, doesn't it?

I also used the gold magnolia pods that I painted for the party too. I'm trying to come up with a clever craft to create with them.

I added some black and white striped ribbon to really keep it interesting. Plus it speaks back to the black and white in the adjacent kitchen.

I think this look would look great for a buffet table too. Can you just see loads of food all around for Christmas dinner?

Thank you so much for stopping by to see a Southern Blue Willow Tablescape. I hope you are inspired!

I will not be posting again until after Christmas....I hope each and everyone of you have a fantastic and joyous Christmas Day! I will talk to you soon.

Joining Susan

Need a design boost? For advice and guidance on style, contact me!

Old World Christmas {Tablescape}

Hi and welcome to an Old World Christmas! It's no trouble pulling different looks together at this time of year, I love so many!

This tablescape came together relatively easy, practically by itself. I was pulling linens and dishes out because I had grand ideas of going outside to create a tablescape but the weather just didn't cooperate. I think the freezing temps and wind chill of winter have officially arrived. :)

I pulled my lantern knowing I wanted that as a centerpiece. While it would have fit wholly on my rustic table outside, it's a little snug on the dining room table (oh well). The lantern really set the tone and I came up with a name right away (you name your tablescapes too right?)

I have had a couple of 'old world' figures for years now, and they really look at home. This is the snowman, with his not-quite-white snow, red scarf and broom.

and the Santa with his toy bag and lantern staff.

The glassware I chose, you've seen before, but probably my favorite.

I've had my linen runner on the table for a while now, I'm really glad I went ahead and made it. It sets a neutral background for everything.

Little Christmas tree s-n-p shakers, love these, and love that they were inexpensive.

I put a wreath around the base of the lantern and I did a little doohickey on the flue. I showed you how to embellish a lantern for Fall, so here is a Christmas version. The doodad would have been a little more involved had I not used the wreath, so a little bit of berries, webbing and candy canes did the trick.

I was inspired to use the webbing after seeing it in the PB catalogue and it goes so well with this look! I didn't even look at the price in the catalogue, I just trotted my butt down to Walmart and got a couple of yards of chair webbing. I think it's around a dollar per yard {I think} I can't quite remember. At any rate, it's got a great look to it and not any harder to use than burlap ribbon, there just isn't any wire.

I found these holly berry plates a couple of years ago at a antique store, although the stamp on the bottom that says 'Home' next to the Target symbol leads me to believe they are not antique. :) But I guess they will be eventually. My twiggy chargers look nice under them.

I recently found a couple of fun plaid runners at Dollar General and used them across the table. That is a fun alternative to placemats. The captain's chair layout looks a little different, I even used wooden chargers instead too.

For the napkin rings, I used tiny grapevine wreaths and snipped little red berries apart and wove them around. The celery green napkins are casually folded on the ring.

So while this would have looked so fitting outdoors, it's not too shabby inside.

Thanks so much for stopping by I hope you're inspired!

I will be sharing a fun paper craft with you tomorrow, see you then!

Joining Susan

Need a design boost? For advice and guidance on style, contact me!

Yuletide Christmas {Tablescape}

Are you getting ready for the Holiday season? Dragging out the tubs, untangling lights, and fluffing your mantle with Christmas finery? Well thank you for taking the time to stop by for some inspiration!

I was thinking the other day, what are quintessential Christmas elements? The first things that come to mind for me....red berries, pine, pine cones, and plaid. In gathering all those things, I headed outside to create a Yuletide Christmas.

This is actual frost on the centerpiece...I left it on the table and the next morning it was frosty and I couldn't resist snapping a couple pictures. It makes the berries look so real!

For the centerpiece, that I always love creating, I used an old metal log holder. It's kinda big, so I started off with long branches. Then filled in with pine and berries and finished it off with a small ribbon. A classic hourglass hurricane on a brass holder provides a little candlelight, off to the side.

The tablecloth was a recent find at Big Lots. I zeroed right in on the plaid, although they have other styles.



Herringbone napkins that I've had for a while, they show up for any occasion that calls for red. The napkin rings I created by wrapping a plain plastic napkin ring (from the dollar store) with plaid ribbon and a little hot glue.


Twiggy chargers from Mary Carol Home Collection, love these and use them a lot. Flatware is from Target, although I think I've seen this style everywhere now.

Simple white plates with a little pearl detail around the edge, also from the Dollar Tree, last year.

I love how the centerpiece turned out, something a little unexpected and certainly festive.

The snowflake glasses were a find from last year at the Dollar Tree.
These are actually in everyday use, they are the perfect size for eggnog. Which we love and drink all the time, except for Keegan, he doesn't like it at all.

The candle lit at night...

So what are the elements that make a quintessential Christmas for you? Are you like me and love the traditional things?

I hope you've enjoyed my Yuletide Christmas!


Joining Susan for Tablescape Thursday

Need a design boost? For advice and guidance on style, contact me!

Smoky Quartz Tablescape

This by far might be my favorite table inspiration to date. Ever. It is certainly different than what I typically do, especially for Fall, I usually like a lot of color....but....after finding my Mother's vintage Libbey frosted leaf glassware in storage, I decided to set the table for her. In loving memory.

My mom was a perfectionist, and liked the table set a certain way and while she might shake her head at some of the elements I've used, I think she would delight in a formal place setting. I have never gone this formal before....I even broke out my wedding flatware!

Mom's collection of the Libbey glassware is pretty big, I only used the wine glass and cooler here, but there is also a beverage glass, and juice glass. I remember loving it as a kid (from afar :).

This is the flatware I received as a wedding gift, this is the first time it's seen the light of day in many years...it's too so fancy!

I did a very simple centerpiece. It might shock you to learn that the beautiful metal filigree hurricane is actually a vintage wastebasket (without the original liner) circa 1965. I found it at an estate sale and thought it would make a beautiful centerpiece, and yes, I cleaned it well. :) I used one of my cylinder vases inside to house a single column candle. Around the centerpiece, I used porcelain antlers that I found on a recent trip to St. Louis. I love these and have never seen porcelain ones before!

The dinner plate, fairly modern, in a olive/brown color, white salad plate, and magnolia leaf place markers. I glittered little tiny pumpkins to go along with it. I just used a Sharpie to write every ones name.

I picked up these fresh roses just to add a hint of seasonal color.

You might notice that I have made yet another table runner. I absolutely refuse to blog about it because, how many runners can one person make, I mean really. In this case, I wanted to try my hand at a ruffled runner, and I threw in some fringing just for fun. I should have used a tutorial from somewhere, but I just winged it. Apparently, I'm going to teach myself how to sew if it kills me. Notice (again) that I used the same fabric for the runner as I did on the chairs. I used the additional yardage I bought as 'back up' for the chair covers, in case any accidents happened, so I could just swap it out....which is not the right thing to do, but I did it anyway. I just decided that it was silly to have the fabric, just waiting for accidents, I am going to make something. Hopefully it won't bite me in the butt.

I think that mom would be contented to sit at this table. Enjoying Thanksgiving dinner.

After doing my Magnolia Leaf Wreath, I decided to hang it on my hutch. I just couldn't see it enough with it hanging on the front door, so I moved it in. :)

I found this beautifully fantastical phantasmagorical ribbon at saveoncrafts.com. Be forewarned though, I was so captivated by it's beauty that I did not read that there was only 17 feet on a roll (I mean who sells 17 feet of ribbon, hu?) which based on the price is OUTRAGEOUS very bad. Saving grace? It really is gorgeous and made of linen in Germany, ok, ok, ok...but I will not be duped again.

So how are you liking the neutral coloration for fall? Do you like it?...or are you missing the color?

I hope you're inspired and thanks for stopping by.

Joining Susan

Need a design boost? For advice and guidance on style, contact me!