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

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6 Years Ago....

Yes, six years ago today another bouncing baby boy graced our lives, this time we named him Logan. Very different from the first one (as they always are), made me feel like I had no experience at all.

I eventually figured him out...though he still keeps me on my toes.

Big blue eyes and chubby cheeks

I've always loved this shot, you can't see his halo though. ;)

He is full of energy and quite the talker

high-spirited, and energetic with a little bit of spunk thrown in

He is my sidekick and my helper.

He is growing into a great kid

This shot needs a little backstory....We are at our town Christmas parade, waiting for it to start. I've got my camera (with strap) hanging on my shoulder and Logan is just tall enough....snaps a picture of himself. It's hilarious.
This one is going down in history as one of my favorites! :)

Happy Birthday Logan! I'm so proud to be your Mom!

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Paper Star Winners!

Hi everyone! I know it's crunch time! Thank you so much for leaving me comments on your favorite Christmas songs. We share a lot in common and a few I had to check out! :)

I know it was a spur of the moment kind of thing, so thanks.

I wanted to share a few of my favorite Christmas songs, they are all across different genre. I added on a couple of vids too. Andrea Bocelli has the most amazing voice and I love the duet he does with Catherine Jenkins (get the tissues) and the traditional Angels We Have Heard on High....amazing with that choir and the final note send chills down my spine! I hope you enjoy !



Some more of my favorites (and the artist):

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Bare Naked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan

Jingle Bells

Frank Sinatra

It must've Been Ol' Santa Claus

Harry Connick Jr.

O Holy Night

Nat King Cole

I Saw Three Ships

Sting

Winter Wonderland

Jason Mraz

Mistletoe

Colbie Caillat

Home for the Holidays

The Carpenters

The two winners of the handcrafted Music Sheet Star:

Peggie, favorite song is: I'll be Home for Christmas

and

Ashlee @ Prairie Cottage, favorite song: White Christmas

Please email and I will get them out right away!

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Sheet Music Star (Tutorial)

This is a first. I'm sharing a tutorial that is a direct result of a pin. What am I talking about?? Well, a couple of years ago, I wrote about a paper star that I had made for Christmas gifts (see HERE) and someone pinned it on Pinterest. As a result, I received several emails on how to create it.

I know it's so late in the season, but I thought I would show you, if for no other reason than it archive it. So let's get started!

Supplies that you need:

Star form (Click HERE for a paper mache version to buy), sheet music or book paper, shipping tag, jingle bells (not pictured), Mod Podge (abbreviated MP), glitter, tinsel garland, various paint brushes.

I'm am usually on the use-what-I-have-around-the-house mindset, and I had these star ornaments for years and years and didn't use them anymore, decided to alter them as gifts. I think they are plastic, once they were gold, then I spray painted them red, and now they will finally be made into pretty paper star gifts.

Begin by tearing vintage sheet music or book paper into squares, not too small about 2-3" squares are best. It took two sheets per star in this case.

I think most people are familiar with how simple it is to decoupage, I worked on one point at a time, brush on a layer of Mod Podge

Lay a square on

brush another layer on top, smoothing the paper on. This needs to happen pretty quick, you don't want the MP to dry. Don't be afraid to use your fingers to get it really smooth. Once you have the entire star form covered, let it dry completely. Make sure it is completely dry, because the next step is glittering. If there is even a little wetness the glitter will stick, and probably where you don't want.

I personally like to use Martha's glitter because it is super fine and super sparkly, but you could use a glitter/glue combo for this step, it's just a matter of preference. Glitter the edges of the star first, then the 'veins' of the star. You could do both sides if you like, but I just did one side.

With a small paint brush, brush on a small line of MP, one vein at a time, sprinkle glitter on, knock off excess. Move around the whole star....gluing and glittering as you go. Let dry completely.

Once it is dry, it's time to embellish the top point. Here you can get as creative as you want.

I chose some tinsel garland (tied on like string) jingle bells (tied on with jute) and a little shipping tag that I stamped with 'Merry and Bright' (I also glittered the edges of the tag). If you would like to know how to stain shipping tags, I explain it HERE.
This little doodad helps create a little focal point and is a great detail, get creative with how you can personalize this.

I also made a third one using a flat on the back metal 'barn star'

I really like how sweet these turned out!

They could be hung on the tree or in the center of a wreath, countless ideas!!

As a little a thank you to all of YOU, I want to offer two of these up in a giveaway! In appreciation for all the visits and comments and emails THANK YOU!! It is so close to Christmas, so I'll just run this through Monday the 19th.
All you have to do to get a chance to win is comment telling me your favorite Christmas Song, easy right? I'll randomly pick a winner on Tuesday, good luck!

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Christmas Party at the Coleman Theatre

Last week, I had the privilege of doing some centerpieces for a corporate party of 80. It was held at the Historic Coleman Theatre in Miami (pronounced MY-AM-AH)Oklahoma. I had never been to the Coleman Theatre so I thought that you would like to come along too, it was a real treat. The theatre was owned and operated by the Coleman's and opened it's doors in the spring of 1929. After many, many years of service the theatre was donated to the city of Miami in 1989. Since then it has been on the long road to restoration. Their motto is: "We don't own anything. We hold it in trust for the next generation"

I'll show you what I did for the party first. The centerpiece for the dessert table was simple, yet tall. I used a combination of birch branches, real pine/cedar and red berries. Aren't the baby poinsettias cute nestled around the base?

I wish I could have eaten seen all the desserts circling the arrangement


I decided to stay very traditional for the centerpieces. With the the ballroom dripping with Louis XV design, I certainly could not have gone rustic or modern in the least. Traditional 14" Hurricane shades and fresh pine and cedar, red berries and....can you see what else I used?




I hand painted magnolia pods gold and nestled them in with the pine. I harvested them the same day I made my Magnolia Leaf Wreath. The night before the party, I'm making the candle rings...it's getting late and around 11 o'clock, I'm thinking, thinking, thinking on how I can bring in some gold. I didn't want to use gold ornaments, I think they would have come off looking cheesy in such a room, I remembered the pods I had collected and knew that would do the trick. So the pods got a paint job. I really love how they turned out and they really added an unusual element to the centerpieces, and I got my gold. :)






The party only took up one end of the expansive ballroom



Now let's talk about some of the details of the Coleman. Take a look at that gold ceiling and the crystal chandeliers! Fancy, hu?



This was the chandy in the two story foyer (you know I have a weakness for light fixtures). This thing was ginormous (although small compared to the one in the theatre)!

Just look at it! See!?! See!?! :)

Gold carved chairs in which only to look at, your bottom may not reside on it's silken coverings.

Ok, I was slightly obsessed with the chandy and it's not even my style! The stairs going down to the first floor, I know you can't really see it well, but the carpets have the Coleman initials creating an over all pattern through out the whole theatre. From what the lady told me, they found the original rug manufacturer from 1929 and had all the carpets restored, cool hu?

Coleman Initials, inlaid granite I think.( View from the second story)

Some interior shots on the theatre side. This is out in the lobby. Opening day for the theatre was April 18, 1929...can you imagine being one of the 1600 people in attendance that day so long ago?

I didn't get to take any shots in the actual theatre there was a production going on the day I was there, but take a look at pictures on their website click HERE. The Wurlitzer was completely restored (all 790 pipes!!) and the story of it's travels (yes, a traveling organ) is really fascinating. The giant chandelier in the theatre, they told me, was found in a barn, brought back to the theatre and fully restored. I thought it was so sweet that the grandson of the electrician that originally hung the chandelier was the one that helped hang it again.

Some exterior shots which I think are really a big part of the charm for me. The Spanish Revival exterior really stands out in the center of town. Since moving to Missouri, and coming from a fishing town in North Carolina, learning about mining towns have become really facinating for me! You would not see this style of building on the outer banks!

Isn't it beautiful? I am so glad that I got a chance to visit the Coleman Theatre (I would have never known about it if not for the party!). It is a continuing restoration process and what has been done thus far is monumental and really fantastic.

If you ever get a chance, stop by, you'll see what I mean!

P.S. Thank you so much for commenting and stopping by the Christmas tour, I really appreciate it!

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