Summer Garden Tablescape

I welcome the sunny days of summer with a Summer Garden Tablescape.  

I am joining the wonderful table stylists with another fun tablescape hop organized by the fabulous Chloe Crabtree of Celebrate & Decorate.  They all have been posting their tables all week.  I am on the last day of this hop - so if you haven't been following along all week, please check out all of the links at the end of this post.

I was inspired by these cute dishes I found at the Ragon House Warehouse sale.
This is a wholesale gift company located near my home that opens their warehouse twice a year for a fabulous sale, usually at the end of spring and then again in December with seasonal items.  There are some great deals at this sales and it is becoming more and more popular, the line to get in was pretty long this spring.  I had to go to a wedding that afternoon - I was going to feel really bad if I had to tell the bride I was late because there was a wait to get into my favorite sale!!  But they are super organized and the line went pretty fast at the check out - so I made it to the church on time.

Since I live in Ohio, our planting season usually doesn't start until the middle of May.
On Mother's Day weekend the nurseries are just packed with people eager to get their gardens started.
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I have some Impatience and a few vegetable plants that I purchased early at my local nursery to accompany some of the faux greenery for my centerpiece.  I am hoping if I stick them in the ground this week that the weather will cooperate and they will thrive.

I have to admit, I have a thing for sprinkling cans!
There, I said it, out loud!!

I bought this orange beauty at Ikea several years ago, she is my favorite.

Then of course, when I saw these little napkin rings about two years ago at one of my favorite stores in Amish Country, I didn't even think twice about purchasing them.  The carrot napkins were a Pier1 after Easter clearance item - for dirt cheap - since we are talking about gardening!
The placemats too, I found those a while ago at Pier1 marked way down in their clearance section.

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For some more summer fun and inspiration - here are the links to all the wonderful and talented ladies joining the hop this week:

Monday 

a casa di Bianca | My Thrift Store Addiction | Bluesky at Home | Celebrate & Decorate

Tuesday

Everyday Living  | Life and Linda | Knock it Off Kim | Home is Where the Boat Is  

Wednesday 

The Painted Apron | Me and My Captain | Debbee's Buzz

Thursday 

My Family Thyme | Living With Thanksgiving |  Zucchini Sisters
Follow the Yellow Brick Home | Panoply

Friday

Sweet Sensations | Chasing Quaintness | Katherine's Corner | Corner of Plaid and Paisley

These tables should get your summer started with style!

I hope you get a chance to plant some flowers or vegetables this summer.  It is such a joy to watch things grow and thrive after you have put in the efforts.

Sources:
Tablecloth - HomGoods last year
Placemats and Carrot Napins - Pier1 Imports - clearance
Sprinkling Can Napkin Rings - The Peddler, Walnut Creek, Ohio
Flatware and Orange Sprinkling Can - Ikea several years ago
Chargers and Garden Plates - recently at Ragon House Warehouse Sale
Rattan cups - World Market last year

Sweetest Thing!

Isn't this just the Sweetest Thing?!?

I've been wanting to do a candy table ever since I saw this Stampin' Up Suite of products called How Sweet It Is.

This set is in the Occasions Catalog which is good through June 3rd or while supplies last!  This suite of products will retire after June and will no longer be available.

It is such a fun, bright group of items, which includes these fun Sweet Cups -that are fun to decorate and perfect for your next party favor!

I added the clear dome to the top of the sweet cups to hold just a bit more candy!!

The domes are just half of a clear plastic Christmas ornament that can be found at Michaels or Joann Fabrics.  They are the kind that come in two pieces and snap together.  I just used one side and easily snapped the little hook off the top and just lightly glued it to some of the gummy bear designer series paper after I filled it with a few gummy bears.  

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There have been quite a few things that have sold out from this 2019 Occasions Catalog, but this Sweetest Thing Bundle of dies and stamps is still available.  Along with the bundle of stamps and dies is this great designer series paper, How Sweet It Is, that includes some fun images that are sized perfectly to be cut with the dies.

I only used 4 or 5 sheets of the 12 sheets of DSP that came in the pack,  so just a few sheets of  cute paper can make a big impact when pulling things together for a coordinated party look.

Things like banding my little drink bottles  and covering my napkin rings adds more fun to the party!

Here are most of the products I used:

The last item on this list is the small punch I used for the Sweet Cup labels-the Christmas Traditions Punch Box - this item is just went on the clearance rack and is now on sale for $18.00!!  If you have a thing for cute little labels like I do - grab this one up fast before it is gone!!!

This is just the suite for cute little labels!

 The possibilities were endless!

I used to drool over these swirl suckers when I was little.  I thought they were the ultimate in candy dreams!

I hope this gives you some ideas if you are going to be planning a party soon!

Easter Bunny Blues Tablescape

I am definitely not blue about Easter being on it's way,

it is just that my Easter table is blue this year!

While I fell in love with these adorable bunny Easter plates, that inspiration for my table turned out to be a bit trickier than I thought.  

I wanted to create a table worthy of Chloe Crabtree's wonderful  Easter Tablescape Blog Hop that starts today and runs through Friday.  Chloe has assembled a wonderful group of table stylist that will be sharing their tables this week.  The links to all of the talented participants are at the end of this post and will be updated daily.

I found these cute bunny dishes at HomeGoods.  They caught my eye right away.

But what I didn't realize is that the colors were not your typical Easter colors and it was difficult to find items that actually looked good with these cute dishes.

 The blues are more of a cornflower blue and the greens were definitely a blue green.  Many of the items I tried to put with these dishes just didn't go.

So I decided to go with white tulips, some blueish toned greenery, white twigs, and blue eggs.

 I got crafty and colored the eggs by taking some of my Stampin' Up ink, a paint brush, water and a few stamps.  The ink color is called Blueberry Bushel,  once I diluted it with some water, it started to look good.  These eggs are the faux white decorative eggs that do not open up, I purchased them at Walmart last year after Easter on clearance. 

 I played around with several different stamps, stamping right on the egg, and then washing out the design a bit with more water, trying to give it a bit of watercolor look to them.

Some of the eggs I did a bit of a plaid lines to them to try to copy the napkins.  This was an easy and fun process.   I think I may try to do some more in different colors and try to mix colors as well.

I was actually going to put candles in the little distressed candle stick holders until I stuck some of the eggs on them and liked that better than the candles!

Then I felt my Easter table needed some Easter goodies. 

Luckily, I had just seen my friend, Chris Slogar from Buckeye Inklings, do a video on how to make these cute little baskets.

They are easy to make - here is a link to her simple instructions!  Chris made her's out of gingham paper while I made mine out of Gray Granite card stock that I ran through the Basket Weave embossing folder to give it that weaved look. I made my handle just a bit wider and shorter, then I just embellished the front with an Easter sentiment and a few die cut flowers.

Thank God that my favorite chocolates of all time - Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt Carmel is wrapped in the perfect color blue for  my Easter basket!! I could not have planned that one any better!!

Like my bunny hopping across the table, be sure to hop on over to all the other wonderful blogs this week to see all of the fabulous Easter table inspiration.  Here are all the blogs participating:

Monday

Belle Bleu Interiors |  Corner of Plaid and Paisley  | A casa di Bianca
My Thrift Store Addiction | The Little Yellow Corner Store

Tuesday

Everyday Living | Home is Where the Boat Is | Knock it Off Kim
Me and My Captain  | Living With Thanksgiving

Wednesday

Debbee's Buzz | Bluesky at Home | The Painted Apron | Celebrate & Decorate

Thursday

Sweet Sensations |  Zucchini Sisters  | Chasing Quaintness

Friday

Red Cottage Chronicles | Katherine's Corner | Life and Linda | Our Crafty Mom

Follow the Yellow Brick Home | My Family Thyme

Again, I will be updating the links to each of these blogs throughout the week.

I would like to give a shout out to Chloe for putting these fun hops together for all of us to enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed my Easter Bunny blues now that you know that I am only referring to the color and not the feeling!  We will be celebrating our Easter dinner at my daughter's house, it will be the first time all of my kids will be together again since Christmas, and the added bonus of my almost 3 year old grandson, who is talking up a storm these days.  He keeps us entertained!

I hope you have a wonderful Easter holiday and that the weather turns springlike where ever you are!

Sources:

Tablecloth - Target last summer

Placemats - Kirklands last week - used my Birthday coupon!!

Flatware - HomeGoods years ago

Chargers - Olde Time Pottery years ago

Grey dinner plates - Butterchurn Kitchenwares, Walnut Creek OH -years ago - still carry them

Blue Floral Plate, Bunny Plates and Napkins - HomeGoods about a month ago

Stemware - Marshalls - years ago

White Bunnies - Target several years ago

I have linked up to:
Metamorphic Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

#SimpleStamping Wedding Cards

As a Stampin' Up Demonstrator,  I have been presented with the #simplestamping challenge to come up with some cards using limited tools.   

This month's challenge was to make a card for either a wedding, funeral or new baby using just paper, ink, stamps and a bonus material, ribbon.  So I looked through all the stamps I had to see what I could piece together to make some wedding cards and this is what I came up with:

I used the color pallet of Blushing Bride, Gray Granite and Whisper White for both of these cards.

The first card starts with a Gray Granite cardstock basic A2 card base.  

Blushing Bride layer - 3 3/4" X 5"

Whisper white layer - 3 1/4" X 3 1/2"

I stamped the hearts from the Meant to Be stamp set with Blushing Bride ink, first stamping the floral heart on a scrap piece of paper and cutting out around it to use it as a mask, (tip- using a post it note is good for masking) I placed my scrap paper heart down where I was going to stamp the floral heart and then stamped the bigger heart over the scrap so that the outline of where the two hearts intersect is now on my scrap and not on my piece of Whisper White.  Then I stamped the floral heart so that it fit right into the outlined heart without a line going through it.

 The Mr & Mrs is from the Piece of Cake stamp set and the

Wedding Wishes sentiment is from the Floral Phrases stamp set, both stamped in Gray Granite ink.

The white tule ribbon is tied around the Blushing Bride layer before it is adhered to the base of the card.  I love this ribbon, it is becoming one of my favorites!

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The second card uses the All Adorned Stamp set which is one of the Free Stamps  if you order $50 worth of product in the Sale-A-Bration offerings that is good only until March 31st. 

It is on a Whisper White A2 card base.

Gray Granite mat layer -  4 X 5 1/4"

Whisper White - Stamped Layer - 3 3/4" X 5"

A tip for stamping this card is to lay a piece of washy tape across the Whisper White layer you are stamping so that there is a  3 3/4" square at the top of the piece - this will help you place the corner stamp so that everything lines up evenly.  

You want to watch the the edge of the stamp to make sure the little line crosses over the previously stamped image, stamping all 4 corners.

The three hearts across the bottom are from the Meant to Be stamp set, stamped in Blushing Bride ink. The Mr. & Mrs, from Piece of Cake stamp set, the little gray hearts, from the All Adorned Set and the sentiment is from the Beautiful Bouquet stamp set, are all stamped in Gray Granite ink.

I tied the polka dot tulle ribbon around the white stamped layer before adhering it to the Gray Granite layer.

Although I did use a number of different stamp sets to make these cards - none of these sets were purchased with wedding cards in mind.  That is the nice thing about mixing and matching stamp sets, you can come up with a design for the intended purpose needed. So I encourage you to look through the sets you have and put something beautiful together!

If you don't already have a Stampin' Up Independent Demonstrator that you work with - I would love to be your coach!  You can shop 24/7 by clicking the little store front  on my side bar.  Please use the hostess code that is posted at the top of the side bar.  If you spend more than $35.00 before shipping and tax - I will send you a sampling of the Gingham Gala 6X6 Designer Series Paper - 2 sheets of each of the 5 colors when you use my hostess code.  You will also receive a copy of the Occasions Catalog. 

Now is a great time to buy because of the Sale-A-BRATION event that started on January 3rd, runs through March 31, 2019.  Since we are coming to the end of this sale, some of the items have sold out.  But there are still plenty of other FREE stamps and accessories, like this All Adorned stamp set I used for the second card, still available with every $50 purchase!  Yes - that is on top of the DSP sample I will send if you use my hostess code! Plus you will receive free merchandise from Stampin' Up! with a purchase of $150.00 or more a long with the free stamps and accessories for Sale-a-bration!

Check out the Sale-A-Bration Catalog here!

Cabbage, Clover and Cream St. Patrick's Day Table

Welcome to my St. Patrick's Day Table!

We are celebrating with Cabbage, Clover and Cream!

Three things that the Irish are famous for!

I suppose we could have added Corned Beef - but that isn't as pretty!

I started with this crisp white, black and green plaid table cloth from Target, and built up from there.

I received this Blessing's Jar as a gift from my Stampin' Up upline, Linda.

It had a heart on the tag - so I decided to flip over the tag and stamp a little clover on the other side.

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I didn't have any appropriate napkin rings - so I took a cue from the wood tag on the jar and made my napkin rings.  I took some wood circles I had in my stash and just stamped them with the same clover that can be found in the Amazing Life stamp set found here with some Call Me Clover ink, and then just tied them on with some jute.

 When I celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I do so not because I am Irish, but because it is my birthday!

This year is a big milestone - feeling a bit old - because it is the big 60! 

 I got my Golden Buckeye card in the mail the other day!

(something special for old Ohio residents!💚)

So for you,  I wish you much luck and many blessings on this St. Patrick's Day!

Have fun celebrating, as I will be enjoying my annual green beer!

Sources:

Tablecloth - Target

Clover -silk plants - The Peddler, Walnut Creek, Ohio - last year

Greenery Placemats - Pier 1 - several years ago - use them all the time!

White Chargers - Olde Time Pottery years ago

Black and white check plates - Marshalls, several years ago

White Plates and Napkins - Pier 1

Cabbage plates - I am not sure how I got those!

Green stemware - World Market years ago

Flatware - HomeGoods last year

I am linking up to Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch and
Thursdays Favorite Things @ Shoestring Elegance 

Spring is Just Around the Corner!

With Spring being just around the corner,

 and I am celebrating spring by joining Chloe Crabtree from Celebrate and Decorate in her Springtime Tablescape Blog Hop happening this week.

I have the links to 26 wonderful table stylists and their Springtime Tables at the bottom of this post.  

Visit each and enjoy the inspiration sparking spring all around! 

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 In reality- this is what it looks like outside my door!!!

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But let's focus on spring!!

This is what my kitchen table looks like😊

Much nicer, with the look and feel of spring! 

I found these fun plates at HomeGoods.  There were actually 4 different animals in the series.  I originally wanted all the lambs - so I could do -March in like a lion and out like a lamb theme- but they only had three lambs (doesn't that just drive ya crazy?!?!?) 

 The other two animals in the set that I didn't purchase was a bunny (because I already have plates with a bunny wearing flowers) and a chick.   ( I just didn't get the warm and fuzzies from the chick, it looked like it was all hunched over.  I didn't want the chick with posture issues!)  

 I settled with the goose and the lamb. So, I guess March is in like a goose and out like a lamb at my place!

A simple green pinstripe tablecloth acts as my base.  The placemats, I find myself using all the time - I just love that little bit of greenery that peeks out under the chargers. Some bright flowers and more greenery make up the centerpiece.

I made up a little spring favor from my Stampin' Up! stash of goodies.

The clear favor boxes can be found here.  I used Gingham Gala paper and the Pretty Labels Punch to make a spring topper for the boxes and filled them with colorful gummy candies.

I love these new plaid rimmed plates from HomeGoods, They had salad plates as well, but I only picked up the four dinner plates - I will probably regret that someday! For the napkins, a simple roll tied with ribbon and a sprig or two of baby's breath.

Here are the links to all of the creative ladies participating in this week's hop:

Monday

A Casa di Bianca | Red Cottage Chronicles | Panoply
 The Little Yellow Corner Store | From My Carolina Home

Tuesday

Celebrate & Decorate | Everyday Living  | Home is where the Boat Is | Belle Blue Interiors 
Living With Thanksgiving 

Wednesday

The Painted Apron | Debbee's Buzz | Bluesky at Home | Corner of Plaid and Paisley
Home and Gardening With Liz

Thursday

Sweet Sensations | Chasing Quaintness | Our Crafty Mom | Zucchini Sisters | Life and Linda

Friday

My Thrift Store Addiction | My Family Thyme | Me and My Captain 
Follow the Yellow Brick Home | Katherine's Corner | Twelve on Main 

It is snowing again as I am typing this post up.  I hope this hop brings just a little bit of spring into your hearts💟

Little animals wearing floral wreaths makes me think pleasant warm thoughts!

Nicer days are ahead,  with the promise of new growth and sunshine!

Wishing you a very lovely Spring!

I have linked this post up to Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch.