Spring Garden Tablescape - Orange and Moss

Welcome to my Spring Garden Tablescape.

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny have been busy working in their garden.

At least they have been able to work in the garden, we have had one nice day here so far.  I came down this morning and it was snowing.  Don't ever believe that groundhog when he says it is going to be an early spring!

I don't think Mrs. Bunny is too happy with him either, seems something has been rummaging through her flowers!

I am going to blame that broken pot on that groundhog who didn't seem to get his prediction right!

This beautiful April Cornell table cloth inspired the color scheme.

We were supposed to go out of town for the weekend last weekend and our plans got cancelled at the last minute.  But my husband surprised me with a day trip to the Fiesta Ware Outlet, great guy that he is!!  I picked up the orange luncheon plates, they were seconds that were on special for  $2.00 a plate.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sources:

Tablecloth  - Homegoods

Flatware and stemware - World Market

Napkins - Stein Mart

Orange Sprinkling Can - Ikea

Galvanized tray - Marshalls

I made the moss Napkin Rings by just covering paper towel tube with moss using a glue gun

I am linking to the following Parties:

Seasonal Sundays @ The Tablescaper

It's Party Time @ Three Mango Seeds

Busy Monday @ A Pinch of Joy

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen

Gift Wrapping with Jewelry

Have you ever wanted to make a gift just a little more special than your usual gift wrap.   Using jewelry is a good way to jazz up a gift and take it from ordinary to glam.

I should really start at the beginning of my thought process though!  I bought this black paper to do some chalkboard gifts for some of the men in the family.  Truthfully, I could not find black wrapping paper - so what I ended up buying was some bulletin board paper from Joann Fabrics

This paper worked pretty good- it folded nicely and it has a bit of a matte finish.  I just used a white paint marker to do the lettering.

 

This was all fine for the guys, but when it came time for my daughter's birthday - I knew I wanted to glam it up a bit.  So I went for some bling!  

I found the roll of bling - faux rhinestones at Pat Catans ( I am not sure how many states have Catan  stores  - it originated in Ohio.  It is a very large craft supply store for those of you who don't have one near you!)  The roll of sparkle tulle, along with the grey rhinestone and pearl flower embellishment are from Hobby Lobby.  Then I found this great necklace at Versona ( an accessory store, a lot like Charming Charlie)  on sale for $4.99!  It had 4 or 5 pieces to take apart and use on different gifts. 

For the butterfly gift I folded over six layers of the sparkly tulle and cut out a circle from the stack.  I tacked them together in the middle with needle and thread, then cut the circle like a pie, just shy of going all the way to the center where I tacked it, fluffing up the six layers a bit.  After trying to fix the butterfly on with jewelry glue unsuccessfully, I turned to my trusty hot glue gun - it worked great! 

 

This one is my favorite and the easiest!  I bought this embellishment cheaper than I could make it- It was $2.99 less my 40% off coupon- so for $1.79 or so I think it makes a great bow.  I don't remember how much I paid for the roll of bling but it wasn't that much, something like $4.99 and of course I used a coupon - so this look was less that $5.00 and I have plenty of the roll of bling left for more projects.

Using recycled ribbon, the flower and a little bit of the chain from the necklace made this package look elegant.   I don't think this one photographed as well as it looks in person.

I cut out some scroll work with my Cricut and added some rhinestones a the end of the curls.  I made the ribbon flower by using a needle and thread to run a gathering stitch along the one side, gathered it up and rolled it into layers to form the flower.  I tacked the back side and then used my glue gun to attach it to the gift. 

None of these looks cost more than buying a roll of ribbon and a nice bow, but it just adds that little something that says the recipient is special. 

Thanks for stopping by!

I am linking up at the following parties:

The Creative Spark @Clean & Scentsible

Wow Us Wednesday @Savvy Southern Style

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Yellow and Grey - Spring Tablescape

Yellow and Grey pretty much sums up our Spring so far around here!  So when I saw this fabric I knew it was going to be for my Spring Tablescape.

We have had such grey weather for so long, I almost forgot what the sun looked like!  And as I was putting this together today - the sun came out and was shining brightly!  I think it was a sign of good days to come.  At least I hope it was.

The fabric I used for the napkins kind of reminded me of all the rain drops we have seen so far this spring.

And the fabric in the runners sang April Showers Bring May Flowers to me!

And what would go better with the grey than my galvanized sprinkling can and flower box?

 These Tete-a-tete Narcissus were half price at a local nursery, just perfect for my little flower pots - which I showed on last year's  Office Book Shelves ReDo

I had to quick get this done before my tulips croaked!

I bought these beautiful faux silver rabbits for Easter, but they were patiently waiting in the wings until it was their time to be featured!

I think Mr. Rabbit is enjoying this photo shoot! 

More than my dog, Brandy, who fell asleep under the table!

Some assistant she is!  She should have told me that my flatware was not straight!

 Here's to hoping that all the rain and gloom will lead to a garden of beautiful blooms!

Sources:

Silver Chargers - Pottery Barn

White Chargers - Old Time Pottery

Yellow Plaid Plates - ElderBeerman's last year

Grey Salad Plate - Marshals last year

White square plate - Christmas Tree Shops- last year

Flatware - World Market

Yellow Napkins - Home Goods

Print Napkins and Runners - Fabric from Hobby Lobby

Silver Rabbits - Dutch Valley Gifts in Sugar Creek, Ohio

That was the nice thing about this table - I had most of these items already, you may have seen many of them in previous tablescape posts, just put a new theme on them.

I am joining in the fun at the following parties:
Party Junk @ Funky Junk Interiors
It's Party Time @ Three Mango Seeds
Sunday Showcase @ Under the Table and Dreaming
Inspire Me Tuesday @A Stroll Thru Life
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style
Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen

Easter Table -Bunnies and Tulips

Bunnies and tulips are my two favorite signs of Easter!

So I decided to include both on my Easter Table. 

I made some Easter Baskets out of peat pots for each place setting.

I cut the rim off the peat pot and used it for the handle.

I attached the handle to the pot with a rivet.  It was real easy to just poke it through the handle and then through the side of the pot.  I filled the pot with some natural goodies like burlap, moss, twigs, berries, and of course some speckled eggs.

My little bunnies on the napkin rings are keeping a close eye on those baskets.

Those big bunnies look like they are eyeing my Tulips!!

I hope you all have a wonderful Blessed Easter.

Thanks for hopping on by!

Sources:

Willow Chargers - Pottery Barn last summer

White Charger - Old Time Pottery

Pink Plates - Butterchurn Kitchenwares in Walnut Creek OH
White dessert plates - Pier 1- last year but they still have them
Peat Pots - any home and garden center
Bunny Napkin rings - not sure have had them for a while
Brown Bunnies and Linen placemat - Berlin Village Gift Barn
White Pitcher and flatware - Marshalls last year
Napkins - Fabric from JoAnn Fabrics - I made them

I am linking up to the following parties:
Tablescape Thursday @Between Naps on the Porch
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
Sunday Showcase Party @ Under the Table and Dreaming
Make the Scene Monday @ Alderberry Hill
Table Top Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

St. Patrick's Day Tablescape - Ewe & McGregor

Welcome to my St. Patrick's Day Tablescape!

I was inspired by the beautiful photos of Ireland's countryside.  I love the sheep!  So I decided to go with a sheep farm theme.

Although my Sheep are not exactly the kind you would find on the hillside!

When I saw these sheep at Hobby Lobby I knew they had found a home.

My daughter was over visiting this morning and she helped me build the fence. We made it out of left over twigs from the twig table runner I used from Thanksgiving -  when I had shortened it up a bit.

After we finished the fence - we thought we needed to name our sheep farm.  We went back and forth with a few names and finally decided on Ewe & McGregor's Sheep Farm!

We set a place for the real Ewan McGregor - but something tells me he won't show up!

Either way we will still be enjoying this table for my Birthday dinner - because I was born on St. Patrick's day.  This is why I am so partial to green and love to decorate for St. Patrick's Day!

I hope you enjoyed our little sheep farm!

Let me know if you would love to have dinner with Ewan McGregor too!

Sources:

Willow Chargers - Pottery Barn

Green Sorrento Plates - bought a long time ago

White Chargers - Old Time Pottery

White Salad Plate - Pier One Imports

Lettuce Bowl - HomeGoods last year

Napkins - Half Price Deal last week at Butterchurn Kitchenware in Walnut Creek, Ohio

Flatware - Homegoods last year 

Green Goblets - World Market last month

Sheep - Hobby Lobby

I will be linking up to the following parties:

Seasonal Sundays@The Tablescaper
Sunday Showcase @ Under the Table and Dreaming
Table Top Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style
Centerpiece Wednesday @ The Style Sisters

And especially for St. Patrick's Day:
The 5th Annual St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl @ Cuisine Kathleen
on Wednesday March 13th

St. Patrick's Day 2013 Mantel

St. Patty's Day is right around the corner and I just starting putting on the green!

I started with my St. Patrick's Day Mantel.

I keep finding myself drawn to moss, ferns and burlap, so I used a mixture of these natural items for my mantel decorations. 

 But boy!  Did I make a mess!  I wanted to use part of a Honey Suckle vine that I am planning to use the rest of in my foyer.  So I tore the thing apart.  Stuff was all over the place.

Someone snapped a picture of this mess!

But I kept trying- eventually my mess began to look like something

I just kept layering pieces of the moss, excelsior, and different greenery.  Most of the items were purchased at Hobby Lobby (on sale of course!) I added a few burlap rosettes by just folding the burlap ribbon in half and rolling them up.  I used a needle and thread to gather them just a bit and hold the roses together before I glued them on.

The two smaller frames were very easy to make.  I backed one with burlap and added a simple wood shamrock painted green.

The other sign is a simple piece of scrapbook paper with the Irish salute of Slainte.

I printed out the word with a Gaelic font and then used white carbon paper to transfer it to the green paper.  Then used white paint markers to color it it in.  Very easy!  

I added a burlap bow to the top!

So Cheers or Slainte!  As soon as I vacuum up my mess - I will be ready for a green beer.

Then it will be back to putting out more green, I have my foyer and my dinning room table to go yet!

I will be linking up at the following parties:

Saturday Night Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Strut your Stuff Saturday @ Six Sisters Stuff
Seasonal Sundays @ The Tablescaper
Sunday Showcase @ Under the Table and Dreaming
Busy Monday @ A Pinch of Joy
Inspire Me Link Party @ Homa Style
Wow Us Wednesdays @Savvy Southern Style
Party Junk @Funky Junk Interiors

NY Times Crossword Breakfast

Good Morning! Ready for Breakfast?

Luckily college kids like to sleep in so I had time to take pictures, it was almost noon before we ate any of this.  It was more like lunch for my husband and I!

 Our youngest is home from college for the weekend so I thought I would use the new dishes we brought back from our trip to New York City for a nice breakfast.  I thought these NY Times Crossword Puzzle dishes were the cutest thing.

I found the plates at a store called Fishs Eddy.  It is the coolest, kind of vintage dish store with tons of character.  I would have liked to have bought a lot more - but this was about all I could carry in my luggage.  As it was I was worried that these would make it home in one piece.  If you are in NYC and you love dishes, I highly recommend a trip to this store - it is on Broadway at 19th st.  They do have a web sight @ www.fishseddy.com for the online shoppers!

I also bought the Initial Mugs on this trip.  They are from one of my favorite stores to visit in NYC, Anthropologie.  This store always has the most creative displays.  I am always in awe of their windows and vignettes about the store.  

We enjoyed our bagels and scones,

While our youngest downed just about the whole pitcher of milk and a muffin.

Tom brought home this little bouquet of flowers while he was out this morning, they were perfect for my little creamer.

A real crossword puzzle awaits. 

I hope you enjoyed your weekend!

Thanks for stopping by.

Sources:

Plates and creamers - Fishs Eddy

Black Placemats - World Market

Seafoam green is just a piece of scrapbook paper

Flatware - Marshalls last year

Mugs - Anthropologie

Napkins - Joanne Fabrics - I made them

I am linking up to the following parties:

Sunday Showcase @ Under the Table and Dreaming

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Table Top Tuesday @ A Stroll Thu Life
You're Gonna Love it Tuesday @ Kathe with an E
Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen