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Thanksgiving Table: The Spendor of Autumn

Posted on November 15, 2015January 14, 2016

This Thanksgiving I used all my restraint to resist the urge to let our Christmas decor arrive early. So often I cannot resist that urge and we end up with a Thanksgiving/Christmas fusion.

Everything stayed well within the Autumn color theme this year without even a hint of Christmas!

Burlap has always been an inexpensive fabric mostly used for making things like potato sacks or for wrapping shrubbery for the winter, but somehow it has become very popular in decorating as well.

It does offer a nice warm neutral base and lots of texture so it makes sense that decorators would be bringing this into their designs.

What does NOT make sense is that this traditionally inexpensive fabric is now carrying a designer fabric price tag! I had to shop around a bit but finally found a nice large bolt of burlap at Walmart for a reasonable price.

So, on with the show… The table and the buffet are both topped with the above mentioned burlap. Burlap is a fairly open weave, so pairing it with a nice pumpkin colored table cloth really worked well together.

Gold beaded charger plates and white china (retired pattern Alsace by Farberware) with the salad plate swapped out for a lovely leafy pattern plate that harmonizes well with the autumn theme.

I know right now that tree slices as chargers is all the rage in decorating, but for me this is a sentimental accent. These tree slices are from the tree in our yard.

I grew up with this tree and when a hurricane took it down I was heartbroken and I requested some mementos in the form of tree slices. I had no idea what I would do with them, but all these years later and they have finally found a home on our Thanksgiving table.

I fell in love with these white porcelain pumpkins. I’ll admit I am a bit pumpkin obsessed, but these just sent me over the moon. I want more! Here they are sitting on some silk autumn leaves and my beloved tree slices.

See that silverware? Yes, I do too. I swapped it out for gold flatware, but not until after discovering the error in this photo shoot. Details, details!

Halloween 2015

Posted on October 1, 2015November 18, 2016

This Halloween we wanted to create a spooky haunted forest but still keep it light and playful enough that it was still warm, inviting and not too gloomy.

Some dead tree branches from the yard were perfect for making a huge impact – and the best part is that they cost NOTHING!

When you bring lots of natural elements into the decor everything falls into place. Sea shells, leaves, branches, pine cones and any other natural element can cover your decorating schemes for all the seasons and holidays.

“Creepy Cloth” is a very loose weave gauze-like fabric that can be draped from almost any surface to create a delightfully creepy look. Here we have draped it on our picture frames (two professional artists in the house and we have EMPTY picture frames….we’re cuckoo!).

A simple branch in a flower pot with some floral foam and a centerpiece is born!

Birds perched in random places makes it feel as if they have landed there themselves, and that we are being quietly outnumbered by some spooky guests.

Orange and black is such a traditionally Halloween color scheme, but it can feel a bit tacky at times. With the right balance and some natural elements some Halloween elegance can be attained.

A bird and some silk leaves on each place setting helps tie the buffet decor to the table. We found our birds at Dollar Tree.

We like to bring out the ornate silver charger plates and accessories for a Halloween look because it feels like they could be right out of an old haunted mansion!

We found some lovely salad plates with a subtle embossed leaf pattern covering the entire surface of the plate. The natural leaf pattern makes them ideal for autumn decor and because they are plain white instead of fall colors they will fit in beautifully with Spring and Easter decor as well.

Here is a look back at last Halloween with our buffet in burgundy and black.

As always, thanks for stopping by! Likes, shares, pins, follows and comments always greatly appreciated!

Orange Twinkle Lights.

Posted on October 1, 2014January 24, 2016

Orange Twinkle Lights!

I love Autumn. I love crisp Autumn days and chilly Autumn nights. With autumn comes shorter days and longer nights and an intense urge to cuddle and hibernate. As the days get shorter I like to brighten up the house with orange twinkle lights to make the house feel cozy and bright. I cannot get enough of that warm glow. It totally changes the feel of the house even with no other decorations.

To really get the most out of theses lights, I like to place them around lots of shiny and reflective items like glass and shiny metallic accessories.

Reflective objects double the amount of sparkle giving you twice the bang for your buck!

In the dining room it is the perfect excuse to pull out your ‘holiday’ serving ware so you can enjoy it even when you are not serving a holiday feast. Even the silver trays from the dollar store take on a whole new opulent feel when surrounded by fall leaves and orange lights.

Lighting can really change the mood, and for me it makes it easier to let go of the last bit of summer when I know I get to put up the orange twinkle lights and bring in that warm cozy glow.

The warmth of the light evokes the same emotions as gathering around the cozy glow of a fireplace as we settle in for winter, or an Autumn bonfire for gathering and telling ghost stories.

Here comes another Autumn full of warmth, light and celebration! Enjoy it!