Pink Fall Tablescape

Who says Fall has to have oranges and yellows?

This year I set out to create a Fall tablescape that used pink rather than orange only because I bought a bunch of beautiful snapdragons at my local farmer's market for just $5.

 

 

 

 

As you know, after reading Garbology and having my "Green Awakening,"  I'm trying not to contribute to the cycle of consumption and waste. I was going to head to the Salvation Army to get some things to pull together a Fall tablescape, but I figured I'd see if I could do it without purchasing anything.

So I headed out to my yard and gathered some things that indicate Fall.

I added some cat tails and some of the 'weeds' from the tops of our tall grasses to the snapdragons.  I also wrapped a piece of burlap and some brown paper ribbon around the vase to add texture.

 

 

 

 

 

I used a piece of burlap as a table runner.

I also gathered up some acorns and stuck them inside the twine I wrapped around the napkins.

 

 

 

I ripped some brown packaging paper and wrote names on for place cards.

I wanted to keep it simple (and cheap!)

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, I collected some of these prickly thistle-like stems (if someone knows the real name of these weeds, please inform me!) and put them in two old beer bottles.  Be extra careful if you decide to use these for decorating because they are full of prickers.

 

Seriously, they could be used as a weapon if anyone broke into our home while we were eating dinner.

 

 

 

 

I'm happy with what I came up with.

 

 

 

 

 

And there you have it -an easy, inexpensive, and pink Fall tablescape. If I can do it, you can too!

 

 

Partying With

 

 

Pottery Barn Craziness

Oh Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn . . . why do you do it to me?

In case you're not sure which object in these photos I adore, let me show you a close up view.

Yes . . . the bird's nest chargers which are selling for $16 each.

Six chargers = $96.

So, I called my friend Lori to have her ask her husband Kelby (who knows everything), where I could get some grapevines.

One week later, these were in my living room.

Last night, I had trouble getting them all to fit in my bathtub to soak (not to mention I was making a big mess).  I kept going into the bathroom every half hour and rearranging them so that every inch of them would get wet.  I took one out and tried to bend it, but it broke.  It was clear to me that these were going to need to soak much longer than I had originally thought . . .

and people need to take showers in my house . . .

and my upstairs shower isn't complete yet.

 Jason, who hates messes, came up with the genius idea of putting them in a garbage can and filling it with water.  This way, they could soak for an extended period of time.  God, I love that man.

So there I was, standing in my kitchen at 11 o'clock at night with a big garbage can full of grapevines.

I got to thinking . . .  maybe $96 isn't so much to pay after all.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

I used to think it was corny to decorate for any holiday except for Christmas and Halloween.  I didn't think there was a way to do it without having it look cheap and cheesy.  For Easter decorating, I had visions of plastic window decals and plastic eggs and plastic Easter grass. 

The problem is, I don't particularly like plastic. 

I have a nine-year old daughter and I know good Moms decorate their houses for holidays.  At least my Mom did, and I think she's a good Mom.  I always liked all the different decorations out around the holidays and I didn't much care if they were plastic.

When I joined the blogging community just over a month ago I started seeing some really creative people who managed to decorate for the holidays in simple, yet festive ways.  Some even managed to make plastic look good!  And then there is always the Pottery Barn catalogue, which is always a great source of inspiration.

Photo: Pottery Barn

I decided it was time to step up and decorate for Easter, starting with my table. 

Remember that grubby duck and that grubby bunny I got at the Salvation Army?  I know there were some doubters out there who thought I was crazy.

  I gave them each a fresh coat of white spray paint (although they could be a bit shinier).  Well here they are after their facelifts.

I stole the burlap table-runner idea from Jessi over at Yankee Belle Home.  I thought it was such a great idea to use a piece of burlap for the runner, so I cut it and frayed the ends a bit.  It adds a nice texture to the tablescape.

I got the candlesticks at the Salvation Army too.  I just added the raffia bows around them to add a little extra detail.  I got the little nests and bunnies at AC Moore.

The eggs are plastic.  Yes, I used plastic.  I spray-painted them blue and then used a tootbrush dipped in brown paint to make them speckled.

I bought some Spanish moss and put it in the bottom of a big vase I got at TJ Maxx, tied a ribbon around it and put the eggs inside.

All I need now are some beautiful flowers to make the table complete. 

Now the question is, who's coming for Easter brunch?

I'm linking up with:

http://bethcrabtreehunter.blogspot.com/