A Green Thanksgiving

I love mixing it up for Holiday tables, using colors that most people don't.
Fall isn't really the time of year that we think of GREEN in the color scheme...
For Christmas? Sure. And definitely in Spring.
But Fall is usually the domain of brown and orange tones.

This green tablescape was inspired by the soft sage-y green tones
in some pumpkins I found.
The unusual hue led me on a path to a very natural green palette with warm tan accents:

It all played out easily,
because I simply walked around the yard
and gathered up greenery and other elements that coordinated with my palette.

Those nutt-y looking things in the centerpiece were found at a local park
( and I have NO idea what they are, but they sure look great! )
Fig and ivy leaves from the yard, green grapes from the local farm market,
simple white carnations and creamy, yellow-y mini pumpkins from the grocery store
join the green pumpkins for a bounty of natural beauty.

The table is swathed in a soft celery-green damask tablecloth, 

and the floral/leaf pattern on it repeats the natural theme. 

A darker sage green is seen in the napkins.

White dinnerware and cut glass are the simplest of elements,

but they allow the 'groceries' to sparkle.
( Which reminds me, I can NOT hear that word - groceries - without thinking of

Richard from Texas and Liz. Y'know what I mean???? )

The 'groceries' in the centerpiece are heaped onto and around a large white china pedestal.
It gives height to the center of the arrangement,

and the tiny bit of gold edging that shows adds more sparkle.

Creamy white candles in clear glass containers don't compete for attention,
but add their warm, welcoming light to the scene.

* TOP TIP*
Did you know that IKEA pillar candles are the best you can get on a budget?
They are a beautiful ivory color, and they burn a VERY long time.
They also burn clean (no smoke) and without scent,
which is important for a table. You don't want to smell roses and be eating green beans!
Their candles burn straight down into the center, with no edge curling & spillage...
 that means the light shines from within the candle,
so it really glows warm yellow. PERFECTION!

And for a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT look
at these natural elements in a tablescape,
check out this post!

May your Thanksgiving table be the setting for celebrating your blessings this year...

shared online:

Practically Functional | Creativity Unleashed

Garden Planter = Wire Dome

bring the beauty of nature indoors with

a dome made from a wire garden planter!

It's perfect for every season...

* over a nest with leaves tucked into it, resting on a wood round for autumn.
* over a branch of evergreen with some vintage ornaments or pine cones for winter.
* over a nest with wood or stone eggs and tiny daffodils for spring.
* over a white ironstone plate filled with shells from the seashore in summer.

 You aren't going to believe how easy this ONE STEP PROJECT is!

 Start with a simple wire garden planter from the home center:

Disconnect the hanging wires. Turn the planter upside down,

 ... and voila, you have a wire dome!

You can also cut a short length of the hanging wire

and then attach it as a loop at the top of the planter as a handle, as I've done here.

The planters will come as new, shiny metal from the home center -

but if you look for them at garage sales and thrift shops, 

you just might find some nicely rusted ones like these!

You can also make a wire dome from a tomato cage too!

Way back in 2008, I sold these in my booth at Faded Elegance Antiques in Everett, Washington -
and I kept having to make them because they sold so fast!

Fun Fact:

This photo is of my very first 'vintage' booth,

a little space that was a mere 2 feet deep and 8 feet wide in the back of the store.
It was the first stop of many wonderful years as a vendor in the vintage world.
This is where 'Retreat' started, 

and you can see how my former business reflected my love of nature 

and of using everyday items as decorative elements -

just as I do here at homewardFOUND decor.

shared online:

cupcakes & crinoline | Project Inspire{d}

funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #420

Welcome, November!

I DO love Autumn, but it seems incredible to me that it's already November, 

and Christmas is just WEEKS away... Truthfully, it SCARES me!
Time to ramp up the Holiday quotient!

See more of this Thanksgiving tablescape here..

Vintage Pink & Silver Thanksgiving

 For my final inspiration Thanksgiving tablescape,
I'm really going in a different direction...

a Pink & Silver Thanksgiving Table!

I was inspired by my own PINK Sweet Sweater Pumpkins
and my mom's wedding china from the 1960's...
her china pattern has little pink rosebuds on gray stems with gray leaves.

In order to keep the whole look from going far too 'spring' in theme,
I introduced some deep silver/pewter 'winter' colors...
they serve to pull out the gray leaves in the patterns and highlight the silver plate rim.

The Centerpiece:
 I gathered up the family silver tea set,
three patterns of china, including an antique china pedestal,
along with my wire tomato cage dome and some antique chandelier crystals
to create a sparkling multi-level centerpiece for the table.
Some cuttings of passion vine and rosemary from the garden pair with pink petunias and roses.

Want to make your own wire dome from a two dollar tomato cage?! 
Click here for my tutorial!

 The Linens:
Over a pewter satin tablecloth, I laid a light-weight white crocheted lace tablecloth.
The contrast of the dark color underneath really makes the lace details pop.
Napkins are simple pewter satin.

The Rest:
The china shown here is a classic and feminine mid-century pattern,
with a silver plated rim, gray leaves, and pink rosebuds.
A secondary and complimentary pattern with larger roses and leaves
appears in the espresso cups & saucers,  and several of the serving pieces.

  Floral-motif antique silver flatware and cut crystal glassware brings sparkle to the neutral setting.

The napkin 'rings' are simple strands of vintage chandelier crystals,
wrapped around a rolled satin pewter napkins.
A variation has a small paper doily gathered with a pink vintage ribbon,
and a crystal ornament tied on.

I've placed a mini PINK Sweet Sweater Pumpkin at each place setting as a gift,
in a miniature espresso cup.
  It's an idea easily replicated with a real pumpkin, a chocolate pumpkin, or a candle.
Just a little token of thanks...

Vintage White Thanksgiving

Today I'm offering a very feminine variation on the tablescape from my last post.
 With a simple change of a few elements, we can create a whole new look,
and the previous 'contemporary vintage' look goes completely 'Shabby Chic'
[with a nod to Her Madge of Shabbiness, Queen Rachel Ashwell]

Here's how I pulled together this tablescape:

 The Centerpiece:
I kept the tallest Sweet Sweater Pumpkin sculpture in pale neutral tones and the pale leaves.
I added in cut crystal bowls and ivory & white pumpkins,
along with some vintage fabric carnations.... you could use real ones, of course.
I love white carnations for their spicy scent and low price!

The Linens:
Over the tan linen tablecloth, I laid a light-weight white crocheted lace tablecloth.
The contrast of the tan really makes the lace details pop.
Napkins are vintage white cotton, with lace trim.

The Rest:
White ceramic dinnerware in a classic pattern that truly works with any decor style,
while gold flatware and cut crystal glassware brings sparkle to the neutral setting.
The white floral pattern on the clear candle holders coordinates with the theme, too.

  It's a simple combination that looks old, luxe, and feminine.
[Grandma will LOVE this one! ]

The napkin 'rings' are the same as in the last tablescape, serving as place cards as well.
They are a strip of glossy paper with a sticker, and bleached leaves tucked into the top.
This time the napkins are gathered softly, instead of a crisp fold...

I've placed a mini Sweet Sweater Pumpkin at each placesetting as a gift,
which is an idea easily replicated with a real pumpkin, a chocolate pumpkin, or a candle.
Just a little token of thanks...

Again, this didn't take a lot of time to put together!
A beautiful Holiday table is easy when you use what you have in a fresh, new way...

Black, White & Tan Thanksgiving Table

 I love mixing up the elements I have on hand to create a whole new look.

When it comes to tablescapes, it's kind of fun to do the unexpected...

like mixing the crisp contemporary color scheme of black, white and tan

with some softer, earthy vintage and natural elements.

Here's how I pulled together this look:

 The centerpiece:I used several of my original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins...

two are mounted on pedestals (a terra cotta urn and a black column), 

one is perched inside a black flocked velvet shadowbox frame on the wall,

and two more nestle with real leaves on a ceramic platter - that has leaves in its subtle pattern.

Now, even if you didn't get any of my pumpkins,

you can certainly do this with other elements - 

REAL pumpkins, pine cones, wood rounds, or any material from nature.

The Linens:
The white platter sits on a thick felt leaf cutout,
which tops a linen tablecloth in a light tan color to further the theme and color scheme.
The napkins are a crisp black satin for a sleek touch.

The Rest:
Black and white ceramic dinnerware - the black very contemporary and the white rather classic -
combine perfectly for high-contrast style.
Sleek clear glassware - vintage and new - along with gold flatware are simple ways to add sparkle.

The highball glasses are family heirlooms, the goblets are from a discount store - 

it's not about pedigree or price here, but style. They mix perfectly.

The napkin is bound by a strip of glossy paper with a nametag sticker and a dried leaf tucked in - 

serving as both napkin 'ring' and placecard.

The napkin can be placed in the soup/salad bowl

or beside the plate.

If you prefer a more streamlined, modern look,

replace the frame, pumpkins and leaves with simple white gourds & pumpkins

on more white platters.

This all came together in just an hour.... without pre-planning.
I looked around and saw what I had here in the house, and came up with the color scheme.

Pulling together a delightful table for your guests 
doesn't have to break the bank OR cost you a lot of time.
I hope this will inspire you to dig through your cabinets and see what you have in there!

 My next post will show you a variation on this look, 

with a much more feminine vintage style...

Shabby Chic fans, you're going to love it!

Gilt Complex?

Metallics are a hot trend this Holiday season,

showing up in magazines, television decorating specials, and ads. 

 From copper and bronze to silver and crystal (which is sort of a metallic finish), they're everywhere. 

But the big deal this year is Gold!
It's the colour du jour in fashion and decor, adding warmth as well as sparkle to the season.

Over the years, I've included gold in the products I have made and sold, 

so I've pulled some images of those to inspire you as you decorate for Thanksgiving
and the coming winter Holidays.

It's simple to add a golden touch to your decor:

* try using metal photo frames and candlesticks [found at the thrift shop] on your mantel,  
as ornaments on the tree, and place setting markers at the table.

* adding a quick spray of glistening paint on a small piece of accent furniture or lamp
can give new life to an old, dated item
[check out some pics of stylish gold accessories from Michael at Inspired by Charm!]

* include your grandmother's costume jewelry on your tree and wreaths, 
as an embellishment on napkin rings and candles (rings slip right over tapers!)

* place a large gold crown on top of topiaries, or your Christmas tree, instead of a star!

 

* use a gold crown-like light fixture as a cloche or dome, over a nest

As I shared in my last post, it's entirely possible to transition between your Fall and Holiday decor
by choosing elements that work with your decor to 'bridge' the seasons.

The hand painted ornaments with autumn leaves on them shown in these images 
are a perfect example...
tucked into tiny nests made from day lily foliage, they add a natural touch
to Thanksgiving AND Christmas!

You can extend the gilt-y pleasures into your gift packaging, as well...
here, a handmade crown with vintage embellishment is tucked into a vintage gold embossed cookie tin,
also embellished with even more vintage trims!

[I think they call that 'Gilding the Lily' ...]

This weekend I am at the Remnants of the Past Antique Show

in San Luis Obispo, California,
helping my friend Adrienne with her booth design, setup, and displays...
I was a vendor at this show for several years, though, [with Retreat, our former business]
and one year, my booth featured a LOT of GOLD!

My booth was photographed by Jenny Malott, official Remnants photographer,

and later, some of her images were published in a story about the show:

Many thanks to photographer Jenny Malot for the gorgeous images
published in Where Women Create Magazine, Spring, 2012.

As you can see, it's not always a BAD thing to have a Gilt Complex!