How To Tablescape!

Do You Tablescape??

If your answer is, What is tablescaping?  Then you don't!

  But if you are a blogger and love setting beautiful often themed tables then you understand the addiction! 

Not long ago I decided I would share my process for tablescaping.

First is my inspiration.  Sometimes a tablecloth or a bunch of flowers. 

 For this table it was this plate..

It was also a challenge from Let's Dish for April

You can see the completed post HERE

So once I get my inspiration I usually go to the dish closet and play with plates!

These vintage plates are some of my favorites.  I love the green and the swirl edges make a nice addition to the plate stack.

Next decision, white or pink charger?

Wicker Charger, green place mat or pink place mat?

My decision is white charger plate and green place mat.  Why?  I like how it looks and I think it makes the inspiration plate pop.

 Napkins...I pull out four choices

All would 'work' but which one do I like the best?

I narrow it down to these two, but can't decide

I pull out the tray of napkin rings to see if that helps.  These two work and I have my decision!

The plaid napkin with the bird napkin ring

Are you tired yet?  

NEXT!!!!

I bring out my basket of colored flatware and pull five possibilities...which one do you like?

I choose the blue to tie in with the napkin

Luckily I knew which glass I was going to use with this setting or there would be several glasses and goblets pulled from the cabinet.

This blue and green goblet was perfect! 

So it was an easy decision.

Now on to the centerpiece!

I went pretty simple.  A potted plant, yellow bird and a LOVE sign!  

A few more birds to continue the theme

White Salt & Pepper shakers, a vintage yellow bird shaker at each place setting and a great napkin holder with a little bird weight! 

The finished tablescape! 

I hope you enjoyed this step by step post.

I love tablescaping and while it is work, it's also creative and fun.  I mostly use thrift shop and yard sale finds so it's not that expensive of a hobby either.  I hope you'll join me and try a tablescape sometime soon! 

I'm joining

You're Gonna Love It

Budget Decorating

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Let's Dish

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

Memoire Visuelle

As I prepare for my trip to Paris in September

I wanted to create an inspiration board

Last year I saw a post on my friend Betsy's blog My Salvaged Treasure's where she made this great cork board with a wonderful printed Eiffel tower on it!  I fell in love!  

I contacted Betsy and she was so wonderful and said she would make me a piece of burlap with this stencil on it.  
I was so excited and she was so generous to take the time to do this for me!

This is how Betsy's turned out and was my inspiration!  I kept looking for a frame and did not find one I liked.  So I finally decided to just put it on a cork board!

This really ugly cork board was found at GW for under $3....
first thing I did was paint the frame black

I trimmed the burlap to 'fit' and used a spray adhesive to attached it to the cork board

The burlap was hard to trim to the exact size so I decided to edge it with ribbon or tape.  I didn't have wide enough black tape and I was so impatient I decided to use this decorative tape I had bought at Michael's on clearance.  I like how it looks and it was easy to apply.  To make sure that everything stayed where I wanted it too, I used these great tacks I found on clearance at Marshall's.  Very 'frenchy' looking!

I must say I am really pleased with how it turned out. It has a few wrinkles but I'm hoping that as I add items to the board it won't be so noticeable! I'm not very 'crafty' but I had so much fun doing this, it's encouraged me to try some other creative endeavors! 

This is going to be part of a display I'm working on

Here's a sneak peek!

Thanks again to Betsy for all your help!

I'm partying at:
Monday Funday Link Party

You're Gonna Love It 

Tweak It Tuesday

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Budget Decorating Party

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

My Latest Thrifty Finds

I had a great weekend!  Last Friday 2/24 was my daughter Sara's 30th birthday.  We had a dinner out on Friday night and then Saturday I stayed with Tiger while she and her hubby had a date! 

I love spending time with my family.  Tiger is growing so fast and is almost 11 months old! 

I love this child so much!

I have a few new thrifty items to share with you!

I picked up a Pyrex Cinderella #441 in Butterfly Gold for $1.81,  3 pieces of Brownware for $1.45 and two rattan chargers for $2

I really like this pattern and keep finding random pieces at the thrifts....marked Oxford #6880-1

Love the colors in these napkins all for under $1.50

These really cool Pier 1 ceramic napkin rings were only $1

I am joining Linda over at Coastal Charm for

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Hugs,

Linda

Red & Pink Valentine's Day

I thought I had my Valentine's table decorated....that is until I found this table runner at Home Goods marked down and I could not resist!

Red and Pink!  So here is one last Valentine tablescape for all of my sweet blogging friends!

This is one bright table but it makes me smile!

The crazy pink placemats are perfect!  I used a red glass plate at each place setting

I have two red heart bowls and used them with a hot pink plate underneath

The other two place settings had a pink heart bowl on another pink plate

I love the mix n match of it all!

Pink & white napkins (used previously) with an acrylic red pier 1 napkin ring

Two milk glass wine glasses 

Two milk glass tumbers

I love it! 

I added the nut cups I won in a giveaway

Two pink

Two red...I will add some M&M peanuts later

of course they will be....pink and red!

I found this white ceramic heart at the thrift for .25 and knew it would be perfect to write little love messages on!

I had the Camellias on the table again but they are really starting to wilt.  We had a cold snap so no new blooms to bring in.  

Today I changed out the Camellias for these lovelies!

I love Tulips!

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

I'm joining Linda @ Coastal Charm for

Nifty Thrifty Tue
&
Sue at It's A Very Cherry World for
Rednesday

Hugs,

Linda

A TRAIN FOR TIGER

In the thrifting world sometimes you are just in the right place at the right time.  This happened to me a few weeks ago.  When I saw this I literally gasped and could not get my hands on it fast enough!

A train for Tiger

Handmade

Beautiful wood

Amazing construction

Sitting on a table at Value Village Thrift Shop

I started picking up the pieces looking for a price

although I knew it was mine...well Tiger's!

The price $5.85

Yes you read that right!  I was beyond excited and happy.  Perfect for under the Christmas tree and perfect for a little boy to play with.

Saturday I went to visit and babysit Tiger so his Mommy and Daddy could have a date night, but first Tiger got his train

Daddy was putting on his socks (almost the only time he is still) so he doesn't look so happy, but he loves the train

He looks like he is saying Grandma save me from the socks...he does not like anything on his feet like most babies

There's my sweet boy!  He especially likes the piece that has the blocks on it! 

We had a great night playing with the train, blocks and other toys.  Tiger has grown so much and is now 8 months old. 

He loves to play under the tree and gazes at the lights and gently touches them.  I am so thankful to have this time with this beautiful child.  He reminds me what Christmas is all about... 

LOVE!!!

I'm joining Coastal Charm for

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Wishing you Love,

Linda