Easter Mantel with a Vintage Touch

Since changing up my fireplace mantel is like climbing Mt. Everest, I try to keep things a little easier to decorate. If I find a piece that works well up here, it tends to stick around for awhile. The mirror, wreath and Monogram are staples here, keeping those in place, I can more easily find elements that fit the season or holiday.

Patriotic ReView

Hi Everyone, I'm always surprised at how fast summer flies by. This weekend will start a wonderful extended weekend for many of us, lot's of family and casual fun inside and out, so here are a few photos of one of my favorite Holidays, Independence Day! 

Spring Window Box with Garden Fencing and a Birthday Bouquet

I've mentioned before that vintage garden goods are my favorite vintage items. I love all things vintage, but there's nothing like some old rusty fencing, seed packets, and garden utensils to get my undivided attention. 

Dining Room Buffet and a new Tablerunner

Earlier in the week, I talked about some ideas on styling the top of my China Cabinet here in the Dining Room. So I thought today I would just continue with more pics of my teensy Dining Room/Area. I'm grateful for a Dining Space, but it's on the smallish side, with only 3 walls, and I have largish furniture.

Chippy Vintage Window Box Centerpiece

A few weeks ago, when we were in "unpack more boxes" mode, versus our current "let's get the camper ready" mode, I was able to find my old windowbox that I used for so long in my previous Dining Room.

Nature Inspired Thanksgiving Tablescape

One of my favorite yearly posts would have to be the Outdoor Fall Tablescape that I have done for the last three years. Doing an outdoor tablescape wasn't going to happen this year as our outdoor area was completely off limits due to a new roof and minor construction, then new guttering projects. I couldn't even really decorate the front porch, let alone style a photo shoot. So I decided the next best thing would be to put my energy into doing a Thanksgiving Tablescape indoors, like I had wanted to do outdoors.

I'm a more casual tablescaper, I feel more comfortable and at home when the mood and atmosphere are created with natural elements, and in the Fall and Winter, I'm all about a good Tartan Plaid. I had wanted to build my outdoor tablescape around a vintage brown plaid blanket and I wanted to use bits and pieces of my old Brown Transferware. I've not collected large stashes of dishes like many of you who tablescape, just picking up odds and ends when I find them for a good price.

When we moved into this house there were a set of handmade windowboxes that were so charming, that matched the front of the house. But after several years of using them and the fact that ants were coming in through the windows, I stopped. They had started to deteriorate so my husband renailed the better of the two for me to use here as a centerpiece box. My big windowbox that I usually use was just too large to consider for an actual "sit down" dinner.

I wanted it full of natural elements, and since we have Thanksgiving in the afternoon, I chose not to put candles inside, but fill it with leaves, antlers, pumpkins, vines and berries, with a little nest and quail; all things you would find in Nature.

Then I gathered my only "set" of  Brown Transferware, six placesettings of J.G. Meakin of England, "Scandia", which I think must be from the 60's. I used some other unmarked white ironstone that is much older to fill in for missing salad plates.

Some mismatched Brown Transferware cups became the individual candleholders for mini clay flowerpots and a votive candle.

I've had this set of heavy amber glassware for many years, I think they must also be from the 60's and then my Heisey wine goblets that give a little more elegance to the setting. When I was younger I never would have "mixed and matched", but now that's just part of the charm of a vintage table.

I wanted to incorporate another pattern along with the brown, so my caramel stripe French Grain Sack and a set of creamy floral napkins broke up the larger area of brown plaid, also adding a little interest.

This is my silver setting from Oneida, just cannot remember the pattern.

Each placesetting included a vintage Thanksgiving postcard used for a place card, held by an antique flower frog.

Another mismatched place setting.

I wanted the feel to evoke an English Country Cottage afternoon,

 after a day of hunting.

Thank you so much for joining me for my Thanksgiving Tablescape.

I hope this gives you permission to be casual and a little "mismatched".

Enjoy your family and the blessings of Thanksgiving!

Joining these weekly parties:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Inspiration Exchange at Yellow Bliss Road

Fill Your Cup at Mrs. Olson's

Tips and Tutorials at Stone Gable

xoxo,

Today's Sponsor

Shabby Cottage Chic

 

Dressed for Autumn in the Dining Room

Today I wanted to share the rest of my Autumn Dining Room with you. I always think the house is the happiest in the Fall. The warm Fall hues are my favorite, and when the house is decked out in all it's Autumnal Glory, it's like slipping in to a new comfy sweater.

The one thing I wanted to do new this Fall 

was to wrap my heavy chandelier in vines and twigs.

(I also just need to straighten up those little lampshades!)

I fell in love with Kimberly's rustic burlap and vine wrapped chandy from last year at Serendipity Refined. And while mine isn't nearly as involved with the burlap and moss, I DID want it to have that same "feel" of "rustic and woodsy".

Kimberly's wonderful dining room transformation.

I just started out with 3 of these preserved twig garlands. These happen to have small red berries, so I can leave them for Christmas and winter.

Then to add some "Fall",

 I added in just a few preserved leaves for some color.

My chippy white window box centerpiece didn't change much from last year, I just used a mix of real and faux hydrangeas, and white faux pumpkins. I found a stash of faux hydrangea bushes at Michael's in the clearance bin so I went crazy. I think I bought about 10 bushes, at about 6 dollars each. They were a little off color being a greeny-brown, so I just took them outside and lightly spray painted them in antique white. It gave a softer, more "dried" look to them. Then I added some orange-y berries for some more Fall color.

I've found that if I crumple up brown paper bags and put them in the window box first, then add the flowers and pumpkins my pumpkins don't "disappear". This is a super big windowbox and needs a lot of "stuff" to look full and lush.

You can see the paint and wallpaper have a creamy "glow" to them;

that's one reason this room is perfect for Fall.

This is the wonderful ironstone tureen

 I found at Leola's Fall Open House a couple of weeks ago.

I just can't pass up a beautiful tureen, especially at a great price.

My cupcake pedestals made from vintage transferware plates

from last month's sideboard are in here for now.
(I put together a fun Halloween Sideboard that I'll show you soon.)

I'm thinking the deeper it gets into Fall

that more leaves, vines, berries and pumpkins will be added.

Click Here to see part 1 of my Dressed for Autumn Dining Room.

So what new things are you trying this Fall?

Be sure and come join in the Fall Fun, 

here each Thursday and Friday.

I'll be joining these great weekly parties:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

It's a Party at DIY by Design

Inspiration Gallery at Ella Claire

Homework at the Everyday Home

Blissful Whites at Timewashed

Treasure Hunt at From My Front Porch to Yours

TTT at Stone Gable

Share Your Cup at Mrs. Olson's

House Party at No Minimalist Here

Fall Nesting at The Inspired Room

The Charm of Home

French Country Cottage

Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

Jennifer Rizzo

Shabby Art Boutique

Fall Home Tour at White Lace Cottage

xoxo,