Wednesday, November 13, 2013

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

 

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

The Marketplace: Etsy and Boutique Showcase

Oh how I love this time of year! Finding inspiration for Christmas is so much fun, and we're here to get some of that going. There were so many great links last week, Yay, thanks for coming by to share your Etsy and Online Boutique goodies. Here are a few fun links from last week:




Forgotten Plum




Sweet Twinkle Stars



EpicLinen





Design DNA





Spittin Toad




Gizmo and Hooha





Today's Sponsor has two sister Etsy Shops filled with vintage finds and upcycled and recycled jewelry. Hope you'll run by for a visit.






If you have an Etsy Shop or Online Boutique
 I hope you'll come join the party!


This is a linky party that is for items that are FOR SALE only. You don't have to have a blog to link up. If you have a blog post about your items that's great too, but they need to be available to purchase. Please try to link to the individual item that you are selling if possible. Please be a follower of Common Ground and if you have a blog it would be so nice for you to grab the image below to share somewhere on your blog. (not mandatory, just nice).

Thanks so much for joining in for the shopping fun, 
Remember this link is open all week, 
so check back in for newly added items.
Hope you have a great week!



Sunday, November 10, 2013

Burlap and Brown Transferware

two of my favorite things...

Hi Everyone, Happy Sunday!
It really IS a happy Sunday, as I'm back home from the hospital and want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who left comments on my last post. Blogger wasn't updating some blogs last week, (I was just one of many) so I hope this one will show up on your readers, email, and blog lists.



I'll give you some photos of my latest Late Fall Vignette where I wanted to say a BIG Thank You to Sherry of No Minimalist Here who hosted a wonderful Give Away this Fall for a generous gift certificate to Antiques Lifestyle. I used my gift certificate to pick out this beautiful Hand Stenciled Burlap Tablerunner. You can find more like it at Laurie's beautiful Etsy Shop. Thank you so much Laurie and Sherry!









My Dining Room table is currently "under construction" 
 for my Thanksgiving Tablescape, which I'll be sharing with you this week.
So one of my Bergere Chairs in the Living Room had to make do.

Isn't that design amazing?!


I can't wait to get it on my table!

So, back to the Late Fall Vignette in the lower level sitting area 
next to my French Doors, which let in the afternoon sunlight.




This was last Tuesday, you should see the amount of leaves out there now.




I gathered some of my Brown Transferware; platters, plates, sugars and creamers together to decide what I wanted to use for the Tablescape.








Just random bits and pieces of patterns...






I've been building my Tablescape Centerpiece with just naturals,
and here are some dried pods I was using.














I found the olive bucket on Decor Steals earlier this Fall.
It definitely was less expensive than any where else I had seen.












I was in the hospital Tuesday until Saturday night, and had lot's of tests run to see if we could understand where the blood clots are coming from and if there were any permanent problems from them. I've tried several blood thinning drugs, and we now feel like we have things under control. God has been gracious to me, as any one of them that was moving around in there could have caused a stroke, but it didn't happen. I may be going a little slower in blogging until I can get my self back, but the weekly parties won't change. Be sure and come by tomorrow morning, and throughout the week for The Marketplace.


You all are loved and appreciated,
thank you for the prayers and caring thoughts,
and thank you for being such good friends.

joining in for these parties:

Dwellings for Amaze Me Monday
Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm
Mod Mix Monday at Mod Vintage Life
Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse


xoxo,

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