Autumn Leaves

With the crisp crunch of leaves under my feet and acorns and pinecones falling from the trees, it wasn’t hard to choose a theme for my tablescape. 

The colors this year are vibrant and have lasted longer than I ever remember, possibly because of the warm temperatures here in Virginia this fall. Thanksgiving is upon us, and Christmas will follow quickly after. Thanksgiving and Christmas are two holidays that most families, even if they don't throughout the year. Traditions are observed with special food dishes and table settings.   

Gathering items and setting your table in advance is one task you can do, to create the atmosphere for your festivities and help make it less overwhelming.  It can also get you in a festive mood. I try to use everyday items I have around my house with a few special items to commemorate the celebration or holiday I am observing. 

In the video the foundation for the table is a shower curtain. If you have a large table, you can place it like a diamond as an overlay on top of a full tablecloth. I draped fabric across and down the sides of my table as a runner.  You can do the same with a curtain, and it may even be less expensive than cut yardage. Be sure to launder them if they are not new to  the package. In my Waterfall fall video I discovered out of the package also requires ironing or a spin in the dryer to remove excessive wrinkles. Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season.         

 

A Waterfall Fall

I enjoy the autumn trees, colorful leaves and crisp breeze that fall brings. The sound of  water flowing or trickling with a bit of sunlight is a perfect day to celebrate. So, I had to share my visit to two Virginia Parks, one last fall and another a few days ago. I bought along my three decorated artistic mannequin heads to the table setting. 

I stretched stockings over the  mannequin heads and then decorated them with fall and fall colored flowers. I use foam mannequin heads instead of foam balls for round flower arrangements because it is a fraction of the cost, and the neck is a good stem to secure them into containers. I just shave the facial features away.

The container I have the mannequin heads setting in, is a bed riser, I like using them because they are weightier than most non-ceramic containers and the reinforcement inside raises live plants away from the water.  I love using them for my small poinsettias at Christmas to help with keep them watered. Tie a bow around them and they become very festive. I purchase mine from the thrift store, they seem to always be plentiful.

Affordable Holiday Decorating

Affordable Holiday Decorating

The holidays bring the decorator out of all of us, and we can begin to prepare early to ease the stress it can bring. I have five affordable ideas to share with you today.

#1 Gift wrapped boxes

Wrap and decorate empty ones and they will stay as decorations, while the real ones will be gifted.      

#2 Table runners

Gift wrap is a good disposable table runner. The variety is greatest during the holiday season.  Purchase solid colors to use throughout the year. 

 

#3 Chargers

Create more interest to your table setting with charger plates. Their size can be a great substitution to placemats too.

#4 Candlesticks

Candlelight is always welcoming in a table setting.  Battery operated candles are a safe and inexpensive way to decorate your tables year after year.  Wrap them with festive ribbon for different themes or occasions.       

#5 Wreaths and Garland

Wreaths can do double duty as window or door decorations. They are also great used face down to accent serving dishes and platters. 

Watch the video for these holiday ideas.

 

Bee Yourself

Pollination is an essential part of plant reproduction. We often think of bees and flowers when we think of pollination.  Bees aren’t the only pollinators; other are moths, fliies, beetles, hummingbirds, butterflies and the wind pollinate. 

Many of the foods we eat depend on pollinators. Here are many of them: Apples, Almonds, Oranges, Avocados, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Cherries, Alfalfa, Blueberries, Vanilla, Cranberries, Tomatoes, Kiwi, Figs, Coffee, Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Lemons, Limes, Eggplants, Kumquats, Nectarines, Grapes, and Cacao.

Today I’ve made a fruit salad with some  of them including Apples, Strawberries, Blackberries and Raspberries. Here is my recipe:

2 cups Broccoli

1/2 cup Diced Apples

1/2 cup Blackberries

1/2 cup Strawberries

1/2 cup Raspberries

1/2 cup Pineapple Chunks

1/2 cup Pecans (Optional)

1/3 cup Honey Mustard Dressing 

Using fresh ingredients are always best for this salad. Fold all ingredients into each other and pour dressing. Toss again.  Serve chilled.  Enjoy!

Day Lilies Radiate Joy

Day Lilies Radiate Joy 

Day lilies are rugged, adaptable and bloom all summer. They put on a big show when planted in masses and  can spread quickly when planted in open spaces. Surprisingly, each day lily flower lasts just one day. 

  

I purchased these removable Radiate Joy decals and applied them to my white square chargers. You can do the same with any charger plate you have to provide a message of any kind.  This is especially a good idea for personalizing a wedding place setting and holidays. Many hobby and craft stores have adhesive lettering. If you have a die cutting machine you can be very creative.

Chargers are used mostly in formal table settings, I like using them to add color and dimension to my table setting. They also serve as a placemat for me, since we don't eat directly from them. 

Orange Day Lily Love

Orange Day Lily Love

The common daylily has striking flowers and  thrive in dense drifts in the shade or in the sun, in moist and dry locations. You can find them in community yards as well as on roadsides which is where I found them this day.

So, I transported a tray of breakfast bites to this area to start the day. I only needed something small to cover my tray. So, I used this beautiful floral and  plaid embroidered pillow sham to place the food on top.  

I believe everything has more than one purpose.  Pillow Shams are a beautiful as part of bedding, but I love to thrift and I find some of the some amazing shams.  I  find plenty of new and gently used Euro size are , likely because their fill is more expensive and less easy to find. After laundering they become table throws, seat covers , a valance for a small window or rolled to become bolster pillows.

Juneteeth Celebrate Freedom

Juneteenth Celebrate Freedom

The Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863 but it wasn’t until June of 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger and Union troops landed in Galveston, Texas to tell the enslaved African-Americans living there that the Civil War had ended and that they were now free.

The year after emancipation, in 1866, formerly enslaved Black Texans began celebrating the event with annual "Jubilee Day" festivities. This commemoration is now known as Juneteenth, also called Emancipation Day and Freedom Day.