Sunday Favorites - Tablescaping

 Today for Sunday Favorites I want to share a post I did back on February 1, 2009 about a Valentines Tablescape. I haven't done a tablescape in a long time because now that my mom has come to live with me we actually use the table for preparing food and eating! But I still love tablescaping and visiting tablescaping websites. So join Chari over at Happy To Design and maybe you will see other tablescapes!

 Sunday Favorite

from

February 1, 2009

Napolean Hill, one of America's earliest Motivational Writers says, "The jack-of-all-trades seldom is good at any. Concentrate all of your efforts on one definite chief aim."

That's me. Jack of all trades, master of none. I like saying I know a little bit about a lot of things but not a lot about just one thing. Is that a good thing? Or a bad thing?

It might be a good thing to concentrate all your efforts on one definite aim in your career or business, but not in your personal life and hobbies and interests. While it may be good to be an expert knitter or sewer, wouldn't it be better to be just a so-so knitter and so-so sewer and so-so cook and so-so painter and...well you get my point. Try lots of new things and have fun with them, rather than getting all intense and stressed out about trying to be perfect at just one of them. What do you think?

I like being just so-so about a lot of things. That being said, I have a new interest. Blogger hosts a Blogs of Note award that it gives out daily to a blog they think is worthy. I try to check out the blog of note each day and some of them are great and some of them are things I'm not interested in at all, but it's always fun to check.

The other day, I checked out a blog of note about Tablescaping! What is tablescaping you ask? Good question, I'd never heard of it either. So I clicked on the link and Tablescaping is simply setting a beautiful, interesting, unique, special table for either a special event, or as this blogger does, just for everyday use. Go check out this blog and look at all the great tablescapes and see if you don't get some idea of your own. I know I did. Let me share.

I decided to try my hand at a Valentine's Day table, see what you think. I first got the idea because I have the Corelle Pink Heart dishes like these...

I've had these dishes probably since 1990 or so. And I love them and use them as my everyday dishes. But then I remembered some dishes I bought about 8 years ago while shopping at a Goodwill with my mom.

They have beautiful flowers and a butterfly which I love, so I thought I would try these instead, since they aren't my everyday dishes.

I didn't have a pretty tablecloth or runner I could use, so I stuck with the crocheted tablecloth thingy I've been using on my table, since the color is neutral and it's kind of romantic.

I then looked around my kitchen to see what else I had that would work and be valentiny. Remember the post I did about the champagne flutes my daughter gave me? I mentioned some amber colored glasses, they are really more rose colored, although they do photograph a bit more orangy.

And see the pink napkin above? On Friday I went to the American Cancer Society Discovery Store (a nice way to say thrift store). It's an awesome and wonderful store and I went there again today. I'm hooked! It's so well decorated and the displays are made with such attention to detail, I love it. Anyway, I bought four pink napkins, just cause I like pink, I had no plans at that time to do a tablescape using them, but they sure came in handy!

And here's the whole table. The angel blowing a kiss in the middle was the centerpiece for my niece Sarena's quincinera in August of 2005. I have two of them and I just love placing them in different places around my house. The other one is in my bedroom right now, on a nightstand, blowing me kisses before I go to bed :-) I think I still would like a different centerpiece and I will show you what I did differently at the end. The pink candles I've had forever and had never used them. I have some lilac ones exactly the same, and the hearts strewn about are candies.

Here's a closeup of the napkins and the silverware, I didn't put any knives on it. I don't know why, maybe whatever I plan to serve for Valentine's day won't need cutting?

The napkins look rather plain don't you think? So i found this wonderful website that teaches you lots of different ways to fold them. I did the one below because it was the simplest and also the only one that I saw that didn't require an iron and starch, (I just don't do irons and starch)!

So here is the finished table. Except the angel still doesn't seem right. I think I need to add some pink flowers to her, or maybe something totally different???

How about this? This was my purchase today at the American Cancer Society Discovery Store. I saw it Friday and secretly coveted it. It was $18.00 and that seemed pricey to me, but remember what happened last time I saw something I wanted and I didn't buy it? Well I took a chance again with this item. When I was there on Friday I saw a sign that said that on Super Bowl Sunday they would have everything in the store 25% off. So I figured I would wait til Super Bowl Sunday and if it was there it was meant to be...and it was there!! Yippee!!!!

So here's the final table, sorry about the lighting but it's late in the evening. It still seems kind of bare to me. I think I'll email the Tablescaping lady and have her take a look at it and give me some ideas. I'm thinking maybe if I take the cover off the cake stand and put pillar candles in shades of pink and white in varying heights it might help. What do you think?

Also linking up to Marty's at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday! Go visit Marty, she is fabulous and has the most beautiful home!

Iwanna Wednesday - Tablescape Supplies

I got lucky yesterday after work. I stopped by Goodwill on the way home from work to see if I could find some plates to display in the plate holder in my kitchen that were Holidayish and I found these. Here's the set of them in the plate holder. (Pardon my pictures, it's nighttime and the lighting isn't all that great in the kitchen)

Then here they are individually. There's a large and small plate that each match and then a middle size Snowman Plate.

I really loved them when I saw them and I took it as a sign that they were meant for me because they match the masthead/banner on my blog right? Iwanna'd them right then and there.

And the price was right. The large plates came in a set of eight with the smaller plates for $7.94.

The middle size Snowman plate's were a set of eight for $3.94. Not bad right? The plates are made by Sakura and these are the 1999 Snowman Version by Debbie Mumm.

There are four different designs of the middle size Snowman plate which I'll do a separate post on later...hopefully a tablescape.

I wanted to do a tablescape for Tablescape Thursday since I've never done one. I set the dishes up tonight but you know what I don't have that Iwanna?

A lot of stuff. I don't have any tablecloths or linens. I don't have any flatware/silverware. I don't have any red, green or blue goblets. I don't have any pretty salt and pepper shakers. I don't have any small cute little sparkly knicky-knacks to display. So what Iwanna today is all of the above. Let me show you.

First, I found these salt and and pepper shakers which match the plates and they're a fun design like the plates.



But then I saw these and Iwanna them too. Aren't they adorable? They're Christmas lights!



If I had found a more elegant and traditional set of dishes at Goodwill then maybe I would have used some salt and pepper shakers more like these.



Iwanna these green ones, but I think it's just because green is my favorite color, although these are truly gorgeous!



So on to the flatware/silverware. I have a couple of sets, but just silverware, nothing fancy or cute and certainly nothing Christmassy. But Iwanna any one of the below!

This one is by Spode and it has the prettiest little Christmas Trees on the handles.


These next ones would match the playfulness of my new dishes, but still are elegant enough that I could use them with a traditional set of dishes for Christmas and even for Valentine's day right? Iwanna these for sure!



Since I don't see myself buying flatware in the near future and it's really hard to find a set at Goodwill at the drop of a hat, I really loved this idea because you can just use your everyday silverware but look at how it's displayed!

Iwanna get some ribbon and netting tomorrow and try to do this. I think it would look even pretty with silk instead of the netting, don't you? And you could use this idea for tons of different holidays, pink for Valentines Day. Bright Green for St. Patricks Day. Orange for Halloween or Thanksgiving. Cute idea huh?



I really didn't have a lot of luck finding a tablecloth Iwanna'd, but I know that I can always just find the fabric Iwanna and have my mom make it for me. But I did like this one.


And now for the glasses. I do have some of those Christmas Holly glasses that I think everyone in the world has and those will do for now, but Iwanna these glasses since I can Iwanna anything in the world on Iwanna Wednesday.

These for fun with my fun new Snowman plates.

These for more elegant, traditional dishes...dishes that I don't have but Iwanna but that's a whole different post :-)



Ok...and now the Christmas Knicky-Knacks. Since my dishes are playful I thought that these peppermint tealights would be pretty scattered around don't you think? Don't you Iwanna some of these yourself?



And something that I have always Iwanna'd is a moving Model Train set under the Christmas Tree, but hey...why not set it up in the middle of the table so it winds through the center and everyone can enjoy it while they eat?

I think that's why no one hires me to design tablescapes :-) I'm a little off the norm in that department. But don't you think this would be a great idea?



Both these trains are adorable. Last year I bought a really miniature set at the Dollar Store. Once the track is put together it measures about as round as a large cake plate. All my nieces and nephews really liked it...not to mention my 23 year old son :-)



I don't know if I will be able to pull this all together for Tablescape Thursday because I'm also still trying to finish up my cloches for the Cloche party on Friday, see the sidebar for details. That's why this blog is called Titere con Bonete because I truly don't' want to leave any puppet with a hat on because Iwanna be a part of and take a part in everything! Happy Wednesday ya'll!

Thrift Shop Treasures

"Economical use of your time and money = thrift."

Catherine Pulsifer

I was very economical with my time and money and made this a three-day thrifting weekend! And did I ever score some treasures!

I'm so excited to share! If you're here from Rhoda's "Southern Hospitality" welcome. If you're not here from there, be sure to go there if you're really into "thrifty treasures".

I started out Friday after work, heading over to the American Cancer Society Discovery Store. You all know that's one of my fav places to go. For a while now I've been very unhappy with my current kitchen table.





I really do love it. It's glass topped, small enough for my small dining room and has really comfortable chairs. I loved doing tablescapes at different holidays, see here and here and here.


But now my mom moved in with me and she likes to eat at the table and cook and stuff. I know! Who eats at the tables? Or cooks? Well not me, but I do want my mom to be comfortable and the glass top was just not for her. So I've been looking and hoping I would find a farmers style table. And I did!!! I found one. See!


Isn't it beautiful? I've been lusting after this table for over 5 years. And the great thing is that this weekend, The Discovery Store was having a 1/2 off everything in the store. So I got it for half price and the money went to a good cause, The American Cancer Society. Don't you love it? And I know my mom loves it. Only problem is there were only three chairs, but I'm keeping my thrifty eye out for another one and I'm sure it will come along soon.


Then on Saturday, my next door neighbor was having a yard sale so I headed over. I didn't find anything but it got me in the mood to go yardsaleing. And I found a few very nice, inexpensive things.


These two beautiful, plate or picture holders. Not sure what I'm going to use them for but they were only 50 cents each and one of them was brand new and still had the tag on it.

Doesn't this one really go great with this frame that has a picture of my beautiful sister and her wonderful husband in it?

At another yard sale I bought this for $2.00.

I don't know where to put it, because I don't really have any corners in my house that are wide enough. The only corner that it would fit in is the one directly behind the wire rack and I've already done something with that corner which you will see below. But I'll keep searching. For $2.00 how could I not bring it home with me? Right? C'mon someone validate this for me :0)

So that was my Saturday. Then today, Sunday I had to go get groceries and the usual household things like paper towels, toilet paper, shampoo...you know, the necessities of life and my mom went with me and we went to Goodwill just for kicks.

Look what I found there! This beautiful pewter plate holder. I already had the plates which were purchased a few months ago at Goodwill and I forgot to blog about them. I had to put the big plate behind and the smaller plate in front as the big plate only has a border and the little plate was too small. But I think it works, don't you?

Here's the final picture. I moved it down and put the picture of the wine bottle back because I really love the picture. I had to move the small pinot griego tile to the other side of the window.


And isn't this bottle gorgeous? I'm trying to do a wine/grape theme in my kitchen and this bottle is perfect. Not sure what I'm going to use it for yet, but it is so pretty!




Maybe I'll just collect grape themed glass? I already had the vase to the right in this picture. This one has a whole story behind it, but I'll do a separate post on that one.

Ok, but I'm still not done. I also found this cute top which will be perfect for work.

My mom also got in on the act today! Here you see her modeling her new shoes. Remember a few weeks ago she bought these beautiful boots with a wedge heel? Lots of people commented on how much they liked wedge heels and boots. You rock it Momma!

And she found this adorable little pitcher which is perfect for her as she likes to make tea, but she doesn't make "sweet tea" like I do. Ya'll know what a Southern (Arizona) born and bred gal I am! She makes plain tea, no sugar. It will hold maybe 3 glasses of tea, perfect for her throughout the day.

Well that's it for our treasures. Oh wait, mom did also buy an ironing board. I have an ironing board but it's a midget one, cause I'm a midget Southern (Arizona) girl and mom is a normal height Texas woman! It was brand new and only $6.25 at Goodwill

So what all did you find out there? Do share and do become a follower. Yes again..I beg, I'd love to have a following ;0)

It was a great weekend!

I've really been having a lot of fun the last two weekends thrift shopping with my mom on Sundays. Eddie Ross and Rhoda at Southern Hospitality have really gotten me in the mood. And even more so since Eddie is coming to California for a shopping excursion at the Rose Bowl Flea Market. I'm trying to get a little group together of me, my daughter April, my sister Lisa and my co-worker Angelica, so we can all go and meet him and shop with him. It should be so much fun I'm really hoping we can all pull it together and go!

But til then, let me show you some treasures I found the last few weeks. This isn't everything, but it's just some of my favs and the ones I can show you since I don't plan to give them as gifts. These are MINE Baby!

First off is the lovely watercolor picture by the artist Laurie Korsgaden. This photo doesn't do it justice, the colors are so vibrant and yet soft. I love it! I hung it in my bedroom to make me happy first thing when I wake up!

I also found this beautiful Candle holder, another item with beautiful, rich, vibrant colors. I love it! Even without a candle it looks to me like a work of art!

See the beautiful detailing on the bottom... and oh yes, I did crochet the doily/thingy it's sitting on. See...I am a Jack of All Trades. Thanks to my wonderful mother who taught me so well and patiently how to crochet.

and here's a close up view of the top.

Well, these are all the ones I can show you that I took pictures of. But I also bought two books that I love. One is "Napkin Folds ~ Beautifully Styled Napkins for Even Occasion" by Bridget Jones and Madeleine Brehaut and the other is "Decorative Murals" with Donna Dewberry. I just love the whole napkin folding thing even though I have never used cloth napkins. They just display so great when doing a tablescape. Speaking of tablescapes, remember my first post about them?

Well I wasn't really thrilled with the way my first one came out but today my daughter came over and saw it. She thought it looked a little bare and she was on her way to Kmart and told me she would see if she could find somethings to jazz it up a bit. Well she did, bless her lil ol heart! See...

Thank you April, just what I needed, a little pop of color. Now I love it! And, Welcome Home!