Halloween Tablescape 2016

Hallo Everyone!  It's that time of year when strange things begin to lurk around!   It's a little bit spooky, but a little bit fun here at The Decorative Dreamers house.  Once again I find myself under the spell of a very adorable and decorative tablescape.

How about you?  Do you enjoy decorating for Halloween?  I used to do a lot more then I do now.  With my sons being older and out of the house and no trick or treaters anymore, I find myself still wanting to join in on the fun.  So instead of focusing on outside decor I focused on creating an indoor treat for us instead.

This years tablescape began with my napkins.  I've had these checked fringe napkins for quite awhile now and since I have a boatload of them I figured I could spare a few.  I decided they would be the perfect background to showcase my carved pumpkin initial applique.  Isn't this just the cutest thing? After these turned out so well I wanted to keep stitching.  I love doing appliques and I especially love when I can make items for my own decor to showcase my work.

Next came the new addition of my table runner.  I found the orange and black buffalo check runner on sale at Ross.  I was thrilled to see that not only was it marked down but that is was a blank canvas that I could customize myself.

I started with adding this Witch hat initial font to each end of the runner.  This was a freebie font from one my sources.  I love how it looks though I do wish the hat was up a little higher.  Our last name begins with a "K" and this looks like an "R" to me.  Oh well!  It is what it is, right, and it was free so I'm good!  Happy, happy!

I then decided to center this Boo applique in the middle of the runner.  I love this one! Looks adorable next to my witch boot salt and peppers doesn't it?

 

After adding designs to the ends and the center of my runner I then decided to add two more Jack o lantern appliques in between at an angle.  I also flipped these two designs so this runner would be a great look from all angles of the table.   It was a little more challenging centering and angling both of them equally the same but I got it.  Whoohoo!

After I finished the tablerunner it was time to set the table.  I chose to keep my setting a little more simple to keep the focus on my beautiful runner and napkins.  I decided to use only orange chargers and black plates with the napkins.  The chargers I picked up a few years ago, can't remember where, but the black plates are new this year from the dollar tree.  I was pretty happy to see them because I've wanted some black plates for awhile now.

My hand blown purple goblets were just the right color for this setting and kept with the color theme.  One thing I was very focused on when I made the table runner was keeping all the appliques coordinating with each other.  I can't tell you how many times I looked at other pieces of fabric I had and thought, Oh this would be so cute with that.  Especially on  the candy jack o lantern or the hair bow on the other jack.  I resisted the urge to mix it all up with multiple fabric choices though, and chose to use only four colors; orange, black, purple and green.  I stayed true to keeping it coordinated and now I'm so glad I did!

The little ghosties were a fun and whimsical choice for my candle holders, though I did manage to add a few votives for a nice glow.  The orangish colored votives were a summer clearance from the $1.00 bins at Michaels.  I love those bargains bins, don't you?

After I finished my tablescape I couldn't help but notice how my shelves on the side table that were decorated for Fall just didn't quite match.  So even though I wasn't planning on doing any last minute Halloween decorating I just couldn't stop myself.

I'm so glad I pulled out my Halloween box.  It's always so enjoyable when you see some of your decor you have forgotten you had.  I knew I wanted to use my witch, aka Miss Abigail, I bought one year while working at SteinMart.  She was a must. I had totally forgotten all about the wreath I made too. I was so excited to see it and even more pleased that it was a smaller size.  I made this wreath smaller one year to sit inside of a simple larger fall wreath of berries so you could easily pull it out when Halloween was over.  That was a great idea, even if the berry wreath didn't last.  LOL!

 Doesn't Miss Abigail look so cute next to the broom parking sign, bad blood and poison wine mixes?  The witches sign and more ceramic ghosts I've also had for awhile now .  I just love how this side table turned out. So fun!  I had a straw broom propped up here, but had to move it because it was freaking the dog out.  LOL!  Ooops!

Funny, I just noticed I have a rooster sitting here that didn't get moved.  It must have blended in and i didn't see it until the picture.  Oh Lord, I must be loosing my touch!

Well, that's it y'all!  I hope you enjoyed your visit and I hope you have a whimsically wonderful and fun holiday celebration.

Happy Halloween!

Hugs and Waves,

Mary

 

Decorating with a Split Personality

Honestly, I do believe that is what I have!  Can you relate?  Part of me just loves the glitzy glamorous shine of bling, and then there's the part of me loves the traditional timeless look of warn rustic dull edges, and then there is the casual side of me that is all about being true to being nautical.  That's quite a contradiction isn't it?  Let me show you what I'm talking about.

Here's a few pieces I've recently bought from work and several of my other favorite shopping haunts.

I bought both sizes since they were on clearance and 60% off of that.

I've been admiring these sparkly blinged out frames for awhile now.

Stein Mart also has these.  Can you believe they are acrylic?  I bought them full price because I know they will not last until a sale.  I love the way the light reflects off the bubbles!

The shine on these eggs found at Marshalls certainly caught my eye too.

I love everything with sequins!

Still debating about this with the eggs.  Hmm???

Then there are pieces like these below that I purchased on our recent trip to Asheville, North Carolina.  We stopped in at this FABULOUS antique store called Antique Tobacco Barn.  OMG!  I didn't take any photos inside because I was too shy to ask, so you will have to go to the website to see what I'm talking about.  Seriously, check it out y'all!  Open a second tab and copy paste this link and then come back and tell me your first response.  OMG! Right?

I was in 7th Heaven yall!  This place is filled to the brim with all sorts of goodies.  We found it on the first night of our arrival and they were just closing so we only had a peek.  Then we tried to go back the next day and they were closed due to the threat of snow. Uh!  Finally, on the day we were leaving Asheville, my husband took me by there again and they were open.  It was so cold inside that day but we lingered long enough for me come home with these two items. 

Now this piece I think I can imagine how to use it.  I'm not sure if I want to paint it or not?   I've seen lot's of these out there in blogland.  I'll be checking out some of your posts to get more ideas. 

But this one?  What to do?  I just couldn't resist it though.  I love, love, love, the shoe placement thingy on the top.  Why?  IDK!  Really! 

Then there's the nautical side of me.  It keeps showing up in bit's and pieces around the house.

I've recently been trying to keep it all contained to one area of the house in this corner.

This sign stole my heart immediately.  I can certainly attest, it's so true!!!

Then this little beauty also jumped in my hand at Marshalls on the same day the eggs did.  Yes, I actually use my split personality while shopping.  LOL!

Now here's the question?  What to do? What to do?  How in the world do I work some of these items into my decor?  I haven't a clue.  But I am decorating with a "what you love" mindset.  I'm not sure this is such a good way to go about things though.  I am seeing big contrasts lately and not sure how I'm going to bring it all together, but I keep trying. 

What about you?  Do you ever feel like you have a split personality in home decor?  Maybe, it's just me!  He he!  Well, thanks so much for stopping by if you did.  Leave me a note if you feel like it too because I really do enjoy hearing from you.  Have a great day friends!

Mary

P.S.  If you know how to get the left side of my of my blog to stop jumping, I'd really love to know.  Thanks!

Chartreuse in the Bedroom?

Would you?  Could you?  Why yes I would and in fact I did! 

Warning: What I am about to share with you may be quite a shock to those of you who are in favor of the more muted tones in decorating.  However, it has been our experience at work that lot's and lot's of people are craving color these days.  So now you know it's not just me.  LOL!  They are not craving just any old colors either, but all those bright and bold colors!  Colors like bright orange, green, yellow, hot pink and turquoise are flying off our shelves.  Since I seem to have been ahead of the trend on these bright bold colors I have decided I will share my bedroom with you once again.  

Well, to be honest I also wanted to show off our new (to us) bedroom furniture and linens.   I am so excited that I feel like I have finally gotten the bedding right for this room. 

Some of you may remember a few years ago when we upgraded from a queen size mattress to a king.  We bought a really nice mattress and therefore did not have the money to spend on a new bed at the time.  I had found a headboard and painted it (read all about that here) and that was great for awhile but my heart longed for my previous four poster bed.

Recently, when I found a new bed and was ready to purchase the Mr. stopped me and said he had a coworker that wanted to sell his entire bedroom set for what I was prepared to pay for the new bed. 

After finding out it was a rice bed I had to take a look.  How could you not fall in love with the details?  It also didn't hurt that the set also included two nightstands in addition to the dresser with mirror, chest and bed.  We had been thinking we would just use the bed and nightstands since it matched our old dresser and chest but after getting it home I decided I'd rather just go all matchy matchy and use the whole set.

Little did I realize that this bed was going to be sooooo very TALL.  I keep a step up under the bed that I slide out to get in at night.  Seriously!  With the height of the bed combined with the height of our mattress, I had quite a delimma with the linens not being large enough to hang properly.

To solve this problem I ended up purchasing a King size bedspread that is 118 x 120.  Now that's BIG folks!   Most King comforters and quilts usually run somewhere between 102/104 to 86/90 at best.  There is quite a variance among manufacturers.  That size barely draped over the edge of my mattress.  In order to get the coverlet look, I had to go with a bedspread.  I debated on this for the longest time because it was so hard to find what I wanted for what I wanted to pay.

My decision was made after finding this beautiful quilted 100% cotton bedspread at Belks.  It's called Ariel by PHI.  As soon as it went on sale I decided it would be perfect.  Even on sale it was more then I wanted to spend but I know I will have this for a long, long time.

Why?  Because the white bedspread is the only thing that coordinates well with our cornice boards.  I inherited these from my in-laws and am so very attached to this fabric.

I just love it!  I have thought many times about recovering these but just cannot do it!  I just love the pattern of this fabric.  These cornice boards are the very reason I painted this room the color it is.  Have you ever had something influence your decorating so much?

I also added a pale yellow quilt to layer on my bed that coordinates with the paler yellow in my cornice boards.  I bought this quilt from work, Stein Mart.  It is also 100% cotton and the pattern is Venice Squares.  It's just the right shade too!

I just recently added these small mirrors behind my lamps.  I am not sure if I am liking these here or not.  I thought they kinda had a tropical look to the frame.  I think I'll live with it for awhile and see.  What do you think, too much?

And to show you that my room is really not as bright as it shows in the first pictures here it is with the lights off.  At one time I had a lighter more sagey green that was just too drab during the day and made the room feel too cold to me.

I like this color because it always feels so warm and inviting even with the lights off.

Thank you so much for stopping by today.  It was great to finally have a little time off to catch up with y'all.  So the question is, how about you?  Could you do bright colors in your bedroom?  If so, what colors makes your heart sing?  I'd love to know!

Have a great weekend!

Christmas in the Dining Room

Whew!  Baby, it's cold outside!  Just in time for Christmas too.  Yay!  I just realized I haven't shown you all my tree in the dining room this year.  Soooo, since it's getting late and I need to rush out the door I thought I'd show you some photos without alot of chatter.

I've been playing with Picasa and thought this looked kinda snowy and nostalgic.

I have a silver gold and ivory tree in the dining room.  This year I drenched it a little extra with the white opaque tinsel.

My dining room tree was started to highlight all of my lenox ornaments that I have collected since my husband and I were first married.

This is my newest ornament this year.  I got them from work at Stein Mart.  They are very heavy and are stainless silver with lot's of bling!  

This was an old ornament I rolled in glue and glitter to revive it years ago.

I love my tree in the corner here.  It's wonderful to dine by when the family is all gathered around celebrating Christmas dinner.  I highly recommend a tree in the dining room if you haven't done one yet.  It's a great feeling!

Have yourself a merry little Christmas yall!

See ya again soon!