Black & White Spooky Tablescape

Welcome to my first ever tablescape post.  I fear it could be addictive.  What do you think?

It all started when I purchased this set of creamy white owl napkin rings in one of my favorite little junk shops.  I started looking at the thrifts for black or black and white dishes to add some pop to my almost 30 year old Mikasa dishes and found 6 of these little cuties for a couple of bucks.

I started getting the idea of using the white owls as a more subtle table dressing.  THEN I saw the little mercury glass owl in West End's catalog with 50% of the purchase price going to St Jude's Hospital for cancer research.  Being a mom of a kid with leukemia (in remission), that sealed the deal and West Elm got my $14 which included shipping, by the way.  I put him in a little birdcage cloche that I previously got from WUSLU deal a day (don't get me started on that-too much fun, too cheap, and way too easy to buy).  He nestled in with some reindeer moss from last Christmas and some little white pumpkins.  As you can see, several items are stacked to make the centerpiece with the bottom being a bride's basket that I've had for years.

My friend Michelle made the adorable tombstone tag that hangs from the top of the cloche.  She took actual photographs from when she was visiting an old cemetery and made a set of these great hangtags.  LOVE THEM!  They almost look 3 dimensional...

Candles from last year topping old faux mercury glass curtain tiebacks I've had and used forever.

I was unsuccessful at finding something resembling cute black napkins or black and white napkins and I wasn't in the humor to spend a lot of money, so at the aforementioned thrift store, I found some black linen looking fabric for $2 and proceeded to make my own, using my late mother's sewing machine with the nifty little embroidery feature.  I then made my own stencil of an owl.  I was so proud...until I put the napkins in the rings and realized it was too much owl. Sigh...back to the drawing board.  On the opposite corner, I stamped the word "Spooky" and called it good. And now I can use the owl corner or the "spooky" corner.  Seriously, that's like 4 hours of my life I'll never get back again, but it's DONE!  YAY!  And thrifty touches like that allow me to splurge on more fun things, right?

Napkin Option "Deux": 

Oh no, I DIT-UHNT?!  Oh yeah, I did...a PAPER stencil.  Desperate times call for desperate measures...and the price was right, just one piece of printer paper.

The adorable place cards seen best at the top of the post were fashioned from an owl graphic from (where else?) Graphics Fairy. Glossy computer paper, stuck on black cardstock folded in half to make a tent card (I think that's what they're called).




What to do for a tablecloth...trip to another favorite junk shop where a favorite textile vendor had a black and white striped twin flat sheet for $6, everything in the booth...40% off.  Yeah baby, now we're cooking with gas...top it with one of my antique tablecloths, marginally ironed, and you've got TABLESCAPE, baby! Woo! Hoo!  Of course, mismatched silver plate is always a favorite in my house. 

Next project, black and white coasters.  Only one is done so far, but I think they will be used for more than Halloween, so we can talk about them more another time.

A fun hors d'oeuvre or sushi set from West Elm.  One of those splurges you can have when you aren't out buying tablecloths and napkins (that's what I'm telling myself anyway).

If you have gotten this far and your eyes haven't yet glazed over, THANK YOU!  Now go on over to Between Naps on the Porch and look at some pros at Tablescape Thursday.  I'm linking up with their party this week.  It should be fun.


Until next time,

Also linking up with the following parties this week:
Feathered Nest Fridays
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Farmhouse Friday
Wow Us Wednesdays

Show and Tell Friday
Tuesdays Treasures 
Funky Junk's Saturday Night Special
Pink Saturday 
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here 
Home Sweet Home Friday 
Tutorials and Tips 
Air Your Laundry Friday
Graphics Fairy Brag Monday

White and Black Halloween, Part 1

Hello Friends,

I'm still into my black and white Halloween decor, so I thought I'd share a few things from my black and white living room decor for part 1 of this post.  I'll post part 2 on Thursday when I will feature my tablescape in the dining room.

I added the wonderful vintage clock face that I picked up from Etsy this year behind little baseball head (as my husband calls him).

I always use old books to elevate our oil lamps but since I was really getting into the black and white theme, I decided I needed some neutrality to their usual pretty soft colors.  BUT I didn't really want to have to purchase black books (like I could find them anyway- I always look for pretty vintage black books-but I digress), so I dug through my paper stash and found some pretty black and white 12x12 scrapbook papers and just wrapped the books I had up in them.  No glue, no tape, just a simple cover that will come off easily once the season has passed.  I like the way they look for now.  I also am loving my Wendy Addison garland which I have had for a couple of years.  I've used it here and there, but I'm liking it on the mantel.

I have a very beautiful antique Victorian beaded firescreen that normally looks great, but since I was fluffing the mantel, it didn't look right.  Again, I went to my paper stash and made a little disguise which I just taped to the glass.  Once Halloween is over, it will get rolled up and stored away (or maybe reused on another project, who knows).  Kind of loving the crows right now. 

I wanted white pumpkins for the urns, but had a hard time finding them for a price I would pay ($6.99 a piece?  I think not.)   So, I used 6 little white and green pumpkins for 1/4 of the price and thought they were just fine.  Pardon the blurry picture-it is not so fine, but unlike my normal gazillion pictures of each thing, I apparently only took one of the urns.  :-(

On the other side of the room is one of my favorite places to foof up.  I found some cute free uploads of antique poison labels here and added them to some old bottles I picked up at an amazing sale a couple of weeks ago.  Colored water finished off the look.  I made it look like a drink station, adding some pretty glasses to the silver tray.  Love the way it turned out.  I couldn't resist more with the crow theme or Raven, if you will, and who better to preside over that than Edgar Allen Poe.

I picked up this cute little skeleton in the graveyard thing at the dollar store and added the banner from Graphics Fairy and the words, "Pick your poison".

Don't you love the hand painted feathers?  I got them from an estate sale a couple of years ago.

This white pumpkin is a faux which started out orange from Wal-Mart, but it took well to my foam brush and craft paint, so I was a happy girl.  If only I'd purchased 2 more for my urns...but that would have required forethought.  Not always my strong suit. :-(

My funny little stairs just needed the little mice, cut out from templates found here. I think they are cute, don't you?

Come back Thursday for my dining room tablescape.

I'm linking up with Kathleen and one of my favorite parties, White Wednesday.  I can't wait to spend a little time looking at all the dreamy whites.  What are you waiting for?  You will love it too!

Until next time,


 

White Wednesday Pumpkins and Such...

I decided to come on over and join the party for White Wednesday with my front parlor's primarily black and white Halloween decor.  I have to admit, I LOVE Halloween, but the orange isn't my favorite.  I mean, it is cute, but it doesn't really go in the all white and pastel room.  SO, I use a little natural decor and a little purchased decor and it all works.  Enjoy the photo mosaic I made and when you are done, pop on over to see Kathleen at Faded Charm for lots of other wonderful white posts.

 

Until next time,

Dreaming in Black and White

So, the exciting news is that we are rebuilding our garage to house cars on the bottom (duh) and a studio for our artistic and antique-y pursuits over the top (a second floor). It should be done this spring. Of course, being the decorating sort that I am, I've been dreaming of how the interior will look. Its essentially a garage apartment with a small bath and small kitchen and one biggish space. I have been pretty true to the French salon inspiration, but have been pondering the details. I have a few small French antique pieces tucked away here and there, awaiting placement when the time comes as well as some statuary and architectural pieces. I'd also like to make this space the home of my crown collection. All the while, I must also leave myself room to create and have the nuts and bolts of an art studio in place. For a long time, I've wanted to have an all white or cream and white space, but as I am out in cyberspace, gathering ideas, I come across the black and white theme. I've always loved a bit of black in every room...I think it really adds some needed punch, even in a relatively pastel environment, but this is a bit more than that. Looking at these photos, I'm starting to think there might be a change in tack. If not for the studio, then perhaps in the main house (wow, that makes our place sound so grand...believe me, it isn't!). Maybe the downstairs bathroom...maybe the upstairs bathroom...hmmmmmmmmm. Dreaming in black and white...who knew it could be so VIVID??? Well, I must get ready to go to work so this train of thought will have to be put aside for the moment. If anyone wants to send me some super inspirational links for a French salon/art studio/garage apartment, please feel free!



Until next time,