everyday decorating, tablescapes around the house

Tablescapes, I'm into them!

 I am lucky that some how I have managed to squeeze four table tops that I can decorate monthly into my routine. Our dining room table (late 1800's Amish crafted), buffet (mid century RCA record player cabinet), coffee table (mid century, Drexel, surfboard table) & entryway table (mid century, Basset dresser).  Having that many places in our home dedicate to seasonal decor helps the entire house feel festive, & that is what I am all about!

Now I don't want you to think these are areas that go untouched, they are all used, daily.  This is a very real & very busy family of three. Sydney always has homework at the dining room table or someone over, we have three dogs & a cat. We eat all our meals at our table, we place our keys on the entryway table & use the coffee table for setting glasses & remotes. Needless to say, we need it to remain functional & I think that is what most people need. I'm going to be honest though, on the day of parties & holidays I get really grandiose ideas of how I want things to be & sometimes it can be time consuming to set up, but can you blame me for wanting to replicate some of these Sandra Lee Tablescapes? They're amazing!

First is our Drexel surfboard table. There are no right or wrong ways to decorate your tables, & sometimes I think the most fun ideas come from unconventional places. I keep apples in the living room, so when we are playing video games or watching Netflix we don't wonder off to the kitchen for a snack, we just grab an apple!

We read a lot, so I'm always using books to make more vertical dimension, I made these pictures & frames, there will be a tutorial next week! 

This would be one of those unconventional ideas I was talking about, that white stand with wood grain is actually a ramekin I snagged at Target on clearance this Spring.

 

Small toys & pieces for train villages make great table decor & books for height.

 

 There are so many tutorials online for these dryer vent pumpkins, thanks Pinterest! I picked up the dryer vent at Home Depot for 10$, it made 3 pumpkins. Then I used a stick from our Pine tree & leaves from our Hibiscus bush.

Next is our Basset entryway table, again I am using books for height, & usually in front of them is a small dish for our keys. Toys are fun, & since my husband collects them hand over fist I try to integrate them in wherever possible.

 

Matt's first Godzilla toy as a child & a vintage Stay-Puff marshmallow man accompany a Nightmare before Christmas figure on the left. 

 

On the right I have an aloe plant (as I've mentioned we live in Florida, & sunburns feel so much better with fresh aloe), snuggled with a few of my favourite owls! 

 

Here is my RCA record player that I use as a buffet, It still has the record player inside & all of my records, It works but doesn't sound the best, once I get it fixed fully it will move out to our Florida room (Matt's tiki Room). My canisters hold flour & sugar. The cauldron is full of candy (putting it out early was a horrible idea, live & learn!) & that candle holder with skulls on the right was a gift I bought Matt 13 years ago!

Matt & I made this dry erase board out of an old frame & shower board for under 20$ about five years ago. 

I'll be back tomorrow with three different table setting for the kitchen table! One for a Halloween party with platters on the table, one for a dinner party & one for an everyday look when it's just you & the family!

It's just another everyday, holiday with Jillie

 

do it yourself: skeleton decorations

Halloween is a holiday where you really get to make all the rules, there are no guidelines, no expectations & I love that, you can be as crazy or as low-key as you like. Have a big costume party with food & drinks, scary movies & games OR sit in your driveway & pass out candy to your neighbors children while complimenting their amazing costume choices! If you're feeling in the frightful spirit you can make your yard into a grave yard with tombstones & strobe lights, spider webs wrapped around the mailbox with a giant spider at the front door & skeletons hanging from your porch! Maybe you like the cute pumpkins & vintage paper decorations for inside, window clings & glittery things! Maybe, just maybe you're doing ALL of those things, because their are no rules, Halloween comes once a year, & you're ME! 

That's right, i'm doing it all this year, (i'm proclaiming that proudly & also a bit terrified)! The Halloween party is for Sydney & her group of friends, Halloween night they'll get their costumes ready at our house while eating treats, watching scary movies, playing games & while my husband Matt & I play a few tricks on them! Once it gets dark, they'll head out & we'll slip into our adirondack chairs in the driveway. Scary music, strobe lights & goodie bags (tutorial to come!) will be passed out for the children while sipping on some cranberry juice as we pretend it's blood!

In the past I've kept a pretty cutesy theme for Halloween, I scare easily & the last thing I wanted was my house to scare myself, I'm ridiculous! This year I was out voted 2 to 1 that our yard be scary. Honestly, making a lot of these decorations myself took away the scare factor, & it was really fun!  

The dollar spot at Target, Walmart & your local Dollar Store are amazing resources for Halloween decorations that you can DIY, & these skeletons are easy, & fun to make with the whole family!

3$ Skeletons 

One Skull head .97¢, Walmart
Two "creepy cloths" 2$, Dollar Store
Rags (old clothes, towels & sheets)
16 gauge steel wire, Walmart (we had some)
Hot glue gun & glue, Walmart (we have one)
Multi-tool or pliers, Walmart (I love my Leatherman, but their are other brands as well)


I am happy to report this is a 30-45 minute craft for the entire family, I promise!


Start with a normal wire hanger from your closet.

Uncurl the hook of your wire hanger with your multi-tool or pliers.

Now bend it in half to make a straight line upward.

Use your hands & multi-tool to bend the body of the hanger tighter.

Poke a hole in the back side of the skull
Slide skull onto your hanger it will be a bit wobbly.

Use the steel wire to wrap around the neck area helping to hold the skull in place.

Hot glue where the steel wire & skull meet, let set for a moment.

Take out your rag bin (ours is an old christmas popcorn tin) or find a few things around the house you're ready to retire.

Cut rags & creepy cloth into strips, draping & tying around the hanger & skeleton.

Of course there are so many different ways you can make your skeletons & where you can put them

I hung mine outside the front door next to a glowing purple spider web. He's on a short little chain from an old bird house. I used a sleeve from a tee shirt to make a red hood for my Grim Reaper Skeleton.

 

Sydney used wire cutters to open her hanger making the "arms" longer, then she hooked the ends & wrapped hers around our plastic cauldron that we put candy in, I loved her creativity (I'm gonna keep it real, she didn't want to make this craft at first, but got pretty into it about half way).

Lastly Matt, oh Matt, my little industrial designer. He used some copper wire we had & took the body of the skeleton to a new level! Using the copper wire & steel wire to fashion hands, he then used the hot glue to make them gooey & creepy looking. He's making a cape for his skeleton...I'll post pictures when it's finished!

So,  that is how we took less than 10$ &  had the whole family make a craft! If you don't have steel wire that will cost about 5$ & a glue gun could be another 10$ ( both you can snag at Walmart). 

Plus, both those things will last you long after this project! 

It's just another everyday, holiday with Jillie