Fall Tablescape {An Accidental Chalkboard Centerpiece}

If you've been following my preparing for fall craft fest you've seen my Leafy Ironstone Art, Moss Frame, and Napkin Envelope and Feather Pen Place Setting.  Now I'm ready to share with you the entire fall tablescape.

Let's do a breakdown of the elements.

1. Mixed ironstone plates and silver place settings. check.
2. Amber depression glasses. check.
3. Cream teacups and accessories. check.
4. Napkins folded as envelopes. check.
5. Torn paper name cards and pheasant feather "pens". check.
6. Burlap runners that double as placemats. check.
7. Ironstone pitcher filled with dried Yarrow.  check.
8. Various wood and amber toned fall accessories. check.

and last but not least...

9. An accidental chalkboard tray centerpiece. check.

I know you want to hear the story behind this one, so here it is.

This chalkboard tray was a complete accident!  Yup.  It wasn't supposed to be a tray at all.  I found this old chalkboard sitting around my parent's house.  Attached at each corner was a wine cork.

Needless to say my inner dialogue when finding this little cutie went something like this......"Why hello there!  How cute are you?!  So functional, so shabbily beautiful!  You will be perfect for my fall table decorating." 

Dialogue with my mom went something like this....."Hey mom, can I use this cool chalkboard tray thing?"  "What tray?"  "The one I found up in your room.  It's like an old chalkboard"  (Insert my mom basically laughing at me).  "That isn't a tray.  I just stuck those corks on there because there are really sharp nails hanging out".  "Well it makes a cute tray!  So can I use it?"

There you go!  That's the story!  I totally cute chalkboard tray that wasn't meant to be a tray at all!

The best part is you could make your own SOOOOO easily!  Find or make a small chalkboard,  hammer a nail through each corner, use a rubber mallet to pound a cork down over each exposed nail end, flip over and use as a tray and centerpiece!

It's great for writing seasonal or food related messages, boosting up a some a sugar bowl or salt and pepper shakers, or showcasing a vase of flowers.

Oh how I love happy accidents!

Now it's your turn to share!  Have you started thinking about fall.  What colors or themes do you plan/want to use?  Any specific materials or items you want to incorporate?  Give us some inspiration!

Shared with:

Freckled Laundry

Fall Place Setting {Letters of Thanks}

If you've been to the craft store recently you probably noticed they are already gearing up for the changing of the seasons.  I figured why not take their cue and start trying out some ideas I have so I'm not pulling my typical, wait until last minute and be running around like a crazy woman, or worse, the I'll do it next year routine.  When I think of fall, I think of turkeys and giving thanks, brown and yellow, orange and red.  I had this idea that this year I would like to use some beautiful brown turkey/ and or pheasant feathers in my decorating.  I went with the idea and came up with the idea to use the feathers like quill pens.  Once the ball idea was rolling I decided to use napkins to create envelopes and torn construction paper for name tags. 

To create the envelope napkin fold you need a set of square napkins.  Four simple folds later you'll be setting your table!

I ironed each of my folds to create a crisp paper-like look that stayed in place well.

1. Fold napkin in half corner to corner.
2. Fold one end in 2/3 along fold.
3. Fold opposite end in 2/3 along fold crossing over end from step 2.
4. Fold top tip down to create envelope flap.

Tada!  Envelope napkin!  Place a name tag on top pr tuck a note inside.  You may even skip a blank piece of paper inside for each guest to write a note to the host or a message of thanks to be shared!

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Crafting for Fall {Moss Frame}

I told you last week when I shared my Leafy Ironstone that I had been to the craft store to pick up supplies for some fall crafts I had floating around in my mind.  You may have noticed another on of my projects in the Leafy Ironstone Vignette.  This little moss frame.

Another super simple fall craft.

Start with any cast off frame (or a new one).  Take our the glass and adhere your leaves (or picture) using a spray adhesive to the mat backing.  If your mat isn't a lovely neutral craft paper style backing like mine was you could always use a pieces of scrapbook paper first!  Cut strips of moss to fit your frame.  I used this faux moss that came in a roll for my frame.  Hot glue it on and your all set!

Doesn't it add the perfect pop of earthy color?!

Easy, Peasy, Beautiful, Mossy Frame.

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Crafting for Fall {Leafy Ironstone}

I hit up the craft store this weekend and started some early fall crafting.  Here's a quick and easy idea that can make a big impact hung on a wall or sitting on a mantle.

Leafy Ironstone!

Materials:

-leaves (mine were pressed 2 falls ago)
-ironstone plates (picked up 2/ $1.00 at an auction)
-can of spray adhesive.

Fold the leaves into wax paper and stick between the pages of a heavy book.

Spray the back of each leaf and simply adhere to the plates.

Easy, inexpensive, beautiful!

The handle on this upturned crate is a perfect plate holder!

If you don't have any pressed leaves hanging around you could easily buy some preserved or silk leaves or use freshly fallen ones straight from the ground!

More details on the moss frame coming later!


Do you have any decorating ideas for fall?  Link them in the comments.  We'd all love to see them!

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DIY Jute Nautical Knobs {Monkey's Fist Knot}

When is a better time than summer to make some nautical knobs for a nice weathered furniture piece?  I was given this coffee table and as I started to sand the paint (Anne Sloan Chalk Paint- Pure White) I loved how the wood grain started coming through!

I love heavily weathered/distressed furniture but it is WAY out of my comfort zone to distress this much.  I am so glad I just kept sanding because the grain popping through is beautiful and gave this coffee table the perfect beachy look.

Next, came the hunt for nautical knobs. 

via Anthropologie

via Hobby Lobby

I loved the look of both of these knobs but I needed the knobs like yesterday quickly and I'm super cheap.  So I ran to Joann Fabrics, bought a roll of Jute with my 50% coupon and headed home to update our old kitchen cabinet knobs.

I did a Google search for sailor's knots and found out the one I wanted was called the Monkey's Fist.  Then, I hopped over to You Tube and searched for how to tie a Monkey's fist knot.  Bingo!  I found this video which is quite easy to understand and follow.




Took me quite a few practice runs until I decided because of the size of the knob and the diameter or the jute that I needed to add more loops to my knot.  I followed the same basic directions but did 5 loops per side instead of 3.  I also hot glued coils of jute on to the bottom of the knob to make it a circle before I started the knot to go around it (it kept slipping off the flat knob bottom).  After the knot was completed and tightened I secured the tails with hot glue and I pumped some glue under different parts of the knot to keep it secure.

The end result!  A success!

It may take a little practice but YOU can do this too!!!  Do it!  It's not like I'm making you walk the plank or anything!

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craftyscrappyhappy  east coast creative