Candlelight Supper: October 2015

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Ghost Witch Agatha Tablescape

Agatha is now a ghost, but still a witch.  She is still wearing her hat and hoping.  Poor thing.

In the graveyard the spirits are restless, this is their happy time.



Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Frankenstein Tablescape Trick or Treat, Treat, Treat.

Welcome to a Trick or Treat Frankenstein Tablescape.  He couldn't wait to start in on the candy.

So happy he is.  His favorite night of the year.  He is all dressed up in his finest.  Guess who he is going as?  Right!  Frankenstein! 



Sunday, October 25, 2015

Ezmerelda the Fortune Teller

Ezmerelda the Fortune Teller

Ready for your fortune to be told?  This mystic lady would love you to sit down to learn of your Fate.  Gaze into the Crystal Ball...  Have your cards read...  Read your palm...  All in good fun.  







When I was a girl of about 11, Halloween was still so much fun.  That year all the neighborhood "kids" said there is a very special house you have to see.   I was told a "rich" banker and his wife lived in this house.  Well of course, we were all curious.  


Friday, October 23, 2015

Cinderella Carriage Makeover

Cinderella Carriage Makeover

A few months ago I walked into Home Goods, just to look...



As I was saying...  Going into the store, right at the front, was this gorgeous carriage.  I audibly gasped.  I kept walking past it knowing that my husband was about ten steps behind me.  He came to the store with me to offer his emotional support or was it to subtly encourage me to buy nothing, as I was just going to look.  Instead I heard him call my name, "Val!"  "Val!".  I turned and he said, "did you see this carriage!"  I started to laugh and said "of course".  

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Moonlit Night Tablescape

     Owls, Bats, Spiders all out for a creepy Moonlit night...

       Spooky & creepy.  Only go out if you dare.

            What's not to love about the magic of the moon. 

 I didn't buy anything new for this tablescape, only the candy and Moon Pies of course.  I just pulled items from what I have.   I was surprised in what I found that reminded me of a moonlit night.   


Thursday, October 15, 2015

Are We There Yet? Tablescape.


Road Trip...            Blog Anniversary Giveaway.

Oh the places I've been.

It's really not that far!  So say my napkins.




Before I really get into the tablescape photos.  I want to express how much I love this Country.  I have traveled all over the place (U.S.).  I have children that live on the East Coast,  The South, The Midwest, The West Coast.  We travel by car or truck, etc.. and I love it!  I hate to fly as my ears hurt for days & I always get sick.  So we drive.  

When you drive you see amazing, amazing things and places you would never see by flying to your destination.  Each small town that you don't see from the road has something charming and wonderful.  For instance when driving through Pennsylvania and Tennessee it was so lush and green you could see nothing from the Freeway.  It was taking a chance to explore by taking an exit  off the Freeway and being surprised and then finding some magical places.  

Upstate New York, the gorgeous lakes.  Niagara Falls and riding on the "Maid of the Mist", I never laughed so hard, the ride was exhilarating. Blueberries as big as large grapes.  Little farm stands with homemade pies each day.  Parking our car in New York City for a week and exploring on foot, subway, or taxi.  We ate and ate.  This was the place to lose weight as I lost 5 pounds by walking.  

Florida, eating the delicious Key Lime Pies and Key Lime Cake.  Coconut Cake as well.  This place had the opposite effect on weight.  To this day I say it was well worth the five pounds I gained there.  I have no regrets.  

North Carolina was a highlight to see the Biltmore.  Let me tell you, that is one gorgeous state.  

Georgia to visit one of our twin sons.  It was a surprise to drive into Georgia and see the Welcome signs.  The signs had a Peach and musical notes of the song "Georgia on My Mind".  Hoagy Carmichael who wrote the music to that song is a distant cousin of my husband.  So that was a thrill for him to see these signs.  

Louisiana, we put the GPS for the shortest distance.  Not the quickest!  We ended up on an old plantation.  Couldn't see anything for miles.  It seemed like time stood still and we had stepped back in time 150 years.  Amazing.

The charm of the Midwest.  Cornfields, wheat fields, Antiques.  Texas is another incredible place for antiques.  My husband and I built our own house.  What we couldn't do we hired others to do.  Well the plans for the house came from an architect in Austin, Texas.  We went to visit our son and daughter in law who happened to live there at the time.  We realized our architect lived close to them and had a question about building that was rather important.  We never had been able to reach him before.  So we saw him and got everything explained.  Great luck or divine intervention!  The Alamo was a Spiritual experience for me.  I don't know why but you could feel the essence of something like Peace.  

Drive through California.  What a rich and diverse place.  From towns that are super glamorous to quaint.  Victorian towns.  German towns.  Each with incredible beauty and charm.

Sorry if I didn't mention your State, they all are unique and beautiful.  I have been to most of the States and have been totally thrilled to learn the history of each.  I haven't even named my 2 favorite states!  

I love hometown Bakeries.  I used to think of writing a book about traveling to different Bakeries and their specialties.  Describing their uniqueness.  So everywhere we go, we have to try all the bakeries.  You know, you don't have to eat the whole thing as I did in Florida.  

I have to admit we are marathon drivers.  A couple of years ago we left Florida at noon on Monday.  Made it home Tuesday night at 10:00 p.m..  A distance of 2,100. miles.  I would not recommend it, but somehow we (my husband and I) just kept talking (I call it yakking) and went through state after state and never got tired and just kept driving.  We were entertained by the lady of " the Garmin".  Also we listened to the radio show, Coast to Coast A.M..  I think they were talking about U.F.O.'s that night.  I said to my hubby, just in case..., "don't look up"!  You know, that could be a good title for a Tablescape! 

Enough said,  now for my "Are We There Yet" Tablescape...     






            Porcelain tidbit/cheese U.S. map plate from Rosanna.







The adorable napkins that you can move the heart buttons to your starting destination and ending destination are from Mud Pie.  I purchased them last year and also the Family Travel Map from a floral/gift shop called Bloomingsales.

I love this map.  It comes laminated and you can place the large check marks around the border to show which states you have been.  The smaller adhesive backed checks are to place on the U.S. map to some landmarks you have visited.  A fun family project!













Red globes from Home Goods.  With the United States showing.





X marks the spot on this chalkboard paint table runner.  From Mud Pie as well.





I love the U.S. plates from Pottery Barn.  They were available last summer for the 4th of July.  I bought them not for the 4th but with my Road Trip Tablescape in mind.






The WINNER WAS LADY OF THE MANOR.  CONGRATULATIONS! To celebrate and commemorate my 1st Blog year anniversary.   I am going to be giving away a small gift.  One that I thought would fit the Halloween season.  A "Queen of Halloween" spatula.  I have only seen this one at one store so I purchased it.  If you leave a comment you will have a chance to win this adorable item.  This will be done by random draw.  If you have a blog address that I can reach you at I will get your shipping info.  If your comment is anonymous, please leave your email address and maybe your name on the comment, so I can contact you if you win.  I will leave the contest open for 7 days from the start of this post.  Good luck!





Don't forget to leave a comment!   I will be posting this Blog Post at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.   

Monday, October 12, 2015

Doom Buggy Makeover & Haunted Mansion Doorbell

Doom Buggy Makeover



Please feel free to love a comment below.  I love comments!  Also you can pin my photos to Pinterest.  
                        
                           Ghostly apparition in the window.



I just happened to wander into a T. J. Maxx last year.  One that I never go to.  I found this adorable creepy buggy/carriage.  Made from metal with 3-dimensional spiders and a skull head.  Shaped like a coffin for a spooky effect.  I loaded it with pumpkins and placed it on my porch for Halloween 2014.  I really liked it for a Halloween display.










This year I have "zhizzed" it up.   I added some fancy details.  In and of itself it is spooky.  I now wanted to make it fanciful & with some charm  











I first started with the hood.  The metal is in a spiderweb pattern.  I attached some gray tulle with metallic silver dots to the underneath side with some gray embroidery floss.  I did this to the underside so the great spiderweb detail could be seen and not obscured.  I thought the floss looked spidery.  Mainly I wanted the metal to show the curved edges of the spiderweb design.  I left a little ruffle on the edge.  

I then gathered the tulle on the side of the hood and attached some decoration.  To make the decorative poufs I gathered up some gray and gold tulle lace trim by pleating it down the center.  I then made some gray and silver tulle roses.  I did this by folding in half length-wise and gathering the rough edge.  Pulled it tight which made the tulle look like a flower.  I attached the 2 pouf's together with a needle and thread.   Of course I had to add some silver glittered spiders on top.  I attached them with hot glue to the buggy hood.





For a mattress I used 2 layers of 3" foam for a total of 6".  I covered the mattress with gray rose ribbon tulle fabric.  This gathered rose fabric is not organza like most fabrics of this style.  Instead it is made from tulle.  I laid a band of black and silver trim across to look like a fancy fold-down edge of a blanket.  For a little creepiness I added 2 black glittered spiders on top of the bed.  I also made a matching pillow from the ribbon rose fabric.  And... there so happens to be another spider crawling down the ruffled pillow!

Adding ribbons on each side of the handle.  And... an adorable cat skeleton sitting on top of the hood.









One of my favorite things is the license plate,  "Doom Bugy".  Sold at Disney World or Disneyland.  They were always sold out, when I tried to purchase at the parks or online.  This one I bought on Ebay.  It so happens that the seller lived 10 miles from me.  We met up and she sold it to me for a great lower price than she had it on Ebay for, plus no shipping charge.

Next year I want to dress up a skeleton in a Victorian style of dress and have her pushing the empty carriage.


Haunted Mansion Doorbell

We also change out our doorbell each year for the months of September and October.  What we have for the other ten months is a brass and copper Dragonfly.  Just press the dragonfly and the doorbell rings.  For our outdoor Halloween decor we use a replica of the Disney Haunted Mansion doorbell.  It is so fun, it stays lit.






The pumpkin I painted with chalk paint.  I love pumpkins and do all kinds of things with them.  If I don't like the stem I cut it off and replace with something else.  This pumpkin has a Christmas ornament on top.  I think it fits so well as a new pumpkin stem with leaves.


I will be posting on Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

I love comments, please leave one.  Thank you.


   

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Halloween Angel Tablescape... A Gothic Tale...

Halloween Angel...  A Gothic Tale...


Halloween decorating can be so much fun.  You can let your imagination go.  But, I don't take it too seriously, it is all in good fun.

My inspiration for this tablescape is my cute Halloween doll.  She is about 48" tall.  Has a lovely dress and adorable button trimmed shoes. Stunning gray taffeta wings.  A sweet expression on her face.  She has painted on bones.      

I have shown her to several people to get their opinion on what or who she is.  Some say Vampire, others say Zombie. Ghost?  Winged angel? Mummy?  Day of the Dead Angel? With popular consensus, she is our Halloween Angel, with a Gothic touch!

Please feel free to leave a comment below and pin to your Pinterest board if you like.  







Feathered wings?  The placemat is made from black iridescent feathers.  The charger plate is a candle tray from IKEA, that I sprayed with gray paint.  Topped with one of my favorite white plates.  On top are some red rose salad plates, and then a black chocolate rose.  The rose theme is for my lovely angel that came with a red rose attached to her hands.













Birdcage from Pottery Barn last year.  They had 3 sizes and for some reason had tons of them left over.  The price was an absolute steal.  The largest was only $16.00 and I had a coupon as well.  The original price was so much more.  A really great buy!



             I glittered a Dollar Store skull.





The gorgeous pumpkins with jewels came from Home Goods, early in the season.  Like the first week of August.  Is that early or what!




The candlesticks I used for my Mother's Day Tablescape.  They were originally green.  I sprayed them gray as well.





        The napkin rings are bracelets.  Each slightly different.










This tablecloth was perfect for this tablescape.  I couldn't believe how well it goes with my Halloween Angel.  The taffeta cloth sheared smocking has a red taffeta rose sewn on at each corner with 3 black feathers tucked in and sewn under the rose.  I don't know the manufacturer of this cloth.  I bought it at a local Boutique store.  I love this cloth more than any I own as it is so lovely and unique.  I have never seen another like it.
















   Flatware from Anthropologie.  This is the white version of this flatware.






I am actually using 2 creamy white goblets from Z Gallerie at each place setting.  For photo purposes only I just left one on the table.



















        Poison bottle with a jeweled skull head.  Home Goods again.  




       The adorable gray taffeta high-button shoes on my Angel. 




I moved one of the chairs up to the table to show how I am decorating them.  Just some lovely black wings and a sparkled gray tulle sash.






I have 2 different dining tables.  My dark walnut and metal table for Fall and Winter.  The lighter wood one for Spring and Summer.  I never took photos in my dining room this Summer and before I move it back out to the garage where I rotate and keep them, I thought I would do this Tablescape.  I have just planned to do a certain themed Christmas Tablescape and want to do it on the lighter table, so I am not sure about moving it to storage yet.





A view of the tablecloth from my balcony, as my description does not do it justice.






Thank you for taking the time to look at my latest Blog Post.  
I will be posting this for Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch.