First Tablescape Re-Posted and Second Blogging Anniversary

Hi everyone!  Is it cold where you are --'cause it's very cold and...um, "breezy" here today.   Thankfully, the sun is shining and the sky is blue, but that may change tomorrow.  As of last night, we had a 50 percent chance of snow tomorrow, and I've got to get out and get all my errands done so we'll have food, just in case.  Mr. Forest Manor and I are hoping for a wee bit of snow.  :)

I didn't announce it at the time, but I celebrated my second year of blogging this January 19th.  No applause, please.  (JUST KIDDING)  :-D  Seriously, this is a big milestone for me because it took me a while to get up enough nerve to start a blog, and now I love it.  I've met so many nice people, and even met a few of you in person.  I've seen some beautiful homes and tablescapes and some amazing projects and crafty creations.  Thanks to all of you for your support and your kind, and often funny (Alycia), comments; and thanks for sharing all your wonderful creativity on a daily basis.

I'm planning to have a giveaway to celebrate the two-year anniversary, which I'll fill you in on later, but for today, I'm re-posting my first tablescape from back in February of 2011.  I linked to Susan's Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch then, and I'm linking this same post again today.  Susan's beautiful blog is the very first blog I saw when I googled "tablescapes" one day, and I was hooked immediately.  I'm also joining our very talented friend, Kathleen of Cuisine Kathleen for her Let's Dish party and Seasonal Sundays, hosted by The Tablescaper, who creates amazing tablescapes every single week.  Kathleen has a winter/snow challenge for this week's Let's Dish party.  I hope you'll stop by and see all the creative tables.  Here's my first tablescape re-posted.

     

Tonight I am linking to Susan's Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch. I'm new at blogging, and this is my first time to participate in Tablescape Thursday.  I have enjoyed looking at so many of your posts for some months now and have decided to try my hand at blogging.

I put together this tablescape last winter and I've re-created it this year (with a few tweaks), so this truly was my first tablescape.  My dining room was always in limbo after the Christmas holidays because once I took down the Christmas centerpiece, candles, etc., the table and room looked so bare.  It was a bit sad to look at.  No festive holidays in January (with the exception of a few family birthdays), and it was too soon to put my silk roses back on the table; too soon to think about Easter, which was usually the next thing I decorated the dining room for.

When our son was growing up, we stayed so busy I just didn't try to do any decorating between Christmas and Easter.  But last year, he went off to college and I decided to try something new and, hopefully, creative.  I wanted to make a winterscape somehow, with no hint of Christmas colors like red and green.  So I went through the things I already had, then used some of my leftover Christmas money to go to Pottery Barn and Home Goods to buy a few more pieces.  Then one day, I Googled "Tablescapes" and Susan's wonderful blog popped up, and, PRESTO, I'd found the Mother Ship!  All of those beautiful pictures are enough to get any-one's creative juices flowing.

My husband has been kind enough to help me set up my blog and he's also doing all the photography at the moment.  He has a new camera, so he really enjoys taking pictures, while I, on the other hand, need to take a photography class in order to get comfortable with the new camera.  So, on to the tablescape.  I know everyone is probably sick of winter, but I don't think it's quite finished with us yet this year.  If all goes well, I will have a Valentine tablescape to post next Thursday.  I hope you will take a minute to visit my post, and I hope you enjoy the pictures.  It was fun to create.  Your comments would be much appreciated, and I am looking forward to viewing all of your tables as well!

In creating this tablescape, I wanted to use a winter/snowflake type table runner because I don't often use tablecloths, at least not at the moment.  I was fortunate enough to find this snowflake runner new on E-Bay, so that was my starting point.

Just click on pictures to enlarge.

Next, a centerpiece.  I wanted to use a white pillar candle, so I got a hurricane globe at Pottery Barn, added some glass bits and a snowflake brooch, and that was my centerpiece.

I dug out these crystal candlesticks given to me by my husband's grandmother and not used for many years, and they were perfect for the look I wanted.  Then I found bobeches with etched snowflakes online and ordered those as well.

I knew I wanted to use my everyday blue and white dishes, but I felt like I needed something else to mix with them.  I found the scalloped plates at Home Goods last winter after Christmas.  I like the pale blue-gray color along the edges; it reminded me of snow and ice and the sky in winter.  I decided to do a winter soup meal -- just soup (or stew), bread, wine, and candles.

I won the snowman wine bottle toppers in a Chinese Santa drawing at a Christmas party seven or eight years ago.  I think they're so whimsical and fun, and they have made great conversation pieces.

My in-laws brought me the blue damask napkins from France several years ago.  They were bought to go with my blue and white dishes.

I just love how all the blues came together so well in this tablescape.  The bottle of Childress Holiday White wine came from one of our local area wineries (more on that later).

The white tree taper candles with silver glitter were given to me by my Mom last year after Christmas.   I used plain white tapers in last year's tablescape, but I like these so much better!

The little snowman candle snuffer was given to me by my husband several years ago; it came from a store in our local art district.

The wine goblets were given to me by a friend over 20 years ago, and I love how the lead glass stems sparkle and pick up the light.  And last, but not least, a petite tassel with silver, blues, and yellows from The Tassel House at etsy.com.  Thank you again, Angela!

So pull up a chair this quiet winter's evening.

Enjoy a bowl of soup, some bread, and a glass (or two) of wine.  And for afterwards, a rich and creamy truffle, or some blue and white M&M's.

Enjoy your winter's evening and may you have sweet dreams of Spring.  It really is just around the corner.  Here are a few more pictures before you leave.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Denise

The bird's eye view.

Table Runner -- Ebay last year
Hurricane Globe -- Pottery Barn
Place Mats -- Bed, Bath & Beyond
Scalloped dinner plates -- "Castle Ware" by Tabletops Lifestyles, at Home Goods last year
Salad plates and rimmed soup bowls -- "Finlandia" by Churchill
White tree tapers -- Gift from my Mom last winter
Crystal candlesticks -- Given to me many years ago
Snowball votive candles -- Dept. 56 from Salem Creek gift shop
Flatware -- "Tennyson" by Oneida
Wine Goblets -- Gift from a friend; don't know the maker
Crystal Bowl with Truffles -- Lead crystal made in Germany; bought at Christmas Tree Shoppes in Greensboro
Glass Candy Dish -- Won in a raffle