Hiatus Update

Hello all! I am doing fine but with all the little surprises this month has been bringing (it's a mixed bag), I've decided to wait until next year to join all of you again.

I am posting short daily stuff on our family blog, but joining in all of your fun, I just can't keep up with right now. Please forgive me. *on bended knees*

Boy, do I miss all of you, but I do have to make a choice...

So, until then, enjoy the holidays!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Memory

Hello to all! I haven't participated in Beverly's PS for sometime now, but I really like her theme this season so I knew I had to be there...

She asked us to share a childhood holiday memory and this is one I'll always treasure...

I lived with my dad in Manila from 12-15 yrs old. During those years, during Christmas time, just after the midnight mass, throngs of Catholic parishioners gather round these snacks carts that sell "puto bumbong". They are sticky, delicious, purple-colored glutinous rice flour, and steamed in slim bamboo tubes, type of delicacy that's unique to the Philippines. They are topped with grated coconut and sugar and served on strips of banana leaves.

My friends and I would carol each night starting December 10th and I would save my portion so I'd be ready to buy one. Often, I would beg my dad to give me a similar amount to what I earned so I can buy two! They are my favorite Christmas treat! Since the vendors are more prolific at midnight at Christmas Day, we would help each other wake up at 11:30 and walk all the way to the church where the vendors are lined up for the after mass mob.


They are the highlight of those Christmases for me and I wish that I can taste them once more...

Thanks Beverly for such a grand idea for Pink Saturday! And thank you all for stopping by!

So Grateful

Hosted by Susan and Leigh
Hello everyone! Yes, I'm still alive and kickin'... Just got real crazy over here but it will turn around soon (I hope).

Thought I'd share this year's Thanksgiving decor, starting with my mantle. (Don't mind the lights, it's for the kiddos.)

The hubs and I managed to dig out some of my past T-day decor so I gathered all of my bright foliage and did this!
I don't know if you can see it, but the centerpiece is a purple cornucopia. I just layered everything that I owned and I think it worked out great. What do you think?
I didn't have anywhere to put my husband's Mt. Bachelor print, so I "semi" covered it up with this suede-like pretty placemat I got from Walmart last year. The candles were from Target back in 2007, while the candlesticks were from Ross last January.
On each end, I placed a framed picture that means a lot to me. This one is of me and my first daughter (Nov '96), L-Infinity when I married my husband Mr. Man back in October 1996.
This one is of my Dad's; it's the only clear picture I have of him. Both pictures anchor the mantle to complete my gratitude. Now I have three children, married 13 years, and just plain happy and grateful. :-D


Ok, onto the table...
THEME:
"Color ME Grateful"

INSPIRATION:
Different shades of Fall decor
So you seen my "ORANGE" side, but now here's the more "EARTHY (browns, burgundy, moss greens) side of FALL... I chose all the dishes I own that can compliment my tablecloth (Kohl's; 80% off); runner (Kohl's; 65% off). Yes, again, I regale you with my "Pretty, Inexpensive" signature of a tablescape! I accented it with some orange to pick up the mantle and the orange in the runner.
















I layered my Canopy "Golden Wheat", ONLY Gibson "Wheat", Food Network "Red Currant" plates and Thomson "Bianca" bowl to make my placesetting. I found my Target find napkins and just placed one inside each bowl to "pretty it up".








(ooopppsss... I forgot to place a napkin on that placesetting. Pretend you didn't notice, ok? Thanks!)

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you all a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

A Quick Hello...

Next week is finals, so I'm easing into the routine of blogging again. Hopefully, I can keep up with the holiday preps, birthday and all the projects we have going one as well as blog and do tablescapes. Well... we'll see! Wish me luck!

Missin' all of you... Hopefully, see you this week!

Spooky Inspirations...

Hosted by Susan and Leigh
A little too busy again so I thought I could just regale you with delectably spooky inspirations for Halloween! *cackling* It's FREE (being thrifty) and CREATIVE (inspiring tables)...

Magick Rituals dot com

Semi Homemade dot com

E How dot com

How to Make a Halloween Tablescape (E How dot com)

Things You'll Need:
A roll of cork, approximately one quarter inch thick
Black poster paint
White poster paint
One foam brush
A retractable utility knife or equivalent
Fake rubber snakes, bugs and spiders
An old glove
One old newspaper or magazine
A piece of thick cardboard or a cutting mat
A vinyl tablecloth
Double stick tape
A costume ring or bracelet
Silk or paper leaves

Place the vinyl tablecloth onto the table where you want to make the Halloween tablescape. This will be used to protect the table. An old sheet or old tablecloth may also be used. Place strips of double-stick tape on the vinyl tablecloth. The double-stick tape will help keep the cork layer secure.

Unroll the cork onto the dining room table. Place the cork in a horizontal direction to achieve a flat surface. The cork may be unrolled just in the center of the table, to create a Halloween tablescape that will also accommodate dinner guests. Or, place unrolled cork on all surfaces of the table to create a complete Halloween tablescape.

Cut any excess pieces of cork from around the edges of the table. There will be more cutting required if the table is round, than if it is square. Use the retractable utility knife to carefully trim off the excess cork. Save the larger cork pieces for other projects.

Create openings in the cork for a three-dimensional effect. Draw a square near the center of the cork. From the center of the square, draw a large letter "x" which creates four triangles. Cut along the letter "x" leaving the outside of the square intact. Fold back the cork to create a creepy opening in the Halloween tablescape. Make more openings like this in different sizes.

Paint the cork with the black paint using the foam brush. The paint can be dabbed on or brushed on with a dry bush. Brush on white to create a cork surface that is a blend of white, black and gray. Use a rag or cloth to dab off excess paint.
Stuff the glove with pieces of crumpled newspaper. Paint the glove black. Add a piece of costume jewelry to the glove. Set the glove aside until it's dry.

Decorate the Halloween tablescape with the fake bugs, spiders and the hand. Stick the fake creatures slightly under the cork and through the openings in the cork. They will look as if they are crawling out of the ground. Also set the hand in the largest whole, to look like it is reaching out from the ground.

Scatter silk or paper leaves around the openings, and the table. Add any other Halloween gourds or miniature pumpkins to the Halloween tablescape.

Thanks to our hosts, Susan and Leigh once again. And to all of you, have a great weekend! Thank you, thank you!

Just A Halloween Table

Hosted by Susan and Leigh
THEME:
"Some Cookie Halloween"

INSPIRATION:
New cutters from Walmart
I didn't have any real rhyme or reason for this table, I just played around with the colors and the great buys I found from Ross and Walmart like the cute cookie cutters! I wanted to show them off somehow.

What do you think?

I like this blurry shot, it gave the table an eerie look. "woooooooo!"
Here's what it looks like normal...
An aerial shot of course.
Oh sorry, couldn't hold the camera straight. LOL

Here are the "stars" (get it they're bright like stars?) of the show!

I placed a tealight on top of each kitchen towel inside each cutter. The towels each have a different look (Ross, $4.99 for 3). I used my red Canopy "Cranberry" dinner plates (Walmart, $1 clearance each) and a black denim fabric I also got from Walmart where I got a 50-cent a yard discount because it was the last of the roll...

A pumpkin cutter...
Can't be Halloween without a ghostly form...
No Halloween without a glimpse of a black cat, right?
Or a gravestone for sure.
Heres' another pumpkin for those awesome jack-o's...
And last but not least, a skull form to round out the pack!

Each of the cutters were only $2-3 per set of 3, at Walmart. The tealights were from IKEA, 100 for $2.99 only! And the glasses and the candle holders, I got them from Marshall's and Hobby Lobby, respectively, for a deep discount, too!

Thanks to both our lovely hosts and to all of you for stopping by!

Have yourself a "cookie" Halloween! "mwah-ha-ha-ha!!!" (a bit much?)

Welcome Autumn!

Hosted by Rhoda
Hosted by Susan and Leigh

Hi everybody, I'm back! Well, temporarily anyway... Found some time and space tonight to do a Fall tablescape and it just happens to be Thrifty and Tablescape Thursday as well as a Fall Party! Lucky me!

THEME:
"Fall Is Here"

INSPIRATION:
Clearance Fall Tablecloth
I found this tablecloth at Kohl's a few months back for 80% off or $2.99 only!!! I was so happy when I found it but quickly blanked out on what to do with it. Then this whole uninvited break comes along and I completely forgot about it until just recently when I found it in one of our closets.

The Gibson "Wheat" dinnerware (I'm still not a fan of Gibson; just sayin') beautifully contrasts against the full pattern of the tablecloth. And... I only paid 99 cents each for those dinner plates! My thoughts, "voila!" a great tablescape!

Then there's my another Kohl's 80% find- Food Network's "Currant" dinnerware. Paid only $1.59 per salad plate!
Here's the tablescape. Informal yet with understated elegance. How?
All the pieces used are found on clearance or dirt cheap.

Two colors of paper napkins, purposely brighter than the tablecloth to simulate lightness or "floating" effect. The iron candleholder, also 80% off at Kohl's...
Gorham "Rose Serenade" crystal goblets, only $4 each, normally $15...
The fun setting of the utensils, Hampton's "Lace", deliberate to give each setting its own spotlight. (sorry the crystals are not polished, didn't have time.)
Didn't use any placemats or chargers to give it a more casual and rustic feel. Just like autumn...
Would you like to sit down? Choose a spot and enjoy a feast of your own choice abundant this season...
Aerial shot of the centerpiece- from back in June; candles, my staple white pillars.
A better aerial view...
How about here, by the window and feel the crisp breeze an autumn eve brings.

Thank you much to both our hosts, Susan, Rhoda and Leigh for being such wonderful hosts. And to all of you for being patient with me. I hope to be able to keep up with more memes soon!

TABLESCAPING IDEAS: ("Brain" is happy to have done one!) For busy or printed tablecloths, punctuate and accentuate simultaneously with solid dinnerware. Each piece stands out and blend in quietly, giving a harmonious note to any table.

You are the best!

Taking a breather... Loved all your comments!

Hanson Patch, sometimes, I'm telepathetic, I mean, telepathic. ;-)

Cathy, trying to take more of those breathers... So could use them. FB is so mind numbing sometimes, I revert to that

I agree with Beansieleigh, sometimes flat sheets are better alternatives though in my kids' case, not all the time. ;-)

Nonna Beach please, please forgive me for not checking in on time but if you get this, please add me to your invited guests for your blog. I love checking in on you when I can.

Christine you are just one of the sweetest ladies I ever came across. Big hugs!

Ok, an update:
I'm still alive... :-) Just so grateful for that!

I'm Still Alive... But Barely

Ok... This is getting ridiculous. I have a full house, I mean apartment unit with one of my teen daughter's friends, now living with us. My dining room, groaning under extra food and supplies, my coffee table, lost under extra boxes and my time, totall spent on catching on homework and errands! *sigh*

I am working on getting my Fall stuff out of the storage and stealing a few hours to get a tablescape or two, done for your viewing pleasures. UNTIL THEN... I'll be here, at home, trying not to fall flat on my face from being too exhausted.

TABLESCAPING IDEA: ("Brain" says... zzzzz...) Tablecloth got you baffled between fabric and vinyl? Have little ones? Then go for vinyl tablecloth with fabric like textures on it and subtle designs. Looks expensive and pretty but durable and checkbook friendly!

A Little Too "Cloche"...

Hosted by Marty
As of late, time is just not on my side, but I couldn't break a promise to join a great party, right? Right! So, though I couldn't afford any real cloche out there, I did manage to find a great alternative. Yay!!!

I needed something small but worthy of using a cloche on so I thought and I thought... Hmmm... Aha! My most important bling! Not money wise, but sentiments wise.

See, the ring is my "upgraded-after 10 years of marriage" wedding ring (and cause I lost the original one. *very sad face*; my mom's ruby earrings for my eldest and the gold bracelet that my baby sister gave me, just because... It's been raining here so the lighting is just horrible.

See how they look in my cloche.

Ha ha, it's an upside down crystal water goblet called "Rose Serenade" by Gorham.

Doesn't it look like a fancy cloche when you don't see the stem?

Proof time... Before it was washed. Found it at Tuesday Morning. Details, next Thursday. But knowing me, I got it at a great deal!

Marty, thanks for being a great host for this party, and so sorry I'M LATE... Thanks for visiting y'all!

TABLESCAPING IDEA: ("Brain" is sleepy...) Just like in this party, there are always alternatives, so find one for every great idea you see in magazines. Sometimes, yours turn out better.