Holly Jolly Tablescape

The Christmas season came and went, leaving us to revel in the final moments of holiday bliss. Meals enjoyed at the dinner table were created to set the ambience for warm and enjoyable festive gatherings. This tablescape was no different, as it reflects the feeling I get when the season is in full bloom. 

I used holiday tableware, colorful, and whimsical napkins, to create a fun-looking table setting. my whole family would enjoy. 

These felt placemats are my kids' favorite. They also love the dinner plates which are made of melamine, and therefore, considered kid-friendly. The plates were sold individually and I happily got to choose one of each...just because :).

"Oh Christmas tree! Oh Christmas tree! Much pleasure thou canst give me"

Meet little St Nick!

The table runner is just four placemats laid out closely together.

The reindeer appear so majestic in this photo.

And there you have it...a Holly Jolly Tablescape. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a safe and Happy New Year!

Fun and Festive Holiday Kids' Table

Christmas is without a doubt the most wonderful time of the year. 
"With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you "Be of good cheer"
It's the most wonderful time of the year..."

To help kids celebrate the season, I put together a pretty little tablescape where they will feel comfortable hanging out, away from the hustle and bustle at the adult table. This is a place where they can relax, be themselves, and best of all, have lots of yummy treats. Sugary treats aren't a constant in my home, but I allow my kids to indulge on occasions. 

Holiday Tablescape Done Two Ways

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos

Everybody knows a turkey and some
Mistletoe help to make the season bright..."

Everybody knows that, but do you also know what helps to make the season bright? Can you guess? Well let me tell you; a very simple, pretty, and festive Christmas tablescape.

Red and green tassel napkins, red ornaments nestled on top of crystal candleholders, and beautiful red and white roses. These are the little colorful touches that put me in the mood for caroling :).

To create this setting, I basically layered a clear glass salad plate on top of a white/plaid dinner plate.

Dining Room Reveal!

Hello everyone! Today, after keeping you waiting, I finally get to share my completed dining space. 



For those of you reading for the first time, my artwork was delivered broken twice, so I was faced with a quick decision to improvise. Despite the minor setbacks, I managed to keep on going because as we all know, "slow and steady wins the race". I look back at the many challenges encountered and still have no regrets. I would do it again, and again, and again. With that said, I think I might just be addicted because this is my 6th time participating. 

Here is where I began; the before:

Now after few weeks of waiting, I humbly present to you my little blue dining room : ).

Week 6 - Dining Room Makeover

Hello everyone. We are officially at the end of a long 6 weeks of the One Room Challenge. 

I experienced a minor setback when my artwork arrived broken, not 1 but 2 times. I was assured the replacement would be packaged carefully, but it happened again. 

I had to purchase from another company which set me back a little, but not to worry, I will be adding my final reveal link on Saturday. I worked so hard, it drove me to tears...literally. I was really disappointed, but I got up and continued the fight : ). 

I desperately tried to salvage the art but the glass was glued to the frame, so I had to toss them both. 

Thanks for stopping by. Please check back this Saturday for the final reveal. I sincerely apologize, and I will definitely add another link to the Linkup. Have a great day!

Hurry over to Calling It Home to see the many completed spaces.

ORC: Week 5 - Dining room Makeover

Welcome to Week 5 of the One Room Challenge, and thanks for following along. I am in total disbelief we have only one week left before the grand reveal. I must say, it has been an exciting, yet intense four weeks, but I am super happy I did not rescind. Slow and steady wins the race, so 'hang in there' my fellow participants.

Take a look at my DIY brush stroke lamps. They are now done and ready to shine, (pun intended)...ha!

I cannot tell you the many times I shook my hands while holding the brush, to calm my nerves before painting. All fear took flight after I did my first test-run on a sheet of paper. 

As luck would have it, the lamps came out looking quite lovely. I love them so much I plan on using this same technique again. My next step now, is to find two shades that match them. 

The buffet drawers are stained, and the color is starting to set in. 

I am still on the hunt for artwork, after receiving two orders with the glass broken into pieces, ughh! But not to worry; challenges and successes work together for a great show. After today, the next post should reveal a finished and completed dining room space. Check out my weekly progress by clicking on each week's link; Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, and Week 4. Thanks for stopping by, and kindly pay Linda's blog a visit to see more than 100 rooms in progress. 

A big thank you to my sponsor Lamps Plus for helping to make this makeover possible!

Have an excellent day/weekend, and please remember to reset your clocks backward 1 hour this Sunday night!

Take a Look - Stunning Chandelier! Week 4

Hello everyone! We are now in the fourth week of the One Room Challenge, and I am extremely excited, anxiously awaiting the completion of all the room makeovers. I am in the middle of redecorating my dining space, and would like to share this gorgeous chandelier with you all. It is the very stunning Vienna Full Spectrum Beverly 26" Wide Crystal Chandelier in a bronze finish, from Lamps Plus. As you can see, it is adorned with beautiful clear crystals, and I really, really, love it! 

It was super easy to install, and was quickly done by my husband who, I can assure you, is by no means an electrician. I suggested the addition of a ceiling medallion to enhance its looks. 

My four year old refers to the large round crystal, extending from the center, as a "disco ball" :-).

Lamps Plus has a huge selection, and I must admit I had a hard time deciding on which chandelier to choose for the room. In the end I managed to narrow it down to these. 

From left to right -
1. Gaviota Pendant  2. Vienna Full Spectrum  3. Possini Euro Nicol  4. Possini Euro Crystal

From there on I figured out which light fixture would most suitably work in the space. The room is close to completion, and should be as we are in the final stretch. 

I painted the brush stroke lamps and they seemingly overwhelm the space. They are large lamps, 24" high to be exact, but not to worry, plan B is set in motion, in case plan A fails.

The table is being stained and the change is already evident in the finish. 

I need to mention a minor disappointment I experienced yesterday. My artwork arrived broken in pieces; however I managed to work it out, and should receive a replacement within 24 hours. Well, that is all for now. Thanks for stopping by and please check out the other spaces over at Calling it Home. 

Have a great day/weekend!

This post was sponsored by Lamps Plus who provided me with this stunning chandelier. All opinions are completely mine. I appreciate sponsors like these who support my endeavors with regard to this blog!

Progress: ORC - Week 3

Here we are in Week 3 folks! We have made it thus far : ), and we will not give up until we reach the finish line. I do hope I am safe in saying this. Hopefully everyone else expresses similar sentiments.
Well, I am really excited as I gaze upon my very lovely chandelier now hung. It. is. so. very. beautiful (full stop). It adds a regal feel to the room and commands such presence.

 Thanks again Lamps Plus. Here is a peek of it hung, with the ceiling medallion.

Unfortunately nothing could be done about the popcorn ceiling. I contemplated removing it but because of the open floor plan on the first floor, all the rooms have connecting ceilings. Sadly, there is not even one definitive ceiling space to work with so the popcorn stays. The medallion proved a bit challenging because I did not want to use screws to hold it. I worked it out in the end and had it glued in no time.

The rug also arrived looking quite 'spiffy'. Maybe bright colors is not your thing, but I really and truly love it. It is 100% wool, very soft, and very thick. Please believe me when I say my 4 year old plays on it every day since its arrival. He loves it!

I received the tassel curtains as well, and nearly had them returned because they seemed a bit narrow. I am glad I changed  my mind though because they grew on me.

As the title of my post denotes, there is progress over here :). As a reminder here is my design plan for the room.

Thanks for stopping by and please pay a visit to Linda's blog to see the progress  my fellow participants have made.

Have a great day/weekend!

Dining Rm Makeover Plan: ORC - Week 2

We are currently in Week 2 of the One Room Challenge and I now have a better sense of direction as to where I am headed. Over the past week, I managed to put together a design plan to reveal my intentions for the space. The wall had already been painted Benjamin Moore's Hale Navy, (which took a while to 'grow on me'...ha), and so is not on my list of 'to do's'. 

I am attempting a DIY version of the lovely brushstroke lamp...please wish me luck. I already started the process of painting the ones I have, and am happy with the results so far. Most of the items in my design plan are in my possession which helps to dissipate my anxiety = ).

A very big thanks to my amazing sponsor Lamps Plus for their generous support in providing the lovely chandelier for this Challenge.  To see the room I am making over, go here.

Thanks again for following along and kindly take a look at what my fellow participants are up to so far. Please remember to check in every Wednesday and Thursday for all the bountiful excitement in the ORC.

Have a pleasant day/weekend!

Dining Room Makeover - ORC: Week 1

Today marks the start of the first week for guests participating in the famous Calling It Home's One Room Challenge. I am happy to report that I am a guest participant again, and will be decorating an adult space for the very first time! The ORC is hosted biannually, and includes 20 designers and more than 100 guest participants who design/decorate a space in just 6 short weeks. Each week, participants take us on their journey to reveal challenges and successes encountered along the way. The challenge culminates on week 6 when the final reveal is made.

Kindly follow along as I attempt to make over my dining room. To date, this is what the room looks like. I painted the room Benjamin Moore Hale Navy, but never did anything further to enhance its looks = ). I am not totally loving the dark wood furniture but will definitely be decorating around it. 

The room is not very large, and luckily I have only 3 walls to work with, as one side is open to 2 columns. Please revisit next week to see the plan I have for revamping the space. Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day/weekend!
Don't forget to check in and see what the other guest participants are up to in this challenge. 

Must-Have Back to School Products!

July marks the end of summer for kids living in the south. Fun days are over, and on this side of the globe we are chanting, 'A' is for August, and it's back to school again. Well, if we make learning fun, kids will never even notice the difference. My 4 year old started preschool at home and he is super-duper excited and eager to learn. 

At the end of each day, he asks, "Mommy, is there anything else for me to do". I mean, this makes me happy but I must admit, I was taken aback by his level of enthusiasm. 

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When I made over my daughter's bedroom a few years ago, I had no idea how much people would love it. 

This room makeover was very special to me because I personally made most of the items used to accessorize the space, at the same time making sure it was a fun place to be. 

My daughter was also super-thrilled to see that all her requests were granted and the expression seen on her face is forever etched in my memory for years to come :-).