Summer Tablescape

I do love a good tablescape!

Always have. always will.

Haven't fully decided my plan in the future when we start actually eating dinner at the table as a family.  Any one out there have a good solution for keeping a table looking good and set, but still using it nightly? 

 

Well... while little buddy is still eating mostly "mama milk" and from a high chair, and hubby and I are eating mostly in front of the tv... I will continue to set the table and enjoy it :)

 

So this was our table since March.  Haven't been changing it up as often as I used to. Something about a baby taking up most of my time :)

And I was ready to change it for fall so I decided to take some pictures... (I'll share the fall one soon!)

 

 My mom and I found this awesome tablecloth in Marshall's.  Can't beat that!
Since this technically started as my EASTER table... I decided to use the birds on the table.  Still not sure why birds equaled Easter to me, since Easter usually means eggs, bunnies, or Jesus.  But I went with birds.  And I liked it :)

 And since I only have 3 birds, I did an asymmetrical centerpiece.  Totally a new experience for me. But I really liked it!

The place settings... wooden charger (Williams-Sonoma),  napkin (Crate and Barrel), Blue plate and peacock plate (World Market).

 Here's the other end of the table... I used my green Anthro glasses to tie into the green birdies.

 The "table runner" was actually two blue place mats covered in my great-grandma's handmade doilies.  And then my favorite turquoise pottery bowl as the very middle.  never put anything in it (except large bags of tortilla chips a few times).  But I don't mind the look of an empty bowl, especially this one.

So that was my Easter, end of spring, summer Tablescape! 

I am loving my new fall one!  Totally changed it up this year! 

Summer Chalkboard Art

Found this amazing chalkboard earlier this summer in Canton, TX.  Love the shape, love the size, LOVE the price!  guess how much... $14! Yep, Canton rocks!

It doesn't have a hook for hanging on the wall, which is fine, because I like the look of leaning it. Plus who knows how long I'll want it here by the front door.

Due to pinterest, I've been totally inspired by cool chalkboard art.  Now, I am NOT an artist.  But I can appreciate great art and love cool fonts.  So I made a pinterest board called Chalkboard Art Ideas .  I love looking at this for inspiration, but my inspiration is "what fonts are easy enough for me to copy?" And this is what I came up with for the summer...

I loved it!  Brought me joy each time I looked at it!

And then the calendar turned to September... and I had to change it.  It's time for FALL, even if the temperatures are still in the 100's most days. boo.

Knowing that I probably won't have time to change this for awhile, I decided to go more "thanksgiving theme" rather than just fall....

 I was quite proud of myself for including a little "banner" thing.  I always practice on paper a few times before doing it on the chalkboard.  And the true chalkboard artists talk about making a grid and printing a template from publisher, etc.  Umm.. no. I freehand and I don't use a ruler even.  So it is what it is, off center usually and not quite straight. But I'm okay with it.

After living with the board for a day (and looking at it to admire it often), I decided I needed to move the "give" and "to the"... so here's the final look...

 

By the way... in the time I took to focus on my chalkboard art... (and therefore ignore my child)... I looked up to find my non-mobile, non-crawler, off of the blanket next to me, on the hard wood floor, across the room, and pulling on the drawer under the tv...

Looks like I need to start baby-proofing... and paying closer attention :)