Fire and Ice - Christmas Tablescape!

I apologize for my absence, I wish I had a good story to explain my whereabouts but truth be told, I've just been sick and then catching up from being sick. Being sick really but a damper on the start of the holiday festivities for me. I  missed my birthday and Thanksgiving.  I was bound to not let it take me out of Christmas too, my absolutely favorite holiday. Thankfully, I am well again and Christmas festivities can begin in earnest! Merry Christmas Everyone!

We decided to scale back Christmas this year  though due to the pending move in the spring. It didn't sound like a lot fun to have to wrap back up all the ornaments etc when I am also wrapping up everything in the house. However, that did not stop me from creating a festive tablescape! I like to think of this one as fire and ice. Almost hate to burn the candles tho since finding gold candles was a bit of a chore so it might just be called would be fire and ice....

This tablescape features my Manhattan vase and collection of vintage glass candelabras. On the ends are my newest additions, Cambridge Caprice trindle holders followed inward by an unknown maker deco pair, and then my favorites, the Cambridge Arms and bases which are a super fun set. They are modular and all sorts of accessories were available. See the advertisement photo I copied in below for some examples of their versatility. The arms can stack on one another for a huge centerpiece, or they can stand on their own for a wider centerpiece. You can buy different bases for the arms or even have the arms set in a big bowl. They made peg vases to fit inside the candle holders so flowers could be included in the arrangement. There are also bobeches, prisms, peg figurines, and nappy bowls that could be added. I like the nappy bowls the best.  I saw one advertisement where they used the nappy bowls as a lazy susan. Clever! Course I have none of the accessories yet but that's just something else to collect! Darn!

Super Cute!

I still haven't gotten back into the swing of things packing wise, but the contractor is coming tomorrow to do a run through on the current house of all the things we need to fix. That'll be a fun list I am sure... Once we have that list we'll sketch out the overall timeline for getting everything done including the overall plan for packing/staging. I am dying in anticipation of getting thing moving forward  (literally), and I am trying hard not to get ahead of myself thinking about what the new house could be like. It'd be nice if I could just twinkle my nose like Samantha and everything was done, course then I'd have less to blog about so I guess I'll just stick it out and entertain the masses... =)

In the meantime, I've been super good about shopping, and I haven't bought hardly a thing! I did allow myself to buy this super cute hair comb this past weekend while my sister was here (does this count as a fascinator or does it have to have feathers to be one??). We made the rounds including going up to Georgetown to visit a friend of mine and eat lunch up there and while we were there she took us to a consignment store that apparently used to have a whole backroom of vintage clothing. Unfortunately all they had vintage now is some aprons and a slew of hats. I couldn't resist this little number as it was super cute, super cheap and from Gimbels! How fun is that. I think I'll wear it on my up coming birthday.

Gimbels got me thinking about Christmas, my absolute favorite holiday other than Flag Day when I certain sister of mine arrived. Although I love Christmas, it's not in that every-day-is-like-Christmas-decorating way, I just love the smell and sparkle of it more than any other holiday. The food and decorations are a close second though to the excuse to sing Christmas carols at any moment. My husband and I have an agreement that between Thanksgiving and New Years I can sing as many carols as I want, but I am not allowed a single peep after New Years Day. Sigh... I do love to decorate, but this year I have a conundrum. I've put all my packed boxes thus far in the spot where my tree goes... So I guess I have to make some changes to get a real staging area for my boxes. Christmas is also the perfect excuse for creating tablescapes and no boxes are in the way for that endeavor! Here's the past couple of Christmas tablescapes. I have this year's all planned out already so I better get it started before I pack it all away! Stay tuned.

Snowglobe/Snowman Christmas - 2010
Love the excuse to buy net Christmas Tablecloths!

Poinsetta/Gold Glitter Tree Christmas - 2009

Extreme Collectorating = Tablescapes!

Well meaning friends say there is a fine line between collectorating and hoarding... To them I say you haven't found the beauty of well functioning tablescapes yet!!! So there... cough... In any case, my new favorite thing of late is creating works of art with my favorite collectibles. Only trouble is it gives me more excuses to buy more things (like I need anymore excuses). Case in point these two lovely birds. I can honestly say I bought them for the sole purpose of standing next to this McCoy Floraline vase.


A worthy purchase I think.  My favorite trio of late though is one that came together on its own over time not through a tablescape-need-justification. A nice, sunny yellow combo of Alamo and Shawnee vases and a Maddux Chinese Pheasant. It makes me happy just looking at it even though the bright yellow reminds me that it has been exhaustingly sunny for waaaaaay too many days this summer. What would make me feel better is if I could find the running pheasant in the same Maddux series which still frustratingly alludes me! Ok, I'd settle for 80 degree weather for awhile instead.

So what may seem on the outside as over-collectorating is really functional on the inside. I found that I actually make the effort get the pieces out and arrange them in new ways and funny so does "the boy." I'll come home and find his own carefully assembled scape filled with flowers. Now that's love. So not only am I enjoying all the pieces I've found, I'm actually using them too which makes me very happy even if I don't have the Maddux running pheasant! oh that fast 'scaping bird... Tune in for more tablescapes coming soon!