7/23/2012

~Goldenrod Autumn~...an Autumn Tablescape

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Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day!
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A few days ago, I shared my 2010 autumn mantel.
  If you missed it, you can just click HERE.
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  You are probably wondering what in the heck I'm doing...
sharing all these autumn posts.  Well...there is a fabulous autumn
 party going on over at WhisperWood Cottage.
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"The Talent Scouting Party"
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The selected winner will be published in Cottages & Bungalows
 magazine.  I'm really excited!  There are so many fabulous entries...and
 tons of autumn inspiration.  You'll have to go over and check it out.  You
 will find the link to the party at the end of my post.
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Today, for the Talent Scouting party, I thought I would share an
 autumn tablescape that I did last year...called ~Goldenrod Autumn~.
  I hope that you enjoy! 
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~Goldenrod Autumn~
(October 26, 2011)
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Here we are...in my french country dining room.
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I love autumn!
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I love the rich, warm colors!
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~and~
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I love playing dishes!
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I created an autumn table with the new goldenrod colored plates
that I found at Walmart a few weeks ago. I sure had fun with this
tablescape! I hope that you enjoy it too!
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As you can see...my french country dining room is dressed
in red and olive green, with accents of gold. A color palette*
that hosts autumn with ease.
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Not only is autumn my favorite season...but I believe that
a beautifully attired autumn table is my favorite "seasonal"
tablescape as well!

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~Goldenrod Autumn~
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This autumn I seem to have an attraction for the
 warm, rich color of goldenrod.
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"Goldenrod"
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The color goldenrod is a representation of the color of some of the
 deeper gold colored goldenrod flowers.The first known recorded use of
 goldenrod as a color name in English was in 1915.
(source Wikipedia)
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 A large pitcher with matching platter...sharing the same rich hues
 as the new dinner plates...bring the warm glow of "goldenrod autumn"
 to this table.  Autumn pears, golden stemware, and dinner napkins
 also help to bring the "goldenrod" color theme home.
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~Goldenrod Autumn~
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The Table Centerpiece...
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Autumn's Bounty in a Dough Bowl
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I placed a tall masonary candleholder with an "earthy"
 colored candle in the center of a large wooden dough bowl. Autumn
 fruits of grapes, pears, and pomegranites...along with a few sprigs
 of autumn florals, seed pods, and nuts. Deer antlers, pheasant
 feathers, and a stately pheasant join the autumn mix.
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This autumn, I decided upon a "rustic luxe" style of decor
 for my dining room.  If you would like to see my autumn dining room
 in its entirety...you can click HERE.
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The wooden dough bowl filled with autumn's bounty continues the
 "rustic luxe" theme of my dining room...onto the table.
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~Goldenrod Autumn~
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An autumn table set for four.
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The Place Setting...
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Layer upon layer...building a delicious "goldenrod"
 autumn place setting.
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~Goldenrod Autumn~
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The Place Setting
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A natural colored woven wicker charger
An earthy brown charger plate with embossed autumn leaves
A goldenrod colored dinner plate by Mainstays
A sage green salad plate by Gibson
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...topped off with...
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an acorn shaped dessert plate.
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A view from a different direction.
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Luscious autumn layers.
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~Goldenrod Autumn~
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The Table Linens
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Two dinner napkins layered for a colorful effect.  An olive
 green and khaki check dinner napkin serves along with a goldenrod
 colored napkin at each place setting.  I love the pretty white
 embroidered vine on the goldenrod colored napkin! 
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A khaki colored hemstiched table runner makes for a nice
 neutral foundation for this autumn table.
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~Goldenrod Autumn~
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The Stemware
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A simple amber colored goblet works nicely with the
 goldenrod color theme.
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A place setting from a different view.
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Goldenrod Pitcher with a Handled Platter...
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I purchased this pretty "goldenrod" colored pitcher
 and matching platter from a local gift shop several years ago.
  It usually resides atop the refrigerator in my kitchen.
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I love the embossed grapes, vines, and leaves on both
 pieces!  The pitcher and platter have an "old world" feel with
 a distressed finish.  You can actually see the terra cotta colored clay
 bisque under the glaze in places.  I also love that the platter
 has handles in the shape of twisted grapevine!
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This pretty acorn shaped dish came from Dollar Tree
 a few years ago.  I love the embossed lines of the acorn and
 leaves...and the warm, rich reds and greens on the
 oak leaves.
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~Goldenrod Autumn~
in my french country dining room.
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...and for a final thought...
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~Goldenrod Autumn~
in Still Life.
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This was my favorite photo!
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I am joining...
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The Talent Scouting Party
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hosted by Amy over at WhisperWood Cottage.
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Well dear friends...I'm so happy that you stopped by for
 a visit today!  I hope that you enjoyed my ~Goldenrod Autumn~
 tablescape.  Please leave me a note and let me know that you
 were here.  I would love to visit with you!
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Warmest Wishes!
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7/19/2012

~Autumn Abundance~...an Autumn Mantel

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Hello my friends...I hope that you're having a fabulous day!

You must be wondering what the heck I'm doing...showing
 an autumn mantelscape in the middle of summer. 

Well...there is an autumn party going on over at WhisperWood Cottage!

I'm really excited about it because it is a talent scouting contest.
  The winner will be featured in Cottages & Bungelows magazine!  You
 will find the link to The Talent Scouting party over at WhisperWood Cottage
 at the end of my post.  You'll have to go over and check out all of the
 fabulous autumn inspiration...after all...autumn is not that far off!

Today I thought I would share my autumn mantelscape from 2010.
  To date...I believe that it is my favorite autumn mantelscape.
  I hope that you enjoy!
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~Autumn Abundance~
An Autumn Mantel
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Here we are in my olive green living room.
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My faux fireplace is dressed and ready for the autumn season.
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When I think about autumn and all that the season holds...
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I immediately think about an abundant harvest.

  I wanted my fireplace mantel to reflect the abundance of the autumn harvest!
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A decorative piece of pottery filled with grapes and two pheasants are
 showcased...front and center...in this autumn mantlescape.
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I used several different types of foliage...trailing grapevines and autumn
 leaves make up the majority of the thick foliage. If you look close...you will
 see sprigs of autumn colored zebra grass, berries of all sorts, acorns, pheasant
 feathers, and grapes...all interwoven throughout the autumn mantelscape. I
 also used two ornate gold candleholders with pumpkin colored candles....
one on each side of the mantel.
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A closer view...
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The stately pheasants....
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Two gold candleholders with burnt orange colored candles are nestled
 into the foliage on each side of the mantel.
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~Autumn Abundance~
An Autumn Hearth
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*The fireplace hearth is filled with "autumn abundance" as well.
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A tall pitcher filled with autumn foliage sits atop two old leather
 bound books...a large cluster of grapes join in with the mix.  A hat box
 decorated with fruits of an abundant harvest completes the focal
 point for the autumn hearth.
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The metal peacocks are actually old vintage wall hangings.
 I loved the pretty copper, gold, and green shades of the metal feathers.
 So perfect with my autumn mantelscape!
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And there you have it...autumn mantel filled with...
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~Autumn Abundance~
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I'm joining in with
The Talent Scouting Party
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Well my friends...I'm so happy that you stopped by today!  Please leave
 a note and let me know that you were here.  I would love to visit with you!
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Warmest Wishes!
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7/11/2012

Simple Changes in the Living Room



Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day!

Wow...this has been a very lazy summer for me.  It seems that
 I haven't gotten much accomplished around the house.

  I did do one little small thing though...
I rearranged the furniture in the living room.

 Thought I would share a few photos with you of the mini-metamorphosis.
  I hope that you enjoy!


The "Before"
Living Room...Spring 2012*
The "conversational area" in my living room...Spring 2012

My living room is a long and narrow space.  The entertainment/TV
 center, along with two oversized leather chairs, is situated on one end of the
 living room...and a more formal area that I like to call the "conversational
 area" is located at the far end of the room.

Because this area of the living room is narrow...I'm a bit restricted when
 it comes to rearranging the furniture.  I found two different plans that work.
  The first, which you see above in the Spring 2012 photo, has a very "open flow"
 floor plan.  This furniture arrangement is really my favorite...so my living
 room looks like this most of the time, however...it is nice to change
 things up a bit...once in awhile.


The "after"
Living Room...Summer 2012*
The "conversational area" in my living room...Summer 2012

As you can see...the second furniture arrangement option...actually
 divides the long and narrow living room into two seperate areas.  The small
 sofa and sofa table act as a room divider.  The view from the sofa really is nice...
looking out the large arched window into the front yard of our home.  I
 moved the small end table in front of the window and placed the two
 chairs to each side. 
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This new arrangement really does offer a very cozy and intimate conversation area.
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A Summery Vignette for the Table...
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Keeping things simple...a silver champagne bucket filled with summery
 blooms sitting upon an oval silver tray!
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A closer view of the summer floral arrangement.
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I love all the natural light that my living room gets, however it does
 make photographing a bit difficult...especially near the window.
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The fireplace mantel gets a fresh, summery look as well.
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The crystal candelabra is making its "first time" debut.  I actually
 purchased a pair of these beautiful candelabras over a year ago.  I'm
 not sure why I waited so long to bring them out.  I love, love,
 LOVE all the pretty dangling crystals!
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Another simple summer vignette for the sofa table.
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The tall table lamp really does help to bring a "visual" division between
 the two areas of the living room.  At the same time, I chose a simple stack of
 three books for the opposite end of the vignette...so the view of the front
 window remains open throughout the living room.
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The sunlight is waning....making for an interesting photo of the french lady.
  Light and shadows...a photographers best friend!
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Voila...and there you have it!
  My living room's summer metamorphosis!
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I am joining these parties...
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Open House Party...hosted by Sherry over at No Minimalist Here.
Home Sweet Home....hosted by Sherry over at The Charm of Home.
Feathered Nest Friday...hosted by Courtney over at French Country Cottage.
Potpourri Friday...hosted by Honey over at "2805"
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Thank you, ladies...for hosting these lovely parties for us!
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Well dear friends, I'm so happy that you stopped by today!
  I always enjoy your visit!
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Warmest Summery Wishes!
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