Valentine’s Day is Sunday…where does the time go? It was just Christmas! If you are feeling like me and haven’t been able to plan ahead for this Valentine’s Day here are a few last minute Martha Stewart gift ideas that are soft on the pocket book and full with sentiment from the heart…

This heart shaped bookmark is great for the avid reader in your life. Easy enough to do and only requires a few simple items available from the craft store or the nearest Target. For How-To instructions go to Heart Bookmark from Martha Stewart 

A great idea that carries through to spring are these lunch bag  plant holders. Fun for the kids to decorate! For How-To instructions go to: Valentine’s Day Plant Holder from Martha Stewart

For the tea lover in your life I found these heart tea bags to be sweet and simple. For How-To Instructions go to: Heart-Shaped Tea Bag from Martha Stewart

I’m a sucker for a beautifully wrapped gift. I found this poetic gift wrapping idea to be classic, simple, and definitely stylish. For How-To Instructions go to: Poetic Gift Wrapping from Martha Stewart

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!

Recently I fell in love with the Woodland Chalet table linen line from Target. I happened upon a great sale and picked up the tablecloth, napkins, and table runner. The best thing is they are winter themed so I can use them beyond the holidays!

For fun I set a tablescape that was holiday themed with the addition of real evergreen branches, pine cones, holiday ornaments, and two precious little white cardinals that typically sit on my end table. To add a little extra sparkle I tied napkin rings with wire glittered ribbon and interspersed four silver crackle votive holders in the center piece. My favorite touch of sparkle are three oversized silver pinecones I picked up on clearance at Kohls.

This fall I was inspired by a hurricane I saw as a centerpiece for a tablescape in a local Pottery Barn store. I couldn’t bring myself to spend nearly a hundred dollars on a hurricane so I headed to HomeGoods and found this fabulous hurricane-shaped vase for only $15! Two strands of pussy willows strategically wrapped inside the vase brought it to life.  I topped it off with a wood candle holder to contribute to a little ambiance. This centerpiece is on the table year round…only the runner and everything around it gets changed by season.

I hope some of these ideas and photos inspired you with ideas for your own holiday table. Happy Holidays!

I participated in the 69th Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch. Check it out for other holiday tablescape inspiration!

I have William Sonoma soup bowls that are one of my FAVORITE sets of tableware and they are perfect for a Thanksgiving table setting.  Combined with a few pine cones, a fall centerpiece, and linens I had on hand the soup bowls complete the perfectly Thanksgiving inspired table…

The pine cones double as great place card holders and you may notice that I reused two of the painted gourds from my Halloween setting too. It’s always great to re-purpose!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I shared my table setting on Tablescape Thursday on Between Naps on the Porch! Check it out!

Something got into me, I was in the mood to decorate for Halloween and then got a little carried away. What first inspired me were these fabulous black and white pumpkins found on CountryLiving.com:

Photo Credit: countryliving.com

What a great idea! Something different, mildly classy for Halloween decorations, and it had to be easier than trying to carve intricate patterns directly into the pumpkin right? … well, once I got started I realized it wasn’t AS EASY as I thought. So I modified the plan. I started with two pumpkins, and three gourds. My intention was to paint an intricate design on each, I ended up with one spider. Painting directly onto the pumpkin is a multi-step process. A living thing is not designed to take paint easily therefore it resulted in several layers before achieving the look I was hoping for.

Here is what I started with:

Once each pumpkin was painted its appropriate shade of white I began the next step. It took a little effort and searching online to find a spider template I liked. After applying it to one pumpkin I decided that tracing it and then painting multiple layers of black paint on top of multiple layers of white paint was enough. Martha Stewart I am not. So I purchased a couple decorative spiders to sit intricately about the center piece.

That said, Martha still inspires me. I love this table setting on her website:

Photo Credit: marthastewart.com

The lunch plate in Martha’s table setting reminded me of vintage style plates that I recently picked up for a few dollars at HomeGoods (you have to love that store for inexpensive inspiration!). Again, realizing that I am no Martha Stewart but I do have my own style and take on things, I decided to try my hand at combining these two ideas to see what I could create.  Behold, here is the end result…

It wasn’t what I initially had in mind but it was still fun and worth the effort!  … not to mention I can use one of the pumpkins and all three gourds to decorate for Thanksgiving (it’s all about re-use).

 Check out more tablescapes on Tablescape Thursdays at Between Naps On the Porch

P.S. Sorry about the photo quality. I’m working on it.

The fall chill is in the air, the leaves are changing colors, and Halloween is a mere 25 days away! It’s time to break out the pumpkins and these ideas from Martha are simply divine…not to mention doable for the Martha challenged.

 My favorite pumpkins perfect for the front step, porch, and gardens:

Photo Credits: marthastewart.com

Check out Martha Stewart’s website at marthastewart.com for nearly 50 pumpkin decorating ideas. Most had simple how-to instructions…or be inspired and try it out on your own!