It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. At least on my mantel.

So what did you do over the Thanksgiving weekend?

My plan was to stay home and decorate all weekend. Except for Thanksgiving day, when my plan was to eat, eat and eat some more. Oh, and visit with family.

So how did I do? Well, for Thanksgiving I deserve an "A+". I did visit with family and I ate, a lot. But for the rest of the weekend. I'd give myself a "C".

Instead of decorating like I should have been. I decided to go shopping instead. It's kind of hard to shop when you don't have much money. But that is exactly why I shopped on Friday and Saturday instead of decorating. The deals were too good to pass up.

Too bad that the only person I bought any presents for was, well, ME. But don't you think I deserve it?

Plus, I knew I had Sunday to get all my decorating done.

So here it is Monday, and did I get all my decorating done? You betcha.

Nah, I'm fibbing. I got most of my family room decorated. But not the living room, nor is my tree up. And the family room floor and my dining room table is a complete disaster. But my mantel is done.

Well, it's at least presentable enough for the mantel party over at Layla's. I'm sure I will be tweaking it in the weeks to come. But for now, it passes.

The inspiration for this years Christmas decor came by way of the thrift store. See those blue/silvery bells hanging from the ribbon? I found a package of 6 of them for less than a dollar. Not sure if they are vintage. They are at least, vintage looking.

So I decided to go with a cooler color palette of blue & silver.

The taller mercury glass candle holder came from Marshall's. I got it on clearance a few years ago. The base broke the first night I had it up. It seems that I ran hot water over the bottom trying to get off the price sticker. The sticker came off OK, but I guess since the mantel was cold it cracked & broke the bottom. I didn't notice it until the next morning. Lucky for me, the candle holder didn't fall over & break into a bazillion pieces. And hubby glued it all back together for me. Did you notice that I forgot to take photos of the broken pieces and what it looks like now that it is glued together? Let's say it isn't pretty, so I'm hiding it from view.

The two smaller mercury glass candle holders came from Big Lots a few years back. I just placed them on top of some glass candlesticks that I had. That way they looked more like the tall one I had. Now they look almost like they came in a set. But they didn't.

The large plastic snowflake came from Dollar Tree. I've had them for a couple of years as well.

I layered my frame over the mirror. I hung my book page wreath with some pretty ribbon I picked up at Michael's this weekend. Ribbon was like 60% off and I had a coupon to get an additional 20% off my entire purchase. Including sale items. Yipee! I love sales like that.

I added my thrift store bells and a "Merry Christmas" glitter sign that came from I think Walmart, last year. I think they have them again this year.

I have a couple of these mercury glass candle holders with etched snowflakes. I think I got them at Target a couple of years ago.

The "faux" greenery came from Michael's this past weekend. Sale item!!

I added a wide burlap ribbon underneath everything.

More mercury glass and silver on the left side. I just got the two candle holders at Kohl's this weekend. The taller one was on 75% off clearance. The smaller one was 50% off. The silver Christmas tree came from Marshall's or Home Goods a few years back.

I actually planned on using 3 candle sticks here. I had purchased a mercury glass candlestick last year at Target on after Christmas clearance. But I couldn't remember how tall it was. I thought it was shorter than it ended up actually being. It was the same height as my taller one I just got at Kohl's. Looked too funny having two the same height. So I changed one out for the tree instead.

And I was going to wrap my candles with some Christmas music. But I ran out of time.

I'm pretty happy with how this turned out. I just hope that we don't have an earthquake or that someone doesn't bump the mantel.


I'd hate for all my purdy shiny mercury glass to come crashing down.

It would not make for a very happy Christmas, or Kim. Luckily the bells are not glass as I already dropped one on the tile and luckily it did not break.


Oh, I almost forgot to mention the crystal garland. It came from Tai Pan Trading on Black Friday. They had a killer deal on Friday. Spend $50.00 and they give you back a $20.00 gift card (which you could go right back in & spend), plus a free mixing bowl set. Plus 20% off on all Christmas ornaments. Sweet!

I'll show you later what else I bought at Tai Pan. Plus I'll share photos I took at the store.

I still need to add my Christmas stockings. But that would require me making them. Hopefully I get them done before Christmas. As we don't want to use last years stockings again.

Now be sure to visit the hostesses of the linky party(s) below to say thanks and to get more holiday inspiration.

But before you go, let me know what you think of my Christmas mantel.




Linking to:

11/30 Christmas Mantel Party @ The Lettered Cottage

Happy Thanksgiving !!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Did I tell you that I love, love, love this holiday. Probably because it involves food. And a lot of it. And yummy too!!!


Not only is it Thanksgiving, it is also Tablescape Thursday. Be sure to visit Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch to see all the fabulous tablescapes for this week. I'm sure there will be a lot of Thanksgiving tables.

Because I am not hosting Thanksgiving this year I thought I'd share my table from last Thanksgiving. I actually did two different tablescapes last year. But this was my favorite of the two. If you want to see the other table, just click here.

Now on to my favorite:


I had to use my turkey plates!!! I started off this tablescape with a gold tablecloth that I got last year at Walmart, on clearance!!! I then layered a white lace tablecloth over it. The lace tablecloth also came from Walmart on clearance last year as well. Did I mention that I love Walmart!!!

Here is my place setting.


The white chargers are by Pinzon and I got them for free from Amazon. Well I earned 4 of them for free. The other 4 cost me $25 bucks with free shipping. So I actually got 8 charger plates for $25.00. That is a deal! And they are fabulous. My silverware came from Marshall's on clearance a couple of years ago. But I don't know the maker of them.


And here is one of my fabulous cranberry turkey plates. I used the dinner plate and a salad plate.

Here is the back of the plate. As you know, I have service for 24. I've picked up my set over the past few years at Marshall's, TJ Maxx & Home Goods. They were fairly inexpensive as well. I've seen them on ebay. They come in different colors as well. But I love the cranberry ones.


I used 2 different types of crystal goblets. They all came from various thrift stores over the years. I only have 4 in each set. And since I set this table for 6, I used 4 from one set & 2 for the other.

I purchased each of these one at a time at different times.


I just love my turkey napkin rings. I picked them up last summer at a thrift store while on vacation in Arizona. I squealed with delight when I found them. Hubby thinks they are ugly.




The glass acorns came from TJ Maxx last year. They never even made it down from the attic this year.


The napkins are thrift store finds as well. I love the crochet edging on them.

I put a mercury glass votive holder at each place setting. I got a set of 12 last year from Target online.



I placed 2 different sets of salt & pepper shakers from my collection. This set is my largest.

I love the tops of this set. As you can see, I never polish my tops. I love them all tarnished.



For my centerpiece I used my fabulous candelabra. This was originally silver. I bought it at a thrift store years ago. I painted it white, distressed it and then added the acrylic crystals and garland. I had 2 of these that I used on the bridal party table at our wedding reception. I sold one of them on ebay after the wedding. The candles came from Walmart.




The glass turkey bowls came from Joann Fabric a few years back.






I thought the table needed more candlelight. So I added my glass hurricanes. But I thought they were too plain. I had to jazzy them up. So I placed each on a different large crystal candlestick. I didn't want this to be permanent, but I didn't want them falling off either. So I used some candle stick um on the rim of the candlestick & the hurricane vase stuck to it pretty good. It will be easy to remove once Thanksgiving is over.


I have about 10 of these hurricane vases. They are left over from our wedding. They originally came from Walmart I think Walmart still sells them. The crystal candlesticks they are sitting on came from the thrift store. I love the height they give them.

Then I thought it would be cool to add a smaller glass hurricane vase to the inside. I needed to raise it up some so I added some pinto beans. I really wanted to use coffee beans, but we don't drink coffee and we do eat beans. The smaller hurricane vases & the candle came from Dollar Tree.

And one final look at my tablescape.

I hope that each of you has a Happy Thanksgiving!!! May you be safe, may you feel loved and may you eat a lot of yummy food!!! And most important of all, may you not get heartburn.

God bless each & every one of you and thanks for being my blogging friends. You mean a lot to me even though we have never met.


Take care!

My Thanksgiving China Hutch

Wow! I can't believe that Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Time is just rushing by. This will be the first year in the past 5 years since living in my house that we are not hosting Thanksgiving dinner. We are going to my brother's house this year instead. But he only lives about 15 minutes away from me.

I'm not totally off the hook. I still have to bring green bean casserole and our family tradition of green jello Thanksgiving salad.

So even though no one will be coming to my house. I still had to decorate for Thanksgiving. I've already shown you my mantel. And I've shown you a few other areas around my family room that I've decorated.

Now it is time to show you my china hutch.

On top of the hutch I have this cute sign. The fall scripture was a free printable from Betty Crocker Wannabe. I just love it!!! I placed mine in a thrift store frame I got for 25 cents. I painted it ORB (oil rubbed bronze). I use Krylon's version of ORB, which comes out almost black. I then distressed the edges of the frame.

I have also used a couple of Dollar Store pumpkins that I spray painted Heirloom White & then antiqued with watered down burnt umber craft paint.

I used the center from a sunflower that died in my garden. I love the texture this adds. The acorns are fake ones.

I used my Myott turkey plates that I've had for about 4 years. I picked them up at TJ Maxx & Marshall's. I have service for 24. My niece did call me & ask me to bring my turkey plates to use at their house for Thanksgiving. It's become a family tradition now.

I added some other red & white transferware pitchers and creamers that I collect.

The white pitchers and plates are some that are usually on my hutch.




In this cloche I just added a few fall colored gems that I got from Dollar Tree last year. The old bottles usually sit under this cloche for most of the year.

I made these Pottery Barn knockoff chalkboard rocks for Halloween. I just erased the Halloween words & added some Thanksgiving ones. Easy, peasy.

This cloche houses some more old bottles. I just added a pilgrim picture that I found on google images. I used an old flower frog as a picture holder. Added the fall garland to the outside.

On top of my hutch you will find another cloche with old vintage bottles. I added this Thanksgiving wish that I found in my vintage image collection.

I'm wishing you in all sincerity a very pleasant Thanksgiving Day. And I am in deed.

I hope that you have enjoyed my Thanksgiving hutch. If you want to see last years version, you can see it here. But if you do compare, keep in mind that last year I was having company for dinner so I spent more effort in decorating. But I still like this years version, in same ways, even more.



Have a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow and don't eat too much turkey.