Easing Into Fall 2011 Tablescape

...And I am more than the fallen leaf

That Autumn winds hath blown along-

I am more than the branch that breaks

When the wind proves itself too strong-

But I am like the tree that dances

To the music of the lilted wind song...

(from one of my many unfinished poems)

  The past few days have been so beautiful here, with weather that beckons everyone to go outdoors. The afternoons with gentle breezes make it almost easy to forget that we in Oklahoma just experienced one of the hottest summers on record.

 I've heard that people favor the time of year they were born and if that's the case, then it makes perfect sense that Fall should be my favorite season.  It is.

I set this table for Labor Day and then we changed our plans that very day and went to my sisters for a hamburger cookout instead.  

I think this table hints at the season to come, and would have been really cute set outside or better yet, inside a barn!  It does have a country farm feel. 

I used the same burlap fabric from last week as a long runner across the table.  I have set many tables with cloths that don't fully cover the table and leave some of the wood exposed.  I love this look. My table is worn and rugged but it did not start out that way.  I still run across this very table in magazines but it still looks brand new there.  I like that we've worn this baby in.  It looks like an antique now because it's been weathered naturally ( if you call a family of eight natural). 

Inexpensive dish towels were used in place of chargers or placemats.  They are tri-folded lengthwise and allowed to hang over the edge of the table. They help define each space.  I bought these at Tuesday Morning months ago for only a few dollars for a pack of six.  I now wish I'd purchased some of the other colors they had at the time; blue, green, and black.

I crumbled up a little Raffia at each place setting as I think it conjures up the image of hay, and I love the added texture.  This is easily removed before dinner as it may prove to be a little cumbersome to eat around (that is what Ashton thinks).

I began setting the table with these Royal Doulton plates...

 ...such a pretty pattern...

...with the sweetest little butterfly trying to hide amongst the fruits and flowers...

...and then I got to the last place setting only to realize I had seven plates, not eight.

Improv time.

Take away three of the Royal Doulton plates and bring in four of these Ridgway plates for a mixed table setting.  I like mixing it up anyway.

 Aren't these pretty?  I have one of each of the plates in my every day set of mix-n-match red transferware plates.  The rest of them are for sale in my Etsy shop, English Transferware.

This one has a pretty border as well.

I chose to use my faux bamboo flatware (Horchow)

 and old fashioned, mock bubble glasses (Walmart).

Believe it or not I couldn't find one of my napkins either.  I mixed them up and then wound up finding the missing one...so you might notice this in some of the photos.  What is uniform is that I tied a few strands of hemp around each napkin instead of using napkin rings.  I love this stuff.  I've found so many uses for this as of late, including my demijohn project.

I've wanted to use these rounded twig forms as a centerpiece for a while now and this seemed a perfect match.  I scrunched up a gingham tablecloth, laid a leafy, fruity garland on top and then wedged the forms into the greenery so they would be stable and not roll around.  To further evoke the feeling of Fall, I placed a few apples here and there.  Simple centerpiece!  The twiggy forms are from Hobby Lobby, and if I remember correctly, they are only $2-3 (when you buy them half off).  

Shawn remarked a couple of times about how much he liked this tablesetting.  I hope you all like it too!


Update:    Sometimes you all ask if we eat at the tables I set and the answer is sometimes.  It really just depends on what we have going on as a family.  With my two oldest boys living on their own and my other four children being teens involved in extracurricular activities it is not as often as I'd like that we all eat together. Yesterday, September 11th, was Michael's 22nd birthday and we enjoyed his favorite meal at this table.

Joining:

Pink Saturday
Susan at Between Naps on The Porch
On Sutton Place
Kate at Chic on a Shoestring
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chich Cottage
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Friday Inspiration At The Picket Fence
Stuff and Nonsense
Cindy at My Romantic HomeAmaze Me Monday at Dittle Dattle 
French Inspiration Thursday
Share the Love Wednesday
Farmhouse Friday
DIY Showoff
Funky Junk Interiors
2805 
Designer Garden
Show and Tell Saturday