HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Happy Halloween all...It's freezing here (we even had something like snow or hail),-hard to tell) but we had about 20 brave trick or treaters.  We have had a fire going all afternoon which has been so cozy.

Brrrr...it's cold out here...and my scary pumpkin had to have a pink candle!!! 

 It's the only one I had...

Here is another shot and you can't tell he has a pink candle!!

It was cold but we have a lovely fire going |
and LOTS of candy left over! 

Do with what you have...

I love Halloween...I always have, but I have to say that I don't have much in the way of table decorations.   So I am putting together a little table with the few things that I do own.  I have been visiting all of the amazing tables with adorable dishes and all sorts of creepy crawlies, witches, and jack-o-lanterns.

It's month end at work and I have been putting in many hours, so I am posting VERY late for this Thursday's TT.  I haven't even carved my pumpkin yet!!! 

Here is my sparse little table (fuzzy pictures and all!!)...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

 Here's a little table for two... 

Just by the light of candles...

Here's a view of the whole place setting...

Napkins are tied with pumpkin-covered ribbon

Looks like there may be soup for dinner...

 

 This happy little witch has a basket of...

 CANDY CORN!!!  How can you have Halloween without candy corn!  She's a nice witch...she'll certainly share!

Well..this is a ceramic pumpkin which will have to do until I get my real one carved!

 I hope everyone gets lots of visits by little ghosts and goblins...that is the best part!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

If you didn't arrive here through Susan's "Between Naps on the Porch" blog, please click on her button up to the right and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!!

Lunch tray

This is a great week for my job!  I am a medical coder for a hospital based medical group.  We have been hearing, for over a year, that there are plans for us to work from home.  Well, it finally happened and Monday was my first day working from home.  YIPPEE!!!!!!

There are lots of perks to this, such as a 5 second commute, being able to see my husband (who works second shift), and not having to go out when we have two feet of snow!  My kitties visit my desk throughout the day too.  My "work" clothes are pretty wild, though.  Today, I was wearing a brown floral thermal shirt and when I got cold, I put on a pink plaid flannel shirt over it.   S-C-A-R-E-Y but warm and nobody was looking!

So what does this have to do with tablescaping and dishes, you ask?  Well...I have to have lunch...soooooooo,  I set this tray for myself (in my VERY chic outfit!).  Prettier than a cafeteria tray, right?

 Lunch was just a turkey and tomato sandwich and tomato soup so there wasn't a need for much tableware

 A plate for the sandwich, a bowl and spoon for the soup, ice water in the glass and...oh look...there's a cupcake!  How did that get there?  The plan was for an apple....hmmmmm

This is the only piece of flatware in sight

 There's that cupcake again...where did my apple go????????

Last view and lunch is over!!! 

I am loving working at home.  All of the coders rotate through the office once a week.  I go into the office on Tuesdays...my officemate is there that day, too.   We get to touch base with our supervisor and do things that have to be done in the office.

Now for the dish on the dishes:

• The plate and bowl are my Gibson everyday dishes
• The "napkin" is a cute autumn hand towel I found at Walgreens.  Great for accidental spills!
• Silverplate soup spoon is Gorham.  I got eight of them on ebay-they should pay me for advertising for them ;-)
• The tray is from T.J.Maxx and I love the size of it.  It was $13
• That sneaky cupcake is in a small cut glass dish that I have had for many years.  I have six of them

Schedules, schedules, schedules

Fall makes me happy because it's cool and I feel more like cooking and baking...the problem is, people are back into their busy schedules (pronounced "shed-yules", according to my Brit), so get-togethers take some juggling.

I am looking forward to having company for dinner...once I can schedule it. BUT, I can certainly have a menu planned and a tablescape ready!  In my mind, it's nearly a done deal, I just need to get my guest list in order. I'd better get to it soon because this tablescape plan has a definite autumnal feel!!

A casual table with the "Gollum" dishes (you know all about those!) 

Dinner plate, salad plate, and soup bowl/underplate...simple and pretty

A straight on view with crooked silver...my signature!! :-)

 

Interesting colored and shaped gourds 

Again, my mother's silverplate and those paisley napkins that I love

Oops...I should have put a few candles on the table...I promise I will when dinner is served!

Now for the dish on the dishes:

• Everyone knows the "Gollum" dishes...I didn't get the deal at Big Lots-mine were from Linens 'n Things for a bit more $$
• All purpose glasses are Marquis by Waterford
• I used these lovely paisley napkins last week.  I found them at T.J.Maxx and LOVE them
• The simple silverplate was my mother's from when she was a new bride in the 1940s
• The cut glass tripod dish with the gourds was her's as well 
• Gourds from Walgreens and ribbon from the Dollar Tree

It's pretty simple, but I think a warm table and a delicious dinner will make for a good time!

I'm happy that you stopped by and I hope to see you at your "place"

Tess

Pumpkin and Paisley

It is getting beautiful here...it's cool and the leaves are changing.  The colors should be gorgeous in a few days.  Autumn just makes me so happy.   We used our fireplace over the weekend for the first time this season.  It was wonderful!!

I decided to use fall colors and some new finds to do my tablescape this week. 

 These placemats are nice and large so everything fits nicely.  You can see our tiffany-style chandelier reflected on the table!

 I love this ceramic pumpkin...at first I thought you could put a candle side, but I don't think so...

Here is a closer look...

 Oh yes...frosted oak leaf cookies.  They just seemed to go with the table...AND they were good!

  The white plate is a favorite pattern of mine.  I wish I had more pieces!!

 I used this silverplated flatware...it seemed to go better with this table than my Damask Rose would have.  I love this pattern too.

This bread plate has a nicely embossed pattern that goes well with the plates, though it isn't a match.

Oh...there are those cookies again...I'm surprised none are missing!!!

Now for the dish on the dishes:

• The plates are Royal Albert Old Country Garden from ebay
• The maroon salad plates are from Big Lots for a great price
• The placemats and napkins were from a trip to T. J. Maxx with my sister before she left for New Mexico.  They are Ralph Lauren and were a terrific price.  I was able to get eight of each!!
• Napkin rings are from Oneida and I have had them for ages
• The white pumpkin was found on that trip as well, but I left it there until I couldn't stand it any more and went back to get...thank goodness it was still there!!!
• The plate holding those cookies is from Tea with Grace
• Silverplate is Oneida Vanessa/Francesca found on ebay.  The butter spreaders are from ebay also, but I don't know the pattern
• Candle holders- I've had for a long time...don't remember where I got them
• Cookies by yours truly (with cookie cutter from ebay-are you surprised???)

Hope you are all enjoying your autumn...Thank you stopping by and you know that I love all of your comments!!

Thank you!

Tess

Autumn tea time

Hello ladies (and any gentlemen as well)...this is my first post for the "Tuesday Teas".  I have been visiting and watching your blogs for several months and decided to join in.

My mother had a wonderful teacup collection and I started mine with her.  I inherited her teacup collection and this cup was one of hers.  I thought it looked very autumnal and perfect for this time of year.

It was cool this past weekend, so I made leaf cookies
and frosted them in autumn colors!  They are great with tea or coffee...                                                 

The white china teapot is Polish china which

complements other china that I have. 

This tea cup is from Bavaria, Germany

The cookies are on a Royal Albert Val D'Or dessert plate

The teaspoon is Oneida Damask Rose

The tea pot is from Tea with Grace

The pumpkin was just purchased at T.J. Maxx

Thank you for letting me join you and I hope to see you again!

Tess