Sorry for the delay in this posting. I meant to do it on Friday but even the best laid plans get interrupted with that little thing called “life”. So take my humble apologies and let’s get crackin’…..
The Halloween tablescape was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s poem, “The Raven” which in turned inspired the individual aspects of the table from plates to flowers.
Gargoyle Place Card: Dollar Mart – I love placing a little something in the center of my place settings whether it be a flower, candy or in this case a little statue of a gargoyle. They were purchased for $1 at the Dollar Store. If your community doesn’t have a Dollar Store then try Amazon or The Oriental Trading Company for similar statues.
Dinner Plate: HomeGoods - The plates were a find at HomeGoods for $3.99 per plate. Similar plates can be found at West Elm, Wayfair and Z Gallerie
Flatware: Sur La Table – these pieces were bought last summer on clearance for $1.99 per utensil. Similar pieces can be found on Ebay or if you have a budget Dolce Tableware currently has this beautiful olive wood flatware set.
Feather Charger: DIY – I knew I wanted black feather chargers for each place setting but could not find anything that exactly matched my mental image, so like any good bloggers, I opted to make my own. The chargers are stiff black poster board and three different types of feathers. A full tutorial will be up on the blog this week on how to make your own. However, if the thought of being covered by glue and feathers doesn’t entice you, then check out these feather chargers from Z Gallerie and Cadeaux.
Napkins & Napkin Ring: Crate & Barrel/Pottery Barn – The linen napkins were picked up at the Crate and Barrel outlet for $1.99 a piece but can still be purchased in stores. The napkins rings are part of Pottery Barn’s caterer box series which is also available in stores and online.
Wine Goblet: Dollar Store – So I have to be honest, I cheated on this aspect of the table for effect. The black wine glasses I originally sourced for the table from Target didn’t photograph well. They were too shiny, too dainty, too modern for the table but at $32 for 6, they were definitely the budget friendly option. With time short, I opted to pull my artistic license card. A quick trip to the Dollar Store produced 6 cut glass goblets plus gloss spray paint from my supply closet produced the look I wanted for the budget. However, since the glasses were spray painted, they are not food safe, so they would need to be swapped out once the libations started flowing. If you are looking to reproduce the look of the black goblets, try options from Eden & Eden or Ebay.
Centerpiece: The centerpiece is a combination of white orchids, purple mums, feathers, tinted carnations and dried flowers. The urn is a vintage trophy I already owned and use as decoration . Using the orchids as my base, I cut floral oasis, soaked it and inserted it around the orchids. Taking cues from nature, I grouped my flowers into large clusters and inserted them in the floral oasis. Black feathers were used to fill in any gaps and to reinforce the table’s raven theme. The centerpiece was not cheap but not expensive at $50 with $27 of that for the orchids, but I think of orchids as an investment since I am reusing them throughout the house.
Ravens: Dollar Store – The black ravens (or crows if you want to be specific) were found for $1 each at the Dollar Store. I touched them up with black floral spray (which I love since it is lighter than spray paint and dries very quickly).
Candelabra & Candles: Owned – I already owned the candelabra thanks to my Valentine’s Day tablescape but you may not have recognized it since it was pink. Thanks to two thin coats of black spray paint, I was able to get a gothic candelabra free!
Chair Slipcovers: Dollar Store – I found grey and black netting for $1 a package at the Dollar Store. One package was the perfect amount to slipcover one chair. I took a small section of black ribbon from my stash and tied to each side to secure.
So unless I missed something that is the Halloween table setting. As usual, I tried to stay true to my fabulous on a budget motto and give some inspirational ideas you can use throughout your own entertaining. As mentioned, check back later in the week as I show you how to make the feather chargers I used for the table for less than $5 each!
