Fall Table Setting

If you’ve been around for a while, then you know that I like to use the color blue in fall decorating. (I wrote a whole post on it HERE.) Part of the reason blue sneaks its way into really every seasonal decorating I do is that I love collecting blue and white dishes. I’m using what I have! LOL

This fall is no different! I was setting a table for fall, and I decided to use these Chinese Bird plates (3 men version) by Adams China. I was about to say that these aren’t particularly old, but then I realized that they’re almost 50 years old. That’s definitely not new, lol. I am a big fan of actually using china and not just keeping it tucked away safely. I hand wash them because dishwasher detergent is abrasive, but there’s no danger in using a pretty plate on your table.

It does feel a little odd setting a table for fall when it’s been mid-90s for months now. Atlanta has been breaking record high temperatures for almost the whole month of September. It’s said that fall is the southerner’s reward for surviving summer. But, honestly, at this point I’m not “surviving” very gracefully. The Atlanta forecast shows 90 degree temperatures through the first week of October, and I’m a little cranky about it.

I definitely may not feel like fall, but here’s to a happy one anyway!

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Fall Mums Centerpiece

Not long after Pumpkin Spice Lattes arrive in your local coffee shop, everyone seems to get some mums and pumpkins for their front porches. Most people leave them on their porches for the season and then toss them. However, mums are great perennials, so if you plant them directly into the ground in late summer or early fall, they’ll most likely come back in the spring.

Interestingly enough, mums (full name chrysanthemum) can be grown indoors in a bright, sunny spot. Did you know that mums were tested in the NASA Clean Air Study, which is a test to see which plants can clean indoor air quality? Mums were found to improve the air quality against all 5 of the major toxins that were tested. How cool is that?!

Mums are inexpensive, and you can find them anywhere from grocery stores to home improvement stores. I picked mine up from Walmart for $4.88. I wanted to use mine for a fall centerpiece before I planted them outside. Since I was going to be planting them outside, and I only needed them on my table for a couple of days, I didn’t want to plant them into a pot.

I decided to find a way to dress them up a little and hide their ugly, plastic pots. I dug through my donate pile and found a sweater and a shirt that went well with my table cloth.

I cut the shirts for a square piece of material that I could wrap around the pots. The piece of twine that I used with the striped material was a scrap we had in the garage. The striped piece of fabric around the sweater material was actually part of the packaging for the tablecloth that I was using.

This would be a really cute and easy way to dress up a mum to give as a gift. The mums cost $4.88 and the other materials were free because I already had them! Do you use mums in your fall decor?

These are going to be planted in my big whiskey barrel planters in the backyard once I am done with them on the table. Happy fall, y’all!

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Autumn Ambience Playlist

Am I the only one that gets bored of listening to the same music over and over again? I’m adding to my playlist collection with an “Autumn Ambience”. I really like saving playlists because when I’m in the car, cleaning, or cooking I can quickly pull up a playlist that I haven’t listened to in a while.

The playlists I make are likely to change as I find new songs and artists to add. For now, here are a few songs that I have been listening to on this Autumn themed playlist:

  • Winds of Change, Vance Joy
  • Autumn Leaves, Ed Sheeran
  • Fireside Song, Genesis (You’ve got to wait about a minute into this song for it to get going.)
  • Leaves That Are Green, Paul Simon
  • Somewhere Only We Know, Keane
  • Once You Know, Good Morning
  • Wheat for Billie, Jamie Lawson
  • Changes, David Bowie
  • Autumn Leaves, Eric Clapton
  • Simple Song, Passenger
  • Golden Leaves (acoustic), Passenger
  • Seasons, Rival & Cadmium
  • Seasons Change, Scotty McCreery

Find this playlist on Spotify or Apple Music. (click for Apple Music.)

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A Little Fall Decor

Fall officially starts in just a couple of weeks. But you really wouldn’t know it if you stepped outside in Georgia right now. Today we are setting a record with temperatures in the mid-90s. I’m a little worried that we’ll be skipping fall and going straight to winter with the way things are looking. Please, don’t let it be so!

The heat hasn’t stopped me from adding just a little fall decor around our house, though. I like to wait until October 1st to put out Halloween decorations, but right after Labor Day I always get in the mood for my first Pumpkin Spice anything of the season and some fall decorations.

Do you decorate your house for fall? A lot of people I’ve talked to fall into one of two groups: They either decorate right after Labor Day like I do, or they wait until it is officially fall on the calendar before putting anything out.

Even though the air doesn’t feel cool, the leaves are starting to change and fall from the trees. Today I was thinking about autumn and how we can really relate this to life in general. Each one of us is going through changing seasons of lfie. The next seasons of life are coming whether it feels like it or not.

It reminds me that we all need to cheer for each other in life, even if we’re not in the same season. Some people are changing careers or moving to a new city. Some people are dealing with aging senior parents and changing roles with them. Some people are trying to make changes in weight or health. People are working on changing their lives in all sorts of ways. Our seasons are changing whether we want them to or not.

Friend, Whatever changes are happening in this season of your life, I just want you to know that I’m cheering for you.

Happy fall, y’all!

“You don’t have to understand someone’s dream in order to cheer them on.”

Belle Antiquarian

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Buffalo Check Table Settings

I am excited to share today’s blog post! Hobby Lobby has some really cute black and white buffalo check decor for fall. However, I want to show you that it’s not just for fall! The table runner and napkins that I picked up can actually be used for a lot of different themes and seasons. Here is a picture of how I used the black and white buffalo check decor for Halloween, but it can also be used with September Sunflowers, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Now here’s the really exciting part: I am giving away a table runner, set of 4 napkins, a garland of black and white wooden beads, and a garland of orange and white wooden beads. Find out how to enter at the bottom of this post!

Buffalo Check decor at Halloween

Here are my black and white buffalo check table runner and napkins on our table for Halloween. The black and white are easy to mix with Halloween decorations. If Halloween is a busy night for you with trick-or-treaters, just pick up some basic orange paper plates to go with these, and clean up will be a snap.

Several other people have done a fantastic job of setting their tables with black and white buffalo check decor. I want to share a few of theirs with you so that you can see how versatile this pattern is.

First up is this sunflower table setting with buffalo checks from Driven by Decor. To me, this table setting is perfect for that time at the end of summer/beginning of fall when it’s still hot, but summer is over. Kris over on Driven by Decor did a beautiful job showing that fall decor can be more than just pumpkins!

Here’s an example from My Creative Happy on how you can use black and white buffalo check for Thanksgiving. She paired it with touches of brass, which brings up a great point. You can pair it with golden or silver tones, wood or metal. This pattern is very versatile to your tastes.

And for the fourth look today, here is a Christmas table setting using black and white buffalo check. This one is from Make a Joyful Home, and Tammy uses red accents with hers. But you could totally add green, or just silver, and it would still look Christmas-y.

Now for the exciting part! Here is a picture of what you can win: a table runner, a set of 4 napkins, a garland of black and white wooden beads, and a garland of orange and white wooden beads. To enter, simply hop on over to my Instagram, follow me on Instagram, like the contest post with the same picture as below, and tag a friend in the comments. Contest ends on Friday, September 13, 2019. You must live in the continental US to win.

Good luck!

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Simple Fall Mantle

Wow, I haven’t posted in two whole years! Oops. 

I really wish there was a better app to blog post while on my phone. I spend a ton of time in my car waiting on my teens, and I could totally get some blogging done that way. Super quick update on Belle & Beau: Right now I am exclusively selling on Etsy. I have a lot of long-term goals that include a brick-and-mortar store at some point. But Etsy’s working for now. I tend to update and post the most (which still isn’t nearly enough) on Facebook. So if you’re missing me, look for me there. (Thanks for making the Pages Manager easy to use, Facebook.)
Onward! I recently found an over-sized Rubbermaid bin of fall decor that I hadn’t used or thought about in 2-3 years. I figured if I didn’t miss it, then I should just get rid of it. So, off to Goodwill it is ALL going. Buh-bye!
I decorated our fall mantle by just switching out a couple of things. The vintage blue books, the old window, the jar, and the wood art that I created years ago were all already there. The frame was already there with a verse, but I just switched out the verse to one with more fall colors.

Did you know that you can click on a picture to make it bigger?
Years ago I bought a set of Bible alphabet memory cards from She Reads Truth. They fit perfectly into an 8 x 10 frame. I never really liked the colors of this one, but when I was thinking about the mantle, I realized that it is perfect for fall. I don’t know if they still sell this particular set. Try clicking the link on their name above, and you can see what’s available. 
I picked up the 3 pumpkins and the Gather sign from the Target dollar spot. But other than that, I already had everything in the pictures. Total for everything was probably under $10.
The wall color is Danville Tan by Benjamin Moore. It looks different throughout the day depending on the sunlight. Our family room gets quite a bit of light. It is kind of hard to photograph this wall color, so I am sometimes reluctant to do so.
Thanks for reading! That’s all for now. Hopefully it won’t be two years again.

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Atlanta Fall Bucket List

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October, the Southerners’ reward for surviving summer. 

I’ve never met a Southerner that doesn’t like love October. Honestly! Would such a person be human? Despite having 31 days, and sometimes 5 glorious weekends, there never seems to be enough October to go around. Unless I schedule our October days to make the most of the cool things happening around town, we just don’t get around to doing it all. 
I’ve made a list of some neat things both ITP and OTP (that’s inside-the-perimeter and outside-the-perimeter for all of you newbies) that you may want to take advantage of this fall. Each name links back to a website; Just hover your mouse and click for more details! I’m happy to add to the list. Just leave a comment or shoot me an email.
Now, go forth and get your pumpkin on!

Inside the Perimeter

1. Boo at the Zoo (Zoo Atlanta) – Special activities Saturdays and Sundays, October 18, 19, 25, & 26. 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
2. Ogre-tober and Scarecrows in the Garden (Atlanta Botanical Gardens) – Lots of Ogre-tober happenings! Click to check out their calender of events. 
3. Capturing the Spirit of Oakland Halloween Tour (Oakland Cemetery) – The only time of year when tours are available after dark. Advance tickets must be purchased and sell out quickly!
4. Georgia A-Scary-Um (Georgia Aquarium) – Special extended hours. Kids 12 and under get in free if they dress in costume with each paying adult. Click the link for details!
5. Fernbank Boo-Seum Trick-or-Treat (Fernbank Museum of Natural History) – Lots of un-scary fun for the little monsters on the Saturday before Halloween. Special events throughout the museum from 10 – 2, all of which are included in admission or FREE for members.

Outside the Perimeter (and Beyond!)

5. Stone Mountain Park Pumpkin Festival – Tons to do here for the kids. Check out the website! Sometimes tickets go on flash-sale. 
6. Buford Corn Maze – More than just a corn maze! Hayrides, family activities, and a haunted forest. 
7. Jaemor Farms – Take a drive up to Alto, Georgia. The farm itself is gorgeous, and there are super fun things like apple canons, slides, corn maze, pick your own pumpkins, petting zoo, etc. Even a wonderful farm market with everything from fresh produce to fried pies. This is my fave!!! Click the link for more deets!
8. Gold Rush Days – Dahlonega, GA. Before the California gold rush, there was the Dahlonega gold rush! During peak times to see fall foliage, this should be a blast!
9. Oktoberfest – Helen, GA. The town of Helen is a re-creation of an alpine village, and this year marks their 44th annual Oktoberfest. 
10. Georgia Apple Festival – Ellijay, GA. It’s 43rd year as the Georgia Apple Festival, the town of Ellijay puts out quite the welcome wagon. Fun for the whole family, minus Fido (no pets allowed).
11. Six Flags Fright Fest – Frights by night and thrills by day!
12. The Great Miller Lite Chili & BBQ Cookoff – Chili? Yes, please! Held at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, GA. 
This is is far from being complete of everything Atlanta has to offer this fall. Make sure you take the time to create some awesome, life-long memories!

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Blue: An Unexpected Fall Color

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Typically we think of fall colors as orange, red, yellow, brown, and gold. Combining these colors in our decorating or wardrobe will create a really nice autumnal palette. But what about blue?

Most people don’t mention blue as a favorite fall color. But when we take a closer look, we can see that blue is actually a very pleasant choice for fall.

When two colors are directly across from each other on the color wheel, we call them complimentary. Notice how Christmas colors red and green are complimentary colors. No wonder we like to see them together. Now, take a look at orange. Its complimentary color is blue. We like it. Our minds find complimentary colors to be pleasing.

The key to using blue is using a shade that matches the brightness and intensity of the orange you are using. For example, burnt orange with dusty blue, teal with tangerine, or navy blue with pumpkin orange. If you aren’t sure which blue to use with which orange, you can find very detailed color wheels on the internet. You can even buy one at an art supply store.

It’s okay to change things up a bit and use orange with blue. This is your official permission slip to do so. Just because big box stores haven’t caught onto this fabulous color combo, doesn’t mean that you can’t go ahead and use it in your home or wardrobe this fall. Here are just a few examples of why I think blue is a wonderful addition to fall:

Source: Centsational Girl HERE. 
Source: Real Simple HERE. 
Source: Country Living HERE. 
Source: Celebrating Everyday Life HERE. 
Source: The Perfect Palette HERE.
Source: Porter House Designs HERE. 
Source: Pocketful of Dreams HERE.
Source: Shelterness HERE. 
Source: Basketbike HERE. 
Source: Creature Comforts Blog HERE. 

I’d love to hear what you think of blue as a fall color. Leave me a comment or even a picture of how you incorporated it into your decorating.

Abby Smolarsky2 Comments

Six Simple Fall Place Settings

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Y’all. It’s September. Okay, nearly October, but still. September. And here I am doing a post on place settings that would most likely be used at Thanksgiving. So much for taking things one day at a time!

Thanksgiving is on my mind today. This year Grammie and Papa John (my mom and her husband) won’t be hosting Thanksgiving as usual since they’ll be traveling. So I have volunteered to have my siblings and their families to our home for The Feast. The meal is a no brainer, and I’ve actually cooked several turkeys throughout the years. If you’re interested in seeing what we’ll most likely be eating, check out this post here.

I want to make our time together as an extended family special, but I am also currently on a fixation to simplify and keep things relaxed. Ken is in law enforcement and doesn’t get Christmas off this year, so I really want Thanksgiving to be nice. (Stressed out Abby does not make for a nice Thanksgiving for Ken.)

Am I the only person that now uses Pinterest to “google” things more than I use Google? I found six place settings on Pinterest that I know I could very easily pull off without stressing out. Despite having a borderline unhealthy passion for dishes, I’m going to keep things basic this year. All of these place settings can use everyday white or cream dishes. Of course, you could use all sorts of colors and patterns. But just to show you, you don’t have to go out and get special dishes just for Thanksgiving dinner.

Things don’t get much simpler than this! A white plate, linen napkin, small pumpkin, and a printed out tag. You could even skip the tag, and it would be lovely. Source: here.

Again, very simple. Simply take leaves from your yard and spray them with gold spray paint. I made these last year. Just a tip to flatten your leaves before you spray them. I tried to find the original source; I think this is it.
I’m crushing hard on this one. Use fresh rosemary springs and twine to make a small fragrant wreath. You can find fresh rosemary at the grocery store if you don’t have a plant. Source: here.
In the South we call these gumballs. Does everyone? You might as well use these to make something beautiful, because they sure don’t feel pretty when you step on them. Source: here.
A small piece of twine and a piece of wheat. You can find dried wheat at Michael’s. I’ve recently found it at Publix. So simple, but also so “harvest and Thanksgiving.” Love it. Source: here.
Finally, this is just as simple as the others, but it just looks so elegant. Aren’t artichokes beautiful? Source: here.

I haven’t decided which one I’ll use this year. Who knows, we may just break out the Chinet and plastic forks. Probably not, but what really matters is that we’re together, and we’re thankful.

“Give thanks in all circumstances. For this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18

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