Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Can we be honest for a minute? This year when Jen Woodhouse from The House of Wood asked me if I wanted to participate in a holiday tablescape blog tour I nearly replied, “No way!”

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Not because I was too busy…

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

… and not because I didn’t want to.

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

The truth is, I’ve never created a tablescape before. Yup, it’s true. Go ahead and google “Pretty Handy Girl tablescape,” I’ll wait.

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Did you see my Pinterest board filled with tablescapes pop up in the search results? Yup, I had to create one for inspiration.

Pinterest board of Tablescapes

The other reason I was cringing at the idea of a tablescape is because I don’t own chargers. Well, I own lots of chargers for my battery powered cordless tools. (Bah da dun. Sorry bad joke.) How can you create a tablescape without chargers?!

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

And yet another reason was that we still had some side tables stacked up in the dining room filled with miscellaneous kitchen items from that time almost 2 years ago when we had to turn our dining room into a kitchen.  Oh yes, that stacked mess that held the pots and pans was still there.

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Finally, I have a dining room that is a hodge podge of styles. The table and chairs were hand me down mid-century modern from my Godfather’s dead parents. (Sounds creepier than it is. LOL.) It’s just not my style, but I haven’t had time to build a new table (yes, the plans are filed away in my brain for a later date.)

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Back to Jen’s question. My initial thought was, “No way! Who in their right mind would want to see a DIY blogger with no chargers and mis-matched furniture create a tablescape?”

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

And then I realized:
1. I can do anything I put my mind to. Have you read my mantra? “If a human being can do it then there is a 95% chance I can do it too!” Since when have I ever shied away from something new just because I haven’t done it before! Ummm, never.

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

2. All I had to do was research tablescapes. It’s just like any other DIY job I tackle. First I do my research. Pinterest had a bunch of resources for me.

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

3. Lots of people have mismatched furniture, why not work with it and show how to achieve a cohesive look using what you’ve got? Hand me downs, thrifted candlesticks and my existing plates and placemats would have to do.

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

4. I could use this assignment as an excuse to buy a few things to create my tablescape (as if I really needed to justify buying cute things.)

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Why am I telling you all this? Because I want you to stop telling yourself you can’t do something just because you’ve never tried it before. Believe in yourself, research how to do it, and work with what you have!

So, here it is, my newbie attempt at a tablescape using mis-matched furniture and no chargers!

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Sources:

  • Red chair covers: IKEA pillow covers
  • White tablecloth: IKEA Sheer window curtain
  • Branches in chandelier: IKEA
  • Fur on the head table chairs: more IKEA pillow covers
  • Birch reindeer: Lowe’s Home Improvement
  • Pinecone and Embroidered ornaments on the chandelier: Lowe’s Home Improvement
  • Napkins: Steinmart
  • Napkin rings: Cut up sheet music folded and taped
  • Brass candlesticks: Goodwill
  • Polkadot Glasses: Steinmart
  • Plates: Old purchase from Kroger
  • Holly: My yard
  • Everything else is pulled from my home: aka the attic of despair where things go and are forgotten unless I venture up there to hunt for decor.)

In addition to dressing up the table, I created a hot cocoa bar for good measure.

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Because who doesn’t love a little hot chocolate on a cold day in December? And…

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

…maybe I can distract you from critiquing my dining room of mis-matched furniture, with no chargers and a kid decorated stuffed animal tree in the corner.

Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

Which I do think is pretty cute. I might need to hire them to help me decorate next year. They even make and wrap their own presents for their stuffed animals.

Pretty Handy Girl's Holiday Home Tour 2014

Be sure to see what my power tool toting friends whipped up for their tablescapes.

tablescapes-button

Here’s the full schedule:

Mon, 12/8 Rogue Engineer
Tue, 12/9 Her Toolbelt
Wed, 12/10 So Much Better With Age
Thu, 12/11 Pneumatic Addict
Fri, 12/12 Pretty Handy Girl
Mon, 12/15 All Things G&D
Tue, 12/16 brittanyMakes
Wed, 12/17 House of Wood
Thu, 12/18 Sawdust Girl
Fri, 12/19 My Altered State
Mon, 12/22 That’s My Letter
Tue, 12/23 Ana-White.com

 PHGFancySign

P.s. During my bout of insecurity, I had the best compliment after I finished decorating. My son’s 8 year old friend, who was over for a playdate, was running circles around the house with my son. When he entered the dining room, he came to an abrupt halt near the table. He slowly reached out a finger to touch the fake snow under the deer, but at the last minute snapped out of it and withdrew his finger. He said in a very slow and quiet voice, “Cooooooool!” LOL. God bless 8 year olds for making you feel like a tablescape champion.

P.p.s. What? You’re still here? Well, if you like what you saw, you can see the rest of my Holiday Home Tour 2014 here:

Pretty Handy Girl's Holiday Home Tour 2014

 

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Holiday Tablescape | Pretty Handy Girl

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  1. […] 12/12 – Brittany @ Pretty Handy Girl – Holiday Tablescape […]

  2. […] for a while, you’ll know that I had to push myself out of my comfort zone last year when I created my first tablescape. I officially introduce you to my second attempt at a […]

  3. […] was great to bring out the deer from last year’s tablescape.  They really add the woodland feel to our […]

  4. […] you were perusing my holiday tablescape post did you see my fancy copper chandelier sleeves? My chandelier was looking a bit dingy with […]

  5. […] With Age — that’s me! Thu Dec 11 – Pneumatic Addict Furniture Fri Dec 12 – Pretty Handy Girl Mon Dec 15 – All Things G & D Tue Dec 16 – brittanyMakes Wed Dec 17 – House […]

  6. […] Tue, 12/9 Her Toolbelt Wed, 12/10 So Much Better With Age Thu, 12/11 Pneumatic Addict Fri, 12/12 Pretty Handy Girl Mon, 12/15 All Things G&D Tue, 12/16 brittanyMakes Wed, 12/17 House of Wood Thu, 12/18 Sawdust […]

  7. […] Friday December 12th – Pretty Handy Girl […]

  8. […] Tue, 12/9 Her Toolbelt Wed, 12/10 So Much Better With Age Thu, 12/11 Pneumatic Addict Fri, 12/12 Pretty Handy Girl Mon, 12/15 All Things G&D Tue, 12/16 brittanyMakes Wed, 12/17 House of Wood Thu, 12/18 Sawdust […]

  9. […] Tue, 12/9 Her Toolbelt Wed, 12/10 So Much Better With Age Thu, 12/11 Pneumatic Addict Fri, 12/12 Pretty Handy Girl Mon, 12/15 All Things G&D Tue, 12/16 brittanyMakes Wed, 12/17 House of Wood Thu, 12/18 Sawdust […]

  10. […] Tue, 12/9 Her Toolbelt Wed, 12/10 So Much Better With Age Thu, 12/11 Pneumatic Addict Fri, 12/12 Pretty Handy Girl Mon, 12/15 All Things G&D Tue, 12/16 brittanyMakes Wed, 12/17 House of Wood Thu, 12/18 Sawdust […]

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