The Table

Tables. I have talked about them before in this blog, but to me - they are such an important part of furniture. They are MORE than 'just' a piece of furniture. They truly are, and make - the heart of the home. Yes, they get covered in 'stuff' and random cr*p but they are still 'there' supporting everything, and just 'being there'.

The day that the 'crafting' table arrived for The Crafty Lass studio (The Old Grain Store) was such a momentous, joyous moment. It didn't matter what else was in the studio that day - this was about a future vision of people sitting around it sharing craft, sharing inspiration, chatting, it being a craft ‘experience’.  Sadly, this isn't the case right now, and I don't know when this will return... but it does get used daily, in some way. It has has effectively become a big 'desk' for me! Photographing tutorials, trying out new techniques, working on projects. Even now, I look at it - and it has the same 'feelings' - memories, love, craft.

I have been talking on social media about #TheYearOfTheTable, this isn't a 'thing', this is something I have made up... I feel like with being at home a LOT (at minute for us anyway, pretty much 90% of the time unless you count an 'exciting' trip to nursery or the vets!) the table has become even MORE important.

We have a dining table, and we have the kitchen island, which is like a 'sub-version' table but one where we essentially 'live'. Our kitchen encompasses where I love to cook, with the boys playing. It is where we eat together, play together, Rupert climbs and we have tell him no, not yet - and Freddie colours. I am writing this blog - we work.

On a 'normal night' we congregate around the island. The boys have their dinner, and I tend to be with them either prepping 'our' dinner (mine and my husbands') for later, convincing them to eat their veggies, and/or crafting if dinner already sorted.

Sometimes dinner for us, is obviously quick and hurried, and these nights it is just get the boys bathed and to bed, clear some space and let's get our food - albeit at the table or in front of the TV on the sofa - they are the 'normal' let's eat, let's enjoy some brief downtime before we (both) likely work, or craft or actually - go to bed to get some rest!

But, at a weekend, or for a special occasion, it is all about the table. I like to lay it up - even just some mats, or a table runner, some cutlery and nice glasses. Even a jug of fresh flowers or a vase of some paper ones. I think 'table decor' is about trying to take it from somewhere you eat the food, do the homework, put everything and anything... to making it feel special? Even if you JUST use the best china and managed to put up a single candle. Table decoration is how it makes you FEEL.

So, I have decided this year, "#TheYearOfTheTable" to look at crafty ideas to make it extra fun and crafty - table runner ideas, table mats, glass charms, coasters, name tags, centrepieces - anything and everything for table decoration. Anything goes really, nothing tooooo complicated - just a collection of ideas to make it that bit special. We can't go anywhere right now, and who knows what the rest of this year holds, so just trying to make ideas we can use for those moments where we just need something different. Some of the ideas aren't even CRAFTY... it is just putting a few creative things on to a table. Not difficult and abit upcyclingy. Making use of what we have?

2021 is a year of hope after the year we have had... let's celebrate. Even if that is an evening at home.

I started with Christmas and New Years 2020, (you can see what I did below!) and the next one up is Valentine's... Do you celebrate it? Love it or hate it, a day to celebrate loved ones is something I feel we all need. Near or far, family, friends. Keyworkers, people we admire! I've decided to fully embrace it and go aaaall the hearts and love. Celebrate all the things we can, at home, at the table. Or over Zoom! Let's put bunting up, let's have over the top pretty table decorations, let's have balloons if we want, confetti, cards, gifts. Whatever it is, if we can celebrate it and put smiles on people's faces - then let's do that. So, you might see quite a few hearts going on social media over the next few weeks!

Christmas

I laid up the studio table for Christmas dinner inspiration... Some glittery Craft Cotton Co fabric is down as a table cloth - I've not sewn it, I've not even ironed it - just added for some colour!

Then lots of origami Christmas trees, baubles to add a fun forest look. I've added gold chargers under our plates and added some wood block printed napkins. They are all tied up together with a red ribbon and an air dry clay personalised tag! On the wine glasses are cute little initial baubles as charms.

You can see how to make the air dry clay tags on my Instagram highlights using Das fila clay, Amy Tangerine stamps & red ink from Hobbycraft - or you could even make them out of paper!

The glass charms: those tiny baubles are from Poundland & using my Cricut Maker and black vinyl, I've added an initial - but you could use a Posca pen to write on!

The plain napkins are stamped using an Arty Crafty Place woodblock & the stamping ink is called Textil Color from Creativ.

The origami Christmas trees are all made from a selection of wrapping papers from Marks & Spencer. If you wanted to get a forest look, but didn't want to spend time making things, you could make lots of simple 'cone' trees.

New Year's Eve - but really you could do this with any celebration!

I've used some old wallpaper as a table runner - and some leftover wrapping paper as tablemats. You could use even brown paper or 'used' wrapping.

I have used some empty cans and jars as candle holders.
The beautiful star plates are from Home Bargains, the gold cutlery is from H&M Home and the white napkins are from Marks & Spencer. The larger gold wire stars are by Rico Design from PomplusPom.
The pinecones are just what I have collected over the years and are from a Christmas display I had inside... The wood slices and glittery stars are from Hobbycraft.

The little wooden stars are from Artcuts. You could recreate using a star paper punch in different papers and cards. Or, if patient, cut them out! If you have an Cricut Maker... you could go wild with cutting out confetti!

The napkins, I've just wrapped up with leftover lace and gold ribbon. Then added in some rosemary from our garden and some white craft feathers - also from Hobbycraft.

A calm, rustic, gold, homely, fun, but simple crafty look to try and make something, anything of this New Year's Eve. At home.