Family Tradition

 You know me.

I'm just a little bit South of Normal.

 I like weird things.

(Chimp candelabra from Z Gallerie, $9.98)

 And the holidays?

Forget about it.

My taste in decor is a departure from tradition.

More like a divorce.

I prefer to festoon with aquas and green, which doesn't interrupt my usual style one iota.

 Lately though, there has been a disturbance in The Force.

My usual whacky ideas have come under scrutiny and question,

and there has been an objection from the peanut gallery.

SOMEONE wants some orange and brown in her Autumn.

Who, you might ask, is disrupting my style so radically?

Ironically, the only person in the house smaller than me...

HER.

My mother is a china teacup of a person with Pfaltzgraff, pewter,

a champion show dog, and brocade furniture.

She needlepoints for fun.

She's a Master Gardener.

She's a tropical fish hobbyist.

She owns a Victorian home.

She's a stereotypical, church-going, gravy-is-a-beverage, 

sushi-might-be-good-if-you-cooked-it Southern lady.

 She's really confused by me.

 After 2 years of hearing, "Pumpkins are not blue, Dear.", we're going

to buckle under the pressure change our artistic direction slightly 

and go a little more with the flow.

The monkey stays though.

First, we'll start with a short runner.

I like a runner that doesn't need to be removed when you set the table.

 This one is easy:

Take 1 yard of fabric and fold it in half with the right sides facing.

Fold each end into a point and trim off the excess.

Stitch all the way around, leaving a six inch opening.

Turn right side out; stitch the opening closed, and you have an anchor for your centerpiece.

Got a yard in your stash?

 Grab the gourds and pumpkins I know you ran right out to The Dollar Tree and bought.

These go together in seconds.

 Give Dollar Tree mini hurricanes a little presence.

Denim blue pillars draw in the usual colors in the house.

Twisting a little Fall jeweled garland into custom candle collars

get them noticed.

We'll add that blinged up hurricane and

the cake plate we made to add some height,

but not so much that I can't see my hubby's handsome face down the table.

I like LOTS of candlelight with dinner...

 So medium size hurricanes with their own blue tint will help me with that.

 Add some white glazed pinecone salt and pepper shakers,

and this could stay put until Thanksgiving.

 The lacy pumpkins reflect the light and let it peek through.

How much glitter can I use before I'm tacky?

I'm sure I'll cross the line one day.

 For now, I think it works.

 I love the light, the sparkle, and how easily it came together

 And maybe traditional isn't the worst thing in the world...

 But then, around here...

...traditional is a little different.

We'll see you tomorrow. 

I have to put these Murano pumpkins somewhere safe from the cats.