Christmas Centerpieces and Vintage Decor

Last week I got to help two of my good friends decorate for a Christmas banquet. 

We had seven tables and two counter tops that needed to be made pretty.

We wanted to keep it low cost, but highly cute.

We planned for a shabby, old-fashioned Christmas look by bringing stuff from our houses and blending it together for these centerpieces.

Take a look and see what you think. . .

 

This was on the main counter top amid the fixings for fajitas.

We used lots of mason jars filled with cranberries, greens, and floating candles.

 

Hanging along the bottom edge of the counter was this tea-stained vintage lace garland and a garland of cranberries.

 

This was arranged on the dessert bar.

Don't you just love those large lanterns?

See the book page garland strewn throughout the arrangement?

The red candles were painted with Mod Podge and rolled in Epsom salts to get that "snowy" look.

 

The kids had made the paper bag angels, so we made them the focus of several of the arrangements.

You'll notice more cranberries here.

In each arrangement, we used Scrabble tiles spelling out words in tile holders.

 

 

This was on the table as you first entered.

There's three candles and a vintage book photo holder displaying two old postcards.

We used lots of burlap and old doilies and lace throughout.

 

For smaller arrangements, we paired up vintage books with teacups that we used as candle holders.

One of my friends thought up the idea of using teacups like that and I just love that look!

 

I adore the look of the wood rounds and the green moss.

 

We used Scrabble tiles like confetti and sprinkled them around all the arrangements.

 Sweet and simple, huh?

 

More vintage books

 

We incorporated an old film canister as a tray beneath this arrangement.

 

This is my old yard sale birdhouse that we used for a centerpiece.

How cute is it paired with old books and candles?

 

Most the centerpieces contained similar items, just arranged differently.

 

We used maroon and white tablecloths and beautiful burlap table runners.

 

This buffet is beautiful on its own, but we upped it's loveliness with a vintage book table runner, candles, and this awesome typewriter (which isn't mine, but I wish it was!).

 

Finally, this is the corner that was set up for family photos.

I love the vintage feel between the burlap, cranberries, lace, and old books.

 

When we finished decorating, I told my friends that they need to come to my house and decorate my living room like this!

 

P.S. Want to know how much of this stuff came from thrift stores and yard sales?

Well, I'll tell you: the film canisters, all the old books, the Christmas blocks in the first photo, the tall silver candle sticks, the vegetable graters (in the above photo), all the tea cups, one of the wooden bowls, the Scrabble tiles, the jar of keys, and the large green bird house!

Who says you can't decorate with stuff from secondhand stores?!? :)

 

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:18

This post is linked to Funky Junk, Between Naps on the Porch, The Dedicated House, My Girlish Whims, and Craft-O-Maniac.