Usually, this time of year I am up to my eyeballs creating fantastic spaces for kids. I would hardly have time to notice the beauty of creation around me. But, this year….I am having so much fun picking blossoms, creating fun tablescapes, and enjoying springtime.
I love how the pink detail on the plates comes alive with the pink crabapple blossoms.
Just for fun, I put together a centerpiece for the table using book pages and my vintage Ball Mason jars.
The jars usually take residence on the shelves in my laundry room. They are so happy in their sunny yellow alcove, after spending many years in the dark of a cardboard box.
If you’re a regular reader, you’ll remember that recently I showed a sweet centerpiece with these Ball Mason jars and some Snowball Viburnum branches. At that time, I promised more. I could do that because I had already created this tablescape and taken photos. I just hadn’t written the post.
How is it that I could arrange the Snowball blossoms in the evening, and the next morning shoot the photos and write up the post while leaving this one waiting in the wings? Do you ever catch yourself doing something like that?
How many ways can a girl play with book pages to create fun decor for her home? I may be on a mission to find out. Especially since they make my little heart sing, even after having created and written about it here and here and here and here. (If you wish, you may click the red links to see those posts.)
My stash contained several paperback books in their partially used-up state, from past projects. The books varied in size and so it was easy to make place mats with different-sized pages, fonts, and layouts to create visual interest without a whole lot of work. A quick and simple project with pizzazz.
Five vintage Ball Mason jars of assorted sizes (pint, quart, 2-quart) were commandeered to hold white & pink crabapple blossoms. I love this tone-on-tone display with the pink and aqua accents. You’ll notice I even created a table runner from the book pages. The remaining pages and partial books were tied with jute and some cast off burlap and help to create little risers for a more layered look.
As cute and fun as that is, it didn’t make the centerpiece all that extraordinary. As I looked at my jars sitting on the sea of book print, I had an Ah Ha! moment. Don’t you love those?! I decided to do something that was super easy…and a wee bit tedious…and oh-so-fun. Have you ever seen pleated collars made for mason jars? I do hope not. After all, this girl thinks it would be amazing to have done something totally original. So, if you’ve seen this before, don’t tell me. No, forget I said that. Tell me!! I want pictures too!
Creating the pleats was easy. Tying the jute to the tops of their pleated collars, to hold them cutely in place, on their sloping shoulders was a whole other story. You know how I aim for easy? Well…I’m sure it will be easy for you. I think I just have sloping shoulder issues. I’m pretty sure that if you got some brand new Ball Heritage Pint Jars (Affiliate Link)
There was one wee little problem. I had been thinking about this tablescape since the trees first started flowering but when I finally went outside to cut the blossoms, they were already past their peak and were falling off the branches easily. If it’s hot and windy…act fast. The branches on the sideboard had been there a week and held up beautifully.
Wouldn’t this tablescape of Mason jars and book pages be fun for a book club, or even a fun gathering of friends?
- I’d love to hear what you think would turn this into the perfect luncheon. Maybe even what you’d choose for the menu.
- And if it’s for a book club…what book would we discuss?
- Please be sure to share what you liked, or give me a helpful tip. Your comments always make my day!
If you enjoyed the post, please be sure to use the sharing buttons at the end of the post. Thanks!!
Wishing you An Extraordinary Day!
Diane
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Here’s the Tutorial for Making the Cute Book Page Collars…
Mason Jars :: Sweet Pleated Collars :: A Tutorial
so lovely!!!
Awwww…Darlene…thanks for the blessing. 🙂
What a lovely tablescape. I agree the apple blossoms make the china really pop. I do think this would be a wonderful idea for a book club luncheon. I think you are the original ball jar pleater! Look neat.
xoGinger
You are so sweet Savannah Granny!
Thanks for putting a smile on my face! 🙂
Love this!! It’s a great idea for a book club!!!! Simply lovely!!~~Angela
Angela….you are so kind. Thank you!!!
I love this too!! Little skirts for the jars. The paper pages as the runner ( I mix up instant coffee to darken pages that aren’t ages enough!). I like the stacks of book with that bit of burlap on the one book. First of all, we’d drink tea with a wedge of lime and a sprig of mint. A bit of chicken salad served in the bowl with Romaine lettuce leaves providing the edging to our dollop of salad in the center. The dessert? Orange Strawberry smoothie type thing but served as soft serve sherbet. And then we would discuss hmmm….what book??? I’d say the Book of Ruth…sorrows, hunger, emotions, nosy pushy mother in law, a sweet love story unfolding right on the pages of the Bible!!! And from this, this bloodline, comes our Savior Jesus!!! Nicest ending ever!!
Then we will each make a jar to take home and cut a few flowers, feeling light hearted and a bit giddy from our fun Book Party!! Sounds pretty joyful doesn’t it?!!
Gwen…that absolutely does sound joyful!!! And delicious!
I love each of your lovely ideas and what a great book. I enjoyed how you described the story, too. Now, who wouldn’t want to read it?!!
Wouldn’t we have the best time?!
[hugs]
Very pretty. I have lots of these jars, too. Love them. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos! 🙂
Thank you Susan. 🙂 I would love to see how you make a sweet arrangement of them for your cottage. Who would think that something as simple as blue jars could make us smile? Hope you are finding joy in each day and in knowing He loves and delights in you. [hugs]
Lovely! love the blue hues of the vintage jars 😉
Thanks!!
Me too JoAnn! Aren’t they just the sweetest happiest color?
This looks amazing! What an inviting table! Thanks for linking up!
Awwww…thank Jen!
The little paper fringe you made for the mason jars and the way you wrapped the risers for them are simply beautiful. Coming to you via “In the Studio” and hoping you’ll visit my blog too. Blessings!
I’m blessed that someone of your talent likes my little bits of fun with paper.
Thanks Arnoldo! Hope your week is extraordinary!
The pink in the china added with the blossoms–gorgeous. Seriously–it’s just lovely. And it’s inviting, which makes me smile cuz when I see nice china set out I start to sweat. LOL I’m more comfy with polka dot plates–but I think that’s the ‘off to the step-grandparents house’ where it was all formal and glitz that I wasn’t familiar with? Darn family of origin stuff, apparently. Which is probably why I have three sets of china boxed up in the basement.
I’ll work on shedding that ‘box’ that I put myself in! Maybe it’s about decorating with fun stuff to take from the formality of it all–cuz that surely worked with this.
See what the conversation would be at the book club event!? Me and my silly barrier to putting out the ‘nice stuff’. Well, that and The Red Tent, which was a ‘re-read’ for me.
I like the idea of ‘decorating with fun stuff to take out the formality.’ Really….why do we need to be stuffy about all this? I know my family history is all about ‘being proper.’ Yet…they regularly ate off all these fancy dishes I have. They were not kept for looks…you can see that they are worn. Good on them. So, let’s enjoy our meal and have fun chatting… Besides, my most valuable blue flow large platter has a nice crack in it from the last move. This was the first time that china didn’t travel with me…it went in the big moving van….and when it was unloaded I discovered that the movers are directionally challenged. They do NOT read arrows…or words that say ‘up’ [groan].
Hmmm… The Red Tent….must be good to ‘re-read’ – yes?
I LOVE this tablescape!! So many great ideas you have going on. Very creative and so pretty!
Mary Alice
How nice of you to say that Mary Alice. 🙂 Thank you sooo much!!
Wishing you An Extraordinary Day!! [hugs]
so clever and so pretty Diane!
Awwww….thank you so much, Jenna!! 🙂
Wishing you An Extraordinary Day!
Diane – Your table is stunning in all my favorite colors. I want to come to your house for a book club! Pinning to my favorite centerpieces on Pinterest. Thanks for sharing, Patti@OldThingsNew
You just made my day, Patricia!! 🙂 Thank you for your kind thoughts.
Hope your week is extraordinary!!
I just bought some of the retro jars. My husband kind of did a flip – as in are you going to start canning???? LOL
Your table is so pretty. I love pleated collars on the jars. a great idea. xo marlis
HaHa!! Isn’t it fun that we can get our guys attention with the craziest of things?!
You are so kind, Marlis. Thank you!!!
Wishing you An Extraordinary Day!
This is so beautiful love your ideas with the book pages and the Mason jars. The colors are beautiful and so is the bloom.
Thank you Judy! It was fun to put together and I must say the colors make my heart sing, too!
Hope your week is extraordinary!
Your blossoms in Mason jars on a runner made from old book pages is delightful. Love your arrangement on the buffet too.
Awwww….you say the nicest things Bonnie! Thank you for the hug of words!
Blessings!
That centerpiece is to die for! I have a stash of about of dozen of the jars and I am so inspired now. Dianne
Awww…Dianne…you just put a huge smile on my face. 😀 Thank you!!!!!
What a creative table…I love those old blue canning jars.
Thanks Marigene! I am so blessed to have received most of those as a gift from an aunt.
Hope your day is Extraordinary!
What an amazing and creative idea! Those blossoms are smply stunning as well!!
Awww…Krista…you are so nice to say that! 🙂 Thank you so much!!
Love your pleated collars on your jars and your centerpiece with the pages!
Thank you so much Mary. Coming from you…it’s a treasured compliment.
Wishing you An Extraordinary Day!
You have totally won me over with this table, and I can’t wait to play around with books to create pieces for my table. I’d say more but I’m off to read your other posts.
Oh, Linda….I do hope you have fun creating one of your own.
Thanks for stopping by and for your lovely warm remarks!
Blessings!
What a lovely table setting. How simple and yet so adorable. Love it!
Have a wonderful week,
Bev
@ Eclectic Red Barn
Awww…thanks Beverly! I do think that it shows that you don’t need lots of fancy table settings to create a fun table.
Thank you for stopping by and for your lovely sweet remarks. [hugs]
I LOVE it!! So simple, yet so beautiful and the blue jars add just the right amount of color. Being from Alabama I would serve Chicken Salad, Fruit, Tea Cakes, Tea, sweet, of course, and some other Southern Ladies Luncheon fare. We’d probably discuss something fun like a Mary Kay Andrews book.
Ooooo….that sounds like the perfect luncheon, Susan. 🙂 Mmmm…I’d like that for lunch right now! Haha!
Thanks for stopping by with your encouraging and thoughtful words!
Blessings!
As an avid reader, I just love your use of the book pages – as placemats and jar skirts. In fact I’m thinking about getting some cheap plastic placemats and trying to decopage pages on them so they would stay in place. Then I could also wipe them off and resue them. Have you tried this? I would love a lesson on how you did your jar skirts! Sure doesn’t look easy at all. Your blossoms are gorgeous and along with the blue jars, you have really created a beautifully coordinated table with that china. This has really been inspiring to me and I can’t wait to try something similar.
Hmmm…Audrey I have never decoupaged anything. I’ve always wanted to….but just haven’t tried my hand at it. My pages were simply taped together and would be fine until food is spilled. And ladies never do that….Haha!! You’ve got me thinking now.
The jar skirts lesson. I actually did take some photos as I worked with thoughts about sharing how…but…it just seems like it makes for a long post…and I’m not sure that I have a complete series of photos. Others have also asked. I’ll look to see if I actually have something worthwhile. But, believe me…they were easy.
I’m blessed that you have been inspired. Really it makes my day. If you put something together…please be sure to take a snapshot and share it with me, or post it on the Facebook page.
Blessings!
Hello Diane,
Your tablescape is very pretty and unique at the same time. I love the blue jars and the blossoms just go so well in them. I like book pages too. Thanks for sharing at my HOME.
Blessings,
sandi
I can’t tell you how much fun I had putting that tablescape together. 🙂
Thanks for your warm and encouraging words, Sandi!
It’s always a delight to stop by your HOME! 🙂
Love the table, the ball jars are some of my favorite items.
I also love how you tied the old tattered books with the burlap and such, wonderful touch for the table and to add height to everything.
Thanks for sharing today, visiting from Common Ground.
Michele
Thank you so much Michele for appreciating all those little touches! Your words are so kind and encouraging.
Thanks for popping by….hope your weekend is extraordinary!!
Gorgeous tablescape using the bell jars! Love the book pages. Thanks for joining TTF this week.
Linda
Awwww….thanks Linda!!
[hugs]
This is beautiful! I’m in love!
Awwww….you are so sweet! Thank you Therena!
Oh you are so right! As beautiful as those Mason jars are, I’m most captivated by how the crab apple brings those plates to life! Just wonderful.
– The Tablescaper
Awww…thank you sooo much!!
What a great eye you have. This is gorgeous!
Liz
What a lovely remark to wake up and read this morning! Thank you Liz!!
Hope your day is extraordinary!
Love this! I will have to try this at my next book club. 🙂
I found your website from Southern Lovely. I just started a new blog and I would love for you to follow me, too! http://naptimenothings.blogspot.com/
Looking forward to more posts!
Sarah@
Naptime Nothings
Thank you Sarah!! I hope you have fun with the idea…and maybe I’ll see a post too?
I’m thrilled that you are following along here! [hugs]
I’ll be over soon to check out your sweet spot in the blogosphere.
Blessings!
This is so fun and pretty Diane! I am going to feature this post on this weeks “TTF Features #114”. The post will be on Wednesday. Thank you again for sharing with us at TTF!
Diann…you just made my day!!! Thank you soooo much!! [hugs]
Sooo pretty! My book club girls would love this!
You are so sweet, Sharon! Thank you so much!! [hugs]
Love this! The small pages around the mason jars is brilliant! Would love it if you would link this up to Give Me The Goods Monday: 1 Party, 4 Blogs! http://www.rainonatinroof.com/2013/06/give-me-goods-monday-party-14.html
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof
You are so sweet Jenna!
I missed linking up this morning and figured I would be too late to link up tonight. But…because you are so kind to invite me to…I’ll pop over.
Cheers!
How pretty and so fun, such a romantic tablescape. I love the book pages and the mason jars, they are used in such a creative way. Thanks tons for joining Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty
Thank you Marty!! What a nice thing to say! [hugs]
This is so creative, and just so very very lovely. I want to eat lunch at this table.
Thanks Val! I would have loved for you to have been able to join me. Wouldn’t it be fun to get together in our homes with our blogging friends?
Hope your week is extraordinary!
Hey Diane – Thanks for sharing this at Knick of Time – it’s beautiful!! Are you on Hometalk? I’m curating a book page theme board for Hometalk where I’ll be featuring projects created from book pages, and I’d love to include this. Hometalk will feature my board on their FB page, so there will be lots of traffic to the blogs I include in my board. Let me know if you can link up this project on Hometalk in the next few days and I’ll include you.
You can find my Hometalk boards here – http://www.hometalk.com/knickoftime
Blessings,
~Angie
Awww…thanks!!
Angie…I am on Hometalk…I signed up way back when it all first began, but I have not done a thing there. I guess I should go and figure it out! If you have any tips to help me get started…please let me know.
Blessings!!!
Love what you did with the Mason jars and book pages. They are a perfect backdrop for your blossoms, .
Thanks so much for linking to Let’s Dish!
What a nice thing to say Kathleen! Thank you!!!
This is so cute…the colors are great would love it if you came by and shared it at Share it One More Time Party http://www.onemoretimeevents.com/2013/06/share-it-one-more-time-features-and_23.html Hope to see you there
Tammy
How nice of you to say that! Thank you!!
I appreciate your invitation, too!
Hope your week is extraordinary!
Thank you so much for linking up to One More Time…
Thanks for the invite….
Blessings my friend!!
Just beautiful! Thanx for sharing it at THT. I love the jars.
You are so kind Pamela….thank you!!
Blessings for a lovely end to this very fast week!!
LOVE . . . LOVE . . . LOVE the mason jars with little book pages. Such a cute idea and something I have the supplies to do.
Yay!! I hope you have a blast with putting it together. Today, I shared a tutorial for making the pleated collars…you might want to check it out.
Thanks for stopping by and for your lovely remarks, Carol!
Blessings!
So pretty~ thanks for linking up at Feathered Nest Friday!
Such a nice compliment, Courtney! You have an incredible eye. Thanks for the blessing!
What divine little pleated collars Diane… love it. Thank you for sharing this at Shabbilicious Friday.
Awww…thanks Kerryanne! Today I shared the tutorial for making those pleated collars on the blog…will link it up to your party tonight. 🙂
Just popping back to let you know that I’m featuring this post at the Shabbilicious Friday link party tomorrow, so please pop over and pick up a Featured button.
Pinch me!! Thank you Kerryanne! I am honored and blessed. You have the loveliest features…how special to be included. 🙂
Absolutely beautiful! Boy, I’d like to be in YOUR book club!! 🙂
Oh, wouldn’t that be fun Richella!!!!
Thanks for popping over with your lovely remarks!
I still love this so much! Just wanted to say thanks for linking up to Give Me the Goods Monday! Love having you party with us! Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof
You are so sweet Jenna!!!
Thank you!! [hugs]
Very cute! I love this idea
Thank you Becca!! How nice of you to stop by and leave your sweet words!
Blessings!
Clever idea to use the pages for a placemat and table runner. Love the look!
Awwww…thanks Sarah! I really appreciate you kind thoughts!
Blessings!
Exquisite!
I would love for you to link up at the Mommy Archive – we’re focused on mason jar crafts and ideas this week, Alice @ Mums Make Lists
Awww…that’s so sweet of you!!
Blessings!
I’m visiting from Elizabeth & Co. Just wanted to let you know that I think this tablescape is so pretty! Book pages and ball jars are two of my favorite things!!
How fun it is that!!! 🙂 I’m pretty smitten with both too, Marie. As you can tell by the number of recent posts on the subject! HAHA!!
Wishing you An Extraordinary Day!
Such a simple yet very pretty arrangement and tablescape! I found my way here from Elizabeth & Co.’s Be Inspired Party.
You are so kind, Elizabeth…Thank you!!!
I so enjoy Sharon’s parties…so nice to meet you!
I just wanted to let you know that I featured your wonderful project on homework. Thanks so much for sharing it on The Inspiration Board. Have a great weekend!
carolyn
homework &
DETAILS
Thank you Carolyn!!! Wow!! What a delightful blessing!
Nothing is more beautiful than simplicity. This is absolutely lovely. I am so very inspired.
I just watched Jane Austen’s Persuasion, so I could definitely see myself choosing this for a book club.
Loved stopping by via White Lace Cottage on fb.
Much love.
I think that would be perfect for a Jane Austen book club gathering. Hmmm…..
Thank you for your delightfully encouraging words, Marcia! 🙂
How nice of you to stop by and leave your sweet thoughts.
Wishing you An Extraordinary Day! 🙂
~Diane
Luv your ideas – will use these for my next book club gathering. I have done book page table runners and made cone shaped flower holders out of book pages but you took it another step above. Nice creativity. Thanks