A Bare-Bones Halloween Tablescape

September 20, 2026 by Beth Wilson in Tablescapes

One of the first Halloween tablescapes that I created ten years ago had a skull theme. Looking at photos of that tablescape and comparing them with this one really shows how my tablescaping style has evolved over the years. From time to time I browse some of my favorite shops online and when I saw these skeleton candle holders I knew that I had found one of the themes for one of this year’s Halloween tablescapes. I found this Antique Skeletons in Black and White tablecloth on sale on Spoonflower online.

I found these Rory Dobner Skeleton Appetizer Plates at Williams Sonoma online a few months ago. They came in a set of four with four different designs and I used two of them on this tablecape.

Because the tablecloth has a white background, I wanted this plate stack to be black, white, black, then white ending with these plates so I added another plate to the plate stack.

I bought these black melamine salad plates online at Home Depot three years ago to use on Halloween tablescapes. They were part of their Home Decorator Collection and they were made by Trenblay. An unusual plate design that is appearing more often now. I have noticed that plate designers are changing the shape of the edges of plates more and more often now.

This is one of my basic white dinner plates and I use it when I need a simple white plate. These dinner plates were made by Ralph Lauren and I found them at HomeGoods several years ago when I first started tablescaping. The back is labeled Ralph Lauren Club Porcelain. You definitely need a simple white dinner plate for your tablescaping collection if you plan to start this hobby. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying dinner plates here.

These black glass Starburst chargers are called Charge It and they were made by Jay. I bought them several years ago on Amazon. They are heavy glass and they work well with many different color schemes.

This flatware was made by D & D Inox in Italy and the pattern was called Roma. I bought them at Neiman Marcus or Bloomingdales during a major sale several years ago. I really like the marbleized design on the handles. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying flatware here.

I found these burgundy polyester napkins on Amazon a few years ago. I knew that I wanted to add an accent color to this black and white tablescape and I decided to use burgundy as an accent color. These black skull ceramic napkin rings came from DII and I bought them on Amazon five years ago. They were silver but I finally decided to have Hubby paint them black for me because I knew that I would use them more often if they were black.

To read about the what, where and how of napkin rings please click here.

While I was creating this tablescape this week I suddenly realized that I wanted to use black skulls as place card holders and I didn’t have any. I immediately checked Amazon and lucky for me I found these black resin skull place card holders. They were made by Marspark and they came in a set of 12 for a good price. How I love the fact that Amazon can ship some items in one day, and because we are Prime members, shipping is free! I often need the speed! I set the skulls on a dark bronze metal place card holder that I already had.

To read about the What, Where and When of place card holders, please click here.

I bought these tall black glass goblets on sale at Z Gallerie many years ago when I first started tablescaping. They are the tallest goblets I have in my goblet collection. I sometimes use them on Halloween tablescapes and on New Years Day tablescapes. Because the candlesticks with candles on this table are so tall I knew that I could use these tall goblets. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying goblets for your tablescaping collection including the colors that I use most often here.

I bought two of these wonderful black skull candles at Z Gallerie many years ago. It features a solid matte black finish with intricate patterns in its deep recessed areas. The cranium, eye sockets, and jawline are covered in highly detailed, embossed mandala and filigree patterns. These include stylized hearts, floral geometric motifs, and lace-like engravings inspired by classic Day of the Dead (Calavera) artwork. I really love this unique design.

These two tall black skeleton candlesticks are so tall that with the candles added it is difficult to take a good photo of it all. I found them at Pottery Barn online and I probably bought the candles on Amazon. The candlesticks are handcrafted of aluminum with an Antique Bronze finish.

I really like the bright crisp black and white on this table with the deed red accents.

More Halloween tablescapes are coming!

To see over 300 different tablescapes that I have created please click here. If you are on Facebook, join my Table Settings and Tablescape Ideas Facebook group (4,400+ members) for lots of tablescaping inspiration! Just click on the Facebook Search box at the top of the page and type in Table Settings and Tablescape Ideas or click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2553689988183392

If you live in Southern California join our Facebook tablescaping group Southern California Tablescapers BTS Group (300 members) https://www.facebook.com/groups/440356398581157 . We had a gathering in January 2025 and we are having another one in November.

Don’t miss the Tablescape How-To tab at the top of my blog for DIY tips and tricks or click here: https://www.whispersoftheheart.com/tablescapehowto

I put a new tablescape on my blog every week, please check back!

A Scarecrowing into Fall Tablescape

September 13, 2026 by Beth Wilson in Tablescapes

I love cute scarecrows. I posted a scarecrow tablescape last fall but when I found this cute scarecrow tablecloth on sale online at Spoonflower I decided to create another one this year too.

This scarecrow plate is a Johanna Parker design. It is from Johanna Parker’s new 2026 Harvest “Autumn Grapevine” Collection and it has been identified as a spoon holder or an appetizer plate. I always seem to gravitate toward bright colors for my table settings and this plate is a good demonstration of that. I was looking for a scarecrow salad plate and a Google search turned these up on Ebay. There are two different designs and I am using them both on this tablescape.

I already had this Johanna Parker Scarecrow Girl mug, I just added a photo of it to this post for fun. I think it was one of last year’s designs. It is marked Transpac. For many years I collected 3-D mugs, especially holiday designs, and when I saw this mug it reminded me of that collection.

When I am designing a tablescape I sometimes base the colors that I choose for the table on the colors that are on the salad plate that I will be using. I knew that I wanted to use orange and green plates. I remembered this green plate in my dinner plate collection that came from Pier 1 many years ago. It was part of their Spice Route series and each color was named after a different spice. This color was called Clove. I love this plate for Fall and Thanksgiving tablescapes and if you read my blog you will see it often during those seasons. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying dinner plates here.

While I was thinking about the colors for this tablescape I received the online weekly notice from our local Consignment Store showing photos of their new arrivals. These orange pottery chargers caught me eye immediately because I have been looking for orange chargers like this for several years. I have orange glass chargers and orange plastic chargers but I really wanted orange ceramic chargers and I was never able to find them. When I saw these online, I asked Hubby to check the store and buy them if they were still available. (They know him by name because we often consign the tablescaping items that I don’t want anymore for them to sell.) The chargers were still there and he bought them and brought them home. When I saw them I decided to use them on this tablescape. I love the bright orange color. It is just perfect for Fall and Halloween tables. They are marked Fun Factory since 1832 by Waechtersbach Germany.

When I need a green flatware set this set is my go-to choice. I have used this flatware on so many different tablescapes and I love it. It is called Madeline Green and I bought it at World Market several years ago. If you google frosted flatware and add the color you are looking for you might find similar sets. I use this green flatware set often on my tablescapes in the Spring and Fall. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying flatware here. This photo is a good close-up of the tablecloth with all the cute scarecrows on it.

I bought these Harvest Orange Pumpkin Spice Cotton Craft napkins on Amazon last month. I love the dark orange color. These resin scarecrow napkin rings came from Ebay last year. To read about the what, where and how of napkin rings please click here.

I found these tiny resin scarecrows on Ebay last year, there were three different designs in the group. I set them on a wood block place card holder that I have. To read about the What, Where and When of place card holders, please click here.

I love using these two goblets together on a Fall tablescape. When I first saw the dark orange glass goblet on the left at HomeGoods a few years ago I knew that I wanted it because it is a great color to use on Fall tablescapes and I didn’t have anything like that color in my goblet collection. I love the height too. I think the sage green glass goblet on the right came from HomeGoods as well. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying goblets for your tablescaping collection including the colors that I use most often here.

I knew that I wanted to use some kind of scarecrow as a centerpiece on this tablescape and I found this resin Patelai Fall Scarecrow Vase on Amazon. It was a bit shorter than I wanted it to be so I set it on a wooden stand that I bought at Michael’s several years ago to give it a bit more height. It still needed something so I found this Artificial Wheat Stalks Autumn Leaves Branch on Amazon and I bought a few for this vase. I had to cut them down to be the height that I wanted. I love how the colors look with the colors on the vase. There are lots of different scarecrows for sale this time of year but I only like the ones that have cute and happy faces.

In 1976 I was in a Hallmark store and I saw this Hallmark Merry Miniatures Scarecrow figurine. I think that was the start of my love for happy scarecrows. I always have it out somewhere this time of year. It normally stands in the glass cabinet in my study where I can see it every day. Great memories.

I can’t remember where I bought this Johanna Parker Scarecrow salt and pepper set but they match the salad plates on this tablescape. I added them to this tablescape to the left of the centerpiece.

I wanted something for the right side of the centerpiece so Hubby found these two small scarecrows at Michael’s.

This Fitz and Floyd Scarecrow figural mug was released in 1996 and I bought it then. It is another favorite scarecrow of mine and a favorite mug so I added a photo here just for fun.

I am hoping to see some scarecrows this season!

Don’t miss the Tablescape How-To tab at the top of my blog for DIY tips and tricks or click here: https://www.whispersoftheheart.com/tablescapehowto

I put a new tablescape on my blog every week, please check back!

Once Upon A Tablescape

September 06, 2026 by Beth Wilson in Tablescapes

I have been ready to post some Halloween tablescapes for a few weeks but I think that it is just a bit too early so I was scrambling to figure out some themes to do in the meantime and I remembered this children’s books tablecloth that I found on sale on Spoonflower earlier this year. I love the colorful children’s book spine graphics. It all came together fairly quickly.

I just love the variety of children’s titles and colorful graphics on this tablecloth.

Originally I was going to use my white book shaped plates on this tablescape but the white color was just too overpowering on this tablecloth so I pivoted and decided to use black square plates instead. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to find a salad plate with a children’s book cover design on it so I had Hubby make small rectangular paper scans of some of the book covers and laminate them for me to set on a small black appetizer plate. I found the black plastic appetizer plates on Amazon this week.

This is a Fiesta square dinner plate in the color called Green Meadow. I love Fiesta dinner plates. They come in lots of great colors. According to online information Fiesta is a line of ceramic glazed dinnerware manufactured and marketed by the Fiesta Tableware Company of Newell, West Virginia since its introduction in 1936 with a hiatus from 1973 to 1985. Fiesta is noted for its Art Deco styling and its range of often bold, solid colors. In the years since Fiesta was first produced, there have been a total of 47 colors in the line. Today, The Fiesta Tableware Company introduces one new color each year. Over the years some colors are retired as new ones are added. Most of my dinner plates are round but I do have a few that are square. I bought these dinner plates online but I can’t remember where.

I needed a basic square black charger and I found these on Amazon a few years ago. They are melamine and they are made by American Atelier. I think you can find them in other stores too. If you are a tablescaper, it’s a good idea to have basic plates in neutral colors that you can use over and over again. To read about what you should consider when you are buying charger plates please click here.

This photo is a nice closeup of the tablecloth design. This flatware set is called Madeline Green and I bought it at World Market several years ago. If you google frosted flatware and add the color you are looking for you might find similar sets. I use this green flatware often in the Spring and the Fall. You can see it here on a Fall Pumpkin tablescape. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying flatware here.

I have some black napkins but a few years ago I wanted some new ones that hadn’t faded out. I found these cotton ones at Crate and Barrel. I used the same idea for napkin rings that I used on the salad plates, attaching laminated scans of children’s book covers to a black napkin ring that I have. Each place setting book cover was a different book matching one of the books in the centerpiece. When I was in 5th grade our teacher read The Secret Garden to us, a bit every day, and I was in love with that book. It remains a special memory for me.

I added the same scans to a bronze place card holder, not sure where I bought these place card holders.

The acrylic sage green goblet on the left came from our Pier 1 store before it closed several years ago. I have black goblets that are shorter than this black goblet and black goblets that are much taller than this goblet but I wanted goblets this height that were all black. I was delighted to find these black plastic ones on Amazon a few years ago. The advertisement said that they are disposable but I plan to keep them for a while until I can find some black glass goblets that are the same height. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying goblets for your tablescaping collection here (including the colors that I use the most often).

I knew that I wanted to use this set of book ends with children reading books on this tablescape. I bought them several years ago at a gift shop in town that is now closed. They are usually on a shelf with books in the family room. I started my librarian career as a children’s librarian before I moved into management and they say once a children’s librarian always a children’s librarian. I still buy children’s books to enjoy once in a while. I knew that I wanted children’s chapter books that had colorful book covers for this centerpiece and I found this Illustrated Junior Library series of books on Ebay that were published by Grosset and Dunlap. Grosset & Dunlap published these books from the 1940's until the 2000's. The original series included 45 titles and four different series (or editions) were published through the years. The book cover designs are wonderful and they are great matches for the book spines on the tablecloth.

These book ends are some of my favorite possessions because to me they represent my career as a librarian.

To see over 300+ different tablescapes that I have created please click here. If you are on Facebook, join my Table Settings and Tablescape Ideas Facebook group (4,400+ members) for lots of tablescaping inspiration! Just click on the Facebook Search box at the top of the page and type in Table Settings and Tablescape Ideas or click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2553689988183392

If you live in Southern California join our Facebook tablescaping group Southern California Tablescapers BTS Group. (290+ members) https://www.facebook.com/groups/440356398581157 We had a gathering for tablescapers last year in the Los Angeles area and we are planning to have another one in November in Riverside.

Don’t miss the Tablescape How-To tab at the top of my blog for DIY tips and tricks. That link is here: https://www.whispersoftheheart.com/tablescapehowto

I put a new tablescape on my blog every week, please check back!

This blog post was featured at Miz Helen’s Country Cottage, https://www.mizhelenscountrycottage.com/ Please visit this blog for lots of great recipes!

An Owl-together Fall Tablescape

August 31, 2026 by Beth Wilson in Tablescapes

This is the third Owl tablescape that I have done. I did one last year and one four years ago. You can see those Owl tablescapes as well as 300+ other tablescapes that I have created on my blog here: https://www.whispersoftheheart.com/tablescapes . Finding these cute owl salad plates caused me to create a new design. I am not sure where the brown polyester tablecloth came from but it may have been Amazon.

I’m not sure where I found these ceramic owl salad plates but the owl has such a cute expression and I love the leaves he is wearing. The mark on the back says Potter’s Studio.

This brown dinner plate was called Double Ridge Cocoa Brown by Rachael Ray. They were made between 2012 and 2014 and they have been discontinued. I wanted a simple brown dinner plate and I finally found these several years ago, I can’t remember where.

This is a Mikasa Color Spectrum Charger in the color Alpine White. I have this charger in several different colors now and I bought them all on Ebay as I saw them over a few years. The Internet says that this color pattern was only made between 1992 and 1993. I am not sure that is true but in any case they are no longer being manufactured. I had been trying to get six of this white color and pattern charger for years with no success until a few years ago when suddenly I found six at different places online after occasional google searches. You need to have patience when you are looking for things for tablescaping, that’s for sure!

This cream colored flatware set was made by D & D Inox in Italy. I bought the set at Neiman Marcus or Bloomingdales during a major sale many years ago. I love this flatware pattern, I have it in a few other colors as well. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying flatware here.

These Vera print napkins probably came from HomeGoods several years ago. When I first saw them they reminded me of Fall, they are full of great fall colors. I love a fall print! I found these Tag ceramic owl napkin rings or place card holders on Ebay a couple of years ago. I love that they can be used for either purpose. They came in green, brown, orangish tan and a burgundy red and I have them in all those colors. You can see the slit for a place card in this photo. If you didn’t want to set a separate place card holder you could just put the card in the napkin ring.

To read about the What, Where and How of napkin rings please click here.

I think these owl place card holders are so cute. They originally came from Pottery Barn but I found them on Ebay. To read about the What, Where and When of place card holders, please click here.

These amber glass goblets came from Pier 1 on sale right before our store closed many years ago. I love how tall they are. When I started tablescaping, I bought goblets in sets of twelve but I soon realized that I was going to run out of space and I really wanted lots of different colors so I changed to buying them in sets of six or eight. I do have some basic colors in sets of twelve and I like that because I can use two of the same goblet on a tablescape if I want to. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying goblets for your tablescaping collection including the colors that I use most often here.

Hubby found this owl ceramic figure at an estate sale several years ago. He loves to go to estate sales and he often finds tablescaping goodies for me. I was delighted to see it, I knew I had found a great owl centerpiece. It is marked Andrea by Sadek. I love the expression in the eyes and all the detail. This is now the third time that I have used this owl as a centerpiece.

This owl salt and pepper set came from Amazon online a few years ago.

This owl salt and pepper set came from Cracker Barrel online a few years ago.

Don’t miss the Tablescape How-To tab at the top of my blog for DIY tips and tricks. That link is here: https://www.whispersoftheheart.com/tablescapehowto

I put a new tablescape on my blog every week, please check back!

This blog post was featured at Penny’s Passion, https://pennyspassion.blogspot.com/ . Please visit this blog, you will enjoy it!