Channeling Jane

This was an attempt to create a Jane Austen-themed shower.  Healthy Chick's MOH is getting married, herself, in a few weeks.  Healthy Chick is her MOH and between she and the rest of the bridesmaids, threw this shower.  I was in charge of the space, the young ladies did the rest.  There is precious little info on Jane Austen parties unless one would want to dress up in character.  So, I went for a romantic tea party look.  Oh, and did I forget to tell you, I forgot the date I was supposed to host this until Healthy Chick reminded me one week before the event?  Boy, did I have to get crackin'!  I'm so delighted I had so many of my fellow bloggers ideas to plunder.

I got inspiration from all over blogland.  Let's take a look around.

I was inspired by Courtney at French Country Cottage to use a twin dust ruffle as romantic tablecloth.  I saw her use it in a post and had the idea in the back of my mind when I went thrifting last week.  Low and behold, I found this perfectly-coordinated-to-my-color-scheme ruffle for $2.57.  The nice thing about using a dust ruffle is the "top" shouldn't have the typical stain on it that tablecloths seem to get.  Not to mention, where can you get a tablecloth for less than that?  Plus, you get ruffled detail.

Kathy, at Creative Home Expressions, recently remade a newel post card holder and had interesting bits in the holders.  I saw this perfectly tarnished picture holder during the same thrifting trip for $2 and knew just what I wanted to do with it.  Some of these preprinted tags are from a scrapbook pad.  The ribboned tags are made from a handy tag punch.  So easy and pretty.  I was wanting to get a photo or two of the bride and groom, but time slipped away from me.

Another present-day Jane from Mamie Jane's gave me this inspiration.  She took an oil can, I believe, and a ball or two of crochet thread and added vintage pins.  I, on the other hand, found this twine holder at TJs, on clearance, that was missing the top.  I added the extra disk that comes with drapery finials and topped the hole with a wooden fleur de lis.  Wasn't it a great find?  I added some romantic looking pins from my collection.  It seems I had penchant for sparkles.   It's not as clever as Jane's, but I think it's pretty none the less.

Bunting inspiration from all over the place.  You may be able to see a new strand I created using two napkins in the top collage.  The left photo reads "Gifts," the chair reads "Bride."

I used 4" doilies that I had purchased in thoughts of using for Healthy Chick's wedding, stencils, and used my circle cutter with the coordinating scrapbook pad.

Since this post is getting pretty long on ideas, I think I'll divide this up and show you some more photos in another post.  I'm hoping I get some of the guests and the food.  I didn't even try with my camera since if all of the conditions aren't right and moons aren't aligned, they don't turn out well anyway.

Oh, and I should mention, I got the collage style inspiration from Dawn of Creative Cain Cabin on her WIWW posts. 

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You know, I get soooo many inspirational ideas from you all and just love copying them or making them my own, I thought I'd throw a "Copy Cat" party for those of you who also get inspired to do a bit of "copying."

<center><a href="http://cheapchichome.blogspot.com" target=_blank><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92EmLQaP2yLEdAvIDThg27O59KP81TLnlat32qu23LOKUBQ-SdoCtN0c8sTnTyHUAJpvKuviBkqlyvx_ehD5GmbvwkaLuX2ZsAhWIfSwzMy6qK5IZy7BacZB_1LLyp_mYO_FVyNdissSS/s200/cat+game-4.jpg" width="200" /></a></center>

So what do you say?  Are you in?  Help spread the word!  Let's meet back one week from today and have some Copy Cat fun with a LINK PARTY shall we?  Any project that you made that you were inspired to copy by another blogger, friend, popular store (i.e., Pottery Barn, Ballard's, etc.) is perfect!

I'm linking with these sweet bloggers.