Harvest Party…It All Started with Root Beer

It looks like I’m having a Harvest Party, but I’m not…
and it’s all because of some root beer bottles.
A few weeks ago, my daughter had a few friends over for a movie night.  My husband and I had been out of town for a few days, and when we came home, the table was filled with junk food and there was a counter full of empty glass soda bottles.  She knows I love bottles, so they didn’t throw any of them away, in case I wanted them.  It’s a good thing they were drinking non-alcoholic beverages, because there were 11 empty root beer bottles and several other empty bottles as well – and there were only 3 kids drinking all them (I say “kids”, but they are young adults). Autumn Party Ideas for Under $20 | www.knickoftime.net
I wasn’t really interested in the clear glass bottles, but I love amber glass, so I took those.  Amber is the perfect color for autumn, so I decided to use them as flower vases.  I’d just get some pretty autumn-colored flowers, plunk them our dining room table and we’d have some instant Autumn!

Recycle amber beer or root beer bottles as flower vases for party decor | www.knickoftime.net
I grouped the bottles together and tried to envision them filled with flowers, but it seemed boring.  The problem seemed to be that there wasn’t any variety in their height, so I brainstormed what I could do about that and remembered a wedding that I provided the vintage props for a few years ago.  The bride used slices of tree branches to hold her cakes and that seemed like it would be a great way to stagger the height of my bottles and it would make a nice contrast to the bottles.Hubby came home and I told him I wanted him to cut me some slices of a dead tree branch.  After heading to the store to buy a new blade for his saw, he cut me a bunch of tree slices.  Wonderful – now I just needed flowers!
Party Ideas - Use wood slices as risers for food and flowers
Off to Walmart I went, where I selected some mums and sunflowers, but somewhere between the flowers and the checkout, I stared thinking that some fruits and veggies would look pretty by the flowers, wouldn’t they?
How to throw a Fall Harvest Party for under $20 | www.knickoftime.net
So, I picked some apples and a few ears of corn.   Strategically placed near the apples in the fruit section at Walmart are packages of caramel wraps for apples.  Caramel Apples!  I should make some caramel apples!  I added that package to my cart.
How to throw a Fall Harvest Party for under $20 | www.knickoftime.net
I got back home and started arranging my pretty flowers in my root beer bottles, and started stacking tree slices, and putting fruit around them.  I grabbed a jar of apple butter a friend had given me, and another jar of honey in the comb that I bought – just because it is pretty, then I said to myself, “Self…this looks like it would be pretty as a table setting for a Harvest Party!”
Autumn Party Ideas for Under $20 | www.knickoftime.net
But…you can’t have a party without a banner, now can you?
Out to my workshop I went to make a Harvest banner on old Bible pages.  I couldn’t find my roll of twill tape to save my life, so I used an old tape measure to connect the pennants.
DIY Harvest Book Page Banner | Fall Harvest Party Ideas for Under $20 | www.knickoftime.net
Banner done, I stepped back and was quite tickled with my Harvest display, but I realized something was missing…fabric and metal.  I like to use lots of texture when I put together a vignette.  It just adds more interest.  I had wood, glass, paper, flowers and fruits, but I was lacking metal and fabric.

Back out to the workshop I headed to round up some old metal kitchen things, a doily and a seed bag.  Yes…that’s what I’m talking about!
Autumn Party Ideas for Under $20 | www.knickoftime.net
So…that’s the story of my imaginary harvest party!
Blessings,

Angie

Please know that Knick of Time uses affiliate links, including but not limited to Amazon to help keep this blog up and running.

Comments

  1. Ha! Oh that is SO me! I don’t know why I changed all my settings on my camera; but now I am struggling to figure it all out again. Geez.

    LOVE the vignette you created Angie! Those bottles are great and all the other props you gathered together just scream FALL!

  2. I just have a point and shoot, but still have not learned all the bells and whistles. I like the Andy Warhol one. Whenever i am busy fussing with fruit and dishes and stuff, my husband says, “Uh-oh, it must be lie-to-your-blog friends time again!” I never clean except to take photos :>)

  3. I don’t care what your camera skills are or aren’t, you’ve got some mean vignette skills and the way your mind works is amazing. I mean really, the tape measure cuz you couldn’t find your twine? Brilliant!

  4. you’re hilarious, and I totally get the “idiot” concept of photography! I have to tell you, Angie, those photos look like they came out of a magazine. you did a great job!

  5. No idea what root beer is as we don’t have it in Australia, but your decorating looks gorgeous!

  6. Oh I so get this post…..and the pic thing…and the light….and I love the root beer bottles…..now, you need to have that party!!

  7. Oh gosh, you had me laughing out loud!! What we go through to stage and prepare for an upcoming post. All that hard work was worth it, I think, as your vignette is definitely creative. I love it!
    I do have to tell you that your pictures are really great! Except for the bloopers you threw in there, of course 😉

  8. Ok, let’s see now, gas for trip to hardware store, new saw blade, gas for trip to Walmart, flowers, fruit, caramel wraps, all to use empty bottles for harvest display, LOL, priceless, even if you did end up spending $47.32

  9. You really had fun with that one Angie … looks great and I love Amber bottles too. Maybe that is what I should use for my fall table or mantel. Thanks for always entertaining and inspiring us.
    Looks great and so much fun.
    Hugs,
    Audrey Z. @ Timeless Treasures

  10. Yum that carmel apple is making my mouth water, and I was just thinking about carmel apple’s the other day. Haven’t seen any in Germany though 🙁

  11. LOVE this post!! hee hee
    Blessings~

  12. Aha, looks like me :). And that’s why writing a blog post takes me so long. Because of the photography 🙂

    Goedele

  13. Composition is a big part of getting a great picture and you have THAT in spades!! I have not learned everything with my DSLR either but I am trying! My problem is dark rooms! I laughed at how things steamrolled into a bigger project……happens here ALL THE TIME!

  14. Here’s the difference between you and me. I don’t want to spend all that time setting up a beautiful shot. I usually don’t add extra’s to my setting of whatever I am shooting. Therefore your pictures are beautiful, interesting and mine are boring. Love your new Fall header! It was worth all the effort. By the way, my camera has a setting called Backlight, for when you are shooting into a window. I just found it, yes you guessed it, by READING my book!

  15. Love the settings, even your bloppers are pretty. My grandson would love the rootbeer party! Did you paint the letters on your banner?

  16. Your photographs are beautiful! And your post had me laughing, too! Lovely “non” harvest party. 🙂

  17. Angie I am still trying to figure mine out too.I guess it’s time to read the manual.Love your photos and I love those bottles too!
    xx
    Anne

  18. So cute and a good excuse to drink a lot of rootbeer!! 🙂

  19. I am drinking root beer right now! Of course, mine is in a boring fountain soda cup…no inspiration there! I am also laughing, because I just got my fancy camera about 6 months and I feel so overwhelmed by the settings! I just point, shoot and hope for the best…and edit…a lot! 😉 In the end, whatever you did worked, your display is just gorgeous!

  20. I can SOOOOO relate to camera troubles! I even have a camera that is “auto-EVERYTHING” and I still can mess up a photo! My favorite spot for photos is in my yard but, if the sun is out…too bright…if it’s cloudy…too dark….sheesh….so much for auto camera.. LOVE the ideas with the bottles.
    Renee
    Treasures by Renee

  21. Karen Brecklin says

    Hey cousin,
    We’re not that far away…we can come to a harvest party!! Just tell us when!

Speak Your Mind

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.