Back To School Themed Dining Room Decor

It's been almost a month since I've blogged. We've been so busy this Summer and I have so much I want to blog, I just haven't had the time to do it. So I thought I'd ease back in with a fun, decorating post.

I like to change out the décor in my dining room for each major holiday. So after the 4th of July, I didn't really have anything special to go in there. So when I was in Target the other day and saw all their cute "back to school" décor in their dollar spot, I thought it would be so cute to do a "back to school" theme in the dining room. Plus I thought the kids would love it too.

I searched around on Pinterest for some ideas and came up with a list of stuff to use that I already had on hand, along with some things I wanted to find. I already knew Target had a lot of cute stuff, so I checked around there and the only other store I went to was Michaels.

I always try to incorporate the wooden caddy I use as a centerpiece by changing what's in it to go with the theme. My mom found it at Ross and I just love it. We already had the fake grass from when we used it for Easter with eggs. So I went to Michaels and found a bundle of apples for $9.99 and used a 50% off coupon. I just cut them and stuck them in the Styrofoam that we have under the grass. I got the ruler ribbon from Target in the dollar spot and just tied a bow to make it a little more festive.

I found the little "dream big" star at Target for $1 along with the apple chalkboard clothes pins. I thought the clothes pins were so cute, but really didn't know how I would use them. Luckily, as I was putting everything together I thought to pin them to the top of my galvanized napkin rings that are also from the dollar spot at Target from last Fall. I just wrote A, B, C, and D on them.

I had the plates, napkins and table runner already on hand, as well as the salt and pepper shakers, napkin caddy and coasters. I love all of my galvanized table décor because it goes with anything and can be used with any holiday décor.

I also tied on some of the dollar spot ruler ribbon to the salt and pepper shaker caddy to add a little fun to it. :-)

The red glitter apple mason jars were in the Target dollar spot and the pencils are just regular number 2 pencils that you can get for under $2 a pack anywhere.

I love my buffet and love decorating it for different holidays as well. I had seen where someone used a globe in their back to school décor so I thought since I already had one for "back to school" photo sessions, that it would be super cute to incorporate it. I happened to find it last year at a consignment shop for only $10!!

The apple banner that I have hanging on my wooden "Give Thanks" sign that my dad made me is also from the Target dollar spot. You have to put it together, but it was really easy and turned out so cute!

I always try to incorporate a candy dish on my buffet and fill it with m&m's, so when I saw this adorable apple for $3 at Target, I knew it would be perfect for that. I also thought it would be cute to add a picture of the kids from the first day of school last year. The clipboard I have is from Target as well and cost less than $3. I just added a piece of the kids art work to it.

 I already had the little red chalkboard, so I used that along with the cute little ceramic pencil, which was also from Target for $1. I made the "Back to School" print using PicMonkey and just framed in a 5x7 frame I already had.

And finally, this cute little ceramic apple that I have sitting next to my globe was also from Target for only $1.

So I'd love to know, do any of you decorate for Back to School? It wasn't something I had ever thought about doing before, but I love the way it turned out and I plan on doing it every year now because it was so much fun!