Tips For Creating A Thanksgiving Table

I guest posted here last week on the topic of setting a Thanksgiving table.  In case you all didn't get a chance to stop over and visit Courtney from A Diamond In the Stuff, I thought I would share the table spread I created over here too.

With Thanksgiving nearly upon us {less thank a week!}, and lots of entertaining opportunities in the weeks ahead, I thought it was the perfect time to talk about getting creative with your Thanksgiving table. 

First of all, have a theme or direction you want to go in.  I prefer an earthy/natural look and gravitate towards neutrals.  I like bringing in elements from the outdoors to the indoors.

And I'll let you in on a secret: it's much cheaper to decorate this way!  

My kids and I collect leaves, acorns, branches, you name it, and create things all the time for free!

Carry that theme throughout your table setting while being subtle.  

It’s in the little things.

Think in layers!  I like to use lots of texture...

The centerpiece.

It need not be big and showy, but it should be substantial enough that it anchors the table in the center.  Make sure guests seated can see across the table, without having to crane their heads to see around it.

Make the seats personalized.  

Name cards are a no-brainer way you can do this.  Besides, I kinda have a thing for them. 

It’s also wise to have something at each seat that gets conversation started, just in case that uncle you haven’t seen in years says something awkward and you need an out.  

I tucked cards in my napkins at each place setting for guests to write things they're thankful for...

 Don't be afraid to mix and match your dishes.  

You should, however, attempt to have a common thread going with some of your pieces.

The goal is to create something YOU love and that has guests wanting to linger at the table, 

long after the meal is done.  

Are you hosting Thanksgiving at your house this year?  

I would love to see what table spreads you come up with!

Greetings From Michigan!

Greetings from Michigan!  Snow is on the forecast for today and our family is just lounging around in PJ's all morning.  The baking itch is hitting me.  Lots of people here to eat it so maybe I will indulge myself.

I'll be honest, I was extremely nervous about a 15+ hour car ride with 3 itty bitty kids.  We're pretty adventuresome, but that long of a car ride just seemed like a nervous break down in the making.

But can I give a huge shout out for the grace of God, a hubby who can rig a mini TV in our van, and the world's best travelers for children?!!!  I was seriously so proud of them.  

Would you believe I actually got to relax for once?!  I read magazines {Thank you Tammy!}, talked uninterrupted with the hubs, cat napped, ate cookies with no limitations, knitted, {catching up from last Thanksgiving} and listened to this new CD.

I'm getting hopeful we can save and plan a trip overseas now....maybe a lofty goal?  But I want my kids to learn to be flexible and love travel as much as mommy and daddy.  

You name a place.  We want to live there or at least go see it.

We stopped only twice on the 10.5 hr. drive to Indianapolis.  TWICE people!
We are looking at a super happy and proud parenting moment here.  

{Our lunch stop in the heart of Indiana.}

Can I give you a little secret?  If you have girls about my girls' age and you want to keep them occupied in the car, go up to Wal Mart and get these little $2 Princess Sticker/coloring tablets near the card section of the store.  Steven picked 2 up for me and it kept the girls entertained for HOURS.  He is a genius.

Let's check out the goods...

The hubs and decided to go redneck and took the middle seat out of our van and turned it into a camper of sorts.  We have a huge cooler stocked full of food...and you know my kids love food.  We have lots of kid-sized blankets.  We have mommy's knitting spilling out everywhere.  We have a newspaper basket full of DVD's, book, and toys.  And last but not least, that fuzzy baby blue part at the bottom of the picture is our mini tv Steven rigged.  We thought it was better than those travel DVD players because the sound can be played much louder.  

Anyone else have a hearing issue with the travel DVD players?  

Oh, and Emma is holding one of those princess tablets.  If you're traveling with girls, go get one!

I quickly began having a love affair with Indiana countryside.  

It made it to my list of places I want to live - for at least a summer - before I die.

The city was pretty cool too...

We went here...

...the evening we stayed in Indianapolis.  Mommy got her fill of J.Crew. ;-)

Met up late that night for pizza in the city with our good friend Eliott...

Me and my girls...

The next morning I took Keller outside for more pictures.  The morning was overcast and I had a photography itch to scratch after being in the car for so many hours. 

Elliott gave us a tour of the mission where he works...

Then, lunch in the city at P.F. Changs...

 {Shiloh lovin' some egg roll!}

{Keller tryin' some lime wedges.}

 {Emma coloring her heart out.}

More driving...and now we're here!

Outdoor Decorating: A Present For Your Neighbors

A friend of mine {Hey Lori!} emailed me and asked me to share some outdoor decorating ideas on "the blog".  At the time, my outdoor decorating looked worse for the wear.  I had started on our front door and then got burnt out on trying to get something together on a strict budget. 

Because the truth is, I have expensive taste people.  As in, I am seriously thinking of starting my own children's line of clothing because I want EVERYTHING in babyGap, but can NOT afford any of it. Also as in, I wish to dress myself and the hubs in strictly all J.Crew, but alas we have no outlet here, which means practically no J.Crew people.  And, as in, I could deck my house in all Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn and die happy. 

But truly.  Do I want to be on my death bed and realize I spent all that money on clothes and house stuff?  

Nada.

So I make stuff myself.

And truly, I think I'll die just as happy, if not happier.

  

Thanks, Lori, for that email!  It was just the motivation I needed to get my butt outside with the kids and make the outside happen.

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I have a favorite book around here by Martha Stewart and she says that indoor decorating is all a gift for family and friends to enjoy.  "But outdoor displays - lights, porch swags, tassels, garlands, wreaths - are presents to your neighbors."

Present to your neighbors.  

I like that.

{And outside pictures of the house are way cuter with babies in them.} 

"Before you begin work, assess your home's strongest features.  

Then design trimmings to accent them."

The garland.  

I'm a total sucker for it.

 I've been gradually buying a new piece of that garland over the last few years.  They carry it at Hobby Lobby and it's $15 per strand.  I have 4 strands now and it was just enough to drape on the front porch of our house.  I pulled it right down from the cabinets in our kitchen, and told it, "You're moving for the holidays baby!"  I have an ugly bright orange extension cord keeping those lights powered.  But who gives???  Besides, Keller loves chewing on it.  

If you need any guardian angels at your house, you might be able to borrow one of ours...I feel certain we have a slew hovering over our house.  

I am NOT kidding.

Window wreath tutorial found HERE.

I had been hitting up the yard sales for outdoor furniture, but always got at the house too late.  SOLD has been my new, most-hated word these days.  I wanted seating on our front porch.  I'm an old person at heart and had visions of sitting together with my hubs out there drinking coffee in the early mornings.

 That hay bale is filling in instead.  It's way cuter anyway.

And sad to say, the hubs and I don't smooch on that haybale and drink our coffee together in flannel PJ's in the wee morning hours.  Maybe he'll read this blog post?  

Course, you have to get up at 4am around here to beat the kids.  So, never mind.  Sleep in honey!

The "give thanks" wood sign is a fave of mine.  Made by yours truly. :-)

Made a swag using that old bush out front, some pine cones, wire, and twine.  

All stuff I had on hand already.  Saving money here people!  And lovin' it.

I like how it ties in the wreath on the front door.

These wire cone forms were half yard saled and half Hobby Lobbied.  Meaning: one came from a yard sale for $3 and I found the exact same one at Hobby Lobby for around $7 {using a %40 off coupon}.

I cannot WAIT to decorate them for Christmas with evergreen.  Hold your horses, Mary Beth!

Breakdown of costs:

Hay bale: $8

Wire Forms by the door: $10

Magnetic Wreath Hangar for Door: $6.99

Mums: $14

Total: $38.99!