Tag Archives: fall table

Thanksgiving by Candlelight

If you have been following my blog for awhile, you know that I enjoy creating tablescapes — especially for the holidays.  

I have to confess that I haven’t gone the simple route every Thanksgiving, but with each passing year, simplicity seems to be my mantra — go simple or go home!

This year, my “Thanksgiving by Candlelight” table reflects my desire for keeping things easy, yet pleasing to the eye.  And, of course, it’s in keeping with my casually elegant style. 

I just love the warm and cozy glow of candles burning in the center of the table as dinner time arrives and the sun sinks deeper under the horizon.

Normally, I love the layer plates upon plates, but this time I kept the layering to a minimum, using only a beaded gold charger and my beloved Spode Delamere dinner plates.  

I topped it off with a small picture frame used as a place card for each seat and called it done.

I love this idea because you can also give the frame as a little gift to your guests as they leave!  How fun is that?!

Although this table is simple, it subtly marries texture and color and gives a feeling of the fall harvest and the warmth of the season.

I always, always try to incorporate candles in to my tables, but have never photographed them lit before.  

I guess I was afraid the warm glow wouldn’t come through.  But today’s rainy weather provided the perfect opportunity to show you what my table actually looks like when I’m ready for my guests to arrive and dinner is about to be served.

There’s something about candle light that makes you want to linger at the table for conversation and camaraderie, doesn’t it?

You might notice that I didn’t place any napkins at this table.  That’s because this year — in keeping with my simpicity mantra — I’m using paper napkins.  And, no, I haven’t even bought them yet.  When I do, I will place them under the picture frames, or maybe just keep them in the kitchen in the buffet line.  

Today’s Thanksgiving table is part of the monthly tablescape series, “It’s All Set.”

I hope you’ll visit the links below to see more beautiful ideas from my friends!

 

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StoneGable

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Lilacs & Longhorns

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Designthusiasm

Adding Warmth to a Thanksgiving Table with Burnished Copper | Designthusiasm.com

The Enchanted Home

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Shabbyfufu

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Thankful at Home 2014

It’s officially the time of year to reflect on gratitude.  

While our Canadian friends have already celebrated their Thanksgiving, we’re still looking forward to having our friends and families gather in our homes and around our tables for Thanksgiving here in the U.S.

thanksgiving tablescape

I can’t wait.

Thanksgiving tablescape

I absolutely adore Thanksgiving.  I love it even more than Christmas.  Truly.

Why?

Because I think it’s more relaxed,  it’s less commercial and it’s centered on what matters — being grateful for all that we have and for those we love.  

fall table

Each year I try to keep a gratitude journal where I write down the things I am grateful for on a daily basis.  Sometimes I’m not in the mood to be thankful.  Sometimes I feel like I keep repeating the same things over and over.  But, the one thing I’ve realized since I began keeping a journal like this is that there is always something to grateful for.  Always.

spode delamere plates

This year was a bit challenging for us as a family.  My husband’s job continued to grow more and more stressful as budgets and personnel were cut.   His travel schedule remained hectic and he often missed out on important family events like birthdays and anniversaries.   

We remodeled our kitchen this summer and it was extremely stressful.  Things did not go smoothly during parts of the process so our patience was stretched thin and maxed out at times. 

pumpkin center piece

This fall, my son began the 7th grade at a new school.  It is his biggest challenge to date.  We are working through the normal growing pains of entering the teen years along with hectic athletics schedules, sports injuries and a big load of home work.  Some days he and I are both near tears over the angst of learning challenging math problems while finishing his other homework until late in to the night.

Some days we feel like it’s all too much.  Wouldn’t the grass be greener (and less to mow!) in a smaller home with a smaller or — better yet — no mortgage?  Wouldn’t life be better if my husband could pull back at work and have a less demanding career?

We don’t know what the answers are but I can tell you this:  I am grateful for it all.  Yes, I’m even grateful for the indecision, the challenges and the uncertainty.  It means we are alive, that we have normal, healthy kids and that we have jobs and a home.

pumpkin squash

I am thankful my husband is such a wonderful provider, husband, father and friend.  

I am thankful that we are financially able to make the changes in our kitchen we talked about for years.  

I am thankful that my son is an intelligent, thoughtful kid who perseveres when the going gets tough.  I am so proud of him.  

I am thankful for my daughter who remains cheerful, kind and makes us laugh through it all.  

I am grateful for my entire family, my friends and the fact that I have a beautiful home to enjoy through the good and bad.

I am thankful that I am able to stay home with my children while trying to make a successful business out of my little ol’ blog.

I am so blessed.

As I set my Thanksgiving table this year, I am going to be mindful that every single thing is a gift and a blessing.  It’s exactly why I love this time of year.

thankful printable

 I’m sharing my Thankful printable with you so you and your guests can write down all the reasons you’re grateful this Thanksgiving.

free thanksgiving printable

Im Thankful For cards

 

I hope you’ll join me and the 13 other bloggers who are participating in the Thankful at Home tour this week.

thankful at home tour

We are sharing all the things that make us Thankful at Home.  I can’t wait to read each and every one.

 

Monday, Nov. 3

Funky Junk Interiors

French Country Cottage

Savvy Southern Style

Lilacs & Longhorns — that’s me!

Maison de Pax

Tuesday, Nov. 4

My Soulful Home

On Sutton Place

Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Wednesday, Nov. 5

Stone Gable

At the Picket Fence

Top This Top That

Housepitality Designs

Debbiedoos

Wishing you peace, love and gratitude this Thanksgiving,

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Natural Fall Tablescape

I didn’t grow up with a dining room in our home.  

Our house was relatively small but we had a nice-sized breakfast area.  My mom would put the extra leaves in the table and then she would get busy decking it out for whatever the occasion.  I loved it when she did that.

When my husband and I bought our current house I definitely wanted a dining room.  I didn’t care about a formal living space, but to have a dining room for entertaining was high on my list.  And, it’s at this time of year when I adore it the most.  It looks it’s best and it’s ready for welcoming family and friends.

 

natural fall tablescape_3

This year I created a natural fall tablscape for the season.  I just love it when I can pull things from our yard or scoop things up on a walk through the neighborhood.  There’s just nothing like the real thing!  

fall dining room

We cannot grow bittersweet (my favorite in the fall) and berries can be hard to come by.  (I did spot a few in a stranger’s yard — do you think they’d think I was weird if I knocked on their door and asked for a cutting?)  So, I just settled for tucking in a few faux berries among some real pumpkins, leaves and cotton branches — I’m okay with that.

tool box center piece

I added a couple of deer sheds and love the look.  Our home wouldn’t be complete without a deer shed from the ranch! lol

Pumpkins are finally filling the grocery stores and farmer’s markets.  I could go crazy with them, but I know they don’t last long in the heat, so I try to restrain myself.

Our leaves aren’t turning yet, so it’s appropriate to have some fresh green leaves in the mix right now.

I definitely love all the berries, pumpkins and greenery, but I mostly look forward to using my dishes this time of year.

fall tablescape_3

The white plates are from IKEA, the brown transferware is Spode Delamere and the bowls with handles are from William-Sonoma.  I LOVE these bowls and so do my kids.  Being able to hold the little handles when you’re carrying hot soup or chili from the stove is so nice.  Plus, they’re cute!

The little pumpkin plates are a new addition this year.  I found them at TJ Maxx!  

I added a few white mini pumpkins to the top of my hutch and, of course, I have my little scented pine cone wreath hanging from the doors.

blue hutch with fall decor

I love how my dining room is looking all dressed up for fall.  Now, I guess I need to host a dinner party! 

Thank you so much for visiting today!

Happy Fall!

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