Thanksgiving Table 2009 and the Kid's Table too!

I recently posted a little peekaboo here of the supplies I gathered to make our Thanksgiving Day table. It's now finished and ready for Thanksgiving 2009!

Take a look before it gets messed up with turkey gravy and cranberry sauce!


My intentions for this year's setting were to have a Natural Rustic tone with a hint of elegance. I decided against using all the pillar candles and just used two candles instead. I DID use everything else previously mentioned though.

The table has all muted colors to carry peace and a calming atmosphere to the table. I really focused on bringing a lot of texture to the table for these colder months. I also worked to maintain the simple rustic feel, borrowing nature and taking it in.

I used burlap to keep the table current and updated, while the candles gave a classic timeless look.

I made a bow and tied the long burlap table runner off with an aqua-sage wired ribbon and let the burlap and ribbon pool on the floor.

I did a subtle fold on the napkins to maintain the simple look I wanted to achieve. I special ordered the color of these AMAZING tags from etsy.com!
LOVE LOVE them!
I used them to embellish the napkins. Every guest can take a moment to reflect on what they're thankful for and take the tags home.

They read "Count Your Blessings"

I made this wheat bouquet using inspiration and a tutorial from Martha Stewart. Once again, this brought the nature in...

I wrapped and glued twine around a couple of candles.

For an easy way to post the GRAND Thanksgiving menu I took a photo frame and typed out the menu. Then I easily traced some leaves onto it.

etc, etc, etc...

The kid's table was {extra} fun to play with. I found this table from Pottery Barn Kids several years ago and it has always been the boys' special table.

I've used these adorable placemats (also from Pottery Barn Kids) every year. It's a little tradition.

I spent a bit of time brainstorming a fun centerpiece and came up with nothing! Then a GIANT size thank you to Beth for inspiring me to make this CUTE Mayflower ship! She has a special talent with decorating that always excites me. I also used some inspiration from Martha Stewart too, although I will say my first attempt at making a ship was a huge failure! But I'm happy with the big basket choice.

I filled the ship with various nuts and pears.
I used burlap for the sails, sticks to keep my natural theme, and a Longaberger basket for the ship. (see this post for more of my Longaberger love affair!)For their placecards I used pears and pinned in their names.

And that's a wrap for Thanksgiving Tables 2009!

Curious minds ask me, "why go to all the fuss??"

I want a corner of comfort and warmth

A few moments in time to escape the frazzle of rushed living

A chance to still the race in our heads and calm our eyes

I want to create a haven for hearts to rest and feel loved

I want an atmosphere that captures the minutes of our holiday
creating forever memories

A place for loved ones to gather 'round with warm chatter lifting up to the ceilings

A home sweet home for the holidays

This post is linked to:
DIY Thanksgiving

DIY Holiday Highlights

Today's Creative Blog

Sharing Thanksgiving

Tablescape Thursday
Works for Me Wednesday
Show and Tell
Dare to Entertain
DIY Day

My Thanksgiving Table plays PEEKABOO

peekaboo!

Okay, so I piled all my GIVING DAY decor on the table and it's playing peekaboo with you before it's finished!

This year I want to focus on a more rustic feel, bringing in the heavier textures of these colder months. I want a wide variety of textures with some natural elements. I am adding candles for a sprinkle of elegance to give the entire setting a
rustic elegant style.

I want the table simple without high contrast in colors. I am keeping the colors muted to bring pleasant peace to the atmosphere, while providing calming beauty.

Finally, to maintain the natural effect I don't want any glass in the decor. No glass vases, candle holders, pillars, or cloches.

My inventory of goodies:
~burlap...a LOT of burlap!
~amazing tags that are still hiding!
~white pumpkins (my absolute favorite!) I had to drive to a little farm town to get these treasures.
~cream candles of all sizes
~twine
~pears (not pictured)
~bluish sage colored ribbon
-~AND a wheat mixture bouquet I made using Martha Stewart's idea for a wheat bundle

That's the sneak peek!
There is still time for all you lovelies to give me some advice on what I should add or eliminate.

Please Do.
I would LOVE that!

merci beaucoup
My boys are learning French and it's adorable!
Sooo, I'm practicing...

I feel like pushing the "repeat" button every time little French phrases come out of their little mouths. I just love it!

I could listen to them all day...
but I'm getting off topic here...

Flavors of Fall

EDIT ON 11/13/2009: I've had a lot of people ask where I got this stencil. I got this particular one from a scrapbook fall package from years ago.

Embellish your favorite fall dessert with powdered sugar and a stencil! It is super easy and extra cute. Just press your stencil firmly yet gently onto your cake/bread and shake the sugar all over. Carefully lift the stencil and Ta Da, beautifully done!

This is a Pumpkin Ribbon Cake that I make each season. It is moist pumpkin with a thin ribbon layer of cream cheese.

I use a Pampered Chef recipe. You can easily use your favorite pumpkin or spice cake recipe. Then for the ribbon layer simply mix 8oz softened cream cheese (I use light) with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed. Spread the cream mixture on 1/3 of your cake batter in the pan. Spread the remaining batter over the cream mixture and bake as your recipe directs.

AND...ONE MORE!....

Cinnamon Cream Syrup for a Sunday morning of Apple Pancakes
The boys couldn't get enough of this dessert breakfast! Please don't eat for the rest of the day, these calories will last you awhile.

It is thicker than most syrup....

Both of these recipes are found on (my favorite!!) at AllRecipes.com.

Click on these links to view:
Cinnamon Cream Syrup

Apple Pancakes

A little Autumn on our kitchen counter...

Enjoy your Fall Goodness!

This post is linked to:
Works for Me Wednesday
Foodie Friday

Frame It! Chalkboards, Burlap, and Vintage Numbers

I have a small handful of FRAMED projects to share!

The first two are following some big home decor trends! When I was a teenager I completely avoided peer pressure and doing the "cool" things. Silently, I thought it was silly. I would much rather be at home reading a book than playing in our small town doing cool stuff. I actually secretly thrived a bit by be different and causing the "shock factor" in people's expressions.

You don't have tv?!
You've never drank alcohol?!
You are home schooled?
You've never been to a school dance or a party?!

No, no, no, and no.
Oh, so much delight I had in answering those questions!

BUT here I am 27 years old finally caving to peer pressure.
I have the fun desire to join in (this once) and decorate my home sweet home with some super hot trends:

CHALKBOARDS
BURLAP
and
VINTAGE NUMBERS

This whiteboard has been in our home sweet home for a very long time and I use it constantly. See this post HERE to read about our family's celebration boards. But, needing to stay updated, I transformed it into a chalkboard using the now famous chalkboard paint.

I use chalk ink now instead of dry erase markers. If you haven't heard of chalk ink, click HERE for a post I did on it awhile ago.

I bought some chalkboard paint...
Sanded the whiteboard down a bit...
Taped it off...
and transformed it!

This next one is a burlap photo board! This also incorporates the fun trend of vintage letters and numbers!

The frame is covered in mixed old typewriter style numbers and letters. I took the glass out of the frame and lined the back cardboard area of the frame with a couple layers of burlap. This works for a bulletin board and tacks can easily stick in as you see here:

I cut extra squares of burlap to embellish it with some fun numbers. The numbers I chose are my boys' current ages: 5, 7, and 9. I made my own stencils using parchment paper, drawing the numbers, and cutting them out.

I painted the numbers black. To finish the squares off I pulled some burlap strands straight through the edges to fray the edges.

Once these dried, I was able to pin up their age squares along with the corresponding child's photo! (I need to print some current photos! These are older pictures, but still terribly adorable!)

I am in love with this project because it combined vintage numbers with burlap WHILE using a personal touch with their ages! I also like that I can easily switch numbers and photos when I need to.

And that's the burlap photo board!

Dakotah, our 7 year old, was so intrigued with the photo board I made that he surprised Chris and me by creating his own using cardboard and a black Sharpie! He even picked which photos to use out of the shoebox.

Kids do add much delight to life. :)

The last framed project was a simple one that I put together when I was decorating our new photo ledge.
I've mentioned that I enjoy combining personal and sentimental things in with our decor.

I like our home to demonstrate who we are,
not just be an empty shell with meaningless objects scattered around.

Chris and I love to travel (and love to dream of travel destinations together!) Some of our happiest and most exciting times in marriage have been on traveling adventures! So, I bought a scrapbook paper sheet of a map print of Europe and used it as a matte for a framed photo of the two of us.

This is also a super gift idea. You can choose any theme from the HUGE variety of scrapbook paper out there to personalize a gift!


I finished it off by putting a collection of currency from different countries we've been to in a little basket.

These were such little, simple {30 minutes or less} projects that made a pleasant difference!


What little details have you changed or added to your home to stay UPDATED recently?
I want to hear!

This post is linked to:
JAG "I can Make That"
Metamorphosis Monday
DIY Day ~A Soft Place to Land
Works for Me Wednesday
Today's Creative Blog

Ballard Designs Holiday Heaven, etc, etc

My heart is pal.pi.ta.ting.

{just breathe}

I got my Ballard Catalog in the mail today and I just so love my mailman right now! Most of you know I'm a Ballard Designs addict, click HERE and HERE to find out more.

My Christmas List:

Are you kidding me,
How cute is THIS?
Button Garland!

cute as a lil' button.

Fabric Ornaments, because everyone wants a cozy Christmas...

Burlap Birdies to bring nature in

Romantic Blue!

I have more favorites besides holiday decor....


Organization pretty please

Bar Stools PLEASE go on sale one of these years,
(not 15% off, I mean a really BIG sale!)

Remember my new dining room that I just transformed?
{click HERE to see}
I still need a rug in this room and I just found PERfection!

Speaking of my dining room,
this adorable Chandi would be the ideal lighting
to finish off that room!

Oh yes, on the tip top of my wishlist:
Old library of European documents printed onto fabric
created to grace a table

Irresistible...I'll take all 3

Okay, Santa...I think that covers it.
Hang some mistletoe
and let's make a deal. ;)

All photos above are property of Ballard Designs.

This post is linked to the Inspired Room.