A Thanksgiving Table Setting, One Week Late: Welcome to the 171th Tablescape Thursday!

I'm a week late but for this Tablescape Thursday I'm sharing the Thanksgiving table setting I had been working on when my camera cat-astrophe occurred. All the pics in this post were taken with the new camera, a Nikon D5100. This camera is super, duper light sensitive, which is why it works so well in low lighting situations. It will take me a little while to get used to the change, so please bear with me while I "learn" the camera.

For this Thanksgiving tablescape I envisioned a soft, sophisticated mix of shiny silvers and browns, with touches of amber.  I usually like bold pops of color in my tablescapes, but I went for a more subtle feel this year.

I never like using the leaf in the table, so this table setting is a little on the cozy side.  You like cozy, right?
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Ummph! Martha Stewart Canceled, Again!

As you're running around today preparing for the big day tomorrow, here's a little silliness to give you a giggle.  Stop, take a few deep breaths today and know this:  It doesn't have to be perfect.  It doesn't even have to be edible.  It just has to be about gathering together with the ones we care about and love.

Dear Family & Friends,

I know that you were eager to accept our family’s invitation to Thanksgiving dinner when you found out that Martha Stewart would be joining us. However, due to a scheduling conflict, Ms. Stewart finds that she is unable to grace our table this year.

Image from Martha Stewart

With that in mind, there will be a few minor changes regarding the meal and decor, as outlined below. Please be aware of them, and adjust your appetite and dress appropriately.
Thank you…

1) Our driveway will not be lined with homemade, paper bag luminaries. After several trial runs and two visits from the fire department, it was decided that, no matter how cleverly done, rows of flaming lunch sacks do not have the desired welcoming effect.

2) Once inside, please note that the entry space will not be decorated with swags of Indian corn and fall foliage. Instead, we included our dog in decorating by having him track in colorful autumn leaves from the back yard. The mud was his idea.

3) The dining table will not be covered with expensive linens, fancy China, or crystal goblets. If possible, we will use dishes that match and everyone will get a fork. Since this is Thanksgiving, we will refrain from using the paper SpongeBob dinner plates, the leftover Halloween napkins, and our plastic cup collection.

4) Our centerpiece will not be a tower of fresh fruit and flowers. Instead we will be proudly displaying a hedgehog-like decoration hand-crafted from the finest construction paper and pine cones. The artist assures me it is a turkey, albeit one without wings, legs, or a beak.

5 )We will be dining somewhat later than planned. However, our daughter will entertain you while you wait. I’m sure she will be happy to share every choice comment her mother made regarding Thanksgiving, pilgrims, stuffing choices, the turkey hotline, and, especially, her husband. Please remember that most of these comments were made at 7:00AM upon discovering that said husband had only remembered to pull the turkey from the freezer at 6:00 AM, and that the thing was still hard enough to cut diamonds.

6) As an accompaniment to our daughter’s recital of these events, I will play a recording of Native American tribal drumming. Curiously, the tribal drumming sounds a great deal like a frozen turkey in a clothes dryer, but that only enhances the holiday appropriateness. If our daughter should mention that we don’t own a recording of Native American tribal drumming, ignore her. She’s only nine; what does she know?

7) A dainty silver bell will not be rung to announce the start of our feast. We have chosen to keep our traditional method of assembling when the smoke alarm goes off.

8)  There will be no formal seating arrangement. When the smoke alarm sounds, please gather around the table and sit where you like. In the spirit of harmony, we will ask all the children to sit at a separate table. In a separate room. Next door. And I would like to take this opportunity to remind our younger diners that “passing the rolls” is neither a football play nor an excuse to bean your cousin in the head with bread.

9) The turkey will not be carved at the table. I know you have seen the Norman Rockwell image of one person carving a turkey in front of a crowd of appreciative onlookers. Such a scene may occur somewhere in America , but it won’t be happening at our dinner table. For safety reasons, the turkey will be carved in the kitchen at a private ceremony. I stress “private”, meaning Do not, under any circumstances, enter the kitchen to laugh at me. Do not send small, unsuspecting children, or older, helpful grandparents into the kitchen to check on my progress. I have a very large, very sharp knife. The turkey is unarmed. It stands to reason that I will eventually win the battle. When I do, we will eat

10) For the duration of the meal, we will refer to the gravy by its lesser-known name: Kraft Cheese Sauce. If a young diner questions you regarding the origins or makeup of the Kraft Cheese Sauce, smile kindly and say that you know the answer, but it’s a secret that can’t be revealed to them until they are 18.

11) Instead of offering a choice among 12 different scrumptious desserts, we will be serving the traditional pumpkin pie, garnished with whipped cream and dog tongue marks. You still have a choice: take it or leave it.

That concludes our list of alterations. Again, I apologize that Martha will not be joining us this year.

Source unknown

See you tonight for Tablescape Thursday!

Thanksgiving Turkey Napkin Fold Tutorial

Recently, for Tablescape Thursday, I posted a Thanksgiving tablescape with the little ones in mind.  It included a fun turkey napkin fold.   Today I'm sharing a tutorial showing how it's made, in case you would like to incorporate it into your Thanksgiving table this year.

To create your turkey napkin fold, besides a napkin, you'll need a pinecone and a chenille pipe cleaner.  Actually, one pipe cleaner will make the necks/heads for two turkeys, so you'll only need 2 pipe cleaners to create turkeys for four place settings.
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A Thanksgiving Tablescape for the "Kid's" Table: Welcome to the 169th Tablescape Thursday!

Thanksgiving is only one week away!  Wow, this month has flown by.  For this Tablescape Thursday I put together a tablescape with the little ones in mind.  Do you set up a "kids" table each year for Thanksgiving?  Sometimes I think sitting at the kids table would be more fun than the grown-ups table.

Though this table was created with little ones in mind, there are three things I would change on this table if children were going to be sitting here.  1. There would be just one glass at each place setting.  2. I'd remove the salad forks which could prove a little confusing for the youngest ones.  3.  I wouldn't have acorns on the table since they could end up in mouths or being hurled through the air. ;)  With those three changes, I think this would work pretty well as the children's table for Thanksgiving Day.

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Thanksgiving Tablescape with Spode, Woodland China! Welcome to the 65th Tablescape Thursday!

With Thanksgiving only a week away, I thought I'd share a "hunt themed" Thanksgiving tablescape this evening. This tablescape is similar to the one I did last year, but I've changed quite a few things and added a bit more whimsy.




Let's dim the lights a bit...




Come on in...so glad you are here!




Acorn tureens from Williams-Sonoma are just right for a hearty Butternut Squash Soup.



Click HERE for the recipe from Williams-Sonoma...




Our place setting...



Salad plate...




Dinner plate...



Candlelight didn't do the colors in the Woodland china justice, so I took these next two pics during daylight hours so you could see the true colors.



Quite a difference, isn't it?




Flatware is by Spode, and is in the Woodland pattern. It was especially created to coordinate with this Spode Woodland china but really looks beautiful paired with almost any china.




Another addition to my Thanksgiving table this year are these little silverplate duck knife rests...I just love 'em.



Recently I found three Waterford, Araglin wine glasses for $20 a stem in a local antique store. I was definitely doing my happy dance since Araglin is the pattern I collect. This is the first table I've created for a Tablescape Thursday where I've used three pieces of stemware at each place setting...we are all fancy tonight!




Pine cone napkin rings continue our woodsy, hunt theme.




I've added a snippet of glittery ribbon for just a touch of glamour. Do you see the leaf cut-work design surrounding the edge of our napkins?



I loved using Leyland Cypress and Nandina (Firepower) in my Thanksgiving tablescape last year, so I decided to use it again.




This year I've stepped it up a bit with the addition of pheasant feathers...perfect for our Woodland china.




I used a pretty cachepot I already had for this centerpiece.







You may remember these tall red candlesticks.  I've used them in tablescapes many times before. For our hunt themed tablescape, I've topped them with faux antler pillar holders from Kohls.  Looking at this pic I'm thinking I should have tucked a little greenery in around the candle...an idea for next year.









These guys were on my table last Thanksgiving, too. This year I filled in around them with a little Leyland Cypress. They look as if we've caught them walking through the woods.








Mr. Duck looks as if he just came ashore to rest a bit.



I have a small, wood box collection...love the warmth of the old boxes.




The box provided some additional height for our feathered friend.




Thanks so much for coming by for Tablescape Thursday. This Thanksgiving, I want each of you to know how very thankful I am for your visits, comments and much cherished friendship!




I pray that each and every person reading this has the most blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving ever! Love y'all!



China: Spode, Woodland
Crystal Stemware: Waterford, Araglin and Crimson Hock
Acorn Bowls/Tureens: Williams-Sonoma
Flatware: Spode, Woodland (except butter knives & salt spoons, which are Towle, King Richard
Duck Knife Rests: Amazon
Ruby Flash Salt Cellars: eBay
Napkins: Marshalls this fall
Napkin Rings: Pier 1 on clearance, recently
Pilgrim S & P Shakers: Publix Grocery Store
Squirrel S & P Shaker: Cracker Barrel Gift Shoppe
Pheasants: Hobby Lobby, a year or two ago
Tall Red Candlestick: Hobby Lobby, two years ago
Mosiac/stainglass looking votive holders: Kohls, over a year ago
Centerpiece: Nandina 'Fire Power' and Leyland Cypress are from my yard
Pheasant feathers: Hobby Lobby...they are available on eBay, too



Looking forward to seeing all the tablescapes posted for this Tablescape Thursday!

If you are participating in Tablescape Thursday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. If you aren't sure how to obtain your permalink or have any questions about using Mr. Linky for this post, just click HERE for detailed instructions.

Please copy and paste the Tablescape Thursday logo button to your computer. Then you can upload it to your side bar and use it in your tablescape post so your visitors will know you are participating.

Please link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful tablescapes posted for this Tablescape Thursday.

Please do not add your link below, until your tablescape post is actually published to your blog.

The following blogs have lovely tablescapes awaiting your visit:

Welcome to the 14th Tablescape Tuesday!

Recently I had a "china" panic attack! A china panic attack is what happens when you hear or read that a particular china manufacturer is trying to sell their business because they are fast headed in the direction of closing their doors. Unfortunately, there's a lot of that type news going around these days.

The company I heard about was Spode and my little panic attack was due to the fact I have been drooling for some time over a particular china made by Spode...and I suddenly had visions of it becoming unavailable. Now I've never done anything illegal, well at least knowingly...but if there's a black market for china, I might just cross that line! :-) This recent Spode news sent me scurrying to purchase a china they make called "Woodland."

Hope you enjoy this Thanksgiving tablescape set with Spode, Woodland.




Since Woodland is all about animals, particularly "game" animals, I decided to go with a woodland/hunt feel in this tablescape.




For a centerpiece, I used cuttings from the Leyland Cypress and Fire Power Nandina I have growing in my yard. I placed the cypress and nandina in a cache pot I had.



The pheasants were the only thing new that I purchased for this tablescape, well...except for the china. :-) I enjoy the challenge of trying to put together a tablescape that has a completely different feel from any tablescape I've done previously, but without having to spend a lot of money on the decorative pieces.




You may recognize Mr. Duck from my family room post and my recent Trim the Tree Thursday post. He's sitting on a small wooden box I bought years ago. I love to collect old boxes.


This vintage pheasant plate is usually in another room, but I thought it looked nice here on the sideboard for this tablescape.




The Spode Woodland salad plate shows a male and female Red Grouse...




The dinner plate depicts a male and female pheasant...




The bread plate shows a male and female snipe...



The cup depicts a quail...I think it's a male...




A snipe is inside the tea cup...wonder why they didn't put a female quail in there?




And the saucer shows a rabbit running along through a field...




I sprinkled some cinnamon-scented pine cones here and there. Then it dawned on me what nice placecard holders pine cones make.




A few more views...










Thanks for stopping by for my Thanksgiving tablescape. Please take a moment to visit all the wonderful blogs shown at the top of this post. Just click on the links and prepare to be inspired!



To view all the tablescapes that have been posted here over the last 14 weeks, click HERE.

Information about items shown in this tablescape: China is Spode, Woodland; Sterling is Towle, King Richard; Chargers are from Neiman Marcus/Horchow online a year ago; Candlesticks are from Hobby Lobby earlier this past summer. Paint color on walls is Benjamin Moore, Raspberry Truffle.



The following blogs have beautiful tablescapes awaiting your visit:

Above the Clouds

A Tale Of Magical Memories

Back Porch Musings

Between Naps on the Porch

Creating Myself

Deb's Country Kisses

Designs of 47th Street

Kathleen Ellis

Lynne's Gifts from the Heart

Melissa's Heart and Home

Note Songs

Oak Rise Cottage

Our Creative Life

Rose Colored Glasses

The Happy Wonderer

Northern01 (Elizabeth) on Rate My Space

Xinex (Christine) on Rate My Space