Thanksgiving Dinner Tablescape

Entertaining at my house this year for Thanksgiving has given me the decorating "bug." I've been hard at work trying to make something truly special for our guests and I would love to show you all what I've been up to. Maybe I'll inspire you to try some of the same techniques with your own Thanksgiving tablescapes.

The fabric garland is a fun one and super easy! It's very versatile, too. Hang it on the stair bannister, drape it across a mantle or do as I did here and swag it around your chandelier. There is no sewing involved -- just some fabric and a pair of scissors. Cut, tie, cut, tie.... that's about it. And what a show stopper! Pretty, don't you think?

Specialty napkins.... personalized menus..... and a fabulous table runner -- great details to add to your Thanksgiving table. Here I used the Amanda's Parties TO GO Thanksgiving Collection papers to mat my menu. I typed a menu in Word and printed it onto white cardstock. Then I cut it out and put it over the decorative paper from the Thanksgiving collection and then added some ribbon and a 2" logo from the collection. I have a full tutorial here.

For the napkins, I used inexpensive natural colored muslin, some ribbon, brown lace and a few embellishments that I found on the jewelry making aisle at Hobby Lobby. A project well worth a few hours time -- simply beautiful.

And my favorite, the table runner, I made with burlap and corn husks. Yes, you heard me right. Corn Husks. That's not a ruffle -- well, not a fabric one anyway! It's a corn husk ruffle. Simple and inexpensive, too. I'm planning to have a tutorial later in the week so check back if you'd like to make one of your own.

For the sideboard, I used some natural materials like over sized pine cones, fresh pine sprigs and nuts to fill a decorative container. I added willow branches and a natural fiber tassel to the olive jars and set out my pilgrims (which were a very special find a few years back after I learned that I descended from 5 people on the Mayflower including Captain Miles Standish). For the wine bottles, I used the Thanksgiving Collection's wine bottle labels of which one is personalized with your family initial.

The centerpiece was too easy -- I bought a few bags of mini pumpkins and used some pheasant feathers for a little drama. First I put moss in the container, added the feathers, then the pumpkins and accented with a few acorns from my backyard.

For this part of the display, I took a pie pumpkin and wrapped it with a few grapevine strands and added a brown satin ribbon. The candle was wrapped with a strip of burlap which I frayed on the edges by pulling a few strings out. I then added a strip of the Thanksgiving Collection's decorative paper to coordinate with the menu and added a 2" Thanksgiving logo also from the collection.

I hope you enjoyed my tablescape. I'm thrilled it's done early.... mama's on the ball! Now to start making some desserts! Ideas anyone??