Thanksgiving Tablescape Inspiration

I am seriously behind this year on my Thanksgiving planning & prep! It is less than 2 weeks and I have no theme, decor or menu planned- oops! Fortunately, Oliver will plan, cook and prep about 99% of the food so I don't have much to do for that portion, but I seriously have to get my butt in gear and start planning the decor!

Here are a few tables that I am inspired by (the original links to the sites are included as to give credit where it is due!) 

Thanksgiving Recap

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend! It has been super busy here, but also so fun! Look out for a weekend recap tomorrow!

Thanksgiving was amazing, we had a wonderful day! All of our preparation totally paid off and we were able to enjoy the day with our guests! We had the table set, and food prepped so we were able to wake up late- 930! :) We then took Clo on a long walk- he was so excited/overwhelmed with his first snow experience! How cute are these two photos?

After that we swung by my parents house for coffee & breakfast. We were back home by 11 where we got the game hens underway and fired up the ovens. I did some last minute cleaning and we were ready when our guests arrived at two!

 

The food amazingly all came out right on time, we only set the fire alarm off once which is pretty impressive for apartment living! To be fair we were also making Yorkshire puddings- if anyone has ever made them without setting off the fire alarm I welcome some advice! While doing my fifth "checklist rundown" we realized we forgot the stuffing- no big deal we skipped it and I don't think anyone noticed as we had plenty of dishes. 

Overall our day was wonderful and we were so grateful to spend time with family and friends. I was a terrible blogger, I took exactly ZERO photos, so thank you to my guests who did. They are not the high resolution photos I usually use, but I like the idea of seeing the day through our guests eyes! We rented chairs because we didn't have enough, they were gorgeous! Thank you, Taylor Rentals it was super easy to pick up the chairs in advance, they were beautiful & totally reasonably priced!

If you saw my Instagram post I made the leaves for place cards, however I had trouble writing the lettering on the leaf itself, so I made tags which I stamped with a mini gold leaves as the background and wrote the names on. I tied them with bakers twine to bring together the rustic decor. Overall I was very happy with them even though it was not what I had originally envisioned. 

I had spare burlap when I was done with the banner and table runner so I made these little bows for the backs of some of the chairs, adding some fresh pine for color & scent.

The second table we used to accommodate all of our guests had a variation on the tablecloth & runner, with fresh flowers, candles and gold dipped pine cones. The arrangement turned out beautiful! I was really happy with the simplicity of it.

 

I used more of the pine & burlap to make a half wreath. This wasn't a planned project I just improvised a little on this one but I was happy with the outcome! It is amazing what you can do with a little burlap & a glue gun! 

 

 This was after the storm, our dining room is actually still set up like this! I will get around to taking it all down soon. We have a Holiday party coming up soon, so I can start to plan the next set of decorations! I can't wait to host again! :) 

What was your Thanksgiving decor like? Do you decorate around a theme? I'd love to hear from you all! xo

Giving Thanks

As I sit here writing this post cozy in my favorite pj's & champs in hand I've been reflecting on what this year has brought us!

Last Thanksgiving we were so fortunate to be with our "Second Parents" - a couple who has known my husband since he was five. From the first time I met them I totally understood why Oliver loved them so much! They are the most generous, kind & loving people, who adopted us while we were in DC for some time. We spent almost all of our holidays with them when we couldn't travel home for whatever reason, and I never felt anything less than part of the family. This year we are missing them hugely, one day I hope that all of our parents both adopted and by birth can all celebrate a holiday together!

There is no doubt there has been much preparation leading to today, I have menu planned, changing several times, purchased & returned countless plates, napkins and decor. Ultimately, the end result is beautiful! The table is set, anything which could be prepped in advance has been and now we sit and relax until the crowds arrive at half past two tomorrow!

So here I reflect on the many things I am thankful for this year.

First and foremost, Oliver, I am so grateful for everything he does for Clo & I. He is a true gentleman & family man and for that I feel blessed beyond measure!

My family, which is ever expanding with a few new arrivals come 2015! :) They have been the most supportive, loving and loyal people in my life! It is impossible to get photos of all of you but I love you all the same!





















Our dog, Clovis, we love you more than is probably normal. You have brought us so much joy, love & a sobering reality of what dog ownership is actually about! The last seven months would have been incredibly boring without your antics!

My friends, this group has changed quite a bit over the last few years, however the end result is an intimate circle of people who have seen me through the roller coaster that is life. I love you all & am eternally grateful for the direction, honesty & laughter you have brought to my life, I am a better person for it!

Lastly, I am thankful for everyone who reads the blog! This has been such a wonderful journey so far & I can not wait to see where the future takes it!

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving (for those who celebrate!) Oliver merely participates because of the food like any good Englishmen! :) Enjoy the day with family and friends!

Gift ideas for the 'Hostess with the Mostess'

With the Holiday season rolling in I thought I would share with you some of my favorite ideas for hostess gifts! When I am going to be a guest in someone's home I always try to think of a thoughtful gift they will enjoy receiving. I tend to politely decline when guests offer to bring a dish or dessert to my home. I have many reasons for this but mainly I want my guests to enjoy their time and relax instead of stressing over what they are going to make or bring. I do have an exception to this rule and that is my Aunt who makes a mean butternut squash dish! She makes it every year for Thanksgiving so instead of attempting to recreate it I gladly took her up on her offer to make it for me!

With all that being said, my Mom always taught me you never go anywhere empty handed so I have cultivated a list of staple items I bring to someone's home to thank them for having me!

1. A bottle of their favorite drink- whether it be an aged scotch, or bottle of bubbly I feel it is important to bring something that the Host/ Hostess will enjoy. If they so choose to open said bottle with you it would be lovely, but the intent is that it is primarily something for them to enjoy! Speaking of favorite drinks how cute are this seasonal Chandon bottles?

2. Flowers- know your host on this one, I would never bring flowers to my Mother, she hates them and would likely forget to water them. A dear friend of mine however loves fresh blooms so for her I would certainly find this an appropriate gift. I like to go to Whole Foods or Trader Joes' and pick up some of their loose blooms and arrange them myself. If you want to bring flowers make sure they are already arranged, if you did them yourself or purchased them that way and they are display ready upon arrival.

3. I saw this idea on Pinterest a while back but I absolutely love it! A "Next Morning" box, complete with breakfast items, such as coffee, tea, scones, tea towels & jam.  You could also make a batch of your favorite cookie dough and gift it with instructions for cooking so the hostess can make it on her own time as a little treat! We had a very sweet friend do this for us and I loved the idea! As someone who hosts quite frequently (& loves every minute) waking up the next morning to a messy kitchen is stress inducing, but a beautiful breakfast basket would be the perfect pick me up!

4. A personalized item is always a hit- Etsy is a perfect place for something like this! I received a return address stamp from a friend as a housewarming gift and I love it! Whether it be a cutting board, ornament for their tree or stationary, something with a personal touch shows you planned ahead & thought of the Host!

Regardless of what route you choose to go make sure to drop a "thank you" note in the mail when you leave. Snail mail is a lost art, but is far more meaningful than the "thank you text", which I have without a doubt been guilty of, however I am trying to make a more concerted effort to fix!

Happy Holiday Season!