Tis the season for pumpkins! If you are looking for quick ways to decorate pumpkins without the mess of carving, here are some great ideas that use materials such as ribbons, an apple corer, and a clay loop in place of traditional carving knives. Click on the pictures below for specific instructions.
Pumpkin Centerpiece by Good Housekeeping
Floral Inspired Pumpkins by Better Homes and Gardens
Polka-Dot Pumpkins by Better Homes and Gardens
I love this idea from Martha Stewart Weddings for using anaglypta, or embossed wallpaper, as a embellishment to plain glass cylinder vases. Add clustered flowers and the look is clean and sophisticated.
easy wedding centerpiece from Martha Stewart
I recently adopted a similar Martha idea and wrapped cylinder vases with wood veneer. The light veneer is neutral and with a change out of ribbon can work for any season. Using wood veneer sheets is not easy to work with but it gives a heavier effect that simply wood veneer paper which is also an option.
wood veneer-wrapped cylinder vases
veneer vases used in a tablescape
I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is a week away! Boy, do I need to kick my planning into high gear. If you are like me and need to start preparing for the Big Meal, begin with this planning checklist:
Do you want to stick with the tried-and-true favorites this year or be adventurous and try something new? Or maybe a little of both? Check out some of these great online resources to help you narrow in on a five-star Thanksgiving menu:
Finecooking.com has a fantastic menu, complete with shopping list, created by seven top chefs featuring new spins on traditional Thanksgiving dishes.
A step-by-step guide and menu for cooking for a crowd is featured on Epicurious, complete with wine pairing tips.
Speaking of wine, check out Food & Wine’s list of top 10 great Thanksgiving wines.
Cranberries are a must-have when it comes to a great Thanksgiving menu. I love these ideas from Let’s Entertain on how to incorporate cranberries from beverages to dessert.
Williams-Sonoma has a wonderful checklist of essential Thanksgiving kitchen accoutrements. Scan the list to be sure you have all the tools you need to cook the bird, make the gravy, mash the potatoes, serve the pie…
Will it be sunny and beautiful, allowing guests to enjoy a drink on the patio? Or cold and rainy in which case you’ll need to practice some rainy day hospitality?
What’s the best technique for making great pie crust? For carving a turkey? No need to fake it. There are great resources online like Saveur’s step-by-step instruction photo guide for carving a turkey or Martha Stewart’s Pie Crust 101.
Doing a buffet? Check out this short, helpful Epicurious video with Clinton Kelly on tips for setting up a great buffet.
Need centerpiece ideas? This previous post offers some simple, stylish, organic-inspired ideas. Country Living also offers easy-to-execute ideas for dressing up your holiday table.
Plan ahead for how you will use all of that yummy leftover turkey. Epicurious has dozens of ideas to help you out.
Want to send home some leftovers with guests? Why not dress up the take home containers?
Above all, remember to pause and reflect on the many things in your life that you are thankful for. Invite your guests to do the same. For while food and drink and beautiful table settings are all important parts of the day, gratitude is the guest of honor.
Here’s a roundup of stylish, yet easy-to-create Thanksgiving centerpieces. What I love about each of these is that they incorporate natural, organic materials.
I am still considering which one I might try out this year on my holiday table! Which is your favorite?
lentils and orange candles add an autumn tone to the table, from Every Day with Rachael Ray
fresh produce turns into a fresh, chic centerpiece, from Better Homes & Gardens
corn husk votives featured on Martha Stewart
leaves in clear hurricanes make for a modern table, from Martha Stewart
simple but beautiful centerpiece, as featured on Good Housekeeping
Rachael Ray is the queen of make-it-great-but-make-it-easy — whether that is offering up a creative menu for a meal in thirty minutes or sharing fun, easy decorating ideas.
I absolutely A-D-O-R-E this clever non-floral centerpiece idea (created by Orla Kiely and photographed by Ngoc Minh Ngo) featured on Rachael’s website, Every Day with Rachael Ray. Wouldn’t this be fabulous decor for a shower, birthday, or even at a pre-party for a bachelorette outing?
Non-floral centerpiece idea from Every Day with Rachael Ray
Whether you are a bride hoping to save money by doing flowers yourself or a newlywed wanting to dress up yournest for the holidays, one of my favorite DC-area floral design studios has the perfect solution: fabulous and fun workshops!
Petal’s Edge recently announced the following upcoming floral design classes. To register call 703.518.8488. Space is limited so reserve your spot soon!
Petal's Edge centerpieces from a Rex & Regina wedding; photo courtesy of Chris Baltazar
Bridal Bootcamp. Want to save money but feel insecure about your ability to provide a professional look to your wedding flowers? Join this intense one-day, weekend workshop and learn how to arrange flowers with industry experts. Course covers flower selection and care, design tips, and common mistakes. $150 per person, which includes the cost of flowers and box lunch.
Flower School. Love flowers and want more experience? This series of classes takes place over three evenings and is appropriate to the person who wants to learn about how to buy, care for, and arrange flowers. Several methods of flower arranging will be covered. Classes are hands-on with flowers that students take home after class. $250 per person. Wednesday – Friday, December 2 – 4 or December 9 – 11. 6 – 9 pm.
Winter Workshop. Join us for holiday-inspired flower arranging projects. Take one class or both. Course includes the cost of flowers, all supplies, and a holiday masterpiece to take home. $100 per session or $150 for two.Floral Topiary: November 30, 6 pm. Use an uninterrupted mass of carnations to create a festive tabletop tree. Dining table centerpiece: December 7, 6 p.m. Winter fruits and vegetables add a conversation piece to this unusual pairing of flowers and holiday greens.
The Rex & Regina Blog shares both trendy and traditional ways to extend gracious hospitality through weddings, other social occasions, and at-home entertaining. Learn more about Rex & Regina.