Throwback Tuesday: 2011 Thanksgiving Table Setting

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Courtney Out Loud

This year, I will not be hosting dinner at the house. I am a little sad by the fact that my home won’t have the heady scent of roast turkey, garlicky mash potatoes and the spicy hint of a pumpkin pie. However, I am excited to break bread with new friends and contribute to their holiday in my own little way.

While I won’t be setting a table this year, I thought it would be nice to revisit my Thanksgiving table from last year. Truth be told, it is one of my favorite tables I have done to date. It has a traditional elements that have been modernized thanks to color and interesting floral arrangements.

So as I take a stroll down, memory lane, I hope this inspires you in our own way to make your home the inviting and warm haven you wish it to be this Thanksgiving…..

Check out my Facebook and Pinterest pages as well as my Twitter for more holiday inspiration.

Thanksgiving 2011 Table Breakdown

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Courtney Out Loud

Thanks for all the kind words about this year’s Thanksgiving tablescape! As I said, I made this made specifically with ME in mind. This was the table I always imagined for my own dinner and I am happy I was able to create it this year! Surprisingly, there are not that many elements and many are available at large big box stores.

So let’s break it down…..

Place Settings

The gold charger was a score from Walmart during their holiday clearance sale for one dollar per charger. The purple dinner plate is from Crate and Barrel and was picked up at the local outlet for $3.99. The salad plate was found at HomeGoods for $6.99 for 8. The napkins are my favorite linen napkins from Crate and Barrel for $4.99 each and the napkin ring was a clearance purchase from West Elm for $0.98 each. Silverware (not seen) was rolled inside the napkin and is my everyday cutlery. On top of the salad plate is a small ear of dried Indian corn picked up from the grocery store for about $0.75 per ear.

Tablecloth & Glassware

You may remember the glassware from last year’s Thanksgiving table. They are the Luster Glassware from Pier One which go on sale repeatedly throughout the year ergo I am sure I didn’t pay full price. The tablecloth is Ralph Lauren and was a great find at HomeGoods for $14.99.

Centerpiece

The centerpiece is a cornucopia shaped basket from Michaels that I light sprayed with bronze paint. The basket was $12.99 but I used the ever-present 40% off coupon to get it for around $7. Inside the basket, I used a variety of gourds, herbs, fruits and flowers including a large succulent cutting to anchor the centerpiece. Pumpkins were staked to one side to add visual height and interest.

Candlesticks, Wreath & Salt-n-Pepper Shakers

All of these components are part of my core decorating “kit”. The candlesticks are part of my ever expanding collection of thrifted crystal candlesticks that I use for various decorating vignettes or dining events. The actual candles were bought from Ross Dress for Less for $4.99 for a set of 6. The wreath was recycled from last year’s Christmas decorations and augmented with live florals and berries. The pheasant salt and pepper shakers were a purchase from eBay last year that I love using for their sculptural quality.

And that’s it. I wasn’t kidding when I said there were not many elements to the table! If you wanted to get a similar look, here are some options, all of which you can order from the web…..

Credits: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14

Even with the table set, I feel I am still behind the ball! So are you ready for Thanksgiving? If so, what is your secret for an organized and chaos free holiday?

Speaking of secrets, I have one to share with you later today. I will be announcing who won the Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway!

Check me out on Facebook and Pinterest as well as Twitter.

Thanksgiving Tablescape 2011

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Courtney Out Loud

I honestly can’t believe that Thanksgiving is in TWO WEEKS! Good Grief Charlie Brown — where has all the time gone? Like many of you, I am scrambling trying to keep ahead of the holiday onslaught. Fortunately for me, creating my holiday tablescapes is a welcome respite from the crazy world.

It’s a bit crazy to think that I did my first tablescape for the blog over a year ago! Even funnier (to me at least) is that Thanksgiving 2010 was my first attempt at creating a tablescape. Prior to that, I just threw plates on the table and focused primarily on cooking. Looking back at that first tablescape, I have learned so much in regards to presentation, texture, color and judging from how dark the pictures are, how to use my camera correctly.

So this time around, there is no back story or imaginary client. I created this table solely for me catering to my love of deep, rich colors. I wanted to create a Thanksgiving table that was truly representative of the wealth I have gained this year and am tremendously thankful for – my friends, family, the blog and a new-found career path that I dearly love.

I envisioned a table that was filled and overflowing with all the things that nature has to offer. That thought transformed itself into a modern take on the cornucopia/horn-of-plenty as a centerpiece. I mixed gourds, pumpkins, herbs, flowers, fruit and succulents to create a centerpiece that would anchor the rest of the tablescape. I then turned to the colors within the centerpiece to dictate the remainder of the table — royal purples, spicy oranges and golden amber with hits of shiny brass and crystal finished off the table.

I think the table is the perfect example of how to pull traditional elements but not get bogged down in tradition. It is a table I love and am proud to share with you…….