Merry Monday!

With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching (can you believe it's next week??), I thought it would be fitting to spend a little time focusing on some simple decorating tips to get your home glowing for friends and family.


My personal philosophy is to make the big four holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Years) all flow together as seamlessly as possible so that you don't spend half your time hauling huge plastic bins from your attic or basement.


When I decorate for Halloween, I tend to do less scary and more of an autumn theme, so this makes the transition to Thanksgiving pretty easy. And when I decorate for Thanksgiving, it's usually with Halloween "leftovers" and a few things for Christmas.


I also don't really believe in intricate decorations that will take you more time than the entire food preparation. For example, I have recently read about stamping your linens with decorative fall designs, placeholders so complicated you'd need to be a surgeon to execute them, and wishbone napkin rings. That's right...you're supposed to SAVE all the wishbones from those millions of chickens that you roast, spray paint them silver, and then wrap them and silver thread around your napkins. Whaattt??


So in the name of simplicity, I'll begin with one of nature's best decorations: gourds. I have a small love affair with gourds, because they are one of the cheapest and easiest decorations for October and November. My apartment is covered with them, in all shapes and sizes.

My only disappointment is that you can't keep them year-round. But it's always fun to find more interesting ones every year!


A lot of websites and magazines focus on doing elaborate centerpieces for your Thanksgiving table, however in my family, all the food was brought out to the table instead of serving yourself buffet style so there was virtually no room for a centerpiece. We think you might as well get a good look at all the delicious food you spent hours preparing! I still think our table looked lovely, don't you? Simplicity at its finest.

At my parent's house in Vermont, with my wonderful grandparents
helping get everything set up.

However, if you're going to do a centerpiece, I have found a couple that I really enjoy, and are designed to last till Christmas. Which I'm a fan of, of course.

Better Homes & Gardens has an incredible feature on
centerpieces specifically designed to last till Christmas. I think
this one is especially beautiful and have every intention
of doing this centerpiece when I have a dining room
table large enough. I think this would look lovely as a
mantelpiece as well.

An adorable idea from Martha Stewart.

I also love the idea of wandering outside, finding what you find, and making something out of it. This is something I put together for Thanksgiving one year at my old home in North Carolina - all from our small suburban yard. (Borrow from your neighbors too, but make sure you know them well first!)

I also love this idea. Such a simple place marker, and extremely easy to find.
At least if you live in the South anyways. (Credit to Martha Stewart again for this idea.)

 One last idea that I stumbled across and I think is brilliant is more of a permanent fixture that could be changed year-round.

Hello, bird-bath table! Better Homes & Gardens strikes again with another great idea. Glass table top on top of a bird bath filled with seasonal goodies. This particular one is florist's moss and a mixture of decorative ornaments. Just think of the possibilities!


And because I could go on and on, one last decor possibility. Another one that I plan on doing as soon as I have a staircase to decorate on! I think this would also be lovely if you had a front porch railing.

Eternal credit to Better Homes & Gardens

Have great Thanksgiving decorating tricks? Send me photos - I'd love to share them with everyone!


Merry Monday everyone!