As we all put the Halloween decorations away today, I know my American friends thoughts will turn to preparing for Thanksgiving. I thought I’d share my table from our Canadian Thanksgiving a few weeks ago.

I was really pleased with how the table turned out, this is the first time I’ve hosted Thanksgiving. I started out with the burlap runner, see how I made it here. I used my regular white plates, and these new amber glasses, which I scored on clearance last year, they’re House and Home from Zellers.

At each place setting I made a napkin ring out of simple twine, and oak leaves cut out with my Cricut machine, similar to the ones I used to create the fall branches I made here. Each person also received a Maple Cream Chocolate as a little favour.

My sister, who is a florist, brought these beautiful flowers. I love the way she incorporated the grapevine, large seed pods, and acorns. She made two smaller arrangements, which worked out beautifully for this large table.

The oak leaves and acorns theme was carried throughout the table, with a scattering of the glittered acorns I made earlier, see the how to here.

I really like how the colour palette of the table came together, using the nature burlap, twine, and book page and kraft paper oak leaves, combined with the glitter of the acorns in coppers, silvers, and brown, and the subtle orange of the cinnamon roses on the table, and the amber glassware. There was the suggestion of the typical orange, red and yellow but in a more subtle subdued palette.

On the console table, my antique turkey, and some candles dressed up with a little ribbon, and a bowl full on caramels!

Over on the buffet there is one of the fall branches, and a simple pumpkin on a dessert stand. I also have my apothecary jars filled with seeds, and nuts. I love the covered dessert plate holding three white little pumpkins.

Dinner was a great success, and it was wonderful to spend time with family and friends.

Great food, and even greater company all gathered together to be thankful…now that’s when life is really a party!

This post is linked up at Between Naps on the Porch, We Are That Family, and Blue Cricket Design.

Like so many other bloggers, I seem to have developed a bit of a crush on burlap. It seems like such a great fit with rustic, cool, fall days. This year I decided to make a runner for my dinning room table out of burlap. I did check out the fabric store, but all they had was “fancy” tightly woven burlap, not exactly the sack bag image I’d been picturing. So, I headed to the hardware store -success! Not only did they have the authentic stuff there, but it was way cheaper -and you know me and a bargin -BFF’s. So I purchased some burlap, intended for winterizing shrubs, from the garden centre.

To make my runner I cut a strip about 22 inches wide, and long enough for some overhang on my table, remembering that it would have all it’s extra boards in for Thanksgiving dinner. Just follow the line of the fabric as you cut.

I considered different methods of finishing the edges, but in the end decided I really liked the slightly frayed look of leaving it as is. It was a little lumpy, bumpy so I gave it a quick iron. The smell of ironing it reminded me of days as a little girl playing in my Grandma’s barn at her farm, happy memories.

I am using it for fall on top of my dark wooden dinning room table, but I also used it for Thanksgiving over a white table cloth, and loved the way it added texture to the table. Here’s a sneak peak of Thanksgiving.

This was a simple, quick, inexpensive little project, and I love how it turned out. Happy Fall!

This post is linked up at WhipperBerry, French Country Cottage, Tatertots and Jello, and The Shabby Nest.

I love finding ideas for projects on other blogs. I was so inspired by Lucy’s awesome wreath at Craftberry Bush, that I had to make my own version. I pretty much straight up copied it, and I love how it turned out. Thanks for the inspiration Lucy!

I cut a wreath form out of foam core, and used natural coloured coffee filters. I cut out the oak leaves from book pages on my Cricut machine, and found some moss covered twigs and a bird to add, similar to Lucy’s.

My new wreath was so pretty that I just had to redo my mantel to show case it, and when I considered redoing it, I couldn’t help but think how pretty my all white fall mantel turned out last year, so…I decided to do another neutral and white mantel this year.

I went on a search for white pumpkins. I found this sweet ceramic one, from President’s Choice, the others are real. I love all the different textures.

I relocated my glitter acorn garland to the front of the fireplace, where I think it really shows up nicely. See how-to make your own here.

I also scattered a few on top of the mantel. I love how they glitter, and that the oak leaves in the wreath relate to the acorns.

I really love the final result, and although the rusts, oranges, and reds of fall are beautiful, I think I might just be becoming more of a white for all seasons kind of a girl. Happy Fall!

This post is linked up at Faded Charm Cottage, Savvy Southern Style, Whipperberry, French Country Cottage, The Shabby Nest, Somewhat Simple, and Tatertots and Jello.

This fall, I’m loving the look of burlap, twine, white pumpkins, and neutrals. Although the oranges and reds of fall are so beautiful, I also love the natural look of creams, whites and browns this year, and I really love the look it creates when I can be restrained enough to use a neutral palette. I spotted a fun twine pumpkin at Recaptured Charm, and thought that a grouping of them would make a great fall decoration. Lisa used a dark brown jute twine, see her great tutorial here. I wanted to try it with a lighter coloured twine and white cotton string as well.

I blew up several small balloons, all in slightly different sizes. I dipped the strings in white glue, and got my hands dirty wrapping the balloons.

After the string was dry, I popped the balloons, and made sure there was a big enough space in the bottom to insert a battery operated candle. Then, I went for a little walk to the forest, and found a stick large enough to resemble a pumpkin stem. I cut the stick to length, and glued it to the top of the string ball with a little hot glue.

I grouped the five little pumpkins on a cream coloured runner on my kitchen table. They look great flickering away in the evening.

This was a fun, and simple project, and I got lots of compliments on them at Thanksgiving.

This post is linked up at Blue Cricket Design, Savvy Southern Style, Whipperberry, French Country Cottage, The Shabby Nest, Faded Charm Cottage, and Tatertots and Jello.

I had a lot of fun coming up with some inexpensive decor ideas for Thanksgiving dinner at our church’s food bank. I shared the how-to for the fall branch centre pieces here, but wanted to show you how it all turned out.

We dressed each table with simple white table cloths, the fall branch centre pieces, a sweet smelling pumpkin scented tea light, and a small pumpkin gourd. We rolled the cutlery and tied with a simple orange ribbon, and added these fun menu cards to each place setting. I used free graphics from Hostess with the Mostest’s mod thanksgiving.

I also made some fun dessert picks with the same graphics to add to every ones slice of pie, for an extra special touch. They were created with my circle punch, and glued to wooden coffee stir sticks.

We tried to add a fall touch to the entrance with these really simple flowers, fall mum blossoms,floating in pretty round vases.

We were expecting some kids for dinner, so we made some simple colouring books with free colouring sheets, a joke sheet and some fun maze activities, and a pack of crayons. Always good to keep little ones busy!

For an extra touch we added some pumpkin cinnamon hand soap and hand cream to the powder room, from Bath and Body Works. Sometimes love is in the details!

Other decor included simple candles, and lots of pumpkins.

Sometimes it doesn’t take much to create an atmosphere that’s warm and inviting for special guests. A special thanksgiving dinner for those less fortunate, gathered together in an atmosphere of community love, now that’s when life really is a party!

This post is linked up at Between Naps on the Porch, and Whipperberry.