Tiered Christmas Centerpiece Ideas

It's time to pull out the Christmas decorations and begin decking the halls! Make is easy by using things you already have. For a beautiful centerpiece, start with a tiered cake stands that so many of us have. Add pretty ornaments in modern color combinations or vintage ornaments in soft hues. You can add some greenery or ribbon for an accent.

Displaying tiny wrapped gifts also makes a pretty presentation. Great way to hold party favors too! Get creative with the wrapping to make it more interesting.

If you really want to make it simple, just add greenery from the Christmas tree trimmings, and pinecones from the yard for a natural look; or set tea lights on each level for a candelabra effect.

Top: ornaments & ribbon, vintage ornaments, black, red & white ornaments

Bottom: tiny gifts, greenery, candles

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you so much for reading every day and leaving such nice comments!

Enjoy the long weekend. See you Monday!

Thanksgiving Cocktails

By my estimation, you have just about enough time to run out and get the ingredients to put together one of these delicious drinks. The colors are perfect for Thanksgiving, and the spicy flavors echo that of pumpkin pies, and yam casseroles.

1. If you like Spiced Rum (which I do) try this hot Cider House Special punch which makes enough for the whole (adult) family. Flavors of apple, orange, lemon, and traditional mulling spices all blended together.
2. This time Spiced Rum is mixed with chilled pineapple & lime juices for a lighter-tasting cocktail.
3. If you want something warm and traditional, try Hot Mulled Wine. This can be made by adding the spices individually, or buying pre-packaged mulling spices to add to red wine.
4. For the tee-totalers or the kids at the gathering, heat up some classic Hot Spiced Cider with apple juice, orange juice, and spices.

I would enjoy any of these drinks. I hope you will give them a try!

"Let It Snow" Party Inspiration

View my Real Party here. I'm working on a Ladie's Night Gift Exchange with the theme "Let It Snow." I put together this inspiration board with some of the ideas I'll be incorporating. Hope you guys are planning something fun for the holidays!

Invitation: Tiny Prints
Manzanita Centerpiece
Snowflake Streamers: Martha Stewart
White Cosmopolitan Cocktail
Dessert Table: Lollipop Events & Design

Need A Last-Minute Thanksgiving Centerpiece?

Grab your glass cylandars and some dried beans, lentils, corn, or seeds, and create colorful layers for a candle or berry stem to nestle into. Add the extra touch of a bird cut-out and set it on the rum for even more interest.

Image Source

Amazing Wine & Chocolate Tasting Party

I cannot say enough good things about this AMAZING Wine & Chocolate Tasting Soiree hosted by Heavenly Blooms! Have you ever seen a more beautiful display of rustic-meets-elegant?! I think not!

This is just a sampling of all the fabulous details. Head over to Heavenly Blooms blog to see 4 posts worth of photos...you don't want to miss a single detail. Not only that, but they have listed perfect pairings so you can host your own Wine & Chocolate Tasting party.
Chocolate & Wine Soiree-Part 1

Chocolate & Wine Soiree-Part 2 (the wine & chocolate pairings)

Chocolate & Wine Soiree-Part 3 (the desserts)

Chocolate & Wine Soiree-the details

Hashbrown Casserole

I'm Totally "borrowing" this recipe from Joanna at Let's Entertain. This YUMMY hashbrown casserole is perfect for a side dish at dinner, lunch, or brunch!

Hashbrown Casserole:
Ingredients:

•1 (32-ounce) package frozen Southern-style hash browns
•1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
•2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
•1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
•1 small onion, finely chopped
•1/4 teaspoon pepper
•2 cups crushed cornflakes cereal
•1/4 cup melted butter
Make it:
Stir together first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.
Spoon potato mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with crushed cornflakes, and drizzle evenly with butter.
Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until bubbly.
Note: For testing purposes only, we used Ore-Ida Southern Style Hash Browns.
You could also top with Ritz crackers or fried crispy onions.

Autumn Table Ideas

As we are zooming in on Thanksgiving, I thought I would put together some interesting ideas for you to try. For the first board we can see that the wreath form is not just for Christmas. Filled with little green button flowers or moss, and rust-colored daiseys or mums, the wreath form works well for a Thanksgiving buffet or entry table.
Mini pumpkins can be put to work as a table runner embelishment, candle holder, or flower vase!
Wrap your napkins in ribbon, rafia, and a seasonal sticker.

Above, is a table idea done beautifully in brown. What makes it interesting is the different textures and shades used. The centerpiece of sepia toned photos, old and new, is so perfect for a family Thanksgiving gathering. You could set out a central flower arrangement of large flower heads in a beige tone. Create a cute but sophisticated napkin ring with a thin ribbon and single bead.

Adorable "Little Red Car" Party

I'm sure you'll agree that this Little Red Car birthday party from Imprintables blog, is just the cutest! The color combination of red and aqua is always beautiful, and the subtle details are perfect for a first birthday party. See more photos here.

Stunning Tabletop For Thanksgiving

I'm pretty sure I want to linger over this table long after dessert is served.

Image: California Wedding Wave

Classy Paper Crafts For Your Thanksgiving Table

Paper crafts have come a loooong way since cut-out hand turkeys! Any of these projects above would look fantastic on your Thanksgiving Table. From place cards, to menus, to favor boxes, pretty paper crafts add a special touch.

Click on any of the links below to learn more about each one:
bowl & place card, paper pumpkin place card, napkin wrap place card
menu card, leaf embelished favor boxes, wrapped favor boxes

Thanksgiving Kid's Table

I admit, I love the idea of the kid's table. They get all the fun and whimsy and cool activities! Not to mention it allows the grown ups to have adult conversation and interaction. I've put together some cute ideas for your kid's Thanksgiving table that will help keep them entertained and think that you are the smartest mom/hostess around.

• Cover the table with a cloth they can color! Large pictures give ample coloring opportunity and there's plenty for everyone. Make sure there is enough space between settings so the pictures don't get lost under plates. (Oriental Trading)

• Dress up candy sticks with finger puppet-style toppers. (Martha Stewart)

• Fill a container full of acorns, leaves, or whole walnuts, and let the kids guess how many are inside. This could serve as a centerpiece to the table as well. (No Fuss Fabulous)

• Another great idea for dressing up a lollipop! (ehow)

• A simple but cute turkey made of pincones, feathers, and a pipe cleaner sits at each place setting so the child knows exactly where to sit. (Martha Stewart)

Which idea is your favorite?

Favors For Your Friends

If you are planning a party or shower soon and need favors for your guests, check out these ideas from Westport Favor Company. I particularly love their packaging items: boxes, bags, novelty packaging, sticker labels & tags.

I've gathered an array of items above to give you a hint of what they offer. Check out the cute basketball favor or giraffe boxes for kid's parties or a baby shower. They even have favor cakes you could use as a centerpiece!

Do some browsing and I'm sure you will find something you love!

"We're Thankful For Our Friends" Dinner Party

As transplants to this city we have made some amazing friends so it only seems natural to host a pre-Thanksgiving dinner party to show how thankful we are to have met. This is pretty easy to do in that each couple brings a dish to add to the meal.

I wanted to set the table in something other than pumpkins and harvest colors, so I chose peacock feathers as inspiration. The natural element of the feathers and the blue and green color combination creates a great Autumn table top.

A welcoming cocktail of green apple martini is served!

The kid's table was set up to be more rustic with craft paper as the topper to draw on, twigs from the yard, and "cornucopias" to hold treats.

See more in our Facebook Album.

Bright Idea To Coordinate A Table

This gorgeous tabletop from Bliss Events, not only gives us great inspiration, but also can teach us a lesson. The centerpiece vases are a perfectly coordinated mixture of patterns in the same color scheme. A great reminder of how you can bring together a look when you think you have nothing that matches. Just gather several containers, from glass cylanders to soup cans, and wrap them in 2 or 3 coordinating patterns of scrapbook paper, wrapping paper, or even fabric. Fill the containers with flowers and you have an elegant look that is beautifully coordinated and suitable for any event.

Pilgram Hat Cookies

Hat Cookies are not just for Witches! These fabulous Pilgram Hat cookies are so perfect for Thanksgiving! Also great is that there is no cooking involved, just assembly of 3 ingredients: chocolate wafer cookies, mini peanut butter cups, and orange frosting.

Thanksgiving In Black & White

Who says Thanksgiving has to be done in orange, gold, green, and brown? With the beautiful white pumpkins readily available, get inspired to dress a table in black and white. Spray paint some small goards in metallic silver and copper, add white candles, dishes, and black accents and you have an elegant Autumn table.

Don't forget about the dessert and drinks table. Just a few white and black elements help tie in the color scheme perfectly.

Tabletop: HGTV

Bar: Pottery Barn

Autumn "Place Cards"

Time to start planning your Thanksgiving Tablescape! Here's one element of the table top that you can cross off your list. Use fresh produce of the season and fashion them into place cards! Apples, pears, mini pumpkins are all great choices but don't forget about lemons, apricots, and oranges. Use a paint pen or sharpie marker to write guest's names directly onto the produce of choice. Or head to the sticker isle of the craft store and spell out the names with adhesive letters.

Cut out some paper leaves and attach them with ribbon or pretty tacks or pins. Write the name on the leaf.

Also simple but clever are these ideas using ribbon (write the name on the hanging ribbon), hang tags, scrolled paper, and little flag (they're not just for cupcakes!).

Any of these ideas would add such an interesting element to your Thanksgiving table, and they are Eco Chic!

Links:
1. pear, pumpkin, lemon

2. pear, orange(elle decor), apple

3. pear(pottery barn), pear(the fun times guide), pumpkin, apricot

Candyland Birthday Party

Feast your eyes upon this perfectly executed Candyland Birthday Party by Andrea Swenson of Bon Bon Bebe. As you can imagine, Andrea was inspired by the Candyland party styled by Jenn at HWTM, and she certainly hit it out of the park when she put together this party for her 3 year old daughter and 28 of her little friends.

The centerpiece of the party is of course the candy table flanked by 2 smaller tables. Andrea used fabric from IKEA to top the candy table and even cut "ribbons" from that fabric to help decorate a candy serving stand. She made the cute cupcake toppers and cotton candy toppers herself.

The round tables were set up to hold the take-home favors: a Candland game, and a clear bucket to be filled with all of the candy. The pretty decorative stickers on the buckets were from Paper Peddler.

A party cannot rely on candy alone, so Andrea set up some carnival-style games (from Oriental Trading & Party City) in the back yard, as well as a craft table to keep the young ones busy. Andrea found the fun candy pillows on Ebay, and made 'lollipops' out of round foam discs, paint, and cellophane.

Below, is a picture of the birthday girl and her sister. The Adorable little tanks are from Andrea's Etsy shop, Bon Bon Bebe.

Thank you for letting me share this fabulous party Andrea! You have surely inspired many!

For more photos go here.

Mini Pumpkin Cakes

This time of year there are so many great food ideas. It starts with all the Halloween fun treats and continues through Christmas with lots of Holiday goodies. For your Thanksgiving dessert table, give these cute little Mini Pumpkin Cakes a staring role. Made with mini bundt pans, your choice of cake mix (orange spice cake would be perfect!), glaze, and marzipan, these single serving treats are sure to satisfy.