So sorry for the lack of posts this week! In the meantime check out this fantastic Thanksgiving dessert buffet from Amy Atlas...
Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving and safe travels!
I just love this natural Thanksgiving table scape from Real Simple!
The bright greens just pop against the browns and white. Not your traditional Thanksgiving palette but just as beautiful.
With a few twigs, twine and greenery, you have a natural and lovely Thanksgiving table. I think the twig bundles as place card holders are my favorite part!
This look would also work well for a fall dinner party or fall shower.
Go here for the how-to.
This Friday is our group of friends' Thanksgiving potluck. The hosts are cooking the turkey and we are bringing side dishes. After searching for a tasty side dish, I've decided on this one. It's easy, I can make it the night before and it sounds delish!
Au Gratin Potato Casserole
Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients
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.
After reading the reviews, I'm going to add some garlic and swap the cornflakes for Ritz crackers. I'm also going to swap the cream of mushroom for cream of chicken because some friends don't care for mushrooms. What casseroles are you cooking up for Thanksgiving? Send me a link!
(recipe and photo from myrecipes.com)
Head on over to Celebrations at Home and enter Hostess Jo's Harvest Giveaway! We're giving away TWO pieces from our beautiful harvest collection just in time for Thanksgiving! YOU get to pick which one you would like to win! Good luck!
How cute is this Turkey Napkin?! It is made out of a squash and cloves for eyes!
What a great conversation starter for Turkey Day!
Get the how-to for the napkin fan here.
I just discovered these pictures of the football centerpieces I made for our first game celebration and thought I'd share. They are good examples of how you can take things from around the house and turn them into party decor easily and inexpensively.
I actually took the football from my Touchdown Lazy Susan and cut floral foam to fit inside it. I bought an inexpensive bouquet from Publix and divided it between the three. Voila! Instant decor for you game entertaining. Of course the guys don't care about them but I bet your female guests will enjoy them.
I set mine up outside where I knew my girlfriends and I would be hanging out.
They add just the right amount of football spirit to your everyday decor.
Get creative! Look around your house-I bet you have items you can transform for any occasion!
I have been seeing a lot of people using dried beans and lentils in their fall decorations and I love it. The natural look is simple and comforting. You can either go all natural or just add a few things here and there in your decorating. Here is gorgeous example of incorporating natural elements in a tablescape.
Get the how-to here!
For more natural tablescaping inspiration check out Chris from Celebrations at Home post here.
Try a Falling Leaf Fiz at this fall's gatherings. It's so pretty and sounds so tasty! Sure to impress your guests.
Falling Leaf Fiz
Ingredients per cocktail:
Prep
I just love these sugared pumpkin cupcakes! The minis are my favorite. The recipe sounds delicious too. If you aren't a baker (I am not), you could make cupcakes from the box and just decorate the tops like this. Perfect for parties, treats for neighbors, kids at school etc.
To decorate: Divide the frosting into two bowls and tint to different shades of orange with food coloring. Mound the frosting on top of cupcakes and make rounded. Roll the entire cupcake in the sugar to coat or roll just edges in sugar, alternating between fine and coarse sugars as desired. To make indentations, press a wooden skewer on top of the sugared cupcake. Add pretzel sticks or rods as stems.
Get the full recipe here.
Here is another idea for decorating your fall tables. Take a break from pumpkins and think about using pears. Pears add a simple warmth to any setting. The addition of wheat in this centerpiece really evokes feelings of fall. This centerpiece would also be perfect for a Thanksgiving table. BONUS-it's EASY to make!
Get the how-to here.
