Thanksgiving Inspiration

{Dan Carither's Kitchen}

My thoughts these last few days are filled with family and home, food and tablescapes. And you? Did you know that 'the experts' say that one of the main ways we experience happiness is in the in the anticipation of an event? This actually makes perfect sense to me! I love spending the days just before Thanksgiving reading magazines and cookbooks searching for the perfect recipes for this year's feast and thinking creatively about my Thanksgiving table.

Here are just a few of the images inspiring my thoughts and contributing to my pre-holiday happiness.

 

{Country Estate from Juliska}

Get your menu printed here

{Sweet Paul}

{Sweet Paul}

{Photographer Peter Frank Edwards for Foster's Market}

{Garden & Gun}

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Fall Tablescapes

I love a pretty table!

Today, I have the pleasure of going over to a friend's house to help her plan her holiday decorating and Thanksgiving table. I thought I would share with you some of the fall tablescapes that are inspiring me.

Have you planned a special table for your Thanksgiving?

{Dwell Studio}

I love, love, love the table Grace of Urban Grace created for HGTV last Thanksgiving. Visit her blog to see the table as it is created.

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Spring Tablescape from Gwyneth Paltrow

I recently discovered this lovely tablescape created in London by Gwyneth Paltrow for Remodelista. The palette is stunning. Have you ever visited Gwyneth's website and blog called GOOP? She writes a weekly newsletter about things to make, see, do...well, the list goes on. I find it very interesting. She also has a new cookbook out called My Father's Daughter.

{Source Remodelista}

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Moss

{Amy Morris}

Although the design of this lovely dining room by Interior Designer, Amy Morris, would be a great topic to blog about in it's own right, today's blog post is about Moss. I adore moss when used as a simple, verdant, textural, centerpiece! I just love it in this room in this rustic wooden planter..a refreshing pop of green in an otherwise monochromatic dining room.

Designer Lisa Luby Ryan uses moss as a simply elegant Christmas decor. I love the pop of green that highlights this lovely tablescape and sublime antique faux bois planter.

The wedding table by Preston Bailey uses moss to its full potential. I'm sure these wedding guests are taking notes!

Designer Susan Ferrier uses moss to punctuate her mid height element in her dining room created for the 2010 Atlanta Homes Magazine showhouse.

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Valentine's Fantasy Dinner Party

The pleasure of your company is desired for an evening of fantasy...

 

The guests arrive just after dark just as it begins to snow. It's a magical evening even as it is just beginning. The eclectic group gathers for libations in the french inspired library that overlooks the parterre beyond. Even though the garden rests for the winter, the sculptural vines and garden architecture provide a restful beauty as the snow falls.

  

I'll serve something pink in honor of the day, not too sweet but an interesting concoction that might even start a trend. The appetizers will be unexpected and tantalize the taste buds with unique and exotic flavors.

Dinner is soon to be served and we gather around the table set with handmade pottery, vintage hotel silver and a gorgeous ~ knock-your-Pradas-off ~ flower arrangement. The candles emit a warm glow and we find our seat next to guests we hardly know! Artists and innovators, we are energized by each other's company. The conversations are enlightening and spark imagination. Suzanne and Ina sharing their secrets. An intimate table filled with laughter and a buzz with artful conversations.

The food is good old fashioned comfort food served in eight, petite, courses. Unexpected little treats arrive in between the main courses ~ a petite herb flavored mini-biscuit or a candied cashew with a bit of cheese.

I am relaxed and find the need to kick off my shoes as my favorite pair of Channel heels have finally taken their tole. We retreat to the living room for coffee and dessert by the fire.

One dessert is inadequate for this exceptional evening so I have the chef prepare two! Strawberries with chocolate ganache and french macaroons.

It's a once-in-a-lifetime evening that shapes my future aspirations.

The evening comes to a close and we say goodbye to our celebrity guests. We retell our favorite stories from the evening and are giddy with laughter.

My pillow awaits...

Happy Valentine's Day!

 Sources {1} via Greige {2} via Katie Armour: The Neo-traditionalist {3} Princess Queen V {4} unknown {5} Vintage Rose Garden {6} gastrogirl {7} Vintage Rose Garden {8} Mateo Bedding

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Gather Around the Table

 

Have you planned your Thanksgiving table yet? With Thanksgiving only a week away, I am having a little fun around my house planning for the overflow around the kitchen table. My kitchen table is an old french farm table, more narrow than a typical kitchen table. The high backs of these old french chairs help keep the proportions in perspective. I bought them from my friend Chris {hi chris ~ thank you}! She stumbled upon a set of six and offered her current set of 4 to me! They were already covered in this amazing blue linen, an exact match for my kitchen. Some things are just meant to be!

Anyhooo, you know everyone will end up in the kitchen so why not set an interesting table? I haven't started on the dining room table yet but plan to have a more formal table setting in there. Here I have used a Vagabond Vintage throw as the tablecloth. The reverse side { a muted turquoise plaid} is fantastic too. You may remember from that gorgeous stack of textiles from my Spring visit to the High Point Furniture market. They are all one-of-a-kind and are called something that I can't remember but they are named for the tiny handsewn stitch used to connect the front to the back. I am not sure what I will do with it next ~ a throw at the foot of the bed; a tailgate tablecloth or draped over a chair in my den. It is so soft!

I found this incredibly interesting cork stump planter from Randy McManus Flowers in Greensboro. I planted it with simple ferns and gathered some moss from a shaded area in my yard to hide some of the top edges of the planter. I love ferns!

I scattered some leaves from the Japanese maple on my deck and added a few colorful heirloom pumpkins for the picture above. I like the touch of color with the otherwise muted table scape. I am still making adjustments for the final table to debut Thanksgiving Day. The turquoise tinted water glasses are from HomeGoods and the hand hammered scroll flatware is from TJ Maxx. The turquoise dinner napkins with gold beaded fringe are from Pier I Imports. The antler candelabra were a gift from my brother last Christmas. He made them from found, naturally shod antlers.

I love the opportunity to use my collection of brown and white transferware. Here you can see the details of my favorite pattern. It does not have a 'mark'. Brown and white comes in a wide variety of colors and this shade of brown is so yummy! One day, I need to do the research to determine who it is made by. You can also see the party favors. I covered tiny pots of baby tears with burlap and tied them with velvet ribbon and a contrasting paper ribbon in green.

On another note, I am trying to ween myself from the beautiful pictures I find online and share some of my own ideas via my own photography. I REALLY appreciate the recent post from Eddie Ross "Behind the Scenes of a Cover Shoot" where he showed what actually goes into the photography that appears in the magazines. His styling is so lovely on its own but it is also encouraging to see that a lot goes into making it ready for publication. I have a lot to learn!

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