Every year I try to make our Thanksgiving table extra special, from the space and table, to the place setting and centerpiece. There is something that says love in setting a lovely table for your guests. Since this is the holiday of thanks, what better way to tell your family and guests how grateful you are to gather together.

My sweet friend, Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse is hosting this round up of Thanksgiving ideas to help inspire you this season. Below there are 15 incredible posts filled with wonderful ideas and suggestions on how to make this the best Thanksgiving ever.

Please make sure you stop by each post and of course, we love your comments and feedback. If you are not in the Thanksgiving mood yet, bookmark it for later. Thank you for stopping by.

If you are new to my blog, welcome. My name is Mary and our family lives in a historic home in Phoenix, Arizona. We are blessed with space to entertain and share our unique property with others. So let’s get started on the Thanksgiving table.

Place and Space

With 8 in attendance, the dining room is the most desirable place to have our dinner. Even though our weather is beautiful, it has been a bit warmer during the days. Outside dining could be an option but the mosquito factor is uncertain.

Our dining room table seats 6 comfortably and 8-10 with the additional leaf. Here is a great picture of our dining room rug with colors that are not typical of autumn.

Since typical autumn colors are NOT the shades in my dining room, it is always a bit of a dilemma in decorating the dining room mantel with fall decor that goes with the pink/burgundy/cream/green rug. Naturally I want to pull the same tones/textures to the Thanksgiving table centerpiece. To see the post about my mantel decorating challenge, click here.

Using Natural Materials

A few years ago, I started making centerpieces out of items I can re-use in the yard or garden later. A quick trip to my favorite local happy place, Whitfill Nursery and I find everything I need. From ornamental cabbages to succulents to fresh mint, I believe I have the colors, textures and sizes I want.

Selecting the Tablecloth

Learning from experience, it is important to protect the surface of the table. Remember the dinner party where the bourbon spill did this to our table?

Now I make sure I add the custom made table pad underneath the tablecloth….always. I cannot seem to access the company who made my pads, but there are several resources on Amazon, which provide products you can cut to size. To source table pads, see here.

Not only does the pad protect the table, but it also quiets the sound of glasses or utensils hitting the table during the meal. The manufacturer custom makes them for your table and they fold up for easy storage. Or check out this quilted waterproof pad that you can cut to fit your table. It’s affordable and has good reviews.

Since the tablecloth I want to use is a bit smaller with the additional leaf, I place a larger, neutral tablecloth beneath. Actually what I use is a vintage linen bedsheet I found at a convent during a visit to France. I still swoon over the beautiful monogram sheet.

The Place Setting

The ecru, heavily decorated table linen is the perfect backdrop for the place setting. I found this one at a thrift store.

Using a scalloped wooden charger, Johnson Brothers Windsor Ware platter, and gold rimmed glass Leslie Roy salad plate, each place setting is finished with blush linen napkins and pink glassware. A white pumpkin completes the autumn look. You can find these items or similar here:

• Wooden Chargers (mine are from Pier One and not available; good substitute here
• Johnson Brothers Windsor Ware from Replacements here
• Glass Salad Plates similar here
• Blush linen napkins from Pottery Barn or similar here
• Pink wine glasses here and pink water glasses
• Wallace bee flatware similar here
• Ecru tablecloth similar or on Etsy here.

Assembly of the Centerpiece

Since all the plants are already potted, I place each one into a bowl to protect the table from the bottoms. Water plants and drain before putting them on the table. Using any bowls available (cereal, dessert, glass), the plants are arranged down the center.

Here is a list of plants and quantities I use for a 5′ x 18″ centerpiece:

• Lamb’s ears-2 in 4″ pots
• Ornamental Red Kale Cabbages (5) in 4″ pots
• Echeveria “Red Sky” succulents-2
• Graptoveria “Bashful” succulents-2
• Bacopia Megacopa White-4
• Fresh Mint-2 in 4″ pots

To fill in space, I use:

• Pomegranates
• Brass decorative pumpkins (see similar here)
• 5 Silver mint julep cups with fresh cut pale pink roses (2 dozen from Safeway)
• 2 small antler sheds
• Faux greens that match the ones on the mantel
• 2 tall brass candlesticks
• Scatter votive candles on the table

Since the lamb’s ears are the tallest, they are toward the end. Also, remember not to make the centerpiece so tall that your guests cannot see across the table.

Final Touches

When creating your centerpiece, think textures and scale. It’s easy to have lots of little things going on but keep the selection simple and use repetition, scale, color and texture be your guide. Throughout dinner, my daughter kept reaching over to touch the lamb’s ears~which are so soft and lovely.

The antlers provide a rustic and different element to the table, but do not dominate or standout too much.

Perhaps the best part of the meal is when candles on the table and mantel are lit and everyone sits. Since the dining room is a bit brisk, a warm fire will add to the overall charm.

Previous Years

I hope this inspires you to do a fresh centerpiece for Thanksgiving. Now let’s look at previous Thanksgiving tables. In 2020 we had our dinner outside on the back terrace. Using Hester & Cook fall inspired paper placemat, the centerpiece is a compilation of fabric pumpkins, sheaths of wheat, apples, pears, cotton stems, faux fall leaves and votive candles.

In 2019, again you will see many plants and flowers~petunias, cabbages, lettuces and pale orange roses and alstroemerias. Same concept but different color palette. To see more about this table, click here.

In 2018, all the tones are again in warm autumn colors with chrysanthemums, protea, cabbages, ivy and white roses. To see more about this centerpiece and our Thanksgiving traditions (at least in 2018), click here.

Back in 2017 is when I started using fresh plants vs. all cut flowers. All the plants and items are in a foil lined wooden tray. At the ends of the tray I used ivy and spread it down the table. This centerpiece is a bit more condensed but it is fun experimenting with different vessels. To see more details, click here.

In 2016, I am using fresh cut flowers only, with a few fabric pumpkins. The blog was just starting back then and hopefully my picture-taking skills have improved a bit! Ha!

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

Now onto all the fabulous Thanksgiving inspiration from these incredibly talented women!

Ideas for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving Dining Table

Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse

Rachel shares a fall centerpiece that’s perfect for your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving Dining table. It combines DIY and vintage pieces for a unique table arrangement.

Heirloom Pumpkin Fall Centerpiece

Heidi from Eleanor Rose Home

Wow your guests with an elegant fall centerpiece utilizing an heirloom pumpkin and seasonal fresh florals.

Thanksgiving Traditions to Try this Year

Kristin from White Arrows Home

These easy Thanksgiving traditions make it a favorite holiday to look forward to all year long.

Thanksgiving Dining Table with Copper Accents and Free Printable Placecards

Cindy from DIY Beautify

Easy tips to set a memorable Thanksgiving table with printable place setting cards that can double as a gratitude garland!

Simple and Beautiful DIY Artichoke and Magnolia Centerpiece

Jen at Midwest Life and Style

Impress your family and friends with a simple and beautiful DIY artichoke and magnolia centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table.

How to Create a Simple Rustic Thanksgiving Centerpiece

AnnMarie from Simply 2 Moms

Create a simple rustic centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table this year. Pretty neutral style can be used for the entire autumn season.

9 Simple Tips to Hosting the Best Thanksgiving Dinner Ever

Stacy from Bricks ‘n Blooms

Looking for ways to organize yourself to host Thanksgiving? Here are 9 simple tips to hosting the best Thanksgiving dinner ever. Not hosting this year? Check out my Thanksgiving hostess gift ideas at the end of this post.

Simple Autumn Thanksgiving Vintage Decor Tips

Ann from Dabbling and Decorating

Are you looking for simple Thanksgiving or autumn decorating ideas? Let me share a few tips and tricks to help you get started.

How to Create the Perfect Table for your Thanksgiving Feast

Renae from Peacock Ridge Farm

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and that means it’s time to start planning your feast! If you’re not sure how to create the perfect table for your Thanksgiving ing celebration, don’t worry. We’re here to help. In this blog post, we’ll give you some tips on how to decorate your table for Thanksgiving. So read on and learn how to create a festive table for your holiday celebration!

How to Make an Easy DIY Cornucopia Basket

Wendy from WM Design House

Thanksgiving is time to give thanks and celebrate with friends and family. One of my favorite traditions is decorating my Thanksgiving table with my homemade cornucopia. I make it out of chicken wire and rope, and then fill it with pumpkins, gourds, feathers and flowers. It’s a beautiful and festive decoration that always gets me in the Thanksgiving spirit.

Dried Wheat Centerpiece

Jen from Cottage on Bunker Hill

Do you love the look of dried wheat? Me too! I love the natural color…I think it is so pretty so I came up with this dried wheat centerpiece. It is perfect for your traditional Thanksgiving table. Let me show you how to make it.

Boho Cottage Fall Tablescape

Jen from Tatertots and Jello

Create a warm and inviting Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving table by making a DIY table runner, pillows and a beautiful footed bowl centerpiece filled with textured, fabric-covered pumpkins and leaves.

How to Create a Beautiful Thanksgiving Tablescape

Robyn from Robyn’s French Nest

Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? Enjoy some tips for hosting a large gathering with budget-friendly Thanksgiving table elements. At the same time, learn what pieces you can pull together from around your home, and how to best layer them. Then, you can easily create a thoughtful and beautiful tables cape this Thanksgiving.

Simple Fall Table and the Prettiest Serving Pieces

KariAnne from Thistlewood Farm

Looking for some simple ideas for your Friendsgiving table? Why not add a little blue and white with your pumpkins? Tons of simple ideas to make your holiday celebrations a little easier.

I hope you enjoy all the inspiration! Thank you again for joining me today.

Is anyone else in awe that is it already November? Actually this week went by so quickly~so much so that I thought it was Tuesday when in actuality it was Friday. I feel like I want to slam on the brakes of life. You, too? My goal this week is to breathe deeply, go for daily walks and take some time for myself. It’s that time again for Saturday Meanderings, where we chat about all good things this week.

Spontaneity

Last Friday afternoon, on a whim, I decide to drive up to the mountains with our cat, Donovan, to meet up with my husband. Donovan does not like to be in the car and finally settles down after an hour of yowling. But he loves exploring the cabin and has free rein of the place other than our bedroom.

Even though I was born and raised in Connecticut, I am no longer used to cold weather. Boy, it was so cold both inside and outside our cabin (at least for me). However, how fun to wear warm sweaters and coats again!

It is so quiet in the mountains this time of year and it truly feels like the end of fall and the beginning of winter. I am able to do a fun little cocktail photo shoot among the turning leaves in the forest. Later, my husband and I sit there with a drink for just a few minutes, but scampered inside because it was so cold and windy! But what a gift to be there for a few days keeping warm by the fire.

Halloween

Did you have a fun Halloween? So many Halloween events took place over the weekend so I’m not even sure how many children celebrated Halloween on the actual date? Since we live on a busy road that is not well-lit, we try not to encourage children to cross the street to our home (no sidewalks on our side).

So trick or treaters are few and far between. For quite a few years now, we tend to host a rather elaborate Halloween dinner party. But after being away for the weekend, last minute invites go out on Monday for a very spontaneous Halloween cocktail party on our back terrace on Tuesday.

Fortunately we have a group of friends who always respond to our last minute events! A few hors d’oeuvres and fun cocktails make for a fun evening. What a blessing to have such nice friends and neighbors.

Getting Candle Wax off of Linens

I did write a post about this (you can see it here), but after our impromptu Halloween gathering, there is residual candle wax on my table runner. This week I posted an Instagram reel on how to remove it. This technique really works. With the holidays coming there will be more opportunities for candle wax to mar your table linens so check it out. Also if you are on Instagram, would love for you to follow me @lifeatbellaterra.

Inspiration from the Internet

I know very little about interior designers but I am intrigued by Sean Symington. He seems rather young (don’t they all?) and even though he started his interior design firm in 2019, it appears he is very successful.

However, I do like his classic yet refreshed approach. If you love traditional style, pretty fabrics, and gorgeous wallpaper, check him out here.

Adorable Cottage

Though I am not ready for Christmas decor, it is a treat to see my friend’s (Kim from Shiplap and Shells) waterfront cottage.

Kim shares 21 Quick and Simple Cottage Christmas Decor Ideas to Try. This may be the inspiration I need to decorate the guest cottage this Christmas….

Thanksgiving Desserts

Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse is sharing all sorts of ideas for Thanksgiving desserts. In her post, she has 6 Mouthwatering Thanksgiving Pie Recipes (plus much, much more). Rachel is a dynamo and I am always so impressed at how much great information she shares.

Need Help with Interior Design?

My friend, Andrea from Design Morsels provides a WEALTH of information on interior design tips and tricks. Not sure what size chandelier to put over your dining room table? Need help choosing a color palette? Ask Andrea.

For those of you who remember Hints from Heloise, Andrea is just that but all things interior design. She is my go to when I am feeling overwhelmed or not sure what design direction to take. Bookmark her website or better yet, follow Andrea!

Mary’s Must Haves

During the week, these items come to mind as ones I appreciate (use often) and highly recommend.

These interior night lights illuminate and provide a safe path around the house after dark. Recently, after taking a pretty good spill outside, in the dark, I am hyper aware of not wanting to fall again. Eufy night lights are low profile, attractive, turn on automatically and provide a nice, warm light. Once the sun is up, the lights turn off.

For outside your home, especially during the darker winter months, these JackonLux Dusk to Dawn Outdoor Automatic light bulbs work very well. We have installed them on the guest cottage and pool house and it’s nice to know they go on and off automatically with sunrise and sunset.

I am not a fan of those harsh blue/white LED lights. These provide a nice warm white light for illumination. Well priced at $16.99 for 4 bulbs.

Colorscience Brush-on Sunscreen Mineral Powder

Protecting our skin from the sun is a smart thing to do in both the summer and winter. However, I am not a fan of greasy sunscreen, especially on my face. I’ve tried products made for the face, but for some reason putting on that extra layer of lotion escapes me.

This powdered sunscreen mineral powder with an SPF 50, I use every single day because it acts like my foundation powder. I also keep one in my purse that I apply when I go on longer driving trips to protect the left side of my face. To pay $69.00 for a sunscreen seems a bit much, but the last time I bought one was in January 2023 and I am still using it. Say it lasts a full year, that’s less than $6.00 per month and approximately $0.19 a day. Well worth the price to protect your skin from damaging sun rays. See it here.

For All your Hot Beverages

With the colder weather setting in, I am drinking more hot beverages~from tea to mushroom coffee to my super sleep time lattes. This electric glass kettle boils water SO quickly, faster than the stove or microwave. It has numerous safety issues such as a stay-cool handle and auto-shutoff. If you are a tea drinker, there is a bonus infuser. Great price with a 1-year warranty at $34.99. Find it here.

This Coming Week…

Sunday is Daylight Savings Time so remember to change your clocks (except if you live here in Arizona where we never change time). Tuesday is Election Day~please remember your duty To VOTE. On Thursday, my son and his girlfriend are coming to town for a wedding. Our entire family will be getting together for dinner, which is very exciting! Saturday, November 11th is Veterans Day~please take time to pray and honor those veterans of the armed services who lost their lives in our country’s wars.

That’s a wrap for this Saturday’s Meanderings. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.

I love the month of November. This calm and quiet month is often overlooked, as it is stuck between spooky Halloween and sparkly Christmas rarely getting the attention it deserves.  To me, November is the resting month before the frantic pace of the holidays. Cherishing shorter days, longer nights. Can’t we slow down life’s fast pace a bit? Because this year, more than most, it feels like time is spinning out of control and flying by. November marks the beginning of winter and a slower seasonal cycle.

I don’t know if it is because I was raised in New England, but fall is a favorite time of year.  November is my “pause” month.  A time to decrease stress and synch my rhythms to the earth. Now is when I notice the change in the angle of the sun and how the light is soft and golden. It seems appropriate to be mindful, present, and save up our energy for the busy days ahead.

November temperatures are now consistently cool in Phoenix causing our leaves to start changing colors.  This month we celebrate both Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, holidays without presents or fanfare. November and Thanksgiving….is truly a time when we can focus on the most important things: giving thanks to our family, friends and food. 

Did you know that November also includes such holidays like National Cinnamon Day, National Doughnut Day, National Spicy Hermit Cookie, National Gingerbread Cookie Day, National Red Mitten Day and National Homemade Bread Day? Who knew, right? But it’s no surprise because it’s appropriate feel quite cozy in November.

Typically, I avoid everything and anything Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving. But it’s hard to do that, when holiday items fill the shelves before Halloween. Even Hallmark starts its countdown to Christmas movies long before I am ready. Social media starts the Christmas buzz early too. But instead of resisting it, I am keeping an open mind.

The bloggers who have thousands of followers are already decorating for Christmas.  Many are putting up their Christmas trees and decorations the day after Halloween.

But here at Bella Terra, the Christmas holiday starts here when Santa makes his appearance in New York after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

Our autumn decorations will stay up until November 25th. The exception this year is the beautifully decorated Christmas mantel Chloe Crabtree designed in our living room for our Fall Styling Workshop. It is so beautiful and I’m almost tempted to leave it up all year!

My hopes for this month is to slow down, welcome the changes the earth will provide us and ease gracefully into the holidays ahead.

Do you love November too? Wishing you many joyful and beautiful moments this month. Happy November, dear friends.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

I love my dining room and having an oriental rug with shades of pink, claret, beige and greens does create obstacles when decorating for the colorful fall season and holidays. But I love a challenge and what better way to dive in than taking those colors and transforming them into fall decor. With white walls, white slipcovered chairs, and a mahogany dining table, I have some neutral pieces to work into the scheme.

The Dining Room Rug

As you can see, this 9’x12′ rug anchors the space under the table and chairs. The dark claret border looks especially nice against our Canadian beech hardwood floors. See how typical autumn colors would clash with this?

Getting Affordable Fabric

We have a great fabric superstore, SAS here in Phoenix with a huge fabric selection at good prices. I select a toile, and soft yummy fabrics in the rug colors for handmade fabric pumpkins.

As you know I am not a big DIYer, but in 2020, a bug infestation ruined many of my purchased fabric pumpkins. Forced into making more of my own, I find that this DIY task is very easy, and I wrote a blog post about it. If I can do it, anyone can!

I cut various sizes of fabric circles and start making custom color pumpkins during a weekend at our cabin. Saving pumpkin stems from the previous year’s real pumpkins, I glue them onto the fabric pumpkins using a glue gun for a realistic look.

These are so quick to make and it takes no time to end up with a rather hefty crop of fabric pumpkins. Running out of real stems, I use short branches for the smaller pumpkins’ stems.

The Mantel

Starting with a blank canvas, I remove everything from the dining room mantel (and do a little dusting too!). The walls are painted a Cottage White, providing a creamy background. Our sweet youngest child, Elisabeth is 3 years old at the time and the subject of the oil painting. Holding her favorite chicken, the colors of her dress and background go well with this room.

I start adding back some elements that I love~this orchid pot from Dear Keaton to anchor one side of the mantel.

On the other side of the mantel, I use faux antique-looking books, with my vintage Virgin Mary statue under glass. Adding dried hydrangeas at the base of the statue ties in with the color scheme.

Adding the Pumpkins and Candles

I have fun playing with the different sized pumpkins and where to place them. It seems a little bare with just the pumpkins and some seasonal candles, right?

Greens and Faux Flowers

By adding some green and pale pink eucalyptus, faux burgundy hydrangeas, and a few magnolia leaves, look how lush the mantel looks now!

Here’s an overhead view and you can see how this fabric combination works so well against the dining room rug colors.

Fall Decor that lasts until Thanksgiving

What I love about this color combination is that you can leave it up from September to November. It’s seasonal, yet timeless. I am able to incorporate these colors into my Thanksgiving tablescape and the decorations become easy on the eye.

I realize many people decorate for the fall in neutrals and whites. Do you use bright autumn colors to decorate? Truly I never thought shades of pink and green would work but I love taking the plunge to use other colors enhances this room in particular.

The fall decorating is happening ever so slowly this year. But it always comes together sooner or later.

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

After a lovely Thanksgiving week of carbs and more carbs, I am craving anything healthy-mostly fruits and vegetables.  My body seems so out of balance~~I’m sluggish and feeling a bit pudgy. Now with a broken toe that is slowing me down a bit, I feel the need to reset and nourish myself in a healthy way.

Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Right now, the garden is producing beautiful greens~ lettuce, kale and arugula. I am hoping for another abundant year of arugula because I could make and eat this simple salad every single day. The Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette recipe is from Stone Gable.

I literally keep a mason jar of this dressing in the refrigerator all the time. Over the summer, when the greens bolt due to the heat, I buy baby arugula from the grocery store. But I can honestly say that picking arugula fresh from the garden is so much better.

This salad has a few, simple ingredients. Arugula, shaved Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Plus the lemon dressing. That’s it. So tasty and clean. Truly one of my favorite recipes to make. My recent houseguests loved it too. Recipe is below.

Food Babe’s Pineapple Grapefruit Hair Shake

Vani Hari, better known as “The Food Babe”, has an amazing story about how eating different foods changed her life. As a result, she has made it a mission to challenge how big food giants do business. For example, she influenced Kraft Foods to remove the harmful dyes from their Mac ‘n Cheese. Her website is a plethora of information on food choices and is filled with fabulous recipes.

One of my go to recipes when I’m feeling the holiday bloat is this green shake from her website.

There are 6 simple ingredients:  Kale or spinach, celery, cucumber, grapefruit, frozen pineapple and water. I substitute frozen mango and pineapple, when I am unable to find plain, frozen pineapple.

I just ordered her cookbook and I will let you know if it is any good. Here is her website.

This shake is so refreshing and you can always add more of the frozen pineapple if you prefer it sweeter.

Healthy Chicken Soup

Another resource for good, healthy recipes is Ambitious Kitchen. This chicken soup looks so delicious and with the cold and flu season upon us, I hope to make this and freeze it for those days when I feel something coming on.

The best part of this delicious chicken soup is all of its wonderful the anti-inflammatory, cold-fighting ingredients.

• Ginger: Great for digestion and a powerful anti-inflammatory agent to use in recipes.
• Garlic: Truly the best when you’re sick. Garlic is full of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. That’s why we use 6 cloves of garlic in this soup. That’s right, you’re going to sick this cold’s ass.
• Turmeric: Super trendy and very good for you. Best when consumed with a black pepper to help for optimal absorption. This recipe calls for fresh turmeric (if you can find it).
• Chicken: We’re packin’ this recipe with protein too — and guess what? The chicken actually cooks in the soup broth, leaving it tender and making it easy for you!
• Fresh herbs: Rosemary & thyme add additional flavor in this recipe.
• Pearl (or Israeli) Couscous: Besides the veggies, the couscous is really the star because it helps to thicken the broth and keep the soup hearty. You’ll want to use pearl couscous (also labeled Israeli couscous in stores) in the recipe. It just provides the perfect texture for the soup. 

Doesn’t this look so yummy? I cannot wait to make it. You can find the recipe here.

Healthy Focus

The last of our houseguests left yesterday so I am ready to get back on a routine to eat healthier and clean out my system. Unless you are a person who eats completely clean and healthy 100% of the time, what do you do to reverse the holiday bloat?

I am returning to a limited exercise program as I have to keep all weight off my big toe, but not moving is not an option. Reducing my caloric intake to match my activity level will be necessary too.

Please share what you do to get your body back to recover after holiday eating. My vitamin regiment is back on track too as is my daily probiotic. I’m hoping that by being thoughtful in my eating and exercising this week and next, that the brain fog will lift and I will restore my energy.

Here is the recipe for Food Babe’s Pineapple Grapefruit Hari Shake: