Creating an Antler Centerpiece

Having 4 talented bloggers come to Phoenix and stay at my home last week was such a treat. There is SO much to tell you, but one of the highlights is the Friday night dinner. They all brought favorite recipes and made dinner for 8. Since we are being COVID respectful, dinner in the orchard seems to be the perfect location for us to gather. I can honestly say it is very fun to have these extraordinary, creative women scouring the house for items to set the table. The set of antlers we recently got from a friend (see post here), was the perfect stimulus for the rest of the table design.

But first let me tell you a little bit about each of my guests. In October 2019, I attended an Inspiration Workshop in Texas at KariAnne’s home (Thistlewood Farms). After the workshop, one of the attendees started a weekly conference call where 5 of us would remain connected and share our blogging knowledge (or inexperience in my case).

Over time, a few new bloggers joined the weekly call. When COVID hit, we had our network already up and running. Each week I found myself enjoying our virtual connection in a world promoting lockdowns and isolation.

Long story short, we decided to meet in person here at Bella Terra. I am excited and delighted to host this group. Unfortunately, two members could not attend due to family obligations. Kristin from White Arrows Home wrote a lovely post about why she needed to miss our gathering. You can read it here.

Setting the Table: The Linens

Since Barbara from Mantel and Table and Chloe from Celebrate and Decorate are Tablescape masters, they quickly select the tablecloth (a vintage find embroidered neutral) and a pink linen runner (from Williams Sonoma).

The Dishes

The charger is a ruffled, gold glass one from Leslie Roy, with an additional brass one on top. The plate is my favorite one for fall, Johnson Brothers Windsor Ware. Personally, I have never considered using double chargers, but the layering creates a fabulous and elegant look.

The Antlers

Take charge Chloe grabs the antlers off the front porch and off she goes to the orchard. Barbara states we need flowers and fruit and off we go to Whitfill Nursery and Safeway. Andrea from Design Morsels and Chas from Chas Crazy Creations help with all the rest~getting the glasses, silverware, chairs, etc. Activity is buzzing in the orchard!

The Stemware

After selecting the right colors, sizes and shapes of flowers and fruits, Barbara goes to work on adding the final elements to the table.

Flowers and Fruit

Pink stemware picks up the rose color on the plate. The pink glasses are vintage and part of my collection. Larger pink wine glasses are from Pier One Imports. Chrysanthemums, golden flowers and fruit bring the colors of the plate design to the table.

Pomegranates, pears, crab apples and grapes are tucked in among the flowers and antlers.

Using my Wallace Napoleon Bee pattern flatware, the gold accent goes well with the chargers. You can find this stemware on Amazon here.

As a side note, the antlers are sheds, meaning an animal was not killed for them. Elk grow antlers every year and shed their old ones. We will be using these antlers at our mountain cabin, once they are properly mounted.

Even the pink plastic containers holding the snapdragons blend in with the centerpiece. Squares of plastic are placed beneath the pots to prevent the tablecloth from getting soiled.

The Evening

As evening approaches, the lanterns which were a bargain purchase from Home Depot, are used to line the walkway to the table. You can see that blog post here.

What a magical evening! The dinner everyone prepares is so delicious and worthy of another blog post.

Here’s what I learned: When you live with all your belongings, it is difficult to step outside the box and create something new and different. I would never have thought to use the antlers, nor would I have paired it with pink. But look how lovely this table is~a mixture of rustic and elegance! Wish these friends lived closer as I would invite them over all the time to help me do things like this.

Happy Wednesday! For other centerpiece ideas using plants, flower and fruits, check out a previous post here.

If you enjoy this post, please do share it on Pinterest.

This post shared with Charming Homes & Gardens Week 34

Between Naps on the Porch Tablescapes Thursday #634