Sayonara

While the pictures may be pretty, today's story is a sad one.  When he was 2, my son Anders chose a favorite food...sushi.  Fourteen years later, he would eat it every single day if possible.  And he had a favorite sushi shop...a little restaurant named Bowl House.  Sadly, Bowl House recently served up its final fish, and needless to say, Anders was heartbroken.  Today, this post is my tribute to our beloved Japanese restaurant.  Bowl House was not a fancy restaurant.  Miso soup was served in little plastic bowls.  Sushi arrived on mismatched trays and platters.  My own table is a bit more structured.

What could be a better place to begin than my little bamboo table.  Won't some sushi look beautiful sitting on these simple white plates.

They'll act as a blank palette for the colorful fish.

Matching dipping bowls will hold soy sauce and wasabi.  For the non-sushi lovers (that would be me)...

...I'll be slurping noodles from these big gingko-covered soup bowls.   What Japanese meal would be complete without some tea,

which I will serve from this darling tea set, a gracious gift from my recent Thanksgiving guests.  I've set my tea cups upon this handmade glass tray...

...which would also make a fabulous sushi plate.

A beautiful yellow orchid is the final touch.  Bowl House was run by a charming gentleman, who I do believe enjoyed watching my kids grow up from sushi loving toddlers to teenagers who are actually quite fun to go out to dinner with.  Sadly, we did not even know his name...we just called him "the boss". Sayonara, dear Bowl House, and thank you for years and years of wonderful meals and memories we will never forget.  And a special thank you to this week's stand-in photographer, Sofie.  Don't worry Laura...the job is still yours!  Need some holiday ideas?  Please join me this week at the following parties:

Centerpiece Wednesday (The Style Sisters)Tabletop Thursday (Between Naps on the Porch)Feathered Nest Friday (French Country Cottage)Home Sweet Home Friday  (The Charm of Home)Potpourri Friday (2805)Seasonal Sundays (The Tablescaper)Let's Dish (Cuisine Kathleen)Open House Party (No Minimalist Here)

Take another look...one year ago...Sketchy Santas.

Pilgrim-Style

It's almost midnight and I've just finished setting my table for the big day tomorrow.  You may recall that I "rehearsed" this tablescape, knowing that I'd have to simplify a bit.  You will have to excuse the pictures on this posting (taken with my phone!)...but my photographer happens to be spending the holiday in Colorado with her whole family.  Hope you guys are having a great time.   And here's my pilgrim-style table for 22! 

Sorry folks, but with a group this big, you will only be getting...

...one plate,

...one wine glass, and no chargers or placemats!!

Do you like my napkin rings?? I made them using this adorable burlap striped ribbon from Hobby Lobby...glued around a cardboard tube.  How easy was that?

And for fun, I simply printed up some place cards and decorated them with polka dot Washi Tape.

A few gourds,

and mercury glass votives, and a few more candles...

and I'm calling it a wrap!  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I can't wait to see your tables.  Join me at...

Centerpiece Wednesday (The Style Sisters)Tabletop Thursday (Between Naps on the Porch)Feathered Nest Friday (French Country Cottage)Home Sweet Home Friday  (The Charm of Home)Potpourri Friday (2805)Seasonal Sundays (The Tablescaper)Let's Dish (Cuisine Kathleen)Open House Party (No Minimalist Here)

P.S. Hurry home, Laura!  The blog's not the same without you!!

The (Ugly) Truth About Acorns

You've probably seen them...the packages of half-faux acorns from Pottery Barn...the perfect little autumn decoration.  Fill a jar, scatter across the table.  But at $14, I thought they were a bit pricey,

especially when the real thing is lying on the ground for the taking (as long as you beat the squirrels to them).  So on one of my walks, I filled my pockets with the nicest acorns I could find.  I was quite enamored with my collection...until several days later when (gasp!)...I discovered white worms crawling out of my pretty little acorns!!  Talk about unwanted house guests.  Thank goodness they were not on my dinner table!  So as you can imagine, I look at these pest-free acorns from Pottery Barn in a totally new light. They are worth every penny!  Nonetheless, the acorns are the inspiration for today's autumn tablescape.  If you need desire fresh, inexpensive and seasonal table linens, march right over the Home Goods.

That's where I found this lovely rust and floral Ralph Lauren tablecloth.  Instead of a runner, I dressed up the middle of this table with this charming burlap striped ribbon from Hobby Lobby.

They really had an interesting collection of natural fiber ribbons of various width.  All you need is a little imagination.  And while I normally don't feel the need to match my napkins, I couldn't pass these up.  So they would not get lost on the cloth,

I turned them into a pretty little raffia-wrapped bundle and set them atop my plain white plates.  These plain white plates were in turn set atop my favorite navy blue plates

(The Blues by Arabia of Finland).  And because I love to layer, I added simple jute mats...

...they really help the blue plates to stand out.  I know I've been using them a lot lately, but tis the season, so here are my gorgeous

brown Lenox wine and water goblets.  Oh...I just remembered these chunky acorn candle pots.

I've had them for years, Crate & Barrel, I believe.  A Fall tabletop is so easy to accessorize.  The more the merrier.  I'm so glad these cute corn husk flowers from...

...(Serenade in Wheaton) get to come to the party again.  Of course, a bit of candlelight is in order, especially since it's dark at 4:30!  I chose these shiny mercury glass tea lights and nestled them here and there, and also these antique Chinese brass candle sticks.

These were always on display in my parent's home for as long as I can remember!  What a nice memory to bring them out again.  And last, but not least (they are the star of the story today)

I've scattered handfuls of darling little Pottery Barn acorns all over my plates.  You have most likely started your holiday preparations, but please spend a few relaxing minutes checking out the fabulous ideas at the following parties.

Centerpiece Wednesday (The Style Sisters)Tabletop Thursday (Between Naps on the Porch)Feathered Nest Friday (French Country Cottage)Home Sweet Home Friday  (The Charm of Home)Potpourri Friday (2805)Seasonal Sundays (The Tablescaper)Let's Dish (Cuisine Kathleen)Open House Party (No Minimalist Here)

Take another look, one year ago: Marigolds and Lemons

Dress Rehearsal

"Seriously...cooking that huge meal isn't enough?  Now you're telling me I have to practice setting my table!"  Now don't get me wrong.  I thoroughly enjoy preparing Thanksgiving dinner, but as you all know, my true passion is setting the table.  So I take my time, I play around with this and that, and most importantly, I have fun.  Oh, where will I begin?  On the actual day, I'll be setting one very long "Pilgrim-style" table for 22, but today I'm working out my plan on my dining room table.  Rather than renting linens for the big table,

I stumbled across these plaid tablecloths at Home Goods...reasonably priced, pretty, seasonal...they'll do just fine.  Last year I purchased these "Gobble, Wish, Give, Thanks" salad plates at West Elm.

Not your traditional turkey plates...I just love them and am happy to get to use them again.  The turkey plate season is unfortunately quite short!

It is really nice to have a large stack of plain white plates for an occasion such as this one.  While at Home Goods, I also pick up these golden napkins, and figured out a new way to display them...quite by accident.

I rather like how they look, simply gathered up on one side with these cute...

...Ravi pewter napkin rings from Crate & Barrel. I wanted my table to have a natural look, so I chose some jute placemats, but my white plates initially looked so dull on them.  Maybe this table needed a bit of glamour.  Yes...I like these shimmery red beaded mats (Pottery Barn, many years ago)...

...and I like them even better layered along with the jute mats! 

 We'll be sipping from my gorgeous brown Lennox water and wine goblets.

I still cannot believe these were a resale shop find.  I think creating a centerpiece for an autumn table is really rather simple.

I found this very interesting grape vine garland at Hobby Lobby and just kept building upon it...my favorite oh-so-versatile candle holder,

this time entwined with red berries, 

followed by mini pumpkins and gourds

and acorns and dried oranges and colorful leaves.  While I will most likely need to modify and simplify my "Pilgrim-style" table, I hope it still retains the look I have achieved here today.

So go ahead...play with your dishes...those turkey plates only come out once a year after all!  Need more ideas?  Check out the following parties for Thanksgiving ideas galore...

Centerpiece Wednesday (The Style Sisters)

Tabletop Thursday (Between Naps on the Porch)

Feathered Nest Friday (French Country Cottage)

Home Sweet Home Friday  (The Charm of Home)

Potpourri Friday (2805)

Seasonal Sundays (The Tablescaper)

Let's Dish (Cuisine Kathleen)

Open House Party (No Minimalist Here)

Like my turkey plates?  Please take another look..."Gobble, Wish, Give, Thanks".