take a seat

As much as I love decorating for the holidays, when I host Thanksgiving dinner it’s always all about the food.  I’d love to say that I lay out a beautiful, decorative spread, complete with gilded pumpkins, artfully tied bundles of wheat, napkins wrapped with fragrant sprigs of rosemary and place cards hand written in perfect calligraphy, but the truth is I’m way more concerned with cooking up an amazing meal- most of my planning ahead of time is dedicated to the delectable goodies I plan on serving and saving as much room on the table for the turkey and all the trimmings. Whether you’re hosting a large family soiree or a simple, intimate dinner for two, a little creative expression can make a dramatic, elegant impact at Thanksgiving with little effort and $$ and what better (or easier) way to do that than with place cards.  Here are a few simple ways to welcome your guests and add a little holiday cheer without going overboard:

Leaves from the yard dress up simple white dinnerware with gold spray paint and a black sharpie:

I love feathers for Fall decor and when combined with walnuts and gold embossed cards tied with twine, they make such a gorgeous table setting:

Mini orange pumpkins, covered in gold leaf and tied with raffia and kraft paper initials are an easy, make-ahead DIY:

Fresh pears are inexpensive and rustic on their own tied with ribbon (and look especially fabulous with bittersweet!):

…and sprayed with gold glitter, they become a beautiful focal point of the table:

I love these sprigs of fresh rosemary tied into wreaths – they add a simple, elegant touch and are so easy to make!

It doesn’t get much easier (or rustic!) than pine cones adorned with simple cream cardstock:

No time for gold leafing?  Mini pumpkins, given a coat of champagne spray paint and perched atop linen napkins add a little midas touch:

Get guests to write what they’re thankful for on kraft paper placemats, a super easy and affordable DIY that even the least crafty person can whip up, are a great conversation starter!

Silverware and a wheat stalk wrapped in linen napkins and tied with jute are an elegant alternative to place cards and would take virtually no time at all to set up:

Do you go all out for Thanksgiving?  What’s your favorite way to set your table?