november table

I'm going to do a 12 part series over the next few weeks on a different table for each month. I'm challenging myself to use my white dishes in every post and accessorize them different ways. I want to spend as little money as possible so you'll watch me dig through my basement or beg, borrow and steal from my friends and family (okay, well, not 'steal', don't get nervous, people).

Today's set up would be great for a simple and small Thanksgiving dinner, or for a dinner party. We are having a little dinner party for six tonight with Brian and Jade and our new friends Joel and Charity who just moved to Manchester (they are just finishing up a kitchen reno and let me tell you... GORGEOUS). I'm going to make Butternut Squash Lasagna, some bread and a spinach salad (fall-ish to go with our table, right?). To include Drew while I cook I pretend I'm on a cooking show and explain / show him everything I'm doing. (Yes, I am pretending I'm Martha Stewart, except I'm pretty sure MS doesn't accidentally drop half the bottle of chili pepper flakes into her soup and have to throw the whole thing out like I did the other night... oops, sorry for cereal that night, AJ).

You've seen the centerpieces with the white pumpkins and gourds but because I buy the real deal we've had to throw out some that got a little furry with mold. Sick. So, I had to improvise and added some vanilla candles with the moss under it to replace them.

While I was running a couple days ago I spotted this patch of bittersweet and, like a crazy person, I went back with the largest pair of scissors I could find and started taking what I could (people in town probably think I'm the crazy wife of the middle school 7th grade teacher).

Here is a zoomed out view. I've got large plates for the lasagna and bread and then a bowl for salad. As you may notice, there is no silverware on the table... ooops must have been in the dishwasher. No, I won't make my guests eat with their hands even if my son will be stuffing fistfuls of food in his mouth.

I got these great napkins from West Elm from one of my mom's friends for our wedding and love them. They aren't like anything else we have but they add the unexpected fun and sophistication to orange. I put a small white pumpkin on each person's place setting. I got these from our window boxes that, quite honestly, look like a disaster now after the rain and snow and wind... but a little rinse and dry to the pumpkins did a world of good.

There you have it... a simple November table. The total cost was practically nothing because the gourds were around $3, I've had the candles and vases forever and the bittersweet was on the side of the road. The green lentils under the bittersweet were something I had in my pantry and the moss was a purchase from Michael's with a 40% off coupon (I think it was $4 but I've used the moss over and over).

 I'll be coming back to you next week with a Christmas table  (a sophisticated dark red table) and a gorgeous January winter table (anyone like birch and blue tones together?).

This weekend we'll be fixing a broken dryer, working on the master bedroom and hopefully installing the last two windows in the kitchen (but maybe the windows will have to wait). And on Sunday we have a Harvest Party at church with soup, apple crisp and games! Are you doing anything fun?