Thanksgiving

A Thanksgiving Tabletop :: The 2016 Edition

0 · Nov 23, 2016 ·

I really wanted to host Thanksgiving this year. There’s something about welcoming guests into your home that really calls to me. I love to decorate, light all my favorite holiday scented candles and then eat a fancy meal, all while never having to put on socks or shoes.

But alas, that was not in the stars for this year. However, that didn’t stop me from scheming about what my holiday tabletop would have looked like. I had a few garden roses spending the last moments of their life in my cooler, I dusted off my autumn tableware and collected a few random items that I had laying around.

Growing up, we used to start our Christmas decorating on Thanksgiving morning. Each year, I would help my dad string the lights on the house. I would unpack and set up my snow village while my sister’s watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and then we would all sit down to dinner during half time of the Lion’s game.

Now that I’ve grown, I still have this mindset that Thanksgiving should be decorated with pumpkins and various shades of candy corn, however reality reminds me that half the world has already started decorating for Christmas and I channel back to our partially decorated home from my youth. It’s for this reason that I like to incorporate a little from both seasons into my designs. This year I used a couple white pumpkins and a few sprigs of cedar (both in my centerpiece arrangement and in the napkin decor) – it just seems to balance everything out and make November end on a perfect note of harmony.

Thanksgiving Centerpiece | The Day's Design

Have a very happy Thanksgiving!!

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5 Tips for Setting the Perfect Holiday Table

0 · Nov 18, 2016 ·

I can hardly believe Thanksgiving is less than a week away and Christmas will soon follow. 2016 will be gone in the blink of an eye. I’m starting to get myself in to the holiday frame of mind and am always thinking ahead to the next big gathering. I won’t be playing host to any big parties this year, but I’m still starting to dig out some of my holiday décor and I can’t help but think about the perfect tablescape for any occasion.

Designing a tabletop has always been pretty natural for me. But I’ve started to pay more attention to the why and the theory that’s behind all of these natural behaviors I have. So today I’m sharing 5 of my personal tips for making your next dinner (or breakfast or brunch) party the best ever. Or at least slightly more function, beautiful and fun.

Set the Mood

Think about the overall tone you’d like to set for the meal. How will it be lit? Candlelight adds some romance and charm while overhead lighting allows for Dad “to be able to see what he’s eating”. Taper candles are more formal and while pillars and votives are slightly more casual but still very warm and inviting. Adding varying heights to your candles will add glow all around (and dimension, which we’ll talk about later).

The types of plates, glassware and napkins will also play a big role in this tone. Delicate, gold rimmed bone china will be fancier than pottery or more simple ceramic plates. Stemmed glassware is generally more elegant than a ball glass.

Then consider your guests. Who will be attending? Is this adults only or should you make the table more fun for kids (or pets!?) who might show up for the party?

Pay Attention to the Shapes & Lines of the Table

I personally love to mix up shapes. I think it adds another level of interest. Round plates are a predictable element on a tabletop. However, mixing it up by adding square gives the design a modern, unexpected twist. I also love rectangular dining tables for this reason.

There are also some less obvious lines to pay attention to. Think of the row that your table runner is creating. There’s a curved lined created by the arch of the taper candles. Smooth and steady lines create a more calming environment. Arched lines feel more elegant. And a lack of lines all together will feel a bit chaotic and not give your eye a place to rest.

A general rule: round feels more feminine and romantic, softer. Straight is clean, simple and more modern feeling.

Make sure the Design is Functional

This one is huge. You can put all the beautiful things in the world on your table, but if it doesn’t have a function or purpose, then it’s just clutter. Start with the items you actually need for your meal – glasses, plates, silverware, napkins. You can play with the patterns and layouts of these things and make them really beautiful. Choose platters and cutting boards that can decorate as well as be used as serving pieces. Add bread baskets or domes for service of pastries and rolls.

And please don’t try to tell me that centerpieces don’t have a function because I highly disagree. They serve as a focal and anchor point for the table. They can be a conversation starter and an extra piece of pretty for the day – just make sure they’re not disrupting your view across the table because no one enjoys that.

Add Layers for Extra Interest

Stacks of dishes on a table add an extra element of dimension. Keeping all items on the same horizontal plane can feel rather dull but varying heights keep your eyes roaming the table and looking for more (and then they can rest on your lovely centerpiece J).

But again, make sure there’s function to the pieces you choose. If you don’t need an extra plate on the table, don’t use it. Or if you really have your heart set on displaying some gorgeous porcelain bowls, serve soup. Napkins can easily be folded to add height and napkin rings are a fun way to add extra, non-intrusive décor.

Smaller Pieces are Easier to Move

We’ve all been there. You set the most beautiful holiday table with glittering ornaments, flickering candles and the most gorgeous floral centerpiece. There’s only one problem, there’s no place the set the food. Using petite budvases, miniature votive holders and other small scale items makes it easier to tweak the table setup as plates are being passed and food is served.

Have other tips or tricks? I’d love to hear them! I’ll be sharing my full Thanksgiving tabletop design next week. Have a great weekend!

A Note on Gratitude

0 · Dec 1, 2015 ·

As we’re all perfectly well aware, this is the time of year that we’re all supposed to be thankful. I’ve been trying for well over a week now to put together a post on gratitude and thankgiving. I wanted to write something profound and moving. I’ve put together draft after draft and had even committed to posting one last Wednesday and then my website host went ca-poof and the kibosh was put on that plan as my blog was down for an entire day.

My mother used to blame the devil for little acts like that. She wasn’t the type to call that boy “the devil” or give Lucifer credit for mass shootings, etc. It was the little things that she used to say were acts of the devil – things like getting into an argument on Sunday morning making us late to church. He’s sneaky like that and tries to keep you from worship.

So on Wednesday after I spent hours crafting a post about being thankful to our Heavenly Father and sending a few praises His way, this happened and my blog just didn’t exist. My mother immediately came to mind. I’m not sure if it was really his handy work or if perhaps I just wasn’t supposed to publish that draft, I wasn’t completely satisfied with it anyway.

Either way, I’ve come to the conclusion that I am over thinking it. I keep feeling like gratitude should be easy to come by. I have food on my table, a roof over my head, a beautiful family and the list goes on and on. But I’ve been searching for thankfulness and contentment still.

And then I realized I don’t need to search for it, it’s just here. It’s all around me. Why am I working so hard to find a warm and fuzzy feeling? I need to just embrace the feelings that are already in my home. My life is a mess. My business is not perfect. My kids are driving me crazy at this very moment. I will always and forever find things to tweak and change and try to perfect in my life. But I need to embrace the thankfulness in the here and now and stop looking out the windows beyond my own home.

Photography: Katie Grace Photography & Videography

“If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard. Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with.” – Dorothy, Wizard of Oz.

Shopping with Shelby: Black Friday 2014

0 · Dec 1, 2014 ·

Hi Friends!! Did you have a fabulous holiday weekend? I for one did, however I’d like to chat about this whole traditional thanksgiving feast, who planned this menu? Where’s the chocolate? Move over mashed potatoes and stuffing, I could certainly find some more favorable side dishes. None the less, my weekend included these feasting favorites and then was followed by pie and shopping. Lots of shopping.

Photo: Ashley Slater Photography | Pie: Ed Dunneback & Girls Farm

It’s tradition for my mother and me to burn the midnight oil and head out in the wee hours of the night to do a little holiday shopping. We’re they type of people who are constantly on the prowl for a good deal. However, I must say that I was sorely disappointed that stores chose to open at such early hours on Thanksgiving. As someone who spent many years forced to work during the holiday, I always found myself so jealous of those who were with the ones they love. Because of this, I felt extreme sympathy for these workers and could not bring myself to shop on Thanksgiving night, so I had patience and headed out around 4:00am Friday morning. Twelve hours later we started our trek back home with a full car and much emptier wallets.

I’ve been asked about the fun in Black Friday shopping and the best places to shop. While I know everyone’s approach is a little different, I think the unexpected deals give the most thrills. Sure, I scour the ads on Thanksgiving Day, look at the leaked ads via the internet in the weeks prior to heading out and even map out an action plan. But my go-to’s are always Macy’s and Target, two of my favorite shopping locations regardless of the occasion. After that is when we begin to travel through the mall, making our way from store to store and loving the window signs proudly displaying 40-50% savings off the entire store, including clearance. Straight to those clearance racks I go!

This year, no surprise, Macy’s brought me the best bargains and today I’m still on the lookout for Cyber Monday steals. Did you find any great deals?

Sharing Thanks

0 · Nov 26, 2014 ·

It’s Gretta’s birthday today (can you believe she’s 2 already!? Flashback to her 1st birthday here) and I’m busy making cake, wrapping a quick present and packing to head out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday but in the midst of it all I’m going to totally be cheesy and cliché here and share a few of the things I have to be thankful for.

No doubt this has been a year of trials and struggles, I feel like a broken record as I’ve said that about the last few years in general. There’s been loss and heartache, ups and downs and challenges for sure. I cannot deny that life is full of struggle. I am hardly the eternal optimist.

Never the less, I am thankful for this space where I can share little tidbits and advice, tips on wedding and life planning, creating beautiful blooms and parts of my heart. I am thankful for you who continue to read the random thoughts that I choose to blog about. I’m thankful that you don’t criticize and critique me too much.

I’m so thankful for all the couples who have hired me to be a part of their 2014 celebration. I finished my last wedding of the season this past weekend (yes, I know I said that at the end of October but I snuck one more in there – more on that later!). I’m ready for a time of rest and refresh until next year which will undoubtedly be my busiest yet, it’s looking seriously fabulous and I can’t wait to celebrate with my 2015 couples!

And I’m thankful for my family. They’re crazy, and often annoying and pushy and intrusive and completely loving, supportive and the greatest people ever. The definition of family is constantly changing for me as people seem to come and go out of my life. There’s the pain of loss but on the other end, we also celebrate the joy of new life.

This joy will be celebrated again in 2015. We’re excited to announce that our family of three will soon be four, with our newest addition set to arrive mid-March. And we’re thankful for that.

So may you all be blessed and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Lastly, I cannot forget all the vendors who have supported my creative talents and ventures, including the incredibly talented Kellie, of Hetler Photography, who took the above photos and who has had constant faith in my abilities. Thank you!!