Lately, I've become slightly obsessed with entering various contests...it's fun and over the past 3 years I have won two contests...which was really fun!
My first luck occurred when I went to the flagship West Elm store when it opened in DC. I entered to win something like a $5000 shopping spree at West Elm -- how crazy would that have been to win! Alas, I won second prize -- $2000 Metro money. At the time I was driving to work and Aaron was still in New York so what was I going to do with all of this Metro money!! They refill your card in $200 increments...at the rate we are going it may take us about 10 years to use it! I thought it was pretty funny, but I still won a contest!
And then recently I won a second contest -- I entered Design Within Reach's Tabletop Contest. Mission was to create a table setting. I won the community prize -- a $50 gift card to DWR (just need to win a few more $50 gift cards from them to be able to buy something :))
This contest was right up my alley as one of the things I love the most about hosting a dinner party is designing the table. Here is my winning tabletop -- the inspiration was our Thanksgiving table.
And this was my description of the table: "Our Thanksgiving Table: A mixture of modern (greek key motif on glasses from a Texas antique fair, sleek flatware, white short Ikea glasses used for wine) + vintage (bird motif plates, patterned paper covering the tented note cards, Laguiole knives) + playful (lemons resting on lemonheads!) + thoughtful (handstamped tented note cards with a place inside for each person to write what they are thankful for and then share over dinner)."
Here are the elements:
Birdwatcher's Plates (from Anthroplogie, which now has free shipping on orders over $150!)
Laguiole Knives (courtesy of Marshalls!)
Sidenote -- How dreamy is this?
Wine or Water Glasses
Wine or Water Glasses {I was on a greek key motif kick for awhile where I collected different glasses with a similar pattern on them. I have 6 now and love them! Found some in Austin and a few others at the Round Top antique fair in Texas (so much great stuff!).}
Vase {Any larger vase would work}
Lemonheads
Lemons
Oh, and one of my favorite pieces of art is in the background {I just love the light in this painting, which even comes through in my poster! My years working at a framing store in college were made worthwhile when I found the perfect frame and mat for this.}
The greatest thing about this tabletop setting is that I didn't have to go out and buy anything. And I guarantee you wouldn't need to either to create an amazing Thanksgiving tabletop...okay, maybe I bought the lemons. But everything else was just something I had and put together in a way I never have. If you do need some extra placesettings or linens, Homegoods, Marshalls and Ikea are the best for picking up some extra items that you can use throughout the year. And, don't forget that a coordinated table is many times a lot better than a table that is all matchy matchy. If you have four small plates of one design and four of another design, try setting one at every other placesetting and see how that looks. You really don't need 8 of the same thing. Even an eclectic set of glasses can look so beautiful and pulled together.
The first thing I do when getting ready for our Thanksgiving is to set the table. I guess it is my creative outlet as well as being slightly therapeutic(!) -- I feel like if I have that done then the chance for everything to fall right into place is much higher.
I think about where I want everyone to sit and then I just start taking out a few dishes and glasses and try a few different pairings -- maybe ones I have never used or have used in a different way. Can I serve the second course in a bowl vs a plate? Are there some interesting napkins I have never used? What about the centerpiece? Something in my living room that would be perfect??
Once I'm done setting that up I can then pick up some fresh flowers or fruits/vegetables depending on my color scheme to add another layer of texture and color to the table.
Here are some other tabletops and easy centerpiece ideas I'm loving:
{courtesy of Victoria magazine - I love white pumpkins and that gray napkin -- can I do a room with these colors??}
{courtesy of Victoria magazine - so elegant but not at all stuffy}
{courtesy of Victoria magazine - a nice tall, slender centerpiece that you can leave up all Fall}
{courtesy of Martha Stewart - those little orange fruits could be yellow tomatoes, cumquats, anything!}
{courtesy of Martha Stewart - so easy to do...and can help keep hungry guests at bay for a few more minutes}
{courtesy of House Beautiful - such a fun yet still traditional setting!}
{courtesy of Pottery Barn -- I love the candleholders with the photographs lining the glass}
{courtesy of House Beautiful - can't you imagine the beautiful colors of food on this plate?}
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