a different take on thanksgiving colors

Who says Thanksgiving décor has to be all earth tones?

Those muted fall tones usually are my go to for autumn, but today I thought I’d put together a few more colorful ideas for the Thanksgiving dinner table.

How about a little coastal charm added to Thanksgiving?

Beautiful blue and white transferware can be

quite adaptable, especially if it has a hint of fall pattern to it,

that’s why I chose these blue and white salad plates

with the wonderful fruit harvest design.

When I spotted these pretty Passaro

earthenware plates with the cute little bird on them,

I immediately thought of Thanksgiving.

The bright earthy hues of these Portuguese patterned plates are the perfect inspiration piece for the table, and they work beautifully with other accessories

in green or blue. 

This turned out to be a whimsical table setting idea

 that would be great for whole table or

as an extra special fancy kids’ table setting.  

To add more earthiness to this look,

it’s important to add lots of different textures.

It helps to keep the whole vibe more interesting,

and looks less planned and more “curated”.

Do you remember the light blue toile fabric

I showed you earlier in the week?

I found a bolt of about 3 yards at my favorite

local thrift store and thought it would be perfect to use

for my Thanksgiving table.

These little twig wreaths compliment

the brown in the fabric perfectly.

All I did to make these little embellished wreaths

was to add two tiny sprigs of rosemary, from the garden of course,

and the “Be Thankful” silver charms from last year’s tablescape.

Which one do you like best?

ciao! fabiana

Blue and white Tablescape details:

Blue and white Italian plates: vintage

White Plates

Blue Gingham Napkins 

Shell Embellished Placemats

Raffia Table Runner

Bamboo Silverware

Blue Glasses: vintage Avon found on Ebay

Green Tablescape details:

Passaro Bird Plates

Amber Portuguese Plates

Wood Acacia Charger

Woven Placemat

Hammered Silverware

Amber Glassware

Squirrel Place Card Holders

Linen Napkins
Unfinished Wood Slice

Be Thankful Tablescape details:

Gold-Trimmed Salad Plate: vintage Wedgwood

Dinner Plate: vintage Wedgwood

Wood Acacia Charger

Wood-Handled Flatware

Small Twig Wreaths

Pheasant Feathers

Be Thankful Charms

Wine Glass
Mini White Pumpkins

planning ahead for christmas

I know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet,

but I just started working on some

Christmas Tablescape stylings today. 

I have a few themes in mind, oh, how I love a good theme! 

Anyways, I have a couple for you to preview...

The first one is for an Ugly Sweater Party!

I couldn’t resist these adorable little knit sweaters

when I saw them at Cost Plus|WorldMarket.

They some in several different colors and are soooo

cute as little party favors at each place setting…

don’t you think?

They’re actually ornaments that

 you can later adorn your tree with.

I love how the red knit edging on the napkins

compliments the tiny red sweaters!

(The napkins are also from World Market).

The inspiration for my second

themed holiday dinner

were these gorgeous black and white

"Joyeaux Noel" transferware plates.

I got a set of these last year at Home Goods,

and my secret is I only get a set of salad plates,

that way I can mix and match with my white

dinner plates that are so versatile. 

And why not add gold accents to this look?

It helps play up the Parisian glamour for the night.

This look wouldn’t be the same without the bold black & white
buffalo plaid dinner plates, also found at Home Goods last year. 

ciao! fabiana

And it all came together like this…

 the Ugly Sweater Party:

Red Polka Dot Plate: Home Goods

Red Kate Spade Plate: Home Goods

Red & White Chintz Plate: vintage

Burlap Chargers: Oriental Trading

Raffia Place Mat: Ikea

Mini Sweater Ornaments: World Market

Chambray Napkins with Chenille Trim: World Market

Wood Handle Flatware: World Market

Scrabble Tiles: vintage

and the Parisian Holiday Dinner:

Joyeaux Noel Plates: Home Goods

Black and White Buffalo Check Plates: Home Goods

White Charger Plate: Wedgwood

Rattan Charger: World Market

Raffia Place Mat: vintage

Wine Glass: Home Goods

 Linen Napkins: World Market

Gold Flatware: Ebay

Brass Eiffel Tower: Ebay

Unfinished Wood Slice: Home Goods

thanksgiving planning

I found this adorable pillow at Home Goods this week and it's perfect on our backyard swing. Funny how just a little thing like this can bring a smile to my face, because I've got a perfect view of it from my desk during the day.  And now each time we go out back, we have a cute and cozy place to sit, swing and contemplate J

This pretty plaid throw is from Pottery Barn. I love how versatile these lightweight throws are. It’ll probably make its way back into the house and make an appearance at my Thanksgiving table!

And speaking of my Thanksgiving table, some of my favorite items have already made their way into the dining room as inspiration. Some will make the cut, and some won’t!! I'm starting to play with a few different ideas, and these turkey salad plates are always so festive, but I may go whole other direction...

One thing for sure, little accents are so important! Something like a stalk of wheat can finish off the look for each place setting, and I like the organic element it brings to the whole tablescape.

One of my favorite rustic elements for the table is the burlap charger plates. I used them last year for Thanksgiving and a couple of other holidays, and they always add great dimension and texture to the whole look. 

This year, I paired them with my favorite seashell embellished raffia place mats, and they really compliment each other nicely.

I have a couple of different options for glassware. Don't you love how these vintage amber glasses add so much vibrancy to the table?

A pretty border on the plates features acorns, so I thought a few real ones would be fun scattered on the table to repeat this decorative element.

Here’s my other option for glassware. I love the subtle amber color and the gold detail of this set, and the way the light just sparkles on them. These were also a score from Home Goods, and are made in Italy. (I also have them in amethyst). They're much more elegant and totally a different look than the other choice. Which ones do you think would work better for the table?

Glittery gold votives are the easiest way to add sparkle to the table. These are from Oriental Trading and you get a whole dozen for about $15. I've used these so much over the past year!

The little white pumpkins that I bought in early October will fit in perfectly with this whole rustic and glittery autumn look!

A few more of my favorite fall accessories were pulled for inspiration, like these adorable squirrel place card holders and a few pheasant feathers from last year's table. They might work nicely with the wheat and the little acorns.  

Another score was this small bolt of robin’s egg blue floral fabric found at my favorite thrift store. The colors are perfect for my Thanksgiving table and dining room. I’m not sure yet if I’ll create napkins, a runner or table cloth with this material.  

LMK what you think I should make with this fabric...   

Well that's my inspiration so far... 

We'll have to see how the final table turns out soon! 

Two weeks until Turkey Day...

ciao! fabiana

fall accents for the porch

This little demilune table is

a charming little curbside find.

My husband actually came home with it one day... 

I have him well trained, I guess!

Anyways, I gave it new life with a little

Paris Gray Annie Sloan chalk paint,

and it’s proven to be a useful part of

our daily routine.

Not only is it a convenient place to set

my cup of coffee while I’m unlocking the front door,

but it’s also a fun spot to set out seasonal décor.

And a glowing candle is always a welcoming gesture.

Happy Halloween!

ciao! fabiana

fun thanksgiving recipes & ideas

Happy J Monday!

Just wanted to pop in real quick and share

some fun Thanksgiving recipes and ideas

that'll sure make your holidays a little more fun! 

Let's start off with this yummy Brussels Sprout recipe.

I don't know about you guys,

but my family LOVES Brussels Sprouts

and these have a little kick to them.  

Fried Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Orange Honey

2 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. orange zest

¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed, cut in half and very dry

Kosher salt

Oil for frying

1.   In a bowl whisk together honey, orange zest and cayenne pepper; set aside.

2.   Line a plate with a few layers of paper towels; set aside.

3.   Heat at least 3” of oil to 375°F in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Fry Brussels sprouts in small batches, 3-4 minutes, until deeply golden brown. Drain on prepared plate; sprinkle with kosher salt.

4.   Transfer to serving dish and drizzle with honey.

Apple cider sangria? Yes, Please!

Rosemary Infused Apple Cider Mimosa

     3 cups fresh pressed apple cider

     2 sprigs (5”) fresh rosemary

     Zest from 1 orange

     1 bottle dry sparkling wine, chilled

     Additional rosemary, if desired

1.   Bring cider to a simmer in a 1 quart sauce pan over medium heat. Add rosemary and orange zest. Allow to steep for 20 minutes and then transfer to a container and refrigerate until cold or overnight. Strain before serving.

2.   Fill champagne flute with equal parts apple cider and sparkling wine. Garnish with rosemary sprigs if desired.

Here’s a fun recipe for Thanksgiving leftovers…

Waffle Stuffing Stacks

2 Tbsp. butter

1 box (6 oz.) stuffing mix

3 cups hot mashed potatoes

1 cup hot turkey gravy

1½ cups water

1.   In 2 quart saucepan, heat water and butter heat until boiling. Stir in stuffing mix; cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.

2.   Meanwhile, brush waffle iron with vegetable oil; heat waffle iron.

3.   Drop stuffing by ¼ cups onto hot waffle iron. Close cover. Cook 8-15 minutes or until golden brown and beginning to crisp. Remove from waffle iron with nonstick utensil. Repeat with remaining stuffing (may need to stir 1-2 tablespoons additional water into stuffing if crumbly).

4.   While remaining waffles bake, keep waffles warm in single layer of baking sheet in low oven.

5.   Serve each waffle with ¼ cup mashed potatoes and a spoonful of gravy.

This game’s a great way to keep

the crowd busy while you’re finishing up in the kitchen… 

Cranberry Relay

A super-easy game for all-ages:

Divide guests into two teams and set up a station at either end of a room (or outside) with two bowls and a tablespoon at each station. Fill one of the bowls at each station with about a cup of fresh raw cranberries.

Each player must carry three cranberries on a tablespoon to the opposing station without dropping any berries; if they drop one, they must start over. The first team to empty their cranberry bowl wins!

Gratitude Journals

If you’re looking for a great party favor or hostess gift, gratitude journals make the perfect gift. These make the perfect keepsake long after the holidays. These are a few of the pretty ones that are available on the Ciao Blog Shop!

I also have some new Thanksgiving and Holiday items listed, so be sure to check those out too! 

ciao! fabiana

1-4 photo & recipe credit: Kroger