After I shared how to make chalkboard napkin rings and placemats from thrifted finds, how could I not create a Thanksgiving table with them? And I really found this so fun to create! I decided to combine the chalkboard theme with gold, but just touches of it so it all remains pretty subtle I think. Of course it helped that the china from our wedding is cream with a gold edge (yes that’s from the 80s, the last time gold was popular, and I am happy it’s making a comeback!).
I pinned this “Thankful For” idea on my Thanksgiving Ideas board, except it was as paper placemats. It works great with the chalkboard mats, don’t you think? I wrote it with chalk markers so it wouldn’t rub off as easily during use, but included a piece of regular chalk at each place setting for writing on the lines.
The one additional diy project I did for this table was to take a strand of dollar store fall leaves, cut them apart, and spray the leaves lightly with gold spray paint. I decided I liked a bit of the color showing, so I only used one uneven coat of paint (well, that and the fact that I barely had any paint left in the can, ha!).
For some reason, a runner of brown builder’s paper (left over from one of our paper floor treatments) seemed like the perfect compliment to the chalkboard theme to me. It just…works. Maybe because they both are simple and you can write on them. The bonus is that it’s a throwaway tablecloth!
The centerpiece was made with one of the white pumpkins I grow, surrounded by dried Little Lime and Pee Gee hydrangea blossoms, the gold leaves, any small Japanese maple leaves I could found outside that looked gold, and a couple of golden candles.
To continue the chalkboard theme in the centerpiece, I added a couple of craft store mini chalkboards with the phrases ‘Blessed’ and ‘Thankful.’
I not only love how the table looks and how it came together, but I love that it’s another way to remind us what the holiday is all about – being thankful. And I, for one, cannot be reminded of that enough!
I love the idea of a dessert buffet and set up a drink-dessert area on our sideboard that uses more mini chalkboards and leaves. Since I’m still loving my scripted newsprint pumpkin from last year, I gave it a place of honor under a cloche now, though this could hold any additional desserts on the actual holiday. I found the ‘Give Thanks’ printable on Pinterest, which adds a nice touch in a black frame I already had.
But the thing I like best about the sideboard is the apothecary jar to hold notes with thankful phrases (are you surprised it’s not the desserts?). Again with the reminders, I know, but whenever we’ve done this in the past it’s just been wonderful to have these written phrases to help us remember our blessings and focus on them, no matter what the last year has held.
We all have different lives and experiences and many of them could bring us to our knees. But the one thing we know for sure is that if we focus on all we do have, that’s the way to get back on our feet again. God is always good.
And I am thankful for all you guys – thank you for reading, commenting, teaching me new things, and being my online friends!
A beautiful tablescape that is so doable!
My MIL (God rest her soul!) worked at ‘The Broadway’ when we got engaged in 1978 and bought most of our wedding china on sale/employee discount so I know it was much closer to your price per place setting! (She and my mother sent us out to do a wedding registry the day after we announced that we wanted to get married-they said they needed at least a year or two to organize and arrange a wedding-ha ha we gave them 18 months) It was just lovely seeing it on your table- you inspired me to take mine out for Thanksgiving, instead of the usual ‘Spode Christmas Tree’ china that my mom & dad got us for our wedding…also on sale, but not from China!
I also used a thrift shop gold ‘bed scarf’ as the runner over a…gasp!…white shower curtain ‘tablecloth’. We just ripped up one of our numerous ‘fall’ wreaths and spray painted the leaves in a copper color…leftover paint. You are so creative and inspirational, Jami! Thnk you! Turkey Day will be beautiful because of your inspiration!
I’m loving your ideas, Michele! Have a blessed celebration. 🙂
HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and your family.
Your table looks beautiful.
Beautiful. I love it. And, I especially love that there is a place set for “Mary” (me) and “Scott” my husband. 🙂 Have a very blessed Thanksgiving.
What a fun coincidence, Mary! I was trying to think of names that were easy to fit on the rings – and weren’t any family members. Nice to know they’re readers, though. 😉
You flawlessly combine beauty, practicality and imagination, Jami. Pairing chalkboard place mats with the kraft paper table runner is ingenious!! Gold painted fabric (?) leaves. It all works. Gives me a simple idea to use for our forthcoming event. Thank you!! 😀 And…Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. ♥
Back at you, Andi!! Many blessings. 🙂
I am pretty sure we have the same wedding China from the 80’s….I have Noritake “Viceroy” and Lennox “Eternal” matching decorative bowls and crystal 🙂 They are both cream with a thin gold rim!
Ah, yours are much more higher end than mine, Michele! It’s just Royal Limited – and went on sale right before our wedding for about $15 a place setting, so even our college friends could afford to get us some. We, uh, have a lot. 🙂
Everything looks really pretty.
I…um…wonder if you realize that….you mis-spelled ‘Thankful’ on a couple of the placemats? You left out the letter ‘k’.
Sorry. 🙁
ACK! Wouldn’t you know, Laura – that’s what I get for being in a hurry, huh? I’ll definitely fix that before the big day! 🙂