Thanksgiving Inspiration

I'll be spending the day baking with my children and getting ready for Thanksgiving. My entire extended family is coming to my house so I want everything to taste amazing and look perfect (just a little personal stress!) I thought I would share with you a few inspirational Thanksgiving table photos I have been saving, to help you with your Thanksgiving tablescape.

Martha Stewart steals my heart above with a beautiful wheat sheath tied with a satin ribbon upon a linen tablecloth. I love the simplicity of this - I just wish I had a linen tablecloth and a wheat sheath - Definitely putting it on my list for next year!

I adore this next linen tablecloth with the inspirational script. I love the dried corn tied with ribbon and the bowls filled with nuts and candles. Simple and lovely from Country Living.

I can't recall where I located this photo, but I love the pheasant feathers and the setting in front of the fireplace. We have too many people coming but if you have just a small gathering, the spot couldn't be more cozy. Finally a great way to use your pumpkins left over from Halloween. I am going to get several bunches of fresh flowers at the market today and have my very talented sister (the organized one) arrange them inside my Halloween pumpkin.

After a very stressful Fall, I am counting my blessing and have much to be thankful for. I count you, my readers high on my list. Wishing you and your families a very joyous Thanksgiving.

xox-Gina

Inspiration 11.23

Flying out to spend Thanksgiving with E.'s family in Boston, and I've been promised a feast to remember. Will try to post as much as I can, but if I don't, hopefully you'll be too knocked out from turkey and wine to notice!

And, when we get back, just think of how much holiday awesomeness we get to revel in. Speaking of, if you haven't already picked up the December issue of Martha Stewart Living, please do! I just finished it last night, and have all kinds of sugarplum visions dancing around my head.

The standout piece in my opinion were some seriously amazing holiday floral artistry. Will try to track down those photos as soon as I can!

(Images: 1. Design Sponge 2. Veranda 3. Country Living 4. and 5. Chris Everard)

Thank You!

(via I Need a Cupcake)

The guests are gone, the dishwasher is humming, I'm sipping my fourth cup of tea to ward off the turkey/wine coma, and I'm finally getting a chance to think about the past year and all of the things I'm thankful have been part of it.

Of course I'm thankful for family and health, for being with someone who supports me and makes me better, for long-time friends who remind me of how amazing it was to be 18, for a place of my own, a job that actually makes me think and coworkers whose cube-side conversations have made me laugh till I cried.

This year has been a little different though, because for the first time I took on a project of my own (this blog), and have been able to share my thoughts with an amazing and talented group of people who (much to my surprise) actually want to read what I have to say and often share and add to the conversation themselves.

So 2009 marks the first year I've been thankful for YOU, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Your insightful comments, sweet e-mails and invitations to meet in person have meant the world to me. In particular, I'm thankful for all of the people that have constantly supported me throughout the year -- to Maris at In Good Taste who helped advise me when I was just thinking about blogging, to Abbie at Semigloss Chic who wrote a super-sweet post about my blog when I wasn't sure if it would ever take off, to Beth at Chinoiserie Chic and Style Redux who invited me to my first DC design bloggers meetup, to Tommy from Specs Appeal and Averill at Odi et Amo for always leaving smart and funny comments. There are so many more of you and I'm so grateful for your kindness and words of encouragement.

In 2009, I also became eternally grateful to all of the creatives out there -- whether you make something, bake something, paint something, cook something, grow something or design something -- you are the biggest inspiration to me. The self-reliant spirit in shaping something with your creativity, wit and two hands is something that has really captured my imagination this year and changed the way I think about what I consume and where it comes from.

Bottom line -- Thank you, thank you and thank YOU. Keep doing what you do best and I'm wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.