What better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than with a natural centerpiece that reflects the season of the year? While fruits and vegetables harvested in the Fall make beautiful centerpieces, don't overlook colorful trees and natural foliage as options for an inexpensive alternative.
With a handful of leaves, twigs, and acorns, you can create an arrangement for your holiday table... even for a small table.
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T H A N K S G I V I N G
N A T U R A L C E N T E R P I E C E
Here are some tips and ideas to help you create a natural centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table, or buffet, or shelves, ...
Inspiration for a Thanksgiving centerpiece began with the biggest and most striking acorns I have ever seen! After some research, I discovered these woolly-haired huge acorns are from a Bur Oak tree that produce some of the largest acorns in the United States.
Two small branches were gathered with the fringed acorns intact a couple of weeks ago. The leaves have dried and curled, but retain much of their green color.
The first step in creating the centerpiece was to place the two branches on a rectangular narrow serving platter.
No, the first step was to wash all the leaves, twigs, and acorns to remove dirt and any hitchhikers. Be sure to always wash any foliage you bring inside. Not only is there dirt, and possible hitchhiking insects, the foliage may also have chemical residue from pesticides and fertilizers.
Art imitates nature.
Three gold berry leaf metal ornaments scattered amidst the natural oak leaves add a little gold sparkle to the arrangement and help stabilize the oak twigs.
If you pull together a natural centerpiece, add more than one kind of leaves. The shape, size, and color of the small Japanese maple branches brighten the arrangement.
Only two small Japanese branches were needed to make the arrangement more interesting.
The acorns are still the stars in the centerpiece and are not overshadowed. Notice how the bright yellow and orange leaves surround the acorns, but do not cover them up.
More gold berry leaf ornaments serve as plate decorations and hold place cards. The natural centerpiece fits easily between the place settings and is low enough for conversations across the table.
All sides of the arrangement are pretty to see. This is the "back side," and the small Japanese branch has many variegated leaves visible on this side. A gold berry leaf ornament is partially on the white platter and partially spills onto the table.
A couple of large individual acorns have escaped over the edge of the platter on this side.
The curls of the leaves determined how to position the larger of the two oak stems.
A gold berry leaf ornament stabilizes this end of the arrangement. There is a large fringed acorn attached to the oak stem on this end, but is hard to see in the photo.
With a close-up photo, you can see the details on the large fringed Bur Oak acorn on this end of the centerpiece.
I hope you found some ideas and tips to help you create a natural centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table. Begin by collecting acorns, dried flower stems, dried berries, and other bits of foliage. Soon you will have an assortment of natural elements to create a free seasonal centerpiece. After this Fall's centerpiece is dismantled, save all the bits and pieces of the natural elements to reuse next Fall.
Next up on the blog hop is Katie at Let's Add Sprinkles. She has several ideas for decorating for the season.
I hope you found some ideas and tips to help you create a natural centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table. Begin by collecting acorns, dried flower stems, dried berries, and other bits of foliage. Soon you will have an assortment of natural elements to create a free seasonal centerpiece. After this Fall's centerpiece is dismantled, save all the bits and pieces of the natural elements to reuse next Fall.
happy Thanksgiving from my table to yours...
Next up on the blog hop is Katie at Let's Add Sprinkles. She has several ideas for decorating for the season.
