how to create a tablescape {thanksgiving}

The following is a sponsored post as part of Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores® Celebrate the Season campaign. All opinions are my own.

I was surprised to learn recently that my oldest son's favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. Not Christmas? I'm sure that's a close second, but after thinking about it I had to agree. Thanksgiving has all the warmth, family, and good food of Christmas without all the stress. So I decided to put a little extra into my Thanksgiving decorating this year. I give you my Thanksgiving tablescape! More than a centerpiece, a tablescape is a grouping of items that gives you an opportunity to really decorate a dining table, a console table, or even a entry or coffee table around a theme or season. If you haven't done it before, here are a few tips for creating a tablescape.

How To Create a Tablescape

1. Choose a table space. This could be your dining table, a console or sofa table, an entry table, or even your coffee table.

2. Choose a theme. I tend to create seasonal teablescapes (like my Halloween and Easter tablescapes). But you could also use another decorating theme such as a nautical theme, or center it around a favorite piece you've collected. Choose a few colors to work with that will reflect this theme.

3. Use different textures--glass, wood, metal, organic items (think flowers or fruit). I also like to use fabric or ribbon to add texture as well.

4. Shop your home first. Before buying new items, pull items from other rooms or from your own cupboards. Use things you love. Favorite dishes, cake stands, books, artwork, and frames are staples in my tablescapes. I often use the same glass apothecary jars and baskets over and over, and I've used this white frame repeatedly in mantelpiece groupings. You may notice some of the same items from my Halloween centerpiece are in my Thanksgiving tablescape as well (like the leaves in a pitcher and the pumpkins--I'm not going to work harder than I have to!). Then shop for items to complement and complete your grouping.

5. Start with a standout or focal piece and build around it. I have loved using this plain white pitcher from Ikea. I can fill it with flowers, sticks, leaves, etc. and change the bow for the season. It also has the most height, so I start with it just off-center and group the other items around it.

6. Stagger items by height. If everything is the same height, your tablescape will lack interest and some items will be lost. Prop items up with cake stands, candlestick holders, and stacks of books.

7. Repeat some items to bring it all together. I used several different pumpkins and gourds, two turkey images, two wood frames, and two cake stands in this grouping. Repeating the same items gives the centerpiece continuity. Love this turkey platter from JoAnn--and I got it on sale!

Even before Halloween, most the aisles at my JoAnn had been changed to Christmas (no more fall or Thanksgiving to be found!). So I had to get a little creative in some of the other home decor aisles, but I totally scored! I love this wire basket. I filled it with JoAnn's pine cones and some seasonal gourds from the grocery store.

Another unexpected find in the basket aisle was this chalkboard crate that I filled with fall picks (which are on sale right now at JoAnn). I'm looking forward to using this box for other seasons, not just fall! I also found the jar candle and velvet pumpkin at JoAnn.

Remember the Halloween bat print I showed you how to make last month? Here's the Thanksgiving turkery version, also printed on a dictionary page and framed (this one I bought at a craft show--couldn't pass up the cool turkey image).

And there you have it! My finished tablescape.

I was so happy that my Give Thanks banner from a couple of years ago worked perfectly with my Thanksgiving centerpiece! Get the tutorial here.

I hope this gives you a few ideas for your fall or Thanksgiving tablescape! Don't panic if yours isn't ready for the big day. JoAnn is giving our readers this 50% off coupon below to use on anything you need to complete your fall centerpiece through November 30, 2013! Click here for their craft catalog. And check out JoAnn's new Celebrate the Season Web site where bloggers like us are sharing fun holiday projects and tutorials for every season! We'd love to see your fall tablescapes--just use the hashtag #turkeytablescapes on social media so we can find it!