How I Created a Simple Orange and Blue Thanksgiving Tablescape

 It all started last week when I was out and about and found these blue and white vintage Johnson Brothers Historic "Frozen Up"America plates at a vintage shop.  I confess.  I jumped up and down when no one was looking ;-)

Johnson Brothers Historic America "Frozen Up"

The information I found on Replacements Limited says this collection was produced sometime between 1930-1974.  This sleigh scene is categorized as a 10 1/2" charger plate.  They sell there for $49 each.    The eight I bought are in mint condition ;-)

As soon as I saw the plates, my wheels started turning to create a tablescape for Thanksgiving, even though I'm not hosting this year!  If you've been following me at all over the last 3 1/2 years, you know I love to do tables!  Sooo.... necessity being the mother of invention, I whipped up this off white and orange cotton table runner.  I wanted a table that was vintage, classic and fresh all at once.

So here are some finished shots of my table, and then I will show you how I made the floral arrangements.  Everything on the table I already owned, outside of the runner and the plates.  My personal style, which influences most everything I do with 6 Wilson, is mixing antiques, vintage and traditional pieces with fresh pieces, whether decorating a home or a table.

Here we go...

The brass candlesticks and napkin rings are Baldwin, and I bought them right after graduating college with a bit of money my grandmother had left me for my graduation.  I think I got my love of entertaining from her, looking back, so it was fitting that I spent that money on pieces I would use for a lifetime and think of her.  (Who spends graduation money on that, by the way? Just sayin.  I was destined to decorate.)

The water pitcher below is ancient, and was also my grandmother's.  The oversized pitcher and creamer to the left are vintage Wedgewood, so old that the word Wedgewood is pressed into the porcelain, not stamped.  I picked them up about a year ago on an antiquing day.  One will serve as a gravy boat and the other is for cranberry sauce.

You'll notice in the picture above, I hadn't put any flowers on the table yet.  I went to my Stop and Shop grocery store, and picked up the perfect orange mum plant and a small bouquet of mixed stems.

(Helpful hint:  when you want a lot of filler in your vase, buy the entire plant -- you get more flowers than a bouquet, and you get the filler benefit of all the leaves on the stem!)  I simply picked off a few flowers, leaving very little stem, and put them in my glass and candle hurricane, which I had already filled with old, gold, Christmas beads (hint and savings no.2 :-)

To make the two small arrangements, I took two gold rimmed glasses I have that match my water pitcher, and used both my small cut stem arrangement that I bought, and the mum plant.  I used all my stems, cutting them at various lengths and making sure to have height in the middle, then added the mum plant.

You can use glasses, vases, ball jars, or whatever you have handy.  Just keep going until they look good from all angles around the table.  I like mine to look natural and not perfect.  While I would normally do an odd number of arrangements, I did only two because the candle on in the center of the table serves as the third.

All in all, I kept this tablescape pretty simple, as I'm not hosting and I really was just challenging myself to come up with something different.  I've also been wanting to introduce table runners into 6 Wilson, so this orange Greek key is now available for sale here.  I will also be introducing additional colors very soon, so stay tuned!

Thanks for reading and I hope this inspires you to take on your own table.  Good luck with all the Thanksgiving preparations out there!

If you'd like help with your holiday table, 

either in person or through online design, contact me here.

This post is linked up to Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday, and French Country Cottage's Feathered Nest Friday.  Check them out for lots of inspiration!!