Good morning. Gosh, we woke up to glorious orange and red trees in the backyard. They literally turned color overnight and it’s so pretty. This time of year is so invigorating. I hosted book club at my home last night and I thought I would share a few things that could be helpful when hosting. With Thanksgiving coming up, I know hosting is on a lot of our minds.
NEED TO EXTEND YOUR TABLE?
Our dining table is actually quite large to begin with but not when you are hosting 12-14. I love being able to sit at one long table together. To make it look seamless, we use a folding table with a piece of plywood on top. When you buy your plywood, have them cut it the exact width of your current table. If you do that, it will line up perfectly.
ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT
If the table is still slightly lower, you can place felt pads under the legs of the folding table. If you look closely you can see those in the photo. Works like a charm.
I highly recommend sanding the edges and corners of the plywood. That way it isn’t sharp. This is easy to tuck away in the garage and so nice to have when we have large groups. Even if you don’t use this next to your dining table, it’s an easy way to transform a folding table into something a bit more substantial when you host.
SIMPLE FLORALS
I bought all of the flowers from Trader Joe’s. For each grouping, I used two stems of magnolia leaves and a small flower arrangement. Then I tucked one of the candle sticks close to the flowers.
I often use drink glasses for my vases. It keeps the flower arrangement nice and low. The ruffle tablecloths can be found here.
COLORFUL RIBBON
I bought two coordinating ribbons from Michael’s and used those to tie the napkins. I like doing that when I’ve kept the table linens really neutral. I just pick out colors that will be in my flower arrangements. The lace trimmed napkins are really lovely. The round placemats are a nice neutral to have on hand for when you host.
BOOK CLUB THEME
For our book club we read Mother in Law by Sally Hepworth. It was a murder mystery so I had fun with using pieces of evidence on the table. They were tagged with exhibit letters from the coroner’s office. Just fun to play up they mystery theme. The pretty wood magnifying glasses can be found here.
I asked AI to create evidence tags for the book (it came up with the items and tags). It even was able to create a charity ledger which was mentioned in the book. As much as I push back against it, AI is pretty fun to use for things like this. There was a question about the book at everyone’s place. The front of the card said “Top Secret” and the question was printed on the back.
LIGHTING
I’ve collected brass candlesticks through the years and used them down the center of the table. This set of candles is perfect for any dinner party. I wish I had taken a photo of the table when all of the candles were lit. I set my phone down for the night and never picked it back up again.
It always feels so good to gather with friends. I grew up with parents who loved to host and I always think of my mom when I am arranging flowers and setting the table. Hoping to pass the same love for gatherings down to my children.
It always feels so good to gather with friends. I grew up with parents who loved to host and I always think of my mom when I am arranging flowers and setting the table. Hoping to pass the same love for gatherings down to my children.
Are you hosting this holiday season? I served these salted caramel chocolate chip bars with ice cream in case you are looking for a simple (make ahead) dessert.
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