Is Thanksgiving the holiday you invite your family over for dinner? It’s my favorite meal (my second favorite is leftovers the next day)!

Whether you entertain every month or once a year, make your table special. The secret is to have everyone bring a dish to pass, that way you have more time to decorate.

You will need trays to hold plates if guests are eating all over the house. Picture frames are perfect for balancing dinner.

Look for 10 x 14 wood frames with glass. Goodwill is a great source for picture frames. For Thanksgiving, I spray painted them a warm copper color and inserted a shimmery copper and gold fabric. 

Rings of grapevine add an organic texture to the setting.  It tones down the formal look of copper and gold. Basic white dinner plates go with everything. 

Instead of investing in a salad plate in earth tones, I “made” my own.  Arrange a trio of oak leaves (these are preserved, but you can collect pretty leaves from your yard).

Place a clear salad plate ($.99-1.99) on top. Voila!  Instant new dinnerware!

I painted the little rectangle frames I used for Halloween a few years ago the same color as the tray. Then folded the black napkin and was thrilled when it looked like a pilgrim shoe buckle! 

They’re also perfect as place cards or have your family write what they are thankful for this year.

For the centerpiece, I painted wood candelabra ($4.99) and added tall off-white tapers. Wrap more grapevines and reuse the same gourds and pumpkins from Halloween for a rustic, earthy table.

Enjoy the wow factor when your guests come into the dining room.