home decor

As we enter into the month of November my thoughts turn towards Thanksgiving and everything that this wonderful holiday has to offer.

It is a time for spending time with family and friends and for counting the many blessings the past year has brought to us. Like most people I like to decorate for the holidays, and Thanksgiving is no exception.

Indian corn, pumpkins, gourds, wheat, fruits, nuts, and anything that symbolizes a bountiful harvest are at the top of the list for things I like to include in my decorating scheme. The best way to incorporate all of these items it to design a cornucopia centerpiece for Thanksgiving Day.

What is a cornucopia?

Cornucopia is a Latin term derived from two words, cornu meaning horn and copia meaning plenty. The horn of plenty, as it is also known, is shaped like a horn or cone. It is usually shown overflowing with nuts and fruit.

(Freeman, Morton, S. The Story behind the Words. Philadelphia: Isis Press, 1985)

This everlasting symbol of abundance is easy to create and will become another important tradition you will want to share with your family each year.

Cornucopia Centerpiece:

Materials:

• cone-shaped, store bought cornucopia basket

• assortment of fall fruits and vegetables (small pumpkins, apples, gourds, Indian corn, nuts, and berries)

• dried leaves, wheat, and other natural fillers

• newspaper

• raffia

• thin sheet of plastic or plastic tray (to protect table)

1. Stuff newspaper into cornucopia basket (less harvest items will be needed with the appearance of more!)

2. Cover newspaper with a thin layer of raffia or other natural fillers.

3. Place basket on plastic

4. Place larger fruits and vegetables in basket.

5. Continue adding smaller itemsallow them to spill out on the plastic (Remember, bountiful harvest!)

6. Fill in small places with berries and nuts.

7. Use leaves and other natural items to fill in the spaces; make sure protective plastic is totally covered.

About The Author

Candee Stark

Happy Thanksgiving! Please visit me at http://www.flowers-and-garden.com/ if you would like to see a picture of the cornucopia I created or you would like to read about other decorating or garden ideas.

http://www.flowers-and-garden.com/cornucopia-centerpiece.html

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Sure you decorate your fireplace and mantel for the winter holidays, but don’t forget this important focal point in your room as Spring approaches. Here are some nearly-instant ideas for springtime and Easter fireplace decorating:

Daffodils in crystal or glass vases on each end of your mantel bespeak the coming of Spring. Tie a wired chiffon ribbon in a soft spring hue in a bow around each vase for a nice touch.

March a line of fluffy chicks across your mantel. Five or more chicks, whether stuffed toys, porcelain hens, or craft store chickens, make a cute display.

And speaking of stuffed toys, now is a great time to find those old stuffed bunnies and ducks and turn them into mantel ornaments. Add Easter grass, and scatter decorated eggs along the mantel to keep them company.

Tie wired gingham-checked ribbons into bows, and attach them to the edge of your mantel. Let the ends of each bow hang down various lengths from one to three feet. At the end of each ribbon, open a plastic egg, tape the ribbon’s end inside the egg, and force the egg shut. This creates a set of eggs dangling at different heights.

Bring out your glass, crystal, white, and pastel candle holders of different heights for your mantel. Select a trio of springtime colors such as lavender, pink and eggshell or aqua, pale green, and soft yellow. Use pastel candles in some of the candle holders. In others, perch decorated Easter eggs (real, plastic, wooden, or glass).

The ideas above are great for your fireplace’s mantel, but what’s a terrific way to decorate your fireplace itself? Fireplace candelabra are the perfect accessories. And using candles in the shape of decorated Easter eggs in your fireplace candelabra is a super-simple, but visually dramatic way to decorate for the season. (Just don’t be too surprised if the Easter Bunny replaces one of the candle-eggs with a chocolate one!)

Susan Penney appreciates simple ways to make our homes renewing spaces for our families. She invites you to visit http://www.FireplaceMall.com for fireplace accessories to serve your fire-less or your fire-filled fireplace.

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Holidays are a special time of the year for spending time with family and friends and creating memorable experiences. Holiday d

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