Is Your Table Ready for Fall?

SHOP NOW

Recipe of the MONTH

Where did the summer go?, you may be asking yourself.  Well, it flew by...with the trips to the pool, camping and family picnics... it is now a mere memory.  We hope you made many memories this summer.  Fun times, great food, beautiful flower gardens.  Fall brings nice warm sunny colors, vivid oranges and deep green accents to warm our spirits as the temperatures drop.  So, now our quick barbeques on the grill turn to rich soups, stews and the ever popular Tom Turkey is just around the corner.  (Well, some of us hope that the guys won't mind turning on the grill a few more times, eh?)

Fall is a great time to bring out your old favorite china your aunt left you or those gently worn flea market treasures.  If you don't own any of those yet, well...get out there now and start the fall collecting!  I love to scout the weekend yard sales.  It seems everyone is trying to clean out the "garage" before it gets too cold.  If you aren't a yard sale person, look for thrift stores run by Salvation Army, Goodwill or your local hospital or social service organization. 

I happen to have gotten bit by the collecting bug early in my teens from my Mom and Dad, who are crazy for "depression glassware".  Luckily, my husband shares my passion and we collect it together.  Now, I don't go spending a lot of dollars, I just stick to a certain era, I buy what I like, and I try to stick to a  simple design that will match my depression era dinnerware.  I like clean lines or patterns, and both my dinnerware and glassware collection make it through many seasons. 

 I love to mix and match.  Fall seems to really give you the artistic freedom to do so, I mean, after all, we are piling gourds, pumpkins, pears, corn stalks, scarecrows, and any thing else together to come up with a nice fall table centerpiece...so why shouldn't you mix and match Aunt Martha's golden yellow depression era glasses with your sleek, earthy brown ceramic plates you just grabbed at Crate & Barrel?  Throw in some Pier 1 napkins and you are ready to go. 

I love to make my table special, regardless of the "event" or the season.  I always take time out to set the table, even if I pre-set it in the morning or the night before.  My family and friends always feel special...I do too.  I mean, you spend time to prepare the food, why shouldn't every meal be complimented by table artistry.  You can do it.  Even burgers look special on white plates will really cool napkins.  Throw a couple of candles on the table, grab those last few flowers from your garden and you will be the Dining Diva, I guarantee!

Check out some of our Wine picks this month...and log onto some of the wineries we thought were worth mentioning.