Tag: candles

Thanksgiving Prep Time!

SadieLeave a comment

My family takes Thanksgiving very seriously (aka my mother and I take it seriously and my family is along for the ride). Every year the guest list fluctuates, and I think some of the especially well attended years have really helped us lock down our process. We usually host out-of-towners (myself included) so hosting Thanksgiving means the Thursday meal, plus all the other meals that weekend, plus accommodations. The general plan is as follows (eye candy from Crate and Barrel):

Three Weeks Out

Pull together the guest list, and check in with any family or friends who are on the fence. It doesn’t have to be finalized but starting the conversation will help the planning process.

Scour Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, and West Elm, etc. for Thanksgiving tablescape inspiration. This year I’m thinking a natural and/or metallic table runner (the walls of my parent’s dining room are metallic gold), with large hurricane candle holders and natural colored pillar candles. Plus some extra votives and fall flowers or branches. I try to repurpose things we have as much as possible, with a couple new items from Target on occasion.

Crate and Barrel Table Setting

Two Weeks Out

Start the list making! I pull together an Excel spreadsheet that has a few different lists:

  • Thanksgiving menu and family member responsibilities (everyone gets at least one item)
  • Make ahead items verse day of dishes
  • Groceries needed for Thanksgiving meal
  • Meal plan for the rest of the meals from Wednesday dinner through Saturday (especially if guests are staying a few days)
  • Groceries for the non-Thanksgiving meals

Take an inventory of plates, utensils, and table linens to make sure you have the correct amount. This gives us time to get everything clean and polished for the big day.

Crate and Barrel Table 2

One Week Out

Grocery shop for all non-perishables on your list, because you best believe there will be no cans of pumpkin left on the shelves on Wednesday! And if you can’t find something, you have time to check a couple more stores before the big day. Pick up perishables and the turkey as early as makes sense. Do not forget the turkey!

Crate and Barrel 5

Wednesday Before

Get going on the turkey prep if you’re not already defrosting.

Make all of your make ahead items. For us that includes the cranberry sauce, some mis en place, one or two pies (Mom makes three), one or two flavors of ice cream (Mom makes two or three), and any extra baked goods for the weekend such as cookies and pumpkin bread.

Buy flowers for the table and the house, and set the table. We try to use a local florist, but sometimes Whole Foods is a better bet on busy holidays. Make sure you have your game face on if you brave Whole Foods on Wednesday!

Set the table.

Crate and Barrel 4

Thanksgiving Day

Game time! Get the turkey in the oven, and make the rest of the dessert items in the morning. Let everyone know what their assignments are, and start knocking out the side dishes! Some things will go smoothly and some will inevitably not go smoothly. That’s what makes for good stories for years to come!

Crate and Barrel 3

Are you ready for Turkey Day?

Candlestick Maker

Sadie2 Comments

I’ve had some extra mason jars hanging around my house that I’ve been meaning to use for something.  Last weekend I came up with a great idea: candles.  I decided it would be cute to make some candles in the small mason jars that I could use primarily outside to decorate the dinner table.

With this thought in mind I made a quick trip to Michael’s and made some amateur choices about wax, colors, and scents.  I am definitely a candle making novice, but I think it was pretty easy to make choices among the various choices of wax and accoutrements.  I basically just read a lot of labels and picked a pretty standard wax for container candles, plus some floral scents, wicks, and a color.

To get started I chopped up about half of the four pound block of wax and started heating up a little water on the stove in the bottom of a double boiler.  I dropped the chopped up wax into the top of the double boiler and watched it melt down.

Once it was melted I added the directed amount of scent and color so my candles would be purple and smell like gardenias.  While the scent and color were mixing into the wax I microwaved the mason jars for a minute to warm them up.  The label on the wax suggested that the containers should be warmed up without using water. The microwave was the perfect option.  Apparently if the containers aren’t warm, then the wax will shrink away from the sides as it cools.

Finally, I poured the wax into the jars and positioned the wicks as best I could.  Then all that was left was to wait for them to cool!

They didn’t turn out perfect because the centers sank a little, but I love them and I think they will be a great addition to my outdoor decor!