Simple and inexpensive Thanksgiving-ish centerpieces.

I have a post about creating guest space coming up soon! But it’s a bit long and has many photos. I’m also full of things to share about the kids. So stay tuned in the near future for that as well.  I just have something short to share quickly!

Wednesday, I went to a follow up with my doctor. Sometime I’ll have to share with you how much Ken and I have improved our health by going to him! But the real point of telling you that is because after the appointment, I got to shop at Whole Foods (since it’s right around the corner from the doctor’s and NOT right around the corner from us). By myself! So fun. It was great to wander around a little and find some specialty groceries that I can’t get a Sam’s Club, Costco, or Publix.

The best part about it (besides finding our hormone-free Thanksgiving turkey!!)?? The floral department!! Our local Publix doesn’t have one. I looked around the floral section, admiring the colors of fall but thinking ahead to Christmas. They had some darling arrangements made up and placed in mason jars, which I think would have looked just right in our home. But they were $15 each. 🙁

I like long-lasting arrangements that can take me from one holiday to another without much effort . . . or cash. I wanted something I could get more mileage from and more than one vase-full. With that in mind, I picked out these 3 “bunches”, for $3.99, $5.99 and $6.99:

Then I rummaged around the china hutch to find containers worthy of such floral simplicity. Here’s what I chose:

Then I found glass “inserts” to hold the water that fit inside the containers without showing:

Let the fun begin! I just started tucking the greens into the “vases”, and added the sprigs of curly twigs:

And popped in the spring-looking but only white flowers available in the floral department at Whole Foods (and I just loved the idea of fresh and bright white flowers in my kitchen):

Hmmm, something missing. Oh yeah, those $15 mason jar arrangements had some pinecones. I happen to have a few in my stash:

Lovely! Now, just one more thing . . . I tied a ribbon onto one (for the dining room table):

and tied some jute twine on the two for the kitchen (sorry, bad glare from the lanai windows):

I am so happy with how simple and cheery these turned out. I have one for the kitchen table, the kitchen island, and the dining table. They would be stunning clustered together with some candles for a statement making centerpiece, but for now I’m enjoying them in their varying spots. 3 centerpieces for $17! Not bad! And I know greenery lasts longer than flowers, so when the daisies wear out, I’ll pull them and stick something into the greens and branches and pinecones that says “Christmas”. I have berries in mind. And a few sprigs of pine. For now, I’ll enjoy the daisies. Bring on the turkey!

–Beth 🙂

P.S. I used some floral wire to secure the pinecones to the lower part of the curly branches that I had snipped for the arrangements. Then I could stick them right down into the vase where I wanted them. Just in case you were wondering. 😉