Art

(above photo credit: DigsDigs.com)

One of my favorite parts of entertaining is decorating my dinner table. I have spent countless hours on my tables over the years, but when I look through my old pictures none of them capture the tables very well. So, I’ll share my Thanksgiving table with you – and it could double as a Christmas table if you’d like!

Here’s my older sister Kristen and I carving the Turkey at Thanksgiving!

To decorate my table, I bought 12 jar candles for $1 a piece at Walmart. I also purchased 4 red scarves for $5 a piece from Walmart (there are more than 4 in the picture because I was decorating 2 tables). These scarves doubled as favors for the ladies to take home!

First, I laid the scarves out and then I placed the candles on and in between them, careful to be sure I didn’t light fire to any of the scarves lol!

Then I used red chargers (bought at Walmart $1 each) and red cloth napkins I already had. And VOILA – a pretty table with party favors included!

I caught my mom and sister on the way out the door in their scarves!
(And you saw me in my $5 scarf on the December Peace On Earth Challenge Video.)

If you need more ideas to inspire you – here’s a few beautiful ones that I found on Digsdigs.com.

I love blue for the holidays. I have done a snowflake theme in the past using silver tinsel as my table runner. I saw tinsel for $1 a pack at Walgreens today. Lay some ornaments and candles on it and you are set!

These tables are earthy. Simple beauty.

I love the ornaments in the glass bowl on the left. I have done this many times using different assortments – it’s easy, elegant and affordable.

I love the simple red and white – so clean. I have used ribbon in the past to roll my napkins also.

Look at that chandelier – {swoon}!

And again the ornaments in a glass bowl. This is one of my favorite ways to decorate at Christmas. It’s a delicious bowl of beauty!

Remember that God, the ultimate artist, has given you the ability to create! So create to the glory of God!

Walk with the King!

I am linking up to: Finer Things Friday, Raising Homemakers, Hip Homeschool Hop, Holiday Haven and Works For Me Wednesday.

The Weekend is For Beauty

God – he is the ultimate artist. He has created beauty for us to enjoy. Slow down this weekend and let the beauty of his majesty sink in.

Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

Psalm 19:2 “Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.”

Psalm 19:3 “There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.”

Psalm 19:4 “Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

Psalm 19:4b-5 “In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion.”

Do you see the beauty of God’s hands in the changing of the seasons around you. Pause today to take it in. The weekends are for slowing down, taking it in, enjoying your family and refreshing your soul with his word. Let the little ones get dirty in a pumpkin patch and experience with their own eyes and hands God’s beautiful artwork.

Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

Why is it that we have in our heart a desire to decorate for the autumn season – to put pumpkins on our doorstep, a fall wreathe on the door, a cinnamon-spice candle in the bathroom and pumpkin bread and cider in the kitchen? Because we were created in the image of our creator. He has given us the ability to create. It’s fulfilling to create.

In what ways will you bear the image of your creator this weekend? Maybe you will sit at the piano and create a joyful noise to the Lord, maybe you will illustrate a scripture verse for your children to help them memorize the word, you can transform your mantel with the beauty of nature, or paint a room that’s been waiting to be painted.

I see God’s beauty in the bushel of apples I brought home with red, green and yellow painted on their canvas. Do not wait for a table full of guests to put a spray of flowers in the center. Create an aroma in the kitchen with some homemade bread. Sit down and write – writing is a form of art – God wrote to us. Write to a loved one. Read, read, read together as a family and enjoy the creation of someone else. Get outside and rake some leaves – make a bonfire and enjoy the crisp cool air. Even the way we dress, do our makeup, our nails and fix our hair is an expression of art. We are attempting to create something beautiful.