Hi guys, as promised, I am trying to give you extra doses of Holiday Inspiration. This is for a Thanksgiving table (in case you are like me, and haven’t gotten around to thinking about that kind of thing yet.)

If the Silver Winter Table wasn’t your ticket, maybe this Green and Purple table will do it for you?

I feel like you are going to say- what the? Where am I supposed to get all of those flowers this time of year. They look summery, but they are all actually fall flowers.

Dahlias: which even in this freezing fall we all the sudden have here in Seattle are still in full bloom in my yard.

Crysanthemums: epitomy of fall flowers

Alstromeria: Super common grocery store flower, also available all fall long.

Sunflowers: Dead and stripped of all petals. Not sure what else to say about these poor dead flowers (by the way this would be an awesome technique to use with any “dead” flowers that have a great center, (like chocolate cosmo’s or black eyed susan’s for example)

I clustered these in tin buckets that have been covered in bark. (they sell bark paper in craft stores) Slap on some glue, and you have a mini masterpiece! (or at least a cool vase.)

Then there are the wine boxes. I filled them with fall fruits, like late plums, currants, figs and nuts. (chestnuts would be gorgeous too)

This is how you make the wine box fruit holders: (I know that is a bad/weird name for them!)

If you don’t have any wine boxes lying around your garage like we uh maybe do… then they are sold at most container type of stores, or go to your local wine store. They dispose of them all of the time, and they are easy to take off of their hands for free!

The easiest way to construct one of these boxes is to hot glue, or wood glue the two rectangular wine boxes together to make a square, (or at least a wider rectangle) that now has two compartments.

Use a piece of heavy cardboard cut to the width of the inside of the width of the wine box. (you will need two, one for each half of the box). If you are handy, instead of the cardboard, cut a piece of balsam wood. Either way it should fit so snuggly that it stands up straight, dividing each half of the wine box into two, or four total.

I lined the inside of each compartment with wax paper and then filled them with fruit and nuts. But they could certainly be fitted with plastic, or even a disposable tupperwear container, and used to hold plants or flowers too. If you are worried about an ugly strip of cardboard showing, that is what the piled fruit is for. Just pile it up so no one can see that!

You also can use a stencil on the side of the boxes to enhance your theme, and the rustic theme.

Finishing touches: Raw almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc. sprinkled around the vases and wine box -fruit holder thingys.

Also, it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t add some chocolate covered fruit in with the nuts. (Trader Joes has a great selection of chocolate covered odds and ends!)

Then some beautiful brown Bosc pears. (Any of the green varieties would be lovely as well.)

Ok- hope this was a tiny dash of inspiration for you guys!