Progress Report 03: It's giving thanks
On feasting with our eyes, finding the perfect plates, and my beloved iPad.
I’ve always been enthusiastic about tableware, but it wasn’t until the pandemic that I realized how important a set table is to me. I may have thrown a small tantrum about how our favorite meal served in styrofoam with plastic utensils was done a great disservice compared to the beautiful in-restaurant dining experience. I know the taste doesn’t actually change, but we feast with our eyes and presentation matters!
I set the table (casually) every night. It’s both a weeknight ritual and a signal to anyone I’m dining with that I’m absolutely delighted to be sharing a meal with them. Setting the table is also a daily source of low pressure creativity as I select the perfect glassware and linens that pair best with the occasion. Plus, there’s nothing quite like throwing some linens down to feel like you have your shit together.
In Progress: The perfect Thanksgiving table
I’m hosting more people than usual this year, so I need to get a few new things for the extra guests. A good problem for me to have because I will take any excuse to accumulate more tablewares. I spent more hours than I care to admit shopping online for the perfect table linens and plates before deciding that the path of least resistance would be to make what I was looking for.
When your vision is too specific, it’s time to get crafting.
Tablecloth and table runner
Why in the world are tablecloths so expensive and hard to find in a specific size? Is this a hole in the market, or just a reality check that I can’t always find exactly what I’m looking for at a price point I can agree with? Either way, making your own tablecloth (and bonus matching table runner) is easily made possible with a rummage through the discount bins at JOANN and an hour at the sewing machine.
Napkins
I realized that it’s probably time for me to take inventory of my scrap fabric when I discovered that I had just enough fabric laying around to make an extra three napkins that look close enough to some that I already had.
Jelly plates
I thrifted tiny jello molds years ago and have had the idea to serve individual sized cranberry jellies for thanksgiving, but didn’t have the right plates. I needed small and flat plates that were impossible to find, so I made them in a pottery class at our local studio. I have a few more in the kiln, but the ones I already have turned out so cute and fit the jellies perfectly!
Finishing touches
I found taper candles that are a nearly perfect color match to the tablecloth I made, and plan on getting a few more tea lights. A day or two before Thanksgiving I’ll go to the grocery store and get flowers to make bouquets. And then finally, when we all sit down, I’ll play the perfect playlist and we’ll all be in the ideal sensorial state to overeat and give thanks.
In search of / Future Project(?!): More tableware
Can you ever have too much? I’m an extremely slow shopper and have an ongoing “want list” of things I’m looking for. Here’s the top of my list:
Set of 6-8 green tumblers or goblets: Must be in good shape and secondhand! Right now I have two lonely green glasses, but a set would be best.
Cheese knives: A long search for tortoise handled cheese knives has lead me to Sabre. One of each, please!
Cake plate: My pink depression glass plate shattered in the fridge last year. My husband blames a temperature change, but I know it was a ghost. I’m on the lookout for a replacement, but maybe I could make one now that I know a thing or two about clay!
Image Credits: Cheese Knives | Cake Plate
Recently Completed: Recipe Document
After years of pulling out all of my cookbooks to make a meal plan each week, I finally moved all of our go-to recipes to a Google Doc. The Google Doc is organized with a simple table of contents that makes it really easy to find what we’re looking for. We moved the iPad to the kitchen and now everything is in one place and so much simpler. Meal planning is way faster, and we’ve made our shopping just as efficient by ordering our groceries online. What used to be hours of labor each week is now accomplished in minutes.
Professional Work: New York Fashion Week 2022
With all of this table talk, I feel obligated to show off the most beautiful tablescape I’ve ever had the privilege of contributing to.
Vogue and Four Seasons New York Downtown threw a fabulous brunch for New York Fashion Week back in 2022 and I designed all of the paper goods. The vibe was “Candy Colored Marie Antoinette”. Say no more 🫡
Thanks for reading and see ya next month!