Living Cornucopia

Home and Family 5049 Final Photo Assets

I'm trying to do something a little different this year with my Thanksgiving table.  Something fresh, interactive and .... inexpensive.  I've landed on creating this living cornucopia down the center of the table.  It's really very simple, but has an elegance that I really adore.   The plus side, a lot of it is already in your fridge....

To make the centerpiece was very simple.  I laid a rustic runner down the center of my table to act as a sort of landing strip.  On top of that I laid a few flat pieces to add some interest - a couple of old cooling racks, some rough wood discs, a plank of wood.  On top of that I layered a few bowls, large and small, a couple of small cast iron skillets, and anY other interesting vesselS I had laying around.  In the center I added a cake stand to add some height.

Now that the structure was in place I layered in fruits and vegetables.  I few large leaves of kale and chard, baby carrots with the greens still on, artichokes, some funky looking mushrooms and don't forget a few pomegranates (they're always gorgeous).  I cut a few pieces in half, you could even slice a few to encourage people to interact with the centerpiece.  Nestle in a salt and pepper shaker here and there.  I also added a few small potted herb plants wrapped in brown paper and string that people can pinch from to season their food.

Here are some close ups to give you an idea of how I pulled it together.

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I also did a smaller version for the coffee table in the living room as a charcuterie platter...far more interesting than a plate of cheese.  The exact sample principles as above, just on a smaller scale.

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!