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Tag: Etiquette

  • Fall Tablescape and Giveaway

    Fall Tablescape and Giveaway

    *This post sponsored by LTD Commodities. All thoughts are 100% my own.

    I’m trying not to apologize too much, but I feel I must here. I’m so sorry, I sort of skipped fall and jumped right into winter here. You know with posts like sharing the Christmas Experience. Admittedly back in September I did share some personal insights onto why I love fall. Unfortunately, the beautiful fall season just didn’t last very long here in North Dakota.

    Our landlord mentioned raking up the leaves one day, and the next thing I knew they were completely covered in snow. With Thanksgiving this week, it brings back some good fall memories and scents. My aunt always hosted Thanksgiving growing up, and she made sure her tables looked nice for all our guests. This year, although I’m not hosting, I still thought it would be nice to dress our table up a bit more.

    I just love the decor I found at LTD Commodities. These flowers with the lights make having a formal dinner, without candles safe and fun for the kids. I also could not get over the glass light up pumpkins. Sadly, we had two, but one was ahem, knocked off the counter by a small child. Sad day indeed! The kids have been great at leaving the second pumpkin alone though – looks like they learned a valuable lesson.

    I’m also in love with these owl salt and pepper shakers, that match a spoon rest for the stove. My mom has a collection of S&P shakers, so I’m always on the lookout for new ones. The colors on these are just perfect to go with the pumpkins.

    The mini pumpkin dishes will be perfect for serving soup in, or dips/sauces so they don’t have to be constantly passed around the table. I love these! A small squeal may have passed my lips as I opened them up. So perfectly fall, and perfectly useful.

    Along with our package came a new LTD Commodities catalog, which my kids confiscated, and began planning their Christmas wish list from.

    GIVEAWAY

    My friends over at LTD Commodities would like to share the same Fall Decor items I received with one of you!
  • Proper Dinner Etiquette and Tablescaping

    Proper Dinner Etiquette and Tablescaping

    I got sucked into looking at dinner ware this week with all the after Thanksgiving sales. I’ve always wanted something pretty and festive like my mom’s china, that we only use for special occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas – similar to this (affiliate link->) Lenox Gold Banded Ivory China Dinner Plate. So that got me thinking about how I’d love to better teach the kids how to properly set a table and be polite when eating.

    See my Nana was an amazing grandma, mother, and proper lady. Despite her living on a farm. Just this summer as we got together with my mom’s family, I recall my uncle telling us how no matter where he goes to eat dinner, he’ll be comfortable because he knows which spoon/fork/cup/plate to be using. She made sure her kids knew proper table manners.

    I recall my mom teaching us the correct way to set a table as a kid as well, and now it is my turn to teach my kids.  Mark and I have often talked about having a periodic Etiquette dinner, with different courses, all the silverware, and fancy dishes. While doing these dinners, we’ll pick an area of etiquette to stress with the kids. These would be things like

    • How to properly set a table
    • Sit up straight
    • Which fork is a salad fork
    • What spoon is used for soup
    • Remember please and thank you
    • The direction we pass food, and the best way to place food on the table. 
    • How to properly hold your silverware
    And the list will go on. I am really excited for these nights, and fingers crossed the kids will be too. We may go so far and let them dress up fancy for our etiquette nights as well!
    Along with our etiquette nights, I am going to play around with tablescaping! This is a fairly new word I’ve heard, but I love it. It’s the art of layering your table so it is pleasing to look at. There is even a book all about it- Tablescapes: Setting the Table with Style by Kimberly Whitman!

    Currently I have a very simple Christmas tablescape, but one I enjoy every day. I made a reversible table runner a few years ago. The green is my favorite side, but the opposite has candy cane stripes that make for a fun party. My blocks I made during a Relief Society Super Saturday (women in my church get together and craft all Saturday long), and help remind me the reason we celebrate this season. The gold vases I picked up at Ikea. I love that I don’t have to put anything in them for them to still add a simple beauty to the table. Then I tossed on the Christmas tree for more of a bright and contrasting color.

    Will you be having any fancy dinners this Holiday season, or do you keep it casual?