Using What You Already have for Entertaining

Decorating a table for the holidays can be a bit daunting, especially for those of us who haven't quite acquired tons of entertaining pieces. While there is pressure from blogs, magazines, tv, and social media to purchase everything under the sun to make your holiday table beautiful, it's a lot more economical to use what you have. 

One of the things I like to do is think outside the box when prepping a table for entertaining. What can I use for a table runner? What fun things do I have for chargers? What do I already have that I can use for a floral arrangement?

I got this bowl from Dixon Rye at the grand opening last month. Since it's not a part of a set (yet), I thought it would make a great vessel for flowers from good old (cheap) Trader Joe's. I picked up two arrangements for $15 even and got to work. It turned out so much better than I had anticipated, and I didn't  have to go buy a fancy arrangement or an expensive vase to make it beautiful. Not to mention the extreme sense of pride I felt because the only cost in this project was for the flowers themselves. 

Not only does using what you have save you a few pennies here and there, it makes your holiday decor that much more unique to you. It tells a story. It starts a conversation. And hey, it might even make someone envious of your thrifty skills.