Today is cause for celebration!  This is my 100th post.  Yay!  I feel a great sense of accomplishment and success – and all you readers are part of that.  I’m also excited about a new addition to the blog…..my friend Cindy.  So for today, I’m turning over the writing to her and I’ll be sitting back enjoying being a reader (and maybe try her project).   He-e-e-e-r-r-e-e-e’s Cindy………………….

After taking down  Halloween decorations and packing them away for another year I’m chomping at the bit to break open my boxes (and boxes!) of Christmas decorations.  I refuse to do so until after Thanksgiving, however, so I tide myself over by creating a fall cornucopia. 

Cornucopias, also known as horn of plenty, date back thousands of years.  Today Americans primarily associate cornucopias with Thanksgiving, symbols of harvest and abundance. 

If you plan on using a cornucopia as a dining table centerpiece, build the display on a large tray or perhaps a wooden cutting board so you can easily move it if needed.  You might also consider displaying it on a sideboard, a coffee table or fireplace mantel.  I placed mine on a large corner table in the living room.

An overflowing horn of plenty.

Create a cornucopia with three simple steps:

1. Start with a horn shaped basket.  I used a traditional woven basket although I’ve seen them made from paper, metal, pottery and glass. 
2. Gather a colorful mix of vegetables and/or fruits.  I used fresh, dried and faux vegetables (Danish, butternut and spaghetti squash,mini-pumpkins, dried Indian corn, gourds) but you could also add fruits (a mix of red and green apples, small melons, pomegranates, cranberries) and nuts.
3. Spread a layer of preserved, silk, paper, or dried autumn leaves around the basket and then begin arranging your bounty.  Place the  larger pieces first, fill in with smaller pieces and make certain to vary the presentation by standing some pieces, laying others on their sides, propping some and stacking some.   This will showcase the colors, textures and increase the visual interest.

Add a personal touch.

 Add a personal touch to your cornucopia.  Look closely and you’ll see I tucked a small bird my son gave me in the opening of the basket.  You might consider a raffia bow, some dried flowers or a few sprigs of berries for your final touch.  If you prefer a bit of glitz, add gold highlights to the basket or edges of the leaves or tuck in a few glittered floral sprigs.

A cornucopia should be full and abundant.  If you’d like to highlight fall harvest on a bit smaller scale, simply fill a basket  with a few veggies or  fruit.  This small basket made of corn cobs screams autumn and the neutral color of the cobs let the bright veggies take center stage.  Since this display sits on a round breakfast table I  created a circular design by placing  two matching straw turkeys on opposite sides of the basket, two bundles of wheat on opposite sides and two amber votive candle holders - on opposite sides, of course!  No matter where you sit at the round table you’re at the “front” of the centerpiece with this trick.

A fall centerpiece 'in the round'.

After enjoying your cornucopia or filled basket as fall decor, enjoy the veggies and fruits for dinner!  But before you devour your creativity be sure to us send a picture!  Share the fruits (or veggies!) of your labor – we’d love to see it.

I look forward to sharing other projects, ideas, inspiration and information with all of you.  Like you, I love recreating my home and am always trying something new.  What a great opportunity to share what I learn – the good and the bad!  Let’s hear about your journeys too.