Hello friends, the temps in Maryland have been extremely warm this September, but they are slowing dropping which really gets me in the mood to do a bit more Fall decorating....yippee!

A few of my dear friends have mentioned that they love looking at table decor but get overwhelmed as they don't know where to start when it comes to putting a table setting together.  "People make it look so easy....but I need basic steps" is what someone recently said to me.

So today, I am giving you step by step tips on how to decorate your table with a bit of Fall flair! You will see what I use, but I want to encourage you to simply use what you have lying around your house to make your table come alive! This may seem really basic...but some of you have asked for basic so here we go!

1.  Clear off your table. 

Starting with a clean slate is always good! :-)

2. Add a tablecloth or table runner.

I used a piece of cloth that I had in my drawer and angled it on my table.  

3.  Add placemats.

I used several types on this table to mix it up a bit...both cloth and wicker.  Remember: everything doesn't have to match.  Decorating is all about mixing textures and styles. I found the wicker placemats at Goodwill and the cloth ones are from Marshall's.

4.  Add chargers and plates.

Again...my chargers are not all matching but I tie the look together by using the same color plates. I found the metal chargers at Bed, Bath and Beyond and the white ones at a local barn sale. White plates are my favorite as they go with everything!

5.  Add napkins, napkin holders, greenery or anything else that you have on hand.

My dear friend, Kari, owns an Etsy shop called "Wonderfully Made by Kari" and makes the cutest birdseed favors.  She designs these in all shapes and sizes and they are perfect for weddings, showers, used as tags added to gift wrapping, or I can even envision these as beautiful ornaments to compliment your Christmas tree.  

I am using these as my napkin holders as they will make the perfect gift for my guests to take home.  I love that she designed these in a leaf shape which is perfect for Fall! Kari will personalize these to your taste by adding names or sayings on them, too.  Isn't that cool?! Here's the link to her shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/kariflo

I then tucked a bit of greenery (seeded eucalyptus) into my white napkins for some color.

6.  Now is the fun part. It's time for the centerpiece!

As per usual for me...I began to grab things that I have lying around....a star-shaped basket that I found at a thrift store, faux hydrangea greenery that I had in a vase and then I clipped a few sprigs of tall grasses from my yard along with seeded eucalyptus (found at a local grocery store) which ties in my color palette. Oh, and of course a white pumpkin! :-)

Just begin to set these up on your table.  I put the basket down and then added the faux hydrangea greenery.  I then placed the pumpkin on top to hide the stems.

I then found a few wicker balls from my stash and added those to my table.  Other ideas would be to add candle holders, more little pumpkins, or anything else that you love that makes you think of Fall (pinecones, clippings from your garden or even twigs are some of my favorites!). 

I like to keep my centerpiece at eye level or below so that my guests are not having to duck to see each other! Here are some pictures of my Fall table.  You can see I have kept it pretty simple and yet it is full of natural Fall flair.

I love placing a votive candle at each place setting.  It's the little things that bring character to your table!

Well, friends...I hope I've been able to inspire you to create a beautiful Fall table.  Make sure you check out Kari's Etsy shop as she has so many neat designs which are perfect for the holidays!

Happy Decorating,