What a dilemma I was in when I recently came into possession of something so delightfully gorgeous that I wanted to share it with all my friends and family . . . but since I’m not hosting a Thanksgiving dinner this year (and it’s a part of the Thanksgiving centerpiece) I knew it would remain unseen by all those I hold most dear.

What does one do in such a dilemma? One blogs about it of course!

Mr. OTN happens to work a job where he has to work every other Thanksgiving and this year is one of those. Thus, no big Thanksgiving dinner. Even so, as I was playing around with my Fall centerpiece and the placement of my delightfully gorgeous new acquisition the other day I began wondering how it would look with a fully set Thanksgiving table.

The china that my mom passed down to me, Noritake’s Royal Hunt, called out to me from the buffet and before I knew it I was laying everything out for a photo shoot.

The sun was streaming in through the plantation shutters that day, casting such a delightful display of light and shadow in my room that you can see how I really couldn’t help myself.

I love having my mother’s china for the holidays. Even if we aren’t hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner it makes for a nice display.

Each plate has three pictures around the border, an elk . . .

. . . a pheasant . . .

. . . and a bunny rabbit!

All the plates have small hunting dogs dancing around the edges of their lovely plaid border.

The gold flatware was also given to me by my mom. I’m so happy that gold is “in” again.

But THIS! Look at this delightfully gorgeous foul, Mr. Pheasant, with his colorful feathers and beaded backside! I’m sorry you can’t see how much they sparkle in my photographs.

He is simply the perfect addition to my Thanksgiving table!

Mr. Pheasant was purchased on a recent trip to the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC. I wasn’t going to buy him but I was with a friend who likes to encourage me to do things for myself. In fact, she talked me into making two purchases that day, Mr. Pheasant and some amazing glittery branches that I added to the top of my Christmas tree. Yes, my tree is decorated already but that’s for another post.

I will miss hosting a dinner this year but I can still enjoy this wonderful gift from my mom.

As soon as the Fall decor is put away I’ll be back to share the before and after pictures of my dining room makeover.There will be a ton of fun details in that post so I do hope you’ll come back and see me again.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving holiday,

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, NiftyThriftyThings, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome