2020 Round Up Thanksgiving Table Options

If you follow me on Instagram, you have seen several Tabletop Tuesday posts with place settings that I was considering for our Thanksgiving Table. In this blog post I am putting them all in one place.

The place setting above is using a vintage Fire King milk glass swirl plate with a gold rim. Layered on top of it is a Pottery Barn tidbit plate. The napkin is also vintage. The charger is from Home Goods. I only have 4 of the chargers, but would really love to have 4 more!

The plate above is probably my favorite Johnson Brothers pattern, “His Majesty.” My set is vintage, but it is still in production today and can be found easily.

This is another Johnson Brothers pattern, “Historic America, Thanksgiving Frozen Up.” This set is circa 1930 (brown multicolor) and is no longer in production.

You guessed it, another Johnson Brothers pattern, “Hearts and Flowers” which some people mistakenly refer to as “Old Ironstone Granite” because that is also stamped on the back. This is the one set of china that I have the complete service for – everything from gravy boat and butter dish to covered vegetable and coffee service. We didn’t have wedding china that I registered for, so I consider it my wedding china due to the lovely couple on the front. This was produced in the 1970s and 80s and is no longer in production.

Above is another Pottery Barn plate layered on top of vintage Churchill Blue Willow. Churchill still produces Blue Willow.

And last but not least, above is another Churchill pattern from their fox hunt series, this is “Country Life, The Meet.” This is from a reproduction set made in the 1990s and is no longer in production today.

Happy, happy Thanksgiving friends. I am thankful for YOU! Every time you read, like my blog posts, comment on them, follow me on Instagram, or pin one of my images you are helping to support small business in America! Thank you!

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Wear It Wednesday – Vintage Ralph Lauren Jean Skirt

I forgot to post my Wear It Wednesday outfit last week, so here it is! In a lot of my posts I feature vintage Ralph Lauren pieces. One reason that I love Ralph Lauren is because his clothes are usually classic and timeless. They are also usually made from quality materials such as real wool, cotton, and leather. I feel like I get a lot of value for my money whether I’m buying RL new or used. However, a word of caution: If it is truly a vintage Ralph Lauren piece, you’ve got to keep in mind that the sizing will be different. Beginning in the 1990s, many companies began to do what is called “vanity sizing.” That means that they made their bigger sized clothing labeled with smaller sizes. So, for vanity reasons, you’d want to buy a certain brand because you wore a smaller size in that brand. What that means for me is that while I wear a size 4 in almost all modern made clothing, in vintage Ralph Lauren I might wear a 6 or even an 8.

In this outfit I am wearing a vintage Ralph Lauren jean midi skirt. Here I’m pearing it with boots. It would look nice with flats or even sandals in the summer. My sweater is new from Old Navy. I am really into this ‘pecan” color this year. I sized up in my sweater because I knew I was going to layer it over other shirts. And my shirt I bought new from J. Crew, but about 6+ years ago. (If you follow me on Instagram you saw me buy one very similar lately while thrift shopping. it has some different colors in it, though, and it is made by GAP.)

If you want to save this for later, click on the Pinterest button at the bottom of this post.

Have a great day!

Abby

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Wear It Wednesday – Cozy Thanksgiving Outfit

I have to say that my biggest source of inspiration for outfits continues to be Pinterest. If I happen to see a photo of an outfit I like, I’ll often look to see if I already have items in my closet that are similar to what my inspiration photo uses. I am not trying to copy the outfit exactly, instead I am really trying to use it for inspiration for items that I already have in my closet.

For example, below is my inspiration photo that I found on Pinterest. I found this on Pinterest, but it originally came from another blogger’s post here.

https://www.justdalal.com/working-girl-series-casual-friday-outfit

Not only is my outfit cute, but it’s sooo comfortable. Since I have used a lot of blazers in Wear It Wednesday photos recently (more to see on my Instagram account!), I decided to use a new sweater that I picked up. This sweater is soft on another level. It’s long, has pockets, and a hood. It’s cozy on the level of “Can I just live in this, please?”

Originally the sweater sold for $99, and I paid just $15 on the TJ Maxx clearance rack. I showed these Loft pants in another outfit recently, but I really like how they fit on me. I picked them up this summer from their website for just $10! The shirt is from Target, several years ago. The purse was a Christmas gift from Ken (Amazon) last year. I picked it out to be a travel bag, but Covid killed all my 2020 travel dreams. The belt is from Goodwill. I have no idea what brand it is, but it’s 100% leather, and that’s all I cared about. (Leather lasts forever.) The shoes were another clearance rack find at TJ Maxx. They’re leather, too, and they were also $15.

Total price for this outfit: $45

  • Sweater $15 (Originally $99)
  • Pants $10 (Loft clearance)
  • Shoes $15 (TJ Maxx clearance)
  • Belt $5 (thrift store)
  • Shirt, already owned, purchased 5+years ago from Target
  • Purse, Christmas gift last year

As you can see, my outfit is not a copy of my inspiration photo. It’s more of a “hey, I have something similar that would look well together.” I hope you find some inspiration today! Have a great Wear It Wednesday!

Abby

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2020 Thanksgiving Table

2020 has been a dark year in some ways, so I wanted to keep our Thanksgiving table on the lighter side with white accents and greenery. I think we can all say that although this has been a tough year, and one that we’ll never forget, it has also made us very aware of the small things we can be thankful for every day. Things that we take for granted like being able to buy whatever groceries we want or see our loved ones whenever we want.

Plate: Johnson Brothers “Historic America: Thanksgiving Frozen Up”, circa 1930. (Yes, we are actually going to eat on them!)

You may have seen me using these hyacinth placemats before, especially if you follow me on Instagram. But they are currently my favorites. I like the natural material and the neutral color. The only new things on our Thanksgiving table are the tablecloth (TJ Maxx, $12.99) and the faux eucalyptus garland (Target, Hearth & Home). Well, obviously the pumpkins are from this year (used them for Halloween on our porch) and the chrysanthemum are also fresh. But I already had everything else, even the giant pinecones, which I have used previously in Christmas decor.

This year I will be cooking our meal as I always do. Our son, Jackson, will be home from college, and it will just be the four of us together that day. We are not promised tomorrow, nor are our parents or grandparents. If you have the opportunity to gather with extended family this Thanksgiving, I hope you do not shy away from doing so.

I am still trying to think of something for our family to do together after our Thanksgiving meal. Our tradition for many years has been to go see a movie in the theater together. The theaters around us are either closed or have gone out of business. I am mourning the loss of that tradition a little bit, but I am just happy that we are all healthy and generally happy. I truly hope that next year I can look back on this post and things will have reopened and returned to normal.

In closing, I am truly thankful for each of you reading this post, saving it to Pinterest, or sharing it elsewhere online. You are helping to support my small business, and I am truly grateful for you. (More photos below.)

Abby

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Pendleton Wool Camel Blazer – Wear it Wednesday

I’ve been trying to redecorate with our Thanksgiving decor, and with these dogs it’s like trying to get something done with two very nosey toddlers. I have to be careful where I set stuff down because they inspect everything!

I’m so glad that we’ve had more “fall” weather this year than we did last year. But in Georgia fall weather still means that we start off cool and heat up in the afternoon. That’s why I love layers so much! I bought this vintage Pendleton blazer online, and I’m always a little worried about the sleeve length when I order online. I’m 5’4″, and my arms are more on the petite length. But it fits perfectly, and I am very happy with it.

I hope you’re enjoying your fall clothes this year. Here’s what I’m wearing:

  • Pendleton blazer – vintage
  • Target white v-neck and leopard belt (current)
  • Pilcro and the letterpress jeans
  • Vionic shoes

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Ralph Lauren Tweed Blazer – Wear It Wednesday

I wore a blazer on a date in high school. It’s kind of cringey thinking about it. I’m sure my date was not exactly like, “oooh, cute girl in a blazer.” But, for some reason I thought sharing that bit of embarassing information would explain that the dozen+ blazers in my closet could be justified if you knew I had a long-standing love of them.

Anywho, I love this Ralph Lauren Blazer. I’d wear it anywhere. Probably on a date with my husband. And it’s his birthday today, so “ooooh, cute wife in a blazer,” right babe?

  • jacket, Ralph Lauren, eBay
  • shirt, Ann Taylor, new
  • pants, Loft, new
  • shoes, Miz Mooz, Nordstrom Rack

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Finding Your Brand Elsewhere – Wear It Wednesday

Have you ever found the perfect pair of jeans? You love the way they fit, but then something damages them or you go back for a second pair and they’re discontinued? I want to share what I do in that situation!

I found that I really like the way Pilcro & The Letterpress jeans fit me. They’re sold at Anthropologie and are a little more pricey. So when I wanted to get a few more pairs of pants in that brand, I started with eBay. Yep, eBay! I found these pumpkin/rust colored Pilcro jeans on eBay. Since I already knew my size in their brand, I was willing to take a risk that these would fit me like I expected them to. (Although, even within some brands different colors fit differently. But that was a risk I was willing to take.) In the past I have done this for other brands on PoshMark, too.

  • Jean Jacket – bought new from GAP about 10 years ago
  • Striped Shirt – Old Navy, available now
  • Jeans – Pilcro & The Letterpress from eBay
  • Loafers – Sperry from TJ Maxx

Hope you’re having a great week!

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Costco Street Taco Kit – Meal Plan Monday

After a very busy weekend, it’s days like today when I am especially thankful that I have a meal plan. I usually make a meal plan on Thursday or Friday for the following week, because I do our grocery shopping on Thursday or Friday. I have a separate meal plan for weekends that involves things like make ahead casseroles and meals that aren’t labor intensive. Our family sets aside time for worship and Sabbath rest on the weekends, and I do my best to make sure we aren’t running around doing errands or housework.

*gf is for gluten free. Ken is allergic to gluten.

Our family loves this Street Taco Kit from Costco, and it makes dinner SO EASY. Have you tried it yet? I like to serve it with rice and beans, or in this case, with chips and guacamole. If you’re serving it with rice and beans, don’t forget you can make those ahead of time to save time.

The kit comes with precooked chicken, shredded cheese, cabbage slaw, cilantro lime crema (YUM), salsa, limes, and 12 corn tortillas. It is sold per pound. For someone to buy all of the ingredients separately it would cost much more than the price of the kit. Not to mention, the meat is already cooked for you! We have found that there’s always more meat than fits in the tacos, so we usually count on having leftovers for someone’s lunch the next day. It is a lot more food than it looks like packed into the container.

Have you found a similar dinner kit somewhere else? Please share it with me! I am always on the hunt for new dinner ideas. If you have questions about any of the other meals on this week’s Meal Plan above, feel free to ask.

~Abby

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Classic Wool Sweater – Wear It Wednesday

I’m a big fan of having classic staples in a wardrobe, and a tan wool sweater is a perfect example of one. There are dozens of ways to wear one, and here is just one example:

This is a lightweight wool sweater from Ralph Lauren that I like to layer over a button up. I’ve paired it with some worn jeans and Coach loafers for a casual look. But it would totally work for the office with some nice pants. The whole look is pretty timeless, so invest in pieces that will hold up well over time.

  • Sweater – Ralph Lauren Sport
  • Blue Shirt – Old Navy
  • Jeans – Kut from the Kloth
  • Shoes – Coach

I have put together similar pieces for you to find if you want to recreate this look. You can click HERE or the photo below to find my commissionable links for these pieces.

I hope you’re having a great week!

~Abby

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Costco Rotisserie Chicken – Meal Plan Monday

The hardest part of cooking dinner is coming up with what to cook for dinner. I tell my family, “Just tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll cook it.” At the end of the day I’m tired, standing in front of a pantry full of ingredients, and no clue of what to cook.

A few years ago I started meal planning and meal prepping. Knowing ahead of time what’s for dinner, and knowing that I have all of the ingredients ready to go makes cooking SO much easier.

So each week, I’ll plan our Monday through Friday meals. If there are any shortcuts I can do ahead of time to cut down on cooking time or expenses, then I will plan those out, too. So here’s our meal plan for this week. (above) Two of the meals (Monday and Tuesday) are chicken dishes, and I thought I’d show you how I save money and time on chicken dishes. And here’s my secret…Costco Rotisserie Chickens.

Costco rotisserie chickens are much bigger than the average grocery store rotisserie chicken. I don’t substitute a grocery store rotisserie chicken, because it doesn’t give the same amount of meat, and they’re more expensive. Costco rotisserie chickens are $4.99. They aren’t priced per pound; it’s simply $4.99. So when you are buying them, buy the biggest ones they have set out. I love them because they’re cheap AND they’re already cooked.

After I bring them home, I immediately take all of the chicken off of the bones and put it into freezer bags. Depending on what meals I have planned and how much meat is on the chicken, I usually divide it into one or two pounds in each bag. And next, unless I am cooking with it that very same day, I put it into the freezer. Trust me on this – If you aren’t cooking with it that day – put it into the freezer. Think of all those bags of spinach and salads you throw away. The same thing will happen with meat. Life happens and plans change. When you are ready to use it, just put it in the mircrowave on the defrost setting. You can finish warming it up in a pan or in the oven.

We use this in a lot of ways. Sometimes I do leave some in the fridge for lunches. We use it for salads, soups, chilis, wraps, and much more. This week I am using this chicken for a chicken, broccoli, rice casserole and chicken enchiladas. Since both of those meals will also use rice, I cooked rice ahead of time, too. HERE is the link for the chicken/broccoli/rice casserole. And HERE is the link for the chicken enchilada recipe I use. I make the chicken/broccoli/rice casserole gluten free by using Pacific Foods brand cream of chicken condensed soup, and I top it with 4C brand gluten free seasoned bread crumbs. I also don’t use Minute Rice – I precook rice for the week. To save the most amount of time with the chicken/broccoli/rice casserole, prepare it completely ahead of time and put it the fridge. Put it into the oven when you’re ready to eat it.

I’ll talk about it more in another blog post, but I do all of our meal prep Sunday evening or Monday. I do our grocery shopping on Thursdays or Fridays. We try our very hardest to reserve Saturdays and Sundays as days of rest.

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