Fall Pheasant Dinner Party

We had the most lovely people for dinner Saturday night.  In keeping with the fall season, I used a reproduction  Black Forest carved pheasant as part of the centerpiece, and a theme for the table.  It is made from a resin composite, but it has a rustic, unrefined quality that keeps this tablescape from being too stuffy. 

I started with a cream and taupe damask tablecloth that I got from Pottery Barn last year.  Note the oak leaves and acorns!!!!  Love it!!!  These colors keep the tablescape cooler than most fall collections.

Since I only had six taupe straw ruffled placemats, I used cream linen under the placesettings at the ends of the table.  The cream plates from Crate and Barrel are embossed with oak leaves and acorns.  They don't carry them anymore, unfortunately, because I would love to replace the one I broke.  I topped them with these dark brown pottery salad plates from Target.

Tennille and Company carries these etched glasses that I used for water.  Acorns, again!  Then I used plain stemmed glasses from Tiffany's for wine.

I've also used these dark brown linen napkins quite a few times, but this time I put these carved bone napkin rings at some placesettings and celluloid rings with others.

I love the detail on these painted metal placecard holders.  The bittersweet makes them wonderful on a fall table.  This is one guest who couldn't make it, but I really, really wish she could have.  Maybe soon!

Here's the centerpiece.  I sat it in the center of an oasis ring. 

Most of these flowers are real, but I added some artificial items like the bittersweet, acorns, velvet leaves, wheat, and velvet seed pods.

I tried to restrain the color palate to keep the tones pale and subdued, but I wasn't able to find the exact flowers I was looking for. 

This is a close up of this same "scape" I did last year, and I was more successful in limiting my colors and tones in this arrangement.  I like it much better.

These old wooden candlesticks are filled with faux bois candles.  They are actually dark brown, but look a little striped in this afternoon sunlight.

                                     

 These woven straw wine coasters are hard workers, too.

Here's the whole table.  We actually had too many guests to fit at one table, so we used the one in the breakfast room for four more.  We teased that group that they were at the "kid's table".  I'll post about that table soon.  It was another green and brown arrangement.  I promise I'm about done with those colors.  I'm afraid you don't think I can do anything other than green and brown.  I'm about ready to move on!  

I almost never use paper products, but these cocktail napkins were just too perfect to pass up. 

Here's the coffee tray.  Since we were split up for dinner, the whole group got back together in the living room for coffee.

This teapot was a hostess gift a year or so ago.  Sometimes people really hit the nail on the head.  I absolutely love it!

 

With the leftover flowers, I made a small arrangement for in one of the guest bathrooms.  Doesn't that wallpaper look like the dining room tablecloth?  It's my very favorite wallpaper pattern.  It's a classic Osborne and Little design and I've had it in three houses and in two colorways.

This black tole display piece holds more gourds and mini pumpkins in the living room.

This little arrangement went into the other guest bath. 

Menu:

Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates

Topped with Walnuts

Roasted Pear Salad with Saga Blue Cheese

Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Fall Fruits

Rosemary Oven Roasted Heirloom Potatoes

Carrot Souffle

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with

Caramel Sauce

I'm linking up with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for her Tablescape Thursday blog party, and the Style Sisters' Centerpiece Wednesday party.  Be sure to visit them and you'll be amazed at the creativity you'll see.