Photo by countryliving.com This pumpkin centerpiece is very seasonal, and doesn't seem like it would be very difficult to make.

I know, I know ... You're scrambling to prepare for Thanksgiving. Between errands to the grocery store, pie-baking, and last-minute cleaning, there's no extra time.

But with the right materials and a few minutes to spare, you can create a striking centerpiece for your dinner table or sideboard. And your guests will be very impressed. (Isn't that the whole point of hosting Thanksgiving dinner, anyway? ... Just kidding.)

At a loss for creative centerpiece ideas? These photos from Domino magazine will get you started.

Need step-by-step directions? Check out this tutorial, with photos, from Country Living magazine.

And if you're at a total loss for how to set the table, Martha Stewart can help with the basics. Click here for the cheat sheet from Blueprint magazine.

	Photo by Washington and Lee University and Daiku Woodworking From top: Japanese tea room and preparation area at Washington and Lee University; Exterior and interior views of a tea room by Daiku Woodworking

Dr. Janet Ikeda, of Washington and Lee University, was the featured guest lecturer at FCC a couple of weeks ago. The topic: Aesthetics of the Japanese Tea Ceremony. I decided to attend sort of on a whim, and I’m really glad I did. The tea ceremony has a long history (over 800 years) and is an intricate, 4-5 hour process consisting of two servings of tea, a full meal, two servings of sweets, and a long list of formalities. But there are some simple, underlying principles that can help us make our homes more pleasant for our guests and for ourselves.

Lessons learned:

Interview with Dr. Janet Ikeda on NPR (Windows Media Player)

Dr. Ikeda had some fantastic photos in her presentation, and I've emailed her to request a few of them for publication on this blog. I'll post them as soon as I hear back from her.

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