Thanksgiving Mantel Decor

As I write this, I'm patting myself on the back.  Why?  Because it's still over two weeks until Thanksgiving day, and I've got my few decorations already well in place.  I'm ready.

Just call me Martha Stewart.

Although I have a few other things placed around the house, the main act happens up on the fireplace mantel.  I've got a nicely filled basket of gourds and berries on my kitchen island,

and a welcoming turkey on my front door.

Please disregard the "Holiday Overlap" infraction going on there.  That pumpkin needs to go.

I put a couple of nesting boxes on the fireplace hearth,

and then I got to work on the mantel display.

I wasn't overly crafty again this time.   I've been traveling a lot and away on many weekends, so that just hasn't left much time for crafting.  Most of my Thanksgiving pieces have been purchased and collected over the last three years.

I started by scattering some artificial fall colored leaves across the length of the mantel, and then created a centerpiece with this GIVE THANKS plate.

I placed some pumpkins and gourds to the right,

and some more of them to the left of the plate.

For several days, that's how it all sat.

However, I kept looking at it, and every time I'd stand back and look, I'd feel like there was still a little sumthin sumthin missing.

There's a story here.  For about the last three years, I've been oogling over some Thanksgiving Indian and Pilgrim figurines on display at my local food store.  Weird place for that stuff, I know.

My stingy self just couldn't bear to spend the money they were asking for those four pieces though.  So for three years now, I've looked longingly at them, and then walked away.

Finally this year, I wondered if they'd be for sale again, and so the last time I went for groceries, I looked for them.  They were nowhere to be found, and so I assumed they had all been sold.

You can imagine my glee when I saw them on a clearance table, right near the checkout aisles, and offered at a substantially reduced price to boot.

Of course I bought them.  They are solid wood and although I've waited three years to buy them, they finally add that little extra sumthin sumthin that the display needs.

Here are the Indians,

and of course, the Pilgrims:

I think the figurines added just that little touch that was needed.  I'm all for simple, cheap, and easy-to-do decorating, and I'm happy with the way it all looks together.

(Just pay no attention to the fact that some of those pumpkins and gourds are as tall as the people.  It's OK.)