"I'll stop wearing black when they invent a darker color..."

I love Wednesday Addams. Her dry humor, love of black, peter-pan collars, and lack of f*@%s given makes her my kind of girl. It also just so happened that my favorite Halloween movie is The Addams Family. Since I was in a pinch for time and my original costume plans fell through it was the perfect opportunity to DIY this maven of wit's look. See other quick costumes ideas here: The Lazy Girl's (Or Last Minute) Guide to DIY Halloween Costumes
Get the Look: 

I really love decorating for the holidays! But living in a Bay Area apartment = no space. If you're like me-or even simply interested in decorating alternatives-check out these small space holiday decor ideas.

Milk Decoration

Kit & Forage

Dans Le Lake House

Forever Love

Homey Oh My

The Merry Thought

Hello Lidy

Oleander and Palm

Front + Main

Domino

I'll update this later this week when I get a couple good pictures of my own alternative tree I DIY'd for this year's Christmas.

Do you decorate with a tree, even if you don't have the room for it? 
Which is you favorite alternative "tree"?
Would you use any of these ideas to create own small space seasonal look? 

If you are like me, you've been madly searching Pinterest for some "Pinspiration" to decorate your home for the holidays, winter DIY crafts, and all things wrapping paper. It can be overwhelming (but I'm not complaining!). I consider my Pinterest time as unlogged therapeutic hours. Here is a round of my favorite December pins that helped me get into the seasonal mood.

If you wish to see more follow me on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/theabstractlife 

Blue:

1 // Anthro Mug  2 // Mid Century Modern Christmas Decor  3 // Berry Merry Cocktail  4 // Lightning Wrapping Paper

Green:

Tell a "Story": Are you bright, bold, and festive? Glamorous, sparkly, and fun? Or natural, minimal, and subtle? Pick a color scheme and incorporate seasonal elements that shows what story you are trying to tell. I chose to heirloom pumpkins' muted oranges, grays, and yellows as my color scheme and incorporated organic wood tones, clean whites, and copper. I repeated my "story" with in the serveware, food, and flowers.

Variety in Height: Think vertical as well as horizontal! Tiered serveware conserves space while moving the eye easily around the sideboard. Cake stands show off elegant desserts while allowing shallower dishes park below. Keep the eye moving across the table with variation.

Practical(ish): While it might be tempting to go all out, think [somewhat] practically. For example-I prefer to use flameless candles, if any, where serving food. I hate anyone to have to worry about catching their sleeve on fire or knocking it over while grabbing seconds of mashed potatoes. Additionally, allowing your serveware to step up as part of your decor saves room and makes it festive. I love my ceramic pumpkins that serve as decor AND soup or casserole dishes.

Decor: Know your theme and stick with it! If it's plaid and bright colors then go all out and sprinkle in festive orange pumpkins everywhere. If you're glamorous and sparkly put a glittered table cloth over your sideboard and cover the stop with dark, dramatic dishes. I chose a more muted, subtle scheme and wanted organic elements such as pinecones, antlers, and heirloom pumpkins. Also: it never hurts to add some flowers if you have the room. It instantly makes a space feel celebratory.

Planning: Round up your serveware, dishes, utensils, and little kitchen goods the day before or morning of. Lay out your sideboard's plan early in the day before guests arrive. Make sure you have enough space for all the dishes. If someone is bringing a dish always think about where you will save them a spot on the buffet.

Create Order: While life is short and I never object to eating dessert first, not everyone agrees. Think about the natural progression of making a plate of food and the flow of traffic. Which side should the buffet line start? Do you start with salads and work you way to the main course? etc...

Labels: While not necessary for small groups, if you have a large group you can save the trouble of answering "What is this?" thirty times with dish labels. This is also really considerate for people with food allergies / concerns.


How do you plan for serving your Thanksgiving food? 
What would be the "story" you'd like to tell with your color scheme and decor? 
How would you describe your Thanksgiving style? 
Do you prefer buffet style, pre-plated, or on the table? 

• 1 Daiya Chocolate Cheezecake OR their New York Cheezecake (Your Choice! I found mine in the freezer aisle at Whole Foods). 
• 1 container of Sunshine Raspberries, washed and dried. (I like Sunshine for Thanksgiving due to their golden-orange color and tartness, but you can substitute regular raspberries too). 
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp coconut oil 
• 1/2 tsp natural vanilla extract 
• 1/2 bar dairy free dark chocolate bar, (optional)

What is your favorite, easy recipe? 
Do you ever potluck your Thanksgivings or do you love to do it alone? 
What's your favorite recipe / dish? 

 Get the Look: 

• World Market's Ivory Ceramic Pumpkin Casserole Baker (Was $20, on sale now $10). 
• Martha Stewart Collection Harvest Collection - Lidded Harvest Pumpkin Soup Tureen (Was $109, on sale now $43)