Celebrate the beauty of the season with a Thanksgiving table that reflects the warmth and abundance of fall. 🍂 Soft plaid layers, copper accents, and a touch of natural harvest charm, come together in this lakeside Thanksgiving table setting featuring an easy DIY Indian Corn Vase + floral centerpiece you can assemble in just 30 minutes!
Happy Monday and November!
It’s one of my favorite days of the month, when I join my
Monday Morning Blooms’ friends to share some flower therapy.
We’re excited to welcome back Sarah, from Hyacinths for the Soul,
joining us as a special guest ‘bloomer’ today.
You can find my Monday Morning Blooms friends’ floral inspiration at the bottom of this post.
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Our common theme for November’s edition of Monday Morning Bloom was ‘Thanksgiving’.
🍂 🦃 🍁
Regular readers know that I love harvest season and all things fall! Thanksgiving is the best of both, gathering together with family, friends and delicious food.
Join me a table for Thanksgiving that combines harvest textures and natural beauty, featuring an easy DIY Indian Corn Vase and floral centerpiece that comes together in just 30 minutes!
You won’t believe how easy and simple it is to make a DIY Indian Corn Vase—just 10 minutes to transform a plain glass vase into a stunning rustic showpiece, rich with fall color and texture! Fill with flowers for a harvest-inspired table centerpiece that sets the perfect tone for gratitude and gathering.
🌽 DIY Indian Corn Vase & Floral Centerpiece
This project is as easy as it is impressive, and guaranteed to add a rustic harvest note to your Thanksgiving table! It’s a favorite ‘go-to’ method for a creating a Thanksgiving centerpiece that uses Indian Corn, a symbol of harvest.
Note: The low moisture and sugar content of the kernels of Indian Corn gives it a long shelf life. I store it in a lidded plastic bin to use from one year to the next. It will keep in climate-controlled spot for a several years for your fall / Thanksgiving decorating.
Here’s what you’ll need; you can assemble your vase to fill with the flowers of your choice in less than 10 minutes! How many ears of corn you’ll need will depend on the size of your vase and corn.
🦃 A glass cylinder vase (mine is 8” tall x 6” wide)
🦃 Ears of Indian corn; I used 15 large ears / 5 bundles
🦃 Large rubber or elastic bands; I used a Dollar Tree stretchy headband which works great!
🦃 Ribbon of your choice to cover elastic band; I used a wire-edge double satin ribbon
🦃 Chicken wire for arranging flowers
🦃 Seasonal flowers and foliage
Optional: I find it easier to work on a Lazy Susan turntable so the corn stays in place as I turn the vase to add the ears.
Instructions:
🦃 Remove the husks by snapping them off each ear of corn.
🦃 Slip a large elastic band around your vase.
🦃 Tuck ears of corn under the band until the vase is covered.
🦃 Tie decorative ribbon around the vase to hide the band.
🦃 Insert a piece of chicken wire inside the vase to support your flower stems.
🦃 Fill with water and floral preservative and start arranging your blooms.
Note: Some of my ears of corn were slightly shorter than the height of my vase but the height difference is concealed by the floral material.
For my floral mix, I combined branches of fall leaves, Chaste Tree (Vitex) seed pods, sprigs of Adagio Maiden Grass, and clusters of Nandina berries, accented with mums, sunflowers, and apples from the grocery store for a pop of seasonal color.
To tuck in the apples, simply insert bamboo skewers into the bottom and nestle them among the flowers; you can break off the skewers for the height needed.
🌻 Tips for Longer-Lasting Flowers
🦃 Cut stems at a 45-degree angle for better water uptake.
🦃 Strip any leaves below the waterline.
🦃 When using foliage or flowers with woody stems, remove 3 – 4 inches of the outer wood with a vegetable peeler to help the stems ‘drink’ and stay fresh longer.
🦃 Add floral preservative to your vase water. Check your water level to top it off as needed, changing your water every other day if possible, to reduce bacteria.
🦃 Keep your arrangement out of direct sun or heat.
🦃 Finish with a mist of Floralife Clear Crowning Glory Solution to seal in moisture. (Add apples afterwards so they remain food-safe for eating/ baking!)
I can’t say enough good things about Floralife Clear Crowning Glory Solution!
If you’re not familiar with it, Crowning Glory is an anti-transpirant spray that seals in moisture and prolongs the life of your flowers and arrangement!
It dries clear and is safe to use on all flower types. I’ve had flowers last as long as two weeks and it helps extend the life and vibrant color of those fall leaves that would typically fall off a day or so after cutting.
Crowning Glory will dry within 30 minutes to an hour, depending the temperature and humidity.
Note: Wait to spray roses after they are open with Crowning Glory as it will prohibit them from opening further.
🪶 Setting the Table Lakeside
Our November weather is often mild here by the lake, with afternoons in the 60s or 70s — perfect for outdoor dining!
There’s a nip in the air this morning, so there’s a plaid throw waiting for your lap to keep you warm and cozy!
A plaid tablecloth provides a foundation, while Harvest Pumpkin Turkey Salad Plates featuring a proud Tom turkey, acorns, and chrysanthemums take center stage.
They’re layered atop Harvest Wreath plates, are wreathed with fruit, gourds and nuts, served on ‘feathers’ stoneware chargers.
Layered napkins — floral and ruffled — are tied together with ‘Give Thanks’ napkin rings.
Copper flatware and amber goblets add a warm, harvest glow.
“The more you practice the art of thankfulness, the more you have to be thankful for.”
– Norman Vincent Peale
“We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count.”
– Neal Maxwell
“The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.”
– William Blake
“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.”
– W.T. Purkiser
“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
– Randy Pausch
“The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us.”
– James E. Faust
“Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day.”
– Robert Caspar Lintner
Table Details:
Harvest Pumpkin Turkey Salad Plates and Wreath Plate / Williams-Sonoma, several years ago
‘Feathers’ Stoneware Round Serving Platters, used as chargers / John Derian for Target, last year
Napkins / HomeGoods & Pier 1
Tablecloth / HomeGoods, several years ago
Give Thanks Napkin Rings / Crown Linen Designs, several years ago
Flatware / Cambridge Silversmiths Jessamine Copper
Amber Goblets / Pfaltzgraff
Whether your Thanksgiving celebration is alfresco or indoors, this DIY Indian Corn Vase adds a festive touch of fall that’s quick, easy, and full of harvest charm. It’s a simple project that looks far more elaborate than it is — and one you can enjoy all season long, refreshing your flowers as needed!
Visit my flower friends to see their beautiful fall floral inspiration:
Lidy at FrenchGardenHouse
Pam at Everyday Living
Sarah at Hyacinths for the Soul
Thank you for your visit, sharing with:
Between Naps on the Porch
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Mary, this is so rich in style and colors of the season! I have some Indian corn now, so I’m definitely going to try this when my current flower arrangement is spent. You’ve made a really bountiful arrangement with the garden and grocery items. I LOVE the plate stack, and it’s a perfect weather week for the lakeside setting. Happy MMB!
Good morning, Mary. The corduroy leaf pillow is amazing in the first photo! Wow, the lakeside table is stunning and is a lovely place to dine. I have been thinking for several years that I should make an Indian corn vase and with your easy to follow tutorial, I just need to get busy. The arrangement of fall leaves, seed pods, sprigs of maiden grass, berries, with mums, sunflowers, and apples is fabulous! The WS Harvest Pumpkin Turkey and Wreath plates and John Derian serving platters are the perfect Thanksgiving dishware! The weather by the lake looks ideal for alfresco dining.
It is always a pleasure to join you for Monday Morning Blooms! Wishing you a gorgeous November week!
Love your posts. I might try this vase this year. Thank you for inspiration.
That corn vase is really wonderful. I’m going to have to try that one year. I’ll need the vessel first, so I’m going to start looking. Everything is just perfection on your table. I love the plate stack, particularly that top dish with the turkey and the black background. I’ve not seen those before and I thought I had pretty much seen everything available for Thanksgiving. I also love the sweet napkin rings with the words “Give thanks“ on them. Lovely, Mary.
“Ingenious,” as corny as that sounds, love this idea!!
franki
Mary, your wealth of ideas and talent for sharing them is never ending. Seeing your gorgeous setting lakeside and reading each of the beautiful quotes makes me stop and linger. I’ve scrolled up and down several times, lingering at various photos each time. The plate stack is just gorgeous. I want to find some of the harvest wreath plates! As if I need to be buying more plates! They are just a perfect touch! I have the large John Derian chargers and his turkey plates. They are on my table for tomorrow’s hop, but I’ve never found a good dinner to use with them. I love the colored majolica ones you used with your John Derian plates years ago. Thank you for the never ending inspiration!
Your Indian Corn vase took me back to a fun sister memory. My sister arrived some years ago with Indian Corn to create one of these. We didn’t know what we were doing and the project did not go as smoothly as you make it look. She had difficulty finding even size ears of corn. I think because it was late in the season. Anyway, we used the ears of corn at the side of each place setting instead. It was the last Thanksgiving we had together. I need to try again, and make one in Nancy’s honor to take to her families Thanksgiving gathering. Again, thank you for the inspiration and also for inviting me to join as a guest bloomer today.
Happy November, dear friend!
Mary, Your lakeside Thanksgiving table is beautiful! The Indian corn arrangement is perfect for fall and Thanksgiving especially! The table setting is so pretty with the gorgeous linens and lovely dishes. Thanks for the great tutorial. I use those Dollar Tree headbands for lots of projects. They are so handy, especially for file folders you are carrying around and you want it to stay intact. Enjoy your day. Clara❤️
Just beautiful ! It really showcases Fall and all things we need to be thankful for. I won’t be hosting this year since I just had hip replacement surgery, but this will go into my Pinterest stash for future reference.
Thank you Mary for always sharing and inspiring.
Donna
Good morning, Mary. What a stunning place to enjoy a meal, breakfast,lunch and/ or dinner ! Your lakeside table is such a gorgeous place to dine- I wish I could join you there. The Indian corn vase is wonderful, your easy to follow tutorial shows exactly how to do it, I might make it with my ( not so) little people this year.
Your floral arrangement of sunflowers, mums, pods, grass, berries, and apples is so beautiful.! And all the colors on the table just whisper about all the joys and beauty of autumn. It is always a joy to join you for Monday Morning Blooms with all our friends. Wishing you a gorgeous November week! Lidy
Mary, a beautiful setting for Thanksgiving by the lake. A sunny day with a touch of fall in the air. Looks so peaceful and lovely.
I think I could even do an Indian corn arrangement for the table with your easy instructions. Grateful to you for inspiring me to set a pretty table and to enjoy my dishes! I so love china!
Gorgeous! Your tablescape truly captures the essence of fall. The corn vase adds whimsy and such lovely textured color. I also enjoyed your use of patterns in the table linens. Thank you for sharing!
Lovely plate stack and the Indian corn floral arrangement is so pretty. Rich warm colors for fall.
Mary, Mary, Just when I think you can’t outdo yourself, you do! This is soooo beautiful, from the vase and flowers to the lakeside setting. I could sit there for hours enjoying the beauty! Thank for the tutorial, if I can round up some Indian corn, I’m going to make a vase for Thanksgiving.
Hello Mary!
Your centerpiece is glorious. I love how you added the indian corn and apples to the beautiful flowers. Thank you always for your tutorials.
Your plate stack is gorgeous. I love each plate. But the top plate with the turkey and black background is now a favorite. Then you found those napkin rings that say Give Thanks. You are the inspiration Queen!
Thank you always for sharing your gorgeous photography.
Happy November! 🧡
Oh Mary, I am making that gorgeous arrangement!! Mine won’t be as gorgeous as yours, but I’ll try my best with the glass vase that I have. Your plate stack is so pretty on the plaid cloth with the floral napkins. Can’t Fall stick around a bit longer?? Thank you for sharing your easy arrangement for us. 🍁
Another winner! Love this Indian Corn vase idea! I remember doing your vase within a vase floral arrangement with jelly beans and chicks between the two vases. It turned out so lovely, made me feel like I was a real floral designer, lol! I will have to give this a try! Thank you Mary for bringing out the creative side in all of us!
Your table is lovely and of course I always enjoy the pictures of your beautiful lake.