Nature-Inspired Holiday Dining

I'm crazy over birds.  I know they've been popular for a while now, but my love of them goes back to my childhood on the dairy farm when I'd rescue baby cliff swallows from the barn cats after their little mud nests had broke.  I spent most of my time in the summer hunting down food for the little guys to eat and eventually set them free when they were big enough.

My love of birds has continued over the years and my much of my decorating style revolves around nature-inspired elements like birds, nests, branches, and moss.  When it came to decide what my holiday table was going to include this year, I knew that it needed to be subtle, muted and coincide with my new dining room that I just finished furnishing.

I don't have any specific Christmas dishes so I keep it casual with with my favorite bird dishes.  With the kids eating at the table, I don't have to worry about breaking fine china. 

To add a little more "Christmas" feeling to the table, I simply used my favorite fancy ornaments and attached little bird tags for place-setters for the guests.

Some glowing candles, little sweets, rock placemats, wood shaving orbs, walnuts, fresh greenery, and cotton all help complete the Christmas-nature theme...

Someday I'll find a set of french chairs for this room, but for now I'm working with what I have (wicker chairs from Craigslist and sprayed painting in an almond-ivory color).  The upholstered dining bench was my splurge, but I still bought it at a very reasonable cost.

Adding to the nature, bird-themed decor...

And to think that the room looked like this at the end of August and sat empty until October! 

Linking up to:

No Minimalist Here Christmas Block Party

The Lettered Cottage Tablescapes for Christmas

Between Naps on the Front Porch Tablescape Party

My Romantic Home

Censational Girl