2 In DIY

Last Minute Thanksgiving Table Decor

Bring something unexpected to the table this year. Floral expert, Molly of Studio Emme, teaches us how to create beautiful, sculptural centerpieces as Thanksgiving table decor!

Want to do something modern, fun, and unexpected with your Thanksgiving table decor this year? Learn how to make these sculptural arrangements from my floral design friend and brainchild behind Studio Emme, Molly Yee. These arrangements use a few less flowers than your typical arrangement allowing the iconic blooms (Molly’s term for showstopping, statement flowers) to really shine.

Floral frogs placed in small bowls and plates serve as the foundation, and give the impression that the stems defy gravity by standing on end. If you’ve never heard of floral frogs, they’re essentially round metal weights with a series of pins to affix flowers to.

Molly’s flower shops, Studio Emme in the Twin Cities carry a great selection of unique iconic blooms like ranunculus, mums, peonies, etc. that grocery stores just don’t have, and you can buy them by the stem, so you don’t need to buy big bunches of several kinds of flowers, especially if you’re only making a few centerpieces.

Let’s get down to brass tacks, shall we?

Materials:

Floral frogs
Small bowls or plates with a lip. Make sure plates have a good sized lip to hold enough water to cover the frog in order to keep the flowers hydrated.
Iconic blooms (statement flowers) such as ranunculus
Supporting foliage such as blue thistle, billy balls, broom corn grass
Scissors
Sticky clay (optional)

Center a frog in each dish and add enough water in the dish to cover the base of the frog. For added insurance against tipping, use sticky clay to affix frog to vessel.
Molly says to start with one or two iconic blooms to establish the focal point of the grouping.
Then add supporting flowers and foliage add varying heights to fill in around the iconic blooms. It’s all about counter-balancing the weight of the iconic blooms.

The finished pieces are beautifully textural with a height of no more than 10″, which means they won’t block cross-table conversations. Their sculptural composition make them sure to be as much conversation pieces as they are Thanksgiving table decor.