Thiis post is brought to you by CJ Affiliate’s VIP Content Service. Thank you Pier 1 for sponsoring this post. While this was a sponsored opportunity from Pier 1, all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Fall is my favorite season, and I have to admit, Thanksgiving is kind of my favorite holiday.  GASP.  I know, I know…  Yes, I do love Christmas so, so, so much and of course, the meaning and celebration of Christmas is deeply important to me as a Christian.  But Thanksgiving helps transition me into the right mindset for the entire Christmas season. It kick starts the holiday season and is such a fun time to relax with friends and family that I just love it.  It gives me all the warm and cozy feelings in the world.  I can't WAIT for Thanksgiving this year.  I made a short video for you sharing my thoughts on how to create a welcoming dining room for Fall (and why it's important to me).

And unlike a lot of people, I kind of dig hosting Thanksgiving (for a reasonably sized group, that is).  I enjoy making people feeling welcome and comfortable, and for me, that all starts with getting the dining room just right.  And Pier 1 wants to help you create the perfect atmosphere by giving one of my readers a $100 gift card.  You can enter to win using the Rafflecopter below :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Though Joe and I enjoyed the old dining room furniture we purchased off of Craigslist more than 6 years ago, it really was too small for the dining room in our current house.  It was also too traditional for the vibe we are going for in this house.  So, we finally bit the bullet and invested in the table and benches we've been crushing on for a while.  Meet the Eastwood table and benches from Pier 1.  Ahhhh, I'm in love!  Check out those cables!!!!

The Eastwood series looks like it was made to match our antique banker's chairs, which we placed at the end of each table–yay!  This table can easily sit 3 on each bench and 1 at each end, for a total of 8, which is a big improvement over our old round table, which only sat 6.  Y'all, this is an incredibly sturdy table and benches. The wood is stunning and it is soooo substantial.  For the quality, it's about the best price I have ever seen (I've seen a similar table at another store and it was more than DOUBLE the price).  The combination of stellar quality + reasonable prices is why Pier 1 is one of my favorite places to shop for our home.  And I got super lucky–there were some deals going on when I ordered our furniture, so I got the table on sale for $100 off and the benches for 20%.  WOO HOO!  Don't worry–there are plenty more photos of the table and benches toward the end of this post :)

After upgrading our furniture, I was more than a little excited to make it feel warm and welcoming!  It wasn't hard to do :)  While I was at Pier 1 ordering the furniture, I drooled over everything in the store and grabbed pretty much everything I needed, including stuff for our tabletop and for our bar.  Each and every item I picked up adds so much warm, Fall ambiance to our dining room.  I'm going to be kind of sad when it's time to put away our Fall decor to decorate for Christmas!

First, let's take a look at all the lovely details from Pier 1 that I added to the room that make it perfect for Fall and Thanksgiving entertaining!  You can find a complete source list at the bottom of this post and specific sources below each photo.  This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience.  Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Antler Tiered Server

Woodland Pumpkins  |  Artificial Red Apples  |  Artificial Green Pears

Moscow Mule Mugs  |  Antler Decanter

Moscow Mule Mugs  |  Antler Decanter

Fox Tealight Candle Holder

Forest Creature Salad Plates (no longer available online, but check with your store!) There are 4 to the set and include the owl, fox, squirrel, and raccoon.

Forest Creature Salad Plates (no longer available online, but check with your store!) There are 4 to the set and include the owl, fox, squirrel, and raccoon.

Pumpkin Salad Plates  |  DIY Thankful Pillow

Faux Birch Nesting Pedestal Set (I put a glass vase inside mine to hold the flowers–you can't put water directly in the pedestal)  |  Velvet Pumpinos Branches  |  DIY Birch Place Card Holders

Velvet Pumpinos Branches  |  DIY Birch Place Card Holders

 Now, let's take a step back and soak in the room as a whole.  SQUEAL!  I absolutely love it!

I have to brag for a moment and tell you that Avery, my almost 6-year-old daughter, took that last photo.  YES, I made sure the camera settings were correct, but she chose the angle and shot it herself.  #proudmommy #futureblogger

What do you think?  Have I created a warm and welcoming space to entertain for Fall and Thanksgiving in?  What's your favorite part?

Don't forget to enter to win the $100 Pier 1 gift card before you head out. Just use the Rafflecopter below :)
<a Rafflecopter giveaway

Source List:

As promised, here's the complete source list for the Fall/Thanksgiving decor items you see in the post.

• Eastwood table and benches
• Antler Tiered Server
• Woodland Pumpkins
• Artificial Red Apples 
• Artificial Green Pears
• Moscow Mule Mugs
• Antler Decanter
• Pumpkin Salad Plates 
• DIY Thankful Pillow
• Faux Birch Nesting Pedestal Set
• Velvet Pumpinos Branches 
• DIY Birch Place Card Holders
• Forest Creature Salad Plates (no longer available online, but check with your local store!)

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