A GIVING FRIENDSGIVING

Nov 14, 2019

With the theme of Thanksgiving being rooted in connecting cross-culturally to expand our circle of compassion, why not incorporate that concept into your holiday gathering with something that pays homage to that very same theme?
The Fair Trade Goods found in our marketplace celebrates the very same things as we do with Thanksgiving. As we find gratitude when recognizing the bounty we possess, we choose to make our tables bigger by including others.
This Friendsgiving Celebration showcased here shows how to incorporate fair trade items from our marketplace into your holiday gathering with style.
Along with a beautiful breakfast spread of organic fruits and fresh-baked pastries, this tablescape includes hand-carved bowls, mugs, serving pieces, and cutlery along with hand-weaved baskets and bowls, African Mudcloth, and fall florals.THE SETTING:
Nestled on a picturesque property along the Historic Route 66 in Central Illinois, this setting rich in fall colors and golden sunlight was the perfect location for this Fair Trade Friendsgiving celebration. The family’s vintage Airstream camper resting under the enormous oak tree created the perfect backdrop for the intimate gathering.
From the words of Joanna Gaines "There are two things that I think truly welcome the season of entertaining: good food and a set dining table.” This beautiful wood table with bench and chairs provided the foundation from which to build upon.COLORS. The warmth of the wood tones paired with macrame and mud cloth brought the cozy vibe while black, white, and brown tones allowed the colors of the food to pop.FLOWERS. The AMAZING girls at Main Street Florist in the historic Carlinville Square crafted the flowers. Why splurge? Having a professional create stunning pieces adds texture and movement across the table, plus it saves you time in preparation.SERVEWARE. Our place settings definitely stole the show for this gathering. Classic ceramic plates added more elegance while coupled with hand carved wood bowls, mugs, serving utensils, and bone serveware created a warm and welcoming look.

The sisal, woven baskets are woven by artisans in Gitarama, Rwanda. The women extract the sisal fibers from agave plants, then hand-dye and weave them into these beautiful works of art. In addition to making a beautiful table display, each sisal Rwandan basket comes with a string attached to the back so that you can hang it can also be hung as art. ACCESSORIES. We coupled handmade Sisal bowls which sat on top of a simple, macrame table runner. We used rustic wood logs to add height and more ways to display. Warm mud-cloth blankets were laid on top of benches to bring intimacy. A tepee adorned with a beautiful hand made dream catcher was the perfect spot for the kids to gather and play.Homemade Apple Cider Recipe
10 large apples, quartered
1/2 orange, halved
4 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. whole allspice
1 whole nutmeg
1/2 c. packed brown sugar

DIRECTIONS
• In a large stockpot over medium heat, add apples, oranges, spices, and brown sugar. Cover with water by at least 2”. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 2 hours.
• Remove orange halves, then use a potato masher or wooden spoon to mash apples. Return to a simmer and let simmer uncovered for 1 hour more.
• Strain through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on solids with a wooden spoon to squeeze all juices out. Discard solids.
• Serve apple cider warm.