Let's set the table for...some festive trolls!

(Back from our honeymoon and feeling refreshed! Can't wait to share some photos from our amazing adventures on safari!)

After Tom and I got engaged and received a few engagement gifts, I decided that since we had already been living together for a few years, I was going to keep all of our gifts boxed up until after the wedding.  Since we would be missing out on some of that excitement of moving in together after the wedding, or moving into a new house together, I figured this would be my small way of getting to enjoy something new once all the hoop-la of shower! wedding! honeymoon! died down.

So when I saw that some one of my favorite bloggers, Kim from NewlyWoodwards was hosting her annual Dare to DIY! linky parties, I knew I wanted to challenge myself to get involved in a least a few of the tasks!  (I missed the first week since we were away on the ole' HM.) This week is Dare to...Entertain! Do I really need a better excuse to break out all of the fun stuff I received at my shower?

I started with my new dinnerware - Anthropologie's Fleur De Lys plates, some old wine glasses from Ikea a few years back, and some gold chargers that were gifted to me.

While setting up this table I came to an overwhelming conclusion.  I need to stock up on some tablecloths, napkins, and table runners.  I had to resort to using bar rags (never been used, but still!) as my napkins.  Now I know what I can ask for this year for Christmas! 

Part of the rules are obviously to DIY something for the table setting.  The moss cans were part of the decor at my wedding, which we made ourselves. I pinned this picture from Martha when we first got engaged and we tweaked her tutorial to suite our needs (we simply sprayed tacky glue on cans, affixed our moss, and wrapped chicken wire around the can, making the cans reusable).  The paper rosettes were also handmade and part our wedding theme. I love that I am able to incorporate little pieces of our wedding into other holidays! It's a nice little reminder of that day even though our minds are on things like Santa and snow.

Part of my ethnic background is Norwegian, and I've always loved incorporating some of the traditional holiday decor into our home this time of year.  Lots of straw ornaments, somewhat "ugly" trolls, some blue and gold and lots of red!  I've always had a soft spot for certain items that some might call ugly items, and these kids are a perfect example of that.

I'm linking up over on Decor and the Dog, Maybe Matilda, Newly Woodwards and Two Twenty One - go check them out to see what other crafty entertaining ideas other people came up with!