Hi all! I am on an airplane today, but we have the lovely and talented Chelsea Fuss from one of my all-time favorite blogs, {frolic!}, here to share a fruit and floral autumn centerpiece that you can do yourself.

1. Gather containers from your kitchen and from friends and family. Choose a variety (3 heights, 3 finishes) but make sure there is a little bit of repetition. Here, I’ve chosen white bowls from my kitchen (from Crate & Barrel and Target), vintage milk bottles (from my mother’s collection) and little china plates (from my grandmother). This will save on cost. Plus, all the containers can be returned to their owners filled with gorgeous blossoms or yummy fruit.

2. Find a friend with a dahlia garden (I was lucky enough to be able to cut armloads from a friend’s garden right before they were ready to dig up the tubers). If you don’t have a friend with a garden, dahlias in season will still be quite inexpensive at a local farm. Here, I cut only the ones that looked pretty to me and only within the same color family blush, apricot, and coral. Stick to one color per container.

3. For the roundy moundy arrangements, gather 3 or 4 blossoms in your hand and cut them very short. Sit them all together in one half of the container and make sure they are resting on the rim and then add another two or three groupings. They will hold each other up. (you can also use foam, frogs, or grids if you prefer those methods).

4. For the taller arrangements, I chose a less dense flower (single-petaled dahlia) to let it all breathe a little. Stick one or two stems in those (I have no rules about height, just clip the stem until it looks good to you). Make sure you have some that are the same for repetition’s sake.

5. Lastly, pile seasonal fruits on china plates and intermix with the flower arrangements.

6. I’ve placed my centerpiece on a beautiful mango-colored raw silk runner. It helps to reinforce the color story and add texture. If you are a talented seamstress or have a friend or family member who sews, I suggest making colorful runners. Then you can just rent plain, floor-length linens for underneath. Or, better yet use rustic farm tables.

A huge thank you to Chelsea for stopping by today and sharing your creativity with us! If you’re in the Portland area and are looking for someone to design your next party (or wedding!), then Chelsea’s your girl – she is now taking on small events for 2009. You can read all about it here, and check out her portfolio here.