Monday, August 25, 2008

Dressing up a conference table

From this pile of $2 clearance tablecloths, dollar store mints, and marked-down lilies...

...to a table that looks a little nicer than the average meeting.

Why not take a moment to make things welcoming, especially when the cost is less than $5?

To me, putting out "the good stuff" says "you are worth the effort."

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your ideas are awesome -- and so thrifty! That's what I love! Where do you get your energy? Good job.

Kristina

Anonymous said...

Very nice. I am sure everyone at the meeting was 'blown away' with the way the conference table look. Remember to take care of yourself. Roxie

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

I continue to be so very proud of you for using the talents that God has given you.
Please take care of yourself is it weeks or months?

Melissa Lester said...

That does not look like $5! Very pretty!

Anonymous said...

Meredith - I really believe your husband is doing so well in his career at least in part because of the effort you put in to things like this. I'm sure your husband is fabulous at his job, but you're making a very real contribution and people take that into account even if they don't realize they're doing it.
Also the fact that you got out of the house at this stage in the game is pretty impressive!

Lizz @ Yes, and So is My Heart said...

Oh lovely. You've really inspired me to make the ordinary less so.

Meredith said...

Thanks! Looks like we'll be delivering in T minus 8 weeks : )

I have energy to do one thing out of the house every day--whether it's a library trip, doctor appt. or groceries. After that, I'm shot!

So I'm grateful to have had a couple of extra months left to help out my husband...while I still can : )

Mary said...

Lovely, as usual.

Sandy said...

Always the best ideas - great job Meredith. You have the "touch."

Anonymous said...

Beautiful!

Anne Marie@Married to the Empire said...

You're always inspiring. I have to tell you that a few months ago, after looking at all the pretty things you do, I made a small change in my kitchen cabinets. I used to store a box of Splenda packets right above my kettle to make sweetening my morning tea easy. I dumped the ugly box and started keeping the little packets in a crystal sugar dish that had been doing nothing up to that point. That small change was completely inspired by your lovely posts!

Anonymous said...

Meredith, so welcoming. I can't arrange flowers to save my life. Whose portrait?

deb meyers

Anonymous said...

Great presentation! You are always inspiring with that kind of stuff. :)

I hope you are feeling well.

Jennifer

Meredith said...

I couldn't get a shot of the whole arrangement--it came out pretty well with magnolia and some tall spikes from the shrubs. I had to crop most of the taller left side out of the photo.

The painting depicts a historical figure from Nashville that hangs on a little-seen wall in the conference area.

I thought it would be nice to bring it out for display. As you see it here, it is propped against a wall awaiting an easel.

I also wrote a brochure linking the history of the figure to the place where my husband works, along with some selling points, and placed those on the reception table.

I'm sure it was just a small touch, but not only did my husband's immediate supervisor come, but her boss, and then her boss' boss.

So it was well worth feeling like I helped make things nicer, even if it were only in my imagination : )

Anonymous said...

It's NOT only in your imagination!

I don't have that touch ... at all, but I can see where it makes a lovely difference in the things you do.

About 10? 15? years ago, I read a blurb in something like Newsweek that men with stay-at-home wives progressed higher in the career ladder [than their two-income-household coworkers].

It makes sense. In a two-career family, one of the workers has to take off for family duties. Also, in a two-career household, nobody has time to iron shirts daily or to arrange a conference table.

Jora

Anonymous said...

Great composition in the flower arrangement.
Rita

The Nester said...

I LOVE your philosophy! Thank you!