Saturday, November 03, 2007
Frugal Thanksgiving - Decor
| By Lynn Forgy Frugal and Thanksgiving don't seem to go well together. When I think of Thanksgiving, my mind conjures up images of a cornucopia of food, a bountiful table overflowing with delicious dishes and yummy desserts, lovely centerpieces, and a beautifully decorated table. Having said that, I do think it's possible to have all of the above, yet still work within a budget. Many of the autumn and Thanksgiving decorations can be made with leaves that are found in your yard. Pine cones are easily found, too. Use your imagination! If you have children who are able to help you decorate, even better (I've always found that people are more forgiving in my attempts at decorating if I say that my child helped me). So let's start with the Thanksgiving decor. LEAF STAMPS:  1. The best leaves for this project are still attached to the tree. Find leaves that are turning colors but aren’t completely dried out. You need one leaf for each color you will paint. 2. Press the leaves in the pages of a heavy book. Leave overnight. 3. Remove leaves from the book. Look at the underside of the leaf. Brush off any debris, pollen or dust that may have gathered there. 4. Fold a piece of construction paper in half. 5. Hot glue the front side of the leaf to the construction paper so that the underside is facing up. The underside has the veins and lines of the leaf, the front side is smooth. 6. Using a paint brush, paint the underside of the leaf with a generous amount of paint. Be careful to paint only the leaf and not the construction paper it is glued to. 7. Using the leaf as a stamp, press it down carefully onto the white paper. Hold it in place and gently rub the construction paper so that all areas hit the white paper. 8. Carefully remove the stamp and repeat this process with your other leaves and colors. 9. Allow to dry completely. From: Kaboose EXTERIOR DOOR WREATHS: 1. All Leaves  Bunches of preserved fall leaves can be easily wired onto a wreath form. Decorate with a few artificial sunflowers. 2. Rectangular Leafy Wreath  Materials * Styrofoam wreath form (or a wire form) * Sheet moss * U-shaped florist's pins * Florist's wire * Hot-glue gun * Preserved fall leaves * Fall ornament (optional) Instructions 1. Create a wreath hanger at the top of the wreath using sturdy wire wrapped around the form and bent into a hanging loop. 2. Cover a Styrofoam wreath form with sheet moss using U-shaped pins to attach the moss. (On a wire form, wrap thin florist's wire all the way around the wreath to secure the moss.) 3. Next, use U-shaped pins or dabs of hot glue to attach preserved or artificial leaves all around the wreath. 4. If desired, hang a pumpkin ornament in the center. From: Better Homes & Gardens PILGRIM HAT CENTERPIECE:  Filled with potted mums or other fall flowers, this fun centerpiece will top off your Thanksgiving table in fitting fashion. CRAFT MATERIALS: Black felt, square yard Terra-cotta pot Permanent red marker Black poster board Carpet tape Yellow poster board Time needed: About 1 Hour Pilgrim Hat Step 1 1. Tape a square yard of black felt to your work surface and set a terra-cotta pot (ours is 7 inches tall and 7 1/2 inches across) on its side at one edge of the felt, as shown. Roll the pot, tracing along the top and bottom edges with a permanent red marker as you go, then cut out the felt arc. Pilgrim Hat Step 2 2. Next, cut two 15-inch circles, one from black poster board, the other from the remaining black felt. Set the pot upside down in the center of the poster board circle, trace around its rim, then cut out the inner circle to create a large ring. Now trace the rim of the pot in the center of the felt circle and cut an asterisk in the center, as specified. Pilgrim Hat Step 3 3. Tape the felt circle atop the poster board ring. Set the bottom of the pot on the asterisk and slide the brim up to the rim of the pot. Attach strips of carpet tape to the outside of the pot, then tape one end of the felt arc to the side and wrap the arc around the pot, sticking it to the tape. 4. Trim away any excess felt. For the finishing touch, tape on a buckle cut from yellow poster board. From: FamilyFun |
posted by Krista at 8:47 PM
