Thanksgiving crafts and table decor with natural materials
Thanksgiving is an incredible holiday. It’s a time when we get to be thankful for those in our lives, the blessings we have, and take time to just be still and grateful.
It’s a particularly important holiday in our family as we celebrate it with a mix of cultures and traditions. We don't have Thanksgiving in Denmark, but at our house, we blend Danish tradition with my spouse’s American and our son’s African heritage.
It’s a wonderful moment where we celebrate all that makes us a family and appreciate our life together.
For this Thanksgiving, we’re going to work with a range of textures and natural elements and put a gold spin on some traditional Thanksgiving staples.
I think it’s a great way to bring a bit of nature into your home as well as show your guests and family how thankful you are for them. We’re going to focus on the theme of the holiday so that these crafts can be used right after Halloween through Thanksgiving! You can enjoy your hard work and the joy of being thankful for the entire autumn season.
Golden Thank You Card
It’s incredibly important to take time at Thanksgiving to share with those in your life how grateful you are for them. Why not tell them in a handmade note of thanks?
In today’s digital society, a beautifully crafted card will add that extra ounce of magic to your friend's or loved one’s day. Not to mention the joy you’ll have when working with nature and turning something ordinary into something special!
What You'll Need
Black cardboard
Acrylic paint (gold)
Paintbrush
Small leaf
White cardboard
Black permanent marker
Glue stick
Directions
Measure and cut the black card (18 x 12 cm or 7 x 5") and fold in half
Attach a leaf to the front of the card using sticky tack
Using gold paint and your paintbrush, splatter paint on the front of the card
Once dry, remove the leaf
Measure and cut the white inner card (8 x 11.5 cm or 3 x 4.5")
Paint the edges with gold
Once dry, write a note of thanks
Glue the inner card inside with the glue stick
Setting the Thanksgiving Table
I think Thanksgiving is synonymous with having a beautiful table set for the family. There’s something very Normal Rockwell about having everyone gathered in one place giving thanks and being grateful for their blessings in life. It’s an amazing time of the year, and I want the table I set to reflect that appreciation, awe, and joy.
The table that we’re going to set this year may look dramatic with the gold tones and shimmery elements, but it’s actually made from very humble items and will look good in any setting. We’re going to create a table runner from fallen leaves and paint them with gold and bronze to reflect the gorgeous hues found on the forest floor.
A downed tree limb will make an eye-catching addition and one that my guests can hang their thankful thoughts on. I’m even taking normal squash from the garden and with just a touch of gold turning them into something fabulous. Plus menu cards and hints of gold and nature tie the table together.
I hope you will be inspired by setting this table and take a moment to be thankful for the love your family shares.
Golden Leaf Table Runner
I love taking walks in the forest this time of year and seeing the incredible shades of gold, reds, and browns. It was looking at the forest floor that inspired this golden table runner. I wanted a way to bring nature to my table and yet refine the dull browns with the shine of gold.
I think it looks fantastic on our table and gives the perfect amount of texture and visual interest to a meal that is one of my favorites all year.
What You'll Need
Hot Glue
Cardboard
Leaves painted gold and/or bronze
Directions
Paint each leaf gold or bronze
Cut the cardboard to fit your dining table (measure the length of your table and the width should be around 6-8")
Once the leaves are dry, cut off the stems
Hot glue the leaves to the cardboard in an overlapping position - be sure to arrange them slightly off the edge of the cardboard
Menu Cards
I don’t typically use menu cards, but I thought that this year I would bring a touch of sophistication to my guests’ experience. In keeping with my love for nature, I used small rounds of birch wood. Any small round of wood can work and the menu card on top is as easy as can be. That’s the joy of these menu cards… they look great, but you don’t need to spend hours creating them.
What You'll Need
Birchwood rounds (or the wood of your choice)
Hot glue
1 sheet of thin balsa wood (1/16" x 3" x 36")
White paper
Black permanent marker
Gold acrylic paint
Paintbrush
Directions
Draw and cut your balsa wood in a square that fits the wooden round you've chosen
Draw and cut the white cardboard slightly smaller than the balsa wood (0.5" less on each side)
Paint the balsa wood with gold paint on both sides and let it dry
Write your delicious menu on the white paper and then glue it to the center of the golden balsa wood
Use a thin strip of hot glue to secure the menu card to the wood round
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