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Embellish Your Thanksgiving Celebration
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ON THIS PAGE: Braided Leaf Napkin Rings | Harvest Circle Candle Centerpiece | Fall Leaf Table Runner | Sudoku Answers from Kids' Activity Page | Food Crossword Answers
November's here, and so begins the season of family celebrations. You and the kids can spice up the family get-together before heading over the river and through the woods by creating a few accessories sure to add sparkle to Grandma's Thanksgiving table. Here are a few easy-to-make projects that are fun ways to add stylish "bling" to your family's Thanksgiving celebration:
Braided Leaf Napkin Rings
Stuff you'll need:
3 different colors of decorative cording (such as brown, yellow, and orange)
Fray Check
embroidery floss
embroidery needle
artificial leaf
How you'll do it:
Place ends of the cording together in a row. Using the embroidery needle with floss, stitch the ends together by running the needle and floss through all three ends. Pull it tight, and wrap the floss around the joined ends several times. Run the needle with floss through all three ends again. Tie off the end of the floss, cut, and dab Fray Check on the part of the cords you've cut. (see photo 1).
Braid a seven-inch length, pulling tightly as you work. (see photo 2). Cut the ends and secure as directed in step one.
Place ends together forming a circle, stitch with needle and floss, then wrap floss around tightly (remember doing this to get your boyfriend's class ring to fit on your finger?) to secure the two ends and hide the stitching. (see photo 3).
Place an artificial leaf in the center of the floss, stitch to the ring using small stitches along the "vein" (photo 4). Pull napkin through the circle and you're ready to add style to your fall feast (photo 5).
Harvest Circle Candle Centerpiece
Stuff you'll need:
tealight centerpiece (I found one on a clearance rack for $7)
small artificial pumpkins and gourds
one or two fall silk bouquets
florist's foam block
silk leaves
florist's wire (green)
tealights
florist's wood wire picks
pipe cleaners
How you'll do it:
Cut foam block to fit the crevices between tealight holders in your centerpiece (photo 1). Secure the foam block to the tea - light centerpiece by wrapping pipe cleaners around the center piece in several places then sticking the ends into the foam.
Cut the leaves and fall arrangements from the bouquet stems (photo 2), then wrap the wire on the top of the wood wire pick around the arrangement piece you've just cut (photo 3).
If using silk leaves, wrap wire around the stem. Stick the pick into the foam (photo 4). Continue until foam is hidden, arranging as desired.
Cut the florist's wire into 1½" pieces. Stick one end up through the bottom of the artificial pumpkins and gourds (photo 5). Stick the other in the foam block, arranging pumpkins and gourds as desired.
Place tealights in the holders, light, and dinner is served! (top photo).
Fall Leaf Table Runner
Stuff you'll need:
pins
tape measure
fabric for leaves
one to two yards craft felt
leaf patterns (I used patterns I found in on-line coloring books)
fusing (for appliqués)
pressing cloth
iron
Liquid Stitch
fabric puff paint
thread (for machine or embroidery floss if hand stitching)
trim
How you'll do it:
Measure the length you'd like for your table runner. Cut craft felt to desired length.
Pin leaf pattern to the fabric you've chosen for the leaves (photo 1); cut out eight to ten leaves from fabric (photo 2).
Make the leaf into an appliqué by fusing: place the leaf right side down on the ironing board; wrong side to shiny side of fusing paper (photo 3). Place a damp pressing cloth over the dull side of the fusing paper and press firmly for 10 to 15 seconds (don't move iron back and forth) using a steam iron set on "wool."
Spread the felt runner out and arrange leaf appliqués on the felt as desired (photo 4). Using Liquid Stitch, glue leaves to the felt runner (photo 5). Let dry.
Stitch to the felt either by hand with embroidery floss and needle, or like I did, by machine using the buttonhole stitch setting (photo 6). Using fabric paint, draw veins on the leaves (photo 6). Let dry.
Stitch trim to the shorter ends of the runner, and voila! instant table-setting charm! Sudoku Answers from Kids' Activity Page
367145289
521978364
984263715
836421957
795386142
142759638
679534821
253817496
418692573
Food Crossword Answers
ACROSS: 1. Fruit 4. Veggies 8. Crust
DOWN: 1. Flavor 2. Raisons 3. Bites 5. Gear
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