DIY Thanksgiving Decor

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By Rachel Derry
Staff Writer LIFamilies

Looking for a couple Thanksgiving projects to cheer up your home while occupying your hands? Why not make the most of the season by using the natural elements that are all around. The extreme weather left behind plenty of un-carved pumpkins and wind strewn branches, pine-cones, and leaves. Go out and gather to create natural art for your family and Thanksgiving guests.

For a glowing lantern to adorn your Thanksgiving table all you’ll need are leaves of different colors, a mason jar with lid, and a battery operated tea light candle. Collect a handful of leaves that are the perfect colors for the season and press them in a book for a week or so to get the perfectly flat. The just glue them to the inside of a mason jar, pop in a lit battery-operated candle, and seal on the lid. The beauty of these lanterns, as well, is that the battery operated candles can be on for days without losing their light; turn them all on before your guests arrive to set them and forget them.

Make use of your left over pumpkins and gourds. Add a touch of flare by finding metallic spray paint in autumn shades of bronze and gold. Then simply spray your remaining pumpkins and gourds for a chic centerpiece. Be sure to spray them all a couple of days ahead of time to let the fumes dissipate. However, once they’re done, the paint will also act as a sort of preservative keeping your gourds fresh until the holiday has passed.

Create your own mantel piece art with additional leaves from your own backyard. Start a couple weeks in advance (about now); gather beautiful leaves that you’d like to see preserves and press them either in a leave press or between the pages of hard cover books (preferably with glossy pages). Go to your local home/craft story and find a couple double paned glass picture frames. Press the leaves between the panes and display wherever you have the space.

A string of colorful pine-cones to adorn your mantel piece would be another perfect, Thanksgiving touch. Pick out a couple of perfect pine-cones from your backyard or Local Park (or craft store, if they’re nowhere to be found). Pick up a couple cans of flat spray paint in contrasting fall colors, such as gold, maroon, and beige. Then paint your pine-cones, let them dry, then wrap twine around one of their rows towards the top, alternating the colors. Hang them across your mantel piece or window pane.

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