Last week we outlined a few family friendly holiday decorations you can tackle to help make home more festive this Thanksgiving. This week, we’re continuing the trend and providing part II of our list of turkey day DIY decor. Whether you finish a few before the family shows up or save them for some special time with the kiddos, these quick crafts are sure to help your family make lasting memories this year. Whatever your plans, the J-Tech family wishes you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving.
APPRECIATION BOARD
This time of year is all about showing appreciation and gratitude for the things you’ve been given. Remind the whole family of this by creating an appreciation board. For this project, you’ll need a corkboard, thumb tacks, construction paper in autumn colors, scissors, and markers. First, make a little title for your project using construction paper and markers. You could call it “The [Last Name] Appreciation Board” or simplify and just write “Here’s What We’re Thankful For.” Whatever you choose to title your board, make it your own. Then, cut leaf shapes out of the remaining construction paper making sure that they aren’t too small; you’ll want space to write on them later. Before dinner, have everyone in the family take a few of the construction paper leaves, write what they’re thankful for on the papers, and attach them to the cork board. During dinner you’ll be able to read through the leaves and hear what each family member is most grateful for this Thanksgiving.
SIMPLE RUSTIC VOTIVES
This DIY is all about simplicity. To make it happen, you’ll need a few votive candles and glass holders (as many as your table requires), bay leaves, glue, and some ribbon, burlap ribbon, or twine, whichever best fits the aesthetic of your table. Simply glue the bay leaves onto the glass votive candle holders as shown in this DIY from Good Housekeeping. Once you’re satisfied with how they’re arranged, tie your twine or ribbon in a bow around the candle holder and voila, you have cute, rustic candles to brighten up your feast.
MAIZE WREATH
For a pop of festive color before your guests even walk inside, throw together this easy maize wreath to hang on the front door. You’ll need a straw wreath, mini corn cobs in assorted fall colors, and a hot glue gun. You’ll need a different number of corn cobs depending on the size of the wreath you choose – this version used a 15” wreath which ended up requiring approximately 40 corn cobs, so grab at least a few dozen to ensure yours gets fully covered. All you’ll have to do is line up your corn cobs around the wreath, leaving the husks on, peeled back, and fluffed, then glue them down. The side with the husks attached should be on the outside edge of the wreath. Because no two cobs are the same, try to line up the inside tips of each corn cob to make the wreath look more even. If you lose a few husks in the process don’t fret, you can always glue them back on at the end. You can use simple twine or fishing line to secure your new decoration to the door. When you get ready to pack your creation away for next year, make sure it’s in a place where no mice can get to it or they’ll be the ones who are thankful for you this Thanksgiving!
While constructing Thanksgiving crafts is a welcome job for most people, doing major construction on your home can be a more difficult task. If you’re looking for help caring for your home this holiday season, look no further than J-tech, your local exterior experts. From windows and doors to roof and siding work, we’ve got the tools to get the job done. Happy Thanksgiving from the J-Tech family!