How to Make Thanksgiving Place Markers

During the fall and winter, when it comes to crafts most people limit their ideas to two of three holidays, Halloween or Christmas. While there are many great crafts that can be made for those two holidays, Thanksgiving kind of gets pushed to the side. Here a great Thanksgiving craft that you can do with your children.

The Place Markers

Because Thanksgiving is a time when friends and family gather together in large numbers to consume mass quantities of tryptophan, people can get lost in the hustle and bustle. At times it can be and a God send to have a seating chart. Rather than just placing plane white cards with your guest names on them in front of their dinner plates why not make them a take home pilgrim hat!

Supplies:

You will need small craft clay pots (you will need to buy one for each of your guests). These pots can be bought at any craft store such as Michael's or Hobby Lobby, and look just like the ordinary terra cotta pots just much smaller. You will also need an assortment of paint colors which must include black and white. A small paintbrush, some glue and a thin sheet of black foam paper will finish you off.

Steps:

First you want to draw circles onto your black foam. The circles need to be just slightly larger than the top of the clay pot. These circles represent the brim of your hat. Next, paint the pots black and let them dry according to directions. While the pots are drying I usually cut out the foam circles and practice writing my guests names on a scrap piece of paper.

Once your pot has dried you want to paint the band (the raised portion of the pot before it begins to taper) of the pot white. You may need to do several coats. Once again allow to dry the appropriate amount of time. Once the white band has dried you then want to paint a black square on to the band making sure to leave a small white square showing through. This is the buckle of your pilgrim hat. Next you want to paint your guests name onto the white band. I actually usually use a fine point Sharpie marker for this part. When you are done writing your guests name you then glue the hat to the black foam circle and you're done. If you're feeling creative then instead of painting the band white try using a different color. You can also make designs on the band. One of my daughter's favorite is to paint the band red with black polka dots.

This craft is a lot of fun but can also be a lot of work for little ones. With my children we usually break this project up over two days. Our guests always love these take home place markers!