CRAFTS
Before using any natural elements, like leaves, from outside, place on a sheet of aluminum foil and bake at 200 degrees F., for 45 minutes to an hour, to kill any little unseen critters that may be lurking. When cool, toss the foil or reuse for other leaves, pinecones, etc.
Some of these crafts may contain choking hazards for young children. Use caution.
FALL WREATH
Start with a simple wreath of hay purchased from a craft store, or twist your own hay or raffia around a wire and tie into place with raffia or plain string. You can also use a plastic or stiff paper plate, cutting out the center, leaving a circle ring for the wreath base. Use hot glue to attach colorful fall leaves collected from the ground, and small Indian corn or gourds from the grocery store or craft store. Add a colored ribbon bow. Tie on a raffia or wire loop, and hang on your front door to welcome visitors.
MINI CORNUCOPIAS
Spray a waffle ice cream cone with clear acrylic and let dry completely. Do this 2-3 times, drying completely between coats. Carefully stuff planting foam, cotton, or newspaper inside, leaving room at the opening. Cover opening by hot-gluing on miniature plastic fruits or vegetables, acorns, and fall leaves. Tie a ribbon around it all to complete the look.
Make one for each guest as a placeholder (write name on ribbon with permanent marker), set on your desk at work, or use as part of a display or as a centerpiece for a small table. Don't eat the cones!
THANKSGIVING GOURD FLOWER CENTERPIECE
Clean out and dry a small firm pumpkin or large acorn squash. Hide a small jar or vase, filled with water, inside. Add fall flowers.
THANKSGIVING LEAF IMPRINT GARLAND
Take a hike and collect beautiful fall leaves. Outline onto construction paper or make shade impressions by laying leaves under the paper, and rubbing with the side of a crayon. Cut out leaves. On each leaf cutout, write something for which you are thankful. Tape leaves onto a string to make garland.
PEANUT PEOPLE FINGER PUPPETS
While waiting for dinner, give your guests peanuts in the shell to snack on. Hand out permanent markers to the children. Show them how to draw faces and hair on peanut shell halves, and fit them on top of their fingers to make puppets.
THANKSGIVING PLACEMATS
Start with a small poster board. Let your child glue on a flat paper plate or construction paper circle, and construction paper cutouts of utensils. A construction paper triangle works for a napkin. Your child can draw on traditional Thanksgiving foods, or cut out food pictures from magazines and glue in place. Write your child's name and the date on the back, and cover the whole thing with clear Contac paper. Use every year at Thanksgiving, or send home with Grandma for a keepsake.
PILGRIM PUPPETS
Draw a face on paper, and cut it out. Tape the face to a straw. Run the straw through the bottom of a paper cup. Add arms and clothes, using paper, crayons, and/or fabric scraps. Let your Pilgrims re-enact the journey to Plymouth Rock, holding the straw from inside the cup.
THANKFUL TURKEY CENTERPIECE
Here's a variation on the tried-and-true pinecone centerpiece: Trace your child's hands on construction paper. On each finger, write one word from the following Bible verse: "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good." On the last finger, write the reference: Psalm 136:1.
Cut out the hand shapes and glue into the wide part of a pinecone for a turkey tail. Let your child draw a turkey head and waggle on construction paper, color and cut out. Glue into the narrow part of the pinecone. Place pinecone on a piece of clay to hold upright for a table centerpiece.
RAFFIA DOLL
Start with a handful of raffia (available at craft stores). Lay flat and trim the ends, so each piece is the same length (leave it long). Fold in half. Tie a piece of raffia about 2 inches from the fold, to form the head. Pull out a little on the left, and on the right, and tie with more raffia to form the arms. Split the bottom in half, and tie each side at the ends to form the legs. Tie a piece of raffia around the middle to make the waist. Tie raffia about 3/4 inch from arm and leg ends to form the hands and feet.
To make a dress, fold a square of fabric in half and cut out a hole for the head. Pull over the doll's head, draping the fabric over the arms. Tie a piece of yarn around the middle.
Cut a fabric square and tie around the head, like a bandana, or glue on yarn hair. You can add a face by gluing on fabric, or leave her faceless, like an Amish Pilgrim doll.
PILGRIM HAT PLACE CARD FAVOR
Cut out the bottom of a paper cup. Cover the cup with black construction paper, leaving the bottom open. Cut a circle of black paper about 1/2 inch bigger than the bottom of the cup. Glue cup, upside down, to center of paper circle. Cut a strip of blue or brown for a hat band, and add a yellow construction paper buckle to the front. Write guest's name on buckle. Fill hat with holiday treats, like candy corn.
THANKSGIVING PLACE CARDS
Fold a piece of cardstock in half, and write your guest's name at the bottom of one side. Let your child glue on a green construction paper cutout, the shape of an ear of corn. Give your child a slightly smaller yellow piece of construction paper, also the shape of an ear of corn. The child then can dab on multicolored paints with a Q-tip, to make it look like pretty Indian corn. When dry, glue the "corn kernels" over the "husks" to make the place card pretty.
CORN HUSK DOLL
When making fresh corn on the cob, save the husks and silk, and lay flat on a cooling rack to air dry. When completely dried, brush husks with a thick mixture of white glue and water. Wrap husks over a small stick or dowel rod. Tie husks on with a piece of yarn, to form the head. Add construction paper or fabric clothes and facial features. Glue on corn silk for hair.
