Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Beautiful Autumn & Thanksgiving centerpieces

Want to save some money on a Thanksgiving centerpiece?  It’s easy, fun and inexpensive…not to mention you can personalize your centerpiece!   (Download or Print PDF)  (Watch video here)

Supplies:
cardboard
fabric
hot glue gun or fabric glue
dried or fresh flowers
something for the center

Follow these simple steps:

1)   Look at your table, what shape would you like the centerpiece to be?

2)   How big would you like it to be?   Something small enough to stay on the table during Thanksgiving dinner?  Or perhaps something more grand that fills half is the table, to be removed before dinner?

3)   What shape would you like it to be?  You can make any shape you imagine.

4)   Cut a piece of cardboard into the size and shape you want.

5)   Use a Fall or Autumn piece of fabric.   Something you have around the house?  Maybe a piece of lace?  Check for  fabric on sale.

Note: if you use dried flowers and a basket or bowl, you should be able to use this centerpiece again next year.   If you use fresh flowers and a pumpkin, you will need to dispose of the arrangement.

6)   Hot  or fabric glue the fabric to your cardboard shape.   Cut the fabric two inches beyond the cardboard, fold over and glue the edge under the cardboard.

7)   Gather pine cones  (all sizes look great), dried or fresh flowers, hickory nuts without the shells, clip parts of branches, decorations from your favorite craft store, etc.  Anything seasonal will do.   Glue each of the desired pieces to the fabric or in a gently layered pattern on the fabric.

8)   Place something large in center of your fabric base.   Here are some ideas:
a pumpkin;  jar candle;  large pine cone;  bowl of fresh fruit;  basket of fruit;  etc.

Note: if you’re doing this 2 weeks before Thanksgiving, use the dried version of these instructions.  If you do it the day before Thanksgiving, use your favorite size pumpkin squash.   Hollow out, set  your pumpkin in the center of your fabric base.

9)   If using a pumpkin for the center, put a piece of very damp floral foam or wet paper towels inside the hollowed pumpkin.

10)   Poke some ornamental branches and dried flowers into the foam at different heights.  Seed heads from ornamental grasses like  Miscanthus grass or Panicum work well.  They bloom in October.

11)    If it’s not prohibited by law, check a public park.   If you can’t find these outside, check retail stores, dollar stores.  You can get a good supply for under $10.

12)    When you’re finished assembling the arrangement to your liking…make it real by adding a pumpkin spice or cinnamon fragrance oil.  Put a drop here and there on your flower heads.

Enjoy!