DIY: Pretty Place Settings

We’re fast approaching (if not right in the midst of) the busy holiday season. This is an exciting time of year filled with great nostalgia and a shift in weather, but it can also be a stressful one to keep pace with. If you’ve recently spent time on Pinterest, then you’ll know Thanksgiving craft ideas are being pinned with tornado-like speed while Christmas tutorials circulate close behind them. How do we even keep up?

The answer lies in simplicity. Below are four quick tutorials for making lovely name card place settings for your upcoming Thanksgiving celebration. No hair pulling or staying up until the wee hours necessary, just making use of unique colors and textures to share a little of your creativity with loved ones this season.

Succulent Sweet

What You’ll Need:

PVA glue (or any good glue with do)
A good exacto knife or pair of scissors
A mini-succulent (anywhere from $1.50-$2.50 each)
Wooden stick or toothpick
White cardstock
Pencil & black ink pen

Steps:

Draw a banner shape with a pencil on your white card stock. Keep the size of your succulent in mind (approx. 1-1.5 inches).
Cut out the banner.
Write a name with your ink pen of choice.
Use your PVA glue to fasten the name banner onto your wooden rod.
Stick the rod with banner in the soil of your succulent plant.

Mini Bouquet

What You’ll Need:

Flowers of your choice
Brown twine (any kind)
Black ink pen
Pre-made name card templates (see here) or make your own
Scissors

Steps:

Arrange a small bouquet (consider the size of the plate you’ll be using).
Secure the bouquet with twine.
Write a name on the name card template.
Tape or glue the card on the front of the bouquet to secure.

Simple Glitter

What You’ll Need:

Whatever card stock you prefer
Glitter (I love Martha Stewart colors)
Glue Pen (see here) or Elmer’s glue
Good exacto knife or scissors

Steps:

Cut and fold your card stock into a 1-1.5″ x 0.5″ folded card.
Write a name with your glue pen or Elmer’s glue on the front side.
Cover glue in glitter.
Wait a minute or two until dry.

Kids particularly like this one, it makes for a fun children’s table idea!

Yarn It Up

What You’ll Need:

A few yarn color choices
A kraft gift tag (see here) or cut out your own
A white grease pencil, crayon or piece of chalk
A napkin (non-paper)

Steps:

Wrap the yarn around the middle of your napkin so that all the colors show. Make sure you tie it off on the BACK side of the napkin.
Use your white pencil/crayon to write a name on the gift tag.
Tie the gift tag over the top of the yarn.