Thanksgiving

“Solid Gold” Tips For Spray Painted Thanksgiving Decor

November 13, 2019 by Jackie Leave a Comment

One of our favorite ways to makeover a lot of things is with a can of spray paint. And that includes Thanksgiving decor. Today’s post is full of solid gold tips for spray painted Thanksgiving decor for your holiday table. Grab a can of paint and let’s go!

Tips For Spray Painted Thanksgiving Decor

There are lots of great spray paints available on the market, but for Thanksgiving we’re partial to Krylon’s Color Maxx Paint and Primer in gold. Gold just adds a touch of glamour and elegance to your Thanksgiving decor that other colors don’t. The primer ensures good coverage, and this paint is durable for indoors or out.

Use that can of gold spray paint to really dress up your Thanksgiving table decor fast and easy! Anything can be spray painted, but I’m partial to the things we can all find outside this time of year. Twigs and berries, pine cones, and pumpkins all look amazing with a coat of spray paint.

Collect your favorite Fall leaves for the table. Watch for large, pretty shapes–color doesn’t matter this time. Give those leaves a coat of gold spray paint, and cover the stem too. Let them dry thoroughly. Now use a Sharpie and your best lettering skills to write the names of your Thanksgiving guests, one per leaf. Use these gorgeous leaves as place cards for the Thanksgiving table. Love them!

Another use for those gold spray painted leaves is to string them into a pretty Thanksgiving garland. Hang them over the table for the guests to admire.

Do you wish your dark green chargers were gold? Good thing you can change them with a can of spray paint! It’s really easy to do, and no one will know they used to be green.

Did you enjoy these ideas for spray painted Thanksgiving decor? Check out some Dazzling DIYs to go with it!

Thanksgiving Gifts For Neighbors They Will Appreciate

November 6, 2019 by Jackie Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving gifts are a great idea for anyone, but today we’re focusing on Thanksgiving gift ideas for neighbors. Why neighbors? Simply because Thanksgiving is a great time to show your neighbors how much you appreciate them–you don’t have to wait for Christmas to come first. Your neighbors are sure to appreciate one of the gift ideas I’m sharing with you!

Thanksgiving gifts for neighbors

A gift basket of goodies is always a hit for neighbors. And the kinds of things that can go into a gift basket are endless! Here are some ideas for a Thanksgiving gift basket:

Kettle corn or some other flavored popcorn, sweet or savory
A loaf of banana bread hot from your oven
Gourmet caramel apples
Flavored cocoas or coffees to warm up with
A festive loaf pan and a recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip bread
Your favorite pie baking essentials, such as a pastry blender or dough mat
Seeds for starting a kitchen herb garden
A yummy Fall-inspired candle to make the house smell wonderful
Seasonal towels for the kitchen
A cozy, plush throw blanket for cuddling up by the fire
Card games or board games with an invitation to a neighborhood game night

More Thanksgiving gift ideas for neighbors

Send an edible bouquet of fruits. Your neighbors may really appreciate the break from too many Thanksgiving sweets!
A bouquet of fall flowers is always a hit. Buy a large bouquet and divide it up into adorable small-stem bouquets for several neighbors. Try using jelly jars for vases.
Host an afternoon where everyone can come make scented soaps to take home with them.
Give a set of Fall-inspired cookie cutters and fun sprinkles. This is a great idea for families with kids!
Are you a prolific pie baker? Bake several of your specialties and deliver them a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving to thank your neighbors and get everyone in the pie-eating mood.
Make one of these 20 DIY Thanksgiving decorations and share with your neighbors.

Whatever Thanksgiving gift you give to your neighbors, it’s the thought that counts, so include a handwritten card to really show your appreciation for them.

Dazzling DIY Thanksgiving Decorations For The Home Or Table

October 30, 2019 by Jackie Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and it’s my favorite holiday. Every year, it’s fun to explore what dazzling DIY Thanksgiving decorations I could put together for my home and table. If you’ve come here looking for new ideas for your Thanksgiving home and table, you’re in the right place. Let’s explore together!

DIY Thanksgiving Decorations For Home Or Table

My Thanksgiving table is never complete without the addition of plenty of candles. Candles provide an extra boost of warmth and ambience you need at this cozy time of year. This DIY Thanksgiving decoration idea involves a stop at Dollar Tree for some simple glass votives. Next, cut squares of yellow felt into flower shapes, or purchase felt flowers to fit the width of your votives. Place the felt flowers in the bottom of the glass votives, with a lighted tealight on top. The faux ladybug here is a nice touch, but not necessary.

Kids like to help with DIY Thanksgiving decorations. Why not let them help you make some of these adorable toilet paper tube Pilgrims and Indians? All you need is assorted colors of construction paper, glue, and a Sharpie. They are pretty self-explanatory!

I love this DIY Thanksgiving decoration idea! Paint a pumpkin with a Thanksgiving motif, and set it anywhere you want to add a festive touch–your front porch, your fireplace hearth, or even your Thanksgiving table.

When you host Thanksgiving dinner, it’s nice to do a tablescape that’s easy but elegant. Try an idea like this one! Cut stems from your own yard, or pick up a fall bouquet at the grocer’s. Add apples and pears with stems and leaves still attached–just scatter them down the center of the table. Beautiful!

Here are a few more easy but elegant DIY Thanksgiving decorations for your home or table. Burlap is a simple table runner, but add plenty of pinecones, fall leaves, tiny pumpkins and fall flowers and it looks rustic but amazing. Tall candlesticks add the finishing touch.

For more dazzling DIY Thanksgiving decorations, check out these 15 DIYs perfect for your Thanksgiving table.

How to Carve the Turkey Like a Pro!

November 16, 2017 by Jackie Leave a Comment

Don’t spend another pre-Thanksgiving prep time worrying about how to carve the turkey. A lot of cooks are intimidated by the task {including me!} but we don’t have to be. Today’s post is all about carving the turkey like a pro. Stick around and I’ll show you how!

The number one tip to remember isn’t actually about carving the turkey–but it’s important because it will ensure the juiciest possible meat. Don’t ever carve the turkey hot out of the oven, no matter how rushed you are to get it on the table! Tent the bird with foil and let it rest for at least 20 minutes. This rest time lets the turkey relax, and the juices will redistribute through the meat.

Now that the turkey has rested, here are the carving steps you should follow:

Use a sharpened chef’s knife. Tongs are helpful for transferring hot meat to a serving platter.
Place the turkey on a carving board and remove the string around the legs.
Cut the skin between the breast and the drumstick, and slice through ’til the knife hits the joint. Take hold of the drumstick and push it down away from the rest of the turkey. Use the knife to slice all the way through the joint, then slice through the joint that connects the thigh and the drumstick.
Repeat the first two steps for the other leg. Place the drumsticks on a serving platter.
Remove the thigh meat from the bone with the sharp tip of your chef’s knife (I like to use this one!) or a boning knife. Add the meat to the platter.
Locate the wishbone {at the front of the breast meat} and use your fingers to remove it. This makes it easier to carve the breast.
Slice the breast meat against the grain, and keep the skin intact as you move it to the serving platter.

You did it! Enjoy your delicious hand-carved Thanksgiving turkey.

11 Fun Thanksgiving Crafts for Small Kids

September 28, 2017 by Jackie Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, so today I have some fun Thanksgiving crafts for small kids. These are some great ways to help your littles have more fun with Thanksgiving. They’ll also learn more about what it is and why we celebrate gratitude. Take a look at these 11 ideas!

Good Housekeeping shared this adorable idea. Let the littles be involved with Thanksgiving dinner prep by making turkey leg place cards. All they need to do is stuff brown paper bags with popcorn.

2. Good Housekeeping also suggests introducing the kids to the extended family members before the big dinner. You can do this with a fun family tree craft. They’ll love making leaves with their thumbprint!

3. One of the best things about Thanksgiving is the Fall leaves. Celebrate them by helping your small kids make paper plate leaves to decorate the kid’s table.

4. Little kids will also have loads of fun making leaf sun catchers for the Thanksgiving windows.

5. Teach the kids about gratitude by helping them make thank you cards for Thanksgiving. They’ll get to make handprints for these!

Just in case…you might need a fresh box of crayons. What if I told you that you could purchase them cheap from Color and Draw Products at Crayola?

6. What’s more fun to do with Cheerios, eat them or glue them on paper? You can let the little kids decide that when they make cute corn cobs with Cheerios.

7. Wouldn’t your littles just love to celebrate Turkey Day with a turkey hat they made by themselves?

8. Small kids enjoy painting, there’s no doubt about that. Let them make their own leaf painting to display for Thanksgiving.

9. Here’s another way to help children learn more about Thanksgiving. B-Inspired Mama shows you how to make a cute little gratitude book with them.

10. Pilgrim treat boxes are the ideal thing to keep kids busy after Thanksgiving dinner.

11. Paper and pipe cleaners are all that’s required for these paper gourds. That makes for a non-messy craft you and the littles will both love!

Find more crafts for kids here:

Halloween Crafts for Kids

Fun Crafts for Kids Made From Paper Dishware

How to Make Puffy Paint for Kids

10 Incredible Crafts You Can Make With Old Fabric Scraps

Thanksgiving Centerpieces That Will Stun Your Guests

September 19, 2017 by Jackie Leave a Comment

Personally, hosting Thanksgiving dinner is one of my favorite things to do. It’s my favorite holiday, so I like to make the table visually appealing for my family and friends. Today I have some ideas to help all of us with our Thanksgiving table. Here are some inspiring Thanksgiving centerpieces that will stun your guests!

Over at the Full Bouquet, see how you can put together an amazing Thanksgiving centerpiece using a large gourd and an elegant array of Fall flowers and foliage.

I am in love with the monochromatic and rustic theme of this Thanksgiving tablescape! It’s simple in design, yet very elegant. Love the combination of the wooden table runner, white pumpkins and white-tipped pinecones.

For a Thanksgiving centerpiece that is stunning yet minimalist in nature, you can’t go wrong with DIY geometric blocks and gold-painted gourds.

If you need a Thanksgiving centerpiece that is visually appealing but won’t break the budget, The Frugal Homemaker has a solution for you. Paint a wooden crate and attach a small chalkboard. The plaid tablecloth is the perfect backdrop!

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to bring in some of the outdoors. This tree branch makes the perfect tea light holder. An array of gourds forms the table runner. Best of all, you can put this centerpiece together in a matter of minutes!

Pears are a wonderful fruit to use in your Thanksgiving decorations. Put together a simple centerpiece with a bowl of pears. Finish off the look by using pears as place cards for your guests.