Are you looking for a fun and creative way to decorate your home for Thanksgiving this year? Why not try making your own DIY Thanksgiving leaves! This simple and festive craft project is perfect for adding a touch of autumnal charm to your holiday celebrations. Read on to learn how to create your own beautiful Thanksgiving leaves to adorn your home in style.
I love when our family all comes together for the big meal. It seems like over the years each member of my family all has their specific role in helping to create Thanksgiving dinner. My Mom prepares the turkey and makes her legendary stuffing. My sister is known for her wonderful fruit salad. I prepare my Nanny’s (my Grandmother’s) traditional rolls and sometimes a dessert and then we all help to fill in all of the other dishes. However, it seems like every year I go to try and find something decorative for Thanksgiving or tableware I always find the same traditional look. So, this year I decided that we should have more of a modern twist to our Thanksgiving table. I also wanted everyone to be able to have their own keep sake that they could take home with them as well. I made these DIY Thanksgiving Leaves that have gold leaf added to the tips.
DIY THANKSGIVING LEAVES
Here’s What You Need:
- Air Clay (I used Premier.)
- Gold Leaf
- Mod Podge
- White Acrylic Paint
- Gold Acrylic Paint
- Paint Brush
- Leaf Cookie Cutter
- Fondant Cake Impress Mold
- Small Cups
- Rolling Pin
Step 1: Roll out the air clay to a 1/4 – 3/8″ thickness. Using the leaf cookie cutter, cut out the leaf.
Step 2: Using the Fondant Cake Impress Mold, press the word “Thanks” into the leaf. Make sure to put the letters in backwards so it reads in the right direction. This is a great little tool to have. It’s very inexpensive, and can be used for a lot of things. I got this one on Ebay.
Step 3: Gentle cup the leaf in your hand and flip it over onto the top of a cup or bowl. This is called a slump mold in pottery. Let the leaf dry while it’s over the top of the cup or bowl. Slightly help mold the leaf to get the turned up edges.
They will look end up looking like these.
Step 4: Allow the leaves to dry for a day or two. If you need to speed up the drying process, you can stick them in the oven on 150 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until dry.
Step 5: Put a little Mod Podge on the ends of the leaves. Very carefully apply the gold leaf to the tips of the leaf. If you don’t want to add gold leaf, you can just paint them gold.
Here are some of the gold leaves that I painted solid. I loved how these turned out too.
This would make for such a great wow factor for your Thanksgiving table. Plus, they get to take home a little souvenir.
As you embark on your Thanksgiving preparations, crafting DIY Thanksgiving leaves can add a personalized and festive touch to your decor. These simple yet charming decorations are a wonderful way to bring the spirit of gratitude into your home. By incorporating natural elements and creativity, you can create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for your celebrations. Share your experience with us in the comments below – we’d love to hear about the beautiful Thanksgiving leaves you’ve created!
