DIY Last Minute Thanksgiving Table Setting

I hardly ever act as the host for Thanksgiving dinner, I’m the oldest of three adult children but as yet I’m unmarried.  My mom is still quite young at 50 and LOVES to host.  She is our hub, she is our home base.  She has perfected her turkey skills over years of trial and error.  She makes the turkey with stuffing, gravy made with turkey drippings, cranberry cool-whip salad, strawberry pecan salad, rolls, and bakes pre-made pies.  My step dad helps her with the turkey and said pies. 

My mom is Thanksgiving to me.  And also Christmas, and Easter, and Halloween.  She still works full time as an engineer and has a side job as a Pilate’s instructor.  There is no stopping this woman.

However, once every blue moon, I’m asked to host a dinner or little Christmas party, or Mother’s Day luncheon due to the fact that I live close to the airport and can accommodate out of town guests with tight flight schedules. 

Sometimes this happens with very short notice.  So for my ultimate Thanksgiving DIY, I wanted to show how you can put together a last minute table setting with stuff you can find around the house.  I’m assuming you all are crafters like me and have spare yarn, craft paper, and felt.  If you don’t, I encourage you to have some on hand.  You can make a million little crafts for birthdays, holidays and other special events.  

This table setting can be put together in about 20 minutes or less.  Unlike my special garlic mashed potatoes recipe, which I usually am in charge of making for our Thanksgiving, our Friendsgiving, and our office Thanksgiving potluck.  It takes time and muscle to get all those potatoes though a potato ricer.  And it’s not even all that special because it’s a Food Network Recipe, from George Duran's old show Ham On the 

Street.

I liked his show more than Adam Richman's Man vs. Food because he seemed nicer and was actually a chef.  Adam is pretty like-able but I like him less every time I see this promo pic on the Travel Channel.

You are not our target audience, nerdy, chubby lady

It’s the same realization I had when I figured out half of women over the age of forty five love the Property Brothers too.

Travel Channel is reaching for more T&A on their promos because I also see this football and cheerleader themed promo for Bizarre Foods a lot.

Azzzzzzzz everywhere.  I love you Big Freedia.

At least my lowly ghost hunting shows on the Travel Channel are above this.

You can do this table setting in a jiffy, while you are watching TV, boiling potatoes, or while a pie is baking.  This is super easy,  you can even get the kiddos to help, just step in with the dabs of hot glue.

So for the table setting you will need:

•         Wrapping paper in any fall color or even metallic or neutrals

•         Scissors

•        Hot glue

•        Yarn, any colors

•        Twine, or hemp rope (optional

•        Labels or washi tape

•        Scrapbook paper

•        Glass bottle, like an empty Starbucks bottle 

•        Felt, any colors

•        Sharpie, any color

•        Twigs or small tree branches

 First use the wrapping paper as your table runner!  Super-easy!  Add some candlesticks if you want.

Next, use the glass bottle for the centerpiece.  Add a dab of hot glue to the middle to hold the twine in place. Be very careful not to burn your fingers.  Only use a little drop.

Wrap the twine around multiple times until you get the desired look you want.  Secure the end with another dab of hot glue.

Next cut leaves out of felt to attach to your twigs or tree branches.  The twigs can be rather fragile, so be careful when attaching the leaves with dabs of hot glue.

I finished the centerpiece with yarn tassel.  You can find yarn tassel how to's all over Pinterest.  You could also hot glue an actual leaf or bow, or whatever you want.

Next up, is the name cards.  Just use whatever scrapbook or pretty card stock you have at home and cut down in rectangles, however large or small you'd like.  Fold them in half, so they resembled a little tent.

Use washi tape or labels to stick on the front of the card.  Use a Sharpie to mark your guests' names.

Aaaaand, you are done! Assemble your dishes and wine glasses or even paper plates and plastic cutlery!  People only care about the food.  Don't worry about your table looking too bare.  It will be loaded soon will gravy, mashed potatoes, green bean cassarole, rolls..........dang it, now I'm hangry!!

Enjoy my little turkey birds!

Marg.