Fall Decorating: Indian Corn Centerpiece

Autumn is almost here!  And that means my 

favorite season...and time to decorate.  I love

simple...and this is a simple centerpiece you 

could make for your dining room table or 

coffee table.

Simply hot glue Indian corn cobs to a fall candle. :)  

And sit back and enjoy!

Halloween Candy Craft: Vase

Here is a cute and easy Halloween candy craft idea that you could do with children.

Gumball/Candy Vase

What you need: Gumballs (especially the Halloween colored ones - browns, oranges, yellows), large vase, smaller vase, flowers

Instructions: Insert the small vase into the large vase. Drop the gumballs or candy into the space between the vases creating your desired pattern. Add fresh or dried flowers to the smaller vase.

Christmas Craft: Cinnamon Ornaments

Making cinnamon ornaments are a perfect holiday fun activity for kids. The ornaments are easy to make and their aroma lasts long after the holidays are over!

Cinnamon Ornaments

Makes 12 to 15 ornaments.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 1/2 hours, or 1 to 2 days drying time

3/4 cup applesauce

1 bottle (4.12 ounces) McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground

Supplies needed:

cookie cutters

drinking straw

colorful ribbon

1. Preheat oven to 200°F.

2. Mix applesauce and cinnamon with hands in small bowl until a smooth ball of dough is formed. Using about 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll dough to 1/4-inch to 1/3-inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap. Peel off top sheet of plastic wrap. Cut dough into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Make a hole in top of ornament with drinking straw. Place ornaments on baking sheet.

3. Bake 2 1/2 hours. Cool ornaments on wire rack. (Or, to dry ornaments at room temperature, carefully place them on wire rack. Let stand 1 to 2 days or until thoroughly dry, turning occasionally.)

4. Insert ribbon through holes and tie to hang. May be decorated with opaque paint markers found in arts and crafts stores, if desired.

Christmas Craft: Christmas Countdown Calendar

Christmas Countdown Calendar

Offer daily surprises with this simple advent calendar. Fill envelopes with treats, seal with adhesive numbers, and punch a hole in a corner. Hang from cording strung across a gift-wrap-covered cork board.

A fun and different twist on the Christmas countdown chain!

Thanksgiving Craft: Pilgrim Place Cards

Pilgrim Place Cards

Here's a pop-up card design your kids can use to transform their thumbprints into Pilgrim portraits that resemble your dinner guests. Then everyone can find his or her place, and face, at the dinner table.

CRAFT MATERIALS:
	Card stock
	Scissors
	Pencil
	Tempera paint
	Colored markers
	Gold glitter glue
	Craft knife
Time needed: Under 1 Hour

1. Cut out a 5-by-4-inch rectangle from the card stock for each place card, plus one extra. Fold each card in half so that the 4-inch edges meet, and flatten the crease. Then reopen all of the cards.
2. In the center of the extra card, draw a Pilgrim hat, positioning it so that the top is above the fold and the brim is just below it, as shown. Cut it out and use it as a template, tracing it in pencil onto the centers of the remaining cards (again, trace the top of each hat above the fold and the brim just below it).
3. Once all of the hats are drawn, have your child lightly coat her thumb with skin-toned tempera paint and print a Pilgrim's head below each hat (have her practice a few times on scrap paper first).
4. When the paint is dry, your child can use the markers to color in the hats, draw on collars, add facial features and hairdos that resemble those of specific family members, and print their names. Then she can adorn each hat with a glitter-glue buckle.
5. Finally, use the craft knife (this is a parent's job) to cut along the outer edge of each hat top but not around the brim. Refold the cards, gently pulling up the hat tops to stand upright, as shown, and they're ready to set in place on the dinner table.

Thanksgiving Craft: The Thankful Tree

The Thankful Tree:

Let your family put their gratitude on display with a classic tree of thanks. Your kids can set up the tree ahead of time... then leave out the materials for guests.
Try also starting at the beginning of November...write and hang one leaf a day of things you are thankful for!

CRAFT MATERIALS:
	Small tree branch
	Flowerpot
	Pebbles, rocks, or marbles
	Card stock or colored paper
	Hole punch
	Twine or string
	Clear holiday lights (optional)
Time needed: Under 1 Hour

1. To make the tree, insert a branch in a flowerpot filled with pebbles, rocks, or marbles. Cut leaf shapes from card stock or colored paper, use a hole punch to make a hole in each, and attach a loop of twine or string.
2. At your gathering, have guests jot down a note of thanks on a leaf and hang it from the tree. You can also string the tree with clear holiday lights for added festivity!

Thanksgiving Craft: Turkey Finger Stamp Name Cards

Finger Stamp Name Cards

These handy little birds are great seat markers and a fun predinner activity. Have the younger set make them for the rest of the family, or let everyone try his hand -- or at least a finger -- at making his own.

CRAFT MATERIALS:
	Card stock as shown
	Nontoxic stamp pads in brown, red, orange, and yellow
	Glue
	Googly eyes
	Paint markers
Time needed: Under 1 Hour

1. For each bird, fold a piece of card stock as shown (ours were roughly 3 by 4 inches). Set out nontoxic stamp pads in brown, red, orange, and yellow. Using your thumb or index finger, stamp rings of yellow, orange, and red, and a brown turkey body.
2. Glue googly eyes in place, then use paint markers to draw on a beak, snood, and feet and to write a guest's name below the bird.

Craft: Star-Spangled Batons

These batons promise to be the stars of any Independence Day celebration!

CRAFT MATERIALS:
	Scissors
	Pieces of red, white, and blue craft foam with a sticky backing
	Red, white, and blue ribbons
	Star stencils
	3/8-inch dowel
Time needed: 30 Minutes or Less

1. Cut a pair of 6-inch stars from red, white, or blue craft foam.
2. Cut a slightly smaller pair (ours were 4 inches across) from a different color of craft foam, and an even smaller pair (ours were 3 inches across) from the third color.
3. Press together the 2 sets of stars, sandwiching a 3/8-inch dowel between them.
4. Finish the baton by tying a length of red, white, and blue ribbon around the dowel.

***I made this craft for our children's Sunday School class this past Sunday. I traced and pre-cut the stars before class. All we had to do was assemble them in class. I had 2-6 yr. olds, 2-4 yr. olds and a 2 yr. old. This craft would be appropriate for Independence Day, Memorial Day or Veterans Day.
They all enjoyed having this star-spangled batons to celebrate Independence Day!