P. Kelly Smith
Now that we’re officially in November, I can properly devote all my attention to the next holiday on the horizon: Thanksgiving. Yep, I’m one of those purists who doesn’t want to see cauldrons bubbling in July, turkeys gobbling in September or Christmas lights twinkling in November. I just want to celebrate each holiday as it comes and enjoy the festivities that surround each one. So, back to Thanksgiving.
I often feel Thanksgiving gets overlooked. It’s sandwiched between two really big holidays that are highly publicized and demand a lot of fuss. Don’t get me wrong, I love fuss (I think all paper crafters do), but it’s nice to have a little breather, and Thanksgiving is that for me. The delicious food aside, I love coming together as friends and family and acknowledging the many blessings we have in our lives.
One of my favorite sections from our September/October 2012 issue is the Natural Elements feature. Burlap, canvas, and cork, oh my! These natural elements are the perfect tie-in to Thanksgiving, as evident by these festive projects:
Natural Flower Gift Bag by Emily Branch:
Emily incorporated denim, burlap, hemp, and canvas into her lovely bag. This would make the perfect hostess gift for the perfect Thanksgiving hostess.
Grateful Mini Book by Tami Bayer:
Tami incorporated cork, cotton, twine, wood, and feather into her little book. I love the idea of creating a similar book and having my Thanksgiving guests write what they’re grateful for each year.
Fall Flowers Place Setting by Judy Hayes:
Judy incorporated burlap and cotton into her sweet place setting. A bonus idea: you could add more natural appeal by replacing the ribbon with small twigs.
I can also see Judy’s napkin ring modified into a fun bread wrap. And I know just the bread to make and wrap – Pumpkin Nut Bread. If you love pumpkin and nuts, this is a delicious combination!
And here’s to another delicious combination: natural elements and Thanksgiving. Why not incorporate burlap, canvas, cork, and more into your holiday crafting plans? And if you get a little fussy, that’s okay!
Thankful for nature, family, and friends!
I love the natural elements incorporated into cards and gifts! I have some burlap just waiting to be used somewhere – thanks so much for the excellent ideas!
I am smitten with all of these-perfect inspiration for the season.
Love the burlap and cork! Great textures and projects!!
Beautiful projects
Kelly, you are a girl after my own heart. I thought I was the only one in the Western Hemisphere that tries to prepare for and enjoy each holiday as it comes and not go overboard. As you say,though, fussing is good, in the right time and place (i.e.,paper-crafting). Thanks for reminding me of the nature’s elements in my Nov.-Dec. issue. Have a great autumn weekend.
Oops! I meant the Sept.-Oct. issue–sorry.
I LOVE all of these projects, especially Tami’s.
I, too, dislike all the hoopla in stores that precedes big holidays by months. I’m that way with sports, too–I can’t start watching basketball or football until baseball’s over.
I adore the natural look in ALL things, and these are no exception. Thanks for sharing these projects. They’ve gotten my creative juices moving.
Love the Grateful mini book!! These are all so pretty; definitely my most favorite trend
Retailers get so far ahead on the holidays, pretty soon we’ll be on the publishing schedule. hee hee The projects are beautiful as always!