Quick and Easy Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Eeek!  This one is on PSA Stamp Camp today!!  Head on over and check it out there too!!
Need a super quick and easy way to decorate your thanksgiving table on Thursday?  Add a paper bunting banner in a bowl of pumpkins and gourds...

I used my PSA Essentials stamps, some recycled paper from my stash, some twine and some skewers from the kitchen drawer.

I cut my paper into rectangles first, then made them triangles.  I loved the rustic nature of this recycled scrapbook paper.

I then stamped my letters on in orange...

For the skewers, on one end I hot glued then together in an "X"....

On the other end, I tied on two pieces of twine.  I hot glued the knots to the skewers after I tied them to prevent them from slipping down.

Then just hot glue your little triangles onto the twine.  Oh so easy.

I love how the second row of letters is wavy!

Now just stick the entire thing down in a bowl of pumpkins and gourds and you have a festive table centerpiece.

Quick, easy, cheap, and cute....my kinda craft!

So do you have your centerpiece done?  Any stamping involved?  Bunting banners?  I would love to see them so drop me a link in a comment!

I don't know about y'all but I am ready to eat some turkey!

 

Posted at Show and Tell on Blue Cricket Design.

Posted at Whatever Goes Wednesday on Someday Crafts.
Posted at What I Whipped Up Wednesday on Sugar and Dots.
Posted at Good Life Wednesdays on A Beach Cottage.
Posted at the party on Organize and Decorate Everything. 
Posted at DIY Under $5 on A Little Tipsy.
~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

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My Fall Mantle

Fall mantle update time.  We have been so busy around here with the twelve days of handmade Christmas that my mantle got pushed to the back of the posting line up.  But I did want to give y'all an update before Thanksgiving.  I did in fact take down the bats and spiders...

I put up all sorts of pumpkins.  I was going for a classic looking mantle.  The white pumpkins fit the bill.  Pumpkin tutorials can be found on my blog:

 Sweater Sleeve Pumpkins (no sew)

Monk's Cloth Pumpkins 

Sweater Pumpkins (no sew) 

Shabby Pumpkin Garland 

 

I used a stack of shabby vintage books to add some height to the mantle.  Picking ones in fall colors helped to tie them to the theme.

Throwing in a neutral colored occasionally plus some galvanized kept it from being too white and sterile.

I kept my DIY tobacco basket on the shelf.  With, of course, the addition of a fall banner.

Squares of paper doily and burlap were layered.  A chipboard letter was added to the top.  My best friend hot glue holds it all on a piece of twine.

I stacked pumpkins on top of pumpkins in some areas...

Even my Ikea lantern got a festive pumpkin addition...

The perfect mantle for our Thanksgiving celebration...and yes it will be time to take it down shortly and add those Christmas touches!

 Posted at Get Your Craft On on Today's Creative Blog.

Posted at Take a Look Tuesday on Sugar Bee Craft Edition.

Posted at Tip Me Tuesday on Tip Junkie.

Posted at Tutorials and Tips on The Stories of A to Z.
~Thanks for stopping by!~
~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage  

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Updating a picture mat with stamps

Originally seen on PSA Stamp Camp but just in case ya missed it... 

I wanted to frame up a few leaves to display for fall.  But the plain white mat in my frame was not doing it for me.  So I updated it using a few stamps....

I used orange and brown with my PSA Essentials stamps.  I used just the outer ring of the stamp. 

I began with the orange and randomly stamp all over the mat... 

I then started with the brown and randomly stamped it also... 

Working my way all the way around with both the orange and brown... 

It is a super quick and easy way to get rid of that plain white mat... 

The leaves??  Just some I picked up around our yard.  Love those fall colors...nature makes the best art... 

Next time you are framing up a piece of art or a piece of nature, take a look at your mat and consider giving it a facelift. 

A pretty addition to my fall decor....so sad it is almost time to pack this one away til next year.  But I am soooo close to being able to break out the Christmas decorations!  What about y'all?  Are you holding out til after Thanksgiving? 

I am on the PSA Essentials design team.  I received product compensation for my work on the team.  The projects and opinions are all my own.
Posted on Met Monday on Between Naps on the Porch.

Posted at Just Something I Whipped up on The Girl Creative.
Posted at the Sunday Showcase on Under the Table and Dreaming.

~Thanks for stopping by!~
~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

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Subway Art Burlap Table Runner -- Point of View

I am participating in a fun blog hop today!  The Burlap Point of View!  A group of ladies get together each month and put their spin on a topic.  They invite a guest and do a blog hop one day of the month.  I am the guest this month!  So read on to find out about MY point of view on burlap!

After that little sneak peak of the projects, I am sure you want to visit them all!  Check out all the blogs:

Amy http://www.amerooniedesigns.blogspot.com/

Michelle http://www.alittletipsy.com/


Camilla http://www.rosyredbuttons.blogspot.com/


Leanne http://www.organizeyourstuffnow.com/


Gwen http://www.gwennypenny.com/

Now for my point of view!  Burlap is the perfect thing for me...I was thrilled that the ladies asked me this month.  I heart burlap!  As soon as I heard the theme, I began to think of table runners for my Thanksgiving table.  I have had a thought of a subway art table runner for a while.  I love subway art but have never found a way to work it into my home.  A table runner seemed like the perfect opportunity.  So I combined that idea with burlap and came up with fabulous...

Ready to make your own??

I used muslin and my fave deco art paints for the runner.  Muslin comes in 108" widths so it is super easy to tear yourself off a runner from one side.  My muslin is 12 inches wide.

Then I broke out one of my other fave products -- my Silhouette.  I made my subway art using different fonts, sizes, and directions plus stock shapes out of my library.  I made the stencil about 8 inches square.  If you make your stencil square that allows for you to turn it as you work your way down the table runner.  It looks a little less like you just used the same stencil all the way (even though you do).  Paint it this way then turn it 1/4 turn.  Paint it again.  Turn it 1/4 turn.  Make sense?   My secret for stencils -- I take the middles of the letters and tape them in with scotch tape.  After I paint in this area, I would remove the stencil and go back by hand and paint in the areas masked by the tape.  Want more details on that method?  Check out this post for all the details.

I custom mixed my own paints.  I did them in small amounts on a paper plate.  So as you go down the runner, the orange may look different as I had to mix a new batch.  I wanted this look.  I did not want the runner to be exactly the same all the way.  I felt the slight differences in color added interest.

Plus when I painted I used different colors.  Let's take the "give thanks" in the picture below on the right for example.  The "give" part looks like a slightly different shade then the "thanks".  But the "give thanks" on the left hand side looks a little different yet.  Just dip your brush in say a little red before dipping it into the brown.  You will be amazed at the effects you can create. 

See my turkey below...isn't he pretty??  Shades of red, orange, and yellow all used to make him stand out!  When I got to the next turkey, I would try a different mix of colors. 

I stretched my runner out on the floor with newspaper underneath it.  I painted all of my subway art all the way down.  I did it in two sessions cause it totally hurt my back!!  But I finished it...then I let that dry.  I took my burlap and cut it to be about 4 inches wider than my runner (2 inches on both sides).

I then sewed the muslin to the burlap on both sides and on the ends.  I left about 2 inches all the way around of the burlap.  I left all of my edges raw cause I heart frayed edges.  You can run some fray checker on the edges to make sure it does not fray more than you want it to.

I frayed my edges some on purpose.  Again cause I love that look.  How much or how little is totally up to you.

Then I set the table for a little photo shoot.  Any guesses on what my table cloth is?  It is a drop cloth.  Yes a canvas painter's drop cloth.  Impress your guests this Thanksgiving with a gorgeous table cloth...don't tell 'em where you got it...

In the center of the table, I just added a footed wood bowl and some pumpkins and gourds.  A little scrap of burlap was placed in the bottom of the bowl.

All that is missing is my Thanksgiving guests.  I love the idea that no matter where you are sitting at the table you can read seasonal saying and words....

Here is a shot from above so you can see that I did indeed paint all 108 inches of table runner...no cheating allowed...

I am so in love with this table runner, I am thinking of doing one for every season!  The subway art table runner could very quickly become a "thing" for me...

For now, I will just enjoy all the autumn colors on my Thanksgiving table.  Oh if you are wondering -- this one will be spot clean only.  Sorry gals I don't think burlap washes well.  :)

So fire up your Silhouette, make your stencil, and start painting!  I would love to see your take on the subway art table runner this holiday season!

Be sure to visit all the other burlap projects today!

Amy http://www.amerooniedesigns.blogspot.com/

Michelle http://www.alittletipsy.com/

Camilla http://www.rosyredbuttons.blogspot.com/

Leanne http://www.organizeyourstuffnow.com/

Gwen http://www.gwennypenny.com/

And if you are visiting me today from one of these great blogs, follow along!  We would love to have ya!
Posted at the Weekend Wrap up on Tatertots and Jello.
Posted at Sunday Showcase on Under the Table and Dreaming.
Linking up with Best DIY Project of October on Beneath My Heart. 
Posted at the Thanksgiving party on Someday Crafts.

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~

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