On the Craft Table (for under a dollar)

Last weekend I spent some much needed time away in Huntsville, and at my dad's lake house in Guntersville.  Saturday I had lunch with a dear friend from high school.  It is always nice to catch up and talk with someone who really knows you well.  Deb and I graduated together, were married in the same year, and also lived in T-town together for a while.  I'm glad I had a chance to catch up with her. 

Sunday was a beautiful day at Lake Guntersville.  My brother and I started a fire in the fire pit and burned some of the rubble on the property.  We barely made a dent in the piles of downed trees and brush, even though we kept the blaze going all day.  For a couple of hours I walked the property and picked up gum balls, acorns, and hickory nuts.  I brought home three quart Ziploc bags full.

There was a reason for collecting these nuts, other than trying to control the squirrel population.  I was scheduled to have a brunch at my house Nov. 17th for the girls in our youth group.  For quite some time I have had a craft in my head involving acorns, pine cones, gum balls, and hickory nuts.  Unfortunately, the brunch did not happen but I crafted anyway.  Hannah helped me a little but I did most of this myself.  Here goes:

I searched the internet for leaf templates.  I chose a maple leaf shape and an oak leaf shape.  Then I cut card board bases for my wreaths.  I placed a votive candle holder in the middle and started with a circle of acorns.  Next remove the votive holder and grab the glue gun.  Add the nuts in any pattern you like.  My original votive holders were pink, so Hannah painted them fall colors for me.  I have a red and a green which will serve a dual purpose and show up again at Christmas.  I have enough nuts left to make some nice circle wreath holders for Christmas.  To put the final touch and pretty things up, I found a good use for my spray ModPodge.  I sprayed the wreaths to make them shiny. 
               Here is the finished product:

You can see the card board.  To avoid this, cover with felt or burlap first.  I was just being lazy.



 Credit for this craft goes to my mom.  She used to take numerous walks in the woods, gathering nuts and pine cones.  Of course I used to help.  Did you know that Mobile pine cones look different from Huntsville pine cones?  It's true, and they are also prettier in wreaths.  Mom used to make large scale wreaths with plywood bases and take orders for them at Christmas.  They were huge pine cone wreaths and could be hung on the door or placed  flat with a candle in the center.  These are just a mini-version.  But they were fun, and I'm sorry the girls didn't get to help and take one home for their Thanksgiving table. 

The best part, I only spent $.84.  I already had the votive holders...left over from my wedding in 1989.  (Ummm, yes, I save most everything.) The nuts and gumballs were found on the ground, except for the squirrel I had to wrestle.  I already had acrylic paint and  ModPodge.  I paid only for the brown votive candles themselves...on sale at Wal-Mart for only eighty-four cents :-). 

And that's it in a nutshell.

In other news, S is home for Thanksgiving break, and it is great to hear the sound of my three kids together again.  Han quickly asked S to complete a level for her on one of her Ipod games.  Hours of gaming commenced...together.  J and S are horsing around and J may be close to overpowering his older brother.  We'll see.  S was still the victor and brought J to his knees.  :-)  Nothing was broken and I told them if they broke something they had to pay for it.  Still, it was great to see them acting like boys brothers.
For most of Saturday there were three teenagers in the house, and one tween, and it was awesome.  Of course, I was gone much of the time on a date with hubs.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone and Roll Tide!!!