Crafty Happiness for the Holiday Season…

A few weeks ago, I was surfing the internet and found this random post from the Stylist, about “Upcycle A Runner From…Toilet Paper Rolls?” Toilet paper rolls, seriously? YES.

I have so much on my plate these days that I yearn for simplicity sometimes. I have also become a serious homebody…I know, I know it is wrong of me because I live in Europe for Christ’s sake (but, money is an issue these days [as if there is a time when it isn’t]). So, I decided to prepare for the upcoming holiday season by getting crafty with everyday things around the house. I decided to make table decorations for the three (yes, three) tables we will have at our Thanksgiving dinner this year. Last year we had three tables and because of all the food that our guests bought (it wouldn’t a proper Thanksgiving potluck if I had to make everything and I would not have fun with that! Once we sat down to dinner, or at least attempted to, all the decorations on the table were covered up or had to be moved to make way for the food. So this year, I wanted to have simple decorations, so when I came across this idea, I really liked it, as it seemed perfect for our tables.

Our colors are red, black and silver – not because they are the colors of Thanksgiving, but because I am more likely to reuse the materials/colors again if there are some left over, fall colored items don’t really have a place in our house and we don’t have the income to buy things frilly-willy like. So, here are the pictures of my crafty Saturday:

The start of the project:

We saved as many cardboard rolls as we could. I then lined the dining table with newsprint collected all the other material:

• scissors
• pen
• ruler
• glue
• clothespins
• spray paint (I used black and sparkly silver)

Next I took the pen and the ruler and marked out equal space that would later become the consistent space for the pieces I will be gluing together.

I began by just gluing two together as I didn’t know why pattern, if any, I wanted to use. Here you can see the pieces staying together because of the clothes pins. I think it kind of looks like colorful bunnies on parade, but I think like that sometimes and others don’t.

I knew I wanted three different pieces but I had really no idea about the patter(s) I wanted in the end. Here are two of the three ‘runners’ (in the end I know they are more like centerpieces or something not actually table runners). The designs all sort of happened organically and one or two are better than the other really, but in the end I am happy with the process and the end product.

Sorry I didn’t take pictures of the spray painting. My first attempt was in my house with the window open, but we only have two windows in our house – so there was no ventilation and I think my husband, our friends and myself all got a little high off the fumes. By the time I was outside spraying the pieces, it was cold and dark and I still had a headache from the ‘inside the house’ incident, so no pictures of that step.

Still here, trying to capture the sparkles just doesn’t do the end product justice. The double coat of spray paint actually seemed to make these much stronger too, so we will attempt to use them as a rest for the serious amount of food that will be placed on the table (covering up all the decorations). I mean, didn’t I tell you there will be 14-16 people here eating my turkey and sharing this friendly Thanksgiving? (!!) Did I also mention that we live in a one bedroom apartment. Last year I wanted to have a Thanksgiving like my family does, the type where everyone sits where ever they can find a space and my guests objected, so we had four tables (one which we didn’t use, the ‘kids table’). The length of the table was fit for a king, it extended from one wall all the way to the kitchen/living room door. I will post another picture of the fully set table so you can see and really understand what I mean.

So, this is the finished product….

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, even if you are not in the US. I am thankful for my husband, the opportunities that brought us here and continues to keep us here, as well as the great friends and other people we have come to know here. Without all of them, we would probably be miserable and lonely! ❤