Happy Thanksgiving paper leather squirrel

Squirrels are so darn cute! I just got the Sizzix squirrel die and some of their new paper leather sheets perfect for using with it as the brown tone was perfect and the flexibility would lend itself to a bit of sculpting.

I die cut 2 squirrels and glued them together at the head and tail ONLY. After the glue dried I could separate the hands and feet a bit to get the squirrel to stand and hold an acorn between its paws.

 To give the squirrel a bit more dimension I colored it a bit with Tombow recycled pencils.

Happy Thanksgiving!

How to make a Thanksgiving place setting

This Thanksgiving place setting was inspired by my almost complete lack of fall colored home decor. I was flipping through the new book Super-cute Felt and the squirrel coaster just screamed cute (go figure!) and perfect for Thanksgiving. I have a "new" old vintage Formica table and I didn't want to cover it with a table cloth so placemats needed to be made. One of my only Thanksgiving decorations is my recycled wool felted sweater turkey you see in the background.

 
So first up I traced the super cute squirrel in the pattern section of Super-cute Felt. Cut out the pattern pieces and then cut 2 of each squirrel and 2 mirror images from a fuzzy felt.

Then I glued each pair together with Tacky Glue leaving the bottom area free of glue so I could put a weight in the bottom. I ended up using 2 floral marbles. For the acorns I cut one acorn body and 2 lids. I glued them together sandwiching the bottom between the lids.

To make the pumpkin placemats I grabbed a large piece of tracing paper and one of my plates to sketch out the size of the pumpkin so it would look nice with the size of my plates.

 After I sketched the pumpkin out on the paper I cut it out and then pinned the pattern to the felt.

After I cut out the pumpkin I used a Sharpie to draw in the inner lines and the parameter. I also added a green stem. Pretty darn easy and fast!

More about  Super-cute Felt from Cico Books:

 Super-cute Felt
by
 Laura Howard

"With 35 simple yet striking projects, Super-cute Felting is a must-have book for anyone with an appreciation of adorable, hand-crafted objects. Start with the 'Accessories' chapter, packed with pretty brooches, necklaces and scarves to keep you warm and snug - try the cute kitty purse that is sure to delight any little girl. 'Gifts' is next, with plenty of inspirational ideas, such as the fruity pincushion that any keen crafter will use again and again. In 'Homewares', you will find coasters, tea cosies and hot water bottle covers, all with a touch of vintage glamour. Finally, 'Celebrations' has unique decorating ideas for all the holidays, including Christmas, Halloween and Easter. There are projects for all skill levels, so you don't have to be an old hand in order to create something really special. Every design comes complete with clear step-by-step instructions and illustrations to guide you through each step. And at the back is a helpful techniques section explaining all the stitches and skills required, plus tips and tricks to make your creations really stand out."

Thanksgiving "Be Thankful" banner

I am most assuredly on the banner bandwagon. Here is my latest creation. It is made from scraps of fall colored felt. Feel free to download the letter template that spells out "Be Thankful" and make one yourself!

For the triangle pennants I folded a piece of felt in half lengthwise and cut it from the bottom fold point to the outside top corner.
Enlarge the letters to be about 6.5 inches.
Trace letters and cut them out of contrasting felt.
I used Tacky Glue to stick them on the pennants.