{month of thanksgiving} blessing tree & more...

 November is the month of Thanksgiving, where we make that extra effort to show how thankful we are for how much we have been given--counting our blessings.  During the month I love to have a visual reminder of these blessings, and have a way that my kids can get involved with the process.  

We live far away from any family, and so often times we will get together with close friends to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.  A few years ago this was the case, and we planned weeks in advance who was to bring what.  I was excited, because not only did it lessen my cooking for the day, but I was going to be able to spend it with such wonderful people. The day came, and that morning we received a call that the host family (the entire family) had come down with the flu. We all rallied together, packaged our individual food offerings, and delivered them to each family. My dear friend Brook had also made the most darling "blessing trees" for each family, and as we sat around the table as a family talking about how much we had been blessed with, this little tree was the perfect centerpiece.

 

This tree is SO fun, and perfect for any size space.  It can fit on a countertop, mantle, as a table centerpiece, or on a kitchen island. Fill out a few leaves every day, and soon your tree will be filled with blessings! This can be used from year to year--just make new leaves.  You could even save the leaves from each year, which would be a really fun way to look back on the years. A huge thank you to Brook, for making the tree, and letting me share her fabulous idea!

{Blessing Tree}

ITEMS YOU NEED:   

• terra cotta pot
• green floral foam
• floral moss
• ribbon
• yellow, red, brown cardstock
• leaf template 
• branches

 DIRECTIONS: 

1.  Cut a piece of floral foam to fit securely into the bottom of your pot.  

2.  Go searching in your yard for the perfect branches! If you don't have any in your own yard, craft or hobby stores may carry a few options for you.

3. Poke your branches into the foam, and cover the foam with the moss.

4.  Tie your ribbon around the edge of the pot.  Brook found the perfect ribbon at Michael's--it says "blessings".

5.  Print your leaves on to the colored paper, then cut them out!  If you have Silhouette, Cricut, Lifestyle Epic, or other die cut system, that would also work. Punch a hole at the top of each leaf, then tie on a loop of jute or twine.

Leaf Template #1

Leaf Template #2

 .....

Here are a few more really great thankful ideas!!!

 

{Give Thanks Dry-Erase Frame}

{brown paper packages}

Thankful Tree

Crap I've Made

Thankful Chalkboard

Domestic Fashionista

Thankful Wall

This and That Creative

Chalkboard Front Door Sign

Infarrantly Creative