My friends, Thanksgiving is upon us. This year, one of the things I am thankful for is not cooking a whole Thanksgiving dinner! We are packing up the Jeep and heading to my parents house. I don't have a huge family, but everyone will be there so it'll be a full house. As I was thinking about the day and how everyone is going to be together, I started thinking that I should contribute more than my sweet potato casserole (though it is good, if I do say so myself). I thought about doing the thankful crescent rolls, but well, it grossed me out (if you don't know what I am talking about, get on Pinterest, you'll find them). Then I started thinking about making everyone go around and talking about all the things they are thankful for, but well - I'm not going to stand in the way of a hungry family and a turkey dinner. Then I spotted this and thought it was BRILLIANT!
To me this pin from Blue Cricket Design was the perfect idea - in case you can't see what my little pin is, let me clarify. I've decided to name it a Thankful Tablecloth, because it's pretty much a tablecloth full of things you are thankful for. I told you, brilliant! The fam can read it as they eat! You know you want one too - here's what you need:
A Canvas Dropcloth
Markers (I used fabric Sharpies)
Yup, that's all you need ... well, besides your thankful list. Since I am going to be with my family for Thanksgiving I decided to send out a good old mass family email and demand ask nicely for some things they are thankful for. I also got the dimensions for my Mom's table so I could make sure the dropcloth was the right size (you can always hem one if you have an odd sized table). I asked everyone to send me at least 15-20 things that they are thankful for. I should have specified that I wanted SHORT items, like one word answers, but, I didn't... so I edited a little. Sorry Family! Once I had everyone's list, I re-wrote it so that I could take out any duplicates (and shorten). Now for the fun part. I laid the cloth on our table went to work.
I need to pause right here and tell you a little something about my husband. He's an engineer. I think I killed him a little bit by not doing a layout or a template or a grid or using stencils of any kind. If you are like my husband - stop reading.
I just started writing. I tried to use all different styles and sizes and I varied what part of the cloth I was writing on so I could work on spacing - but basically - I just wrote. I measured where Mom's table top ended and placed a word there so I had a make shift border. As I was writing, I got a chance to think about all of things we have, we've been through and how blessed our family is. I know that sounds cheesy, but people I am a glass-half-empty kind of girl, so for me, it is a true statement - no cheese intended.
I went through two, yes two, markers on this tablecloth and I completely exhausted my thankful list. I have to say, I am pretty excited about this tablecloth. (The pictures don't really show it - we've had rain all week and you know what that means --- sad, dark pictures.)
As I write, my husband is packing for our voyage to the far off land of New Jersey and I will be packing my contribution to this year's table - the tablecloth! What are you bringing to this year's table? What are you thankful for?
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
P.S - Just for you, I'll try to take a picture of the tablecloth on the table it was intended for - and it's only because I'm thankful for you!
