Welcome to month TWO of the Holiday Headquarters Entertaining series. I am so excited to be sharing HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING Ideas with nine other wonderful bloggers. Today we are sharing all kinds of fabulous ideas — from food and drinks, to decorating and etiquette ideas.
Holiday Wood Branch Place Card Holder PLUS Faux Wood Printable Cards!!
It snowed here a couple days ago. The snow was so heavy that it broke a huge branch on my neighbor’s tree. I drove past the cut up branches and thought maybe I could use them to make some rustic place holders. So I stuck a big branch in the back of my car and took it home to my garage — to dry out overnight.
Here’s what I did to make the place holders:
1. I cut the branch into 2-3 inch high pieces of wood.
2. Then I took a hack saw and cut a shallow groove in the top of each of the circles.
3. I made a faux wood printable. And then I typed in the names of the people that will be at our Thanksgiving dinner.
4. I printed them out and cut each square out.
5. Then I glittered the place cards with Martha Stewart’s — Smoky Quartz glitter.
6. The last thing I did was inserted the name tag into the wood place card holder.
You can print out the Faux Wood Printable Place Cards on cardstock and use them alone or add some glitz with glitter!
The file is a Microsoft Word file — so you can customize the names and font if you want.
Here is the Faux Place Card file that’s customizable.
{note — this is a big Microsoft Word (.docx) file, it might take a few minutes to download}
And here’s a PDF version if you want to hand-write the names — Faux Wood Place Cards PDF…
Have a Great Day!!
And, be sure to check out these FABULOUS Entertaining Ideas today:
- Housewife Bliss http://www.housewifebliss.com | Maple Whipped Sweet Potatoes
- Celebrations at Home http://celebrationsathomeblog.com/blog | How to Host a Fall Pizza Party
- The TomKat Studio http://www.thetomkatstudio.com/ | Delicious Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
- Second City Soiree http://www.secondcitysoiree.com/index/2011/11/7/how-to-host-thanksgiving-in-a-small-space.html | How to Host Thanksgiving in a Small Space
- With Style and Grace [http://withstyleandgraceblog.com] | Small bites for a thankful crowd
- Party BluPrints http://www.partybluprintsblog.com/party-themes/the-thanksgiving-kids-table | The Thanksgiving Kids’ Table
- The Daily Basics http://thedailybasics.com | Fall Door Decorating and the Best Recipe for Pumpkin Pie
- The Gracious Girl www.TheGraciousGirl.net/blog | The Gift of Gratitude
Kim @ The Celebration Shoppe says
Oh my lovely! Sharing with my readers today! 🙂
Diana says
I love these and want to do this for Thanksgiving….But I only come up with PDF files when I click on any of Wood Faux printables. I want to type in names…Please Help!!! I need a word file. Thanks.
Jen says
You’re right! I had accidentally used the PDF link for both. I’ve updated the link so the first one is the Word (.docx) file. Here’s the link to the Word file again.
Sorry for the confusion!
bridget {bake at 350} says
I love, love, love these placecards! Thinking they would make great cookies!!!
Monica says
Dying to see you make the cookies! ;o) These came out great!
Rona says
So cute!! Thank you
Chris @ Celebrations At Home says
I ADORE this idea! Anything “rustic” + tree decor & I’m in! ; D
Jen says
Chris @ Celebrations At Home » Thanks Chris!! I loved being able to use some of those branches that were laying on the side of the road and give them new life 🙂
Thanks for the sweet comment!!
xoxox
Jen
Lisa [With Style and Grace] says
look at you, so creative! love the glitter 🙂
Jen says
Lisa [With Style and Grace] » Thanks Lisa!! I can’t resist glitter LOL!
xoxo
Jen
Coryanne Ettiene says
Oh Jen, I always long for your crafty gene, these are stunning and I can’t wait to borrow the idea this year and share them on the tweet chat this Thursday. All the best, Coryanne
Jen says
Thanks Coryanne!!
And thanks for setting up this fun Entertaining Series. I have loved getting to know the other girls better and seeing all of the wonderful ideas!!! You are awesome my friend!!
xoxoxoxo
Jen
Jodi Hall says
that is too cute.. such a great idea!
Jen says
Thanks Jodi! I love the combination of rustic and glitter 🙂
Thanks for the sweet comment!
xoxo
Jen
Molly Smith says
This idea is so cute! These could also be used for Christmas and New Years by adding a tiny decor. Very clever, Jen! I am laughing thinking about you putting the branch in your trunk and getting this perfect project from it. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
-Molly
Jen says
LOL – thanks Molly! I think my neighbor probably thought I was crazy, carting off his old branches in my car. I have a huge one sitting in my garage to make a centerpiece out of 🙂
xoxox
Jen
cynthia at the daily basics says
Absolutely love these- great idea and so original! We def have plenty of wood to chop to make the bases around here! Thanks!!!
Jen says
Thanks Cynthia!!! I love it when I can find something and find another purpose for it 🙂
xoxoxo
Jen
Lefty says
This is a really intelligent way to ansewr the question.
nest of posies says
YOU YOU YOU!!! are amazing.
these are so unique! love them.
xoxo
kellie
Jen says
Thanks Kellie!!!
I couldn’t resist the branches by the side of the road and glitter!!!
xoxoxo
Jen
Jamiecrafts says
hey jen, i tried clicking on the link for the microsoft word DL but it said i had the wrong page, is there somewhere else i can get it from?
Jen says
Hi! There was a broken link. I just fixed it — it’s http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4266276/thanksgiving%20place%20cards%202011%20tatertotsandjello.com.pdf
xoxox
Jen
Ellie G says
Oh my gosh!!!! I’m so in love with you….it’s probably not appropriate! These are amazing, Jen. Like outta this world. You amaze me!! Can we be friends?
Jen says
LOL – I feel the same way about you. You are adorable and amazing.
xoxoxox
Jen
Janet says
I can’t get either of these cool branch printables to print. Boo I get a 400 error on the custom one and the other ones don’t show up at all. Thanks
Jen says
Hi Janet!! Sorry about that — I fixed the one link and the other one worked for me. Here’s the link to the one that was broken — http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4266276/thanksgiving%20place%20cards%202011%20tatertotsandjello.com.pdf
They should both be working now 🙂
xxox
Jen
Diana says
I’m sorry, but I am having the same problem as Janet.
You mention a WORD version (Which I suspect will end in an extension of .DOC or .DOCX) but all the links you keep providing are for PDF versions.
Can you find the DOC version and upload it for us pls?
Thx..I love these.
MiMi says
LOVE!!!
Jen says
Thanks my friend!! I think my neighbor thought I was crazy carting off his branches. I have a huge log sitting in my garage waiting to be made into a centerpiece. LOL!
xoxo
Jen
Mindy says
Great idea for nametags:)
Shirley L says
I love these! We had the same thing happen in our yard last weekend, I’ll be sending my husband out to cut that wood for me! 🙂
Jen says
Shirley L » Thanks Shirley!! Let me know if you make some – I’d love to feature them!
xoxox
Jen
Mindy Lockard says
These are such a great idea, and so pretty too! Thanks for the download.
Jen @ SecondCitySoiree says
Very pretty…that would make a fun weekend project!
Jen says
Jen @ SecondCitySoiree » Thanks Jen!! It really was a fast project!!
xoxox
Jen
Kelli says
Jen those are so cute! The glitter makes them fabulous!
Jen says
Thanks Kelli!! They were really fun to make. I loved using natural elements along with glitter LOL!
xoxo
Jen
Linda says
This is so great! I am sharing the link on my blog for brides to use for their wedding place cards! As usual, you have wonderful ideas and beautiful posts! Thanks so much for sharing!
Jen says
Thanks Linda!! It was fun making them and using finding a use for the discarded branches 🙂
xoxo
Jen
Amanda says
Too cute!!
Jen says
Thanks Amanda!! They were really fun and fast to make 🙂
xoxo
Jen
Tonya @ Love of Family & Home says
These are so, so cute!! Love them!!
Jen says
Thanks Tonya!!
It was fun finding a use for the discarded branches 🙂
xoxo
Jen
Christina at I Gotta Create! says
These are gorgeous and perfect for Thanksgiving!!! I personally love a woodsy theme. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Jen says
Thanks Christina!!
I love rustic for Thanksgiving and Christmas too. And I think it’s fun to add a little sparkle with the rustic 🙂 Have a great day!!
xoxox
Jen
Dawn Sandomeno says
Jen – These are STUNNING! They will go on the Adult Thanksgiving Table this year. We have so many trees down from the storm here in NJ, so we can turn the down branches into beautiful art. Thanks!
Jen says
Hi Dawn!!
Oh yay – I am so glad you are going to make some! I heard that storm was terrible. We have some friends in Massachusetts and they just barely got their power back on.
Have a wonderful week!!
xoxo
Jen
Jessica@nucheysmommy says
Jen, I love these!!! What a great idea & no $$$$ well maybe glitter & paper 🙂 I might try these for xmas with a little white snow on & a tree cutout ! Save yours I bet you could get 2 holidays out of them!Thanks so much for sharing!
Jen says
Hi Jessica!
I love your idea of using faux snow with them. I bet that would be so pretty against the wood. That is such a good idea to save them for Christmas too!
Have a great week my friend!
xox
Jen