Thanksgiving Tablecloth

We should be pro’s at making handprints by now, but we’re still learning the best way to do it. I was going to pour out paint on paper plates when we found out that all we need to do is to squeeze a bunch of paint right on the hand and lay the hand on the tablecloth.

Morgan likes to explain things to Garrett, his little buddy.

We used fabric paint and accidentally got it on some fabrics we didn’t intend to (like Anna’s, Abby’s, and Kelsey’s shirts), but it washed right out when we washed it right away.

I’ve learned that I need to help even the older kids with this so that the handprint comes out right. I press down on each finger and every part of the palm to make sure we get even coverage.

I wanted the verses to be written in beautiful, flowing script. My oldest kids have learned Italic cursive, but I haven’t. Someday, I intend to learn it. But I asked the kids to do the writing for me and was surprised when Shawn volunteered to do it. He planned it out, got out the tape measure to keep his lines straight and started copying the verses. I thought it turned out beautifully!

Abby and Emma behaved very well through the whole project. They didn’t make any messes. It was us older people that made all the messes this time. We spilled purple paint all across the floor when the spout was jammed and Kelsey squeezed the bottle as hard as she could. Fortunately, the little ones had already left, so they didn’t try to skate in it or paint the walls with it.

Patrick was a good sport and cooperated with another one of my crazy ideas.

 

Here’s the almost-finished product.

I’m going to have each of them write what they’re thankful for on or near their handprints.

Another thing I learned the hard way was that I should have laid newspaper on the table under the tablecloth before I had them put their painted hands on it. Live and learn!

They ate lunch at the table, and we already have a spot on it from food that was spilled. We put a vinyl covering on it just a little bit too late. I got the white tablecloth and fabric paints and the vinyl covering at Walmart.

I got this idea from a friend on Facebook who also has 10 kids. She said that they put new handprints on it every year. I think we’ll try to do that, too. I wonder how long it will take to fill the whole thing up until there’s no room to put another print on it.

I am very happy with our Thanksgiving Tablecloth and very thankful for kids that put up with all my sentimental memory-making activities that I make them do every holiday.

Tomorrow we will make our cookies out of fudge stripe cookies and bon bons that look like turkeys. Most of the kids will make those, too. Of course, they will get something out of that. They get to eat them when they’re done!