Thanksgiving Decoupaged Dictionary Page Place Cards

Create unique Thanksgiving turkey place cards for your dinner table with a few napkins and an old dictionary page.

It's a quick and easy DIY craft project for the holiday!


If you've followed me for any length of time, you know that I'm a huge fan of second hand treasures.

There's something about finding a diamond in the rough that gives me a charge.

Whether it's at the curb, on a yard sale table or displayed on a shelf at the thrift store, I'm all in.

It should therefore be no surprise that I'm an admin for an upcycling group on Facebook. 

We're over 66,000 members strong, sharing our junk finds and their transformations.

And I have to say that while I really enjoy the opportunity to share my own crafts and DIY with the group, my favorite thing is watching all the pretty go by.

Of course, some of the makeovers are way beyond my skill set. Others require a unique item...like an old wooden chicken feeder or oversized tractor wheel.

Rare and/ or pricey finds here on my suburban island.

But every now and then, someone posts something that catches my eye and it's totally doable. 

This is one of those crafts.

It was inspired by Sara at Salvaged Treasures. 

A few weeks ago, she shared the most darling artwork and I was smitten. Unfortunately, time got away from me and I didn't order a print. 

At the same time, I considered making new place cards this year, since I love way they add to the dinner - especially since I'm more about the decor, than the food. 

Then I saw Linda's lovely table setting and remembered some turkey napkins I'd ordered online and, well, you already know the rest.

How To Make A Book Page Place Card 

Of course, after I ordered them for a premium price, I saw them in my grocery store for $1.99. Murphy's Law.

Crafting Supplies:

Turkey napkins
My favorite clear coat
Inexpensive Picture Frames
Scissors
Dictionary book page
Gloves
Paint Brush

At least, I had the clear coat for decoupage and a few dollar store frames on hand.

The one thing I didn't have was a dictionary page, and those weren't for sale at the grocery store. 

However, I found a great looking one from a 1920's dictionary, for free, and printed it up. Gotta love the internet.

After I gathered my supplies, I cut out one of the turkeys from the napkin, getting as close to the body as possible.


Then, I separated the two layers of paper very carefully. My napkin only had two layers, but some have a sneaky third. 

Just make sure you get them all, otherwise when you add the decoupage you won't be gluing the top layer down.

I've never decoupaged paper to paper before, so I wasn't sure how this was going to go, but turns out it was pretty simple.

I added some of my Dixie Belle clear coat as decoupage medium onto the paper.

I just didn't use too much.

Then I placed old Tom on the paper and smoothed him out gently with a glove on my hand.

The plastic glove didn't stick or rip the paper. It's my go to trick, you can peek at on my decoupaged Christmas plate.


The last step, in this part of the process, was to go over the turkey with a bit more of the clear coat and smooth again.

He looks bumpy, but the wrinkles settled out once he was totally dry.


I was going to repeat this process a few more times to make all the cards, then I realized that I could just copy them in the printer and be done. Product over process here folks.

Not that I didn't enjoy the process, I did, but once for this one was enough.


With four copies on hand now, I simply got out my very fat, curved edge Sharpie and wrote everyone's name at the top of the card.


The marker was bold enough to stand out, but delicate enough to show the print behind.

Then I placed them each in a frame, gold to match my mother's china and flatware and grandmother's glasses.


I think the table looks very special and the cards take it up a notch. 

An elegant vintage style, handmade treasure to decorate our dinner.

Keep in mind that you can use this crafty idea to make artwork or name cards for any holiday or occasion.

Not just Thanksgiving. 

Wedding cards on love poem pages with floral napkins. Or you could mount floral transfers on sheet music or love poems.

Baby shower decor with storks or teddy bears on name pages.

Or a holiday banner with Santas and reindeer on The Night Before Christmas prose.


The possibilities are endless.

All you need is a little bit of imaginateion.

A themed napkin.

A book or dictionary page.

And some super inspiring friends.

😉

Before you go, I wanted to mention that if you're not into making a Thanksgiving version of your own, you can check out these very similar free printables. Same look without all the DIY.

MORE THANKSGIVING HOME DECOR CRAFTS:

Thanksgiving Table Treat Jars
Thanksgiving Pumpkin Centerpiece
Thanksgiving Fan Blade Turkey