Frugal and Creative Hostess Gift

I thought I would post on the hostess gift I am planning to take with us (if family doesn't come into town and we spend Thanksgiving with the friends that invited us). Hostess gifts are not something I am very good at remembering. Whenever I see or hear of someone doing it, I always think to myself how I wish I'd thought to do the same. I am excited to have a plan this time!

Now I don't think she reads my blog (as only a handful of locals know I even participate in one), so I think it is safe to tell you that I will be making leaf people napkin rings. I got this idea from Like Merchant Ships who used it as a game for kids ~ Thanks for the inspiration!)

Things to gather:

• Old fashioned clothespins (pretty inexpensive I understand)
• Fall leaves (either real ones from your yard [free] or purchased from the craft store (hopefully they aren't out yet, because I don't have mine already)
• acorn tops (gather these from your yard if you are lucky enough to live where they fall ~ I am, but we were all sick through prime gathering time, so my mom is sending some)
• Raffia or ribbon
• glue (a glue gun is what I will be using, but I'm sure glue like Alene's Tacky Glue would work too if you are working with children)
• other accents as desired

Instructions: (note that I have never made these... if I do get a chance like I plan, I will update the instructions and post pictures to represent what I actually did)

1. Glue one acorn top to the top of each clothespin (I'm picturing it crooked like a french hat)
2. Wrap raffia or ribbon around the "legs" of the clothes pin at the center and glue or knot to hold.
3. Glue a leaf to the front (over the raffia) of each clothes pin (make sure the "legs" are side by side)
4. Embellish as desired.
5. Tie with raffia or ribbon around a napkin and set your table!

Let me know if you have any ideas or have done this in the past. It sounds really cute and if I can find the stuff for them, I'll probably make a few regardless of whether or not we need the hostess gift. If I'm the hostess I'll just gift them to my own table. :)

Visit Kelli for more Thanksgiving ideas! Or Crystal for more frugal ones!