Are you hosting Thanksgiving dinner or festive parties like Friendsgiving this year? Being the star host for a big holiday can sometimes be overwhelming. Thanksgiving table decor is often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of planning, purchasing, and prepping meals. It makes us sad because a splendid meal deserves a gorgeous tablescape, right?

We’ve compiled a list of 4 DIY project ideas for your table with just one IOD mould. Simple and quick is the name of the game here! Each project uses the Oak Leaves and Acorns mould to upcycle festive items that you may have lying around your house. If not, we’ve included links to everything you’ll need. 🙂

Put those spatulas down and delve into DIY’ing a Thanksgiving centerpiece that your guests will talk about for years to come.💖

Grab your IOD products and supplies by using the store locator and finding a stockist near you.

Part 1: The Chargers

IOD Products Needed: 

• Oak Leaves and Acorns Mould

Other Supplies: 

• Rustic Planter (16” x 4” x 5”)
• Primer
• Gold leaf paint
• Soft beige chalk paint*
• Dark wax
• Clear wax
• Amazing Cast Resin*
• Thick and Quick Glue

*There are many brands and types of paint. Talk to your stockist to learn which one is right for you!

*We recommend following the safety guidelines from the resin manufacturer when using your preferred brand of resin.

 Tip: These chargers are totally thriftable, especially around this time of year! We recommend that you check out your local thrift store for a set.☺️

Step-by-Step Guide

STEP ONE: CAST YOUR MOULDS

Using a 1 to 1 ratio, fill your IOD mould with resin. For our chargers, the larger leaves would have made it so a dinner plate couldn’t lie flat, so we stuck to our smaller leaves and acorns. Once those are set, remove them from the mould and begin placing them around your charger. Repeat the process until you have enough to go all the way around. We wanted it to feel a little bit like a wreath going around the plate, so we kept all the leaves going in the same direction, not on top of one another, but keeping an even flow around. Allow to dry.

STEP TWO: PRIME YOUR CHARGERS

Next up, we primed our charger. It’s possible this step could be skipped depending on the paint you used, or you could scuff sand. The point is to give a little extra grip since a dinner plate will be resting on top. Allow to dry.

STEP THREE: PAINT YOUR CHARGERS

Use a soft beige paint to fully cover your charger. Apply a second coat if needed so the paint is fully opaque. Allow time to dry. 

STEP FOUR: APPLY A CLEAR WAX

Go in with a nice even coat of clear wax and remove any excess with a lint-free cloth or shop towel.

STEP FIVE: APPLY A DARK WAX

Apply dark wax to really pop the details of your leaves. It’s okay to leave extra around the edges, as it just gives more dimension.

STEP SIX: APPLY GOLD LEAF PAINT

For a little extra sparkle, use an art brush, take your gold leaf paint, and apply it to your acorns. There’s no need to seal this part as it’s an oil-based paint. Dunzo!

Part 2: The Napkin Rings

IOD Products Needed: 

• IOD Oak Leaves and Acorns Mould

• IOD La Campagne Stamp

• IOD Stone Grey Ink

• Ink Pad 

Other Supplies: 

• Wooden Napkin Rings
• Satin Sealer
• Napkin
• Amazing Cast Resin*
• Thick and Quick Glue
• Gold Leaf Paint
• Soft brown chalk paint*
• Blue Shop towels to wipe back

*There are many brands and types of paint. Talk to your stockist to learn which one is right for you!

*We recommend following the safety guidelines from the resin manufacturer when using your preferred brand of resin.

Step-by-Step Guide

STEP ONE: CAST YOUR MOULDS

Measure out enough resin to fill your chosen cavities. We decided to use the oak leaf stem and acorns, but these would make a darling set with each napkin ring using a different motif. Pour carefully into your mould and allow to set. Pay attention during the setting time, because you’re going to want to remove the casting while it’s still warm so you can mould it to the shape of your napkin ring. 

STEP TWO: SECURE YOUR CASTING

Hold the casting in place until it sets, then release and add a generous amount of Thick and Quick Glue (or your favorite glue) and set it into place. You don’t need to hold it until it dries, just until it gets a little tacky and stays in place. Allow to dry.

STEP THREE: PAINT WITH GOLD LEAF

Paint your napkin ring and casting fully with gold leaf paint. We love the rich metallic finish.

Pro Tip: Clean off with odor-free mineral spirits to save your brushes instead of throwing them out. Allow to dry.

STEP FOUR: ADD DEPTH WITH CHALK PAINT

Brush on a coat of soft brown chalk-type paint, and have some damp paper towels/shop towels handy so you can wipe them back. The gold leaf paint is an oil base, so you don’t need to worry about rubbing so much that you’ll go back to the bare resin. Take your time, keeping the brown in all the nooks and crannies and allowing the gold shimmer to come back through. Allow time to dry.

STEP FIVE: SEAL THE FINISH

Finish up your project with a satin sealer. We like Master Clear because it doesn’t dull the metallic pigments but check with your stockists to see if they have any suggestions for you.

STEP SIX: PREPARE YOUR NAPKINS

Now for your napkins! You’ll want to prewash your napkins ahead of time, this is very important. Some people do a couple of rounds, we just do it once. You don’t want any chemicals or sizing to interfere with your ink. 

STEP SEVEN: PLAN AND INK YOUR DESIGN

Decide on your composition. We decided to focus on the four corners with the largest bouquet in the middle, but do what speaks to you. Make sure you shake your ink bottle before applying a generous amount to your ink pad. We used IOD’s stone grey ink. Make sure your stamp has a nice layer of ink—you want it juicy when you’re going on fabric. Remember to commit, don’t shift, and press down a little longer than you would on a piece of wood. You’re dying fabric, and it takes a little time to get the best impression.

STEP EIGHT: SET THE INK

For ink on fabric, you want to allow the ink to dry for at least 24 hours, then you’ll heat set with your iron with as much heat as your fabric allows. Our napkins were cotton, so they could handle a hot iron. This will keep your ink permanent, even after washing.

Part 3: The Base Leaves for your Pumpkin

IOD Products Needed: 

• IOD Oak Leaves and Acorns Mould

Other Supplies: 

• Round wooden cutting board
• Amazing Cast Resin*
• Gold Leaf Paint
• Soft brown chalk paint*
• Master Class Satin Sealer
• Thick and Quick Glue

*There are many brands and types of paint. Talk to your stockist to learn which one is right for you!

*We recommend following the safety guidelines from the resin manufacturer when using your preferred brand of resin.

Step-by-Step Guide

STEP ONE: CREATE AND SECURE YOUR CASTING

It’s important to not craft too many castings ahead of time that you can’t manipulate the resin casting to fit the curve of your cutting board edge, so keep that in mind! Use your 1 to 1 ratio and start with the larger leaves to serve as your base. Once you’ve done enough to go all the way around, make smaller castings of leaves and acorns to build up the wreath. Once you’re satisfied with the arrangement, pull off castings one at a time and glue down, pressing firmly for good adhesion. The goal is to ensure good contact, either with the cutting board or with the other castings. Once complete, allow them to dry in place, or slide onto a board if you need to move it just to be sure nobody falls off before fully setting into the glue. 

STEP TWO: PAINT WITH GOLD LEAF

Paint the entire piece with gold leaf paint. Word of caution! Do this in a well-ventilated space because we call it stinky gold paint for a reason. It’s beautiful but powerful, so user discretion is advised. Once you’ve got it in all the nooks and crannies, let it dry.

STEP THREE: ADD A PATINA WITH CHALK PAINT

Next up, take a soft brown chalk paint and brush over the surface, wiping back your excess with a damp paper towel or shop towel until you’ve reached a rich patina. Let it dry.

STEP FOUR: SEAL YOUR PROJECT

Last up, go over with a coat of sealer. We use Master Class satin sealer to preserve the metallic pigments as best we can, but check with your local stockists to get their advice on paints and finishes. 

Part 4: The Pumpkin

IOD Products Needed: 

• IOD Oak Leaves and Acorns Mould

• Air Dry Clay

Other Supplies: 

• Pumpkin
• Gold Wax
• Soft beige chalk paint*
• Soft brown chalk paint*
• Titebond Quick & Thick Glue 
• Cornstarch

*There are many brands and types of paint. Talk to your stockist to learn which one is right for you!

Step-by-Step Guide

STEP ONE: PREPARE AND ATTACH YOUR MOULDS

We used a pumpkin from Hobby Lobby, but you can absolutely do the same technique using a real one. Put a fine dusting of cornstarch into your mould and remove the excess. If you have too much, the clay can shift, leaving you with a muddy impression. Not what you want! 

Take a larger amount of clay than you think you need and smooth out the excess with your thumb. When you use small chunks of clay, it can lead to cracks in your castings or weak spots. Better too much than too little! We chose the largest leaves from our set because the pumpkin is about 12” in diameter and a couple of the smaller ones for filler. 

You’ll decide which proportions are best for your pumpkin. We also nipped off the stems on our leaves so they came directly out of the pumpkin stem. Once you have enough for your pumpkin top, glue in place using your thick and quick (or whatever your favorite glue might be). Allow time to dry.

STEP TWO: PAINT YOUR MOULDS

If you like the finish on your pumpkin, or if you’re using a real one, you’ll want to use a fine art brush to paint your leaves, removing any excess chalk paint with a damp paper towel or baby wipe. We used a soft beige chalk paint and tried to apply it just to our castings. Allow to dry.

STEP THREE: PAINT THE DETAILS

Next up, you’ll make a 1:2 wash of soft brown chalk paint and water. Stir thoroughly. Then take another soft brush and ease it onto your leaves, keeping a damp paper towel handy to catch excess drips. Then you’ll wipe down the leaves themselves, for a vintage look. (Alternatively, if you allow your castings to fully dry before finishing, you can use a dark wax. Ours were wet).

STEP FOUR: ADD A LITTLE GLIMMER

To finish off these leaves, we used gilded wax along the edges and up along the stem. Your  stockist will have the best recommendations for a gilded wax.

If you're just kicking off your creative journey, have no fear — our Product 101 pages are packed with straightforward techniques to set you up for success. We're thrilled to accompany you as you explore and create. For more how-tos and creative inspo, make sure to browse through the rest of our blog.

Once you've crafted your final piece, share it with our Facebook Creative Tribe! This community is not just a showcase but also a supportive hub for when you hit those creative roadblocks. And remember, your local stockist is always ready to assist with IOD supplies and expert advice. We're excited to see what you'll bring to life!