Easy Thanksgiving Kid's Table Setting

This may come as a surprise but sometimes I rather just buy a decoration instead of make it. After all the shopping, cleaning and cooking I just want to purchase the final touches for a party.  I've learned I can't make it all.  If you're feeling the same way about Thanksgiving, here's an easy idea for a kid's table setting. 

Often you can buy kid custom placemats but I've found oversized coloring books work just as well.  The main thing is that the paper is a heavy weight and larger in size.  The coloring page above came from a picture frame pad by Melissa & Doug.  I picked up the 40 page pad at Marshalls for $4.  Usually you can find these kinds of coloring pads at discount stores.  I also saw some that were kind of like "Where's Waldo" that one could color as well.

Page from Doodles at Dinner by Deborah Zemke 

The picture above is from a coloring book meant to be used as a place mat.  This paper is actually a little smaller than the picture frame paper but the weight is about the same.  I'm sharing this so you can see there isn't much difference in buying a paper pad designated for place settings vs. a drawing pad.

To finish off the place setting, take a couple colored pencils or crayons and secure them with ribbon.  Then just tuck in a name tag. The colored pencils don't have to be fancy either.  I used these twig pencils because that's what we had laying around the house.  Good old fashioned crayons will work fine.

*Other idea - line the table with craft paper for drawing. This is always a crowd-pleaser. It's not everyday that one gets to draw directly on the table.

One Cute Cookie

Today I want to share a little trick I use with cupcake liners to make my cookies look cute.  I don't know if anyone else does this.  I can't recall seeing this before.  Although, who knows, maybe there are hundreds of posts out there about it. But just in case, I thought I would share.

One of my favorite ways to display cookies is with cupcake liners.  I like that it makes them all uniform, perfect for a dessert table.  Plus, when someone goes to grab a cookie, they don't touch the rest of them. With little hands, that can be a very very good thing.

To wrap up a cookie, fold a cupcake liner in half.  Place cookie in center.  Fold left and right flaps back.  Super 

easy.

I made the cookies pictured above for a school fundraiser.  I know more and more schools are not allowing home baked goods for school events. I understand why but it seems such a shame.  I remember when I was in elementary school and there would be a cupcake fundraiser.  All the cupcakes would be displayed on a cart and rolled into each classroom. One would get to choose which cupcake they wanted.  I always liked the cupcakes with the fancy toppings (a.k.a candy). 

Curious, does your school allow home baked goods?