Dare to DIY: A Thanksgiving Project

I'm participating in Kim at Newlywoodward's Dare to DIY Blog Party. This week our challenge was to Dare to be Thankful! Here's my contribution to the party.

I've had a Thanksgiving tradition for the last few years where I find some time to sit down and make a list of the things in my life that I am thankful for. It's always such a refreshing time as I realize just how blessed I am, and how very much I have to be thankful for.

This year I wanted to make a little frame that we could use each Thanksgiving to list the things that we are thankful for. Jen from A Thousand Words made a menu plan a while back that she did by repurposing a picture frame, and I adapted that idea for this project.

I went to my favorite store, Goodwill, and found a great tabletop frame that would work for the project. Sadly, it was not 50% off, and it definitely needed a makeover! I actually liked the border, but the whole frame was a little too 80's. :-)

I first painted the frame with a warm brown color that I made by mixing two of my brown craft paints together.

It took two coats to cover the shiny black and gold, but once they were dry, the frame had a whole new look. I took a wet paper towel and rubbed little parts of the brown off to show the gold on the edges again, just to give the color some dimension.

I had fun painting little fall colored leaves over the frame, and I even attempted painting some letters onto the bottom to spell out Thanksgiving.

To finish it up, I just popped some pretty paper inside the frame, and cleaned the glass. Then, with a wet erase marker I could just write the things I am thankful for over the next week or so leading up to Thanksgiving. Then, when the holiday is over, I can wipe it clean and save it for next year!

I thought the frame looked a little lonely on its own, so I set it with a vase of fall colored mums and an origami turkey that I made following this set of instructions.

Hope you enjoyed my little Thanksgiving project. Be sure to check back next week to see what Kim is challenging us to DIY!

Also linked to Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

It's So Very Creative @ It's So Very Cheri

Made It Mondays @ Persimmon Perch

DIY Day @ A Soft Place to Land