How to make place-card holders and Advent calendars

By Betsy DiJulio

IN THIS SEASON of thanks and abundance, it's my pleasure to offer a "two-fer" for November.

The place-card holders, made from antique silver-plated forks, will be perfect for your Thanksgiving table and beyond. And the Advent calendar is, well, intended for Advent season. However, if I waited until December's DIY Decor column, you'd miss the start of Advent on Dec. 1. So you get both now.

And by the way, the Advent calendar concept works for any celebration in which days are counted and gifts traditionally given on each day.

For the place-card holders, which I spied in a magazine, all you need is old silver-plated forks (or stainless steel will work, if you prefer) and two pairs of pliers: both regular and the round needle nose variety available in the jewelry section of craft stores.

Dinner forks, with their longer tines, make for a more stable card holder. First, bend two tines backward using the plain pliers. Then, curl the tips of the other two tines before bending them forward to make an easel.

For the magazine's design, they bent the outer tines back and the center two forward and outward at a slight angle. For ease I bent the center two back and the outer two pretty much straight forward. However, the magazine design may make for a slightly more stable holder.

Regardless, you'll need to experiment with the angles to make sure your holders stand up. To avoid leaving obvious marks in the metal, cover the tines with a soft cloth before grasping them with the pliers.

But whatever else you do, don't worry about perfection. Mismatched forks actually make for an appealing set of holders, which means that your work with the pliers need not be exactly uniform.

I love the idea of Advent calendars: miniature treats hidden behind little doors or inside boxes marking the days. Unfortunately, they all look far too time-consuming to make.

However, in another magazine, I saw a design for "Kite-String Envelopes," a column of envelopes attached to a vertical ribbon intended as a gift to which several people chip in. But, when I saw it, I thought, "Why not three columns of eight envelopes each for the 24 days of Advent?"

First I stenciled numbers on the flaps of small colored envelopes purchased at a craft store, but you could stamp them instead. I chose festive colors that match my decor, but not holiday colors per se. Then I glued the envelopes - flap side out - at jaunty angles down the three ribbons and attached them to the wall.

All that remains is to tuck diminutive light-weight and flat gifts inside: inspirational quotes, cards, sticks of gum, trinkets like temporary tattoos, and even gift cards, money or small jewelry for more upscale giving. Well, that and to wait for December to arrive.

Happy holidays!

Art teacher, blogger and freelance writer Betsy DiJulio is a frequent contributor to The Virginian-Pilot and a sometimes do-it-yourselfer. She also is the author of a newly released cookbook, "The Blooming Platter" (Vegan Heritage Press, 2011). Reach her at jdijulio@cox.net.