Centerpiece Creativity with Koen

So, after attempting to not get a Pinterest account, I have now fallen prey to it.  I just couldn't resist.  A blog I follow had a link to a Pinterest pin and I just had to check out the subject matter and well, the rest is history.  I've been sucked in.  I do hope it will help the creative juices flow especially as I try to fill the special one-on-one time with Koen in the afternoons with activities for he and I to do together at least once or twice a week (as opposed to him entertaining himself while I have to cook, clean, launder, care for Penn, etc.). Well, we are hosting Thanksgiving dinner next week and I have no decorations for Fall up at all.  I decided we would try and make a centerpiece.  We ended up making one for the kitchen island.  The idea was spurred from Pinterest, but I'm too cheap to actually purchase supplies (not to mention finding the time to go to a craft store is a bit tough), so I made my own version.  Here's what I saw on Pinterest.

Well, my version is really not this at all.  I love this idea and might still do something like it someday, but here's what Koen and I decided to do.  It's a "Thankful Tree Centerpiece."

Koen did all the writing in his "Kindergarten best" penmanship.  The cards say, "Rejoice Always," "God is Good," "So Blessed," "Give Thanks" and "Thankful Hearts."  He loved his job of glueing the cards and helping me put the string on, but he was super proud of himself getting to do the writing.  Here he is...

A few things I have to say I'm proud of myself for in this craft...awesome time with Koen, we were great teammates on this one.  I spent no money on this.  We had everything, including the branches from the Dogwood bushes I cut back earlier in the week.  Now we have something to remind us of the real meaning of the holiday next week.  Koen and I both can't wait to show to Doug when he gets home!