Quick and Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Crafts

Recycled Bag Turkey

Make a collection of these colorful Toms to use as a centerpiece on your Thanksgiving table or to spread some holiday cheer throughout the house.

Supplies:

5 to 8 plastic bags (colorful ones are best)

2 brown pipe cleaners and 1 red

Thick white glue

1, 1-inch pompom

2 googly eyes

Cut the handles from the plastic bags, cut them in half, and cut one 7-inch by 9-inch section from each half. Stack half of the sections on top of each other, and fold the bundle together. Twist one brown pipe cleaner in the center to secure the folded sections together. Separate the layers to make a fluffy ball. Trim if needed to make the ball even.

Repeat the process with the remaining bag sections, but do not separate the layers. This is the tail. Bring the pipe cleaner on the tail forward to meet the pipe cleaner on the ball and twist them together to join the two parts. Pull the combined pipe cleaners up and hook it slightly to form a neck. Glue the pompom on the top of the hooked pipe cleaner. Glue the googly eyes to the pompom.

Cut a 2- to 3-inch section of red pipe cleaner. Glue it to the top of the turkey’s head, between the eyes. Allow the red pipe cleaner to dangle below the turkey’s “chin” like a waddle.

Paper Turkey Pins

These adorable jewels make great gifts for your Thanksgiving guests. Write each guests name on one and use as a name card at the table. They’re also a clever idea for any Thanksgiving get together where name tags are appropriate.

Supplies:

Cereal box

3 round objects in graduated sizes for tracing

Googly eyes

Thick white glue

Pin back

Instructions:

Cut the front and back from an empty box of cereal. Choose the largest of your three round objects, such as a drinking glass, and use it to draw a circle on the back of one section of cereal box. Trace two circles with the medium-sized object and one circle with the smallest. Cut one of the medium-sized circles in half. Glue each half onto the largest circle. Allow them to hang off the turkey “body” to look like wings. Glue the second medium-sized circle onto the largest circle. Position it to cover the wing tips so that the wings appear to be coming from under the circle.

Make several cuts along the top section of the largest circle, from wing to wing, to simulate tail feathers. Do not cut into the wings or the medium-sized circle.

Glue on the smallest circle. Position it somewhat high on the tail feathers to represent the turkey’s head. Glue the googly eyes in place. Cut a small heart shape and a small triangle from the cereal box. Glue the heart to the face with the pointed end positioned between the eyes. Place the small triangle pointing to one side to look like a beak.

Turn the turkey over and glue the pin back into place.

Tip: Add more dimension to your turkey pin by selecting sections of the cereal box that have contrasting colors or use more than one box to assure variety.