Resource for Craft Ideas Thanksgiving: Candles, Quill Pens, & Natural Paint

The American Patriot’s Treasury of Historical Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas

Just think earthy and indigenous….

Complete deer tallow candle making instructions are found in our historical Thanksgiving guide, The American Patriot’s Treasury of Historical Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas, along with instructions for using wood rounds in decorating, resources for learning how to make the woven Wampanoag wall hangings described in early source documents, a prompt to use seashells (Plymouth was / is a coastal town!), natural glue making recipes, natural paint and ink making recipes, and much more.

I made an effort throughout the guide to offer explanations of materials available back then, and to offer alternative suggestions where old-world supplies might be difficult to find or re-create.

I even provide a brief run-down of some of the tools that the Pilgrims were known to have had. Today you can find similar tools in antique or junk shops for pennies on the dollar. The best part, though, is that the old tools are fun to use.

For example, I show an “auger” being used for one of the projects in the guide. I was recently corrected and told the tool is actually called a “brace and bit.” (The bit itself was called an “auger.”) Anyway, using old tools to make certain craft projects adds a wonderful dimension of discovery and fun.

Something else I teach in the guide is how to make food-safe pottery. In the picture below you see my “wanna-be” Wampanoag cooking pot. I love my wanna-be Wampanoag pot! I haven’t cooked in the one shown here because I need to keep it clean for display, but elsewhere on this site, or the LetsPlayHistory.org site, you’ll see my other cooking pots in use. Very fun!

tags: decorating ideas thanksgiving, craft ideas thanksgiving, make natural paint, to make ink, how to decorations, ideas for holiday decorating, how to make quill pens