Handmade Wednesdays: Thanksgiving Napkin Rings

Sorry for neglecting my Handmade Wednesday Crafts for the past couple of months. But they have now returned! While looking through my Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts for a project I could tackle this week, I stubbled upon these napkin rings which I knew would make any Thanksgiving table pretty next week. So, thank you Martha!

Acorn Napkin Ring

What You'll Need:

• Oak leaves
• Glycerin (available at drugstores)
• Water
• Rotary tool
• 1/16 inch drill bit
• 16 inch length of gauge wire
• matching acorn nuts and caps
• Wood glue
• Brown floral tape
• Brown seam binding

To preserve oak leaves, mix 1 part glycerin in 2 parts hot water, and let the leaves soak in the mixture for about 2 days. Then hang them to dry on a clothesline for around 5 days. To make the napkin rings, start by drilling two 1/16 inch holes through 2 acorn caps. Insert one end of a 16 inch length of a 22 gauge wire into each one; bend the wire and twist. Attach nuts to the caps with wood glue. Attach wire to the end of the leaves. Wrap wires with floral tape. Wrap leaf wire and 1 acorn wire together with brown floral tape, stretching the tape as you wrap it tightly. Repeat with the other acorn wire, facing in the opposite direction. Wrap wires with brown seam binding. Glue at each end. Bend into a ring and put napkin inside.