5 DIY Turtle and Tortoise Decorations for a Creative Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is all about gathering with loved ones and celebrating the season of gratitude. Why not add a unique twist this year with some fun turtle and tortoise-themed crafts?

These DIY projects are easy to make and bring a touch of nature into your Thanksgiving decor.

5 DIY thanksgiving turtle decor

1. Turtle-Themed Thanksgiving Table Centerpieces

Thanksgiving is a time for gathering and celebrating with loved ones, and a beautiful table centerpiece can set the tone. A turtle-themed centerpiece adds a fun, natural element to your table while incorporating the warm colors of fall. Here’s how you can create one yourself!

Materials Needed:

• Air-dry clay or polymer clay
• Acrylic paint (fall colors like orange, brown, yellow, and green)
• Small leaves or twigs (real or faux)
• A round wooden base or a small basket
• Hot glue gun
• Small turtle figurines or homemade clay turtles

Instructions:

1. Create Your Turtles: Use air-dry or polymer clay to mold small turtle figures. Shape the body, head, legs, and shell, using your fingers or simple tools. If you’re short on time, small turtle figurines can work just as well.
2. Paint the Turtles: Once the turtles are dry, paint them with fall colors. Try mixing oranges, browns, and yellows to mimic the autumn vibe. Don’t forget to add shell details!
3. Prepare the Base: Take a small wooden base or basket and arrange your collected leaves or twigs on top. This forms the background for your turtle figures. Use a hot glue gun to fix the leaves and twigs in place.
4. Arrange the Turtles: Place your painted turtles on the base, making them the centerpiece of the arrangement. You can group the turtles together or scatter them around for a more natural look.
5. Add Finishing Touches: Consider adding other Thanksgiving-themed elements like mini pumpkins, acorns, or candles around the turtles. This helps bring the whole arrangement together and makes it more festive.

This turtle-themed centerpiece will catch the eye and create a conversation at your Thanksgiving table. It’s an easy DIY project, and the end result is both unique and adorable.

2. DIY Tortoise Thanksgiving Napkin Holders

Materials Needed:

• Felt (in fall colors like orange, brown, or green)
• Fabric glue
• Scissors
• Buttons (for eyes or decoration)
• Needle and thread (optional for extra detailing)
• Template of a tortoise (optional, but helps with cutting shapes)

Instructions:

1. Cut Out the Tortoise Shape
   Start by cutting out a simple tortoise shape from your felt. You can freehand it or use a template. Make sure it’s large enough to wrap around a napkin and stand out as a centerpiece of the table setting.
2. Assemble the Napkin Holder
   After cutting the tortoise shape, use fabric glue to attach two felt pieces together, leaving a gap in the middle where the napkin will go through. If you want a sturdier design, you can also sew the edges with a needle and thread.
3. Add Details
   Glue buttons for the tortoise’s eyes or add any small decorative elements, like little leaves or tiny fall symbols. You can also use a marker to add patterns on the tortoise shell, such as lines or dots, to mimic a real shell.
4. Personalize
   If you’re feeling creative, you can personalize each tortoise napkin holder with your guests’ names, either by writing directly on the felt or attaching name tags to each holder.
5. Let It Dry
   Allow the napkin holders to fully dry before using them. Once dry, roll up your napkins and slip them through the tortoise-shaped holders.
6. Set the Table
   Place these charming tortoise napkin holders on each plate, adding a cute and nature-inspired touch to your Thanksgiving table.

3. Turtle and Tortoise Fall Wreaths

Materials Needed:

• A grapevine wreath (or any wreath base you prefer)
• Artificial fall leaves in warm colors (orange, red, yellow)
• Small turtle or tortoise figurines (plastic or wood)
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Acorns, pinecones, or mini pumpkins (optional)
• Burlap ribbon or Thanksgiving-themed ribbon

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Wreath Base: Start with your grapevine wreath or any wreath base you prefer. Make sure it’s sturdy enough to hold the decorations.
2. Arrange the Leaves: Glue the artificial fall leaves around the wreath evenly. Leave some space in between to add the turtle figurines later.
3. Add Turtle Figurines: Place small turtle or tortoise figurines at different spots around the wreath. Secure them with the hot glue gun.
4. Incorporate Natural Elements: Glue a few acorns, pinecones, or mini pumpkins around the wreath to give it a more autumn feel.
5. Finish with Ribbon: Tie a burlap or Thanksgiving-themed ribbon at the top to hang the wreath. You can also make a bow to decorate the bottom or side of the wreath.

Tips:

• Choose turtle figurines that fit with the fall colors. You can paint them if necessary.
• For a more personalized touch, write family names on the turtles or paint them to look like different species.

4. Tortoise Shell Pumpkin Decorations

Decorating pumpkins is a classic Thanksgiving activity, and adding a tortoise shell twist makes it even more unique! Here’s how to create your very own tortoise shell pumpkin decorations.

Materials Needed:

• Small to medium-sized pumpkins (real or artificial)
• Acrylic paint (various shades of brown, tan, and black)
• Paintbrushes (different sizes for detailing)
• Pencil for outlining the design
• Sealant spray (optional, to preserve the design)

Steps:

1. Prepare the Pumpkin: Clean the pumpkin surface if using a real one, making sure it’s dry before starting.
2. Outline the Shell: Using a pencil, lightly draw the hexagonal and pentagonal shapes that mimic the pattern of a tortoise shell. Don’t worry about being perfect—organic shapes will add to the charm.
3. Base Layer: Paint the pumpkin with a base coat of tan or light brown. This will serve as the background for the shell design.
4. Adding the Shell Design: With a smaller brush, start filling in the shell pattern with darker shades of brown. Create a natural, random look by blending different shades for depth. Use black paint to outline the individual shapes and add more definition.
5. Detailing: Once the main pattern is painted, add small touches of highlights and shadows to make the shell look more realistic and 3D.
6. Seal the Design: If you’re using a real pumpkin or want to preserve the design, spray a light coat of sealant over the finished product.
7. Display: Place these tortoise shell pumpkins on your table, mantle, or porch for a fun, nature-inspired Thanksgiving decoration!

5. Turtle-Themed Thanksgiving Place Cards

Creating turtle-themed place cards adds a personalized and fun touch to your Thanksgiving table. These simple crafts can make your guests smile and feel special.

Materials Needed:

• Thick paper or cardstock (preferably in fall colors like orange, brown, or gold)
• Markers or pens
• Small turtle stickers or cutouts
• Glue or double-sided tape
• Scissors
• Decorative elements (optional: glitter, leaves, etc.)

Steps to Create:

1. Cut the Cards: Start by cutting your paper or cardstock into small, foldable rectangles (around 3 x 5 inches). Fold each one in half to create a tent shape that stands upright on the table.
2. Decorate the Cards: On the front of each card, stick a small turtle sticker or glue a turtle cutout. You can also draw a simple turtle using a marker if you prefer hand-drawing.
3. Write Guest Names: Use a marker to write each guest’s name in a clear, stylish font on the card. You can use fall colors to tie it into the Thanksgiving theme.
4. Add Extra Decoration: If you want to add more flair, consider using glitter, small fall leaves, or other Thanksgiving-themed decorations around the turtle sticker or cutout. This will give the place cards a festive, autumn look.

Tips:

• Try using different turtle species to represent different family members, adding an educational or fun twist to the craft.
• Use markers in fall tones like rust, deep greens, or yellows to match the Thanksgiving theme.

These turtle-themed place cards are not only a fun craft project but also a great conversation starter!