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November 16, 2010

Personalized Table Cloth: Kids Can Make This

12 Comments

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Four years ago the children and I created a fall themed table cloth incorporating the hand prints of everyone in our family.  Every year we get it out,  marvel at how much they have grown and enjoy remembering the fun time we had making it.

Since we’ve added 2 children to our family since 2006 we decided it was time to make another family table cloth.

To make a table cloth you’ll need:

  • newspaper or something to put under the table cloth to protect your table while you’re painting it  (we use an old vinyl tablecloth)
  • fabric paint (we used acrylic craft paint)
  • fabric markers
  • a table cloth to decorate
  • something to trace around (optional) We used real leaves for our fall themed table cloth and cookie cutters for one we made as a Christmas gift.

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First spread the table with newspaper (or whatever your going to use to protect it from the paint) and gather some kids around.

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Colby (4) and Nicholas (2)

Next spread the tablecloth you’re going to be decorating on the table and set it with plates.  The plates will help you determine hand print placement.

Oh and gather up a few more kids.

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Kaitlin (12), Alyssa (10), Bella (4 months) and Matthew (11)

We have everyone put their hand prints at their regular place at the table.  This changes every so often, so it’s been fun to look back at our old table cloth and remember who used to sit where.

Determine who is going to go first and what color their hand prints are going to be, then squirt the appropriate color paint onto a large plate.  If the child is young, I prefer to strip them down or have them use a paint shirt, but that is completely up to your discretion.

Help the child smoosh their hand into the paint and then onto the table cloth.spacer

This part is messy, so be prepared.spacer Repeat with the other hand.

When it comes to hand prints and babies I’ve learned three things.  It helps to have two adults, one to hold the baby and one to try and get the hand prints.   Relax, it will get messy.

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Sweet Bella covered with paint

Patience nearly always pays off.

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Beautiful baby hand prints

With the fabric markers, write or have the child write their name with their hand prints and write the year in the center of the table.

If I were to do this over I would have the names written UNDER the hand prints rather than above them.  That way the names will be under the plates and the table cloth will be a bit less busy, but that’s me.

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You can certainly stop there and it will be lovely, but it’s more fun if you allow the children to decorate it a bit further.

For the table cloth that we made in 2006 we gathered leaves from the yard and the children traced them onto the table cloth with the fabric markers.  Then they drew details within the leaves.

spacer When we made a Christmas themed table cloth we traced around cookie cutters.

This year we wanted to make it more personal and less seasonal, so we had each of the children draw their best picture under their hand prints.

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Colby's best drawing

I think our table cloth turned out beautifully and we will probably make another one  in a few more years.  They are a practical way to record, use and enjoy the kid’s hand prints.

You don’t need to stop at table cloths.  Pot holders, aprons, hand towels and more are fun items to decorate with hand prints.

You can find more WFMW posts at We Are THAT Family or browse through my past WFMW posts.

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You may also enjoy:

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  3. Homemade Chalkboard Paint- Tutorial

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12 Comments - leave a comment
Tags: WFMW
12 Responses to Personalized Table Cloth: Kids Can Make This
  1. Kimarie @ The Cardamom's Pod
    November 16, 2010 | 10:13 pm
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    This is a lovely way to record hand prints! Every time we’ve been able to get together with my husband’s family, I’ve been in charge of making hand prints of all the cousins on posterboard. Every family takes turns for who gets to keep the posterboard. This is much more fun, in my opinion – and each family could bring their own tablecloth to do. What a great idea! Thanks for the excellent tutorial.

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  2. Katie
    November 16, 2010 | 10:40 pm
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    I LOVE this idea! Thanks for sharing and thanks for all the practical tips on doing it. Definitely going to try this one out soon!

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  3. Renee
    November 16, 2010 | 10:44 pm
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    what a great idea! I love it!

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  4. Coby
    November 17, 2010 | 12:11 am
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    I love this! I’m thinking this would make a great Christmas gift for my mom – my kids are her only grandkids, and she just adores them. Thanks for sharing this!

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  5. Cheryl @ Treasures from a Shoebox
    November 17, 2010 | 8:05 am
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    How fun! We’re definitely going to do this spacer

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  6. Nicki
    November 17, 2010 | 9:05 am
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    When you mentioned aprons, that reminded me that we did a similar project one year when my oldest daughter turned 7. At her birthday party, we had all the cousins (there are lots of them!) put their handprint and name on a canvas apron. At the top it said Happy Birthday Claudia! It’s hanging in our kitchen 7 years later and is so fun to look at!

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  7. Conversatio in Caelis
    November 17, 2010 | 12:03 pm
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    That sounds like fun (and like a big, big mess spacer )!

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  8. Penny
    November 17, 2010 | 5:42 pm
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    What a great idea!!!

    Hopping over from iFellowship and truly blessed to have visited here today!

    Hope you’ve had a wonderful Wednesday!

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  9. Gwen T
    November 17, 2010 | 8:23 pm
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    How beautiful! I love decorating (and using) things my children have created. Much better than what you can buy in a store!

    And Timberdoodle? One of those catalogs that nearly makes me drool. spacer

    Thanks for this great idea!

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  10. Rachel T.
    November 18, 2010 | 7:39 am
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    Hi! I stopped over from ifellowship. Your tablecloth is so pretty and what a nice keepsake with the precious handprints!

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  11. jay quiverfull families directory
    December 8, 2010 | 6:58 am
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    Love it and shared on facebook….This is going to make for great memories spacer Already my best friend’s (pastor) wife has “liked” on her profile.

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  12. kelli-AdventurezInChildRearing
    October 16, 2011 | 5:05 pm
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    table cloth joy! love love it- what a creative way to decorate for any holiday!

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