Leather Place Cards

First, cut a piece of the light shaded leather, making sure it is larger than your place card design. Freestyle or trace your pattern with a ballpoint pen onto the leather you plan to burn the name into. Keeping with the season, we chose a leaf pattern we found online to give the table an autumn accent. TIP: If using a pattern, be sure to trace it onto the leather with a pen first to avoid burning the original pattern. Not all the leaves have to be the same. Go to a fabric or thrift shop to find scraps of leather for all different colors and shades!

Cut out each letter from your 1/4" material for easy maneuvering. Layer extra leather under the leather you are using to protect your working surface. Using your Dremel VersaTip, begin following the pen outline to gently burn the leather and to give it a worn, aged look.

Next, carefully cut off the extra leather surrounding your pattern with scissors, being sure to not cut off the burnt edges. Repeat steps 1 through 3 with a darker shade of leather.

Again, using your VersaTip and lighter shade of leather place cards, write the name of your guests on each card you have cut out. You can also add extra details, such as leaf veins, to your place cards if you are feeling creative!

Punch a hole through your leather leaves with a leather puncher and connect one light shaded leaf to one dark shaded leaf with raffia or thin twine. Secure the raffia with a knot on the backside of the leaf. You now have festive autumn place cards to add to your dinner table!