my mayflower

Okay so maybe my Mayflower isn't architecturally accurate or structurally sound or even historically correct, but it will make a dang cute centerpiece for my Thanksgiving table!

If you'd like to make your own Mayflower, you will need a cereal box, tape, scrap paper, modge podge, paint, hot glue, X-acto blade, an old bedsheet or some other fabric, some twine and dowels and a few notions like buttons and wooden beads.

Directions:

Cut the silhouette of the hull of the ship from the cereal box. I just free handed my shape. Look at ships online to get ideas. Cut another to match.  Tape the ends together. Bow the sides out to make the ship as wide as you want and trace the bottom onto more cereal box cardboard. Cut a second bottom shape.  Tape one of these to the bottom. Cut some rectangles from the cardboard and tape them vertically inside the hull of the ship to create "ribs" for stability.  Lay the second bottom shape on top of the ribs and tape into place creating a "deck".  Tape over any places on the ship that are open that you want closed. Masking tape or scotch tape both work for this project.

Modge Podge pieces of scrap paper all over the entire ship.  Do one layer, let dry, and do a second layer. Let it dry over night.

Paint the hull of the ship as you desire.

Use an X-acto blade to cut crosses into the deck of the ship to fit the dowels down into.  Pump hot glue down into these holes before you place your dowels. This will help secure the bottom of the dowel to the bottom of the ship.  Use smaller dowels to create the cross beams that will hold your masts.

Look on the internet at the different masts found on ships and decide how many you want. Decide if you want to add decorative elements to the masts. Cut your masts and sew a hem on the top to case the cross beams.  Use twine to secure the masts to the tall dowels.

Glue wooden balls onto the top end of each tall dowel. Run twine through the corners of the masts and around the ship in various places.  Use buttons to secure twine ends.

Fill the hull of your ship with treats! I used root beer barrels.

Remember, this is just for fun! You don't need to worry about making your ship perfect. Improvise and make it up as you go along. Handmade is what it's all about!

For place names, I sewed little linen flour sacks and stamped them with Staz-on ink.  I filled them with nuts and goodies.