When you have a dinner party, you want everything to be perfect for your guests—especially on Thanksgiving! For me, that includes making sure I don’t cook food they are allergic to and thinking about how they will be seated. This Thanksgiving, I plan to place each guest near someone they have not met or do not know well. So I’m pulling out my chalk markers to help me turn assigned seats into welcoming, personalized place settings.

For this year’s Thanksgiving celebration, you can make dinnertime special with this personalized DIY Thanksgiving idea. Let me show you how to create a Thanksgiving chalkboard art plate setting just for your special guests.

Personalized DIY Chalkboard Thanksgiving Dinner Place Setting

• For this DIY Thanksgiving idea, you will need classic chalk markers. The bold tip  on these markers is perfect for this project. You will also need vintage labels to create your elegant, personalized place markers. Or if you want a more modern look, these circular labels are perfect.

• I’ll be using the vintage labels because they are the perfect size for the neat cardboard squares I found at the flea market last weekend. It's nice to have a solid backing for the labels like cardboard or a block of wood, but they can stand alone just as well.

• Using your chalk markers, write your guests' names on the labels, or feel free to write other personal messages. For example, if you have guests from different countries, you could label your their places with the word "Thanks" in their native languages. You can use whatever font you like. For my personal Thanksgiving chalkboard art, I’m opting for capital letters with cursive-like tails. Using different colored chalk markers, you can decorate the labels with fall colors and images like leaves—anything to signify Thanksgiving.

• If you are using cardboard squares or wood blocks as bases like I am, peel the backing off the labels and apply them to your bases.

• Voila! Now with your labels ready to go, it's time to complete your place settings to highlight your DIY Thanksgiving chalkboard art creations. Use a rustic or knitted placemat as the base of each setting. If you don’t have placements, a great hack is to use chalkboard vinyl sheets instead. Use your chalk markers to design the placemats for the occasion. You could draw a horn of plenty, write a personalized message or create your own original Thanksgiving design. Position the plates on each placement, then arrange the silverware around them.

• At the center of each person's place setting, place your DIY Thanksgiving dinner seating card on top of the napkin. Or if you are using napkin holders, you can stick the labels to the holders. If you have dried or fresh flowers, leaves or any other small Thanksgiving decorations, you can place them around the setting as a finishing touch.

This is a very simple DIY Thanksgiving idea but a great way to use Thanksgiving chalkboard art to give your holiday that personal touch. Make sure every guest feels welcome and gets excited about the chance to interact with someone new by using these place cards made with chalk markers. It's the no-hassle way to make your Thanksgiving dinner special for everyone!