Get a head start on your holiday decorating with easy,simple, inexpensive yet stylishly chic DIY craft projects. With Halloween and thanksgiving slowly winding in, now is the time to start thinking of easy ways to dress up your holiday table.

Chalkboard has a casual, bistro inspired look that great for the holiday table. You don't have to spend a lot of money or dabble in woodwork and chalk board paint to get that charming bistro style on your table.

To make a faux chalkboard placeholder, all you need are basic art store supplies:

- A package of plain wooden popsicle sticks
- Heavy cardboard or chipboard paper
- Matte textured black colored art paper
- Glue stick and glue gun
- Wooden clothespin (optional)
- Chalk
- Silver tipped pen (optional)

To assemble a faux chalkboard frame:

1. Cut a piece of 10.5 cm x 10.5 cm square from the heavy cardboard and black art paper. Glue edges of black art paper onto the heavy cardboard using craft glue.

2. Glue popsicle sticks to the four corners of the black card square using a glue gun.

3. You may want to make clip-on chalkboard frame by affixing a piece of wooden clothespin to the bottom side of the frame. Alternately, you can attach a piece of popsicle stick to the bottom end of the frame to create a chalkboard peg.

4. Make as many faux chalkboard placecards as you can. Use them as dinner table placecards, mini menu boards or food labels for a dessert or candy buffet table.