Christmas Tree Circles


Total Time Needed:
1 Hour


A chip off the old block, these wooden ornaments preserve the piney memories of Christmases past.

Materials

* Handsaw
* Pine disk
* Copper wire
* Ribbon trim or cord

* Glue
* Artificial greenery and berries optional
* Marker or craft paint

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Instructions

1.

Saw a cross section from the bottom of your Christmas tree trunk before putting it into its stand for decorating (a parent's job). Alternately, you can saw a smaller piece from the middle after the holidays are over. This is your pine disk.
2.

Wrap a length of thin wire around the pine disk and twist it into a loop at the top for hanging. Tie on a ribbon, glue on some trim, or add greenery, berries, or other decorations.
3.

Write the year across the front with a marker or craft paint. If the wood surface is too rough, sand it down a bit before writing.
4.

For an extra remembrance, glue on a fun Christmas-morning snapshot before you store the ornaments away for next year.

Scrapbook Garland


Total Time Needed:
1 Hour

Robin T. of Downers Grove, Illinois, was thrilled to find a use for the snapshots of her sons, Carter, age six, and Carson, four, that she couldn't bear to throw away.

Materials

* Silver ribbon
* Wire garland
* Pictures

* Siccors
* Whole punch
* Decorative paper

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Instructions

1.

To make her garland of the past year's memorable moments, Robin cut her photos into uniform circles, glued them to decorative paper bases, punched holes at the tops, and strung them on embroidery floss (or try our version, shown above, and attach the photos to a sparkly wire garland with silver ribbon).
2.

Add dates, places, names, and ages for a true memento of the year.

Trinket Tree


Total Time Needed:
1 Hour

Made from trinkets and doodads, this festive tabletop decoration makes a great conversation piece for holiday guests.

Materials

* Hard plastic cereal bowl, 5 inches in diameter
* Tacky glue
* Corrugated cardboard circle, 8 inches in diameter
* Styrofoam cone, 12 inches tall
* Roll of twine, optional

* Trinkets and tiny toys
* Hot-glue gun
* Toothpick
* Gold spray paint

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Instructions

1.

Trinket Tree - Step 1 Use tacky glue to join the bottom of the bowl to the center of the cardboard circle. Once the glue dries, invert the bowl and glue the base of the foam cone atop the cardboard. Let the glue dry.
2.

To make the tree wider, wrap twine around the cone until you've achieved the desired width. Then glue the loose twine ends in place. If you prefer a tall, slim tree, go right to step 3.
3.

For a treetop ornament, choose one with a hollow portion, such as a bell, whistle, or seashell. Then insert one end of the toothpick into the top of the cone and set the tree topper over the protruding end.
4.

Glue the trinkets one at a time. Start with larger ones arranged around the base and build upward using increasingly smaller objects. Some items, especially weightier ones, may need to be hot-glued in place (a parent's job), but many should hold well with the tacky glue, which is more child-friendly.
5.

Place the adorned tree on newspaper in a well-ventilated area and apply several coats of gold spray paint (adults only) to the tree and base. Allow the paint to dry completely.

Yuletide Clothesline


Total Time Needed:
1-2 Hours


With the toys all wrapped and the reindeer at the ready, there's just one more thing Santa needs to do before his big night: laundry.

Materials

* Scissors
* Felt
* Glue

* Tiny buttons
* Pom-poms
* Miniature clothespins

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Instructions

1.

To make your own tiny version of the Clauses's clothesline, simply cut elfin replicas of Santa's wardrobe (the mittens are just 1 1/2 inches long), including boots, coat, hat, and undergarments, from felt, then glue on tiny buttons and a pom-pom (on the hat) for trim.
2.

After the glue has dried, hang the garments on a string with miniature clothespins (available at craft stores).

Circle of Light


Total Time Needed:
1-2 Hours

Brighten up the winter night with this festive outdoor wreath.

Materials

* Binder clips
* Outdoor holiday lights
* Tire

* Extension cord
* Weatherproof bow (optional)

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Instructions

1.

First, use one of the clips to attach the midpoint of the light string to the top center of the tire's inside rim. (This will help you to evenly distribute the lights.)
2.

Circle of Light - Step 2 Wrap each side of the light string around the tire so they meet at the bottom, then use the second binder clip to secure the nonplug end of the light string to the tire, as you did above.
3.

Use the extension cord to connect the lights to an appropriate electrical outlet, and tie on a weatherproof bow, if you like.

This Just Looks Beautiful Hanging On Your Door :)


Crystal Wreath


Put your elves to work on a wreath with a magical snow-and-ice look. Made of plastic bags tied onto a hanger, it's a perfect outdoor decoration.

Materials

* White wire clothes hanger
* Wire cutters
* Needle-nose pliers

* About 100 plastic sandwich bags (the fold-over, not ziplock, kind)
* Bow (tripple bow how to on next post)
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Instructions

1.

Form the hanger into a circle, keeping the hook at the top.
2.

Using wire cutters, cut the hanger at the bottom center and wrap the ends around each other to form a circle with a 9-inch diameter. Use needle-nose pliers if necessary. Bend the hook down to form a loop for hanging the wreath.
3.

Crystal Wreath - step 3 Fold a plastic bag in half lengthwise and tie it around the hanger with a single overhand knot. Repeat, pushing the bags together until the circle is full. Add a bow.

How to Tie a Triple Bow

Follow these simple steps to make a beautiful bow for your wreath.

Materials

* 3 yards of wired 1 1/2-inch-wide ribbon

* 8 inches of wire or a long twist tie

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Instructions

1.

How to Tie a Triple Bow Start with 3 yards of wired 1 1/2-inch-wide ribbon. Wind it in a circle about 6 inches in diameter. The ribbon should go around three times. Let the ends fall out of the circle.
2.

How to Tie a Triple Bow Gather the center and wrap it with about 8 inches of wire or a long twist tie.
3.

How to Tie a Triple Bow Starting with the innermost loop of ribbon, pull out one loop at a time from the bundle and fluff it up. There will be three loops on each side of the wire.
4.

Secure the bow to the wreath with the ends of the wire or twist tie.

Faux Gingerbread Folk


Total Time Needed:
1 Hour


Here's a crafty way to make a batch of gingerbread people this holiday season, no mixing bowls required.

For a simple, printable pattern of this craft, try our fauxgbread.pdf.

Materials

* Scissors
* Brown felt
* Fabric glue

* Uncooked rice
* Lentils or beans
* White and colored puffy paints

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Instructions

1.

For each beanbag, help your child cut two matching gingerbread shapes from the brown felt.
2.

Faux Gingerbread Folk Step 2 Use the fabric glue to seal the two shapes together at the edges, leaving an inch-wide opening along the seam. Fill the beanbag with the rice, lentils, or small beans, then glue the opening shut.
3.

When the glue has dried, help your child decorate each one with puffy paint outlines, buttons, and facial features.

Faux Gingerbread House


Total Time Needed:
Afternoon Or Evening

This festive corkboard cottage has a great selling point: while it's every bit as sweet as the classic cookie-and-candy model, it'll never get stale.

Materials

* 2 (12-inch square) cork panels (available at office supply stores)
* Ruler and pen
* Craft knife
* Hot glue
* Pencils
* Hole punch
* Craft foam in various colors

* White puffy fabric paint and and paintbrush
* Craft glue
* FOAM TREES:
* Wooden skewers
* Green marker
* Green craft foam

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Instructions

1.

Faux Gingerbread House - Step 1 Draw the house shapes on the cork panels as shown.
2.

Faux Gingerbread House - Step 2 Cut them out, using a ruler and a craft knife for the windows and door (a parent's job). Cut the window squares in half for shutters.
3.

Faux Gingerbread House - Step 3 Hot-glue the shutters and door in place, using pencils to prop them at an angle while the glue sets. Cut or punch out foam circles to resemble NICO wafers and candy dots. You can even paint some like starlight mints.
4.

Faux Gingerbread House - Step 4 Hot-glue the walls together. Add the roof pieces, then let the glue set. Cut out foam roof tile strips and glue them in place starting at the lower edge and slightly overlapping the layers.
5.

Faux Gingerbread House Step 5 Use craft glue to attach the candy circles. Paint the seams of the house, the roof peak, the shutters, and the eaves with white puffy fabric paint to look like they're covered with icing.
6.

Faux Gingerbread House - Step 6 To make foam trees, color a wooden skewer with a green marker. Next, cut out squares of green craft foam (ours ranged from 1/2 inch to 2 3/4 inches) and trim them as shown. Push the skewer point through a cork circle, then through the center of each foam piece. To finish, glue together 2 small stars, sandwiching the skewer point.
7.

Set out your finished house with our foam trees. To complete the scene, we added cork stepping-stones, fake snow, and a battery-operated tea light (available at craft stores).

Felt Checkers Game


Total Time Needed:
Afternoon Or Evening


Kids learn a little bit of sewing when they make this game and bag to store it in. It also makes a great gift for any checkers fanatic.

Materials

* Scissors
* Pinking shears
* Two 12-inch squares white felt
* Two 12-inch squares black felt
* 12-inch square red felt
* Black sewing thread

* Needles and pins
* Sewing machine, optional
* 1/4 yard white "duck" canvas fabric
* 50-inch bright color nylon (or leather) shoelace
* Glue

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Instructions

1.

Felt Checkers Game - Step 1 Using scissors, cut thirty-two 1-inch squares of white felt.
2.

With pinking shears, cut two 9 1/2-inch squares of black felt, twelve 1-inch round red markers (about the size of a quarter) and twelve 1-inch round white markers.
3.

Arrange the 1-inch white squares in a checkerboard pattern on one of the 9 1/2-inch black squares, leaving a 5/8-inch border around the perimeter. Tack the pieces in place with glue, then hand- or machine-sew them on.
4.

Sew together the two 9 1/2-inch squares of black felt with black thread around the edges.
5.

Make the pouch by cutting the canvas into a pocket shape (with a straight-edged top and rounded bottom) that is about 8 inches long and 7 inches wide. Pin the fabric together, then sew up the sides.
6.

To make a drawstring top, lay the shoelace around the pouch, about 1 inch below the top edge. Fold the top edge down over the lace, pin in place and sew up, leaving a hole for each end of the lace to stick out. Turn the pouch right side out and decorate with felt designs.

Fold-Out Photo Gallery


Total Time Needed:
1-2 Hours


Good things come in small packages.

Materials

* Scissors
* Glue
* 8 1/2- by 11-inch paper
* Cardboard

* Hole punch
* Rubber stamp
* Ribbon

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Instructions

1.

With photo-manipulation software -- or old-fashioned scissors and glue -- arrange photos of your family to fit on one side of a horizontal 8 1/2- by 11-inch sheet of paper. Add a greeting, something like "Best wishes from our family to yours."
2.

Make color photocopies. (Many home printers leave a blank 1/4-inch-or-so feeder edge down one side of the page; you can trim it off after you've made your copies for an even border.)
3.

Fold-Out Photo Gallery - Step 3 With your pictures facing you, fold each piece of paper like an accordion fan, moving from left to right. Make 5 folds total (giving you 6 sections); the first fold should turn over, not under (see diagram).
4.

So that our sections would be even without measuring them, we divided the width of our paper by 6 (in our case, 1 3/4 inches, since we'd trimmed down the paper from its original size) and cut a piece of cardboard that same width. We then used the cardboard as a guide for the first fold on each new card (and that first fold for each subsequent one on the same piece of paper).
5.

With your photos still folded like a fan, hold the paper vertically with the left-most flap facing you. Now fold that into thirds: first, fold the bottom third up over the middle section, then turn the whole thing over and fold it up again. For nice, crisp creases, press all the folds with a plastic spoon.
6.

Fold-Out Photo Gallery - Step 6 To make the front and back cover tags, decorate card stock or construction paper. We went with simple rubber-stamped gold stars -- a great project for even the youngest kids. Once dry, cut them into 2 1/4- by 3 1/2-inch rectangles; snip off 2 corners of each for a pretty hexagonal shape. Punch a hole through the tops of half of them (they'll go on the front).
7.

Unfold the fan and lay the photo gallery flat with the pictures facing you. Glue the front tag (with the hole) onto the back of the upper left corner of the paper, as shown below. Then fold up the card, align the back tag (without a hole) with the front one, and glue it on as well. Now tie on a pretty ribbon.

Glittery Angel


Total Time Needed:
1 Hour


Spin glitter and string to make this little angel that sits beautifully atop any Christmas tree.

Materials

* A one-liter plastic soda bottle
* String
* Craft glue

* Glitter
* Small ball ornament
* Piece of gold tinsel

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Instructions

1.

Cut the bottom off a one-liter plastic soda bottle. Dip pieces of string into a white-glue-and-water solution (it should be the consistency of thick cream) and coil them around the entire bottle, starting at the bottom. Use more string to cover the entire bottle in this manner.
2.

On a waxed paper lined cookie sheet, shape a long piece of glue soaked string into an outline of angel wings. Fill in the wings with dipped string coiled into lacy patterns. Before the glue dries, liberally sprinkle glitter on the body and wings.
3.

When the wings are dry, glue them to the body. For the head, glue a gold Christmas ball, hook down, on top of the bottle. Crown the angel with a gold tinsel halo.

Glittery Window Clings


Total Time Needed:
Weekend Projects


Let the sun shine in through a few of these glittery window clings. They stick to glass and plastic but, unlike real snow, they are easy to remove!

Materials

* Paper and pencil
* Cookie sheet

* Waxed paper
* Dimensional fabric paint (we used Scribbles brand in Glittering Crystal)

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Instructions

1.

Draw a snowflake template (small, compact designs work best), or download ours here.
2.

Glittery Window Clings Step Lay the template faceup on the cookie sheet and cover it with the waxed paper.
3.

Using a thin line of the fabric paint (approximately 1/8-inch wide), trace the snowflake design on the waxed paper as shown, making sure all of the paint lines connect. Let the window cling dry overnight, then carefully peel it from the waxed paper.

Holiday Card Holder



Total Time Needed:
1-2 Hours

Display the season's cards and photos by tucking them into this fleece-covered tree you can keep on a tabletop or hang on a wall.

Materials

* Craft knife
* Scissors
* 2 large pieces of corrugated cardboard, at least 26 by 26 inches
* 1 yard of green fleece fabric
* Hot-glue gun
* Ribbon

* Seed beads
* Star-shaped sequins (with holes)
* Straight pins
* Jewelry or other pliers
* Duct tape
* Stapler (optional)

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Instructions

1.

Holiday Card Holder - Step 1 Use a craft knife to cut the cardboard into 2 matching triangles with a 26-inch base and height. Cut the fleece into 2 triangles as well, one the same size as the cardboard triangles and the other about 2 inches longer on each side. Center the smaller piece of fleece on the larger one, then stack the cardboard triangles atop the fleece.
2.

Holiday Card Holder - Step 2 Hot-glue the edges of the larger piece of fabric around the cardboard, folding the corners as shown.
3.

Holiday Card Holder - Step 3 Turn over the cardboard and crisscross strips of ribbon across the front. Be sure to leave a few inches hanging over each side so you can glue them to the back.
4.

To secure the ribbons in place, slip a bead, followed by a sequin, onto a pin (one for each ribbon intersection), then push the pins through the front of the cardboard where the ribbons cross.
5.

Holiday Card Holder - Step 5 Flip the board over again and use pliers to bend the end of each pin against the cardboard (a parent's job), then cover each pin with a square of duct tape. Now glue the ends of the ribbons to the back of the triangle, and let the glue dry completely.
6.

Holiday Card Holder - Step 6 To display your card holder, lean it against a wall or staple a loop of ribbon to the back for a hanger.

Holly, Jolly Lampshade



Total Time Needed:
1-2 Hours


Don't let the decorating stop just because the tree is trimmed. You can easily spread some holiday warmth by livening up a plain old lampshade with festive miniature ornaments.

Materials

* Plain white lampshade
* Hole punch
* Small wire ornament hanger
* Miniature ball ornament

* Decorative rickrack
* Clothespins
* Fabric glue

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Instructions

1.

Start by using a hole punch to create holes about 3 inches apart around the base of a small, plain white lampshade (found at most craft stores for about $10).
2.

Holly, Jolly Lampshade - Step 2 Thread a small wire ornament hanger through each hole, hook on a miniature ball ornament, then fold the hanger in half to create a closed loop.
3.

Once you've hung all the ornaments, use fabric glue to attach decorative rickrack around the shade, using clothespins to hold it in place until it dries.

Ice Candle



Total Time Needed:
2-3 Hours


In this classic kitchen craft, kids (with a parent's help) can combine ice and hot wax to form a cool, lacy-looking candle. Set it in the center of your holiday table or give it as special gift that'll melt Grandma's heart.

Materials

* Scissors
* Cylindrical cardboard container (salt or oatmeal)
* Paper towel
* Cooking oil
* Knife
* White tapered candle
* Large tin can

* 1 pound of paraffin wax
* Large saucepan
* Wooden skewer
* Crayon pieces
* Large spoon
* Crushed ice
* Bowl

X

Instructions

1.

Ice Candle - Step 1 Have your child prepare a mold by cutting off the top of the cardboard container. Use a paper towel to coat the inside with cooking oil. With a knife, trim the bottom from the taper so the taper is the same height as the mold.
2.

Ice Candle - Step 2 Meanwhile, fill the tin can with the wax. Then place it in a saucepan filled with 2 inches of water and set the pan over low heat. Use a wooden skewer to stir the melting wax. Mix in crayon pieces to get your desired candle color.
3.

Ice Candle - Step 3 Pour 1/2 inch of wax into the prepared mold and immediately stick the taper into the center, wick end up. Hold the taper in place for a minute or two while the wax sets.
4.

Ice Candle - Step 4 Spoon 2 inches of crushed ice around the taper, then cover the ice almost completely with melted wax. Add more ice, then more wax, alternating until the mold is filled.
5.

Step 5 - Ice Candle Set the mold in a bowl for about an hour (it will leak water), letting the wax harden completely, then peel off the cardboard.

Jelly Bean Bowl


With all the plates of Christmas cookies Santa samples, it's no wonder he's a little soft around the middle. Here, Santa offers a few treats of his own--a sampling of jelly beans or other Christmas candy--stored beneath the fuzzy brim of his hat.

Materials

* Felt in assorted colors
* Glue and scissors

* Glass jar with a lid
* White faux fur (available at craft or sewing stores)

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Instructions

1.

Jelly Bean Bowl Step 1 To make the hat, cut out two red felt triangles. Make sure the base of the hat will be big enough to fit over the neck of your jar. Glue together the sides of the two triangles, then trim the hat with a strip of faux fur around the bottom and a bit on top for the pompon.
2.

Decorate Santa's face by cutting out and gluing on a faux fur beard, a pair of felt eyes and a felt nose.
3.

Fill the jar with candy, put on the lid, then top it all off with Santa's hat.

Kids' Art Window Charms



Total Time Needed:
Afternoon Or Evening


Even the snowiest of winter days looks cheerier with these brightly colored charms hanging in the window. Your child can draw geometric designs, her cat, herself -- whatever strikes her fancy. They make great kids' room decorations and lovely homemade gifts for moms and grandparents.

Materials

* 3-inch round lid
* Shrinky Dink Frosted Ruff 'N Ready sheets
* Permanent markers
* Scissors

* Hole punch
* Monofilament or clear elastic beading cord
* Beads

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Instructions

1.

For each charm, trace the lid onto a sheet of Shrinky Dink. Then draw designs in the circles with the markers.
2.

Cut out the charms, then punch a hole in the top and bottom of each.
3.

Follow the package directions to bake the charms.
4.

Cut a length of the monofilament (ours was 20 inches) and knot one end (this will be the bottom). Add 2 beads, then string the monofilament through the holes of a charm. Add another bead, then another charm, and so on, until all the charms have been strung. Add a final bead, then tie the end into a loop for hanging.

Making a Star Lantern


Total Time Needed:
Afternoon Or Evening

n the Philippines at Christmas time, these bright lanterns, called parols, fill the streets, their shape echoing the star of Bethlehem.

Basswood strips can be found online and in some craft stores. They're commonly sold in 24-inch lengths. For this star, you'll need 6 strips that are 1/4- by 1/16-inch thick and 1 strip that's 1/4- by 1/4-inch thick. Use scissors to cut them into:
10 pieces: 12 by 1/4 by 1/16 inches
5 pieces:  1 1/2 by 1/4 by 1/4 inches
2 pieces: 4 1/2 by 1/4 by 1/16 inches

Materials

* Basswood strips
* Scissors
* Small rubber bands
* Tacky glue

* Colored tissue paper
* Embroidery floss
* Battery-operated tea light

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Instructions

1.

Making a Star Lantern - Step 1 Make 2 five-pointed star shapes from the 12-inch strips. Secure them by wrapping rubber bands around the points.
2.

Making a Star Lantern - Step 2 Stack the two stars. Connect them at the points by wrapping the rubber bands around the ends.
3.

Making a Star Lantern - Step 3 Complete the frame by adding 1 1/2-inch posts between the stars at each of the five interior points. Use dots of glue to secure them.
4.

Making a Star Lantern - Step 4 For the tea light shelf, place two 4 1/2-inch strips inside the star so that they span two of the posts, and glue them in place. Using your star as a rough template, cut triangles of tissue paper that are a bit larger than the spaces in your parol. You'll need 10 triangles for the sides, 10 for the front and back of the points, and one pentagonal piece for the center. Glue the side pieces first, then the front and back triangles. Finish with the center pentagon.
5.

Making a Star Lantern - Step 5 For each tassel, cut and stack 30 foot-long, 1/2-inch wide strips of tissue paper, then tie embroidery floss around the middle. Fold the stack in half and glue a K-inch strip of paper around the tassel near the fold. Tie each tassel to a point of the parol. Tie a loop to the top point for hanging, and put the tea light in place.

Peppermint Mail Post


Total Time Needed:
1 Hour


Sweeten your street this holiday season with a larger-than-life mailbox decoration.

Materials

* 3 Styrofoam disks, 1" thick and 10" in diameter
* Tacky glue
* Red metallic ribbon
* Scissors

* Straight pins
* Clear cellophane
* Twist ties
* Wire or twine

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Instructions

1.

Stack and glue the three Styrofoam disks together. Then cut 2 3/4 inch-wide red metallic ribbon into six 12-inch lengths, trimming both ends of each piece into points.
2.

Glue the red ribbon onto the Styrofoam to form stripes. Start with one pointed end positioned near the center of the three-ply disk, then wrap the ribbon over the edge of the Styrofoam and glue the other end in place on the opposite side. Use straight pins to help hold the ends of the ribbons in place, then remove them once the glue has dried. Leave approximately 2 1/2 inches between the ribbons.
3.

When all of the red stripes are in place, wrap the giant candy in a 30-inch square piece of clear cellophane, scrunching the ends together and securing with twist ties.
4.

Attach the finished decoration to your mailbox with wire, twine, or a loop of strong tape. Just be sure to bring it in if the weather outside gets frightful.

Photo-card Carousel


Total Time Needed:
1 Hour


What do we love about photo cards? Almost everything -- all those smiling faces dropping through the mail slot from faraway places, all those otherwise-serious friends and relatives throwing propriety to the wind in favor of silly Santa hats. But much as we love them, we've never really been sure what to do with them. This card carousel solves the problem handily, presenting them for view, then folding into an instant archive when the holidays are over.

Materials

* 3 1/2- by 5-inch notebook with the spiral binding at the top
* Photo cards

* Double-sided tape
* Red pipe cleaners

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Instructions

1.

Start with the 3 1/2- by 5-inch notebook (we used an artist's sketchbook, since the paper is a little thicker). The notebook becomes a carousel when you set it on its side with the front and back covers touching.
2.

Attach the photo cards, one to each side of a sheet, with double-sided tape.
3.

Thread bright red pipe cleaners through the spiral binding between sheets (they also help the card carousel stay open for holiday business).

Pieces on Earth


Total Time Needed:
1 Hour


Instead of throwing out those puzzles with missing pieces, let your kids turn what's left into a cast of holiday characters.

Materials

* Jigsaw puzzle pieces
* Acrylic paint
* Fine-point permanent markers
* Glue
* Dimensional fabric paint

* Pom-poms
* Mini googly eyes
* Monofilament
* Pinbacks

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Instructions

1.

Paint the puzzle pieces with acrylic paint. Once they're dry, draw or glue on distinguishing features. We used dimensional fabric paint, pom-poms, mini googly eyes, and a fine-point permanent marker.
2.

Turn the creatures into tree ornaments by gluing loops of monofilament to the backs, or attach pinbacks so you can give a backpack or sweater a little holiday flair.

Pinecone Carolers



Total Time Needed:
1 Hour

These small-scale singers are poised to echo their joyous strains this holiday season.

Materials

* Acrylic paints
* Capped acorns
* Hot glue
* 2 small twigs

* Small pinecone, between 1" and 2" tall
* Glue stick
* Small piece of photocopied sheet music
* Colored construction paper

X

Instructions

1.

To make your own tiny choir, first use acrylic paints to create faces on a collection of capped acorns and allow them to dry.
2.

Use hot glue to secure each acorn head and 2 twig arms to a small pinecone (ours were between 1 and 2 inches tall).
3.

For each songbook, use a glue stick to attach a small piece of photocopied sheet music to a rectangle of colored construction paper.
4.

Give each book a center crease, then attach the music to a carolers hands with hot glue.

Potted Paper Cones



Total Time Needed:
1 Hour


These elegant trees are so versatile -- you can make them in a variety of sizes and with almost endless decorating possibilities -- they'll fit in any (or every!) room in your house.

Materials

* 1 large piece of drawing paper or poster board
* Clear or double-sided tape
* Scissors
* Hot-glue gun
* Small ornaments, garlands, fake jewels, or ribbons

* Dowel with a 1/2-inch diameter (ours were 3 feet long)
* Decorative bucket or flowerpot
* Small rocks
* Cotton batting

X

Instructions

1.

Potted Paper Cones - Step 1 Roll the paper or poster board into a cone shape (make sure the hole at the tip is less than 1/2 inch wide), then tape the seam and trim the bottom so that it's even.
2.

Decorate the cone by hot-gluing small ornaments, garlands, fake jewels, or ribbons to it. (If you're using bulb ornaments, glue the top of the ornament, rather than the bulb itself, to the cone for a stronger hold.) Let the glue dry.
3.

Stand the dowel in the bucket and fill the bucket with enough rocks to keep the dowel upright. Cover the rocks with the cotton batting, then set the paper cone atop the dowel.

Recycled Wreath


Time Needed
1hr


Looking for a festive way to recycle your holiday wrapping debris? Give your tot a paper plate with the center cut out and let him decorate it with leftover pieces of gift wrap, tissue paper, ribbon, and more.

Materials

* Paper plate
* Gift wrapping, ribbons, tissue paper

* Glue or glue stick

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Instructions

1.

Cut out the center of the paper plate (we traced around a CD).
2.

Cover the plate with glue (an older child may prefer using a glue stick), then have your child decorate it with leftover pieces of gift wrap, tissue paper, ribbon, and more.
3.

To hang the wreath, tape a loop of ribbon to the back.

Red-Nosed Wreath Deer


How the heck did this reindeer get his head through that door? We may never know, but, hey, he's got a friendly face to greet the kids coming home from school. Start with a pinecone wreath (as we did) or modify this design for an evergreen wreath.

MATERIALS
10-inch square of corrugated cardboard
Pinecone wreath with a 7-inch opening (approximately)
Pencil or pen
Scissors
Adult-size brown knit ski cap
Pair of brown gloves
Several handfuls of fiberfill stuffing
Low-temperature glue gun
Cloth-covered floral wire
1 red pom-pom (2 inches wide)
2 white pom-poms (each 2 inches wide)
Two 1/2-inch circles of black felt
Small piece of brown craft foam
1 yard of wide ribbon
Small bells (optional)

1. Lay down the cardboard with the wreath centered on top of it. Trace around the inside hole, then remove the wreath and draw a second circle about 1 inch bigger than the rough one. Cut along the line for the bigger circle.

2. Stuff the hat and gloves with fiberfill. Place the cardboard circle in the hat opening and glue about an inch of the hat material to it. Let dry.

3. Carefully push the hat through the wreath until the cardboard back is flush against the back of the wreath. To hold in place, crisscross two pieces of floral wire across the back of the wreath and attach to the wreath to create a cross support.

4. If your wreath has a built-in hanger, make sure that it's at the top, then glue the red pom-pom nose and white pom-pom eyes onto the hat. Add a black felt circle to each eye.

5. Cut ears out of brown craft foam. Ours are 4 1/2 inches tall. Wire the ears in place (just push floral wire through the foam and wrap around the wreath).

6. For each antler: a) Cut three 18-inch pieces of floral wire. b) Fold down the top inch of each wire. c) Insert the wires into the glove opening and up to the tops of three fingers. d) Twist the three wires together at the bottom of the glove and attach the antler to the wreath frame with this wire. Repeat with the other glove.

7. Tie the ribbon into a large bow. Use floral wire or a pipe cleaner to attach the bow (and bells, if you like) to the bottom of the wreath.

8. If your wreath did not come with a hanger, make a wire loop at the back of the wreath and hang.

Sweet Countdown



Total Time Needed:
30 Minutes or less


This edible Advent garland will spruce up your holiday tree and give your child a way to keep track of the days until Santa's visit.

Materials

* Candy buttons on paper strips
* Tape

* Scissors

X

Instructions

1.

Sweet Countdown - Step 1 Cut 24 same-size strips of candy buttons (ours had 8 candies each).
2.

Sweet Countdown - Step 2 Tape them together in a chain and snip off a loop each day starting December 1.

Tabletop Tree



Total Time Needed:
2-3 Hours


This charming greeting arrives flat but easily transforms into a festive, 3-D holiday decoration, so it's a great gift as well. Our template makes creating the three-sided shape a cinch.

Materials

* 8 1/2- by 11-inch sheets of card stock in green and red
* Scissors
* Craft knife

* Hole punch
* Glue stick
* A6 (4 3/4- by 6 1/2) envelope

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Instructions

1.

Tabletop Tree - Step 1 Print our template or draw your own from the diagram here. (To create your own template, first draw the center tree on a sheet of paper, leaving room for the side trees. Fold your paper along one edge of the tree and trace over the outline showing through to mark the edge of one side tree. Repeat for the other side tree. Cut out the template, including a tab at one edge.)
2.

Use the template to trace and cut the triple tree from the green card stock and a 4 1/2-inch-tall, 3 3/4-inch-wide triangle from the red. Use a craft knife to cut a 1-inch slit along the outside edge of the trees, opposite the tab, as shown.
3.

Tabletop Tree - Step 3 Fold the card in thirds, then use a hole punch to make holes through all 3 layers.
4.

Open the card and glue on the triangle, then add your message. If you like, glue photos backed with colorful paper to the other 2 sides.

Window Dressing



Total Time Needed:
1-2 Hours


Help your child put his holiday artwork on display with this fun, easy-to-clean-up project that uses fluffy paints made from soap.

Materials

* Kitchen grater
* Bar of mild white soap
* Lukewarm water
* Electric mixer

* Liquid food coloring
* Newspaper
* Masking tape
* New kitchen sponge

X

Instructions

1.

To prepare the paint, first use a kitchen grater and a bar of mild white soap (we used a 3.1-ounce bar of Ivory) to make 1 cup of soap shavings.
2.

Combine the shavings with 1 cup of lukewarm water in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed, mixing just until blended. Increase the speed to medium high and beat for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is foamy and forms stiff peaks. For colors, divide the mixture among several bowls and tint each batch with a few drops of liquid food coloring. (This makes about 8 cups of soap paint; larger scenes, like our tree, may require more.)
3.

Window Dressing - Step 3 To decorate a window, first cover the floor with newspaper and protect the window casing with masking tape. Cut a new kitchen sponge into small pieces, then help your child create a wintry scene with a textured effect by dabbing the paints onto the glass with the sponges. Allow the paints to dry, then peel away the tape.
4.

To remove the design, first scrape off the bulk of the dried soap, then use window cleaner and a rag or paper towels to remove the remainder.

that's all i can post today guys and girls, hope you like the crafts happy making :) if you make anything take a pic and stick it up :) be nice to see some il be speading 2mor making a few just have to decide which ones theres soo many

thanks for reading :) x x x x x

Thanks for sharing all these ideas.I love the chair back covers. So simple to make and I know the kids will love them. Another great site is www.oneprettything.com
I don't know if I found it through someone on jumbletown but I'm addicted to it.
Merry Christmas and happy crafting
Scrabble

Christnas ideas
 

These are so fabulous. I will spend some time this week trying them out. Thanks for all the ideas.

thanks for the web site Scrabble :) will be checking that out too :) there is a few really nice stuff you can craft at home i no a few bits and bobs would cost a small bit but considering the amount shops ar chargin for stuff id prefer to make them myself and get the little lad to make something so he can have it :)

amazing site

I received this Christmas decoration which was bought in the Christmas Market in Germany. I am sure it would be quite easy to make, as it is made from dried orange sprinkled with glitter; cinnemon sticks; anniseed stick; wallnuts; piece of straw.
The smell of cinnemon goes all over the house.

thought I'd bump it up as it's getting to that time of year again. This has given me a few ideas. I have no christmas stuff.
Thanks for the link Scrabble. Elbo I think I will try dried orange slices with cloves to hang on the tree or sticks I plan to get.

Bows
 

I found some decorative ribbon in Lidl today and have made a start on some bows for the tree. No sewing involved. Just cut a length of ribbon, fold in half to get the center then fold the ends in towards the center with some hanging down, pinch together and wrap with co-ordinating thread 2 times tie a knot to hold in place and another knot at top of thread. Depending on the type of ribbon you may have to gently melt the edges to stop them fraying

Paper snowflakes
 

I've seen a lot of pictures of gorgeous paper snowflakes in interior decoration blogs lately, and I think they can look really stylish.

I like subtle decorations, so these made from white printing paper do the trick for me, but you can obviously use coloured paper too. Good for adding to handmade Christmas cards, or to embellish the Christmas presents.

I googled for instructions and inspiration, and then made these while watching tv in the weekend. It doesn't take long to get the hang of how to cut to get different patterns.

These are two of the websites I used:

http://highhopes.com/snowflakes.html

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...er-Snowflakes/

If you google "paper snowflakes image" you can get lots of inspiration for patterns.

Now I'm gonna decorate my alternative Christmas tree- my Olive tree that I took inside when the cold hit...

they're brilliant thanks for sharing, am off to make some now.

wow, they are great! Thanks for posting this!