Christmas crafts for you!

Welcome to Miscellaneous Christmas crafts. These crafts can be easily prepared, with little, or almost no expenses. Christmas is a festival which the family as a whole celebrates together, and crafts, together with decorations, are the best way to enjoy the festival together, to enjoy Christmas, by heart. So get on with scissors and glues, for you will fall in love with these easy-to-prepare nothings, that will liven up your festival. Just Scroll Down n Enjoy!

Craft Ideas

Wonderland House | Candy Wreath | Fairy Tree Top | Gumdrop Trees
Snowman Can | Christmas Brooches

Wonderland House

  • Turn a simple shoe box a wonderland !
  • Select a fresh shoe box, and cut a rectangle shape in the lid of the shoe box.
  • On inside of lid, tape a piece of white tissue paper (this allows light to filter through).
  • On side of shoe box cut another rectangle shape (this allows you to peer through box).
  • On inside of box, glue white or navy blue construction paper to the sides of the box.
  • Glue fiber fill to the bottom of box.
  • Streak glue on fiberfill and shake sparkles on it. This is the snow.
  • Cut out old Christmas cards and position pictures like a winter scene in the shoe box. Wrap the outside of the box with pretty Christmas paper.
  • Your Instant winterland viewmaster is ready!

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Candy Wreath

You will need:
  • Green poster board
  • Red yarn
  • Yellow poster board
  • Double sided tape
  • Glue
  • Assorted colored paper
  • Scissors
  • Small sprigs of spruce
  • 2 different size plates
  • Yarn needle
  • Wide red ribbon
  • 13 Individually wrapped candies
  • 1 Medium cup
  • 1 Large cup
Directions:
Take the green poster board and draw two different size circles using the plates to trace the circle. Cut the circles out and glue the spruce sprigs onto one side of the ring, to completely cover it.

Take the yellow poster board and draw twelve small circles and one large circle using the two different size cups as a guideline. With the scrape paper draw and cut out twelve stars. Then place one star on each circle and place one piece of candy on each star and glue to the large spruce covered ring.

Using the yarn needle make a hole in each yellow card circle. Thread the yarn through each hole and tie in a pretty bow. Make a hole at the top of the green circle and pull a piece of red yarn through the top hole to make a hanger.

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FAIRY TREE TOP

You will need:
  • 1 piece cardboard your choice color
  • 1 Silver poster board
  • 4 Popsicle sticks
  • Various colored papers
  • Assorted tiny beads or buttons
  • Star stickers
  • Yellow, brown tissue paper torn in stripes
  • Felt various colors
  • tiny stick
  • Dinner plate
  • Gold thread
  • Embroidery floss
  • Embroidery needle
  • Scotch tape
  • Scissors
  • Glue
    Directions:
Direction:
Cut a semicircle from the cardboard with scissors. Make the semicircle into a cone and tape to hold. Cut the top off the cone. Take the two Popsicle sticks and make into arms for fairy, then take tissue paper and fold and place over the Popsicle sticks to make sleeves, leaving the ends sticking out to make hands. Glue the Popsicle sticks onto the back of the cone making the arms.

Take the silver poster board and fold in half and trace wings and then cut out. You should have a pair of wings joined in the middle. Decorate the wings with sequins or buttons and glue to the back of the cone.


Cut a head and neck from the poster board. Draw a nose and mouth. Glue on beads or buttons to make eyes and tissue paper for the hair. To make a halo bead sequins or buttons together and wrap around head. Glue to hold in place. Then glue the neck inside the cone.

Then decorate two of the Popsicle sticks for the legs and glue each leg inside the bottom of the cone. Then decorate the dress with stars and beads or buttons.

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GUMDROP TREES

You will need

a 6-8" tall Styrofoam tree, a couple bags of red and green gumdrops, some u-shaped hair pins, toothpicks, and a miniature string of beads.

Cut toothpicks in half. Insert a toothpick into the larger (bottom) side of the gumdrops.

Starting at the bottom, stick the free end of the toothpick (with gumdrops already on) into the tree.

Continue until the tree is covered. (Alternate method: glue gumdrops onto tree form.)

Attach the beaded string in a "loose" fashion, fastening it to the styrofoam with the hair pins.

Finally, hot glue a miniature star or angel to the top.

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Snowman Can

Take an empty coffee can (with lid on)and cover with white construction paper or white fabric.

Glue on black buttons for eyes and mouth, and orange felt for nose.

Top with a small child's knit cap or old fabric remnants and tie off the top.

Add blush to cheeks.

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Christmas Brooches

1 c flour | 1 c warm water | 1/4 c salt | 2 ts cream of tartar | 1 ts oil | Food coloring of your choosing

Mix together the flour, water, salt, cream of tartar, oil, and food coloring.

Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from pan and knead until blended smooth.

Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled. Will last for a long time.

To make brooch (es), use cookie cutters that are Christmas-shapes (stars, snowmen, etc.)

Before totally dry, press pins into backs of brooches (buy the pins at a craft store).

When they are totally dry, paint them with your favorite Christmas colors.

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Birdhouse Welcome Sign

Supplies
  • 1 in. x 4 in. x 18 in. board
  • 1 in. length of wooden dowel
  • hand or power saw
  • drill with a 1 1/2 in. spade bit (or see below)
  • paint brushes
  • craft paints: brown, black, white
  • hot glue gun
  • saw tooth hanger
  • sandpaper
  • dried cedar sprigs
  • various dried or small silk flowers
  • small artificial or dried berries
  • white or natural color dried statice
  • small amount dried Spanish moss
  • raffia bow approx. 4" across
Instruction:

One end of the board should be cut to form the peak of the birdhouse roof. Old barn wood or a slat from an old stockade fence looks the most rustic. Approximately 4 inches below the peak, drill a centered hole all the way through. Sand wood lightly and paint inside of hole black to help it show up. If you don't have a drill, you can paint a "fake" hole. First, draw a circle by tracing around one end of a large spool of thread or similar object. Fill in the circle with black paint. A thin "crescent" of white along the right side will give the hole visual depth. Attach saw tooth hanger to back of board near the top. Below the hole, hot glue the dowel in place as a perch. Below the perch, draw the letters W-E-L-C-O-M-E, one below the other, spacing the letters evenly leaving about ½ inch between the bottom of one and the top of the one below it. Letters should be approximately 1" tall. Leave at least 2 1/2" of board below the last letter. Paint the letters black, then outline them with a thin line of any color you like. If you're going to hang your birdhouse outside, spray or brush it with an outdoor matte finish. Cut your cedar sprigs into different lengths and separate into 2 similar stacks. Cut two pieces at least 2" longer than the length from top to bottom on one side of the roof. Cut several other pieces about half this length, then several other very short ones (about 1" in length). Hot glue one of the long cedar sprigs to one side of the roof, with the cut stem at the peak and the foliage hanging over at the bottom. Using medium length pieces, glue them one at a time over the stem of the first one, overlapping each piece enough to give a look of fullness. Keep all stems running up the peak toward the top. Finish with small sprigs near the peak. These will be actually standing almost straight up. Be sure to cover any stems that show or any gaps. A few final, short pieces of cedar, glued upright at the peak, will finish it. Glue in a few berries and a few small pieces of statice here and there for added color. Right at the bottom of the "hole," glue a small tangle of moss. Arrange a small group of silk flowers to the left of the perch. Glue another small group to the bottom right of the board. Glue the raffia bow beneath the bottom group of flowers. Hang and enjoy!

Variations:
Paint your birdhouse your favorite color (rose and red look great with the green cedar roof!) and use white or cream flowers. Leave the lettering plain black. Another interesting variation: If you have a woodpile,chip off chunks of bark and "shingle" the roof with them instead of covering it with cedar. Use cedar or dried ferns for decoration. A great look, too!

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Fashion Accessories

For Hair Bow
  • 3" long plain metal hair barrette
  • 4 or 5 belt loops from an old pair of jeans
  • ½" wide flat lace, any color, about 2 yards. long
  • needle threaded with white thread
    OR: same size torn strip of cotton print fabric
    hot glue gun
Instructions for Hair Bow

Cut the lace into 2 equal lengths. Using the needle and thread, gather the end of one piece. Cut thread. Gather lace every 3 inches, cutting thread after each. Set aside while you do the other piece of lace the same way. Fold each strip in half to find the center (or the gather closest to the center). Mark the spot with a pin and lay each strip out parallel to the barrette, one on either side of it. Find the center of the barrette and apply a thin line of hot glue across it. Press the center gather of each strip side by side into the glue. Move about ¼" away and apply another line of glue. Press the next gather on each strip of lace into it. Continue until you reach the end, adjusting spacing as needed for a full look. Start again in the center and work toward the other end. Cut off any excess lace. Hot glue each belt loop into a circle. Glue each of these down the center of the lace loops, varying the angle slightly, and your barrette is done!


For Necklace/Earrings
  • one pair dangle earring findings
  • small scraps of old denim
  • length of satin cording, 12" longer
  • than you want the necklace
  • 12 wooden pony beads
  • small satin ribbon bow
  • small scrap cotton print fabric
  • 2 "eye pins"
Necklace and Earring Set
From scrap denim, two matching hearts approximately 3" across should be cut. From print fabric, a smaller heart (approx. 2" across) needs to be cut. Using white craft glue, glue the print heart into the center of one of the denim hearts. The 2nd denim heart needs to be stuck behind the 1st, but don't glue it yet. Fringe the two denim hearts right to the edge of the print one, using sharp scissors. Don't try to make the fringe too narrow --- some of it is likely to tear off and ruin the symmetry. Lay aside the loose denim heart and place the denim and print one face down on your work surface. Find the center of the satin cord and hot glue it to the bank of the denim and print heart, positioning it so that it curves upward toward the "shoulders" of the heart. Make sure you do not glue it to the fringed section. Glue the 2nd denim heart in place, wrong sides together, so that it covers the cord. Do not glue the fringe. Turn the necklace over and glue the satin ribbon bow (and a small button or bead, if you like) onto the print fabric heart. Knot the satin cord on each side of the denim hearts, approximately ½" away from the fringe. Slide 2 pony beads onto each cord. Knot close to the beads to hold them in place. Cut scrap denim into 4 strips about ½" wide by 5" long. Tie 2 of these around each cord, just above the last knot you tied. Cut the ends off at angles. Slide 2 more pony beads onto each cord. Knot above them. Measure 1" and knot again. Slide a final pony bead onto each cord and knot close above it to hold it in place. Drape the necklace around your neck to determine the finished length. Knot the two ends together. Add a drop of glue to make that the knot doesn't unravel.

Earrings
4 matching hearts is to be cut out of denim, approx. 1" across. Glue the , wrong sides together. This is one earring. Glue the remaining two together the same way. Use a heavy needle or safety pin to punch a hole in the top of each doubled heart, right where the two "shoulders" meet. Put a pony bead on each of the eye pins, then push one eye pin through the hole in each of the doubled hearts and loop the eye pin back on itself, forming a loop like the one above the bead. Hang the top of the eye pin from the pierced earrings. Decorate earrings with buttons, bows, etc.

Denim Heart Pin
All this requires is a doubled denim heart (just like you made for the earrings, only larger), some bits of left over lace, a small ribbon or torn fabric bow, 1 or 2 small, thin wooden stars, painted whatever color you like , two or three buttons, one or more small silk or ribbon flowers, and a pin back. Try different arrangements: anything goes! When you're satisfied, glue everything in place, and it's done!

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Tea Box Snowman
MATERIALS:

Wooden tea box
Dril
Glue Buttons
Old colored sock
Pipe cleaners
Markers
Piece of wide ribbon
Yarn

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

1. To begin, carefully take apart a small rectangular box, such as a teabag box. Turn it inside out and reassemble it. Glue the sides together but not the top.

2. Stand the box on end and drill two small holes where a carrot nose should go (a parent's job). Bend a short orange pipe cleaner into a V-shape, insert the tips into the holes, and then bend the tips against the inside of the box to secure them.

3. Draw eyes and a mouth with colored markers.

4. For arms, make matching holes through the box top and bottom and thread through a long brown pipe cleaner.

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Christmas Crew

You can decorate a mantel or tabletop with this easy-to-make Santa and his little helpers.

MATERIALS
Cardboard
Tissue tubes
Construction paper
Scissors
Craft glue
Time needed: Under 1 Hour



1. Wrap each cardboard tube with a 4- by 6-inch paper rectangle, choosing an appropriate base color for each character. Glue the paper in place.

2. In order to make faces for the angel, Santa, soldier and elf, cut 3-inch-wide circles out of orange or pink paper, and glue them onto the tubes.

3. Cut small circles for eyes and noses, mini rectangles for eyebrows and crescent shapes for mouths and moustaches. Roll a tiny orange cone for the snowman's nose, then make four small snips around the cone's base and glue the tabs to his face. For Santa's beard, glue on layers of 1-inch-wide white paper circles.

4. To make a tall, pointed hat for Santa or the elf, wrap a 2- by 5-inch paper rectangle around the tube top and glue the overlapped edges together. Pinch the top of the hat closed and trim with a paper pom-pom. You will do good by adding a brow band in a contrasting color. For the snowman's and soldier's hats, roll and glue a 2- by 5-inch paper rectangle into a cylinder. Make small slits along one end and fold the tabs in toward the center of the cylinder. Glue a 2 1/2-inch circle on top of the tabs. Trim

5. Finish with distinguishing details for each figure. Use yellow curls and a lacy collar to frame the angel's face. Add a halo and wings. Complete Santa's uniform with a broad black belt and buckle. Decorate the soldier with golden epaulets, coat lapels, and buttons. Fringe the ends of a 1- by 7-inch rectangle for the snowman's scarf. Glue on pointed elf ears and feet, and top of the reindeer with ears and antlers .

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Classic Stocking


MATERIALS:
Scissors
2 pieces of red fleece, each 24 by 16 inches
2 pieces of white faux fur, each 24 by 16 inches
Large-eye sewing needle
Long sewing pins
Red embroidery floss
White embroidery floss
Yellow embroidery floss
Sheet of yellow felt, 9 by 12 inches
Fabric paint
Fiberfill
Clear tape
9 inches of white twist cord

Time needed: About 2 to 3 Hours

1.Cut 1 stocking shape from each piece of the red fleece and 1 from each piece of the faux fur . Cut the fur stockings in such a way that the toes point in opposite directions with the fur sides up.

2. Pin the stockings together with the fur stockings on the inside, furry sides in, and the red stockings on the outside.

3. Whipstitch around the edge with the red floss to sew the shapes together. Leave the top unseen.

4. At the top, sew together the front 2 edges, then the back 2, with the white embroidery floss.

5. Fold down the top to make a cuff.

6. The Trimmings: Cut 2 star shapes from the yellow felt.

7. Whipstitch around the edges by using the yellow floss, sewing the stars together. Leave a small section unseen.

8. Stuff the star with fiberfill, then finish sewing the edges.

9. Write your child's name on the star with fabric paint and sew it to the edge of the cuff.

10. Tape the ends of the cord to keep them from fraying and then sew the cord to the stocking for hanging.

Tips:
A Stitch for All Stockings
Thread your needle with a length of floss and knot one end. Begin sewing by pushing the needle up through the underside of the fabric and then out the top. Loop the needle back under the fabric and repeat the stitch.

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Beaded Ornaments
MATERIALS:
Pipe cleaners

Transparent craft beads (5- to 10-millimeter diameters)

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

1. Bend an end of a pipe cleaner into a 90-degree angle. Have your child thread on beads from the opposite end, stopping a half inch from the tip.

2. Twist together the two ends, and the strand is ready to shape into a star, a candy cane, or another festive object.

Variations:
Twist together the ends of two pipe cleaners for a longer strand, or attach short beaded lengths to add a striker to a bell or holly berries to a wreath.

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Wonder-Waves

Here's a wonderful and easy way to style your hair this Christmas. You can get tighter and curlier Wonder Waves if your hair is just slightly damp when you put the curlers in. The easiest way to dampen the hair is with a water mist sprayer, but ask for permission before you borrow one. Never go to bed with wet hair.

1. Take a fabric curler and fold it in half to grip a section of hair between the two pieces. Pull the curler right down to the bottom of the hair.

2. Wind the fabric curler up the hair from the ends towards your head. Do this slowly and make sure you do not let go of either end of the curler.

3. When you can wind no further, hold the ends of the curler and bring them together. Cross the ends over to lock the curler in place.

4. Repeat all over your head. Remember, the bigger the sections of hair you wind, the looser the wave will be. For really tight curls, take only small sections and use lots of curlers.

5. Leave your curlers in overnight. They are very soft, so they are comfortable to sleep in. To reveal your Wonder- Waves, gently undo and remove each curler. Use your fingers to "rake" through each wave. You will look amazing!

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Key -Rings

If you have a jewelry box then you'll possibly find find beads, charms and silly old things your child can string together to make a key chain for someone. Buying a key ring should not be a problem. Use unwaxed dental floss to string the beads. Or have your child attach a favorite trinket or figure with string or leather cord.

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Ornamented Photo Frames

For most families, ornaments are more than decorations; they're memories in miniature.
This year, lets give the idea of decoration a new twist and let your kids put a little bit of themselves into the decorations--literally. Each child gets to choose a photo of himself or herself to incorporate into an ornament, which can be anything ranging between the simple and the sophisticated .The only requirement is that the finished product reflect the personality of its maker .You can also include the year in which it was made. Your kids will have fun comparing their faces over the years, and you'll love seeing your tree transformed into a virtual family.

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