More on my handmade Christmas ornaments!

I finished making 12 of the lovely crepe paper ornaments.  I used three colors, red, green and white.  I really like the way they turned out, but I tried to add glitter to the red ornaments and I don't much care for it.  I think I will have to remake  four new red ones and just leave them plain.

I started making new Santas from paperclay.  The ones I made a couple of years ago are flat.  These will be more dimensional.  I just started them the other day and am anxiously awaiting their drying.  Once they are totally dry, I will begin to paint them and add the ribbon legs with beads for his boots.  I can't wait to see them finished.

I loved the first batch of flat Santas, I will love this batch of 3-D Santas, too.

I'll post pictures as I work on them so you can see what I am doing.  So far, the only thing you need to make these is paperclay, paper clips, a wire cutting tool, a tool for making holes in the bottom to attach the legs, and some paint.  I intend to use dimensional paint to make the beard and mustache, as well as to decorate Santa's hat.  You will also need som thin ribbon for his legs. 

Here he is so far:

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Dove Garland -- From Frugal Family Fun Blog

Here's another quick, last minute Christmas craft you and the kids can make to make your home more festive and ready for the holidays.  I personally love the idea of using something I have on hand to make an ornament, so this is right up my alley.  Visit the Frugal Family Fun Blog for more quick and easy and fun ideas.  While you are there, don't forget to say "Hi!" in the comments.

Emily and I made a pretty dove garland, and it was made using our new favorite art supply — coffee filters! These were so much fun to make!! If you have some coffee filters on hand, you can download our template, and print it out on card stock, to make a dove garland of your own!

Fold 2 or 3 coffee filters in half and line up the pattern so that the belly of the dove is on the crease of the fold. Invite your child over to trace the pattern!

Cut out your doves! Since the filters are thin, you can cut 2 or 3 at a time.

Separate your beautiful birds! They may want to give one another a kiss!

Attach your birds along some string with tape. Ours are in the kitchen, and every time there is a slight breeze, they look like they’re flying!!

Weeeee!!! Fly, doves, fly!!

We have another fun and frugal coffee filter craft coming soon (Clara LOVED it!), so get some coffee filters and craft along with us!

Have fun!!

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Christmas craft that is easy and pretty!

I have been talking about getting a monthly craft night set up with some of the nurses I work with for quite a while now.  It seems that finally this event may actually become reality.  We have a place to meet and a tentative date and even some idea of what craft we want to work on.  I hope this happens because I think working as a group will inspire us all to stay motivated and I know it will help me to get going on other projects I have in various stages of completion at home.  This is the perfect time to start a craft group with the holidays fast approaching, so keep your fingers crossed.


In this spirit, here is a quick and easy Christmas ornament that you and the kids can put together in a short period of time.  Enjoy.


Everyone loves personalized gifts for the holidays.  Make these Easy Photo Christmas Ornaments by Fawnda Norman for everyone on your list this year.  They will also look great on your tree!
 
Materials:

• Christmas cards
• Paper Cutter
• Big chunky beads
• Double sided tape
• Wallet size photo (I printed mine on paper)
• Twine or Ribbon
• Exacto Knife

Instructions:

1. Cut your cards in to 3X3 inch squares and group them by color. You need 6 squares for each ornament.
   
   
   
    
2. On the back side of each square find mark the midpoint on each side (at 1.5 inches)
   
   
    
3. Score a diagonal line connecting your midpoints. Do this on each square.
   
   
   
    
4. Fold on your score lines. You should have 6 squares that look like this:
   
   
    
5. Choose two squares to be your top and bottom. Find the middle (I drew lines across from each corner to find mine) and use your Exacto Knife to cut a whole in the center.
   
   
   
    
6. Use your double sided tape to connect your 2 of the corners of 2 of your squares.  This is what the back should look like:
   
   
   
   
   And this is what the front should look like:
   
   
   
    
7. Continue connecting until you have 4 of your squares together that make a "tube".
   
   
   
   
    
8. Choose the bottom and sting your twine or ribbon through the hole and attach onto the bottom of your "tube"
   
   
   
    
9. Pull your twine up through your tube and through your top piece. Connect your top piece to the rest of the ornament.
   
   
    
10. Tie a loop on the top.
    
    
     
11. And tie a bead onto the bottom.
    
    
     
12. cut out your photos (about 2X2 inch square) and attach it to one of the sides.
    
    
     
13. You're done!
    
    

Thanksgiving Day and all is well and waiting to shop tomorrow!

Image by minifig via Flickr

Here is a slide show from the ADO website.  This slide showcase is for Christmas ornaments that are handmade and that incorporate the concept of the art doll.  Enjoy!

Tree Ornament - Felt Whimsical Santa

This free Christmas craft project shows you how to make a quick Christmas tree ornament. For those who do not know how to sew you can use craft glue instead of the needle and thread. Print off the pattern and cut out all the shapes.Using some sewing pins, pin the paper pattern to your piece of felt and cut out the shape. You need for each Christmas ornament (front and back). Sew the buttons onto the front pattern piece as shown in the picture. Using the needle and thread sew a blanket stitch around the edges leaving 1-2 inches at the top so you can fill it. Do not remove the thread as you will use it to finish off. Fill the Christmas ornament with a small amount of toy filling and then sew in the ribbon for hanging the Christmas ornament up. Close up the top of the Ornament with the remaining thread in the same blanket stitch style. If you do not know how to sew you can glue this project or use a different stitch style.

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