Handmade Christmas ornaments

I am quite taken with these handmade gifts and crafts ideas. The whole process of cutting beautiful shapes and designs, then glueing them together to create lovely Christmas ornaments is really exciting. I tried a few ideas I came across on the net and must say, my girlfriend and mom were both quite impressed with my work.

Glass Ornaments

Materials:
Clear Glass Ball Ornaments, Dye-Based Ink Refills, Glitter (ultra fine and any color)Ribbon, Raffia etc...Small paper or plastic cup (ornament needs to sit on top)

Take clear glass ball ornaments and remove the top. Rinse ornament out with water, drain water. ink Drop about 18-22 drops of one color of ink refill into the ornament. Swirl ink around the inside of the ornament until inside is covered.(Only add one color ink refill (dye based ink)) If there is excess ink, turn the bulb upside down and let the excess ink drain off into a paper/plastic cup.While draining, take a business card size piece of cardstock and fold in half hotdog style. Pour approximately 1/2 teaspoon glitter into the cardstock that is folded. Pour glitter into glass bulb, put a small piece of paper or plastic over opening, to protect your finger, now ...SHAKE vigorously. Shake the glitter around so that it doesn't form a big blob. Pour excess dyed glitter into a different paper/plastic cup. Put the top back on the ornament. Tie Organdy or Grosgrain Ribbon, Raffia or whatever you would like aroundthe top or just leave it plain.




Heavenly Angels

Materials:
Sugar ice-cream cone, Three-ring pretzel, Royal icing (blend 1 egg white with 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar), Colored sugar, Tootsie Pop, Life Saver and red candy heart.

Using scissors, cut off 1/2 inch from the cone's point. Ice the cone and pretzel, then roll them in colored sugar. For the head, insert the lollipop's stick into the cone. Using the icing, affix the Life Saver to the head and the pretzel to the back of the cone. Add icing features and a candy heart.

Light Bulb Santa
Materials: Burnt out light bulb, Acrylic (craft) paint in white, red, flesh, black, and pink, Gold cord or ribbon, Hot glue, Black marker, Newspaper or paper towel, Paintbrush

Paint an oval for Santa's face with flesh acrylic paint in the center of the round part of the light bulb. Paint entire remaining round portion of light bulb with white acrylic paint. Paint neck of bulb red, and top (socket) of "hat" white. Allow to dry completely. Using black acrylic paint, dot on two eyes. Using black marker, draw on smile. Dip clean paintbrush into pink acrylic paint, dab off excess paint onto newspaper or paper towel. Gently blotch on pink cheeks. Touch up Santa's beard and hat brim with more white paint. Hot glue a loop of gold cord or ribbon to the back of the bulb. Craft glue is not recommended as it does not adhere as well as hot glue does. Hang!

Spoon Snowshoes

Materials:
Wooden ice-cream spoons, Glue, Button, Toothpick, Ribbon, String

Draw a simple crisscross snowshoe pattern on 2 wooden ice-cream spoons. Hot-glue a length of pipe cleaner around the edge of each spoon, then glue together the spoons at the top. For each pole, glue a small button onto one end of a toothpick, then glue a loop of ribbon to the top of each pole. Finally, glue the poles to the snowshoes, tie a ribbon around the set, and tie on a string loop for hanging.

Mice Ornaments

Remove the tags from two Hershey's Kisses. Cut out mouse ears from pink felt, about 3/8-inch high. Using double-sided carpet tape, affix the bottoms of the ears to the flat side of one of the Kisses. Tape an 8-inch loop of fishing line behind the ears to form a hanger. With more double-sided carpet tape, join together the two flat sides of the Hershey's Kisses, with the mouse ears and fishing line loop pointing up. Add a pair of self-adhesive googly eyes. Slip a tail -- a 4-inch piece of curling ribbon -- under the foil. Now, see how they run (or disappear) from your tree!



Wishing Spool

Materials:
Acrylic paint and brush, Wooden thread spool, Marker, Paper strip, cut to fit the width of the spool, Double-sided tape, Ribbon, Self-sticking label

Paint the spool and let it dry. Have your child write her Christmas list on the strip of paper. Roll the paper around the empty spool, using double-sided tape to fasten it, and leave some of the list hanging down (so Santa notices). Thread the ribbon through the spool's center and tie a knot at the top for hanging. Write your child's name on the self-sticking label. Affix it to the ribbon.


Other ideas
*To make a very economical, shiny ornament, take the top of an aluminum can and punch a design with holes using an awl or other pointed tool. Glue a decorative trim around the edges. Hang with a ribbon, yard, or dental floss.
*Bring out your child's pictures and place them on a piece of supported felt and hang. You can also insert them into clear bulbs.
*Use old Christmas Cards. Cut them into the desired shape, and then use a hole punch around the edges. Whip stitch ribbon or yarn through the holes, or crochet around the edge.
*Get the whole family involved, and make colorful, old-fashioned paper chains. If you are going to use popcorn, be sure and let it sit a day after you pop it before you string it.
*Candy canes are great by themselves, and can also be made into reindeer by using pipe cleaners and gluing on eyes.

Christmas Gifts Kids Can Make

The holidays are here and its a gala time for the kids. So what are you guys doing to keep them busy?
Know what I came up with to keep my 5 and 7 year old niece and nephew absorbed this holiday season? Making Christmas gifts! With cute photo frames and CD boxes, felt and ribbon bookmarks, personalised clocks or ornaments for the Christmas tree and more unique gift ideas available on the net, its time to enliven the atmosphere with this wonderful opportunity for the kids to enjoy fashioning creative gifts.

• Felt and Ribbon Bookmarks
  
• Required
  Scraps of felt and ribbons, PVA (white) glue, Sharp scissors, sequins, buttons or other adornments.
  

Mark and cut the felt into bookmark-sized pieces. Cut a length of ribbon for each bookmark so that it extends 5cm beyond the end of the felt, and carefully stick it down with white glue. Cut a heart shape out of matching or contrasting felt to cover the top of the ribbon. Stick the heart to the bookmark and embellish further as you like. The main part of the bookmark should be flat so decorations must be restricted to the top portion. Allow to dry thoroughly.

• Photo Frames and CD boxes
  

Required
Empty CD boxes, Scissors and glue, Craft supplies and household bits and pieces.

Cut a photo to a size smaller than the CD box. Fix the photo against the plastic with tape. Find a nice piece of cardboard/gift wrap. Cut this to fit snugly behind the photo and to the edges of the frame (4 ¾ inches wide, 5 ¼ inches high). Fix with glue or tape facing into the box. When the frame is finished, open the box out to stand it up, so that the backing protects the photo. Draw a line of glue on the outside edges of the front of the CD box and decorate with:
Tinsel, Little cut-outs of old cards, Small ornaments, Little ribbon bows, Gold and silver braid and ribbons, Red or green gingham ribbon. Christmas shapes of trees cut out of craft foam, Dried cranberries, Spices (cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks), Glitter, Miniature wrapped-up presents.

• Christmas Card Handle Holder
  

Required
Old Christmas Cards, Baby Food Jar ,Glue, Rubber Band, Salt

Cut out a pretty picture from an old card; small enough to fit on the side of a baby food jar. Cover the back of the picture with glue and stick it to the jar. Put a rubber band around the jar to hold picture in place till glue dries. Remove rubber band. Using a paintbrush, cover the outside of the jar with glue. Sprinkle salt over all of it to make the jar glisten. Let dry. Tie a piece of curling ribbon around the rim. Place candle inside.

• Chocolate melting Spoons
  

Dip colored plastic spoons in melted dark, milk or white chocolate and top with glitter and sparkles. Wrap in clear or colored cellophane, tied with ribbon. For a special addition to this yummy gift, glue a photo onto a square of paper for a unique gift tag.

• Personalized Ornaments
  

Kids can paint plain glass or plastic ball ornaments with fabric paint to make wonderful snowflakes or snowballs for a white Christmas indoors. The balls can be filled with curling ribbon to add color. A holiday message can also be inscribed.

• Personalized Clock
  

Pop the plastic cover off an inexpensive clock and remove the clock face. Cut prepared artwork to the same size as the clock face and add numbers around the edge. Slide the artwork in place and replace the plastic cover.

• Footprint T shirt
  

Step into a shallow dish with fabric paint in it (each kid in a differnt color) and then step on the t-shirt. Once the footprints are dry, a personalised message can be written using a black marker.

• Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
  

Kids can trace their hand onto a piece of brown craft foam or card stock. Cut this shape and add black marker hooves to the fingertips. Next, add red glitter glue collar with gold sequins for bells, then glue on a googly eye, a red pompom nose, and a tail cut from the brown craft foam/card stock. For the reindeer's antlers, cut a brownpipe cleaner in half, bend each half into two and curl the ends. Glue together the pipe cleaner pieces, holding them in place with a paper clip or clothesepin until the glue dries. Finally, glue in the antlers on the reindeer.

• Sand Candles
  

Put sand in a bowl, pour water in it. Make a hole in the wet sand for placing the candle. Place shells on the sides. Take the smallest shell you can find and tie it to the wick and put it in the center bottom. Melt wax in a tin can. Pour the wax in the sand mold while holding the wick up to keep it straight. Hold the wick until the wax hardens. Dig about an inch away from the candle, a trench 6-10 inches deep and gently pull the candle out. Place the candle on the plate.

Find more ideas at

http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/giftgiving/a/120400a.htm

http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/christmasgifts_from_kids.htm

If you have any ideas and suggestions, feel free to share them with me and others as well by dropping them in the comment box.

Click on the links below for related posts on :

Christmas gift ideas for small kids.

A Child's dream Christmas party

Christmas stockings

Christmas with Santa Claus dolls

Christmas Tree Decorations

Decorating Xmas trees to make them look bright and beautiful is a favorite task for all of us. The eagerness with which children insist on staying up late to finish decorating and the warmth and love with which parents place the well wrapped gifts around the bottom of the tree is a cherished sight witnessed in every home on Christmas eve.

There are innumerable ways to decorate Yule trees:

Circling the tree with attractive garlands and wreaths

• Beaded and Tinsel Garlands- Red jingle garlands with silver beads seperating them, iridescent icicle garlands, teardrop bead garlands, fa-la-la-la plastic words arranged in a sequence forming a unique garland, Hershey's chocolate garland etc. are a few varieties that can be wound around the branches to create an exotic look.
• Branched garlands- Lush green regal pine garlands, or those made of Canadian Pine, Richmond Fir, lit with multiple lights look amazingly beautiful when hung from the branches of Christmas trees.
• Another option is to string popcorn, cranberries, cereal, beads, etc. and hang these as garlands or make gingerbread cookies. Before baking, make a hole toward the top of each cookie using a straw. Bake and cool. String a ribbon through each cookie and hang them on your Christmas tree as a piece of decoration
• A garland made of old and new Christmas cards is a poignant decoration as well
  

Decking the tree with glass ornaments
Animal ornaments of all shapes and colors, love ornaments, balls, food ornaments, ethnic pride ornaments to celebrate your family's heritage, Santa and snowmen ornaments, musical ornaments serving as an orchestra for the guests, religious ornaments, jingle bell ornaments and so on complement a well lit Christmas tree adding glamor to glory.
Mix special and more expensive ornaments with cheaper ones to make a greater impact. Filler and special ornaments can be placed on tips of boughs. Put some inside the branches too.

Tip:

Create an attractive display of teddies at the bottom of the tree. Dress them up in red or green clothes. Put the Christmas gifts beside the teddies. It will make a perfect gift display and would adorn the living room too.

Christmas tree toppers
I still remember how the elders in the family meaning my grandpa and dad would lift me so that I could place the star on top of the Christmas tree. Those were the days.

Popular this year are Magic star, Santa Claus, Angel tree toppers with multicolored lights and an assortment of other battery operated ones.

Nosegays
Rustic leaves, bird nests, silk flowers, glittering twigs, twig wreaths, small flags add color, style and a designer touch.

For further tips on how to decorate christmas trees:

http://interiordec.about.com/od/cmastreetips/a/cmastreedecotip_2.htm

http://www.bronners.com/garlandandwreaths.html

http://www.christmascarnivals.com/decorations/

http://www.christmaslightsetc.com/christmas-ornaments-decorations.htm

http://home.att.net/~decorateyourevents/decoratetree3d.htm

Artificial Christmas Trees

• 
  
  
• 
  The first artificial trees were tabletop feather trees, made from green-dyed goose feathers wound onto sticks drilled into a larger one, like the branches on a tree. Originating in Germany in the 19th century , the first feather trees came to the U.S. In 1913.
  Nowadays, people are increasingly drawn towards artificial Christmas trees since they are easy to maintain and last longer. Prelit ones are also available in the market. This is a major attraction for individuals faced with continuous work pressure who find little time to decorate their trees. Artificial Christmas trees are also a favorite among many parents who find it difficult to keep their kids away from the pines and needles that keep dropping every now and then from real trees. As a result, a number of online stores are offering great discounts on such trees. The following is an account of different kinds of artificial Christmas trees popular this season.

• 4 Foot natural wood trunk artificial Alpine Christmas Tree with lights and a weighted stand. ($27.99)
  Each tree has 341 wired tips and 100 pre-strung (pre-tested) lights.

• 3' Artificial Alpine Christmas Trees with 70 clear plug-in lights. ($23.69 ea. / 4 or more $14.99 ea.) This 3 foot natural trunk alpine tree is fully wired with 179 tips. The base is weighted metal.

• 4 Foot (including the pot) mixed pine artificial Christmas tree with 261 wired tips and 150 clear lights comes potted in urn ($77.99)
  Each tree has 261 wired tips and 150 pre-strung (pre-tested) lights. The pot is resin and weighted. The pot stands 14" high with a 9½" diameter. The base is 6.5" square.

• Miniature Christmas trees- 12 inch Pine Trees ($1.39 each)- A 12" miniature Canadian Pine Christmas Tree with a natural wood trunk. Each tree has 60 wired tips. Great for Santa dollmakers, gingerbread house displays and Brio train sets.

• 2' Artificial Balsam Pine Christmas Tree with 35 clear plug-in lights ($11.19)This 2 foot balsam pine tree is fully wired and easy to assemble. Comes with a stand and is of a perfect size for a table top display.

• Ashton Berry Spruce (Price range $299.95- $370.)
  Combines 3 styles of branch tips. Predominantely medium green in color with just a hint of blue green, the tip design incorporates the combination of hard needle, sculptured and rounded styles. Varying lengths add dimension and texture. It has 601 tips and 450 lights.

• 7.5' to 9 ft Colonial Fir ( $598.00- & $899.50)
  Medium green in color, this tree has multiple sized sculptured branch tips with short balsam type needles. Available in multi or clear bulbs, it is easy to set up and can be folded up for convenient storage.

• 6.5' Tinsel Christmas Tree, Slim, Pre Lit, Red ($370.00)
  Fiery Red in color, these unique Christmas trees whose branches come with metallic tinsel
  needles and 1,042 tips add warmth and glory to the Christmas celebration.

• Bethlehem 54' Woodland Pine Summit Tree, 7320 Clear C7 Lamps ($93,800.00 )
  These trees are perfect for malls, theme parks, office complexes and other commercial settings. Designate your custom tree height, from 14 feet to 40 feet and beyond. The lush needles are made of extra thick, crush resistant PVC. Branches are UV treated for outdoor resilience.

• White Christmas trees
  A lighted white Christmas tree can create a glorious look in a master bedroom or enclosed patio. Placing this near the front door will help to enhance the beauty of the doorway as well.

• Inverted Christmas trees ($99.95)

Much in vogue last year, these gravity defying trees will take your neighbors and guests completely by surprise. It offers more room for the accumulation of presents underneath. It is pet-friendly. The unique shape also allows the tree to stand in places that do not accommodate a traditional holiday tree, such as in between two armchairs or in a corner. It has 1250 lifelike PVC branch tips that are carefully pre-strung with 600 bright clear commercial-grade lights. The inverted shape makes it easier to see ornaments, which hang away from the dense needles and do not get lost in the foliage.

Below is a list of a few online retail stores offering these and other multidunious artificial Christmas trees for us to choose from:

http://www.save-on-crafts.com/vienpinarchr.html

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_attrib.php/page_id=1898

http://www.treeclassics.com/

http://www.christmastreeforme.com/

http://www.christmaslightsetc.com/artificial-christmas-trees.htm

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