Mini Christmas Trees

These little trees are exactly what crafts should be: they're cheap and really satisfying to look at. How sweet for the center of a table, your buffet, or an end table. Amongst candles, lights, or ornaments, they would be especially lovely.

I used thin cardboard from a tissue box and a dryer sheet box from the recycling bin, duct tape, green floral tape, pretty tinsel-like yarn with lots of texture, scissors, and a glue gun. Depending on the items in your stash, this project is very nearly free!

First, you'll cut your cardboard into square/rectangle shapes. It doesn't really matter. And they don't have to be perfect. Because you'll be curling those pieces into a cone shape. Use the duct tape to hold that shape together. Then, cut the excess from the bottom so that your cone stands upright.

                                              

Next, use your floral tape, wrapping the entire tree. I used a dab of hot glue to hold the starting and finishing ends down. Floral tape just requires a little tugging as you work your way around the tree. The yarn that I used was not all that dense, so without this step pieces of cardboard and duct tape would be seen. Ick. The green of the floral tape is, of course, much nicer peeking through.

And now, we've got them all covered.

They're ready for the fun part now. Again, a little dab of hot glue at the beginning to hold down your yarn and you're ready to wrap them up. I didn't use glue throughout the process because it's not necessary. A dab of glue at the beginning and end holds everything together nicely.

Enjoy your beautiful, little trees!

Mini Christmas Wreaths (from Shower Rings!)

I bought a package of 12 shower rings at the thrift store for super cheap, knowing they'd make great napkin rings. See my earlier post for fall napkin rings here. But, they also make sweet little Christmas wreaths that can be made into a garland, ornaments, or another festive decoration.

My supplies for this project included textured green yarn (use whatever color/texture you like!), scrap booking poinsettia flowers (on sale at Michael's after Christmas last year, but a ribbon or any other pretty findings will work, too), a glue gun, scissors, and plastic shower rings.

I began with a dab of glue to hold the yarn in place. Then, I wound it around the ring, using the opening in the plastic to feed yarn through.

When I ended, I snapped the shower ring shut and finished winding the small amount of remaining yarn, which I had cut from the skein, using another dab of hot glue to hold the end in place.

A pretty little poinsettia is glued on at the joining space to finish it off.

And then, I made a few more.

So easy. So pretty. So inexpensive. They will make such a pretty garland for Christmas!

Poinsettia Pomanders

These are very simple. Hardly worth any sort of tutorial. But, I had to share pictures since I think they came out so pretty. I used poinsettia scrap booking flowers and a glue gun to completely cover 4" styrofoam balls, creating pretty little pomanders. Usually, these flowers would be too expensive to consider using in such a project. But, these were on sale. Of course. Because I buy off season, that's why. :)

The directions are simple. Just slap those little flowers on there and glue them down with your glue gun. You might choose to pin them on or use another type of glue. Super easy and really lovely when they're done. You can add a loop or ornament hook to hang them on your Christmas tree or perhaps from the backs of chairs. I think they look lovely in a pretty bowl. Or sitting atop these mason jars filled will little tea lights.

Enjoy!

Home Made Christmas Cards

I love to make homemade Christmas cards each year. I think there's something special about receiving mail anyway. But when the card is homemade, it's even more special. And if there's ever a time of year that warrants spending the time to make such things for friends and family, it's the holiday season.

These are very elegant. The texture is to die for. And the simplicity of the green wreath on silver is beautiful.

You'll need a glue gun, scissors, thin ribbon, textured yarn, a small jar (or other container whose opening is the size of your desired wreath), and blank cards of your choice (I got these on sale at Michael's and I LOVE the varying textures of each one).

First, trace your jar's opening onto the center of each of your cards. This will guide you for placing your wreath later.

Next, wind your yarn around the jar twice (or as many times as you'd like in order to get the desired thickness for your wreath; this might vary depending on the gauge of your yarn). Hold the meeting point in place before slipping it off the jar.

With one hand holding the wreath and the other operating the glue gun, place a thin line of glue around the circle you stenciled earlier in the center of your card. You will then quickly place the wreath down onto this area, first making sure to place the two loose ends so that your wreath maintains its size. I placed the two ends on the lower center of my circle so that the bow I would add later could cover any unsightly joinings. Then, quickly spread out the circle so that your yarn is secured in a circle. 

If you need to secure it with extra glue after the fact, go ahead and do so. And remember, nothing needs to be permanent! If you misplaced a section, heat up the glue a bit with the tip of your glue gun until it becomes loose enough to re-situate. 

Next, tie lots of little bows with your thin ribbon. These can be whatever size you'd like them. A dab of hot glue secures them firmly to the lower center of your wreath.

I also printed out my card messages and used a large paper cutter to size them to my cards. I then glued them in after we had signed each one. It was so much easier than writing for each card.

And, voila! You have made pretty cards your friends and family will (hopefully) be very happy to receive.

Sweater Snowmen

These little guys are the cutest. The cutest ever. And they're so easy to make. I used a couple of thrifted cashmere sweaters that had holes for materials. So, they're not only cute - they're posh.

Cut yourself a rough tube of sweater material. The size you cut will entirely depend on the size of snowman you want to make. You really can't mess this up. You'll be stuffing and shaping the tube to your own specifications. Sweater material is super stretchy. And you can shape it as you stuff it. So, don't worry.

Sew up the side of your tube with a zig-zag stitch on your machine with the fabric's right sides together.

Then, use your glue gun to seal up the top in an X pattern. This will be the top of the head. You could also use thread to simply gather it up and tie the top. Since these guys are wearing cozy hats, no one will see the tops of their little heads.

Turn it right side out and begin to stuff your snowman's head.

Once you think you've created a good sized head, use some thread and wrap at the base to create a neck area. Tie off and trim your thread.

I stuffed the lower portion of the body and simply folded the ends over before securing the base with hot glue.

I made a simple cone shape with a different sweater material. Again, I sewed up the sides of my cone, right sides together, and flipped it right side out. Instant hat.

The little scarf is just an unfinished strip of material.

Dress up your little snowman. Place dabs of glue where you'd like your hat to role up, if you want a brim.

Another dab of hot glue folds the top of the hat down just a bit, if you'd like. They also look really cute when they're left a bit pointy.

Also, secure the scarf to itself right where you want the overlap.

Use hot glue to place some buttons.

Make a whole family!

Or a couple!

I feel cozy just looking at them.