Peppermint Mail Post
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
Step 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.
Step 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.
Step 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.
Step 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.
Shelf Sock Elves
Line up a few of these posable elves on a windowsill or mantel, and you're guaranteed to spread cheer to family and guests alike.
Materials
• Colored cotton socks
• Dried beans or peas
• Jingle bells
• Needle and thread
• Buttons
• Small rubberband
Step 1:
To make each elf, simply fill a colored cotton sock three quarters of the way with peas or beans. An easy way to do this is to cut the bottom from a paper cup. Then insert the bottomless cup into the neck of the sock. Pour the beans through the makeshift funnel.
Step 2:
With a needle and thread, stitch closed the top of the sock. Use a few more stitches to gather and secure the sewn end into a point that resembles the tip of a stocking hat. Then sew a medium-size jingle bell to the tip.
Step 3:
To form the elf's nose (a fun job for kids), use your fingertips to grasp a small bunch of beans about halfway down from the top of the sock. Wrap a rubber band around the base of the bunch to secure it.
Step 4:
Finally, glue or sew on two button eyes.
Snappy Solidiers
Dressed in red jackets and Tudor bonnets, these wooden soldiers are ready to stand sentry around the Christmas tree.
Materials
• Old-fashioned clothespins (no springs)
• Acrylic paints (white, black, red, brown and gold)
• Red and black pom-poms
• Glue
• Gold thread
Step 1:
Begin by painting white or black trousers on each clothespin. Holding the clothespin by its rounded top, paint the portion from the upper edge of the split down to the tips. Line up finished clothespins on the edge of a shoe box (as you would if you were pinning them on a clothesline) and let them dry completely.
Step 2:
Next, mix dabs of red, white and brown paint to create a skin tone and use it to paint the soldiers' heads. Paint red jackets on the sections between the heads and the trousers. Again, let the paint dry completely.
Step 3:
Now, paint on distinguishing details, such as gold buttons and buckles, black arm outlines and facial features, and white gloves.
Step 4:
Glue a red or black pom-pom onto the heads to create the soldiers' bonnets.
Step 5:
Lastly, loop a length of gold thread around each clothespin below the soldier's head to use as a hanger.
Snowy T-shirt
Even if you're expecting a white Christmas this year, your crafter will love making it snow on these whimsical winter shirts. Just be sure all elves involved wear rubber gloves and use caution during the bleaching process.
Materials
• Rubber gloves
• Brightly colored cotton T-shirt, prewashed
• Plastic trash bags or tablecloth
• Plastic grocery bags
• Scissors
• 3 kitchen sponges
• Bleach
• Small disposable container (such as an empty margarine tub)
• Spray bottle
• Fabric markers, such as FabricMate or Marvey
Step 1:
To begin, lay the shirt flat on a plastic trash bag or old tablecloth and slip one or two grocery bags flat inside it. Cut the sponges into a star and two circles, one slightly larger than the other. Rinse the sponges with water and wring them out thoroughly.
Step 2:
With a window open for ventilation, pour a shallow layer of bleach into the disposable container and about 2 inches into the spray bottle. Have your child spritz bleach across the bottom of the shirt to saturate it. She should gradually apply less bleach as she moves up the shirt, ending with a thin mist across the middle. Allow the bleach to soak in for a moment to see how it's working.
Step 3:
To build the snowman, help your child dip the larger round sponge into the bleach, squeezing to remove excess liquid, then press the sponge onto the shirt. Lift the sponge and check the boldness of the imprint. She can repeat this step if necessary, but should avoid using too much bleach, as this can obscure the image. Repeat with the smaller round sponge for the snowman's head, then complete the scene with a bleached star. Allow the shirt to dry overnight, then soak it briefly in hot, soapy water, and rinse. When it has dried, your child can use the fabric markers to add the snowman's buttons and facial features.
Tips:
If it's not easily seen, you may want to mark the bleached (snow) and unbleached (sky) portions of the shirt with masking tape to avoid losing your snowman in a blizzard!
Thumbprint Reindeer
Simple and whimsical, this card from the Persechini family of Overland Park, Kansas, is easy for kids of all ages to help create.
Materials
• Variety of color ink pads
• Plain paper
• Scanner, printer, and home computer with publishing software, or copy service
Step 1:
Have each family member choose a color and use ink pads to make several thumbprints.
Step 2:
Have your kids add antlers, legs, and so forth to make the thumprints into reindeer.
Step 3:
Scan their art onto a home computer and use a publishing program like Microsoft Greetings to arrange the reindeer and print the cards. (Most copy services will also scan and save to disk images.)
Tips:
You can use thumbprints to create Santas, trees, candles, people--you name it.
Wired Star
Although cookie cutters are best known for their work in the kitchen, these fun-shaped baking utensils can also play a role in decorating your family's Christmas tree.
Materials
• 3-foot length of 18-gauge gold-colored craft wire
• Pencil
• Star-shaped cookie cutter
• Wire cutters
• 20-to 24-gauge colored lightweight wire
• Ribbon
Step 1:
To make an ornament like the one here, wrap one end of a 3-foot length of 18-gauge gold-colored craft wire around a pencil to form a hanging loop. With the loop at the top of a star cookie cutter, press the wire twice around the perimeter of the cookie cutter to form a star shape, twisting it around the hanging loop and using wire cutters (a parent's job) to snip off any excess. Remove the cutter.
Step 2:
Now your child can complete the ornament by wrapping the wire outline with lengths of 20-to 24-gauge colored lightweight wire, securing the ends in place by wrapping them around the cookie cutter outline.
Step 3:
Finally, tie a hanging ribbon to the loop, and your ornament is ready for display.
© FamilyFun. All rights reserved.