Get ready for Christmas - start now with these GREAT ideas!! - Big Big Forums

jalex · 08-28-2002, 09:56 AM

I thought that I will post them early so you have enough time to do them. If the message will be too long, I 'll continue in this message with a post reply OK, here we go, the first one is one of my favorites.

Swirl-a-balls
These ornaments are so much more than the sum of their parts: A flash of holiday alchemy transforms inexpensive glass globes and a few dropperfuls of paint into marbled masterpieces, and the guests at your ornament party will have a ball making them.

Materials
• Clear glass ball ornaments
• (available at craft stores)
• Acrylic or tempera paints
• Paper cups
• Plastic eyedroppers

Step 1:
Remove the tops from the ornaments (a parent's job). You may want to inspect the tops of the ornaments for stray glass threads and smooth them with the side of a toothpick.
Step 2:
Pour the paint into the cups, one color per cup, and stir a little water into each until it reaches the consistency of heavy cream. Put an eyedropper in each cup.
Step 3:
To decorate a ball, squirt a few drops of paint into it and swirl before adding another color.
Step 4:
Dry the balls upside down, perched on paper cups, and replace the tops when they're dry.
Tips:
Experiment with dribbling paint down the sides or squirting it right into the bottom and tipping the ball upside down over a cup. (Most designs look great, but if a child is really unhappy with his or her ball, you can swirl the inside of the ornament with hot water and start over.)

A Family Tree Skirt

Inspired by a letter from the Kuklis family of Cozad, Nebraska, we offer this Christmas tree skirt craft. A variation on the Kuklises' original version, which featured white cotton fabric sewn and edged in eyelet lace, we've used stretch velvet (it's easy to glue, making it suitable for us sewing-challenged elves!), glue-on trim, and gold glitter paint. However, there are countless fabrics and paints your family can use to make your own handprint creation (see below for some other easy suggestions). Whatever you choose, this handmade project is sure to be the most treasured gift underneath your tree each year.
Materials
• 60-inch square of red stretch velvet (1 2/3 yards of 60-inch-wide fabric)
• Black fabric marker
• Yardstick
• Scissors
• Mug
• Tacky glue or thick fabric glue
• 5 ½ yards of fancy gold trim
• Gold acrylic craft paint
• Paper plate
• Paintbrush
• Gold glitter paint in a squeeze bottle
• White felt

Step 1:
Find the center of the fabric square: Fold the fabric in half horizontally, right side in, and then in half vertically (thereby folding it into quarters). Mark the center of the square-- the corner of the fold--with the marker.

Step 2:
Cut a circle from the fabric: Place one end of the yardstick on the center dot, measure out 30 inches, and mark another dot. Do this every 3 to 4 inches to create an arc. Cut the fabric along this dotted line (you may not be able to cut through all four layers at once). Unfold the fabric; you should now have a 60-inch circle.

Step 3:
Make an opening for the tree stand: Open up the fabric, place a mug (ours was 5 inches in diameter) over the center dot, and trace around it. Cut in a straight line from the edge of the tree skirt to the center dot, then cut out the mug-size circle

Step 4:
Hem the edges: Lay the fabric right-side down. Squeeze a 12-inch line of glue along the outer edge of the tree skirt. Fold over a ½-inch hem and press it down to secure. Continue gluing 12-inch segments until you've hemmed the entire skirt, then use the same technique to hem the center circle and the straight-cut line. Let the glue dry.

Step 5:
Trim the skirt: 12 inches at a time, glue the fancy gold trim around the edge of the tree skirt, about 2½ inches in. Let the glue dry.

Step 6:
Make the handprints: Pour a shallow pool of gold acrylic craft paint on the paper plate. One at a time, have each child press her palm into the paint so it's coated, then have her press it down firmly and evenly on the skirt. Advise her not to wiggle her hand on the skirt and to lift it straight up when she is done (it can be helpful to practice on paper first).

Step 7:
Do any touch-up: If the prints are uneven, you can fill in thin spots with a paintbrush and some gold paint. Or you can completely paint over the handprint with gold glitter paint, as shown here.

Step 8:
Add the names: Have each child use the squeeze bottle of paint to write her name next to her handprint (you'll have to write for the little ones). Again, practicing on paper can be helpful.

Step 9:
Add the date: Cut an ornament shape from the felt, use the squeeze bottle of paint to add decorations and the date, and let it dry. Glue the ornament onto the skirt, near the most recent handprints.

Step 10:
Dress up your tree: Place the center hole around the tree stand and arrange the skirt around the base.

Variations:
Consider experimenting with other prints on the skirt. For example, you might include the whole family's prints, your kids' feet alongside their hands, or even include a print from the family pet. Want to avoid the messy hands? Here are two fun options: trace around your child's hand with a marker, then go back over the outline with puffy paint. Or trace your kids' hands onto colored felt, cut out the hand shapes, and glue them onto the tree skirt.
Tips:
Red velvet and gold paint were our materials of choice for the tree skirt shown on these pages<em/>we liked the rich, festive colors<em/>but you can select the fabrics and paints that best suit your family. Whatever you choose, here are a few tips to keep in mind. Nonraveling fabrics like fleece, felt, and stretch velvet are the easiest to glue. With woven fabrics, you'll probably want to sew the hem instead. We recommend acrylic craft paint instead of fabric paint, which can be hard to wash off your kids' hands. Don't sweat the occasional mistake. Little drips, blobs, and misspellings will always remind you of a moment in your child's life.

Christmas Choir

Arranged on a windowsill or mantel, this caroling trio is just the prop to spread holiday cheer. These songsters also make a fun addition to the Paper Gingerbread Village.
Materials
• Tempera paint and paintbrushes
• 1 toilet paper tube
• 1 paper towel tube, cut into two different lengths
• Colored paper (for faces and mittens)
• Black marker and pink pencil
• Glue
• Sheet music (from a songbook or gift wrap)
• 3 child's socks
• String or raffia

Step 1:
Paint the tubes and set them aside to dry. From the colored paper, cut out oval face shapes and draw on eyes and mouths with the marker. Use the pink pencil to color rosy cheeks. Cut out paper mittens for each caroler too.
Step 2:
From the sheet music, trim two small rectangles and fold each in half to resemble a mini songbook. Glue the faces onto the tubes. Then glue a songbook between each pair of mittens and glue the mittens to the tubes.
Step 3:
For hats, trim the feet off the socks and discard them. Fold an end of each sock tube into a cuff and stretch it onto a caroler's head. Tie the hat closed with string or raffia.

Christmas Tree Circles

A chip off the old block, these wooden ornaments preserve the piney memories of Christmases past.

Materials
• Handsaw
• Pine disk
• Copper wire
• Ribbon trim or cord
• Glue
• Artificial greenery and berries optional
• Marker or craft paint

Step 1:
Saw a cross section from the bottom of your Christmas tree trunk before putting it into its stand for decorating (a parent's job). Alternately, you can saw a smaller piece from the middle after the holidays are over. This is your pine disk.
Step 2:
Wrap a length of thin wire around the pine disk and twist it into a loop at the top for hanging. Tie on a ribbon, glue on some trim, or add greenery, berries, or other decorations.
Step 3:
Write the year across the front with a marker or craft paint. If the wood surface is too rough, sand it down a bit before writing.
Step 4:
For an extra remembrance, glue on a fun Christmas-morning snapshot before you store the ornaments away for next year.

Merry Mice

Materials
• Felt
• Glue
• Scissors
• Thread
• Walnut Shells
• Colored Markers

Step 1:
To make each mouse, fold in half small felt circles for ears.
Step 2:
Glue together the lower portion of each ear, leaving the back open. Glue the ears, a felt tail, and whiskers of thread onto a shell half.
Step 3:
Last, use a colored marker to draw on eyes and a nose.
© FamilyFun. All rights reserved.

k4mommy2 · 08-28-2002, 10:01 AM

Those are some great ideas! Thank you so much, I love crafts

jalex · 08-28-2002, 10:08 AM

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.

Jolie Rouge · 08-29-2002, 02:25 AM

LOL ! I don't know if you watch "VeggieTales" but if you used orange or yellow socks the Shelf Sock Elves would look like Jimmy Gourd and Jerry Gourd !

miccit · 09-02-2002, 09:42 PM

I have been making those swirled ball ornaments for a couple of years now. They make great presents.

eve17 · 09-04-2002, 04:23 PM

Thanks

Tigerseye0420 · 10-07-2002, 12:49 AM

Bump it is getting closer to Xmas!