Crafts
10 Handmade Gifts You Still Have Time To Make This Christmas
Unless you’re reading this five minutes before gifts will be opened, I assure you, there is still time to make handmade gifts this Christmas. I’m not talking about a handmade gift that is so involved that you have to shear the sheep in order to make your own yarn so you can knit something scratchy no one wants to wear. No, no, no. Heaven forbid. How about some sentimental gift ideas or semi-handmade gift ideas instead? Those are right up my alley and yours too, I’m sure. Here are 10 handmade gifts you still have time to make this Christmas that will actually be used and enjoyed by their intended…
The Cutest Painted Wood Tree Ornaments
No matter if you’ve been naughty or nice, I have tree-t for you today: painted wood tree ornaments made from mini unfinished wood trees. These are so satisfying to paint and customize. Without a doubt, the craftspeople who made these mini wood trees on their wood lathes so you and I could turn them into ornaments are on Santa’s nice list. No coal for them! Like all of my best crafty ideas, this one is quick, easy, and completely customizable to your color scheme. Let’s get started. Supplies needed to make these painted wood tree ornaments: mini wood trees (comes in a 30-pack) paint (craft paint or house paint works)…
Paper Tree Ornaments With Wood Star Topper
I love making Christmas ornaments and today I have a fun one for you – paper tree ornaments with a wood star topper. It is amazing what you can make from a humble piece of paper. Plus, it’s pretty satisfying to create one or fifty of these. Not that I got carried away or anything. The thing that really sets these ornaments over the top is the wood star topper. Every Christmas tree needs a topper and I found the perfect wood star beads for this task. What I really like about this craft is that it is completely customizable to your Christmas decor colors. You’ll notice from the pictures…
From The Archive: A Crafting Fail
This is, I hope, a humorous tale of a crafting fail regarding the time I tried to make a book page pumpkin. I wrote this story when we lived in Ireland and there are references to a backpack in this story. We did not have a car while we lived in Ireland and I often wore a backpack while running errands because that was the easiest way to get my purchases, even groceries, home. Enjoy! This is a cautionary tale should you fall down the Pinterest hole of comparison inspiration and decide you too need to join the throngs of DIYers making book page pumpkins. As I did. Please heed these…
Denim Turkey Craft – Upcycle Denim Jeans
Gobble, gobble! It’s time for a denim turkey craft using upcycled denim jeans. This is the craft you never knew you wanted. Until now. We often slide right from Halloween into Christmas in the U.S., but this denim turkey craft will give Thanksgiving its due. Let’s get started. Materials Needed For This Denim Turkey Craft old denim jeans and khaki pants cut into shapes for turkey tail feathers, beak, and wattle scrap of contrasting fabric, felt, or ribbon for the turkey body and head contrasting fabric or paper for the turkey background scissors picture frame of any size (I used a 10×14 frame) marker optional: hot glue Denim Turkey Craft…
Easy To Make Wheat Wreath
Let me show you an easy-to-make wheat wreath today. What makes it easy? We’re not reinventing the wheel wreath. We’re not doing anything complicated that requires a lot of thought. We’re simply giving ourselves 15 minutes of wreath therapy. That’s a thing. A thing I just made up. But it works for me. I think it will work for you too. Grab your glue guns and get ready to set your creative spirit free for the next 15 minutes. Whatever you create, you create. Here’s what you need to make a wheat wreath: gold floral hoop (I used a 10-inch hoop) dried wheat hot glue gun and glue sticks ribbon…
DIY Halloween Decals With Duct Tape
Oh yes, you can make your own Halloween decals with duct tape. Specifically, black duct tape. This is a super easy, smile-inducing craft that will make it look like you purchased some fancy vinyl decals online instead of using the roll of black duct tape that’s been jammed in the back of your junk drawer. Honestly, black duct tape has never looked better. The sky is the limit with this craft. I made jack o’lantern faces and bats. The jack o’lanterns were my favorite. However, you could make witch hats, cats, ghosts, or something I haven’t thought of. Let’s get started! Materials Needed To DIY Halloween Decals With Duct Tape:…
How To Leaf Stamp On Wood
Get ready because I’m going to show you how to leaf stamp on wood. It’s an easy craft that looks like a million bucks when you’re done. Plus, it’s a lot of fun! You really only need 3 basic things to leaf stamp on wood: paint, leaves, and a flat piece of wood. Two of those things you probably already have: leaves and paint. Let’s get started! Supplies Needed: Leaves (You’ll need freshly picked leaves that lie flat.) Wood rounds (Mine are 7-8 inches in diameter and come in an 8-pack.) Paint (I used house paint, but almost any type of paint like craft paint will work.) Ribbon Staple gun…
DIY Wood Acorn Wreath
If fall is your favorite season, you are going to love this DIY Wood Acorn Wreath. Bold words, I know. This wreath might not have pumpkins or spice but it does have an underrated but ready for its moment item – acorns. Yes, acorns. Wood acorns to be precise. If you didn’t know wood acorns were a thing, this craft is going to blow open the door of possibility for you. I, for one, can’t wait to see what you create. But let’s start with this Wood Acorn Wreath. Materials Needed: wood acorns (I used 16 acorns out of a package of 20.) 20 mm wood beads (I used 16…
In Praise Of: Bowl Cozies
I recently visited an Amish market and a vendor was selling bowl cozies. Bowl cozies?!? I had never heard of such a thing. Have you? It’s SUCH a good idea. Do you know how many times my kids have spilled ramen noodles all over the floor because the bowl they microwaved their ramen in was too hot? Me neither. I stopped counting a long time ago. A bowl cozy is, in essence, a pot holder shaped like a bowl. You can microwave a bowl while it is sitting in the bowl cozy. This means you won’t burn your fingers handling a hot bowl out of the microwave. I didn’t even…
