Virtual Cookie Decorating

Cookie baking has always been a part of the Christmas season in my house.

But you can only make so many cookies before you run out of people to eat them. When you’ve made enough real cookies, head to this site to decorate some virtual cookies.

Return to main page.

Create Your Own Snowman Ornament

I love making Christmas ornaments. This weekend it snowed enough to stick to the ground, if only briefly, and I thought about all the wonderful things that snow allows you to do. And then I realized that there are no snowmen on my Christmas tree! That was an easy problem to solve. Today, create your own snowman Christmas ornament.

Supplies Needed:

Salt Ceramic (see instructions here)
*Salt
*Cornstarch
*Water
Pipe Cleaner
Googley Eyes
Beads
Ribbon
Paint
Small Paintbrush
Scissors

Ask an adult to make some salt ceramic for you. Directions can be found here.
When the salt ceramic is cool to the touch, mold it into three balls: a large, a medium-sized, and a small. These will be the bottom, middle, and head of your snowman. Your entire ornament should be no longer than four inches. Salt ceramic is heavy and your tree would be able to hold an ornament that is much larger. You can make a larger snowman if you want it to stand up. Just make sure it dries standing.
Twist the bottom of your pipe cleaner into a knot. Push the pipe cleaner through the large ball, then the medium-sized ball, then the small ball. Twist the top of the pipe cleaner into a hook. Cut off the extra and set it aside.

Choose two googley eyes and press them into the face of your snowman. Add a bead for the nose. Then press three more beads into the middle ball. These are the snowman’s buttons.

Cut the piece of leftover pipe cleaner into two pieces. Push these into the snowman’s body. They are the arms.

Tie a piece of ribbon around the snowman’s neck.

Finally, paint on the snowman’s mouth.
I chose to make a snow woman, as you can see. You could make a snow woman, a snowman, or even a snow animal by adding ears and painting on whiskers. Let your imagination guide you!

Let the snowman dry. Then hang it on your Christmas tree.

Return to main page.

Color Your Own Christmas Ornament

This project was more difficult than I expected so you’ll see pictures of the ornament I made but the directions will modify the project to make it simpler.

Supplied Needed:

White Tissue Paper
Crayons
White Glue
Water
Container with a pour-spout
Paintbrush
Glass Ornament
Glitter
Scissors
Tweezers

Draw a pattern onto the tissue paper using your crayons. I drew music notes but you would be better off drawing one larger picture like a Christmas tree or a bell. Cut out the picture. You should cut away as much of the excess tissue paper as possible. Remove the metal cap from your glass ornament and set it aside. Paint a thin coat of white glue onto the inside of the ornament where you would like the image to appear.

Push the picture into the ornament with your tweezers. Stick it to the glue so the drawing shows through the glass. Use the back of your paintbrush the secure the picture to the ornament. Make the image as smooth as possible.

In your container, mix 1/3 white glue with 2/3 water. Pour the mixture into the ornament and shake it so the glue coats the inside. Dump out the extra glue mixture.

Pour some glitter into the ornament and shake. The glitter will stick to the inside of the ornament. Dump out the extra glitter.

Replace the metal cap and tie some ribbon or attach a hanger to your ornament.

Click here for more Christmas crafts.

Return to main page.

Paint Your Own Christmas Ornament

Today’s Christmas craft is a simple one, guaranteed to produce beautiful and unique ornaments every time. And it can be enjoyed by crafters of all ages.

Supplies Needed:

Glass ball ornament
Glass paint
Yes, that’s it. Gather your supplies and cover your workspace with newspaper. I chose to use red, green, and white paints and I think my ornament came out well. You can use any colors and glass paint comes in more colors that you can imagine. Silver and gold would be good additions to any ornament. Go crazy!

Remove the top of the ornament, the part that allows you to hang it on the tree, and set it aside.

Hold the ornament so the opening is angled, though still with an upright tilt. Squeeze some paint into the ornament so it runs down the inside. Glass paint is rather thick and will take a while to make it to the bottom of the ornament. There’s no need to wait for it to finish its journey before adding the next color. Squeeze as many colors into the ball as you’d like, rotating the ornament each time for a paint-free space.

Now cover the opening with your thumb and gently tap the ornament against your other palm to speed the paint along. Turn the ornament so the paint runs across the entire inside and there is no clear space left. Add more paint if you need to.

Place the top back on and enjoy your one-of-a-kind ornament. Add a piece of ribbon as a hanger if you choose, or just use a metal one.
A side note: You can use regular craft paint for this project since you won’t be washing the ornament or eat off of it, however, eventually the paint will begin to separate. The ornament pictured below was painted about ten years ago, by my estimation, and you can see that pigment (that is the color) is separating from the binder (the liquid that the color is mixed with to create paint). I still like it though, and hang it on my tree every year.
Click the following links for a paper ornament project, and a candy cane ornament project.

Return to main page.

Create Your Own Paper Ornament

This Christmas ornament is easy to make and can be slipped into a Christmas card as a nice pre-Christmas gift for your friends and family.

Supplies Needed:

Green construction paper
Patterned wrapping paper
Tape
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Glue stick
Ribbon

Use your ruler and pencil to mark strips of various widths on your wrapping paper. Cut them out. Thinner strips will look better. I cut mine too thin.

Line up the strips in an order different than the sheet of wrapping paper. Try to alternate the colors. Attach the strips to a piece of tape.

Draw a circle on your sheet of green construction paper. Draw a smaller circle inside. Add a rectangle and a loop at the top to make it look like an ornament. Cut out the ornament and remove the inner circle. I cut out the inside of the loop with scissors but a hole punch would be easier.

Trace your ornament onto more green construction paper and cut out a second. Do not remove the inner circle.

Tape the strips of wrapping paper to the construction paper with the hole in it. The strips should show through the hole.

Use your glue stick to attach the back to the ornament.

Tie a piece of ribbon to the loop so the ornament can be hung. Place it on your tree or slide it into a Christmas card and send it to a loved one.

Return to main page.

Create Your Own Candy Cane Rudolph and Santa

You’ve probably seen candy cane Rudolphs but you can create a host of other candy cane characters if you use your imagination.

Rudolph:

Supplies Needed:

Candy Cane
Red Pipe Cleaner
Red Pom
Two Googley Eyes
Ribbon
Glue
Scissors
Wrap the pipe cleaner around the bend in the candy cane. You should complete two wraps and then twist at the top. Bend the pipe cleaner so it looks like antlers. If you have extra length, snip it off.

Tie the ribbon in a bow around the reindeer’s neck. If you tie it tightly enough there will be no need for glue but you can add a dab if you’d like to secure the ribbon.

Glue the eyes to create the face and then glue the pom to the end to make Rudolph’s glowing red nose. I used white glue but a hot glue gun would be more effective. Just be sure to get help from an adult first.

Santa:

Supplies Needed:

Candy Cane
Two Red Pipe Cleaners
White Pom
Two Googley Eyes
Ribbon
Glue
Scissors
White Paint
Small Paintbrush
Wrap a pipe cleaner twice around the bend in the candy cane. Bend it into the outline of a pointed, red Santa hat. Wrap the second pipe cleaner to fill in the hat. Tuck in the ends. Use a bit of glue to attach the white pom to the end of the hat.

Use a small piece of ribbon to make a belt around the center of the candy cane. Use a hot glue gun to secure it. I used double sided tape but it didn’t hold well. Make sure a parent helps you with the glue gun.

Attach the googley eyes with dabs of glue.
___________

You can create any number of characters from candy canes. Try making elves using green candy canes and pipe cleaners. If you have other ideas, leave comments so others might enjoy them, too.

Happy crafting and have a great weekend!

Return to main page.

Create Your Own Christmas Candle Holder

This is a fun project that can be enjoyed by all ages. These festive candle holders can be used as decorations in your own home or can be given as homemade gifts.

Supplied Needed:

Glass paint
Glass candleholder
Paintbrush
Palette
Cotton balls
Rubbing Alcohol

Protect your work space with newspaper. Use the cotton balls to wipe the candleholder with rubbing alcohol. Once you have wiped the candleholder, don’t touch the area you intent to paint.

Find an image to paint. You could go online and print something out, use a stamp (like I did), take a picture from a magazine, or draw your own picture. Tape the picture to the inside of the glass.

Now trace the image onto your glass with the paint.
Younger kids will enjoy experimenting freeform on the candle holder. Even just painting dots of red, green, and white is fun.

When you’ve finished, have an adult light a tea light and drop it into the candle holder for you. I recommend a Christmas-y scented candle like cinnamon.


Return to main page.

Create Your Personal Advent Calendar

An advent calendar is a calendar that counts down the days to Christmas beginning on December 1. Each day you pop open one of the flaps and read part of the story of Christmas. Since today is the last day of November (I know, where did the month go?), create your own advent calendar to chronicle your personal journey to Christmas.

Supplies Needed:

Two sheets of poster board (any color but I recommend one red and one green)
Ruler
Pencil
Craft Knife
Gel Pen
Tape
(Eventually, you’ll also need glue)

Begin by measuring and drawing 24 boxes onto the top sheet of poster board. The boxes can vary in size but you’ll want them to be large enough to fit pieces of photographs.

Have an adult help you cut three sides of each box. Each box should become a window that can be folded open. Number the outside of each box. You can also decorate the boxes with Christmas-themed pictures from magazines or your own drawings.

On the inside of each flap, write an activity that you’d like to do on that day. This can be anything from shopping to wrapping gifts to cookie baking to making ornaments.

Each day of December, open one of the flaps and complete the activity written on the inside. Take a photo of yourself and your family completing the activity. At the end or as the month progresses, tape a photo so it shows through the corresponding box when the flap is open. When you’re finished the calendar, glue the second sheet of poster board to the back of the first to hide the backs of the photos.

Next year, take out your personal advent calendar and remember the times you shared with your family. If you create a new calendar each year you’ll be able to see how you grew and you’ll be able to share memories every year.

Return to main page.

My Current NaNoWriMo Word Count:

47647 / 50000 words. 95% done!
ALMOST THERE!!!