Creative Crafting

Posts Tagged ‘Holidays’

To:  All of my readers

From:  The Kraska Family

Our holiday crafting is done for this year, at least I think it is.   I have made all of my tags with embellishments from spare scrapbooking items,  decorated packages with homemade items from polymer clay, the house is done, I think. Each friend and family member received their handmade Christmas cards (I hope).  So I am done!  For now.

I have a lot of ideas for next year and hope to post some of the more successful ones here.

Thanks for supporting my blog and have a safe and happy holiday season!

Here is a fun and easy craft for the kids to make for either grandparents, teachers, or friends.

The pavers might be hard to find this time of year, but you can use the same principle and use Styrofoam forms and use it as a window decoration instead.

Use your imagination…isn’t that why we craft?

Materials

* Keyhole-shaped paver (available at many home improvement stores) *
* Paintbrush
* White and black acrylic paint
* Orange modeling clay
* Superglue

* Fleece
* Pipe cleaner
* Two 1 1/2-inch pom-poms
* Rubber band
* Felt

Instructions

1.Rinse off the paver to remove any loose bits of dirt or cement. Paint it white and let it dry. If needed, apply a second coat and let it dry completely. (if using Syrofoam cover it with white felt or white cotton)

Sorry, I am a little late with my Christmas decorations this year. But it is worth the wait. So many new ideas that I have been busy trying as many as I can possibly manage.

For those who are not regular readers, I am big on handmade gifts. Whether for the Christmas holidays or anytime of the year. Nothing says I care more, than something you made. So in keeping with that thought over the next several weeks I will try and post one craft a day leading up to December 25. Then I am taking a short holiday to get ready for Valentines Day.

So here is my first entry into the 21 days of crafting!

This pretty-as-a-package pincushion is the perfect gift for a crafty friend. Cover a foam square with fabric (wrap it like a gift) and secure along the edges with fabrics glue. Glue on beads and tie on a ribbon bow.

Gift tags don’t have to be store bought, or plain, use your imagination and create your own unique tags.  You can purchase blank tags at Michaels, or any craft shop.  Even some office supply place have blank tags.  Then just either use your leftover scrapbooking embellishments, or items from around the house.  Decorate them with costume jewelry or pictures of your kids.  Have fun and get the whole family involved.

Frosty’s Wish

Make a snowman out of clear buttons or beads. Then give him an outfit with a ribbon scarf, paper nose, and drawn-on top hat.

BGH Magazine

This Santa ornament will be lots of fun to make, and a treasured keepsake to enjoy year after year.

Crafting Time:
1 hour plus baking time

Skill Level:
1 being the easiest

* Glass Ornaments (box of 6)
* Sculpey III® Polymer Clay: Beige, Red, Black, White
* Acrylic Paint, Black
* Cookie Sheet, clay dedicated
* Paper, white (to place items on when baking)

* Roller, clay dedicated
* Toothpick
* Paintbrush
* Paper Towel or Soft Cloth
* Knife, clay dedicated

Cost of each project will vary depending on materials used.

Due to the seasonal nature of some merchandise, actual availability of some products pictured may vary.

Condition each color of clay by hand until pliable.

Roll out beige clay to ¼-inch thickness. Cut an oval piece to form the face area and press onto ornament.

Like the mouse in the Clement Clarke Moore poem, this one isn’t stirring, but he does make a sweet holiday gift or decoration, no cheese required.

The kids could have fun making this little mouse for each guest.  Place it next to the guest dinner plates for a special take home present made by the children.

CRAFT MATERIALS:
	2 1/2-inch Styrofoam egg
	White acrylic paint
	Fishing line
	Corsage pin
	White felt
	Pink felt
	Glue
	Googly eyes
	Craft wire, 5 inches
Time needed: Under 1 Hour

1. First, use a serrated knife to cut a 2 1/2-inch Styrofoam egg in half lengthwise (parents only), then cover one of the halves with white acrylic paint and let it dry.

Crafting helps children explore holidays, birthdays, and other events in their lifes with little or no costs. Pick activities that are age appropriate for the child, but don’t think because your child is three and the age on the craft says for a five year old that they can’t do it. Children thrive on simple projects as it gives them an opportunity to work independently and to create something of their “own”. It might not be picture perfect, but they will be proud of it nonetheless. So be sure and display their crafts for all to see.

One of the more important things I learned in working with my children and crafts was that if I let them do projects around a theme (Thanksgiving, for instance) they gained a better understanding of what the holiday was all about.

Looking through old holiday pictures of when the children were small I came across some crafts we did together. Although the pictures here do not represent the ones we made the result was the same.  So have fun and come up with your own variations on this theme with your kids.

You can use those small pumpkins, apples, oranges, small gourds, etc. for this project.  If you make the hole too big, use some wax paper around the bottome of the candle to take up the slack. Tealight candles work well for this because they are cheap, not heavy, won’t tip over the pumpkin, and have a small flame; however, if you decide to used tapered candles make sure the candle is secure in the holder.  If you are using pumpkins as your base, I found it easier to use the flatter kind rather than cylindrical.   Kids can help with this project by putting the candles in and helping to pick out the pumpkins. Remember safety first when you light them and once lit keep them out of reach of the kids.