Tag Archives: ~Christmas

Easter Ornament

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Materials:

  • Creatology™ Chenille Stem
  • Foam Stickers – Shapes of Choice
  • Craft Smart® Paint Brush
  • Wooden Egg
  • FolkArt® Acrylic Paint – Titanium White
  • Aleene’s “Tacky” Glue®
  • Disposable Plate for Paint Palette
  • Recycled Newspaper (to protect work surface)
Instructions:
  1. Cover the work surface with newspaper.  Paint the egg with Titanium White. Let dry.
  2. Fold a chenille stem in half to find the center. Add a drop of glue to the center of the chenille stem and press onto the bottom center of the egg. Tightly stretch both sides of the stem around the egg and twist at the top. Repeat this step with another chenille stem on the opposite side of the first stem.
  3. Twist both chenille stems at the top of the egg to form hanger.
  4. Embellish each section of the egg with foam stickers as desired.

Faux Wrought Iron Decorations

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I mentioned to my family that I’m collecting toilet paper tubes for use on some projects that were bouncing around in my head.  And an odd thing happened.  At every family function, every dinner party, every chance meeting since then, I have been inundated with toilet paper tubes.  They hand them to me when I least expect them, neatly packaged in Kroger bags, fully confident that whatever I have in mind for them is worth the extra effort.  At Christmas, I was given a bag of them along with my Christmas present.  Kinda nice, but apparently when folks look at me right now, they think of toilet paper tubes.  Not sure if that is a good thing or not.

Anyway, I decided to try my hand at mixing some quilling techniques and toilet paper tubes to come up with some faux metal wall art to spice up my Southwestern theme kitchen.
For this project I used:
A large amount of toilet paper tubes
Several Paper Towel Tubes
Aleenes Tacky Glue
Metal look Spray Paint
3/8″ Balsa Wood strips
I started by cutting the 3/8″ balsa wood strips into 10″ long pieces to form my squares and then glued them together with tacky glue.
The paper towel tubes were used for the straight pieces.  I simply cut along the length of the tube, flattened it out and used a scrap of the balsa strips to measure 3/8″ strips cut lenthwise from the tube.
The toilet paper tubes were cut in 3/8″ strips across the width of the tube to keep the curl.  Simply cut along the length of the tube, flatten out and mark 3/8″ strips across the width.  This will result in 3/8″ curls.
Using some examples that I found on the internet of wrought iron wall art, I created four 10″ squares.

I curled the cardboard with the end of a paintbrush where I wanted curls and used the tacky glue to glue it as I went.

With these squares, I started by dividing it into four equal parts and then creating the same pattern in each part. I simply created as I went and used the end of the paintbrush to make any curls needed.

Once they were completed and dry, I then spray painted them with metal-look paint.  Unless you get up close and personal and actually touch them, they look totally like metal.  But didn’t cost nearly the price.

I now have fancy looking wall art and spent next to nothing to make it.  In fact, my toilet paper loving family actually provided most of the materials.  You can’t beat that!

Valentines Day Tissue Paper Vase

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Materials:

  • Mod Podge® Sparkle
  • Scissors
  • Tissue Paper – Various Colors
  • Paint Brush
Instructions:
  1. Cut or tear tissue paper in small random shapes.
  2. Paint thin coat of Mod Podge onto outside of vase in a 6″ square area.
  3. Place small pieces of random colors of tissue paper into wet Mod Podge letting them overlap slightly. Brush on Mod Podge over top of applied tissue. Brush more Mod Podge adjacent to the area just completed and continue to place tissue into the wet Mod Podge. Continue this process until vase is covered with tissue.
  4. Cut heart shapes from silver paper. Use Mod Podge to attach to project where desired.
  5. Use liner brush to apply Mod Podge around hearts and write “LOVE”.
  6. Let dry completely.

Backyard Garland

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After dessert, share your holiday bounty with some outdoor friends. Using a needle and thread, string popcorn and dried fruit to hang as an edible garland in the backyard. Then sit back and watch the feasting. The birds, squirrels, and other creatures soon will be as stuffed as you. Extra time? Create a few more garlands for indoors using craft materials, and get a jump start on decorating.

Cookie Leaves

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Break from raking—it’s time for baking. Whip up a batch of cookies in advance using a leaf-shape cookie cutter. While you’re working the stove, set the kids to work too, decorating cookies with frosting, sprinkles, licorice rope, and other edibles. Display the prettiest ones on a dessert table or save them to give as gifts to friends, family, or teachers.