Handmade Christmas Cards

Here is how I made my Christmas card this year.  I began by drawing a triangle on the back of a piece of scrapbooking paper. Then I measured how far apart I wanted the branches to be, and drew the outline of the tree.   

Next I cut out the tree with a sharp pair of scissors.  

Then I found a piece of handmade paper, and cut that down to card size.  I applied glue to my christmas tree, and then applied it to the front of my card.  To finish it off I wrote 'Merry Christmas' in green Sharpie.  

I enjoy the way these turned out.  I like Christmas Tree art for the holidays.  Happy DIYing, chris!

December

For the last month of the year, December, I decided to freehand a Christmas tree with glitter glue. Then I wrote out 'December' at the bottom.  Tomorrow I'll put the finishing touches on whole calendar.  

Hope you've enjoyed!  Happy DIYing!

Do you have too many white Christmas lights?

Today's DIY is super simple.  We always seems to have a ton of white strands of Christmas lights.  So this year rather than buying new Christmas lights, I refreshed my white lights.  Hope you enjoy!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

- White Christmas lights

- Green spray paint

- drop cloth

- rubber or disposable gloves

(if you want lights ANY color)

- Styrofoam cube/block 

Directions:

It's best to do this project outside for best ventilation.  If you are using green spray paint, the first thing you'll want to do is lay down your drop cloth, then your white Christmas lights.  Put on your gloves.  After shaking your spray paint can and removing the cap, start spraying the individual lights.  I suggest testing a couple and then plugging them in to see how they look.  If you'd like a neater look or would like to use a different color, remove your white lights from their plugs, then gently stick them into a styrofoam cube/block.  Then you can spray your lights any color.  You may need to do two coats or turn your lights to get a complete coat on them.  

The color I used is called Jade.

You can see a burnt out light in this photo. Helps give you an idea of how dark the lights look when they are off.  

Here you can compare the white lights and the Jade lights.  I think it came out nicely.  

My cat playing.  Her name is Cricket.  

Pom-poms and Glitter glue!

      Today I added some glitz to the stocking I made a few days ago.  I thought a pom-pom would look fabulous on the hanger-loop.  And of course I wanted to personalize it with my nieces' name.  That way Santa know's it's her's!  I didn't want to go too overboard, so I left it at that. 

WHAT YOU'LL NEED: 

- Yarn

- Scissors

- Cardboard

- Pencil

- Glitter glue

Directions:

       Use a round cup that is around 3.5 inches in diameter, and trace four circles onto a piece of cardboard.  In the center of two of the circles draw a smaller circle, then draw two lines about 1/4 inch apart coming down from the inner circle to the outer circle.  Cut out all four larger circles.  Now take the two circles you drew the smaller circles on, and cut out the smaller circles including the notch you made in the outer doughnut.  Place one of the doughnuts down with the cut-out facing you.  Cut a piece of yarn about 12 inches long, place the piece of yarn on top of the doughnut going around the inner circles, with the two ends coming down where the notch is.  Then place the other doughnut on top of the first doughnut, sandwiching the yarn in-between. 

                                                                                               

               


       Now start wrapping yarn around both pieces of cardboard.  I started in the center with the end on outside edge coming down the front, then wrapping around the backing.  Continue wrapping to the right, when you reach the end go back over the right, then down the left.  When you reach the bottom of the left side come back up to the center, and end here with the tale on the outside edge.   

      Next place the whole thing down and with one hand hold the piece down, then run the scissors between the two pieces of cardboard at the top edge cutting the yarn.  Once you've cut all the way around tie the 12 in. length of yarn tight, make as many knots as you feel necessary.  Remove the cardboard doughnuts.  

     Take the two cardboard circles you haven't used yet, and sandwich the yarn between the two.  Pin the cardboard in place with your largest needle in the center.  Trim any of the strings that seem too long.  

     Remove the cardboard, and then fluff up the pom-pom.  I used the tail to tie the pom-pom onto the stocking.  

     After all that hard work I played around on a piece of scrap fabric that matched the stocking.  I used my favorite tool - glitter glue, and tested the way the different glitter looked on the fabric, and with the font I used looked.  I picked my favorite look (with some help from my husband and mom), and wrote out Annabel's name on the stocking.  

Christmas Stocking

We have a new family member this year, little Annabel (my niece) was born November first.  Thus we need a stocking for her!  Instead of going the easy route (and buying one), I decided to make her a stocking.  I've never tried this before so I learned a lot along the way, but the end result is lovely.  

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• 2 different types of fabric (about 2 ft. square)
• Batting (about 2 ft. square)
• White faux fur material ( about 2 ft. long, 4 in. length)
• Ribbon (4 in)
• Scissors
• Marker
• Needle & thread
• Straight pins

Directions:

      Fold your fabric in half, and use an old stocking as a template.  Place the heel of the stocking against the fold in the fabric, and begin tracing.  After tracing the stocking cut out both pieces of fabric.  Now flatten out one of the pieces you've just cut out and use it to trace out the batting.  Once you've cut out the batting, you can cut the white fur for the top cuff, and the ribbon for hanging the stocking. 

     Now you'll want to layer all your pieces together.  First you'll start with the fur trim, fur facing down, then the ribbon folded in half in the center.  Then the fabric for the interior of the stocking with the front facing down.  Then the batting, and then the outside fabric facing up.  You'll want to pin the whole stocking together now.  Make sure at this point that you've layered everything correctly, remembering that you will be turning it right side out after sewing.  

      Now you can start sewing, begin going across the top with the stocking open flat.  Once you've finished the top you will fold the stocking in half and re-pin it together.  Now sew the whole stocking together, making sure to go thru all the layers as you go.  Once you are done turn it right side out.  

      Congratulations, you just made your first Christmas stocking!

Check back tomorrow, we'll be adding a little more glitz to this stocking.  Until then, happy DIYing!

A simple Christmas tree

Lately I've been rather lazy on the DIY front, especially in the card making department (usually that's my specialty).  Thus, this year my cards are rather simple.  Though I'm of the opinion that you can never go wrong with a handmade card.  How could anyone be disappointed in all the energy and love you've put into crafting such a personalized greeting?

What you'll need:

•  Scrapbook paper (with a pattern, at least 5 in. X 10 in.)
•  Scrap card stock (at least 5 inches square)
•  Scissors 
•  Pencil
•  Gold or silver glitter glue (I used the band Stickles, works well and great applicator)
• "Merry Christmas" Sticker

Directions:

Draw a Christmas tree on a scrap piece of card stock.  This will be your template, so it doesn't matter what the paper looks like, but it does help if it's on the thicker side (makes it easier to trace).  After you're happy with the way your tree looks, cut it out. Now it's time to pick out your scrapbook paper.  Keep in mind the pattern will be the front of the card, the inside should be a solid color.  You'll want to pick a pattern that will look good as a Christmas tree.  Stripes in holiday colors work well!  Fold your scrapbook paper in half, with pattern side in; plain side out.  

With the folded side on the left, place the tree on the paper.  Keep the bottom left side of the template touching the fold.  Trace the template tree onto your scrapbook paper with the pencil.  Now you can start cutting out the card.  You'll want to start with the right side.  This side is the open side, so you can cut through both sheets of paper.  Once you reach the top of the tree and start going down the left side, you'll cut through both layers of paper for the top half of the tree.  For the bottom three tree arms you'll want to keep the fold in tack.  You may need to extend the arms more, and make them a bit thicker on this side.  Having the arms thicker on this side is really important, if they aren't thick enough you're card will tear down the middle.  When you finish cutting the tree out, you can flip the fold so the pattern side is now on the outside.  

At this point you're just adding decorations to your tree card.  I happened to have some "Merry Christmas" stickers I got on sale last year, so I used those on the front middle of my card.  Then I 'put the trim' on with the gold glitter glue.  I made a dotted zig-zag line down the tree, moving from right to left starting at the top.   Be sure to let the glitter glue dry complete before you try to write anything on the inside.