Christmas Crafts

Right after Thanksgiving is the perfect time to start making fun crafty things in time for Christmas. Here are a few that I found. I'll try some of them out and see how they work. Please write back and tell me how they worked for you!
Yarn & Pipe Cleaner Candy Canes.
Hand Print Tree Skirt (We did this for a few years! It was great!)
Recycled Christmas Card Ornaments
Fuzzy Snowmen
Needle-felted Polar Bear
Have fun crafting!

I love crocheting. It's relaxing, fairly simple, and you get to use gorgeous yarns! What could be better? To get some great patterns, go to Lion Brand Yarn. For most yarn pattern websites you need to make an account, including this Lion Brand. After you make an account you can get instructions for tons of great patterns. A dishcloth is a great starting point, because it is just a simple square. Then maybe you can move on to a hat and scarf. Click here to get a tutorial on how to start from Martha Stewart. Once you get the hang of it you will be able to make up your own patterns. I made this hat a few years ago without a pattern in about two days.

Origami Stars

You have may have seen these adorable little stars before, and maybe learned to make them, but here is a great tutorial from Folding Trees to show you how, if you don't know, to make these cute origami stars. I have always loved these, and there are so many fun uses for them! They would look great in a clear bowl or jar or strung on thread to make a Christmas garland. This site also has the great idea to Mod Podge the stars, poke a hole with a needle through the center, string them on beading wire with glass seed beads, and add earring findings! These would also make great pendants. Have fun with all the different things you can do with these stars!

Christmas Card

It's October, which means it's time to start making homemade Christmas cards if you want to get them done by the holidays. So arm yourself with your glue stick, papers, pens, and embellishments, and start making some festive greetings. I made this card by cutting different sizes and dimensions of rectangles in coordinating colors and patterns and using a small tag as the focal point. Next I layered the pieces at angles and wrote the word "JOY" on the tag, gluing the tag on top of the pile of rectangles. Try different focal points instead of the tag, such as a stamped image, a sticker, or a small photo. I used the Christmas Creative Pack from Paper Wishes for all the papers featured on this card.

Fabric Trays

Here I am again with another
sewing project: fabric trays from Skip to My Lou. These will be great for holding those buttons, beads, brads, and other tiny little embellishments that are always rolling around your craft table. I can't wait to try making some of these in different colors & patterns.I think that a plain cream, white or ecru would look great with bright variegated thread.

Fabric Covered Crates

Hello again! Sorry it's been so long ! Here is something that I absolutely need to make to hold all my yarn, paper, scrapbooking stuff, Mod Podge, and everything in between: Fabric Covered crates.
I also love a lot of other things on the blog this came from, so check it out. This is totally adorable and doesn't look too tricky to do (sewing is not one of my strongest crafting skills.) Another idea: make the cover out of fall fabrics to fit a smallish crate, then fill it with fake pumpkins and fabric leaves for a cute autumn centerpeice.

Felt Beads

I have made felt beads many times and I find it very fun and relaxing. Here is a tutorial from Martha Stewart for felt bouncy balls made of wool roving; make them small and add a hole for beads. The tutorial says to use a toothpick to poke a hole in the bead, but I use a darning needle instead and I think that that works better. Try stringing your beads on stretchy cord with small glass or metal beads in between for a fun bracelet. The tutorial also says to use non-scented dish soap, but for an extra touch I used scented body wash and that worked just as well, and left a subtle scent even when the beads dried.