Christmas Crafts Show & Tell – And the Winner Is…

December 16, 2013 by FaveCrafts

Thanks to everyone who participated in our Christmas Craft Show & Tell! We challenged you to share your best Christmas projects with the FaveCrafts community. For the last two days, blog readers have had the chance to vote for their favorite project.

And the winner is…
Joan!

Joan submitted a crochet rose! Head over to Pinterest to view more of her work.

Thank you to everyone who linked up for this hop! You can see all the submissions and find great holiday craft tutorials by visiting the Christmas Craft Show & Tell post.

We’ll see you back here for the next blog hop!

Christmas Craft Show & Tell: Cast Your Vote!

December 12, 2013 by FaveCrafts

Thanks to all of the talented crafters who have shown off their amazing Christmas creations so far – we’ve received some really awesome entries!

Now it’s time to vote for your favorite project. Cast your vote below and help us decide who will receive this fantastic craft prize package!

Voting ends Friday December 13th 11:59 p.m. EST and a winner will be announced on Monday, December 16th – be sure to cast your vote before it’s too late.

***Also, share this post so all of your crafty friends can vote for their favorite crafts, too!

An InLinkz Link-up

How To Make a Shiny Santa Topiary

December 11, 2013 by FaveCrafts

This tutorial is brought to you by Latrice Murphy from Any Occasion.

Hey there, FaveCrafts readers. I know you all have been crafting away this holiday season – I certainly have been. I just loved browsing Pinterest for ideas to use as a starting point. Recently, I came across a topiary and took it in my own direction. I used colors from around my house, so it worked into the decor seamlessly.

Materials:

Clay pot
Floral foam bricks
Styrofoam circle
Push pins
Tulle
Dowel rod
Hot glue gun
Mini ornaments
Ribbon
Red and white paint
Black elastic
Silver glitter tape

Instructions:

First you’ll want to place your foam brick in the bottom of the pot with hot glue. You may need to shave some pieces off to get a good fit. I used a serrated knife.

Next, you’ll created a hole with your dowel rod. Fill that hole with hot glue and place your dowel rod. Let the glue cool.

Now you can place your Styrofoam circle on top. You’re ready to add the ornaments now.

Take off the silver or hanger portion off the ornaments and discard. Using the hot glue gun add each ornament to the circle by pushing them in a little bit to secure.

After the entire circle is filled you’ll go back with push pins and small ribbon pieces to fill in the spaces. I use 3” pieces for my ribbon loops.

Paint your pot with the red and white paint. Let it dry completely.

Add your elastic around and create a square for the buckle. Add that to the front of the pot.

Finish it off by gluing the tulle into the pot and covering up the floral brick.

You could add glitter to the tulle as well to make it really shine. This project is a bit time consuming but for around $15, I created a custom piece for my home that I really love.

Show & Tell: What Are You Crafting For Christmas?

December 9, 2013 by FaveCrafts

Welcome to our Christmas Blog Hop! What festive holiday crafts are you making? Show us your latest and greatest Christmas crafts and holiday creations from the month, or make something and write it up just for the occasion!

From now until December 11th, you’ll have the chance to post your latest Christmas crafts in this very post. On December 12th, voting will begin and readers will have a chance to pick their favorite craft. The person whose project receives the most votes by 11:59 p.m. on December 13th will also receive the crafty prize package shown below! The winner will also be announced on the FaveCrafts Blog as well as on our social media pages.

How to Participate:

Create or find a blog post on your own site that showcases your Christmas project. In the post, you can talk about the crafting process, write up a tutorial, or merely show off the finished project.
Add your link by clicking on “Add your link” at the bottom of this post and follow the instructions. Make sure you link to your specific blog post, not your homepage, and give it a caption.
Remember to copy the FaveCrafts Blog Hop button from below and paste it into your blog post. Also, link it to this Blog Hop post, so that everyone who reads your blog can see that you’ve been featured on FaveCrafts!

Remember, the link list will close at 11:59 PM on December 11th. At that time, no new links can be entered and voting will begin.

**Want to be notified via email about future blog events? Tell us you want to be added to our Blogger List and we will let you know when the next Blog Hop is up so you can join the fun!

Link Love: Easy Christmas Ornament Crafts

December 5, 2013 by FaveCrafts

I love the holiday season for a lot of reasons. The sights, the smells, the goodwill – this is simply the most magical time of the year. However, there is one thing that I love the most during this time of year – the decorations. Specifically, I love seeing how different families and individuals choose to dress up their trees. Since I don’t decorate my own tree, I love to admire other people’s hard work.

FaveCrafts features a variety of fun ornament crafts, but it seems that the quick and easy projects are always the most popular. These are the ornaments you make in an afternoon or even in a few minutes. These ornaments are also kid-friendly, so you can work on the projects as a family and use this time to teach valuable lessons about the holiday season. If you want to include the kids in your Christmas crafting fun, look no further than the Easy Icicles Ornament. Use beads, sequins and pipe cleaners for this simple project – it’s perfect for elementary-aged children. Similarly, the Reindeer Ornament doesn’t require any expensive material or hard-to-use supplies, but the finished product is too cute to miss. If you are looking for a more adult-friendly craft project but simply don’t have a lot of time to get creative, a Cute Santa Hat Ornament or a Glitter Filled Ornament will get you in the holiday spirit.

Ornaments are the perfect craft for the holiday season – you can hang them on your own tree or give them to someone you love. No matter what, the piece you create is sure to become an heirloom that will be displayed each year. Gather up the family and get to work – Christmas will be over before you know it!

DIY Acorn Ornaments from Say Yes To Hoboken
Clay Thumbprint Snowman Ornament from Lines Across
Wood Etched Ornament from Hello Wonderful
Old Fashioned Salt Dough Candy Cane Ornaments from Fun at Home With Kids
Rainbow Dip Dyed Christmas Lights from Two-daloo
CD Snowman Ornaments from Happy Hooligans
Fabric Christmas Tree Ornament from Haberdashery Fun
Ribbon Tree Ornament from Simply Kelly Designs
Hazelnuts Turned Mini Wreath Ornaments from North Story

Which ornament on your tree is the most meaningful and why?

Make Christmas Gifts That Look Expensive (But Aren’t)

December 1, 2013 by FaveCrafts

This post is brought to you by Mary Egan for CraftFoxes.com

The holidays are fast approaching and you’re probably wondering what to get as gifts for your friends and family. Perhaps you’re looking for a gift that has more of a homemade feel to it,as opposed to something you can buy in a store. There are plenty of DIY projects that you can make for anyone, young or old. For instance, you can create your own holiday gifts for pets and even make special gifts for bacon lovers! Additionally, there are knitting projects, DIY gifts, and other crafting suggestions for handmade holiday crafts.

Here are three unique ideas for handmade gifts that we think you’ll love:

Knitted Angel Doll Pincushion Pattern

This knitted angel doll doubles as a pincushion! Wouldn’t that be a great holiday gift idea for a sewist in your life? This gift is small enough to be a stocking stuffer, but is customizable to whichever colors or patterns your gift receiver would most like. There is a link to a step-by-step procedure for making this knitted angel at CraftFoxes. Even if you’ve never knit a project like this before, take it a step at a time, and you’ll be ready for the holidays with a fun new present or gift topper!

Get the free angel doll knitting pattern.

DIY Terrarium for Geeks

Here is a great way to stretch your DIY muscle, and the final product can even be hung on a Christmas tree. The DIY terrarium is basically a tiny ecosystem inside a glass jar but it can also be used as a clear Christmas ornament if you’re feeling festive! For this project, you’ll need a glass jar (with or without a lid), as well as potting soil, pebbles and any action figures you’d like to put inside your terrarium. You could even put some Christmas-themed figurines inside!

Learn how to make a DIY terrarium at CraftFoxes.

Messenger Bag

This messenger bag DIY project involves some crocheting as well as some thrifting and is an awesome accessory to carry your stuff in. To create this project, you’ll need a crochet pillow sham and a belt for the bag’s strap. You’ll also need some rivets to secure the belt to the pillow sham. This is another DIY gift that you can easily tailor to anyone’s taste. Put your thrifting skills to use and you might just find the perfect piece to use in this DIY project.

Get the how-to for this DIY messenger bag and then visit CraftFoxes for more handmade Christmas gift ideas!

Christmas Tree Skirts: A Secret History

November 10, 2013 by AllFreeSewing

DIY Christmas tree skirts are hugely popular during the holidays. They’re functional, decorative, and add a little extra something to the living room decorations. Christmas home dec projects are among my favorite homemade gifts to make for newlyweds, rather than just purchasing them a new blender from their registry. It’s a great unexpected gift idea that people love; building up a collection of Christmas decorations can be expensive, and it’s nice to have ornaments and decor that is tied to a memory.

I love to learn about the history behind traditions, so as I was updating AllFreeSewing with new Christmas projects this week, I found myself adding a bunch of new Christmas Tree Skirt patterns and got to thinking: where on earth did the tradition of tree skirts come from?

The Early Days

I did a little research and as it turns out, tree skirts actually have a pretty storied history! Though their exact origins are still unknown, historians believe that Christmas tree skirts were likely invented in Germany (also the birthplace of general tree decorating).

In those days, trees were decorated with actual candles. In order to prevent a little Christmas bonfire from breaking out in the living room, families would put a mat under the base of the tree. The mat served to collect wax and fallen needles as well. These mats weren’t at all decorative; in fact, they were rarely more than just a piece of fabric placed beneath the tree, to be washed and recycled at the end of the holiday.

Tree Skirts Get A Makeover

The earliest recorded use of a Christmas tree stand as we use them today was in 1879, and the tree mat evolved into the tree skirt, which did double-duty collecting wax and leaves while obscuring the unsightly tree stand. It was during this time that Christmas tree skirts began to become more ornate and decorative. Families began to embroider or quilt their tree skirts to match their home decor.

At this point, tree skirts also served as the location of additional tree decorations like a nativity scene or Christmas village. As Christmas tradition evolved and gifts were placed under the tree instead of being hung upon it, the tree skirt became an important place for gifts to be arranged. Usually gifts were hung on the tree in early December and then added around the skirt on Christmas Eve.

Modern Christmas Tree Skirts

Today, skirts are mostly used as decorative ways to hide the tree stand. Most nativity scened and Christmas villages have moved elsewhere in the house, and gifts are piled up under the tree from day one. However, over a century of sewing tree skirts has given the internet a plethora of great homemade Christmas tree skirt ideas and tutorials. So with your new knowledge of its long past, sew a beautiful new skirt to add to your own family’s Christmas tradition with one of these ten festive free DIY Christmas tree skirt patterns!

PLUS! Want some extra presents under your tree this year? You can win a copy of Handmade Leather Bags & Accessories from AllFreeSewing and Design Originals and make tons of cute bags and more! Enter to win once a day, every day until November 25th right here!

Do you have any Christmas traditions with interesting histories?

18 Must-Make Homemade Christmas Ornaments for Kids

November 7, 2013 by AllFreeKidsCrafts

It doesn’t matter how old you are; decorating the Christmas tree with your family is always a memorable night. In my family, we start with the homemade Christmas ornaments from my parents’ childhoods and work our way through time, finishing our tree with the most recent ornament in our collection. It’s a great way to reminisce about how our family has grown while we spend some quality time together. After all, isn’t family the essential piece of the holiday puzzle?

Spending time with the people you love is the epitome of Christmas, and one of the best ways to bond with your family is to craft your own Christmas projects! Not only is crafting a great way to relieve some holiday stress, but it’s also a way to immortalize your creativity on your Christmas tree.

For the best Christmas tree decorating ideas that you can make with your family, explore the latest AllFreeKidsCrafts eBook! Christmas Crafts for Kids: 18 Homemade Christmas Ornaments is stuffed with wonderful Christmas ornament craft ideas for kids of all ages, so even the littlest member of your family can experience a little dose of holiday cheer. The homemade Christmas ornaments in this eBook will quickly become some of your favorites in your entire ornament collection, and the memories you make when you create these kids’ Christmas crafts with your family will last a lifetime.

Recycled Christmas Ornaments

You probably know from experience that the holiday season is packed with hustle and bustle. You’ve got tons of things to do, like cooking your favorite holiday recipes or stringing Christmas lights along your rooftop. With Christmas Crafts for Kids: 18 Homemade Christmas Ornaments, you can save yourself a trip to the store and relax at home instead. The recycled Christmas ornaments in this eBook are cute, charming, and easy to make. You’ll find unique ornament craft ideas that use buttons, toilet paper rolls, and even old CDs in this awesome collection of Christmas crafts for kids. All you have to do is choose the homemade Christmas ornament you want to make, search the house for your craft materials, and get ready to create!

Easy Christmas Ornaments

Enjoy the simple things this holiday season…like easy Christmas ornaments! Making your own ornaments doesn’t have to be tricky; in fact, some of the best projects in this eBook are the simplest to make. From an easy icicle ornament to a simple Santa, you’ll find tons of projects that will make your holidays merry and bright. You can pick any one of the ornaments in this kids’ Christmas crafts eBook, and the end result is sure to be stunning. These easy Christmas ornaments would make even Scrooge himself crack a smile!

What’s your favorite ornament on your Christmas tree?

Ease into Christmas Crafting with Beginner Craft Ideas!

September 19, 2013 by AllFreeChristmasCrafts

Crafting in general can be a daunting task, and Christmas crafting in particular can be its own variety of overwhelming. Whether you want to make a decoration to impress your guests or a gift that loved ones will cherish, it isn’t always easy to come up with a great idea. If you’ve found yourself in this indecisive position, try making any of these beginner craft ideas! Easy and quick Christmas crafts are the perfect way to ease yourself into the Christmas spirit.

Easy Homemade Christmas Ornaments

Handmade Christmas ornaments are perhaps the best crafts for beginners. Ornaments are small, so they typically don’t take very long to make. Christmas trees are typically decorated with an abundance of ornaments, so if the ornament you make has any tiny flaws, those flaws can easily be hidden amongst the other ornaments on the tree. However, if you make a particularly glorious Christmas ornament, it is sure to stand out against the plain store-bought baubles covering the other branches.

This Little Beaded Angel is a beginner craft that the whole family can enjoy! Make this angels with your kids and the beads will reflect the Christmas lights beautifully.

DIY Christmas Decorations

No home is complete without Christmas decorations. Festive decor is vital to setting a warm and familial mood at Christmas. Indoor decorations and outdoor decorations alike are perfect for celebrating the Christmas holiday. While store-bought decor can be pretty pricey, DIY Christmas decorations are affordable and fun to make!

These Pumpkin Snowmen combine an easy Christmas craft with a great upcycling project. If you don’t carve pumpkins this Halloween and they still look good after Thanksgiving, don’t throw them out! Paint them white and make them into darling snowmen for your front porch.

Homemade Christmas Gifts

Gifts can get expensive in a hurry, and no one wants to go near the mall as it gets closer and closer to the holiday. Instead of paying a fortune for a gift and getting stuck in long lines and bad traffic, try making your own gifts for loved ones. These homemade Christmas gifts are easy Christmas crafts that your friends and family will surely appreciate.

The “We Love You” Jar is an absolutely perfect Christmas gift from kids to parents. Grab a clear glass jar out of the recycle bin, fill the jar with everything you love about someone, and give it to them for Christmas! This is such a thoughtful homemade Christmas gift.

For more beginner craft ideas, check out this list of Easy Christmas Crafts!

BONUS: Do you love paper crafting? Enter to win the Holiday Style and Timeless Paper Collections from Bazzill Basics! Giveaway ends 9/24/2013.

What was the first Christmas craft you ever made?

In Case You Missed It: “11 Christmas Gift Ideas: Handmade Scarves, Hats and More”

July 14, 2013 by AllFreeChristmasCrafts

I am a huge fan of festive attire at any time of year. During the summer, I create wearable crafts with more color than in fall or winter. Around Halloween, I bust out the orange and black and go a little heavier on the eye makeup. At Easter, it’s pastels at all times, and pretty dresses.

The same trend holds true, of course, around Christmastime. Bring on the ugly sweaters, the handmade hats, the holiday earrings. You better believe I’ll find an excuse to wear my knee-high green and red striped socks, and I’ll roll up my skinny jeans to show them off, proudly. To me, nothing says “I’m getting in the holiday spirit” like dressing up in wearable crafts.

You can make great wearable crafts for the holidays when you download the 11 Christmas Gift Ideas: Handmade Scarves, Hats and More eBook! Christmas wearable crafts are perfect gifts for anyone on your Christmas list. Even if your friend, cousin, or child doesn’t love to wear handmade hats or homemade scarves, there’s always the argument of practicality. If it’s cold, you’ll need a hat. Why not make it an elf hat? If it’s brisk, you’ll need a scarf. Why not make it a Fleece Scarf with Pom Poms?

It may be more than six months until Christmas, but making great handmade Christmas gifts takes time . . . especially if you’re going to try making all eleven wearable crafts in this great AllFreeChristmasCrafts eBook!

What you’ll find in this eBook:

Loom Knitted Santa Hats: Talk about getting in the Christmas spirit. Nothing says “Merry Christmas!” like these great Loom Knitted Santa Hats. They’re festive, sure, but they’re also practical: if you live in a seasonal climate, you need to keep that head warm. Put those knitting skills to the test when you knit this great handmade Christmas gift found in the 11 Christmas Gift Ideas: Handmade Scarves, Hats and More eBook.

Santa Scarf: Now this homemade scarf is just so precious, I had to share. The scarf project has you make Santa’s face and beard on one end, and the entire length of the scarf is his hat! The scarf tapers to a point, then you attach a puff ball for the pom-pom, and you have the finished product. Best of all, you don’t need to sew to make this adorable scarf because this blogger gives directions for a no-sew version as well. Find this incredibly endearing scarf in the 11 Christmas Gift Ideas: Handmade Scarves, Hats and More eBook.

Download a copy of 11 Christmas Gift Ideas: Handmade Scarves, Hats and More; like all of our great eBooks, it’s free!

If you like this eBook, you might also enjoy:

6 Adorable Homemade Christmas Crafts for Summer

10 Quick and Easy Christmas Gifts to Make

And the winner is… Joan!