National Craft Month 2014: Day 20 Winner

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Day 20 of National Craft Month prompted me to do some paper crafting over the weekend! I love making things out of paper and it sounds like you all do too! The Punched Paper DIY Garland project and giveaway was from AllFreeChrismasCrafts. Even if you didn’t win today, today’s the last day to enter to win our grand prize!

Congratulations to…

Laure U.!

We asked: Have you ever made a garland?

Congratulations Laure, who replied, “no, I never made garland, but would like to try to make some for my daughter’s wedding!” I hope this prize inspires you to create a wonderful garland for your daughter’s wedding! You can find yesterday’s Punched Paper DIY Garland on AllFreeChrismasCrafts. Be sure to see more great projects in our free eBook, 18 Projects Every Crafter Wants. Happy National Craft Month!

mini_right Punched Paper DIY Garland Punched Paper DIY Garland: National Craft Month Project & Giveaway

Link Love: Decorative Garland Crafts

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Sometimes you just need to add a little something to your space. It’s easy to head out to the mall and buy something generic, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, you can create a completely unique decorative piece and hang it on a blank wall. Best of all, you don’t have to break the bank when you’re making a garland. For these projects, you can use scrap yarn, leftover paper or even old keys. Don’t forget a long piece of string or ribbon – that’s what makes your garland come together (literally).

I always thought garlands were meant for Christmas, but there are so many crafts that prove me wrong. It’s nice to be able to add a simple piece to a boring wall or blank mantel, and garlands can be made in no time at all. As began to search for garland projects online, I noticed a major craft trend – pom poms. Grab your most colorful yarn scraps and a pair of scissors – creating pom poms is such a fun and easy activity. Use them to make a Yarn Pom Pom Garland or, if you don’t have yarn, use tissue paper and create a Pom Pom Party Garland using the same technique. I also like the look of garlands that use (often die-cut) paper scraps. An Around the World Paper Chain has a pretty vintage look and would look great with yellow or brown scrapbook paper.

Garlands are a simple project for every kind of crafter. Use materials you have on hand and experiment with sizes, shapes and colors. Before you know it, your home will be covered in color.

  1. Tassel Garland from Calico Skies
  2. CMYK Garland from The Flair Exchange
  3. Key to My Heart Garland from Valley & Co. Lifestyle
  4. Glittery Star Garland from Hazel & Agnes
  5. Book Page Garland from Design, Dining + Diapers
  6. Cheap & Easy Neon Pompom Garland from Dream a Little Bigger
  7. DIY Golden Garland from The Lovely Cardboard
  8. No-Glue, No-Sew 3D Paper Dot Garland from Corinna Wraps
  9. Feather and Lavender Garland from Pointless Pretty Things

 

How to Make a Crocheted Garland

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This guest post was written by David Leon Morgan.

Make a simple, crocheted garland to hang on your wall, decorate a party, or beautify a Christmas tree. If home decorations aren’t what you’re looking for, you could make a cool crocheted necklace with the steps below, too.

This tutorial reinforces the technique of crocheting in rounds, and can be made with virtually any type of yarn and any size crochet hook. For this tutorial, however, I used a 6mm hook and 4-ply yarn. The yarn was a bit tight around the hook, so if you are a beginner, I would suggest using a size hook and type of yarn that you are able to make stitches with comfortably and easily.

This tutorial requires a basic knowledge of crochet, including how to create a slip knot and chain stitch, and how to make a double crochet stitch.

Step 1: Chain 6

Step 2: Join your last stitch with the first one you made, then make a slip

Step 3: Instead of creating an increasing chain stitch, yarn over and crochet your first double crochet stitch directly in the two chain stitches you joined together.

Crochet 12 double crochet stitches within the row of stitches. I crocheted two doubled crochet stitches per one chain stitch, and crocheted within the top of the stitch.

Step 4: Once you have crocheted all 12 stitches, join the last stitch with the first stitch through a slip stitch.

Step 5: Chain 6, then repeat steps 2-4. Make as many as you like to achieve the length you need for your garland.

With these instructions, there should not be any spaces between your circle of stitches. However, feel free to add variation to the instructions by including extra chain stitches between your circles. You can also join two types of yarn together for a multicolored feel, or crochet large beads into your garland to add eclectic charm.

How else could you customize your garland, and where would it look great in a home? Let us know in the comments below!

How to: Make Festive Christmas House Crafts

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Christmas house crafts help decorate your home for less and provide an outlet for creative expression. Such creative activities can be very therapeutic, especially during the busy holiday season, and bring a wonderful sense of pride when completed and displayed for guests to see. Making Christmas house crafts can also be a social activity. Gather with friends and family to create ornaments, wreaths or other Christmas house crafts. You can share supplies, potluck dishes and chat while celebrating and preparing your home for Christmas.

Whether or not you craft in a group, make some Christmas house crafts for your own home or to give as gifts this holiday season. A new wreath, stocking or centerpiece will bring a little extra care and warmth to your home. Smaller Christmas house crafts, such as ornaments, would be perfect for office gift exchanges, secret santas and host gifts. Here are some of my favorite ideas for Christmas house crafts:


Stockings

Because they offer the possibility of being filled with small treats and gifts, stockings are perhaps the ultimate Christmas house crafts. If you don’t have a fireplace or mantel, you can hang Christmas stockings from a banister, chairs or the backs of doors. Depending on your level of time and skill, you can purchase a plain stocking and embellish, or you can sew up a stocking with a simple pattern. In fact, you can even create a no-sew stocking with iron-on fusible web. Use felt, holiday fabric or sturdy quilted fabric to create the stocking from scratch. Embellish stockings with embroidery, applique, fabric paint, ribbons or ric-rac. Here are some of my favorite christmas house crafts for stockings:

Garlands

Garlands are a classic example of Christmas house crafts. Whether made from simple greenery or crafted with paper, Christmas garlands are beautiful arranged around the top of a door, wound around tree (the Christmas tree, sure, but also indoor trees) or a banister, and draped over just about anything else. Like with stockings, you can purchase a plain greenery garland and embellish with small items, such as painted bells, tiny felt sleds or santas. Add glitter pine-cones to a plain garland. Make your own garland by cutting out shapes or letters (“Happy Holidays”) from felt or paper, and stringing onto twine.

For one idea, take a plain garland and add glitter pinecones, ideally in silver and gold or red and green. Gather some pine cones, coat well with spray adhesive and shake in a sealable bag with glitter until covered. Another one of my favorite thrifty Christmas craft ideas is to make cinnamon dough ornaments and string the ornaments to make a garland. Kids love mixing up cinnamon dough, rolling out the dough and cutting out the shape. You can create a simple garland spelling out “Joy” with stars at each end. If you don’t have the right cookie-cutters, just use a stencil and a craft knife.  Here are some of my other favorite garlands for Christmas house crafts:

Look for more great christmas house crafts on the web in our Link Love feature tomorrow.

Beeswax Valentine Garland

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A few days ago, I posted a tutorial for making melted crayon heart valentines. One of my favorite blogs, Resurrection Fern posted a tutorial on making a beeswax heart garland today. I don’t know where she got those heart molds but they are absolutely perfect!  I hope she shares her source. The hearts are lovely and you can just imagine the smell form natural beeswax. Using paperclips makes the garland a snap.