11 DIY Christmas Wreaths to be Jolly About

September 7, 2015 by FaveCrafts Leave a Comment

It’s time to get down to some serious crafting folks. With the kids back in school, the summer winding down, and the fall holidays looming over us closer and closer, we really need to prep for…Christmas! Christmas?! You’re probably thinking I’m out of my mind, but those homemade mantle crafts and DIY garlands aren’t going to make themselves! I started sewing for Christmas about a month ago because I’m still a beginner and I wanted a head start on my homemade tree skirt. Plus, I wanted plenty of crafting time and an organized craft room for all the DIY Christmas decorations I have planned.

The best part of crafting — free sewing patterns, crochet patterns, and knitting — is that you can take a tutorial or a pattern and still be able to make the craft or pattern with your own personal touch. I normally change colors or patterns, but if you’re super creative, you can imagine an entirely other use. Take wreaths, for example and an adorable deco mesh wreath tutorial. That tutorial may be for spring with bright blues and greens, but you could easily adjust it for a red and green DIY Christmas wreath. Everything can be tailored to suit your needs and tastes.

Those cute deco mesh DIY wreaths are really trendy right now. Not sure what they are? They’re the homemade wreaths that look ruffled like an unraveled roll of ribbon. These were all over my sorority hallways with the names of the sisters in each room. They had these cute wreaths with their letters at the bottom and their names in sparkly letters. A DIY wreath would be a really cute dorm room decor to give as a graduation gift!

Excited for the holidays, I’m checking my supply list twice and heading straight off to the craft store to gather supplies for a few different DIY Christmas wreath ideas. I need to make at least two to cover the whole season. I can’t wait to learn how to make a wreath for every single one of my doors!

11 DIY Christmas Wreaths to be Jolly About

Ho Ho Ho Wreath

Ornament Wreath Video

Walnut Wreath

Fancy Feathers Wreath

Yarn Snowball Wreath

Red Green and White Christmas Berry Wreath

Joyful Ornament Wreath and Sign

Candy Cane Wreath

Light Up Frosted Glass Ball Wreath

Winter Willow Wreath

What do you use for outdoor decorations?

Easy DIY Wreath with PEEPS

April 13, 2014 by AllFreeKidsCrafts 5 Comments

There’s no denying that PEEPS are an iconic family favorite for Easter. Chances are, if you’ve been in a grocery store around Easter at some point in the last sixty years, you’ve seen (and probably eaten) these delightful marshmallow candies. It’s safe to say that my sweet tooth is just as insatiable as a child’s, so when I was offered the opportunity to express my PEEPS-onality by taking my favorite Easter candy and turning it into a fabulous craft, I jumped at the chance.

In addition to plenty of the standard PEEPS chicks and bunnies, I received a package of the Party Cake flavored PEEPS, a Large Marshmallow Bunny, two chocolate-covered PEEPS, and a bag of the new Peepsters. I may or may not have eaten all of the Peepsters as soon as I got them.

I’ve always wanted to try my hand at making a wreath, so I figured creating a PEEPS wreath was the most fun craft I could create. This wreath is easy enough that kids can help you make it, and you’ll be able to finish it relatively quickly. Plus, you can easily remove the PEEPS from the wreath when Easter ends, keep the wreath, and add new PEEPS next year!

Want to make your own DIY wreath with PEEPS? Scroll down for my tutorial!

Easy DIY Wreath with PEEPS

Materials:

12″ styrofoam wreath
One skein of yarn (I used Caron Simply Soft. You can use any yarn you like, but different weights and textures may give you a different outcome)
Ribbon
2 packages of PEEPS
Toothpicks
Wooden sign
Paint
Hot glue gun

Instructions:

1) Tightly tie your yarn onto the wreath in a double knot. Cut the tail of the yarn relatively short so you can easily hide it as you wrap.

2) Steady the styrofoam wreath with one hand (you may want to set the wreath in your lap or on a table for extra balance) and hold your skein of yarn in the other hand. Holding onto the skein of yarn, loop your yarn around the wreath a few (3-5) times. Pull the yarn tight and gently push the loops together so that no white space shows. Repeat this step until the wreath is completely wrapped with yarn. Take care to hide all the white space and do your best not to overlap your strands of yarn as you wrap. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but you will want your wreath to look relatively smooth when you’re finished. When your wreath is completely wrapped with yarn, simple tie a knot and tuck the tail end so it doesn’t show.

3) Insert toothpicks into your wreath. Make sure the toothpicks are arranged in a straight line so your PEEPS will look uniform when you place them.

You may need to test a few PEEPS on your toothpicks to make sure they will be close enough together. As you can see in the photos below, my PEEPS were too far apart on my first attempt. You want them to be very snug, like in the photo on the right.

4) Cut a small strip of ribbon (enough to wrap around the wreath once and have a little extra) and a long strip of ribbon. The long strip of ribbon will be used to hang your wreath. Place the longer strip of ribbon so that it is centered at the top of your wreath. Place the smaller strip of ribbon around your wreath, covering the longer strip of ribbon. Hot glue the smaller strip of ribbon so that it holds tight. Make to glue the smaller strip of ribbon at the back of the wreath so the ends of your ribbon don’t show in the front of the wreath.

5) Adjust the longer strip of ribbon so that you have an equal amount on both sides of the wreath. Fold down a small section of ribbon at each end and hot glue the ends together so that you form a loop. This is how you will hang your wreath.

6) Paint your wooden sign and allow it to dry. Once dry, add the “Welcome to our Nest” lettering. There’s no right or wrong way to do this- if you have naturally stunning handwriting (unlike me) you can easily freehand the saying onto your wooden sign. If you were not blessed with pretty handwriting, simply use Microsoft Word or a similar program to print your text, cut it out, and use those letters as a stencil. Once your lettering is completely dry, hot glue your wooden sign directly onto your wreath.

7) Hang up your hard work and get ready to celebrate Easter!

The great thing about this DIY wreath is that you can ultimately customize it any way you want. I like simple home decor, which is why I chose to use the classic yellow PEEPS for this project, but you could certainly use any color combinations you want. For extra charm, use a different PEEP for each member of your family or add a few Easter-themed embellishments.

When I was finished crafting my DIY wreath, I found a few miniature bird cages in my crafting room that were perfect for some of my leftover PEEPS! These little bird cages would be great for Easter brunches…especially because you can eat them for dessert!

Have you ever crafted with PEEPS?

Link Love: Homemade Wreaths for Fall

September 18, 2013 by FaveCrafts 4 Comments

Forget September… I’m ready to start dive head first into fall! This is my favorite time of year – the smells, tastes and sounds of fall just can’t be beat. Now that the heat is subsiding (finally) and the leaves are falling, it’s time to say goodbye to summer and officially welcome autumn. Bring on the pumpkins, candy corn and hot cups of cocoa!

You greet your guests by hanging a wreath on your front door, so why not do the same thing to welcome fall? Fall wreaths can incorporate a variety of colorful elements and seasonal fabrics. Use wood, burlap and twine to create a rustic, muted look that’s reminiscent of autumn. Apples are always a major part of fall, be sure to incorporate them into your own design. Create an Apple Pie Wreath using burlap and be sure to add a rolling pin at the bottom. You can also use store-bought plastic leaves to make a Colorful Fall Wreath. This is a quick and easy project that you can make in an afternoon. If you want to add an eco-friendly touch to your decor, create a Metallic Autumn Leaves Wreath or a Brown Bag Halloween Wreath – for both projects, you only need paper grocery bags!

Say hello to fall and hang a pretty homemade wreath on your door. This DIY idea is perfect for even a beginning crafter – many projects only require a few inexpensive supplies and little to no crafting expertise. You can even get the kids to help you welcome the season. It’s time to make an autumn resolution to get creative – start by making one of these delightful decor crafts.

Pumpkin Yarn Embroidery Hoop Wreath from Silly Pearl
Who’s There Owl Wreath from About Family Crafts
Wood & Burlap Natural Fall Wreath from Finding Home Online
Spooky Halloween Wreath from The Cheap Luxury
Spooky Spider Wreath from Eclectically Vintage
Candy Corn Wreath from Artsy Fartsy Mama
Scarecrow Wreath from Ann-Kay Home
Spooky Halloween Spider Web Wreath from The Tiptoe Fairy
Dried Apple Wreath from L. Michelle

Get Back to the Outdoors with Nature-Inspired Crafts

April 10, 2013 by AllFreeChristmasCrafts Leave a Comment

Do you miss seeing green grass and hearing birds chirp? Winter’s on its way out, but if you want to get a head start on welcoming back spring, the answer is closer than you might think. The editors at AllFreeChristmasCrafts have had all winter to find ways to help you, and now, we’re excited to share some nature-inspired crafts that will brighten up your home with freshness and color.

Homemade Wreaths

Wreath crafts are popular for any time of year, and they can easily bring a touch of color to your door. You can make something more abstract, like a Bird’s Nest Wreath, which is durable enough to last all year, reminding you of springtime no matter what time of year it is. You can also learn how to make a wreath using actual nature like with this Boxwood Berry Wreath. The design is festive for winter, but green enough for spring. If you don’t want to use real materials, but still want a realistic design, there are also colorful alternatives like those used in the Festive Nature Wreath.

Crafting with Pine Cones

There are many different natural materials that you can use in your nature inspired crafting, and we’ve found a common trend amongst crafters already existing. Pine cones are popular because they’re strong, have a unique shape, and can hold a whole array of craft materials. Christmas characters like the Felt Pine Cone Snowman Ornament, as well as other winter craft creatures like the Nature Inspired Holiday Skier, come to life very easily with the addition of fabric. Pine cones can also make for rustic decorations like the Rustic Pine Cone Light Basket for your home that you can touch up with a nice scent to make your guests feel relaxed and welcome.

Projects for Animal Lovers

You don’t have to use nature in all of your nature-inspired crafts. Animal lovers know that instead, you can create a craft inspired by one of your favorite forest creatures. You can make a frame like the Wintertime Bird Frame or the Rustic Nature Frame that really put your design skills to the test. If you’re looking for something more 3D, you can recycle your toilet paper rolls to make a Toilet Role Yule Log Ornament or use real nature to make an Acorn Nest Ornament that help your home to feel more realistically nature inspired.

No matter what time of year it is, nature-inspired crafts are a surefire way to give your home the essence of the outdoors. Use the beauty around you as inspiration (and part) of your next craft project and enjoy the freshness these crafts bring to your home decor.

How do you include nature in your crafting?

Get Crafting for Spring with The Easiest Spring Wreath!

March 19, 2013 by FaveCrafts 1 Comment

Challenging myself for Cre8time and Michaels was just that – challenging. As much as I wanted to sit down and create for one hour a day, life just kept getting in the way! Isn’t that always the case? I did manage to get in my 8 hours, they just weren’t spread out over 8 days. Oops. But I did end up completing a few projects! Now that was a great feeling, because I can’t tell you how many unfinished projects I have laying around. One of my finished projects was this super simple spring wreath.

Now, I set out to make some wall art to decorate my living room. While at Michaels I saw the wreath forms and realized that more than wall art, I needed something to decorate my door. So I flipped my wall art idea into a wreath. Honestly, I still want to add some pretty crochet flowers to it, but that means I need to teach myself how to crochet flowers. So, for now, it’s a simple statement. Maybe I’ll add a flower every other day, as the snow start melting 😉

Participating in this challenge with Cre8time was pretty eye-opening. When you dedicate time to crafting a little bit every single day, you realize a few things. One is that you don’t create enough – even when you are doing it daily. Another is that you will always have too much of a craft supply you don’t need and too little or a craft supply you do need. Always. No exceptions.

There are a lot of other things you realize. Like crafting is a whole lot of fun and you’re not sure why you haven’t been making more time for it all along. And that now since you’re in the swing of things there will be a whole lot more crafting to come! I have actually been digging through spring projects all week and pulled a few favorites that I plan on working on over the next couple weeks. Although narrowing down these floral jewelry projects is going to be tough.

Now my biggest challenge is going to be to stick to my 7 hours of crafting a week. Wish me luck!

How often a week do you craft?

Start Spring with Flower Power Floral Crafts

March 10, 2013 by AllFreeChristmasCrafts 4 Comments

You can bring a breath of fresh air into your home even before the snow has melted away by creating your own craft flowers. Real flowers are beautiful, but arrangements can be expensive, and they don’t last forever. The editors at AllFreeChristmasCrafts want to help you find inexpensive, but beautiful alternatives that you can create and display in your home as long as you want. Learn how to create a variety of flower craft projects with these ideas below:

Chenille Button Flower Ornaments – Start off simple with this ornament craft that can help you get rid of some of your craft drawer clutter. These fun little decorations don’t require much outside of pipe cleaners and buttons, meaning there’s plenty of ways for you to add your own touches. Their size not only allows them to be homemade Christmas ornaments that the whole family can make, but also wearables and embellishments for bigger projects.

Fabric Rosette Cuff – Your home isn’t the only thing that can have a spring-themed upgrade; think about your wardrobe too. Pick out your fabric fabric and see how you can make DIY bracelets with a 3D design that’s going to grab a lot of attention.

DIY Flower Pillow – Another simple way to spruce up your home decor is felt. Any plain pillow can be turned into a spring-inspired flower craft that adds just the right pop of color to any setup. Non-sewists will be happy to know that the tutorial has options for both stitching and gluing, so you can learn how to make a pillow decoration too.

Recycled Book Rosette Wreath – A popular technique when it comes to craft flowers is making rosettes. In this case, you can make a paper craft, recycling craft, and a new homemade wreath all at the same time. It can be a bit time consuming, but the results will be worth the effort.

White Flowers – While many of these projects are meant to be large scale decorations, you can also make flower crafts more suited for a windowsill or mantel. These white flowers are made with easy-to-find materials and add a certain modern elegance that can brighten up any room.

Rose Card – A lot of major holidays have passed, but there are many more coming up (including plenty of birthdays and anniversaries), so make this next occasion all the more special for a loved one by sending them a handmade card with a floral theme. The tutorial has a thorough step-by-step guide for how to create a professional design that will be cherished by anyone.

Cherry Blossom Chandelier – Anyone interested in creating new home decor crafts needs to see this standout decoration. Store-bought chandeliers are very expensive and not suitable for every household. Luckily, there’s this impressive project that is a cascade of flowers and crystals that you can hang in any room with a ceiling. It’s hard to believe this gorgeous DIY craft project is made out of an old embroidery hoop!

What do you make craft flowers for?

In Case You Missed It: “6 Adorable Homemade Christmas Crafts for Summer” eBook

September 29, 2012 by AllFreeChristmasCrafts Leave a Comment

It’s been fall for exactly one week and I already miss summer. I don’t like the cold weather or the falling leaves. I don’t like warm drinks and heavy boots. I miss flip flops, pools and sunshine until eight o’clock at night. This is especially upsetting for me because I am the editor for AllFreeChristmasCrafts.com, a site that does not include any mention of summer at all. Okay, that’s not exactly true. There is one mention of summer of AllFreeChristmasCrafts and it just happens to be one of my absolute favorite free eBooks, 6 Adorable Homemade Christmas Crafts for Summer.

This eBook was created for people like me who can’t quite keep up with the seasons. It’s autumn now but I want to celebrate Christmas in July – is that too much to ask? No matter your state of mind, these projects will get you in the holiday spirit and spark your desire to get creative. In this eBook you’ll find ornaments, wreaths and more. Make projects with the kids or crochet a present for your cat – there are so many fun options for Christmas crafting.

Here’s what you’ll find in this eBook:

Dough Bear Ornaments: Create adorable teddy bear ornaments using a simple bread dough recipe. Once you’ve formed the bears and baked them for three hours in your oven, you can begin painting and bringing them to life. Cover the entire ornament in a clear glaze to help your ornament stand out on the tree. You can add a hook to the top and string it up on your tree or if you prefer, you can leave the hook off and place it on your mantel. This is a fun project for the entire family to work on together.

Ruffled Fabric Christmas Wreath: If you love to sew, then you’ll love creating this DIY wreath. You can use festive fabric scraps for this project – the more mismatched, the better. Spray paint a large letter and add it to your wreath for a personal touch. Make a wreath now and hang it on your door all season long. This is a great way to greet guests and show your holiday spirit.

Download a copy of 6 Adorable Homemade Christmas Crafts for Summer – it’s free!

If you like this eBook, then you’ll love:

Link Love: Country-Style Crafts

September 27, 2012 by FaveCrafts 4 Comments

Rustic, country-themed crafts are having a major moment right now. Many of these projects incorporate wood in some way and require materials such as twine and thread. What’s nice about rustic crafts is that you don’t have to live on a farm or even in the suburbs to create these projects. Even the most urban city slicker can find the supplies needed to create these down-home projects.

There are so many ways to incorporate touches of the country into your own home decor. Now is the perfect time to capture the season and create your own Rustic Fall Vases. You can upcycle empty jars for this project and fill them with season flowers.

Don’t forget to add a few decorative pieces to your wall as well. A cool gift for a down-home grandpa is the Rustic Cabin Plaque. Transfer a meaningful image onto a piece of wood – it’s a great alternative to giving a simple picture frame and it can be hung on a wall! Even the most urban space can be turned into a country escape with a Carved Wood Frame Plaque. Again, wood plays a huge roll in country crafts, and this project really captures that country feel.

There’s something so refreshing about the simplicity of the lines and shapes of these decorative pieces. People travel to the country to get back to nature and clear their head, and each of these projects really captures that sense of calm. There’s nothing fancy or over the top about a wood box or a frame made from twigs and interestingly, that’s what makes them stand out. Rustic crafts also harken back to a simple time. These are the kinds of pieces you would have found in your grandparent’s country cabin, not in some modern home from 2012.

Rustic Twig Frame from Homework
Rustic North Woods Log Ornaments from Crafts by Amanda
Rustic Votives from Bayside Bride
Rustic Snowflakes from Little Things Bring Smiles
Rustic Pallet Wood Boxes from My So-Called Crafty Life
Christmas Berry Wreath from Blosson for Florence Finds
Rustic Pallet Coffee Table from WonderForest
Fall Rustic Banner from Another Bright Idea
Colorful Advent Calendar from Moxie Pear Blog

Do you like the rustic craft trend? Why or why not?

In Case You Missed It: “7 Thrifty Christmas Craft Ideas” eBook

September 27, 2012 by FaveCrafts Leave a Comment

Hey, cheapskates – this one’s for you! During the holiday season, it’s easy to feel like you’re overspending. From gifts to decorations, there are so many fun yet expensive ways to celebrate. Don’t get stressed out and forsake Christmas crafting to cut corners and save money this Christmas. Instead, make one of these inexpensive projects using recyclables and other easy-to-find materials.

Use wine corks, felt, Christmas cards and more to create the projects featured in 7 Thrifty Christmas Craft Ideas. These simple projects won’t take long to make but they’ll last all season and you can even save some for next year. Hang a repurposed wreath or create cute labels for mason jars – the creative possibilities are endless! Enjoy the holiday season and stress less with this handy guide to all things thrifty. In this case, it’s okay to call yourself a penny pincher. In fact, with this free eBook, you’ll want to “go cheap” all year long!

Here are some of the projects you’ll find in this eBook:

Christmas Card Saver: It’s hard to throw away Christmas cards at the end of the season, but for the sake of your space (and your sanity), it’s necessary to declutter when the season ends. This year, save your Christmas cards and make a keepsake you’ll come back to year after year. Simply cut the cards in half and punch three holes on one side. Connect them with ribbon or binder rings and create your own chipboard cover. Make one every year – it’s a great way to preserve memories and save go green at the same time. Plus, you don’t need many materials for this project, so you can save big.

Wine Cork Wreath: Who doesn’t love winding down with a bottle of vino at the end of a stressful day? Save your corks throughout the year and use them for this super simple wreath craft. This project is so easy, even a beginner can make one. You simply need a Styrofoam wreath form, a hot glue gun and corks. You can make this project while you watch TV or listen to music, no need to concentrate hard or stress over the cost of expensive materials. Unwind and enjoy the creative process with this fun Christmas craft.

Download a copy of this 7 Thrifty Christmas Craft Ideas now – it’s free!

If you like this eBook, then you’ll love:

Refashion Your Christmas Decor with 17 Wreath Crafts

September 11, 2012 by AllFreeChristmasCrafts 1 Comment

Every family does Christmas a little differently, and the same can be said for how we all decorate. There is one Christmas decoration that has become a must-have and is still hugely popular right now; wreaths. They’re so versatile; they can be hung inside or outside, and they can be made with practically anything. At AllFreeChristmasCrafts, we’ve come across some projects that we would have never believed would have worked. As an early Christmas gift, we’ve put together a collection of 17 Wreaths to Make with Leftover Materials, a list full of diverse wreath crafts that will save you money and help you clean out your craft drawers.

You would never think you’d find anything in common with Christmas sweaters and craft fabric, but if you take a look at our list of wreath crafts, you’ll see that you can use both to design unique Christmas wreaths. The possibilities are endless if you have fabric materials with practically any color you can find, and because you’re using scraps and old clothes, you’re saving yourself a lot of money while cleaning out your closets.

Since Christmas happens every year, you have to continually replace your lights and utensils. You may even find yourselves running out of room on your tree! Thanks to these wreath crafts, you no longer have to throw away your old, burnt out, and broken Christmas supplies. Instead, you can work them into your crafting and design original wreaths that are totally thrifty. You don’t need money to be stylish, and these crafts prove that!

We wanted to make sure that our collection included materials that you have around your house the entire year, but may not take notice of. Gathering materials for a wreath craft can be as easy as taking an extra look in your recycling bin. Odds are you’ll find a project on this list that uses supplies that you may already have available.

Sometimes your craft projects leave you with leftover materials that aren’t the easiest to work with. You’ll be amazed at the projects on this list, which rework some of the smallest craft materials, like beads, and turn them into long-lasting decorative wreaths. This is a great way to challenge your crafting skills and creativity.

If there’s one craft supply that crafters know how to reuse, it’s paper. There was no way we couldn’t include it in our collection, and we picked out the most eye-popping designs you’ll find anywhere. You’re sure to find something you’ll want to try because each of these projects uses different techniques that create colorful designs with standout geometric patterns.

If you want stylish decorations without the costs of pricey materials, we hope you’ll check out the rest of the projects within our collection of 17 Wreaths to Make with Leftover Materials. You’ll have a holly, jolly Christmas with a wreath you can keep for as many Christmases as you’d like.

What wreath craft would you most like to try?

11 DIY Christmas Wreaths to be Jolly About