Handmade Christmas Crafts

Cookie Cutter Christmas Tree Ornaments
You can use patterned christmas wrapping paper, christmas cards that you have cut the cute front pictures out of, or even family pictures for these decorations. Put a silver Christmas-Shaped Cookie Cutter on top of the wrapping paper, or christmas card picture, or family picture ( use a copy of the family photo for the decoration, not the original photo), and trace the shape. Cut out the shape from the paper, and glue the paper design or picture onto the cookie cutter's edge. It should now look like the cookie cutter has a pretty christmas picture/scene inside it. Thread a ribbon through thetop of the cookie cutter by using a needle to go inbetween the picture and the cutter at the top. Slip a bead over ribbon's ends; knot.

Super Easy Pipe Cleaner Candy Canes

Twist together. red and white pipe cleansers to make neatly spaced stripes.

Curl the top into a hook. It should now look like a candy cane!

Take a small piece of ribbon and slip a bead or small ornament on it and tie to candy cane.

Try different colors for candy canes such as Yellow and White, Blue and White, and Green and White.

Faux "Cranberry" Wreath

Easy to do and can be used year after year.

You will need:

Styrofoam wreath form (craft stores will have these)

Red Nail Polish

Red Material That Can Be Glued or Pinned On Wreath To cover

Red Beads (can be all the same size or different sizes you will need around 200 or so for an 8 inch wreath)

Glue

Flathead pins (one for each bead)

Cover the Styrofoam wreath shape with the red material. You will want to wrap the material around the form and overlap it slightly so that the form is completely covered. Red yarn can also work; just make sure the wreath is completely covered. Use pins to secure material to wreath.

Use the red nail polish to coat the top of the pins so they will blend in on the wreath. Let dry.

Slip a bead onto a pin, and pin it onto the wreath. Continue until the wreath is fully covered in beads. It will look even better if you cluster the beads so they do not look evenly spaced out; keep an image of cranberries in your head as you decorate the wreath so as to try and create that image on your wreath.

Bleached Pinecones

You Will Need:

Basket

Pinecones

Bleach

Water

Leaves, berries, twigs, etc. for basket

Fill a large container with one part bleach to 4 parts water.

Add pinecones

Place a container of some sort on top of pinecones to keep them submerged in the water /bleach solution.

Let the pinecones sit in the solution for 24 hours.

Remove pinecones and let them drain on paper towels. Let them completely dry.

Soaking in the water and bleach solution may have caused the pinecones to dry up; they'll open up again as they are drying.

Decorate the basket edge with leaves, garland, cedar sprigs, or whatever you like. Use glue or double sided tape to decorate the edges of the basket.

Place the bleached pinecones inside.