What Makes Christmas Great (with Clay Charms from Klutz)

Christmas is full of wonderful things, like food, family, and lots of holiday cheer! But in the lead up to this amazing time of year, trying to find gifts for everyone on your list can be a bit stressful...

Crafting and shopping for my top people is no problem, but I’m always struggling for a way to cover the people in between: friends I don’t see often; distant family members; and any last minute people who may pop up. This year, I decided to break out one of my perennial Klutz faves, Make Clay Charms, to create some quick, handmade gifts for occasions such as these.

I baked up some super-sized Clay Charms in all sorts of Christmas shapes, and then twisted on wire hooks. Then I popped my homemade ornaments onto some simple sketched backgrounds to make cute, handmade cards that can be stockpiled and handed out on demand. Now I can spread holiday cheer to everyone I encounter! And when it all comes down to it, isn't that what makes Christmas so great?

Teeny Tiny Christmas Gifts (With Mini Pom-Pom Pets from Klutz)

Every once in a while, there comes a new craft that really blows my socks off. I mean, let’s be honest, I love them all, but there are a few Klutz crafting adventures that have really earned top marks in my heart. As soon as I got my hands on Klutz's latest pom-pom adventure, Mini Pom-Pom Pets, I knew it was destined to be added to my "favourites" list. 

These heart-melting cute little fur balls take half the time to make as regular pom-poms, but are twice as darn adorable! Just wrap the coloured wool around any old kitchen fork, snip and decorate and, in no time, you’ve got a handful of teeny tiny pom-pom pets. 

Since ‘tis the season, I dressed mine up in their holiday best! A mason jar goldfish bowl wrapped up with a bow, two kitty ornaments to commemorate a first Christmas, and a little winter scene with some furry Canadian friends. Merry Christmas to you, you, you, and me!

 

Christmas Crafting Season Begins (with Loop Loom Bracelets from Klutz)

The moment November hits, you can already see the first signs of the holiday season ahead. Stores swap Halloween for Christmas decorations, Starbucks releases those familiar red cups and, in Toronto, The Bay reveals their stunning holiday window displays. 

There are many who lament this early start to the Christmas spirit. As a warm weather girl and a November baby who likes her birthday to have its space, I can relate. But the crafty gift giver in me is grateful for the reminder that it's time to start my Christmas crafting. If I want to go DIY with decorations and gifts for all the people on my Christmas list, I've got to get busy!

I popped over here to choose an exciting new Klutz kit  (or an old favourite) to start with. It was a tough choice -- and I can't wait to share my other projects in the coming weeks -- but in the end this girly girl went straight for the jewelry!

Loop Loom Bracelets is Klutz’s take on the rubber band bracelet trend, with one big change. Seven colours of stretchy cord are the medium of choice in this kit, so you can bead-dazzled your bracelets to your heart's content without any danger of them falling apart if one link breaks!

I was looping up a colourful stack of bracelets for my favourite cousin when inspiration struck... These stretchy bands would make great gift-wrapping ribbon too! So I’m making as many pretty beaded ribbons as I can, and boy am I glad I got my early start! This Christmas, my presents are going to be just as pretty on the outside! 

Wrap it Up With Klutz Stencil Art and Twirled Paper

There are a million things to love about Christmas: friends and family, gingerbread and eggnog, giving and getting gifts, and so much more! But as much as I love this holiday, there are a couple of things that just don't make sense.

My biggest beef? Gift wrapping! The crafter in me acknowledges the beauty of a perfectly wrapped present with pretty paper and big bows, but my thrifty side saddens a little at the thought of spending money on something that only has a few moments in the sun before heading straight to the landfill.

So, this year, I saved my wrapping budget and got a little creative— with Klutz, of course! 

I dug out my copies of Stencil Art and Twirled Paper and set to work creating my very own wrapping paper. With a dab of ink here and a curl of paper there, my wrapped gifts look so pretty that my friends will never know I only got down to wrapping on the eve of the big day!

Looking for more Klutz fun to get you through the winter break? In Christmases past, I made a pretty faux snow globe and Velvet Art Christmas cards, I planned my holiday wardrobe with Paper Fashions, and I decked out my tree three ways. There's tons of Klutz fun to be had before 2013 comes to an end, so get busy!

Wishing you the craftiest of Christmases and looking forward to another year of creating wonderful things, being good, and having fun!

Charm Your Tree with Klutz: Make Clay Charms

You might remember how I went kind of crazy for Make Clay Charms a while back. I brought it up to a cottage weekend and all hands got busy, molding, sculpting, and baking charms to put on pretty much everything we owned. It was a blast!

Well, it turns out that the Canadian Toy Testing Council agrees, because this cute little craft is a Children’s Choice winner for 2014! To celebrate this victory of one of my favourite Klutz kits, I decided it was time to indulge in my obsession again. I broke out Make Clay Charms and charmed up a tree in honour of two of my favourite things: Christmas and Catching Fire!

That’s right; I am feeling the Hunger Games fever with the latest and greatest movie adaptation. I’m trimming my tree with the Christmas classics, along with flames, nightlock berries, and cute mini-book covers, all made of clay!

Merry Christmas and a very happy Hunger Games to all!

Six Bands a-Beaded

On the first day of Christmas, Klutz gave to me…

 Beaded Bands under my tree!

Okay, so Christmas is still a couple of days away, but this is one present I'm sure glad I opened early! Beautiful, Beaded Bands has everything you need to make super chic and totally on-trend bracelets that look too good to be homemade. This year, I'm spreading Christmas cheer with these pretty little stocking stuffers.

On the sixth day of Christmas, I'll give six bands a-beaded to some very lucky friends!

And you can win your very own copy of Beaded Bands from Scholastic Canada.
Click here to enter! 

The countdown is on, only three more days to go...

Merry Christmas fellow crafters! See you in the New Year!

Back in Time (with Spiral Draw)

If I had to name my three favourite childhood toys, 
they would probably be:

1. Easy-Bake Oven 
   (Because making your own desserts = awesome!)

2. Speak-and-Spell 
    (Nerd alert!)

3. Spirograph

Can I get a hands up from all those who loved their Spirograph too? It was so simple, but felt so high tech, and there was something incredibly hypnotizing about that swirling, whirling, geometric art. So, I was super excited to discover that Klutz had given my childhood fave a second lease on life with Spiral Draw. It's got in-book activities, a no-slip frame, tons of colourful gears, and a six-colour quick-switch pen for some seriously rainbow-coloured spirals, which means I’ll be taking this nostalgia trip for days!

 

And in case you need even more to be excited about, Klutz books now come in a deluxe new boxy format, which makes them even better for sharing, and easier to wrap. So wrap up a new boxy Klutz book and spread some craftiness!

One Tree, Three Ways

One of my favourite Christmas rituals is the decorating of the tree. The smell of fresh evergreen in the air, a mug of hot chocolate for fuel, Christmas carols on the radio, the fireplace channel on TV, and I'm ready to go! 

When my dad would haul up the big cardboard box of ornaments from the basement, it was like the first Christmas present of the season. We’d open that box up and sort through all of our holiday trinkets and mementos, reminiscing as we draped the tree in paperclip ice skates, shrinky dink Santas, and pumpkin seed poinsettias.  Now that I have a tree of my own (albeit a very mini one), it’s time to start my own collection. I’m commemorating my first Christmas as an honest-to-blogger here with some handmade 100% Klutz ornaments.

Last week, while busily making my Christmas Velvet Art cards, I also put together some fuzzy Velvet Art ornaments (above). They’re super cute and easy to make; the perfect activity to keep little ones busy during snowy winter days. Just punch them out, colour (it doesn’t have to be inside the lines), add some string and you’re set! 

Looking for more of a creative challenge? Get twisted! Ever since I first made my Twisted Halloween Critters, I have been hoping for a chance to make some more. So I set to work with those colourful pipe cleaners and I love, love, love the results. Candy canes, wreaths, reindeer, earmuffs and mittens; these twisted ornaments (below) fill me with holiday joy! 

Finally, try your hand at some Fabulous Paper Dolls to finish it all off. Peel and stick clothes to make all sorts of paper people, then attach loops of string to hang. I made some wintery characters in honour of the season, and some extra special ornaments to celebrate this year’s milestones. A new baby girl in the family, a great tropical vacation, rereading all of the Harry Potter books; just some small reminders of all the things that made this year great. 

 Looking for some more last minute craft inspiration? Pick up Christmas Window Art and deck your windows out in some festive stained glass. You can also use Window Art to make this faux snow globe (below). Flip over a jar or wide vase and stick on some Window Art snowflakes. Then create a little scene to go inside your globe, like this one, made with Twirled Paper and some tea lights. 

Alright boys and girls, that’s it for me this holiday season. Time to hang up my scissors, put down the glue and let the celebrating begin.

 May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be… crafty!

Hot Holiday Accessories

Winter is a time for taking cover from the cold in big, fluffy hats and warm woolen mittens. But that doesn’t mean the season should be without style! Share some love with your under-appreciated appendages (head, arms and legs!) with some hot holiday accessories.

Headbands have had a style renaissance since their days in the 80s when they were thick, padded and paired with a scrunchy. Today, they are all about flair, with big bows, flowers and jewels to spare. I made these super stylish Headbands and Hairstyles for myself a while back, but this time around I’m all about sharing. It is almost Christmas, after all!

Pink ruffles and sequins for my favourite party girl. A black and blue bow band for a friend with more classic style. And who wouldn't love to get this simple red bow with just a hint of shine? 

If you've got more friends than headbands, make some super cute hair clips by attaching your bows and baubles to bobby pins. 

If headpieces aren't really your thing, try Brilliant Bead Rings! This colourful kit comes with a rainbow of seed beads and twisty wire so that you can string together rings for all of your friends, and maybe even that someone special! With seven designs to choose from there is one for all tastes and styles: make a simple coloured band, a costume-y flower ring or something completely different! In this season of holiday parties and gatherings, your friends will have plenty of opportunities to show off their new finger accessories. 

Even if you haven't got a crafty bone in your body, you can still give the gift of Klutz. Pick out a kit that you and your friends will love and give them an afternoon of awesome arts and crafts. They might even reward your thoughtfulness by sharing one of their creations.

For a full list of all of Klutz's fabulous kits, head here. But come back soon because next week it's all about trimming your tree, plus a couple of fun decorating projects.

Only one week of Christmas craftiness left… Better get busy!

Rockin' Stocking Stuffers

There are few things that make me swoon like a pretty piece of jewellery. Nothing too fancy; diamonds are not this gal’s best friend! My jewellery just needs to be fun, colourful and cute. When I first spotted Ribbon Bangles, I was smitten! And when it came time to decide what to get my best gals for Christmas, it was practically a no-brainer.

I used Ribbon Bangles a while back to give my Wicked Cool Friendship Bracelets a boost, but these beauties also deserve a chance to shine on their own. They are so simple to make! Just wrap the ribbon around the coloured plastic bangles, securing it in place with glue, and they're ready to wear! Slip one into a stocking for a rockin’ stocking stuffer or tie a bunch together with a Christmas ribbon for a more substantial present.

If bangles aren't really your bestie's style, these Charm Chains are sure to please. Make bracelets, pendants, earrings and more with the twist of a crochet hook. I even fashioned this one-of-a-kind hair clip (below) by twisting my beaded flower around a bobby pin. It was just so pretty that I had to remind myself that Christmas is a time of giving (so I wasn’t allowed to keep it for myself!).

It's so easy during the holiday season to get wrapped up in spending. But the heart of gift-giving is thoughtful, personalized presents that show you did more than just fork over some cash. So scan your list, pick your Klutz and get crafting. Then check back next week for more fabulous handmade gifts!

Handmade for the Holidays: Warm and Fuzzy Holiday Wishes

We've officially had our first snow of the season and as I watched those fluffy flakes swirl about, I was transported back to Christmases spent reading a book and eating sugar cookies under a blanket by the window as the snow blustered by outside. And though this snowfall only lasted a couple of hours, it's been in my mind all day. It's official, I'm in the Christmas spirit!

So, I'm spreading my cheer with cute Christmas Velvet Art cards. This fun little book is bursting with seasonal spirit, with tons of pop-out cards, gift tags, ornaments and art in fun patterns for you to colour. And the best part? They are all topped off with a touch of velvet!

Bright colours, festive designs and a fancy, velvet finish; what could be better? I made my cards with plain white paper and some red ribbon. Warm, fuzzy holiday wishes sure to melt the hearts of my most near and dear. Isn't that what Christmas is all about?

Check back throughout the month because the Christmas craftiness continues with Velvet Art ornaments, a DIY snow globe, my Window Art masterpiece, and some more great gifts to give your family and friends.

Let the holidays begin!

Handmade for the Holidays

There's music in the air and sales in the stores, lights are going up and that magical cheer is spreading. Yep, that's right, it's Christmas time. And since my birthday has finally come and gone, it's time to start the celebration!

Now, I am a Christmas lover to my core. Fun, food, family; it's pretty much the only thing that makes winter bearable. But it can also be pretty pricey, which is not ideal for this cash-strapped crafter. Luckily, you won't have to break your (piggy) bank to get into the holiday spirit this year! I'm celebrating the season with a month of homemade Christmas craftiness: decorations, cards, gifts... I'm doing it all, with a little help from Klutz.

Gifts tend to be the biggest budget buster, but not with this handy little book. Create personalized art pieces for all of your friends with Paper Stained Glass. These semi-transparent pages are begging to be infused with colour, whether you colour by numbers or go crazy with your own combinations.

Creating these pretty window pieces can be as easy or as detailed as you like. You can start off simple by taping your art to a window, or take it one step further by making a card stock frame (to keep your design sturdy) and attaching a ribbon for hanging.

For a more polished look, put your pieces in a picture frame that can be leaned against a windowsill or hung from a hook. That pretty heron will look great in my mom’s kitchen window! And my friend Rachel is sure to get a kick out of my quirky clothesline picture.

An old lamp gets a new lease on life with a quick wrap of this paper stained glass. I bet this indigo-hued creation will look great in my purple-loving sister's new apartment!

If you're feeling extra fancy, make this pretty paper lantern by folding a piece of cardstock to create a three-sided frame. Tape in your stained glass and finish it off with a battery-operated tea light to make it glow. It's the perfect gift for any little (or big) people who like a little light in the night.

Four great gifts from one simple book! How cool is that? Take a peek through a copy and see which designs inspire you to create some customized art for the ones you love.

And if you’re looking for more ways to decorate your windows, be sure to check back next week. I'm decking my halls with Christmas Window Art. Here’s a sneak peak…