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!

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…