Our Favorite Christmas Crafts
You will need:
writing paper, about 6" by 6"
construction paper, red and green
crayons, markers, glitter, etc.
scissors
glue or paste
pencil or pen
In your best handwriting, copy this poem below onto a sheet of writing paper.
Try to fit it neatly onto a 6-inch square sheet.
December first until Christmas
Is the longest time of the year.
It seems as though old Santa
Never will appear.
How many days until Christmas?
It's mighty hard to count.
So this little chain of links
Will tell you the exact amount."
Now draw a bell or star on construction paper.
Use what ever color you like. Make it about 8-inches by 8-inches -- or a little larger than the sheet with the poem.Cut out your bell or star.Decorate all around the edges with markers, crayons, glitter, etc.Leave the center free so that the poem can be glued there. When the glue from your decorating is dry, glue the poem neatly in the center.
Next make a chain.Cut red and green construction paper into 1-inch by 8-inch strips.Form one strip into a ring and glue it closed.
Slip a second strip through the ring and glue it closed.Continue in this way to make your chain.You will need 24 links (rings) in your chain. One for each day until Christmas.Make a pretty pattern -- 2 red, 2 green, 2 red, 2 green -- or you might want to alternate the colors.
Attach the completed chain to the bottom of your bell or star.
Hang it on a wall or in a doorway.Everyday neatly tear off one of the rings. And before you know it.... Christmas!
Apple Cinnamon Dough
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cinnamon
1/2 cup applesauce
Or, any equal portions of both ingredients depending on the quantity you desire.
Directions:
Stir together cinnamon and applesauce with a spoon until the dough becomes stiff, then use your hands to create a ball of dough.Place the ball of dough on a sheet of waxed paper, flatten slightly with your fingers.Place a second sheet of waxed paper over the top of the dough and roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thick.Use cookie cutters or your own template shapes.Air dry creations on a waxed paper-covered cookie sheet or a cooling rack for at least 24 hours until they are completely hard.
Creative tips:
For extra "sparkle," mix in decorative glitter.
Make your own shapes by trimming the dough with a table knife following around patterns you've cut from cereal box cardboard.
After cutting out shapes, use a drinking straw to create holes for jewelry or ornaments.
Use toothpicks to make smaller holes for threading. Leave in dough until dry and remove.
For a wall hanging, thread a colored ribbon through the shape.
For a brooch, decorate with fabric paint and glue a metal clasp pin to the back (available at craft stores).
Decorate creations with acrylic paint or fabric.
The creations can be used as decorations on a gift box or bag.
Handprint Wreaths
You will need:
green construction paper
glue
red ribbon
piece of cardboard or poster board (optional)
Trace your child's handprints several times on green construction paper. You can do a separate wreath for each child or use handprints from each one of your children to make one wreath. Cut the handprints out. Arrange the handprints in a circle with the prints all pointing in the same direction. If you wish you can cut out a circle wreath out of cardboard or poster board and glue the handprints to the circle wreath. The makes a sturdier wreath. (hint:The easiest way to do this is to use a large bowl and trace it onto the board for the outside circle. Use a smaller bowl for the inside circle.) Otherwise, once you have the handprints arranged to your satisfaction, simply glue them together. Use red ribbon to make a bow to glue to the top of your wreath.
Christmas Tree
What you will need:
Scissors
Glue
Black marker
Green, red, white, and yellow construction paper
What you do:
Draw a triangle on green construction paper. Cut it out and set aside. Make little ornaments and glue them on the tree one by one.
Draw a star on yellow construction paper and glue it to the top of the tree. Draw two equal sized circles cut them out and put them on the tree for eyes. Take a black marker and draw one circle in each eye. Take black construction paper and draw a mouth cut it out and glue on the tree.
Sugar Cone Christmas Trees
You Need:
Sugar Cones
Chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or candy melts
Assorted candies for decorating* (especially gumdrops for the top)
Waxed Paper
Get all ingredients out. Spread out sheets of waxed paper to work on. Microwave chocolate or candy melts in shallow bowl just till starts to melt, stir till smooth.
Roll cone in chocolate with two fingers inside cone (if possible) to hold. Lift cone out with two fingers inside cone. Place a gumdrop on top and press gently . Gumdrop should make it easier to stand cone up on waxed paper. Decorate with assorted candies. Let decorated "trees" stand until chocolate hardens. Store sealed in cool place.
Note: White chocolate seems to harden much faster than regular chocolate, so decorate the white "trees" right away and let the regular chocolate ones set up a minute before decorating.
*Decorations: M&M's large and mini sizes, gumdrops, marshmallows, cinnamon decors, silver ball decors, sprinkles, colored sugars, decorator icing (see below).
Decorator Icing: Mix confectioners sugar with just enough milk (just the tiniest bit) and food color to make a thick icing. It should be thick, but still able to pipe through a decorator's tip. Too thick: add more milk (a little at a time). Too thin: add more confectioners sugar. Pipe either with a decorators bag and tips or put in the corner of a freezer bag* & twist shut; snip off tiniest bit of corner and squeeze bag gently to pipe frosting out.
* Make sure freezer bag has nice square corners and not pleated ones.
Christmas Crafts Links
Lisa's Christmas Crafts
Christmas Fun and Crafts
Learn2 Giftwrap a Present
Personalize your own Stocking
Christmas Candle Holder
Angel Place Cards
Holiday Wreaths
Kids Gift
Chocolate Spoons
Beaded Snowflake
Christmas Ornaments
Christmas Photo Ornaments
Spicy Cinnamon Ornaments
Felt Ornaments
Candy Cane Candles
Decoupaged Plates
Unmitred Photo Frame
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