Elegant Christmas Wreath
Materials:
- 4 x 20" long ribbons, width and color of choice
- Wreath base made from twisted vines real or artificial
- Pine boughs or holly
- Artificial fruit
- Hot glue gun
Directions:
Step 1: Tie the lengths of ribbon into four bows.
Step 2: Arrange the greenery, fruit, and ribbons loosely on top of the wreath
base, trying various placements.
Step 3: When you are happy with the arrangement, cut the pine boughs to the
desired length. Using the hot glue gun, glue the cut ends of the pine to the
wreath base.
Step 4: Repeat with fruit, and finish off with bows.
Step 5: There is no need to add a loop for hanging since a vine wreath is
easily hung on a nail or hook. Hang the wreath on a door or wall, making sure
the nail or hook is not visible. If you choose to use artificial greenery, your
wreath will last a lifetime.
Variation for Holly Wreath:
For a traditional wreath, substitute fresh holly boughs for the needled
greenery. Cut a few small, healthy holly branches.
Submerge the ends in water until you are ready to assemble the wreath. Strip
small clumps of leaves from the branches, trimming the ends--leave a little of
the twig to poke into the wreath base. Attach the holly in the same manner as
the pine wreath. Small clumps are easier to work with than big unruly bundles.
Decorate as above, or in any way you wish.
Gift Wrap
Ideas
Materials:
- Gift boxes of all sizes and shapes
For Painted Box:
- Artist's acrylic paints
- Paintbrush
- White craft glue
For Fabric-Covered Box:
- Ffabric to cover
- White craft glue
- Ribbon
For Paper-Covered Box:
- Paper to cover
- Glue stick
- Acrylic paint
- Stencil
- Stencil brush
Directions Painted Box:
Step 1: Paint the box in colors the recipient will like. You may need up to
three coats of paint for even coverage.
Step 2: When the paint is dry, glue a figurine to the top of the lid. The
homemade figurine we have used is made from papier-mâché.
Directions Covered Box:
Step 1: Cover each box with fabric or paper. To achieve the neatest finish,
experiment with the corner folds before you glue them down.
Step 2: Decorate the paper-covered box with stencils and allow to dry. Glue
ribbon to the lid of the fabric-covered box with craft glue. Push pins are
useful for holding the ribbon in place while the glue dries. Tie the ribbon bow
and glue it to the top. For contrast, we painted parts of the fabric on the lid
with acrylic paint mixed with a little glue.
Tip: Try covering the lid with the reverse of the fabric, if the
underside provides a pleasing contrast.
Christmas
Stockings
Materials:
- 1 yd. cotton holiday print fabric
- 1 yd. red or green QUILTED solid fabric
- 3 to 4 yds. various trim (gold, green or red 2 1/2" - 3" fringe and
any combination of braid, cord, tassled trim, etc. that works with the print
you've chosen)
- Red or Green thread (whichever your solid quilted fabric is)
- Fabric glue (white glue)
- Newspaper (for making a pattern)
- Straight pins
Directions:
Using a standard white fuzzy store-bought stocking, about 20" long, as a
guide, make stocking pattern with newspaper: Trace a pattern on the newspaper
adding an inch all around the edge of the store-bought stocking (this allows
for your seam width), and 5" to the top (this allows for the foldover in
Step 8 below)
Fold quilted fabric in half, right sides together. Pin pattern to it. Cut and
remove pattern (you will have two stocking-shaped pieces of the quilted
material). Set aside. See Diagram #2 Fold material in half, right sides
together. Pin pattern to it. Cut and remove pattern (you will have two stocking
shaped pieces of printed fabric). With the two pieces of material still
together, cut 4" off the top end of the stocking shapes.
|
|
