Showing posts with label christmas tree. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas tree. Show all posts

Thursday, 19 December 2013

DIY: How to Make Easy Christmas Decorations with Gold Leaf



Getting crafty with ornaments has become one of my new favorite things about the holidays. And apparently I like my ornaments with a bit of bling. Last year it was all about glitter, and this year it's gold leaf. These gorgeous gold leafed ornaments are crazy simple to make, as long as you don't mind getting a tiny bit messy. Gold leaf flakes do tend to fly everywhere, so make sure you have newspaper or other paper underneath to collect them. It makes cleaning up so much easier!

Supplies


  • Clear glass ornaments
  • Tacky spray
  • Gold leaf flakes
  • Acrylic paint

1. Paint the Inside of the Ornament

Step 1

Remove the ornament cap and squeeze paint into the top opening. Shake and swirl until the entire inside is coated with paint.

Step 2

After the inside is covered, give it a day to allow the paint to fully dry. You can place the ornament upside down in an egg crate to let any excess paint drain out.

2. Apply Gold Leaf

Step 1

Lightly spritz the outside of the ornament with tacky spray. The more glue you apply, the more gold leaf will end up on the ornament, so don't coat it.

Step 2

Apply the gold leaf flakes either with your hand or by just rolling it in the flakes. If you do use your hands, try to not get too much tacky spray on them or you'll become gold-leafed as well!


Step 3

Give the glue a couple of minutes to dry and then rub off the excess gold leaf with your hands. Keep rubbing until you're satisfied with the texture and amount of paint showing.

3. Seal the Ornament

This is an optional step. Apply a coat of mod podge to the ornament to seal the gold leaf. Once that is dry, all you need to do is put the ornament cap back on.

Decorate with Your New Luxe Ornaments
These ornaments are so festive, and they would make a great gift too!
In this tutorial, you learned how to cover clear glass ornaments with gold flakes. You can apply these skills to other Christmas crafts to give them a luxurious and decadent edge.

Source: tutsplus






Tuesday, 17 December 2013

Christmas Countdown: 7 Days ~ Crochet Christmas Tree Decorations


Make your own vintage style home-made Christmas decorations with this very easy tutorial.

You will need;

  • Felt in Brown/White/Red
  • Red DK/Light worsted weight yarn for sewing
  • Yarn needle & scissors
  • Toy stuffing
  • Ribbon
  • PVA glue
  • Black DK/Light worsted weight yarn (robin eyes)
  • Green DK/Light worsted weight yarn (holly leaves - xmas pudd)
  • Small red button (xmas pudd)
  • White DK/Light worsted weight yarn (gingerbread man eyes)



Happy Crafting!

Tuesday, 3 December 2013

Christmas Countdown: 21 Days ~ 8 Holiday Quick & Easy Decorating Ideas


Keep holiday spending under control with these innovative and easy Christmas crafts that spread holiday cheer. We have 8 Christmas projects for you to try, from holiday door decorations to festive table toppers -- all available on a budget!


1. Light Up the Night


Tiny bulbs create a striking modern display when placed in frosted cylindrical vases. Wrap ribbon around the bottoms of the vases and affix with double-sided tape. Loosely coil a single strand of lights in each vase, and then send the plug end over the back lip of the vase and run it behind so it's hidden. Use lights that have been tested for safety (look on the label), and always unplug the strand when left unattended. (source)


2. Holiday Message Wall Decoration


Decorate a wall with a message made of thin metal letters adhered to printed papers. Hang in identical frames topped with pretty ribbon bows. (source)


3. Card display


Create eyecatching holiday decor from your Christmas cards. Use this year's cards as they arrive or save them from year to year. Showcase cards on a unique surface, such as a salvaged shutter (pictured), wooden sled, ladder, garden trellis or empty picture frame. (source)


4. Snowflake Napkin Ring


Add a touch of whimsy to a traditional holiday place setting with a snowflake napkin ring. Read more


5. Jar Luminarias


This perfect-for-any-age project uses glass jars to give a warm glow to your entry or mantel. You can punch letters, a snowflake pattern, or any other festive design. (source)



6. Gumdrop Pops


Stack gumdrops, dot them with sprinkles and other candies in creative ways, and watch the colorful confections come to life as snowmen, Santas, and other icons of the season. (source)


7. Make candlestick cones


Top silver candlesticks with silvery painted pinecones for an elegant display. Group several on a tray, and add some blue or silver ornaments for even more impact. To paint pinecones, apply several thin coats of metallic silver spray paint. (source)



8. Confetti-Filled Ornaments


Clear glass ornaments can be the showcase for a lot of festive fillings: scraps of ribbon, confetti paper and even glitter. Read more


Happy Holidays!



Wednesday, 20 November 2013

Christmas Countdown: 34 Days ~ 8 DIY Christmas Advent Calendars for Kids


Christmas advent calendars are not only so much fun to make but create a family tradition that your kids will remember for years to come. 

So here are 8 of the best DIY Christmas Advent and Christmas Count Down Calendars with free tutorials and pictured instructions so you can easily make them at home and for your kid's room.

1. Knock-Off Ballard Designs Advent Pillow

You can use a felt gingerbread man, or a candy cane, a small Christmas cookie cutter, whatever you like. Read more


2. Cute elves Advent Calendar

Create a whimsical gang of elves to help you count your way through Advent.  Read more

3. Small Village Calendar

Here is a village of small houses with retro prints, filling in secret surprises to wait dwarves before the arrival of Santa Claus. Read more


4. Paper Bag Advent Calendar

This Christmas craft tutorial shows you how to make a simple advent calender using brown paper bags, string and pegs. Read more


5. Santa Calendar

This is the "What are you looking forward to about Christmas?" Santa. you have to ask one question each morning and your kids will know it's something you like to do. Read more

6. Santa Beard Countdown

Say hello to a less-hairy Santa. But don't worry, he won't be beardless for long because every day during the month of December, you will be adding a cotton ball to his face to form a fluffy, white beard! Read more


7. Woodland Christmas Calendar

This is endlessly customizable! Set up a barn scene with pigs and cows, or create a garden with tiny animals and flowers. Read more


8. Tree Houses Christmas Calendar

The gold and black design really pops when it’s backlit with Christmas lights. Plus you can make tiny houses for small treats (gum, hair clips) and larger ones to accommodate bigger items like coloring books. Read more


Happy Holidays!

Tuesday, 19 November 2013

Christmas Countdown: 35 Days ~ Polymer clay Christmas Crafts


Handmade Polymer Clay Christmas Crafts are unique, versatile and fun to create. You can enjoy making the most colorful ornaments possible with your kids.


1. Christmas Mugs 

This Polymer clay Christmas craft project shows you how to make mugs and turn them into handmade and personalized Christmas Tree decorations.



2. Christmas Presents

These are really cute as charms, necklaces and ornaments. You can just change the colours and make them birthday presents.



3. Kawaii Reindeer

This Kawaii Reindeer Tutorial is quite simple to make, but you do need some patience.



4. Rilakkuma In A Stocking

In this tutorial you will learn how to make the cute Rilakkuma in a stocking! This is quite simple to make, and the red glittery clay has a great look.



Happy Crafting!

Monday, 18 November 2013

Christmas Countdown: 36 Days ~ 6 DIY Paper Ornaments


Paper is the great material for homemade Christmas tree ornaments. With all these different papers available you can come up with something really cool and creative. From paper you can make flowers, ice creams, animals and a lot of other things that could easily find a place on your Christmas tree.

We’ve gathered together our favorite DIY ornaments to add to your decorations this year, because without ornaments… your Tannenbaum is just a pine tree.

Enjoy these 6 tutorials!

1. Ice-cream Ornaments

Are you having trouble adjusting to the thought of winter? These ice cream cones are made from tissue paper and a grocery bag. Read more


2. Painted Animal Ornaments

If you want to make a unique tree with handmade decorations that suit you and your wee house, then these non-typical Christmas Ornaments are the right choice. Read more

3. Heart Ornaments

Big, happy (and economical) hearts for your tree and if you are like us, you have some great paper waiting for this project. Read more


4. Silver Star Ornaments

Cut thin strips of newspaper or from a book page. Loop each strip until you have enough to form a circle; hot-glue together in the center. Add glittery chipboard stars in the middle for subtle shine.  source


5. 3-D Flower Ball Ornaments

These colorful ornaments made of interlocking flowers look complex but are actually very easy to make.  Read more


6. Sheet Music Christmas Ornaments

Let plain, transparent ornament balls sing by stuffing them with sheet music from your favorite Christmas carols. It's simple and cheap to make these joyful ornaments. Read more


Friday, 15 November 2013

Christmas Countdown: 39 Days ~ 10 Lovely Alternative Christmas Trees


The Christmas tree is a classic symbol of the holiday season and sometimes, maybe the best way to get in the holiday mood. If you don’t want to decorate your house in a traditional way and you want to see modernism in your house, substitute a traditional tree with something cool and unusual.

Take a gander at some of the interesting applications we’ve found, and see if any of these would be perfect to incorporate into your home this holiday season.

1. Create an installation of frames on which you can hang the balls.




2. Use a usual tree – not a fir tree and paint it with gold or white and decorate it.



3. Create a tree of grass and decorate it with shells – that’s a marine theme of decoration.


4. Use your imagination and inspire from your hobbies.





5. Create a garland installation on the wall – that’s cool, gives a feeling of celebration and won’t take much time to make.




6. Felt and feather fir trees are ideal to put on the table.




7. This Upside-Down Tree takes up less space and gets those ornaments out of the reach of pets and kids, but you still have a tree to put gifts under.




8. The wall-sticker tree helps you cut out the Christmas tree process without leaving you spirit-less. You can make it even more personalised with this beautiful and warm words.





9. DIY Wooden Christmas Trees are great holiday decor ideas, especially for those who are thinking of going economical and eco-friendly this year.





10. This is another DIY wooden Christmas tree idea that will require the use of wooden blocks.

Happy Holidays!