craftspage

These are just some of the craft ideas I have picked up over the years. They're not difficult to make and they make great Christmas gifts, package decorators or ornaments. Have some fun!!
	Too Cute Snowman Can (from Crafts'nThings) Materials: Large can, 6" diameter, 7" tall Fabrics: black felt,10 1/2 "x21 1/2"; red plaid flannel, 2"x36". Paints: acrylic: Sand, Santa Red, Black; spray: off-white metal primer; fabric: slick black Wooden items: spool: 5/8" diameter, 3/4" tall; dowel 3/16" diameter, 2" in length Silk holly cluster with berries and three leaves,2 1/4" long. Red button, 3/4" diameter, jute twine(3 ply) black permanent marker Supplies:* scissors, ruler, pencil, drill with 3/16" bit, hot glue gun and glue sticks, thick craft glue, paintbrush, scrap sponge, container with water
Instructions: Spray clean can inside and outside with two coats of primer (let dry in between coats). Dampen sponge with water. Sponge paint sides of can with Sand; let dry. Draw face in pencil on can so that the mouth is 2" from bottom of can. Lightly sponge cheek areas with Santa Red. paint eyes black and place a highlight in each eye with Sand. ( the handle end of a paint brush is good for the dot). With black marker, draw mouth, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Paint spool and dowel with black; let dry. Assembly: Drill the following: pipe hole in can at left side mouth, hole in spool, 1/8" from one end. Check holes for fit and adjust as needed. With thick craft glue, glue the dowel into hole in pipe; pipe stem into hole in can; back of button below eyes. Let dry. For hat brim, fold one long edge of felt upward 1 1/2"; use glue gun to hold brim in place. Starting at center back, glue hat around head just above eyebrows. Overlap edges at back; glue edges to secure. Cut two 1 yard lengths from jute. Holding lengths together as one, tie jute around top of hat, 1 1/2" from top, into a shoestring bow. Trim tail ends at different lengths, tying a knot at each end. Glue holly in place and finish off by tying plaid fabric around bottom of can. Fray the ends of the scarf for added effect. (I also used this as a unique gift wrap package by placing gift inside can before tying.)

Snowshoe and Jute Box (Lewiscraft, Collection IX)

Materials:
1 papier mache´ round box, medium
1 ball jute, brown 4 ply
acrylic paint-Rusty Nail
1 pair vine snowshoes
1 pine spray x3
3 cinnamon sticks, small
1 24" of 2 ply jute,, natural
1 pinecone
1 pick, natural apple, cone and berry

How to: Starting at bottom of box, glue 4 ply jute around box to 3/4" from top. Paint lid of box with Rusty Nail. Glue snow shoes to box, one shoe flat the other shoe upright. Glue pine spray , pick, cone and cinnamon sticks where shown. Make a jute tassel by wrapping jute around a 4" piece of cardboard 14 times. Tie off at top and wrap with a hangman's knot. Glue tassel in place.

Alpine Tree Pot (Lewiscraft, Collection IX)

Materials:

1 clay pot, 5 1/4"
acrylic paints, Old Ivy and Wicker White
1 stencil, Whimsical Trees (I made my own!)
1 Alpine tree with burlap bag, 24" ( I used a branch, approx. 3/4" diameter, purchased a small craft Christmas tree and inserted into a hole I drill in branch top to fit. Secured it with glue gun. For the pot end, I purchased a small amount of burlap and wrapped some floral foam with it. Placed the floral foam in the pot, stuck the branch into the foam, gathered the burlap loosely and tied with jute or used Spanish moss to cover top of pot)

How to: Paint inside and rim of pot with Old Ivy. Let dry. Stencil triangle trees around bottom of pot. Thin Wicker White to an ink-like consistency and splatter on pot to create snow. Insert tree into pot.

Woodland Sled (Lewiscraft, Collection IX)

Materials:
1 pre-painted wooden sled, large
2 pine sprays x3
2 picks, natural apple, cone and berry
3 cinnamon sticks, large
15" ribbon, 1 5/8" wide

How to: Arrange pine sprays in opposite directions and glue to top of sled. Break cinnamon sticks in half and glue four sticks to top of pine. Trim stems from picks, glue to top of pine sprays and cinnamon sticks. Glue two more cinnamon ticks on top of bow.


	Burgundy & Gold (Lewiscraft, Collection IX) Materials: 1 clay bell pot, 6 1/4" acrylic metallic paint, Pure Gold acrylic paint, Berry Wine floral foam 5 pine sprays x3 3 picks, gold and burgundy 24" ribbon, wired edge, 2" wide 1 sheet of corrugated beeswax, Forest Green cotton wick
How to: Paint pot with Berry Wine. Let dry. Sponge on Pure Gold paint. Let dry. Cut a piece of floral foam to fit inside pot. Trim stems of pine spray and glue into floral foam evenly. Trim stems of picks and glue into floral foam as shown. Make an 8" beeswax candle. Insert into floral foam. Make a 6" single loop bow with 4" tails. Glue at base of candle.


Reindeer Bell Ornaments Materials: 1 package of 2"diameter gold bells 1 package brown pipe cleaners 1 package of green holly sequins 1 package. 1/2" red glitter pompoms 1 package eyes 1/8" red ribbon, spool 1 spool of gold cord (pkg. trim)
How to: Cut pipe cleaners into 4" lengths and 2" lengths. Insert a 4" length through bell loop and twist. Twist a 2" length onto each side to produce "antlers", bend to shape. Glue two sequins in front of antlers and a bow at the base. Glue a pompom in center and position eyes appropriately. Slip gold cord through bell loop and tie a knot for hanging.


	Frosty Friends (Crafts' n Things) Materials: (for 2 ornaments) wooden doll heads: 1 1/2" diameter, two; 2" diameter, one acrylic paints: White, Black, Bright Red, Orange Sparkling fabric paint (or glitter paint) paintbrushes: #8 flat and #10 liner satin ribbon: red, 3/8" wide, 10 inches; white, 1/8"wide, 10 inches red satin cord, 3mm wide, 10 inches ribbed cuffs from child's socks, two sewing needle. White thread, Silver thread. miniature plastic snowflakes, three paper plate, paper towel, water container small twigs for arms, two eye screws, two hand drill with bit to match diameter of twig wood glue, scissors, ruler
How to: With hand drill, make a small hole in top center of each 1 1/2" diameter doll head. Insert one eye screw into each hole, securing with a drop of glue. For arm holes, drill one hole on each side of 2" diameter doll head near top. Paint doll heads white, let dry. Glue one 1 1/2" diameter doll head on top center of 2" diameter doll head; let glue dry thoroughly. To paint face, dip handle end of paintbrush into black; touch handle to head for eyes and smile. With orange, paint carrot nose. For cheeks, dip finger in bright red; wipe finger on paper towel. Lightly touch finger to face for each cheek. For buttons on front of snowman, paint three circles with black. Paint heart to right of top button with bright red. To hang, insert 10" length of cord through eye screw; tie ends together in a knot. For hat, cut a 4"x 5" rectangle from ribbing of sock cuff. For brim, fold up 1/2" on one long side; glue to secure. Glue hat brim around head; overlap and glue ends at back center of head. Scrunch and fold hat, with hanging loop to outside, so hat resembles stocking cap. Glue one snowflake upright to top center of hat in front of hanger. Paint hat with sparkling paint. Place a drop of glue into each arm hole; insert small twigs for arms. Tie a length of cord to each snowflake loop and to one arm.

Golden Angels (Lewiscraft, Collection IX)

Materials:
1 vine Christmas cone, 18" (large angel)
1 vine Christmas cone, 14" (small angel)
2 styrofoam balls, 3"
2 rolls gold lame´ ribbon, 3/4" wide
68" ribbon, printed sheer, 2" wide (large angel)
28" ribbon, printed sheer, 2" wide (small angel)
2 lengths of 12" wired gold cord

How to: (Instructions are for large angel. Follow same directions for small angel except for wings make a 7" diameter single loop bow with 7" tails). Angel head- wrap ball with gold lame´ ribbon. Glue end of ribbon to secure. Glue ball to top of vine cone. Wings- with 68" of ribbon make a 11" diameter double loop bow with 12" tails . Glue bow to back of cone just below ball. Halo-make a 3" diameter circle. Twist end of cord to secure. Glue to back of angel's head. With 18" of lame´ ribbon make a single loop bow. glue bow to front of angel, just below head.