Holiday How-Tos

MATERIALS:

• Cardboard boxes; cereal boxes, tissues boxes, pasta boxes, any kind of box works
• X-Acto knife
• Spray adhesive; any other glue will work as well
• Scissors
• Paper
• Hot glue gun
• Details to decorate the house like pom poms, glitter, paint, markers, glitter, anything you have around your house

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Use the X-Acto knife to cut the box into a “house” shape

2. Save the cut pieces to make the roof and cut them so they fit on the top of the house

3. Cover the box with paper by spraying the paper with spray adhesive and attaching it to the box

4. Wrap the box like a present with the paper

5. Cover the pieces for the roof with paper as well and attach the “roof” to the “house” with glue, preferably with a hot glue gun

6. Then, decorate!!

7. Add a door and windows by cutting them with the X-Acto knife

8. Decorate with any supplies you have!

TIPS:

• Use kraft paper to achieve the “gingerbread look”

• You can make the house any color you like with your choice of paper

• If you do not have spray adhesive, paint the glue onto the box in a thin layer

• If using spray adhesive, make sure to work in a well-ventilated area

Print How-To

DIY Oversized Christmas Ornaments

Level:

Intermediate

How-To:

Christmas Decor, Outdoor Decor

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

Materials

• Floral foam balls in a variety of sizes. (12”, 10”, and 8”)
• Acrylic paint in fun colors
• Large paint brush
• 18 gauge crafting wire in gold
• PVC end caps 3”
• 2” deli cups (2” diameter at the opening)
• Gold spray paint
• Drill with drill bit
• Foam glue
• Wire cutter
• Hot glue/glue gun
• Glitter (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Paint your foam balls with your paintbrush and acrylic paint. Set aside to dry. TIP: Spray paint would be a whole lot easier but beware – spray paint actually eats into Styrofoam with will make your ball look like the surface of the moon! So even though it might take longer, the good old-fashioned paint brush and acrylic paint in the way to go! If you want to add glitter to your ornaments, now is the time to do it when the paint is still wet.
2. For your tops, we are going to be using the PVC end caps and the deli cups.
3. Take your drill and drill bit and drill two holes into each end cap and deli cup.
4. Here’s where you get to spray paint! Take your PVC end caps and your deli cups outside and give them a coat of gold spray paint. Make sure you even get the holes that you just drilled. Set aside to dry.
5. Once everything has dried, add your wire to the holes of your caps to resemble a hook at the top of an ornament. Bend the ends underneath the cap and use hot glue to secure into place.
6. Take your cap and push it slightly into the Styrofoam ball to create an indent.
7. You can use hot glue on a low setting or Styrofoam glue to secure the cap to the ornament.
8. Enjoy your cute oversized ornaments!

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Print How-To

DIY Christmas Card Memory Book

Level:

Intermediate

How-To:

Storage

Seasonal Event:

Holidays, Christmas

Materials

• Book
• Grommet set
• Book Rings (2)
• Scrapbook
• Spray Glue
• Hole punch
• Drill
• Exacto knife

Instructions:

1. Slice book along cover line to remove pages.
2. Cut a piece of scrapbook paper to fit outside of spine and make sure it’s long enough so it bends over into the inside on both sides and glue it along the spine.
3. Cut a second piece of scrapbook paper to fit the inside of the book and spray glue on.
4. Drill holes close to the spine through the book for the grommets and rings.
5. Add grommets to the holes.
6. Add rings and Cards.

TIP: To know exactly where to hole punch your cards, create a guide with an extra piece of scrapbook paper that you keep in the book, so your cards are evenly punched every time.

Print How-To

DIY Family Portrait Snow Globes

Level:

Intermediate

How-To:

Home Decor

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

Materials

• One gallon fish bowl (glass or plastic)
• Fake snow
• Glue gun and glue sticks
• Super glue
• Scissors
• Craft knife
• Miniature Christmas trees
• White foam core
• Ribbon (optional)
• Family photo
• Printer
• Spray Adhesive
• Photo paper
• Wood rounds just slightly bigger than the opening of your fish bowl

Instructions:

1. Take a family photo that you want to use and print it on photo paper. You will want your picture to be about 2/3 of the size of your fish bowl, so enlarge or decrease the size of your picture depending on the size of your glass fish bowl.
2. Cut out your family figurines with scissors. Since we want to make it look like your family is in the snow with the trees, you want to make sure you cut out all background on your pictures.
3. Take your cut-out picture and spray adhesive on the back.
4. Attach it to the foam core. TIP: You can use gloves or a paper towel on top of the picture so that you don’t get fingerprints on it and it stays clean.
5. Glue your family picture to the wood round with a lot of hot glue. This will be covered with snow so it doesn’t have to be perfect.
6. Add little miniature trees and décor to create your own little snow globe scenes.
7. Once you love the configuration, glue the items into place with hot glue.
8. Let the glue set up and move over to your fish bowl. Turn it right side up and fill about 1/3 of the way up with fake snow.
9. Keeping the bowl right side up, add a bead of glue all the way around the rim.
10. Take your wood round and place it on top of the bowl and hold it in place (upside down) until it adheres.
11. Turn the entire structure over and let the snow fall where it may! Voila! You have a Family Portrait Snow Globe!

Feature your kid's artwork!

MATERIALS:

• Frame
• Cardboard
• Fabric
• Yarn
• Hot glue
• Twig

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut cardboard to fit frame.

2. Cut fabric to be 2” larger than cardboard on all sides.

3. Lay cardboard on top of wrong side of fabric and fold edges of fabric up around cardboard. Hold in place with hot glue.

4. Secure covered cardboard in frame using hot glue.

MAKE TASSELS:

1. Cut a 4” square of cardboard and cut a small slit on each side near the top.

2. Cut a 5” piece of yarn and secure each in on slits.

3. Wrap yarn 30 times around non-slit sides of cardboard square.

4. Take 5” piece of yarn out of slots, pull up and gather tightly around top of wrapped yarn and tie in knot.

5. Cut opposite end of wrapped yard with scissors, releasing it from cardboard.

6. Gather loose ends of yarn together and tie another piece of 5” yarn about an inch below top tie to create a tassel.

7. Repeat, creating 10 tassels

5. Attach twig vertically at bottom of board using hot glue.

6. Covering twig slightly, glue 4 tassels to create bottom of tree.

7. Above these tassels, but still overlapping, glue 3 tassels.

8. Above these, glue 2 tassels.

9. Glue a single tassel at top.

10. Hang

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Materials

• Several vintage style suitcases
• Painter’s tape
• White primer
• White spray paint
• White glitter
• Clear sealant
• Wired ribbon
• Luggage tags
• Pretty ink pens
• Ribbon to attach
• Vintage travel decals

Instructions:

1. Collect old suitcases. You will want a variety of shapes and sizes to make your display interesting. Ultimately, you want to stack the suitcases on top of each other.

2. Tape off any hardware that is visually interesting. Save things like keys & luggage tags. Play with how the locks sit-- you can sometimes move them so that they are more interesting to your final product. I can show you this on one of the cases I sent. You can decide if you think it’s worth noting.

3. Spray with white spray paint. If you are using a dark colored suitcase a spray paint with primer will speed up the project. Repeat until you get the desired look you want. Usually at least 2 coats.

4. Once you get good white coverage, liberally cover with glitter while the spray paint is still wet. You will want to go back later and seal the glitter with another coat of spray paint. This changes the look of the glitter from shiny to a more textured finish.

5. You can treat luggage tags using the same paint and glitter formula.

6. Stack suitcases. Use travel decals or stickers to embellish the suitcases. You can use places you've visited or lived, or places you want to travel too. Re-attach any keys.

7. Embellish your suitcase stack with floral pics, and a ribbon for your suitcase handle. Fill out your luggage tags. You can use your family name and home address or simply write "Merry Christmas" on your tag.

Print How-To

Frozen Chocolate Bar

Level:

Advanced

How-To:

Home Decor, Outdoor Decor, Entertaining

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

Materials for Polar Bears

• Marshmallows, small, medium, large
• White candy melts
• Candy eyes
• Lollipop stick
• Chocolate candy for nose
• Toothpicks

Materials for Snowflake Drink Stirrers

• Popsicle sticks or plastic drink stirrer
• Snowflake decoration; clay or plastic
• Hot glue gun

Instructions:

FOR POLAR BEARS:

1. Dip the medium marshmallow into the melted white chocolate and attach to the large one to make the snout
2. Dip the small marshmallows into the white chocolate and attach them to the large one to make the ears
3. Use a toothpick to add a small amount of chocolate onto the large marshmallow where you want the eyes and nose and attach the candy eyes and the chocolate candy to make the eyes and nose
4. Place in the fridge to harden
5. Stick a lollipop stick into the bottom; optional but it helps it stay up and look like the polar bear is sticking his head out of the chocolate

SNOWFLAKE DRINK STIRRERS:

1. Glue the snowflake decoration onto the popsicle stick or plastic drink stirrer with hot glue

Materials

• Book
• Hot Glue
• Scissors
• Craft Paper
• Ribbon
• Embellishments

Directions

1) Fold pages of book to center until complete circle.

2) Hot glue edges together.

3) Decorate with ribbon and glue on holiday embellishments

OR

1) Open book to center.

2) Fold the middle third of the pages.

3) Cut silhouettes out of craft paper .

4) Hot glue silhouettes on flat pages.

Materials for the Layering Candle

• Beeswax sheets
• Cookie cutters
• Wicks

Materials for the Traditional Candles

• Soy wax
• Cookie cutters
• Candle dye chips
• Wicks
• Baking sheet
• Wax paper

Instructions:

FOR THE LAYERING CANDLE:
1. Lay out your beeswax sheet & start stamping your cookie cutter into it.

2. Cut about 10 pieces to make one candles.

3. Sandwich a wick in between about 5 layers & then all another 5 layers on top to complete.

4. Cut your wick to about ⅛.

5. If you would like to make it a cake topper just stick some toothpicks in & stick on your cake.

FOR THE TRADITIONAL CANDLES:
1. Melt your soy wax & add your candle dye chips if you would like to make it colorful.

2. Melt & mix.

3. Pour about a ½ inch into a prepared baking sheet.

4. Then place your cookie cutters in.

5. Once it starts to harden up little place your wicks in.

6. Let fully harden.

7. Pop them out & lite them!

Materials

• 3 Premade Wood Toy Boxes
• 3 wood crates (small, medium, large)
• (8) 6” wood rounds
• (2) 11” wood rounds
• (8) 4” wood rounds
• 1 shield plaque
• (1) 8” sonotube
• 1 rectangular plaque (6x8)
• Balsa wood trim
• Puck light
• Train bell
• Spray paint or brush paint
• Craft foam
• E6000
• Drill

Instructions:

FOR THE ENGINE:
1. Cut the medium crate to fit the top of the toy box & glue in place on top of toy chest with E6000.

2. Spray paint the whole thing red.

3. Paint all the wood rounds black.

4. Add 2 small wheels & 1 large wheel to each side of the toy box.

5. Cut ½ inch piece of wood to fit in between the wheels & paint silver.

6. Then glue onto wheels with E6000.

7. Cut your sonotube to about 12”. Cut the bottom to fit the top of toy box lid.

8. Paint sonotube black & then attach to top of toy box with E6000.

9. Paint your shield black & give it some gold trim. (Add kids initials) & attach to the side.

10. Paint your plaque back.

11. Attach your plaque to the front of the engine & then screw your bell into it to connect.

12. Add puck light below.

13. Take a large crate & paint it black. Using tape, tape on the little grates. Then just place in front so it can serve as a little stool.

FOR THE PASSENGER CART:
1. Paint your toy box red.

2. Paint the lid black.

3. Run 1x2 balsa wood across the side of toy box to divide into 4 sections making windows.

4. Paint your windows black.

5. Add 2 wheels (medium size wood rounds) on each side of the train using E6000.

FOR THE CABOOSE:
1. Paint your whole toy box red.

2. Take your small crate & cut bottom to fit the lid if necessary.

3. Glue your crate onto the center of the toy box lid.

4. Paint red.

5. Glue on your wheels.

6. Add 4 small wood plaques on each side (8 total) to add black windows & add embellishments.

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Materials

• Foam core
• X-acto knife
• Fabric
• Spray glue
• Hot glue
• Upholstery tacks

Instructions:

1. Create an edge pattern that you like. IT can be a straight edge of zig zag edge

2. Cut out & you’ll use that to cut out your pieces onto foam core

3. Trace your pattern onto your foam core & cut out with an x-acto knife. Do 4 of these cut outs

4. Then measure the width of your foam core & double that to make your slits. Make slits at the top of 2 of your pieces, and then slits on the bottom of 2 of your pieces

5. To attach the fabric -spray glue your foam core & then place it on your fabric

6. Using scissors cut around tthe cut our leaving about 1 inch - 2 inches of excess fabric

7. Fold the fabric to the backside of your foam core & secure down with hot glue

8. Slide your pieces together

9. Add upholstery tacks down along the side if you prefer

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MATERIALS:

• Branch
• Fabric
• Ribbon
• Buttons
• Wood tag
• Star cutout
• Glitter
• Glue stick
• 5” flowerpot
• Pebbles
• Glue gun

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut fabric into strips 1” to 2” wide in varying lengths from 4” to 12”. You’ll need about 12 to 14.

2. Cut branch to 12” tall.

3. Tie fabric to branch from smallest to largest leaving about 4” at the bottom

4. Apply glue to the cutout star and edges of the wood tag.

5. Sprinkle glitter over glue.

6. Attach buttons and tag and star to tree using hot glue.

7. Position branch in flowerpot and pour pebbles into secure branch.

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Materials

• Wood Container
• Plastic Liner
• Glue Gun/Glue
• Floral Foam
• Knife
• Small Watering Can
• Fresh Pine
• Rose Stripper
• Pine Cones
• Wood Sticks
• Burlap Ribbon
• Wire
• Roses, Tulips and/or Berries

Instructions:

1. Start with a wood box or wood type log container

2. Take your plastic liner and cut it to size

3. Glue plastic liner with glue gun to inside of box/container

4. Soak the floral foam and cut it to size (use a small watering can to water when necessary)

5. Strip the pine needles with a rose stripper so just the stem goes in the floral foam

6. Use the glue gun to glue wood sticks to your pine cones

7. Stick into the floral foam

8. Use wire to make a ribbon loop

9. Decorate with rose, tulip or berry accents!

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Materials

• Frame (we used an 11x14)
• ¼ inch Plywood (dimension of frame)
• Toy and clothes templates
• Velcro
• Spray Adhesive
• Hot Glue Gun/Glue
• X-Acto knife
• Balsa Wood

Instructions:

1. Cut out doll using scissors of X-Acto knife.

2. Attach to one side of plywood using spray adhesive.

3. Remove glass from frame and replace it with plywood. Close frame backing.

4. Attach clothing template to balsa wood using spray adhesive. Use an x-acto knife to cut them out.

5. Cut Velcro to sizes that fit the clothes and attach the soft side to the back of clothes with hot glue, and the hard side to the chest and legs of doll.

6. Add remaining hard side of Velcro to the side of plywood that the doll is not on. Glue as many pieces of velcro that you have clothes. Attach clothes to velcro to store.

Get the Girl Paper Doll >>

Get the Girl Paper Doll Clothes >>

Get the Boy Paper Doll >>

Get the Boy Paper Doll Clothes >>

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Materials

• Cutting mat
• Craft knife or sharp scissors
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Glitter paper
• Bone folder
• Hot-glue gun
• Ribbon or double side tape for hanging

Directions

1. Measure and cut two 20”x 20” squares on your watercolor paper.

2. Fold one corner to its opposite counterpart. Use a bond folder to help you create a durable fold. Repeat this process with the opposite corners to the ones you just used. You should now have two diagonal fold.

3. Turn over your piece of watercolor paper and fold in half using your bone folder. Unfold and then repeat to create one horizontal and one vertical fold in the middle of your paper.

4. Using the folds, you have just created fold into a triangle.

5. Measure and mark in the center with a led pencil 3 inches up from the bottom. Draw a line from the center to the corners of each side. These will be your cut lines.

6. Using scissors or a craft knife cute along your marked line.

7. Unfold the shape and you should now have a star.

8. Repeat steps 1-7 to create a second star.

9. OPTIONAL: Should you prefer more texture and cover on your stars then add a coating of glass glitter.

10. Hot glue gun your 2-star shapes in the center to make it a full star

11. Trace a triangle onto a sheet of watercolor paper or cardstock. This will help to give the corner of your stars some support. Repeat this 8 times and each one out. Each point of your star should have its own triangle support.

12. Using a hot glue gun secure your triangle supports to the back of your star.

13. Attach double sided tape or you ribbon, & hang onto the wall

14. Ta-da!

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Materials

• Dowels
• Craft paint
• Sponge brush
• Wooden end caps
• Pipe Cleaner
• Felt
• Disk door knob
• Hot glue
• Wood round

Directions

· Paint all pieces and let dry

· Once dry begin assembly ( Wood end caps to dowel, etc)

· For Top hat: Take wooden door knob and glue to wood round, once dried glue to head.

· Wrap pipe cleaner around dowel several times, let excess become arms

· Cut paper and hot glue to hands to create song book

· For clothing, cut strip of felt for scarf and with excess material wrap around dowel and glue behind to secure.

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Materials

• Spools
• Spools
• Figurines
• Accessories
• Hot Glue
• Ribbon
• Scissors

Directions

1. Sort through your trees and accessories to see what you’d like to pair up. (Keeping Smaller trees with smaller spools, etc.)

2. Wrap ribbon, wrapping paper or sheet music around center of spool and glue.

3. Glue tree to spool and let dry.

4. Glue additional accessories to the top of the spool and let dry.

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Materials

• Paint brushes in various sizes
• Acrylic paint in the following colors: white, black, red, brown and any other color you would like.
• Googly eyes
• Brown felt
• White felt
• Wooden button plugs (1/2” size)
• Black paint pen or Sharpie
• Hot glue sticks
• Glue gun
• Fabric scissors
• Artist paintbrush
• Small White pom poms

Directions

1. Paint the handle part of your paintbrush solid red. Set aside to dry.

2. Paint the top part of the bristles white. This will be Santa’s beard. Set aside to dry.

3. Paint the bottom part of the bristles red in the shape of a “V”. This will be Santa’s jacket. Set aside to dry.

4. Paint your wooden button red (or mix white and red to make a pink color). This will be Santa’s nose. Set aside to dry.

5. Take your white felt or furry material and cut it to the size of your silver strip on the paintbrush. Leave a little part of the metal showing, about the size of your googly eyes. Measure all the way around so that all the top of the silver is covered with white fabric.

6. Add the white fabric to the paintbrush with hot glue. Secure all the way around. This will be the white furry part of Santa’s hat.

7. Add the googly eyes on the paintbrush for Santa’s eyes.

8. Add any embellishments that you would like to the hat, like a little piece of holly on the brim and a white pom pom on the top of the hat/handle.

9. You can leave the handle red, or add white polka dots.

10. Use these same steps to create a reindeer, a snowman, an angel, or any other Christmas character you would like.

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Materials

• Glass globe
• Deli cup
• Eye hook
• Battery operated light
• Spray frost
• Stencil
• Spray paint
• Craft paint
• Small wreath or greenery
• Hot glue

Directions

1. Insert eye hook into top of deli cup and spray silver

2. Spray globe with frost.

3. Attach stencil to globe.

4. Paint stencil with craft paint and remove.

5. Place light in the middle of wreath.

6. Set globe over light.

7. Attach deli cup with hot glue.

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DIY Christmas Trays

Level:

Intermediate

How-To:

Home Decor, Storage

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

Materials

• Wood rounds
• Stencils
• Drawer pulls
• Drill
• Adhesive spray
• Paint

Instructions:

1. Take your stencil & spray it down with adhesive spray. This way it will stick to the board a bit & prevent moving.
2. Chose where you'd like to place you stencil & then start filling in the stencil with acrylic paint.
3. Once it you've stenciled in your lettering & designs & it's dry, use some spray on glaze to give it a nice seal.
4. Once that is all dry it is time to attach your handles.
5. Drill in 2 little hole with a drill & drill bit.
6. Then screw in your drawer pull handles & you're good to go.

Try making these beautiful resin Christmas trays!

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Materials

• 1”x 10” board
• Log slice
• Cup hook
• jigsaw

Directions

1. Draw out tree pattern

2. Use jigsaw to cut out shape

3. Sand

4. Water down paint and brush on. Wipe off excess paint

5. Screw log onto bottom of tree

6. Add cup hook to cut out area of tree

Download Ornament Tree PDF
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Print How-To

DIY Metal Stamped Christmas Spoons

Level:

Intermediate

How-To:

Decor

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

Materials

• Metal Stamps
• Stamping Block
• Stamping hammer
• Silver plated spoons
• Marker
• Painter's Tap

Instructions:

1. Tape your spoon onto a block.
2. Wherever it makes contact with your block, that is where you want to stamp because the spoons are rounded. You will need to rotate for each letter to get the best impression.
3. Using masking or painter’s tape to tape the spoon down, and also to lay over the spoon to help measure where you would like the letters to go on the spoon. You can write on the tape, so you know exactly where to punch.
4. For best results, start the word in the middle of your spoon first and work your way out, rotating the spoon as you need to.
5. Once you are done, write over your impressions with a fine-tipped sharpie, making sure you get in all of the grooves. It’s ok if you go out of the lines…you can wipe away any excess and the indentation will keep the color. (OPTIONAL: there is also stamping ink that you can use – follow manufacturer’s instructions.)

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Materials

• Felt
• Garland
• Star beads
• Embroidery floss
• Thick sharp needle
• Glitter
• Mod podge
• Paint brush

Instructions

Step 1. cut out any color felt you want in five 1½ ” squares, five 1¼” squares, five 1” squares, five ¾” squares, five ½” squares, and five ¼” squares. From brown felt, cut out five circles about ½” in diameter.

Step 2. Use a sharp needle and poke through the center of each circle and thread them onto the floss.

Step 3. thread squares onto the floss from largest to smallest in size.

Step 4. make sure to loop needle and thread through each felt square and loop it through and
leave enough thread on top of tree.

Step 5. tie a knot at the bottom of the tree and cut off any extra thread from the bottom.

Step 6. once you have a tower shape, move felt and shape it into a tree.

Step 7. in a bowl mix together mod podge and glitter

Step 8. use paint brush and paint on glitter onto your tree on different corners of the felt. the
mod podge will dry clear so don’t worry when it appears white.

step 9. let dry

step 10. optional: once dry add a gold star on top of your tree.

step 11. insert each tree onto garland, space out each tree.

step 12. hang garland anywhere in your house

TIP: pre-poke a hole in the center of each felt piece to make it easier for kids when threading.

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DIY Life-Size Nutcracker

Level:

Advanced

How-To:

Christmas Decor, Home Decor, Outdoor Decor

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

DIY Nutcracker Materials

• 1 4ft concrete tube (12 inches around)
• 12 inch plywood round
• 14 inch plywood round
• 4 inch PVC pipe - 8 ft.
• Styrofoam balls
• Large round Christmas ornaments
• Brush-on paint
• Masking tape
• Expanding foam glue
• White craft fur
• Embellishments of your choice for eyes, clothing, accessories

DIY Nutcracker Instructions

1. Create your base by gluing PVC pipe legs to base (14 inch plywood round).
2. Create the body by gluing 12 inch round to bottom of tube, reinforce with screws.
3. Glue the body onto the legs.
4. Take PVC pipe for arms, glue on and reinforce with screws. Place half-way down from top of tube.
5. Paint the legs white, the body red, the top black. Let dry.
6. Add embellishments of your choosing. Craft fur for the beard, and hair. Stick-on facial features from print out on transfer/adhesive paper. A template can be downloaded at homeandfamilytv.com
7. Use rope or fabric to decorate epilates for the jacket. Form epilates with an ornament ball glued to a deli cup, spray-paint gold.

Download Nutcracker PDF

Upcycle your fall decor and make snowmen or add some elves!

Click here for more Christmas crafts

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Check out more fun DIY projects at the Home & Family Pinterest Page

Materials

• Plastic bottles/containers
• LED Christmas lights
• Mod Podge
• Food coloring
• Paint brush
• Scissors
• Colored cellophane
• Rubber bands

Instructions:

1) Mix Mod Podge and food coloring together.

2) Paint the outside of the plastic bottles/containers.

3) Cut a hole in container lids for lights to go through.

4) Thread lights inside plastic container.

5) Wrap container with cellophane to look like a piece of candy.

6) Secure with rubber band on both sides.

7) Repeat until your finish a full strand of lights.

Dos

• Use Supplies Rated for Outdoor Use: It's important to select lights, extension cords, power strips and timers that are rated for outdoor use, so they can stand up to moisture, precipitation, and weather changes.

• Know the Difference Between Incandescent Lights and LEDs: LEDs use 10 percent of the energy of incandescents and will last for several years longer. While they're more expensive at the outset, they'll pay for themselves within two years and likely be useful for at least a decade.

• Take Advantage of Specially Designed Lights: Single strands are great for spiral wrapping and outlining. Icicle lights provide a lot of illumination for straight elements like gutters and columns. Net-style lights are perfect for rows of bushes and hedges.

• Use Light Clips: No staples, no clothespins, no metal hooks. Lighting manufacturers have figured out the perfect way to support lights along long stretches and on corners. Their utility and flexibility just can't be matched. For any strange areas that clips can't cover, some plastic zip ties will do the trick. Don’t use a regular staple gun. It can puncture the lights. You can use a specialty staple gun made hanging lights if you’ve got one.

• Don't Ignore Proper Safety Precautions: Any time you're working with ladders, walking on your roof, or dealing with electricity, it's important to be smart. Don't hang lights by yourself while home alone, and be sure to wear properly fitting clothing and gloves so nothing gets caught or snagged. A pair of safety glasses or sunglasses is also advised.

• Don't Store your Lights Poorly: When it comes to storing your outdoor lights, make sure you keep your strands separated. One strand of hundred can easily be untangled, but unknotting multiple strands is a huge headache. Use whatever you can: keep the original boxes, wrap them around sheets of cardboard or wood, or use individual plastic grocery bags.

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What Is The One Thing We Need?
A set of white dishes is the little black dress of holiday entertaining, since you can dress them up or down for any occasion.
What Are The Different Looks We Have?

Materials:

• Baking soda
• Corn starch
• Bentonite clay
• Cocounut oil
• Fragrance
• Witch hazel
• Neon green fun soap colorant
• Kelly green fun soap colorant
• Citric acid
• Candy confetti

Recipe:

1. Weigh out and mix 52 tsps. of Baking Soda, 14 tsps. of Corn Starch, 6 tsps. of Epsom Salt, and 1 tsp. of Bentonite Clay in a mixing bowl. If there are any clumps, break them up with your hands.
2. In a separate bowl mix 6 tsps. of Coconut Oil 76 (use at room temperature form), a quarter tsp. of fragrance oil, 1 and a half tsp. of witch hazel, 2 and a half tsps. of Neon Green Fun Soap Colorant, and 1 tsp. Kelly Green Fun Soap Colorant. Use a spoon to mix these ingredients together. (It will have a clumpy paste like consistency.)
3. Use a spatula to add the wet ingredients bowl to the dry ingredients bowl and incorporate well (using your hands).
4. Once the color is fully dispersed among all of the ingredients, sprinkle your candies into your mold.
5. Next, add 26 tsps. of citric acid to the bowl. Stir in to incorporate.
6. Finally, fill your molds. Allow to harden before removing.

*Note:It's best to use Spearmint Essential Oil instead of Peppermint during pregnancy, as you want to opt for gentler oils.

Check Sophie out at SophieUliano.com. Follow Sophie Uliano on Twitter @SophieUliano, find her on Facebook at GorgeouslyGreen and check her out on Pinterest: GorgeouslyGreen.

1. Keep your design simple. Too many lights and you've got the Griswold Family Christmas.

2. Always hang your lights early in the season before it gets cold and wet.

3. Determine the lighting design plan before you go to the store and before you hang.

4. Decide what you need - bulbs, spot lights, icicles, ribbon, ornaments, roof clips, ladder, bucket, outdoor timer, extension cords.

5. Measure the areas where lights will be hung and how many strings of lights and of what length - consider shrubs, windows, trees, and doors.

6. Take out what you have and test them before you hang them. Organize lights according to color and type to see what you have and what you need to get.

7. When buying lights, opt for shorter strings because they are easier to store, handle, and replace. They and less expensive, too!

8. Check chord color - they do come in different colors, too.

9. They new LED lights go a long way; they are energy efficient and last for years.

10. Popular spacing is between 12" and 15", so you can clearly see from the street.

11. Determine where your power supply is and calculate wattage - make sure the electrical set up of your house can support your lighting design.

12. Don't plug too many strings into one outlet source.

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Materials Needed:

• Chalk paint
• White chalk
• Lights
• Nails
• Hammer
• Stockings

Recipe:

1. Make sure you do at least two layers to ensure that your chalk will show up when you draw on it.
2. Make sure to apply at least 2 coats of the chalk paint and leave at least 24 hours to dry.
3. These lights are on wire so they are easy to manipulate around the nail which helps them stay in place easier than regular Christmas lights.
4. Wire lights are the best because they are easy to wrap around the nails.

For more with Jessie Jane, visit lilyshop.com.

Materials:

• Plain Holiday Wreath (or Wreath form and garland)
• Miniature Houses and Trees
• Spray Snow
• Glue Gun
• Scissors

1. MAKE THE WREATH
   If you are creating your own wreath, cut the garland to fit your wreath form, then wrap the garland around the wreath form and glue the ends together with your glue gun. If you are using a pre-made plain wreath or a live wreath, skip this step.
2. CONFIGURE YOUR VILLAGE
   Once you’ve created your wreath, organize how you want your village to lay out.
3. BUILD YOUR PLATFORM
   Now make the platform to hold the village. Cut a piece of cardboard large enough to hold the pieces you chose. This will be the base. Glue it in place on the wreath, and camouflage it with extra garland and some snow.
4. ADD SNOW
   This the most fun part. We get to make it snow! Use the Spray Snow to cover the parts you want to create the snowy illusion. Have fun!

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Visit Ken Wingard at www.KennethWingard.com and follow him on Twitter @KennethWingard.

Get more great recipes and crafts by visiting us on Pinterest at pinterest.com/homeandfamilytv and follow "Home & Family" on Twitter @homeandfamilytv and Facebook. Plus, check out our YouTube channel for backstage videos.

Current Poinsettia trends:
Visions of Grandeur" - soft pink and crème
 "Winter Rose Red" -deep red with rose like or geranium flower shape
"Carousel Red" has scalloped edges
"Ice Punch"- red with white frost details
"Monet"- marbled peach and pink
*Poinsettia varieties from Armstrong Garden Center:  ArmstrongGarden.com

How to select a good poinsettia?
Look for the "flower cluster" (cycathia) and select plant with unopened buds
Strong, sturdy stems
Dark green foliage (no yellow leaves)

How to care for poinsettias at home?
Indoors, indirect bright light
Day temps 60-70 degrees, nights 55-65, not lower
No drafts or direct heat
Keep moist, don't allow to dry out or oversaturate
Slit bottom of decorative wrapper so water will drain from plant
No fertilizer while bracts are in color

Some great display ideas:
Combine Poinsettia with complimentary houseplants in a classic, lightweight planter for holiday display
Add holiday decor and ribbon

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Check out Shirley Bovshow’s Garden Designing Expertise at EdenMakers.com, and follow her on Twitter @EdenMaker.

Get more information at gardenstonemfg.com and find more great recipes and crafts by visiting us on Pinterest at pinterest.com/homeandfamilytv

Materials

• Grab a branch from the back yard
• Rocks
• Jar
• Bowl of cards or cut out leaves
• String
• Crayons

Get a branch from the backyard, secure it with some rocks in a pretty jar and then lay a bowl of cards or cutout leaves with string and let your guests and kids write what they’re thankful for and hang it from the tree.  As the day goes on, the tree will get fuller and fuller, You can do this on Thanksgiving, this could be a simple project and stress that it’s something the kids could put together while you’re finishing dinner. Since it’s Coco’s first Thanksgiving that she will understand, she can help me and explain what Thanksgiving means while we make the tree together.

 Visit Ken Wingard at www.KennethWingard.com and follow him on Twitter @KennethWingard.

Get more great recipes and crafts by visiting us on Pinterest at pinterest.com/homeandfamilytv and follow "Home & Family" on Twitter @homeandfamilytv and Facebook. Plus, check out our YouTube channel for backstage videos.

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Materials:

• Print your sentiments or milestones for the year
• Cut into strips
• Double fold each end of strip and cut with a "V"
• Glue banner onto a barrette
• Coat with spray glue
• Add glitter

Frames:

• Paint pre-made mini-frames silver
• Add black and white family photos

General Garland Tips:

1. Add snow frosted boughs into garland for extra fullness
2. Add glue and clear glitter to branches from the yard and add in to create wintery effect
3. Use a mixture of blue, silver and clear ornaments
4. Use battery-powered lights

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Visit Ken Wingard at www.KennethWingard.com and follow him on Twitter @KennethWingard.

Get more great recipes and crafts by visiting us on Pinterest at pinterest.com/homeandfamilytv and follow "Home & Family" on Twitter @homeandfamilytv and Facebook. Plus, check out our YouTube channel for backstage videos.

Materials for the Snowball Planters:

• Grapevine orbs in different sizes -  (you will cut a hole in orb to insert plant with it's container, so make sure orb is large enough)
• Bag of Snow batting
• White gloss spray paint
• Silver glitter spray paint
• Wire cutters
• Glass, acrylic or plastic Christmas tree ornaments and medallions
• Silver pearls for draping around your orb
• Glass crafting brick (Michaels)
• Battery operated tea lights

Materials for the Silver & Crystal Platter:

• White foam board 3/16 thick- select size you want or custom cut (Michaels)
• Cutting blade
• Acrylic paint in silver or spray paint
• Small bristle brush (for texture)
• Black felt material ( enough to cover backside of platter)
• Box of assorted size "flat sided" crystals (Michaels)
• Strong crafting glue for paper and fabric
• Textured ribbon (for "finishing" outside edge of board)

Directions for the Snowball Planters:

1. Cut a large opening on top of orb so that you can easily slip your plant with container and plastic saucer inside
2. Spray paint orb with 2 coats of white paint
3. Finish orb with 1 coat of silver glitter
4. Spray paint moss white color
5. Line inside the orb with a layer of "snow batting" so that it covers all the gaps in the orb
6. Place your plant and plastic saucer inside the orb.
7. Fill space between your plant container and "snow" with the painted moss.
8. Decorate your Snow Planter with clear and silver colored ornaments- "chandelier" style.
9. Place on top of clear glass brick and insert battery operated tea lights in brick opening.

Directions for the Crystal Platter:

1. Cut foam board to desired platter size
2. Paint 1 side of foam board with silver paint - 2 or 3 coats
3. Cut and glue black felt materials to back of "platter"
4. Glue crystals around the top edge of platter or create your own pattern
5. Spray paint your textured ribbon silver to match color of platter
6. Glue textured ribbon along the outside perimeter of your foam board to give a finished detail

Make your arrangement! Now that your snowball planters and silver platter are made, place your glass bricks to elevate planters and display any way you like!

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Check out Shirley Bovshow’s Garden Designing Expertise at EdenMakers.com, and follow her on Twitter @EdenMaker.

Get more great recipes and crafts by visiting us on Pinterest at pinterest.com/homeandfamilytv and follow "Home & Family" on Twitter @homeandfamilytv and Facebook. Plus, check out our YouTube channel for backstage videos.

About flowering Christmas Cactus:

• Schlumbergia is a small genus of cacti family with only 6 species native to jungles of Brazil
• Grows on tree limbs instead of soil and has no spines
• Flowers bloom at end of stem in many colors
• Is a succulent but needs more water, less sunlight and less heat than most succulents

How often does the Christmas Cactus bloom?

• Christmas cactus varieties can begin blooming as early as October through early January
• Plant requires "short days of sunlight" and "long" nights of darkness 12 hours plus in order to bloom
• Plant sets flower buds when temperatures are between 55-65 degrees

Do you have to move your plants to a dark room at night to encourage blooming?
Yes, or try this technique:

• Christmas Cactus needs COMPLETE darkness for 12 hours daily in order to bloom
• Cover your plant with a paper bag (SHIRLEY DEMONSTRATES) around dinner time and take off in the morning
• Start this routine 4 to 6 weeks before you want plant to bloom to force flowering for Christmas time
• Make sure room is between 55 and 65 degrees

What other care does it need?
It’s not really a big maintenance plant; it’s just in need of some specifics and it will take care of itself.

• Place in bright room but away from direct sunlight or outdoors in shady patio during summer
• Place away from cold drafts and heating vents
• Well draining soil
• Water when soil BEGINS to feel dry on surface- likes humidity
• No fertilizing during flowering

How long will a Christmas Cactus live?

• With proper care:
• Long-lived plants 30- 50 years
• Popular "legacy plant" that is passed down generation to generation

How do you share Christmas Cactus?
With cuttings!  Cut pieces of your cactus off and share with your family to continue the legacy of the Christmas Cactus!

• Cut a 3 or 4 "cladodes" or sections
• Stick in rooting hormone
• Place in well draining soil
• Water and keep moist until it roots
• Give your Christmas Cactus away!

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Check out Shirley Bovshow’s Garden Designing Expertise at EdenMakers.com, and follow her on Twitter @EdenMaker.

Get more great recipes and crafts by visiting us on Pinterest at pinterest.com/homeandfamilytv and follow "Home & Family" on Twitter @homeandfamilytv and Facebook. Plus, check out our YouTube channel for backstage videos.

Materials:

• Plastic Box
• Tape
• Glue dots
• Mini plastic lights
• Netting (from a craft store) of your color choosing
• Porous fabric (like Burlap) or cellophane
• Frosted spray
• Ribbon/Fabric Ribbon for the bow

Note: You want to get the mini lights that have the white wiring not the green wiring unless you’re using a darker wrapping paper

Directions:

1. Take your box and use scotch tape to tape the lights to the inside of the box
2. Take your sparkly netting and weave it in between on the inside to give it more fullness
3. Then assemble the box and put a tiny slit in it for the plug
4. Spray the outside of your box with frosted spray
5. Wrap the box very tightly in clear cellophane or burlap (or other fabric of choice) and cut a slit in the wrapping to let the cord hang out
6. Take your ribbon/fabric and make a bow
7. Plug in!

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Materials:

• Large picture frame
• Foam core board
• Fabric
• 24 wood Christmas ornaments
• 24 Hangtags
• 24 clothespins
• Twine
• Silver paint
• Glitter
• Spray glue
• Staple gun

Directions:

1.   Lightly spray foam core board with glue

2.   Cover with fabric, press evenly

3.   Tape cloth board into frame with staple gun, put staple on back of frame

4.   Tie twine to staple, do same on other side

5.   Do 4 twine strips which can hold 6 hangtags

6.   Spray paint wood ornaments

7.   Apply glitter

8.   Number the hangtags

9.   Write “Random Acts of Kindness” on back of hangtags

10.  Clip each hangtag & ornament to twine   

Visit Ken Wingard at www.KennethWingard.com and follow him on Twitter @KennethWingard.

Get more great recipes and crafts by visiting us on Pinterest at pinterest.com/homeandfamilytv and follow "Home & Family" on Twitter @homeandfamilytv and Facebook. Plus, check out our YouTube channel for backstage videos.

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