The holiday season is always a little brighter with Christmas decorations. It is often the handmade ornaments that carry the most meaning and find a special place in our hearts.
Making your own Christmas decorations isn’t hard. In fact, some Christmas decorations require just a few supplies. With some supplies and a little creativity, you can have a completed project in a short period of time.
Glistening Snowballs
Materials needed:
Plastic or Styrofoam balls in various sizes
1 cup of craft glue
2 teaspoons tap water
Jar of glitter in clear or white
2 plastic bowls
Wax paper
In the first bowl, mix the glue and water. Roll each ball in the glue mixture to lightly coat. Hold each ball over the other bowl to catch excess glitter as you sprinkle glitter from the jar onto the ball. Dry the balls on wax paper, turning every half hour so the glue does not clump.
Snowballs can be tied with ribbon to branches of the Christmas tree, or placed in a decorative bowl. Alternatively, the snowballs can be used as the beginning of another project.
Glistening Snowmen
2 glistening snowballs, one large and one small
Felt scraps
Scrapbooking brads and eyelets
Tiny buttons
Toothpicks
A couple of caps from soda bottles
Permanent marker
Acrylic craft paint in orange
Push a toothpick into the larger ball, leaving the end exposed. Attach the smaller ball to the larger one by placing it on the exposed toothpick end. Make a base for the snowman with one of the bottle caps by pressing it into the larger ball’s bottom.
Begin making the snowman’s hat by coloring the other soda cap with the marker. Cut a circle from the felt scraps to form a brim, gluing the cap and brim together. Glue the hat on the snowman’s head.
Push brads and eyelets into the snowman’s head to form his eyes and mouth. Paint the other toothpick with the orange acrylic paint. Allow it to dry before cutting it in half and pressing one half into the snowman’s face for his carrot nose.
Cut a rectangular strip of felt and glue it around the snowman’s neck for a scarf. Glue buttons to his torso and add other embellishments as you wish.
Kissing Ball
These Christmas decorations encourage holiday closeness. All you need is another Styrofoam ball that has a diameter of four inches. Use a seasonal, 14-inch square of fabric to wrap around the ball, securing it with a rubber band.
Use one and a half yards of fabric ribbon to hang the ball by threading it through the rubber band, around the ball and continuing to thread the ribbon through the other side of the band. Knot the ends to make a suitable hanger. With another 14 inches of ribbon, wrap around the other side of the ball and tuck the ends into the band. Use a bow and sprigs of mistletoe or holly to hide the rubber band.
The best Christmas decorations are the ones we make ourselves. Enjoy these projects, and share these Christmas decorations with your friends and family.
Maggie Smith is an accomplished painter and sculptor of Collections.
How To Make Your Own Christmas Decorations
