Scandinavian Tea Light Lanterns, from “Christmas Crafting in No Time”
Tea Lights
I really wish that I had been able to get a good photo of these. They looked fantastic up on the mantle with my paper flower wreath and Dala horse Candle holders. So pretty..
The instructions and templates for these paper lanterns can be found in Clare Youngs' book, Christmas Crafting in No time.
Cost:
Super cheap, I love paper crafting! I already had everything that I needed so this was practically free for me. I used two drinking glasses and a vase for the base of my lanterns, a few sheets of typing paper, tea lights, tape and basic craft supplies.
Construction:
The instructions call for using tracing paper to transfer the design. It also calls for card stock or thick drawing paper. I pulled paper out of my printer and I used dressmaker's carbon to transfer the pattern. When I finished cutting everything out, I just flipped them over so that the residual lines were on the back. It's pretty straight forward. Transfer the pattern and then cut along the lines. You can then either tape the paper directly to the drinking glass, or you can make a sleeve to slip around the glass using tracing paper. I just taped my paper directly to the glass as I didn't plan on keeping the lanterns for next year. When I make them again next year I plan to use heavier paper. I will attach those ones to sleeves so that they can easily be removed and reused.
I was really surprised by how much I loved these.
Make a Paper Wreath for Christmas
Easy Paper Wreath
I wanted to do something a little bit different for Christmas this year. For the past few years my Christmas crafting has been completely monopolized by making bead ornaments for the tree. I was burnt out, and I had way more snowflake ornaments than any one family needs. At any rate, I got the Christmas boxes out, looked at all of the pretty lead crystal beads and decided that there wasn't any way I could hang them all within arms reach of my toddler. I bought a small tinsel tree to put in a kitchen window, added a few snowflakes and then packed the rest of them up. I then decided to start over. I wanted new ornaments, and new decor for the house. I ordered Christmas Crafting in No Time
The very first craft that appears in Clare Youngs book is a Silver Flower Wreath. The wreath is made from mirrored silver card stock, glue and a piece of foam board. I got all of my supplies at my local Joann's.
This was a fun and super easy craft for Christmas. The wreath was tough to get a good photo of, as were the candles that went up on the mantle with it. It was very beautiful though. Our family room is dimly lit but the wreath took the light from the candles and scattered it about. It was rather striking.
Cost:
The instructions call for 4 sheets of mirrored card stock. I bought 5 just in case and I'm so glad I did. I found it with the specialty card stock over in the scrapbooking section. I think it was $1.99 a sheet. The foam board was just a few dollars as well, so the wreath set me back about $13.
Tips for Construction:
Basically, you're going to make two templates using the pattern in the back of the book. One for the petals, and one for the flower centers. You trace around the templates on the back of the mirrored paper. 60 petals, 10 centers, and then you cut them out. You will take 6 petals and arrange them into a flower shape and (using the template on the top petal) cut a slit through the stack. However, a craft knife won't cut through six sheets of card stock at a time so you will be lifting the petals off one at a time so that you can cut through the next petal.
Tip 1:
If you have extra space on your paper, use it to cut out one extra flower center and several extra petals, just in case
Tip 2:
When cutting the slots in the petals, take special care not to move any of the petals in the stack while you are working your way down the pile. If they move at all, they won't line up properly when you go to assemble your flowers
Tip 3:
As you remove each petal to cut the one beneath it, make sure you line them up in order so that you can easily reassemble the flower after the cuts have been made.
Tip 4:
If your cat jumps up on the table and destroys your efforts in tip 3, don't panic. It's easy enough to puzzle out the order of the petals. The angle of the slot changes slightly with each one. Besides, if the petals don't go on in the right order, it's easy enough to pull them off and try again.
I'm really enjoying this book. The ideas in the book are stylish and easy to make. I also like that there is such a wide variety of crafting techniques that are used. Clare covers paper crafting, clay work, sewing, recipes,table decor, foil craft, gift wrap ideas, gifts and Christmas cards.
Embroidered Heart Table Runner
Table Runner
It's been quite a few years since I've done any embroidery. I've done kits before but this is the first time I've transferred a pattern on to fabric and just went for it. I think I did okay.
The pattern and instructions for this red work table runner appear in Clare Youngs' book Christmas Crafting in No Time
Red heart Table Runner
The table runner is made from Linen, which I've never used before. This is quite possibly the nicest table linen that I own. I'm almost afraid to use it, and I'll admit that I was terrified to wash it. It came out great though.
Construction: You start with a piece of linen or cotton that is 40x55in. You carefully transfer the pattern to the appropriate places, and then embroider it using whipped back stitch and bullion knots. You then fold it in half (right sides together) and stitch most of the way around the outside edge. (leave enough of an opening to turn it) Turn it right side out, and then stitch the opening closed.
Transferring the pattern:
I'd never done this before. I used the dressmaker's carbon and I pressed very firmly but not all of the pattern transferred. What did transfer was very light. As a result, my hearts have more bullion knots around the outside of them.
make your own holiday table linens
Stitches:
I really like the whipped back stitch. As a novice embroiderer my stitches aren't perfect. Wrapping the thread around the stitches made them appear a bit straighter and neater. I wasn't quite as fond of the bullion knots. It took me a while to get the hang of them so my second heart looks better than my first one.
Bouncy Baubles, Crocheted Christmas Ornaments
Bouncy Baubles
I found the pattern for “Bouncy Baubles” on page 47 of the Better Homes and Gardens, Special Interest magazine “Holiday Crafts”. The magazine has a picture of a snowman pillow on the cover, It’s super cute. I highly recommend buying the magazine if you can still find it in the local shops.
I was hoping to find the instructions online so that I could link to them. No such luck. You can, however, purchase ready made ornaments directly from the gal that submitted the design to the publication. Lisa Hoffman, and her much prettier crocheted ornaments can be found on etsy.
I’m pretty sure I over stuffed mine. Also, as a novice crocheter, my stitches leave a little bit to be desired. I’m happy with it though and I’ll be knocking out some more in blue and teal.
I went with the Bamboo Ewe yarn. It’s a combination of bamboo and wool, but more importantly it was the only brand of yarn at Joann’s that had the both the vibrant colors I was looking for and a suitable grey for the top. It was around $5 a ball at Joann’s but you can pick it up for less at Amazon. I chose eucalyptus
, Sprout
and twilight
.
yarn ornament hanger
I did make one change. (of course!) The instructions call for attaching a wire hanger to the ornament after you have competed it. I currently have a toddler in my home and she is all over the Christmas tree. As this is a crocheted Christmas tree ball I’m pretty comfortable having it on the tree this year. However, I’d prefer not to find little metal hangers that are hiding in the carpet with my feet. So here is what I did.
The ornament is constructed in two parts. First you crochet, stuff and finish off the ball. Then you work the gray top, stuff it and stitch it to the ball. Both pieces are stitched in the round and that means that there is a tiny hole in the top of the ornament. (at least there is in mine) 
I took an appropriately sized button and pulled some yarn through the button holes. I knotted it at the top and trimmed off the excess yarn. I then took the knot and pushed it through the top of the ornament before I stuffed it. The button does two things. For one, it brings the yarn directly out of the center of the ornament. Second, it keeps the yarn from being pulled through. So far, it seems toddler proof….
Crystal Wreath
Sandwich bag wreath
This is a Classic, Children’s Christmas Craft. I found this in a Family Fun magazine, but I remember making one of these way back when my eighth grader was in Kindergarden.
One of the best things about this Christmas craft is how inexpensive it is to make. I had to buy all of the components as we don’t have any wire hangers in the house.
I purchased a 10 inch wire ring from Joann’s. I initially went to Fred Meyers to see how much a wire hanger was, but they wanted $7 for a pack and I only needed the one. If I remember correctly, the ring was less than a dollar and it had the added bonus of already being in a perfect circle. Cheaper and Easier! The zipper-less plastic sandwich bags were less than $1.50. I bought two boxes, so my overall supplies cost me less than $4. not to shabby…
Take a plastic bag and tie it around the ring.
Repeat, repeatedly. I used roughly 170 plastic sandwich bags to make my wreath. You want to push them snugly up against one another as you go.
Once I got them all on there, I went back and straightened out all of my knots so that they were all on the back side of the wreath. To hang it, I just looped a white string around the wire between two of the knots. Add a bow and you’re good to go!
Flip it over and admire your handy work. To finish it 
off, add an appropriately colored bow and you're done!
