Crayon Hearts for Valentines day
I've wanted to make the crayon and wax paper hearts for quite some time now. I have a binder that I file away all the crafts I want to do when I find some extra time and this one has been tucked in there for what seems like forever. I saved the page from the Martha Stewart Magazine that had the photo, but not the instructions. Yay me. You can find the instructions both on her site and in her book.
It's pretty easy to do, even without the instructions. Fortunately for me, I'm now the proud owner of Martha's book "Handmade Holiday Crafts", so I was able to look back and see what I did wrong. To make these you will need: Crayons, wax paper, an iron, ironing board, scissors, heart templates, heavy craft paper, an old micro planer or pencil sharpener, needle, thread, tape and a couple of hours.
I used brighter colored crayons than Martha did. In her photo she has some lighter, more translucent hearts hanging in her window. I originally started with carnation pink crayons, but I botched it in the beginning and chalked it up to a learning experience. However, I'm kind of digging the brighter colors. I live in the Pacific Northwest and it's been a bit dreary here lately and the hearts bring some much needed cheer to the room. So when you're choosing your crayon colors, pick crayon colors that you love. I'm thinking about making some non- traditional turquoise ones to add to the mix myself.
Shredding the crayons: Obviously you need to shred down the crayons. The instructions say to make the wax shavings with a pencil sharpener. I bet that works great, although it is going to leave you with a little nub of a crayon that you can't really use. I opted for an old micro planer that I bought for zesting lemons. I was able to use every bit of the crayon and it got them down in to tiny, tiny pieces. I just have one word of warning... my method was a messy process. But I did have a ton of tiny uniform pieces to work with.
crayon shavings for wax paper hearts
I separated out my crayons by basic color tones, peeled off the papers and started grating them. I put a big piece of wax paper down to collect the crayon bits and then tipped the shavings in to individual bowls and most of it made it in there, the rest were easily vacuumed up.
I didn't measure out my pieces of wax paper. I just ripped a piece off, folded it in half and then pre-crimped the edges. For the first one, I prepped the paper on the counter and then moved it over to the ironing board. This method didn't have great results for me. The crayon shavings shifted all about and I ended up with thick lumps of crayons and sparse areas in between. I then decided to prep the wax paper on the firm surface of the counter, and then I moved it to the ironing board before adding the shavings to the mix.
Speaking of the ironing board, you will need to protect both your iron and your board. Several years ago Marathon Man bought me a nice Rowenta ironing board. It doesn't get as much use as it probably should, but I still wasn't in a hurry to destroy it. The instructions called for putting down kraft paper, which I don't happen to have. I do however have an over abundance of brown paper grocery bags. Im not sure if my iron was too hot (I don't think that it was) but something moist was seeping through the paper bags. I ended up using quite a few layers of bags but it seemed to get the job done.
Applying the crayon shavings: I crimped (folded) the edges of the paper in an effort to help keep the melty crayons inside. I tried crimping the edges after I put the shaving inside but the movement of doing so shifted my crayon bits all over the place. So I crimped, opened, added the shavings and then just flipped the edges back up together. It worked great for me. The crayon shavings need to be applied evenly, but not heavily. If the crayon is applied to thickly you'll have a couple of undesirable issues. (Note that there are not any carnation pink hearts hanging in my window.) :p First up, your hearts won't be transparent and that sort of defeats the purpose here. Two, they'll look like cheesy globs of crayons, and finally, if the crayon layer is too thick, the wax paper will separate from the crayon when you go to cut them out.
I'm really glad that I pre-grated my crayons and that I separated them out by basic colors. I wanted to have some solid colored and some mottled colored hearts. I simply used a spoon to scatter my shavings and I'm pleased with how it turned out.
I googled "heart templates" and printed out a selection. In the book, the hearts are all the same shape but are of varying sizes. Instead I opted for a variety of shapes and sizes. The cooled crayon sheets are easy to see through so I just set the template pages on the table and traced the heart patterns directly on the crayon and wax paper sheets. I fit as many hearts as I could on each sheet. Once they were all drawn, I sat down with some scissors and cut them all out, stacking them in piles by color as I went. As far as cutting them goes, they cut very, very easily. I tore a few trying to turn my scissors in the top cleft of the heart. I ended up cutting up one side from the bottom point to the inside of the cleft. Then I flipped it over and cut out the other side. (I was always cutting the right hand side of the heart from the bottom up.) Don't worry, you'll be able to see the cutting line from both sides of the paper.
Hanging. From the photo in the book it appears as though I used both a heavier thread and a different method. I threaded a very long piece of thread on to the needle as I didn't want to keep threading the needle. I pulled it though, held it up to the window in the approximate place that I wanted it to be, double the thread and then clipped it. I tied a knot, stuck a short piece of tape on it and then secure it to the very top of the window frame. In the photo it looks as if she used a much finer thread, folded it in half, slipped the folded end through a small hole and then thread the cut ends through the folded portion of the thread. I bet this method would actually help the hearts to hang straighter, but honestly... I didn't want to spend that kind of time on this project.
Placement of the hearts: I decided which window I wanted to do first. I looked at my pile of hearts and I happened to have the least amount of hearts in the darker color, so that is what I started with. I tried to evenly distribute the darker hearts and then filled in the gaps from there. I thought about going from one side of the window to the other but I really worried that I'd run out of hearts, or that the colors wouldn't be evenly distributed.
I'm so glad I finally got around to making this Valentines craft project. The hearts are fun and while it may still be a bit early for Valentines day, they make me smile every time I walk in to the room. Martha Stewart gets a thumbs up from me for this one!
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….
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!
Easy Bead Ornament
Lets start with the easy stuff shall we? I was flipping through magazines when I saw a blue and green beaded candycane ornament hanging on a Christmas Tree in a photo. I'm not sure which magazine it was, but I am leaning towards Better Homes and Gardens. This is a good project for kids. Although if they are little you may need to help make loops in the wire.
Inexpensive Beads
I bought inexpensive beads to make these candy canes. I found these craft beads at the new Smiths store. It looks just like the big Fred Meyer Stores in Oregon, I think maybe Kroeger bought them out. I'm pretty sure these beads were $1.49 a tube. (even cheaper because they were 25% off when I bought them). They came in a variety of colors. I really like the bright pink ones, but most of the ornaments on our tree are blue, so I went with these.
make a loop
I used white artistic wire to make mine. I picked it up pretty cheap at the local craft store. (Robert's). I used just a little shy of two feet. It was a bit much but I'd rather trim some off than come up to short. It needs to be a little more than twice the length of your candy cane because you are going to double it over and give it a twist. There are a lot of variables here. Size does matter. Well, the size of the beads matter. The bigger the beads the longer the strands need to be. Also, you can make an itty bitty candy cane ornament, or one for a larger tree. Once twisted, the length of my beads comes to just about 8 inches. Once I made the hook the ornament measured just a little over 5 inches high.
Step one: Make a Loop in the end of the wire.
String your beads
Beaded Candy Cane Ornament, Step Two: String one color of beads to the desired length. I started with the Blue beads. Bend the wire back on itself and string the second color of beads, but leave a little bit of slack. You don't want the beads to be too tight. You want the length of both colors to be the same. Initially I counted the beads as I added them. I figured I could add the same number of the second color. However, my beads are not uniform, so I had to string a couple of extra of the second color. Trim the wire. leave enough wire to make a loop (and make the loop) I left a little bit of slack on both sides. Not much, just about a quarter inch.
Twist the beads
Beaded Candy Cane Ornament Step 3: Twist the Beads together. I held mine at the bend and gave it a few good twists.
Finish it off!
Beaded Candy Cane Ornament, Step 4: Finish off your ornament by gently hooking one of the ends around so that it resembles a candy cane shape. I hooked around the end where the wire was folded back on itself so that my loops were on the bottom of the ornament. I think it would look ok regardless of which end you loop!
At this point you can either hang the candy cane directly on a tree branch, or you can attach a hanger. I will probably just loop some fishing line around the top of the hook.
I bought the beads and the wire for about $4. I am confident that I have enough beads to make several ornaments. That makes this a fairly inexpensive ornament to make. Simple ornaments also make great embellishments for wrapped gifts. Just buy some beads that match the color of your wrapping paper and you'll be good to go. I like to add small ornaments to the outside of the boxes of cookies I give away each year. The cookies go pretty quickly, but then they have a small ornament to add to their tree.
I'm lumping all of these in to one post because they are all so simple to make. When I said that I was going to start with the easy stuff, I wasn't kidding. I have very fond memories of making beaded candy cane ornaments with my brother and sister when I was very young. We had so much fun, we just couldn't make enough of them. I'm not sure how many we made. Over the years some have fallen apart. Some have gotten lost, but I know we made a ton because I am pretty sure my mom still has some left on her tree thirty years later. One of the best things about the holiday season is the potential for new happy memories. If your kids are little I encourage you to buy a bag of pipe cleaners and some red and white beads. Make some hot chocolate, with marshmallows and a mini candy cane and let your kids go to town. It will be ten dollars well spent. Keep an eye on the younger guys though. Beads provide an opportunity for choking. Also, they are just the right size for going up noses! I believe the suggested age for beads is 7 years old. My kids are a little bit older and can entertain themselves for hours with a bag of pipe cleaners, a pair of scissors and a mixed bag of beads. It is a bonus if I let them get out the glue. So l'll start with the super easy stuff.
Pipe Cleaner Candy Cane, Martha Stewart Style
It doesn't get any easier, or cheaper than this one. I have to admit. I've been putting beads on pipe cleaners for years, but it never occurred to me to make an ornament with just pipe cleaners before. Thank you Martha Stewart. You will notice in her photos that she has a cute green tinsel holly leaf attached to her candy cane. Some even have bows. I'm going to be brutally honest, my leaves just didn't look like hers. Also, getting out the glue gun just to attach a bell seemed like a lot of work and this is supposed to easy. Besides, I think it looks cute the just the way it is, and if I glued stuff to them I couldn't make the next ornament. All I did was twist two metallic pipe cleaners together. I cut my twisted pipe cleaners in the middle, and then shaped them in to two candy canes. These are very simple ornaments to make. They are pretty small and would be perfect for a small desk top tree.
Twice the fun of Martha
If you want something a bit different, take two of your candy cane ornaments and twist them together to make a heart ornament. Don't go looking for that on Martha's site, it isn't there. :p Lets add some beads...
The New, Classic, Beaded, Candy Cane Ornament
This is the original, Beaded candy Cane ornament that I made as a child. It might even be the very first thing I ever made with beads, unless you count macaroni as a bead. Take your pipe cleaner and add on those little tri beads. I like two red, two white, my brother liked one red, one white, and I've seen them done with three of one color and one of the other. Have fun! Just bend the bottom of the pipe cleaner a bit, string on your beads to the desired length, trim off the extra pipe cleaner but leave enough to bend over at the top. As always, if you are going to bend the pipe cleaner, which is pretty necessary in the Candy Cane making process, you'll want to leave just a smidge of leeway at the end. The slack will be taken up when you bend the pipe cleaner.
Another easy candycane ornament
Again, pipe cleaner and beads. These are just plastic craft beads out of the kid's aisle at JoAnns. I like this one, even though the beads are plastic they catch the light a little bit.
The Spendy, Beaded Candy Cane Ornament
This one isn't really for the kids, but it is a beaded candy cane ornament so I am sticking it in this post. Instead of using pipe cleaners, I have moved up to craft wire. I cut a piece of wire about 9 inches long and made a small loop in one end. I then threaded on red and white 6mm swarovski crystal bicone beads until I had about 6 inches in length. I left a little bit of extra wire, trimmed it and made another small loop.
Swarovski Beaded Candy Cane Ornament
Then I shaped it in to a candy cane. This Beaded ornament costs considerably more to make, but it is worth it. The crystal catches the lights on the tree beautifully. I wish I could have captured how much it sparkles. The Crystal beads were on sale today at Michaels. I got one pack of red and one pack of clear beads. Together the beads only cost me $6. I have craft wire so I didn't have to buy it. I think that this would be gorgeous if it was made out of larger, faceted round, swarovski crystal beads. I think the man of the house would have a heart attack though if I told him I spent $15 making a candy cane ornament so you are just going to have to trust me on this one. But I'm still holding out for a good sale....
The beads came with a disclaimer on the back, so I feel a need to share it here. I think it is good advice for all beads, but especially so when it comes to leaded crystal. "NOT A TOY. Not intended for children under 7 years. Certain items may contain trace amounts of lead. Intended for fashion and decorative uses only. Do not put items in mouth or ingest."
PomPom Candy cane Ornament
This PomPom Candy Cane Ornament was designed by Margaret Davaz. Directions can be found here. This was super, super easy. The only obstacle that I had was that I used too big of a needle and it wouldn't pass through the starburst beads. Once I switched to the smaller needle they went together in minutes. I used the sparkly pompoms for my ornament. The most expensive part of the ornament was the holly leaf. Initially I looked at holiday picks but I couldn't find any that I liked and I didn't want to spend an extra $1 per ornament. Instead, I bought a whole garland. It was $10, but I got it for 50% off and I had enough holly leaves to make dozens of ornaments if I wanted to.
Naked PomPom ornament
I like it without the holly leaves even more than I do with them. The wire that I used to make the ornament is very soft, so I had to reform them a couple of times. I am confident that once they are on the tree, and out of the hands of children that they will retain their shape. I have one more candy cane ornament, but it deserves its own post!
