5 minute gift bags!

Skill Level- So super easy!

 Once again we come back to recycling Christmas cards! They are just too lovely to throw in that Recycle bin! So here is a simple,  quick way to make something "old" into something new!  Best of all..they are so fast to make!

 I used mine for my baking exchange goodies! What will you use yours for? 

You will need:

•Brown Paper bag
•Ribbon
•Old Christmas cards ( the front)
•Hot Glue ( Regular glue would work as well!)
•Hole Punch ( optional)

Step One:

Cut out your Christmas card to your liking, and hot glue it to the front of your bag ( closer to the bottom)

                                                            

Step two:

•Fold the top of your paper bag over once, and then hole punch ( or poke) two holes in it.

Step Three:

•Thread the ribbon through the back, then tie into a loose knot, or a bow! Viola! A sweet homemade gift bag ♥ 

                                         

Happy Crafting~

~Sy

Christmas Eve Plates

Skill Level: Easy! 

Want a special plate for your children to put out for Santa? Well here's the instructions on how to do one! Quick, easy and makes a great keepsake <3 

What you'll need:

•A white porcelain plate
•Paint pens! ( I grabbed mine from the local craft store, they are called Porcelaine Writers. Make sure that the pens you are getting are made for writing on glassware, plates etc)

Step One:

•Begin by outlining what you want on the plate. For example I put "Cookies to Santa" across the top. Then I added a snowman, tree, and reindeer. Let your imagination run wild!

Step two:


•Next you'll want to add color , where you want it. I filled in the reindeer, added some color to the snowman, and filled in the tree.

Step Three:

•Next you'll fill out the bottom of your plate. Write a short letter to Santa! Then polish it off with your child's name, or a pet's name even!

•Don't forget to add some snow up at the top!!

•Make sure to follow the directions on your pens about drying/baking times. Mine say to let dry for 24 hours, and then bake at 150 for 35 mins. 

Happy Crafting!
~Sy

Christmas Card Wreath

While decorating for Christmas this year..I realized that I have almost an entire box of old Christmas cards, that I just refuse to part with! Recycling them just seems so unjust! They are all so beautiful and sparkly! So here is my idea on a different way to recycle!

Skill Level: Easy! But time consuming!! 

You will Need:

•Old Christmas Cards
•Red Ribbon
•Styrofoam Circle
•Hot Glue Gun
•Toothpicks
•Scissors 

Step One:

•Trace out a holly leaf shape onto your cards. Trace and Trace and Trace..until you are sick and tired of it..and then trace some more!!

•Then cut out your holly leaf shape. Cut and Cut and Cut..until your fingers start to cramp..then cut some more!

Step two:

•Hot glue tooth picks onto the back of each cut out leaf. Glue and Glue and Glue...
 I told you..easy..yet time consuming!

Step three:

•Poke your tooth picked leafs into the styrofoam on an angle. ( So that just the front of the card is showing.)
Poke and poke and poke and poke!! 

Step Four:

•Add ribbon to the top ( a loop for hanging) and the bottom of your wreath.
I just made the bow and hot glued tooth picks on and stuck it in!! Super easy and adjustable too!

•This craft can be super frustrating because it is so tedious, but keep at it! It's beautiful and makes a really special gift <3 

Happy Crafting!
~Sy

Cookie Cutter Ornaments! No Glue required! :)

Skill Level: Easy as Cookies..I mean Pie!

Want a calorie free way to use your cookie cutters this year? Have I ever got the craft for you! Simple, quick and soooo cute!

You'll need:

•Scrapbook Paper or Pictures
•Foam
•Ribbon
•Cookie cutters ( Metal or plastic will do)
•pen for tracing
•scissors

Step One:

• Trace around your cookie cutter onto the foam

Step Two:

•Trace around your cookie cutter on your picture or your scrapbook paper 

Step three:

•Cut out both pieces and you should have this

Step Four:

•Push your picture or scrapbook paper into the cookie cutter, right to the front.
•Then push your foam in snug up against the picture ( this will keep your picture from falling out.)

Step Five:

•Using your finger push both the foam and picture out just enough to slide a ribbon through.
•Tie a knot on the ribbon and the push the picture and foam snug into place. ( the knot should not be visible from the front of the ornament.)

Ta Da!! You now have an adorable Ornament!

Thanks to Kelly and Colin for the use of their little guy in the snowman ornament, and a Thank you to Nicci and Ryan for the use of their little baby whose picture is in the Stocking. <3 Of course a thank you to my little guy for being so cute!! ( in the bell)

Happy Crafting!
~Sy

    

Holiday Button Wreath

Skill Level- Easy!!

 Button crafts make me entirely WAY too happy! They are so easy, and SO much fun! I have oodles of more button crafts in mind so stay tuned for more fun tutorials!

You will need:

•Glue Gun
•Green Buttons ( all different shades is okay!)
•Red Buttons
•Red Ribbon
•Two container for tracing ( one bigger and one smaller)
•A yellow or light colored crayon
•Frame ( without glass)
•White card stock

Step One:

• Start by picking out your buttons and separating  them into two piles.

Step three:

• Now its time to trace out your wreath on the card stock. Use a light colored crayon or pencil and trace your big circle first.

Step four:

•Now trace your smaller circle.

Step Five:

 •Begin hot gluing your buttons onto your wreath. Make sure they are snug up against each other, but don't be too concerned with little spaces. *Do not glue buttons into the center of your wreath*

•When you are finished you will have something that looks like this!

Step six:

•Now we'll fill in the gaps, we will do this by gluing buttons OVER the holes in the wreath.  It also will give our wreath a really neat 3D look!

Step Seven:

•Add your red buttons randomly around the wreath. 

Step Eight:

•Take your red ribbon and tie a big bow, then glue it onto the top of your wreath ( just above the buttons)

Step Nine:

•Cut out a square around your wreath. The size you cut will depend on the frame you are using :)

•Pop your picture in the frame, to make mine more sturdy I actually put the glass behind my picture before placing the backing back on.

Happy Crafting!
~Sy

Vinyl Lettered Ornaments

Skill Level- Medium

These are just beautiful!! Pictures do not do them justice!! And just think of how many ways you can personalize them! I made just over thirty of them, all different and all very pretty! Let your imagination go wild, and have fun!

You will need:

•Glass Balls ( any size will do!)
•Vinyl letters
•Ribbon
•Fake Snow
•Self adhesive gem stones

Step One:

• Apply your larger letter to the front of the glass ball. ( Today I am doing a "TOPS" ornament, which is a non profit weight lose group that I belong to.) 

Step two:

•Add your black lettering ( or a contrasting color) straight across your first letter.

Step three:

•Remove the top of the ornament and spoon in your fake snow. ( I got glittery snow, and it looks so pretty)
•Give your ornament a nice shake after you put the top back on :)

Step Four:

•Add your ribbon! I usually cut out anywhere from two pieces of ribbon to five. It all depends on the size of the ball and what I think looks the best! Tie your ribbon using a basic knot, after threading it through the top of the ball.

•Add your gemstones! I chose in this case to just put them on the "T", but I have done it all different ways and it looks so beautiful! OR add no gemstones at all , which looks fabulous too!

• Here is an example of a fully gem stoned name!

• This is an example of using no gemstones (the year was also added in vinyl letters)

•And an example of a little glass heart. With just a first initial. I did ten of these for my son's preschool friends for school this year.

Happy Crafting!
Sy