Safety First! Please exercise caution when making any craft projects. Some of the items used may not be suitable for all children to operate.
* = Asterisked items are ideal for the littlest of helpers to make.
Advent Calendar - Made with Print Shop & Print Artist. First you go in choose poster. Pick out a background for your page. This way you can place the pictures very carefully on the background; for instance, if you decide to do a Christmas tree and want the ornaments to be the days of advent, you can make sure they are put on correctly.
Place small pictures onto the background. Do not place any too close to the edge of the page as it will make it harder for you to glue the 2 pages together! If you can't find enough of the type of graphics you are looking for, cruise the web - you never know what goodies you can find!
When you have them arranged as you want them, remove the background, print it, save it (I used adventB for my saved name). Bring the background back and place boxes with numbers over each picture. Make sure the frame of the box's number stand out from the background. Do not use filled boxes for this! As you place each box on, move it slightly to one side so that you can click on the picture beneath it to delete it.
Print Artist users have a definite edge here since this program will give you the exact location of each graphic, your boxes will always match up.
Otherwise your printer will print the background, then the graphic, then the box - could be a mess and waste a LOT of ink. Position the box back place. Do this until you have covered all of the days.
Now, print and save this page (I called it adventA). You may want to glue the back page to a piece of thin cardboard like that found in shirt packages to make it sturdy.
Take an Exact-o knife, box cutter, or whatever you have that is sharp. Carefully cut around 3 sides of each number to create a door. If some of the doors opened up when you were cutting, use the temporary glue sticks that you find in office supply stores. All that is left to do is to take a glue stick, carefully glue the front to the back.
Note: I save the pages for 2 reasons: 1. In case I make a mistake cutting, I can print another one out. 2. I have a template to use over and over again each year. I just have to make minor adjustments such as changing some graphics
backgrounds.
Submitted by Michele Tanis
Combine ingredients. Work with the dough until smooth. Divide into several portions. Roll out 1/4 inch thick. Cut out with cookie cutters. Make hole in the top. Dry at room temperature for 1-3 days. Turn over once to let the other side dry. String ribbon thru the hole and hang on Christmas tree, or give as gifts.
Baking Soda Ornament There is a recipe every year on the Arm & Hammer baking soda box for ornaments made from water, cornstarch and baking soda. The dough is cut out, left to dry and then decorated with paints or markers.
2 cups baking soda (1 one pound package)
1 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 cups water
Stir in saucepan constantly over medium heat. When it is the consistency of mashed potatoes (approx. 10-15 minutes), turn out and cover with damp cloth. Once it cools, pat it smooth. It's ready to use. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick to cut. Dry overnight. Decorate with paints, glitter, markers, etc.
Christmas Bells Take a white cup, decorate the outside with glitter, sequins, beads, paper, stickers, whatever. Punch a small hole in the top of the cup. Slip a pipe cleaner through the hole to the inside of the cup. Twist the pipe cleaner around so it forms a hook. Place a jingle bell at the end of the pipe cleaner. Now your little ones have a bell for the tree or a gift. (Don't forget about using the toilet paper rolls for crafts.) You could make napkin rings, drums, toy soldiers, angels, and lots more.
For variation, use a tiny plant pot which you've painted white. Instead of pipe cleaner, gold chord. For an angel, cut out and glue on felt wings. Cut a piece of gold pipe cleaner to form a halo and attach through wooden bead used as a head.
Christmas Candle Decoration toilet tissue tube
construction paper in the colors white, yellow, green, red
white glue
Cover the tissue tube with white paper. Glue. Cut out two flame shapes from the yellow paper. Glue them to an open end of the tube, facing each other. Cut out nine holly leaf shapes from the green paper and nine red berries from the red paper. Glue the base of each leaf to the bottom of the candle, overlapping leaves slightly as you go around. Glue a red berry to the base of each leaf.
Christmas Tree Ball Santa white pipe cleaner
scissors
bits of colored paper
glue
solid colored Christmas tree balls and their metal hooks
cotton
Wind a piece of pipe cleaner around the top of the Christmas tree ball. If you are using a large ball, twist 2 pipe cleaners together before winding. Place pipe cleaner 1 inch from top of a medium or large ball, and 1/2 inch from top of tiny ball. Cut pipe cleaner off at point where ends meet. This will make the border of Santa's hat. Spread a thin line of glue around the ball exactly where you measured the pipe cleaner. Also put glue on one edge of the pipe cleaner itself, and press it onto the ball. Cut out bits of colored paper for the eyes, nose, and moustache. (Moustache can also be made with small rolls of cotton.) Copy shapes on the right but enlarge them as much as necessary. Glue Santa's face onto front of ball, just below border of hat. Take another piece of pipe cleaner and measure the length of a loop from the border of the hat around under the face and back up to the border again. Cut off any extra. Glue pipe cleaner loop onto ball for Santa's beard. Place wire hook and hang Santa up on your Christmas tree.
Dipped Candles
paraffin wax
empty can
about 24" of candle wick
saucepan
WARNING: An adult must help with this project. Paraffin wax catches fire easily if it gets too hot. Drips of hot wax can cause burns on your skin, so an adult should help with this project. Fill the saucepan with about 2" water and heat it over low heat on the stove. Put the paraffin block into the can, and place the can in the water. The paraffin will melt slowly. Add another block of paraffin if you are making a very big candle. When the wax is melted, lower the wick down into the liquid wax. Then slowly lift it out and hold it until the wax begins to cool and get solid. Then, lower the wick again, so more wax will coat it. Lift it up, and let it cool a little. Repeat this process, over and over, until the candle is the size you want. Then hang it by the wick end to cool. Trim the extra wick when it is cooled.
Glitter Balls Adult supervision is a must for this one; glitter can be dangerous around little eyes and faces. (Anyone got any substitutes?) Fill a few small paper bags with different colors of glitter. (A little glitter goes a long way.) Roll ball in white glue, drop in a bag, hold the top tightly closed shake a little. (Or just put the glitter in jar lids and let them roll a ball around in it.) Remove from bag, tie a scrap of bright yarn to the stem, making a big loop with it. These keep for several years.
Grapevine Wreath Gather wild grapevines from the woods. Soak them overnight in water to soften them up, and then they can be used to shape wreaths (or a manger for a nativity scene). Decorate them with different colored ribbons, plus dried flowers and moss from the woods.
Hammered "Silver" Ornaments Cut Ornament shapes (bells, balls, trees, stars, squares, whatever) out of old pie tins or other assorted "disposable" heavy aluminum foil baking pieces that you didn't dispose of. You could also use tin ashtrays. Show the kids how to "draw" designs on the foil with the end of an orange stick, wrong end of a plastic utensil, whatever you have that works. Stars, spirals, squiggles, encourage a wide variety. Remind them that if they write letters or numbers, they'll appear backwards. Turn the ornament over show them how to decorate the ornaments with felt tip markers. Color over the marks they made, go around them, have fun with it. Make a hole with a hole punch or whatever. Thread some found scraps of ribbon and, you got it, hammered silver ornaments.
Handprint Ornament Use red and green felt. Trace handprint on a piece of card stock and then cut out red and green handprints. Then glue a red handprint back to back to a green handprint, with a loop of yarn in the middle for a hanger. Then spread thinned glue on each side of each ornament and sprinkled glitter and sequins over the handprints.
Hansel & Gretel's Candy House These houses look just
like gingerbread houses, but are not as hard to make. They
brighten up any deep winter day!
graham crackers, six squares for each house
cardboard beverage cartons, 1/2 pint size, wash & dried
(milk, juice,etc.)
frosting (see recipe below)
assorted small candies for decorating the house
multi-colored miniature marshmallows
dry cereal in assorted shapes
ice cream cone, the pyramid-shaped sugar cone type
sturdy paper plate for each house
Prepare the frosting ahead of time, and keep it covered in the
refrigerator (it will keep for up to three days).
Frosting Recipe (makes enough for two houses)
1 pound confectionery sugar
6 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 - 4 Tablespoons milk (soy, rice, or cow milk)
Blend all ingredients thoroughly. Add more milk or sugar until you reach the desired consistency - spreadable but not runny. Save a small amount to dye green for the trees, using green food coloring. To begin the houses, dab a tablespoon of frosting on the bottom of the beverage carton, and stick it firmly in place in the middle of the paper plate. The icing acts as a glue and keeps the house from sliding around on the plate. Then, dab a tablespoon or so of frosting on the back of each of four square crackers. Press them in place against the four sides of the carton. The roof is the tricky part: Dab about two tablespoons of frosting on the backs of two square crackers. Gently position the crackers on top of the carton, holding them in place to create the roof. It works best if you hold them in place for a minute or so until the frosting dries a little. Also, if your frosting is too thin, the roof pieces may slide down. Add more powdered sugar to stiffen the frosting. To cover the eaves at the front and back of the house, a small rectangle of cracker can be broken into a triangular shape and attached with frosting. To make it easier for young children, an adult can cover this eave area with frosting, hiding the carton there completely. Now, the house is ready to decorate! Place candy, cereal or marshmallows onto the frosting before it dries. Spread the roof with frosting and place marshmallows or cereal pieces onto it in rows. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the roof to look like a skiff of snow is on the roof.Icicles of frosting can be draped down from the roofline with a spoon. Candies and cereals can be used to create a path, door, chimney and windows. To create a beautiful tree for the birds in the front yard, turn a sugar cone upside down and cover it with green frosting. Stick seeds, beans, peas, cereals or little candies all over it. Little graham cracker bears or gummy bears might stand in front of the house. Dab some frosting on their bases, to securely glue them in place. These little houses make yummy treats. If you want to save yours, wrap very tightly.
Homemade Snow Globe empty clean baby food jars with lids
plastic poinsettia, or other plastic flower
silver or white glitter
colored foil
tulle (that's the stuff that bride's veils are made of)
ribbon, yarn, or bric-a-brac
water or water mixed with baby oil, or glycerin
Simply place the flower into the jar, and add glitter and water. Seal the jar with the lid. Cover the lid with a piece of foil, then a piece of tulle, and tie in place around the neck of the jar with the ribbon or yarn. You could also seal the foil and tulle over the lid with a rubber band around the neck of the jar, and glue bric-a-brac around the rubber band.
Multi-Colored Wreath Cut circles out of used file folders. Cut circles out of the middle of each circle. Let the kids tear small pieces off of those colorful pieces of tissue paper that you received in gift bags and could never throw out. Put a little white glue into one of those plastic lids that doesn't go with anything in your plastic storage stuff drawer anymore. Let the kids wad up the pieces of tissue paper, dip one end in the glue press onto the circle. The more, the merrier!! Poke a hole in the top, run a scrap of bright colored yarn through it.
If you want to decorate your windows with painted snowflakes, do it the same way the window painters do it for the holidays. Mix white tempera paint with a squirt of liquid dish detergent to make it easier to wash off the windows later. Use a paint brush and a corner of a sponge to dab on the white paint
*Reindeer Candy Cane Really easy, you will need: small wiggly eyes, brown chenille sticks and candy canes. Use about a half of a piece of chenille stick for the antlers, and glue the wiggly eyes on for a reindeer candy cane.
*Reindeer Treats Just take 1/2 cup of dry oatmeal and sprinkle colored sugar and place in a baggie and shake. The littlest ones can scatter it on the lawn/snow for Rudolph and his friends! Don't forget to spread peanut butter topped with fresh fruit pieces on pine cones looped with ribbon to hang on trees for the birds.
Santa Pine Cone Gather pine cones. Supply cotton or cotton balls, chenille sticks (pipe cleaners), and red, black and white felt scraps, and googly eyes. The bottom of the cone is the top of Santa's head. The kids can glue red triangles to the top edge for a hat. Glue a little cotton to the tip and around the brim if desired. Eyes can be the googly kind or just black felt scraps. Cotton smeared across the bottom, pulled out a bit to their liking, becomes the beard. Secure a little red strip for the mouth if they like. Those tiny pom-pons are good for this one, too.
Styrofoam Ornament Take a Styrofoam vegetable tray, and use a cookie cutter to press out a shape. Decorate with sequins, glitter, etc. Punch a hole on top, and put a string through to hang it up.
Tin Can Lantern The best cans for tea candles (short stuffy white ones) are the salmon and tuna cans. For other candles, peach cans, or anything kind of wide and not too tall works fine.
Do not peel the label off the cans! Leave it on so you can draw a design on it later. Wash inside of cans well with soap, and a brush, rinse with hot water and let dry on a warm stove top. Do not let your kids dry the inside, the top rim can be sharp.
Next, take an old metal spoon, and use the back of it to press flat any sharp burrs or other things on the inside top edge that might cut your fingers.
Fill the cans with cold water, about 3/4's full and freeze overnight. Next day, take out one can per person, and let them draw a design on the label with a black marker. Then, punch your design with an awl or ice pick, and a hammer. Put the tin can on an old scrap of wood, not your kitchen table top! Accidents happen! Try setting the can on its side inside a bed made of a tea towel, so it won't roll around.
Don't make really big holes, the small ones look nicer. Make a star, heart, pine tree, or any other simple shape that pleases you. The frozen water inside the can keeps it from squashing in the middle once you start hammering in your holes. Simply let the ice thaw when you are done, peel off the label, and dry on a warm stove top. The drying stage is important to prevent rusting. You can spray paint the outside of the can with black, midnight blue, red, green white, any color to match your decor, or leave plain, or even use gold, silver or bronze paint, or do an antique copper/green finish.
Make sure you stick your candles down in the bottom by burning some wax into the bottom and setting the candle in it before it hardens, or use a large thumb tack hot glued, or super-glued onto the bottom. The candle can be pushed down onto the sharp thumb tack point, which will help keep it from tipping over. Use shorter candles that have already been burned a bit, or cut tapers down to the height of the top of the candle. You must make sure its safe to use as you are dealing with fire.
Wall Banner colored felt pieces,12" X 12"
white glue
scissors
sequins, buttons, decorative trim
yarn
Cut the felt square into two pieces, 6" x 12" each. Lay a 18" long piece of yarn along one of the 6" edges, placing it 1/2" from the cut edge of the felt. Squirt a line of glue along the edge of the felt, and fold it back to cover the yarn. Press in place. Let dry. With scissors, trim off the corners of the bottom of the banner, so it comes to a point. Cut our shapes form other felt pieces, and glue them in place. Tie the yarn in a bow at the top and hang on the wall. Add decorations of your choice.
Walnut Strawberries You start with a walnut. Then you paint it shiny red. Then you glue tiny pearls all over it like strawberries have those marks. I can't remember how you make the stem. The end result is really pretty. For a variety on these, paint them SILVER and don't use the pearls.
Wreath Buy plain wreaths from a craft store, shells to glue to them, add a bow to the bottom and you have a nice hanging ornament.
Yarn Wreath plastic lid (from coffee can, peanut can, etc.)
green yarn
red pony beads
ribbon
glue
tape
craft knife
An adult should cut the center part out of the plastic lid, leaving a doughnut shape of your desired thickness. Wrap the yarn around the lid, securing the ends to the back with glue or tape. As the lid is covered, string on a pony bead here and there to look like holly berries. Cover the whole lid with yarn. Then glue the yarn ends to the lid, hiding it under the yarn wrapping. Tie the ribbon into a bow and glue on at the top of the wreath. Tie on a piece of yarn, creating a loop for hanging from the Christmas tree.
