How to make an old fashioned Christmas wreath using pretzels, ribbon, and unique arts and crafts supplies in this free arts and crafts video. Expert: Ginny Larson Bio: Ginny Larson has been creating fun, inexpensive crafts for her own pleasure for the past thirty years. She loves being creative and making charming pieces from ordinary things. Filmmaker: Terry Larson
Christmas candles are a one most common type of christmas celebration displace darkness, fetch in the lights. The Candles precisely symbolize, the almighty himself. Christ is the light of the world and when we see these Christmas candles, we are reminded of him. To welcome new seasons and as a symbol of the Sun, candles were being used from the time immemorial. The first time when Candles were illuminated throughout Christmas was in Rome during the festival of Saturnalia. The tall wax candles were talented to Saturn as a symbol of his light. With the passageway of time as the Christianity gained popularity, the practice of lighting candles in front of the window started. The idea was to guide the Christ child as he moved from house to house on Christmas. Sweden still continues the tradition. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, published in 1843, and was not only one of his best loved works but also of the Christianity world. No wonder, The Sunday send a message to on 18 December, 1988 of Britain called Charles Dickens as the man who imaginary Christmas. The custom of lighted Christmas Tree originated in Germany from where the idea was brought to England by a German born Prince Albert, the companion of Queen Victoria. Soon the idea spread out as the gentry ongoing copying the Royal tradition of celebrating Christmas by decorating the Christmas tree with wax candles. With Christmas carols in the air, christmas celebrations, beauty and fun. We decorate the houses to contribute to the jollity and festive spirit of the Christmas holidays. We use lights, colors, ornaments, wreaths, garlands, stars and the Christmas tree to add more and more loveliness to the homes. The grand and magical-looking christmas symbols are undeniably the highlight of these decorations. Today, people keep addition to the list with fancy lights and musical decors but the ones that are original and made by one’s own hands and the most favorite ones too for they also bring the families and friends together as we trade ideas signifying thoughtful and sharing. So take your cutters, papers, ornaments, glitters, ribbons and glue to slice out your best Christmas ever. christmas saying an easy home-made Christmas star can be completed in a jiffy using shiny red wrapping paper, cardboard, scissors, glue, glitter and some string. Draw a huge star on the cardboard and cut it out. Make a hole on the top. Cover it with the foil or shiny packaging paper. Paint glue in any pattern on the star and spread the glitter over it. Dust off the surplus glitter, when the glue dries. Attach the string and your star is ready to be hanged anywhere you wish. Christmas wreaths made of evergreen leaves with intense red ribbon bows look beautiful too along with hollies and bells.
Project creation, article and photo by: Madeleine M Langlois
Hands-on time: Under two hours to make 4.
Total time: Drying time for the stain (8 hours per coat).
Skill: Moderate, with basic tool skills.
Project cost: Under $25.00.
Materials & tools:
4” x 4” wooden fence posts (two 30 cm high, and two 25 cm high)
Newspapers
Saw
Pencil and a ruler
Vise, drill and 1-1/4” diameter drill bit, spade bit
Electric sander and medium to fine grit sandpaper
Tack cloth
Pre-stain by Minwax and a sponge brush
Minwax PolyShades (one-step stain & finish all in one) in colour of your choice (I used Natural Cherry gloss 390/490)
High-quality natural bristle brush
Tealight candles, 3 purple, 1 pink, 4 white
(Materials for this project are available at hardware stores)
Making block advent candle holders is a clever way to utilize pieces of wood leftover from other projects, such as last summer’s new deck or fence. Wooden posts are cut to size, and holes are drilled for the candles. Minwax PolyShades was applied to add rich colour with a durable protection while enhancing the wood grain — all in a single step. These modern-style candle holders can used year round.
Advent is a term for the period that begins on the Sunday nearest November 30 and lasts until Christmas. The word advent is derived from the Latin word “adventus” meaning “to come”. The four advent candles symbolize the four weeks of advent. Typically, the purple candles symbolize joy, peace and love, and are lit on the first, second and fourth Sunday of advent. The pink candle symbolizes hope and is lit on the third Sunday. At midnight on Christmas Eve, the candles are replaced by white candles. Theses candle are used until the Epiphany. This tradition has long been practiced by several religious faiths. Families set up advent candles arranged in or around a wreath that is either set on a table or suspended from the ceiling. The circle wreath is a symbol of eternity and life, and the candles are the light of the world.
Measure and cut with a saw four wooden blocks in the sizes indicated above, or to any other size, as there are no rules for the height of advent candle holders, just as long as there are four. Traditionally, they are all the same size, but there is no set rule. I just decided to give these wooden holders a modern look.
On the top face of each of the blocks, draw an X (from each corner) with a pencil and a ruler to find and mark the centre.
Secure the wooden block in a vise, then drill a 1-1/4” diameter hole, as deep as the tealight candle cup, in the centre of it. Stop and check if the tealight fits, then continue drilling if needed to adjust the depth. Repeat steps for each holder.
Sand the wooden blocks until smooth. Start with the medium grit sandpaper and finish with the fine grit sandpaper. Dust off with a tack cloth.
For uniform staining, first apply a coat of pre-stain to each candle holder. Let dry about 10 minutes. Apply a light coat (to avoid drip marks) of the one-step stain in your choice of colour to each of the candle holders. Let each coat dry for eight hours before recoating. Normally, at least two coats are needed for an even and polished finish, but additional coats may be applied for richer colour. I applied four coats, one in the morning and one in the evening over a two-day period. To avoid drip marks, after each coat application, wait five minutes and use upward strokes with the paintbrush around the top edges of the holders.
Once the stain is dry, insert a tealight candle into each of the candle holders.
Adorn with festive beaded wire if desired and let the count down to the holidays begin. The holders will look simply majestic when displayed in a row on a buffet, down the centre of a table or gracing a mantel, or placed inside a large wreath. Light one candle each Sunday, an additional one the next Sunday, and so on until Christmas.
Variations:
To make Hanukkah candle holders, cut eight wooden holders in the same size and height. Cut a ninth (and centre, the Shamas) holder taller. Stain blue, paint silver, or decorate with gold leaf accents, such as Stars of David.
To use tapered candles, simply drill a smaller hole at the other end of the wooden block, then turn them over to use different size candles.
No need to clean your paintbrush between each coat; simply kept it sealed in Glad® Press’n Seal™ wrap.
Minwax PolyShades also allows you to easily change the colour of currently stained or varnished wood items without stripping.
Have you ever heard those familiar words, “I’m bored,” coming from the mouth of your child? If so, then kid crafts are the answer. Providing the kids with plenty of interesting craft materials and project ideas and boredom will soon be a thing of the past. In here I will outline a few ideas and their instructions to keep little fingers busy throughout the Holidays. I?m sure you already know that you need to have plenty of the basic essential on hand like paper, crayons, safe scissors, and glue. Paper for kid crafts can include construction paper, plain typing paper, cardstock of various colors, and many other options. Make sure you start saving magazines and even junk mail can be cut up to make interesting art projects. Crayons are nice for younger children, but the stores are now filled with other options, such as washable dry-erase markers, watercolor pencils, and gel pens. Kid crafts supplies can run into money, but even on a tight budget there are many affordable craft materials for kids. Other materials kids can craft with include recycled junk and found objects. By recycled junk, I’m referring to things lying around the house and empty packaging like plastic containers, and even tin cans. If you let kids craft with tin cans, however, you need to make sure the open edge of the can doesn’t have any sharp edges. Simply file these off or squeeze them flat with a pair of pliers. Found objects include dry leaves, pebbles, feathers and other natural items a child might find. You can also recycle old or damaged toys to make interesting gifts for the family. Even a colourful jigsaw that lost the box so has no guide picture anymore can be used for the pieces to be glued to a paper circle to make a decorative wreath for Christmas. Glue on some extra decorations or holly scraps and it will be a welcome gift for other family members. One of the most fun and popular kid crafts is making a collage. Kids can glue together all kinds of paper products and objects when making a collage. Use heavy paper for the background, and then let the creativity begin! For an extra challenge, a collage can be built around a theme, like food, animals, or babies. Old magazines can be searched for just the right pictures, which can be cut out and glued to the background. Older kids can also cut out interesting words and headlines and add them as well. You can also use this idea to make your own jigsaws for toddlers. Glue an attractive picture from the magazine onto some firm cardboard, and then just cut it into irregular large shapes for your little kids to re-assemble. Younger kid crafts can include collages made of glued down pasta, beans, popsicle sticks, leaves, and many other materials. And make sure you remember the sparkles. If the budget allows only a few kid crafts splurges, remember that kids of all ages, particularly girls, really enjoy crafting artwork that includes *glitter* But whether your kids are boys or girls, young or older, suggest some kid crafts the next time your kids are bored! Bead and Pipe Cleaner Ornaments Christmas objects made from ordinary pipe cleaners and inexpensive acrylic beads are very pretty and easy to make. They look quite impressive but only needs a basic level of skill for small children to make. This is one Christmas craft idea to use again and again. Older people will enjoy making this Christmas craft, too, which can be varied to make a number of different sparkling ornaments for your Christmas tree. To make the bead and pipe cleaner ornaments, you need craft supply pipe cleaners in desired colors and acrylic beads. Two types of beads are particularly effective when strung on pipe cleaners. One type are called sunburst beads, but are also known as paddlewheel beads, snowflake beads, or starburst beads. These beads have six faceted paddles spaced equally around a center that contains the hole for stringing. When several of these sunburst beads are strung consecutively, they fit against each other in an interlocking pattern. The other type of bead that is also effective for this Christmas craft is called the tri bead or propeller bead. It has three rounded bumps arranged around the stringing hole. Like the sunburst beads, the tri beads interlock when strung consecutively. For the most cheerful and bright Christmas ornaments, get tri beads and/or sunburst beads in translucent colors of red, green, and clear. The tri beads can also be found in metallic gold and silver which can be used in this Christmas craft as well. Pipe cleaners can be found in silver and gold tinsel as well as chenille of all colors. For Christmas crafts, the best colors to use are the metallics and Christmas colors. The beads cover the pipe cleaners, but the ends will need to be twisted together and made into hangers, so they show. Anyone, even small children, can string these beads on pipe cleaners. Bend up the end of the pipe cleaner so the beads don’t fall off. The pipe cleaner works like a needle, making a needle unnecessary. For best results, show the children how to use a variety of bead styles and colours when stringing, or start a pattern of three colors. When the beads are strung on the pipe cleaners, they can be bent into different Christmas shapes. For instance, string red and clear beads alternately, then bend down one end of the pipe cleaner for a candy cane shape. Or alternate red and green beads and form a circle for a wreath. Use red pipe cleaner to form a small bow to decorate the wreath. Form a hanger for the Christmas craft or simply slip the circle over a branch of the tree. If you experiment with clear beads and silver pipe cleaners, you can make some very attractive snowflake or star ornaments. Snowflake designs can be twisted of silver pipe cleaner only, without the beads for a simple but pretty decoration. Bead and pipe cleaner ornaments are a Christmas craft you will find yourself using every year. Children and their parents will both appreciate this simple yet pretty Christmas craft. Craft Idea for a Group: Make a Mural If you are minding the kids for the rest of the family on some of the key holiday, it is helpful to come up with group games and activities to suit the tastes of all involved, for a wide range of ages and of course interesting for both girls and boys. Most craft ideas are geared to individuals, whether kids or adults. Sometimes you’d like to have a craft idea that works for a group of kids working together. Making a mural together is an idea that works for a group. By working together, you are creating something to decorate a shared area. Individual crafts can be displayed, but one unique item is often more effective than a group of items that are almost identical. In addition, sometimes kids crafts, like it or not, just become clutter when they are taken home, and it isn’t long before Mom throws it out. This craft idea of making a group mural can be displayed for several weeks and will not become clutter in anyone’s home. The basic materials for a kids’ group mural is freezer paper. Freezer paper is about 18 inches wide, and it is very tough. One side is plastic coated. That is the side that is designed to be placed against the food. You will have better luck drawing on and gluing things onto the other side. Class or group murals can feature a number of different design elements. You can mix up some finger paint and let the children make finger streaks on the paper. You can let them scour old cast-off magazines and color catalogs for pictures they like and let them cut the pictures out and glue them on. They can add scribbles, designs, signatures, slogans, or pictures using markers, crayons, or gel pens. They can attach stickers to the mural as well. This craft idea is very flexible! For making the mural, choose a theme that relates to the whole group in some way. If the group are girl scouts, for instance, and have been learning to camp, the mural can feature pictures of items related to camping. If you’ve been learning about dinosaurs, you can use them as a theme. Little preschoolers will like making a mural with an animal theme. You should probably find and cut out animal magazine pictures to start with, and then let the children choose the ones they like for gluing down. The children can also use animal cookie cutters dipped in finger paint to stamp animals on the mural, too. You may need to tape the paper to the table so it doesn’t slide around while the children work. Again, the craft idea is to build group solidarity and not to highlight one artist’s skills over another. When the mural is completed, it can be a group project to display it. It can be hung in a special central location or given to an appreciated community leader or family member.
Christmas interior decorating comes only once a year so go ahead and decorate every room with style. So deck the halls, bathrooms, and bedrooms with holiday style and fun! Elegantly “wrap” (aka: decorate) all your rooms for the holidays and every time you and your guests enter the room, they will feel like they just unwrapped a present (receiving an unexpected design within your room).
It is beautiful and relaxing to be able to fall sleep and wake up in a room full of holiday cheer and elegance. So, how do you decorate your bedrooms with style and fun?
Below are 7 ideas that are simple and yet have a dramatic “holiday cheer” effect:
1. Place 3 medium evergreen wreaths on the wall where your bed rests and you get an instinct Christmas headboard! Bonus: the aromatherapy scent of the wreath may be soothing enough to help you sleep better zzzzzzz!
2. Decorate the wreaths with the colors of your room. Try decorating them with the color of your pillowcases, or duvet, or window curtains.
3. Hang above nightstands a cluster of Christmas ornaments from your ceiling at different lengths (visualize – chandeliers made of ornaments!).
4. Tie your pillow with decorative ribbons (just like you would tie a ribbon on a present), then unwrap your pillows every night before you go to sleep. This decorative look also works wonderful on throw pillows in the living room and family room. As always, make sure that the colors chosen are complementary to the room.
5. Align your window frames with swags of garland.
6. Use bows to tie window curtains.
7. Float white candles in a vase filled with water and cranberries for a romantic Christmas bedroom décor.
It is great to decorate for others (your guests), but remember YOU are the most valuable treasure in your home – decorate for your comfort and wake up every day to holiday cheer! Have a FUNtastic holiday!!!
The above is the excerpt from Christmas Interior Decorating Guide with Ideas that Will Impress Even Santa Claus!’s e-book chapter called Deck the Halls, Bathroom, and Bedrooms. For more Christmas decorating tips grab your e-book copy at www.adasdecoratingsolutions.com/foryou.html
24-Inch Maine balsam wreath traditionally decorated includes a metal wreath hanger and is inserted in a plastic bag
Constructed of handpicked fresh Maine balsam real pinecones faux red hollyberries and a red velveteen handtied weatherproof bow
The wreath is made of the freshest and greenest Maine balsam and is traditionally decorated
The wreath should be misted every day with water and has a 100% guarentee for freshness
100-Percent guarenteed for freshness and construction
Product Description Bring the fragrance of fresh Maine balsam and the holidays into your home. Decorate your door with this thick and full, holiday wreath with its traditional holiday scheme. Each wreath contains four pounds of premium, live Maine balsam greens, real pinecones, faux holly berries, red crab apples and a hand-tied, weatherproof red velveteen bow. Also includes a convenient over-the-door wreath hanger. Made in Maine…. More >>
Christmas Wreath from Scottish Christmas Trees. Order online now for Christmas delivery. Real Christmas Wreaths hand made in Scotland from sustainable natural tree clippings. See Sally make a Christmas wreath and hear Rory explain the process. Lovely Christmas wreaths deliver direct to…
Keeps artificial wreath and garland protected and clean when not in use
Made of strong polypropylene
Convenient for storing other Christmas accessories
Bright red color makes it easy to find
Easy to carry
Product Description Holiday storage boxes keep seasonal decorations dust-free and neatly organized.Keep wreaths looking good as new. Sort accessories and keep ornamentsscratch-free in the 24-cell box. Or choose the 45-cell under-bed box with a quilted exterior, an ideal solution for large ornament collections. Sturdily constructed of polypropylene and corrugated cardboard, each decorative storage unit is a solid alternative to flimsy plastic bags or deteriorating paper bags.Wreath, 24 … More >>
