December 12, 2007

ThriftyFun Crafts - December 12, 2007


Volume 2, Number 49, December 12, 2007 (Read It Online)

Did you make any homemade Christmas gifts or decorations? Feel free to submit them to our Crafts for Fun and Money program. We pay $15 for every craft that we publish. For more information visit:

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Susan

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Today's newsletter contains:

Photos and Projects:

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Crafting for Fun and Money!

If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish.

More Information:
Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml

Photos and Projects:

Homemade Snowflake Glass Ornaments

These are so easy to make and look so elegant.

Homemade Snowflake Glass Ornaments

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Craft: Paper Mache Ornament Balls

Make your own special ornaments for your tree this year. These ornament balls are fun to make, a bit messy, and look absolutely beautiful when done.

Paper Mache Ornament Balls

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Craft: North Pole Ornament

Ornament made from ice cream sticks.

North Pole Ornament

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Count Down to Santa
By Harlean Greathouse

This is a craft for the kiddies to make as time for Santa draws near, and they ask repeatedly "How many more Days?"

Count Down Santa

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Craft: No Bake Gingerbread House

Using an empty milk or juice carton, graham crackers and royal icing, create an adorable gingerbread house with your kids. This is so easy and so much fun. Making these has become a tradition at my house.

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No Bake Gingerbread House

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Craft: Lifesavers Gift Packs

My sister-in-law and I both have kids in college this year and decided to pare down a little by purchasing consumable gifts for $15 or less. These Lifesavers Gift Packs are what I am planning to give everyone on that list. Some of the items in each pack are similar, but I tried to personalize each one a little, including alphabet shaped sitcky notes, for example. I made vinyl bags because I thought they would be more durable, but zipper bags would work just as well or holiday treat bags with a design on the front and clear on the back.

Craft: Lifesavers Gift Packs

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Craft: CD Christmas Elf

Note: In order to make the picture of this craft work, without an intense reflection, I have covered the CD with invisible tape. Your actual project will allow the shine of the CD to show and reflect holiday lights.

CD Christmas Elf

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Craft: Wooden Gingerbread Ornaments

Drill hole first if you need to do that, paint shapes if you want, let dry. Take ice cream stick and apply snow to look like cookie frosting. Apply sprinkles if you like, be sure to do that before snow dries. It usually takes 12 to 24 hours for snow to dry, I let mine sit overnight.

Wooden Gingerbread Ornaments

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Craft: Easy Snowman Ornaments

Here's a quick and easy way to dress up to those plain glass ornaments in your Christmas box. While you're at it, make several. They make great gifts if you need a unique Christmas gift idea.

Craft: Easy Snowman Ornaments

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Java Sleeves/Coffee Cozies

These sleeves are great! Store them in your purse or bag and when you go out for coffee, you won't need a coffee sleeve anymore. Save a few trees! Ideally it's best to bring our own cup too, though often times we forget, which is why these sleeves are fantastic. These are easily stored in a purse or bag and can be left there all the time. Here's how you make them:

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Craft: Christmas Mitts and Potholders

Do you have four dollars and are able to sew a straight stitch? Here is a quick and easy craft for Christmas.

Christmas Mitts and Potholders

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Craft: Breakfast Gift Basket

Some time ago I purchased a package of new chef's aprons which I always keep on hand for whenever I'm baking or cooking. So I added one in the gift basket.

Craft: Breakfast Gift Basket

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Craft: Greeting Card Finger Puppets

This is a no-cost project that will occupy your kids for a while.

Greeting Card Finger Puppets

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Craft: Jingle Bell Ring Ornament

Cute Christmas ornament made from bells and wire.

Jingle Bell Ring Ornament

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Mosaic Picture Frame
By Christine Weber

Colorful pieces of tile elevate a standard picture frame to something extraordinary.

Mosaic Picture Frame

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Tips:

Mei Tai Baby Bag Link

I found this how-to here:

There's several variations of this on the site! By melody_yesterday from Sedalia, Missouri

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Star Centerpiece Idea

I wanted to post a table centerpiece idea:

First make a 16 point star with gold wrapping paper.

Put a small skinny flower vase in the center, then make gold five point stars and use pipe cleaners to glue them to and put in the vase. By Tracy from Ankeny, Iowa

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Candy Decorated Christmas Trees

Try these as an alternative to making an entire gingerbread house. My school's PTA had this as one of the crafts this weekend and it was a big hit with all the kids.

Take a sugar cone (the pointy one) and stick it to a small plate with some white frosting. Then cover the cone with frosting to resemble a snow covered tree. You can now decorate the tree with small pieces of candy, tubes of icing, sprinkles, you name it.

This would be a great activity for a December birthday party or any other Christmas event. Have the kids use their imagination.

By Jess in Oregon

Candy Decorated Christmas Trees

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Homemade Gift Bath Scrubby

I buy dollar store soaps in holiday scents, like peppermint or even gingerbread scent. From thrift stores or again the dollar store or any outlet, buy cheap children mittens. Shave the soap with a potato type peeler and add it to the mittens, sew the top half of the mittens closed, (where your hand would go) and us as a shower/bath scrubby to feel refreshed and in the holiday spirit. Makes a great stocking stuffer or gift too!

By Pat from Fort Myers, FL

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Fabric Lunch Bags

Several years ago before I retired, I made some interesting lunch bags for my supervisor and some other fellow workers.

I took a brown lunch bag and cut it into pattern pieces, down the back and around the bottom. I cut my fabric pieces a slight bit larger to allow for seam allowance. I went to Hancock's remnant table and found some brown calico, deep chocolate brown with tiny orange flowers. I found some beige quilted fabric for a lining. I sewed strips for two handles and some velcro at the top for closure. All this was topstitched in orange. There might be 6 of these on the earth now. I never did finish mine. Calico brown bags. They were a big hit.

By Marty from Houston, TX

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Christmas Traditions: Making Ornaments

When I was a kid, I always wanted a themed Christmas tree like you see in stores or in the movies. We had the kind of tree with mismatched ornaments that had been handed down or picked up secondhand. No one can really afford to have all their ornaments match, right?

When my oldest daughter was 2, I noticed all the fun projects she would bring home from daycare. I didn't want her to do all the fun stuff with other people. I decided that we would make good memories at home too. We started making ornaments. We pick a new color or theme every year.

The first, year our colors were red and white. She made very simple pipe cleaner crafts like candy canes and I made ornaments with red ribbon and scraps of lace. The second year, we made white snowflakes with cornstarch dough and decorated them with beads and glitter. We've put starched string around small inflated water balloons, popped them when they were dry and then glittered them. This year, we got pretty ambitious. We are making butterflies and dragonflies with wire and pantyhose, then decorating them.

We never spend much money on supplies, we usually just use stuff we have already in the house. We keep a few ornaments to remind us of what we've done and either donate or toss the rest of them. We also make extras for teacher gifts, again saving money. We have a beautiful tree every year and the time we spend together gives us the best Christmas memories!

By Lisa from Lena, WI

Christmas Traditions: Making Ornaments

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Pencil Jar As Gift

Here is a cute idea I made for my children's teachers. This can be used as a vase for fresh cut flowers (or even an artificial bouquet) or even as a pencil/pen container.

I found some straight sided glass jars as the thrift store for 15 cents each. I bought (2) 24 ct. packages of the 97 cent papermate wooden pencils at Wal-mart and hot glues them all around the jar. Then I attached a ribbon & bow (again with hot glue) and some miniature tree teacher/school ornaments (bought at Hobby Lobby during the 50% off sale) and voila! Pretty gifts for the teachers at around $5 each!

You could use a different ribbon and decorations and it would also be nice for co-workers in an office setting!

By Renee from Dickinson, TX


Pencil Jar As Gift

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Vinyl Flooring For Table Top

This is a piece of vinyl flooring left from a project. I needed something to jazz up my table top to match my kitchen. I painted the wrong side of the vinyl, then cut out some pieces of fabric and decoupaged them on. After drying overnight, I put 3 coats of clear spray paint on. Table cloths seemed to always get pulled askew. Not so with this. However, about a year ago, my table mat became a rug and it's holding up great as such :0)

By Maggie from Bloomington, MN

Vinyl Flooring For Table Top

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Handmade Christmas Ornaments for Gifts

When I decorate for Christmas, I like to make gifts. This year I want to make diamond shaped fabric ornaments with a lovely lace border. I also want to make some squares circles and snowflakes. I am looking forward to this.

By Bev from Chilliwack, BC

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Pinecone Fire Starters as Christmas Gifts

I'm always running low on extra money for gifts, and always watching for things found curbside or that are recyclable and free, especially at Holiday time:

I'm about to warm old candle wax and crayons swirled for exotic color, with cinnamon oil and vanilla added for fragrance. Then I will take the pine cones I find being left to weather beneath pine trees around the malls and forgotten, dip, swirl and sprinkle with glitter and add to a washed mesh grocery bags from fruit, veggies or turkeys. I'll place into old but good painted baskets or wooden containers and add single threads of thin red ribbon woven loosely all through the bundle and around ends, handles, or tops of what I finish with, along with a sprig of rosemary from the lawn care clippings at the same mall where it over-grows by a bank, with their permission of course.

I hope to find an attractive but frugal box of safety matches to tuck into it for their fireplace or outdoor firepit-burning of the lightly waxed scented cones. My notecards tucked in will be made from phone-directory homepressed spring flowers and leaves that say such things as "Hope this leaves you blooming with memories from your warmest holiday ever. Merry Christmas, dear hearts."

By Lynda from Richardson, TX

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Contests:

The above contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25!

New Requests:

Costume for Church Play

My church is putting on 'A Night in Bethlehem'. We are all responsible for our costumes. I will be a woman in a Jewish home in Bethlehem at the time of Christs' birth, I need clothing ideas. I have a black under garment that goes to the floor and has long sleeves, that I wear when I serve on the altar. So my body is covered but now what do I do for a robe effect? I have some white material that I got at church today.

Sandy from Arbutus, MD

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How To Get a Vintage Look When Matting Pictures

I've got a project I'm working on and I need some input. What type of picture frame and mat would one use to create a Vintage Look? I used a black frame with a black mat background and was told it looked too contemporary. I don't want that, I'm after VINTAGE.

Pam from Lincoln, DE

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How to Make a Primitive Wreath

I bought a wire wreath to make my mother a primitive wreath. We saw one in a store where you cut strips of cloth and knot it around the rings of the wreath. How do you start that? How big should the strips of cloth be?

Tabitha from Prosperity, WV

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Reusing Old Pasta Sauce Jars

Anyone have a clever ideas for using empty mason jars from pasta sauce. I have so many of them and would like to store something in them.

LINDA from NYC

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Making Christmas Tree from Old Phone Book

Does anyone remember making Christmas trees out of old telephone books?

Kat

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Crafts Using Old Crayons

I have a large amount of old crayons from a Sunday School class. I would love to use them up to make something for the kids in my class. Someone suggested melting them in cookie cutters to make shaped crayons. Any ideas on how to do this, or other uses?

Kelly from North Carolina

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Quick and Easy Crochet Patterns

I am looking for some really easy crochet patterns to make Christmas gifts for a friend to give to her friends. Anything fast like hats, potholders, double yarn projects.


Regi from Dallas,Texas

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Homemade Bow And Arrow Set

How to make a bow and arrow at home?

Nicholas from La Puente, CA

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Wallet Made from Magazines

Does anyone have a pattern for a two or three fold wallet? I would like to use magazine pictures to make it. How many plys of plastic will I have to use and were can I buy it.

Brenda

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Materials to Make a Magazine Purse

Can someone tell me what type of material to use for the magazine purse, if you want to make them out of magazines. Iron-on vinyl did not very well. What size do you have to have for it to come out even. Do anyone have a picture to send me?

Brenda

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Oriental Themed Christmas Decorations

I am hoping that some of you can help me with ideas on making Christmas Tree ornaments to be hung on a tree in my Oriental themed living room. My knickknacks, wall pictures, rug, etc. are oriental style. I wanted my tree to fit in with that theme but can't find ideas or patterns for ornaments. Can anyone help me with ideas/patterns? Thanks.

Thissie from Juneau, AK

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Organizing Art Supplies and Materials

How do you organize art supplies and materials? The things I'm trying to organize range from all sizes of scrap paper, to oil paints, yarn, buttons, and oddly shaped small trinkets. My main concern is paper. I use and collect it to make collages, but I can't seem to find an effective way to organize it!

Miki from California

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Pattern For Miniature Christmas Tree Made With Pipe Cleaners

Many years ago, while at a craft fair with my mother in law I learned to make a miniature Christmas tree from green pipe cleaners (or chenille stems for you language purists!). You started with a small block base with a thin dowel sticking up. Then you took a length of pipe cleaner (about 6" or so) and twisted around the dowel. But, and this is what made them look so real, before you twisted each length, you took about an inch long piece of cleaner and twisted it a bit down from each end (for branches). You used several lengths the same then decreased the length around the dowel to get the tapered effect.

Unfortunately I don't remember the details. I have one left (after having made many to give away) but don't want to destroy it to figure out the pattern. Does anyone know of these or have the instructions.

Melody from Oak Ridge, TN

Miniature Christmas Tree

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Putting Decals On Wood

Hello everyone, I am new to this site and was wondering if anyone could help me with how to put rub on decals onto wood, as I have been trying to add small pictures to my pyrography (woodburning) and they don't seem to be working for me. :(

Jan

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Making a Base for Fragrance Oil Reed Diffusers

How do I make the base for the fragrance oil used in the reed diffusers?

P Sanders from Deep South Mississippi

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Articles:

Extreme Barbie Makeover
By Debra Frick

Last summer, a friend of mine went on what she called "The great Barbie Hunt." She scoured thrift stores and garage and yard sales for as many Barbies and clothes as she could find. Every time she picked up a bedraggled Barbie, I thought to myself "What the heck she is going to do with that? She is fifty years old, she's going to play with Barbies now?"

Extreme Barbie Makeover

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