Christmas Craft Ideas

These Christmas boxes can be made to hold small gifts. You can use them as decorations around the house or even on your tree.
What you need:
small boxes from your local craft shop
Christmas print material enough to cover the box base and lid
14 count Aida cross stitch material
DMC cross stitch thread
Gold thread for the edge of the finished picture
Glue
Cardboard cut into the shape of a heart for the top of the box
Cover the box base and lid with the Christmas print material. You can line the inside of the box too if you are putting a gift inside.
Cross stitch your favorite Christmas picture onto the Aida count. Glue you finished picture to the cardboard heart folding the material around the shape and glue to the back of the cardboard. Allow the glue to dry before you glue it to the top of the lid.
Use the gold thread around you picture to make a nice finish. You can add a bow if you wish.
Your finished box can hold a special gift or you can use it as a decoration on your Christmas table even on your tree.

Here is a great gift to give to anyone with a new baby. A simple cross stitch picture with the baby's name and the year of their first Christmas.
This is the one I did for my daughter and she loves hanging it on the tree each year. I use a red craft hoop.
I have made many for family and friends. You can also use a photo frame to hold the baby's picture or the cross stitch picture you create.

Here is a great idea I got from the art teacher at my children's school.
I used a clear glass bauble you can get it from your local craft store or one that sells a range of Christmas decorations. I got a pack of four.
Using a computer program like Microsoft word, make up a page of your favorite family photos.
Each photo should be a head shot just like a passport photo and a about half the size. About 1/2 inch.
Just crop the photo and drag it to the right size. Print out the page on your normal printer paper.
You can use the same photo over and over.
You will need about 50.
I used 6 photos of my father and simply copied and pasted them until I had a total of 50.
Use PVA or wood glue that will dry clear.
Start at the top of the bauble and glue on the first row of photos around the top of the bauble. The photos should have their top edges touching. The second row goes in between each of the photos in the first row.
Continue down the bauble giving time for each row to dry.
Using a brush paste a thin layer of glue over the entire photo.
Hang it up to dry. The glue should dry clear and shiny. When the first coat it completing dry add another coat.
Add your own decoration to the top to hang on your tree.
I made two these for my Mother for Christmas. One had photos of my family and on the other I used photos of my brother's family.
Mom loved them!
I made the one of my Dad for Christmas 2007 as he had passed away in October. I made one for our Christmas tree and one for my brother. This year I am making one with photos of my mother who passed away in July 2008. It is a lovely way to remember your loved ones at Christmas.

Printable Santa Letters make it easy and affordable to create and send a Christmas letter from Santa to every child in your family.
Children love to receive a special letter from Santa each year but they seem impersonal. Now you can create one that shows Santa really knows your child.
Now you can answer your child's letters to Santa Claus with exactly the answers you want them to have on beautiful high quality Santa Claus stationary. You can write to all of the kids on your list as often as you want to for years to come. You can spread the fun around and send letters to friends and other family members too!
Check it out here Letters from Santa

Here are some beautiful Christmas Angels to make for your tree.

Quilling Kit-Christmas Angels

This tenth volume in the popular Yuletide series is no exception - it's filled with beautiful full-color photography, simple craft instructions, and Country Friends illustrations that fans love. Gooseberry Patch is renowned for its catalog of books featuring farmhouse-fresh recipes and ideas for crafting and decorating.

* 160 pages of handcrafted decorations and gifts, recipes, keepsakes, and activities

* Categorized recipe index and craft index

* Recipes from the family of Gooseberry Patch readers

Gooseberry Patch Christmas, Book 10 (Gooseberry Patch)

A magical Christmas is sure to be had by those surrounded by personalized Christmas decorations, from stocking garlands and gift boxes to candle shades and napkin rings. This expansive guidebook to Christmas crafts includes 18 simple projects accompanied by step-by-step pictures and easy-to-follow instructions.
Also included are more sophisticated projects that incorporate wire and beading techniques, sewing, embossing, and glass painting.
With all the inspiration hobbyists and crafters need to create unique and crafty pieces, the delightfully simple cards, hearts, tree decorations, and festive accent pieces will surely impress family and friends.

Papercrafts for Christmas: Making Cards and Decorations

All the inspiration you need for this year's Christmas card list! From silk painting to beautiful wire and bead creations this book has the festive season wrapped up.
Simple step-by-step instructions show you how to make the most glamorous cards in the neighbourhood. Includes sewing, embossing, glass painting and peel-off. So, old acquaintances need never be forgotten again.
Making Christmas Cards

Christmas Joy Ornaments Felt Applique Kit includes Santa Christmas tree a teddy bear and more.
Make the perfect addition to your holiday decor.
Kit includes required felt sequins embroidery floss needle and step-by-step instructions.
Finished size: 5 x 5. Set of six.

Christmas Joy Ornaments Felt Applique Kit

Continue the holiday traditions with new heart-warming designs for this special family season. Each kit contains felt, beads, sequins, embroidery floss, needle and easy-to-follow instructions.

* Felt is prestamped

* Sequin packs are presorted

* Kit contains felt, beads, sequins, embroidery floss, needle and easy-to-follow instructions

* Measures 18-inch long

* Santa chef design theme

Bucilla 85435 Felt Aplique Stocking- Santa Chef

Make your own Christmas ornaments this year with this colored ornament kit. Includes materials to make 100 ornaments
20 christmas trees,
20 candy canes,
20 bulbs,
20 Christmas wreath
and 20 snowflakes)

The Beadery Christmas Ornament Kit

Pasta shape star

You will Need:
Icypole or pop sticks
Gold spray paint
pasta shapes
glue - woodwork or craft glue

Take 6 pop sticks. Make 2 triangles. Glue these at each corner to form the triangle. Glue one triangle on across the top of the other to form a star shape. (see picture)

Glue different shapes on the sticks.
Wait until the glue has dried completely before spraying you completed star with gold spray.
Attach some gold thread to hang it on your tree.
Kids just love making these.
You can use thick cardboard as well to make different shapes like trees or bells. Just cut out 2 trees and cover each one with pasta shapes, spray them with gold paint and glue them back to back. Now you have a double sided decoration.

Like some more Christmas Craft Ideas, have a look at The Complete Christmas Collection

Here is an easy to make wreath your child will love.
You need:
one wire coat hanger
green paper
a template of your child's hand
glue
a sheet of cardboard

Bend the coat hanger into a circle leaving the hook of the hanger at the top.
Cut the cardboard into a circle and cut out the center so you are left with a circle strip about 2 inches wide. You will need two of these.
Put one circle under the coat hanger and the other on top. Glue the two together with the wire of the coat hanger in between them.

Trace you child's hand onto a piece of thick card. This will be the template for you child to make lots of hands from the green paper. Help you child trace around the template to make many green shapes of their hand.
Cut them out of the green paper and glue them around the circle of the coat hanger with the fingers ( or leaves) facing to the outside of the circle.
The will look like the leaves of the wreath.
When you have enough hands to cover the whole circle you can decorate the wreath with pictures from old Christmas cards, Christmas wrapping paper etc.
Cover the wire hook of the coat hanger with tinsel and now you have completed your wreath.