Handmade from the Heart

Twenty-Four Days ’Til Christmas Box

scrapbooking, giftwrap or other decorative paper

scissors

upright rectangular tin box with lid

craft glue

6 to 8 3-inch ribbons in a variety of colors

colored markers

24 pieces of cardstock, cut to fit inside box

Optional: stickers, other craft supplies

Cut paper to size to cover outside of tin box base and top of lid. Glue in place. Glue ribbons to the top of the lid in a cluster to create a whimsical bow. Use markers to write a different idea for a fun activity on each piece of cardstock, decorating as desired. Place the cards in the box, replace the lid and give to your favorite child on December 1st.

Cozy Patchwork Scarf

20 4-inch sqs. felted wool in a variety of colors

1/4 yd. coordinating cotton fabric for lining

embroidery needle and embroidery thread

sewing machine or needle and sewing thread

Lay out the felted squares, 2 to a row. With wrong sides together, blanket-stitch squares together in pairs using an embroidery needle and thread. Open pairs flat; blanket-stitch together to create one long scarf. Cut cotton lining fabric to same size. Pin scarf and lining together, right sides together. Machine or hand-stitch together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, leaving an 8-inch long opening. Turn scarf right-side out through opening; slip-stitch closed. Blanket-stitch around edge of scarf. Machine or hand-stitch a 4-inch horizontal buttonhole across the center of second row of patches. Carefully cut buttonhole open. For a snug, cozy fit that’s like a warm hug, thread the end of the scarf through the buttonhole.

Felted Wool:

washing machine

100% wool fabric

zippered laundry bag

liquid laundry detergent

clothes dryer

Set up washing machine for heavy-duty cycle with hot-water wash. Place wool fabric in a zippered laundry bag. Add detergent (1/3 capful for small load; 1/2 capful for medium; 3/4 capful for large). Wash fabric for full machine cycle. Machine-dry on high heat in clothes dryer. Cut felted wool to desired size.

Lavender-Mint Eye Pillow

8-inch sq. cotton fabric

sewing needle and thread

1/2 c. flax seed

1/3 c. dried lavender

2 T. dried peppermint

3 drops lavender essential oil

Fold fabric in half, wrong sides together. Stitch together on long side and one short side, leaving the other short side open. Turn pillow right-side out. In a small bowl, combine flax seed, lavender buds, peppermint leaves and lavender oil; mix well. Spoon mixture into the pillow; turn in raw edges and stitch closed.

Frosty Etched Glass Jar

glass jar with lid

rubbing alcohol

cotton balls

Optional: painter’s tape

vinyl stick-on letters

etching cream

paintbrush

acrylic paint

With these basic instructions, you can decorate jars for gift mixes or personalize jar candles...almost anything that’s made of glass! Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before decorating glass surfaces, as oils can leave fingerprints. Peel or soak off jar label. Remove any sticky residue with rubbing alcohol and cotton balls; wash jar and allow to dry. If you want only a certain area to have a frosted look, use painter’s tape to mark off the area to be etched. Attach letters to spell out your message; press firmly. Cover work surface well with old newspapers. Brush a thick layer of etching cream onto glass. Let stand for the amount of time indicated by manufacturer’s instructions. Rinse off cream in warm water, in a stainless-steel sink only, not porcelain. Pat dry; peel off letters and tape. To finish, paint jar lid with acrylic paint.

Santa’s Fleecy Gift Bag

Wrap up oversized gifts with this easy-to-make gift bag.

3 yds. fleece print fabric

straight pins

sewing machine and thread

safety pin

12-ft. spool ribbon, 1-1/2 inch wide

Fold fabric in half with right sides together, matching selvages. Pin long edges together. On one long edge, 3 inches down from top edge, mark a 1-3/4 inch opening for a casing. Sew long edges with a 1/2-inch seam allowance, leaving marked area open. To form casing, fold top edges down 2-1/2 inches toward the inside of bag. Pin and stitch along edge of casing. Sew an edge stitch 1/4-inch from top of folded edge. Turn bag right-side out. Fasten a safety pin to one end of ribbon. Feed the pin and ribbon through the side opening and pull through casing. Tie ribbon in a bow; trim ends of ribbon.

Sweet Potpourri Balls

paintbrush

acrylic paint in a color to match potpourri mix

4-inch dia. plastic foam craft balls

hot-glue gun and glue sticks

1/2-inch wide ribbon

straight pins

craft glue

dried potpourri mix

Paint foam balls and let dry. Hot-glue one or 2 lengths of ribbon around each ball as desired; pin in place and let dry. Remove pins. Spread craft glue over uncovered areas on ball; sprinkle generously with potpourri mix. Use hot glue to attach any larger pieces of potpourri and, if desired, a ribbon bow at the top.

Bottle-Cap Magnets

craft knife or 1-inch circular craft punch

holiday cards

craft glue

soft drink bottle caps

clear casting resin

button magnets

silicone cement

Use a craft knife or circular punch to cut out small designs from holiday cards in one-inch circles. Glue each design to the inside of a bottle cap; let dry. Fill bottle caps to the rim with casting resin, following manufacturer’s instructions; let dry overnight. Attach magnets to back of bottle caps with silicone cement; let dry overnight.

Gadget Barn

sturdy shoebox with lid

decorative paper

craft glue

pencil and eraser

craft knife

Optional: 1/2-inch metal eyelets or grommets, eyelet tool and hammer

electric power strip

Keep all the cords of cellphones and other electronic gadgets neat and tidy in this handy desktop box! Cover box as desired with decorative paper and craft glue. Cover lid separately and set aside. Use a pencil to lightly measure and mark 4 to 5, 1/2-inch circles along the front side of box. Lightly measure and mark a one-inch circle on the back of the box for the power strip’s plug. Cut out holes with craft knife; erase pencil marks. If desired, insert eyelets or grommets in holes in front of box and set them, using tool and hammer. Place power strip inside box; pull its cord through the hole in the back and replace the lid.

Charming Yo-Yo Garland

6-inch saucer

scrap of cardboard

pencil

scissors

1/2-yd. cotton print fabric in coordinating colors

Optional: steam iron

sewing needle

strong thread or embroidery floss

1 to 2 yds. 1/4-inch ribbon

hot glue gun and glue sticks

To make a yo-yo template, trace around a saucer onto cardboard and cut out the circle. On the wrong side of fabric, trace around the template with a pencil. Cut out as many circles as desired. For each yo-yo, fold under 1/4 inch all around the edge of the circle; press with an iron, if desired. Using a needle and strong thread or embroidery floss, stitch a running stitch all around the circle, staying close to the folded edge. Leave a few inches of thread at the end. Gently pull the thread until the edges meet in the center. Take your time and shape the gathers as you go. Knot and trim your thread. Use your hands to flatten the yo-yo. Hot-glue the finished yo-yos onto the ribbon to create a garland. There are so many clever ways to use these whimsical little circles of fabric...decorate gift tags, Christmas stockings or a jar of homemade jam. You’re sure to think of others!

Stained-Glass Votives

baby food or other small jars

rubbing alcohol

cotton balls

tissue paper in assorted colors

scissors

liquid starch

spray bottle

Optional: découpage medium, paintbrush

1/4-inch wide ribbon

tealight candles

Peel or soak off jar labels; discard lids. Remove any sticky residue with rubbing alcohol and cotton balls; wash jars and allow to dry. Cut or tear tissue paper into 1/2-inch squares. Pour liquid starch into spray bottle. Spray starch on outside of jar. Randomly apply paper squares over surface of jar until completely covered; let dry. If desired, add a coat of découpage medium. Tie a ribbon around neck of jars and place tealights inside.

Festive Flowerpot

terra-cotta pot with saucer

paintbrushes

acrylic paints

pencil

Optional: tracing paper, transfer paper

water-based varnish

If using an old flowerpot, scrub it well with soap and water; let dry overnight. New pots are ready to paint. Use a paintbrush to apply 2 basecoats of paint to saucer and outside of pot; let dry after each coat. Lightly draw a design on the pot. Trace template (below) or other design onto tracing paper. Tape the tracing onto the pot, slip transfer paper underneath and trace over the design lines with a pencil. To repeat design, reposition tracing and transfer papers as needed. Paint the design as desired; let dry. Erase any pencil marks. Apply water-based varnish to saucer and outside of pot, following manufacturer’s instructions. Let dry before adding a poinsettia or Christmas cactus. A thoughtful hostess gift!

Spicy Scented Kitchen Trivet

2 9-inch sqs. sturdy cotton fabric

straight pins

sewing machine or needle and thread

2 T. whole cloves

4 4-inch cinnamon sticks, broken in half

2 to 3 c. long-cooking rice, uncooked

Pin fabric squares together, right sides together. Stitch around the edges with a 1/4-inch seam allowance; leave a 1-1/2 inch opening. Trim corners and turn right-side out. Add spices and enough rice to fill fairly full. Slip-stitch the opening closed.

Snowflake Window Clings

tracing paper

pencil

baking sheet

wax paper

dimensional white or icy blue glitter fabric paint

Trace a snowflake design (below) onto tracing paper and enlarge on a copier, or draw one of your own. Lay pattern face-up on a baking sheet and cover it with a piece of wax paper. Using fabric paint and 1/8-inch wide lines, trace over the pattern lines on the wax paper; make sure all lines connect. Repeat as desired; let dry overnight. Carefully peel snowflakes from wax paper and apply to windows.

Sparkly Snow Scene

3 assorted-size glass jars with lids

1 yd. 1-inch ribbon

scissors

hot-glue gun

2 to 4 c. sea salt or Epsom salt

small pine branches and pine cones

small ornaments or figures

Remove jar lids and set aside. Measure and cut a length of ribbon to fit around each jar, one inch below rims. Hot-glue ribbon in place. Fill each jar 1/4 full of salt. Arrange branches, pine cones and small ornaments inside jars; don’t overcrowd. Replace jar lids. Arrange the jars in the center of the table or on a cake stand. Arrange more branches around jars, if desired.

Handy Totes, Two Ways

Appliqué Tote:

canvas tote bag

wax paper

4 to 6 5-inch sqs. cotton fabric

pinking shears

fabric glue

sewing needle and thread

buttons, beads, charms, other embellishments

Lay tote bag out flat; tuck sheets of wax paper inside tote bag to prevent glue from soaking through. Use pinking shears to cut a decorative edge around each fabric square. Arrange squares on tote as desired; attach with fabric glue. Let dry; discard wax paper. Use needle and thread to attach embellishments as desired.

Photo Transfer Tote:

digital photo

computer and inkjet printer

iron-on transfer paper

scissors

steam iron and ironing board

canvas tote bag

Upload or scan selected photo to a computer. Print photo onto a sheet of iron-on transfer paper. Cut out image with scissors. Iron image onto tote bag according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Cedar Sneaker Stuffers

1/4 yd. cotton fabric

scissors

sewing machine or needle and thread

cedar shavings from a pet store

Optional: 12 inches decorative cording

Cut 2 pieces from fabric, each measuring 17 inches by 3 inches. Fold each piece in half lengthwise, matching short ends, with wrong sides together. Sew the 2 long sides together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, leaving one end open. Turn fabric right-side out to form a tube. Divide cedar shavings between the 2 tubes, stuffing loosely, and sew closed. If desired, insert one end of the cording into each short end as it’s being sewn closed; secure with several stitches.

Cute-as-a-Button Framed Photo

paintbrush

wood sealer

7-inch by 5-inch unfinished wood plaque

acrylic paint

6-inch by 4-inch photo

craft glue

assorted buttons of similar color

Frame the children’s photo as a gift for Grandma & Grandpa, or make a pretty tabletop decoration...use a favorite Christmas card instead of a photo. Brush a coat of wood sealer onto plaque; let dry. Clean paintbrush and apply 2 to 3 coats of acrylic paint; let dry after each coat. Use craft glue sparingly to attach photo to the surface of the plaque; let dry. To decorate the edges, arrange and glue on buttons so they overlap where edges of photo meet the plaque. Let dry.

Stitch-in-Time Mini Sewing Kit

small tin box from mints or candy

spray paint for metal

scrap of scrapbooking paper

scissors

craft glue

2-inch length magnetic strip tape

sewing needles, straight pins, tiny scissors and other sewing items

For a gift that’s oh-SEW-special...transform a pocket-size tin into a handy sewing kit! Open the tin and lay it flat on a newspaper-covered surface, open-side down. Apply spray paint to the outside of tin. Measure and cut scrapbook paper to cover the lid. Glue paper onto the lid; let dry. Attach the magnetic strip tape to the inside of the lid. Place needles and pins on magnetic strip. Arrange other sewing kit items inside tin.