10 Christmas Crafts In 10 Minutes

This booklet introduces 10 very simple
handmade holiday crafts that can be
completed in 10 minutes or less.
They are ideal for busy, happy people
of all ages who want to bring a little
handmade holiday spirit into the coming
weeks!
Enjoy!
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copyright 2008 Artella www.ArtellaLand.com
10 Christmas Crafts in 10 Minutes
by Marney K. Makridakis
©2008 all rights reserved
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1. Ornament in a Box
Supplies: Small ornament, 1 piece of
patterned paper Optional: stickers, markers
To make small, run-of-the-mill
ornament into something special
with a handmade touch, put
it in a box...a handmade box!
This is a great project to try
with kids because it’s easy...
and of course, it’s nice and quick.
Cut out the pattern on the next page. You can enlarge it or
shrink it, depending on what size you need the box to be.
First print out the page on plain paper so you can experiment
with the sizing of the box. When you’ve found the right size,
then you can stick a pretty piece of paper - such as a piece of
“Memory paper” found in craft stores - directly in your
printer. Or you can cut simply create a stencil from your
print-out and trace around it onto the paper you want to use
and cut it out.
Fold the box according to the instructions. You can then
embellish the box with markers, stickers, glitter, buttons, whatever you want! Consider using letter stickers or rub-ons to
personalize an ornament box for everyone in the family (see
photo).
It’s an easy way to make simple ornaments a little more
exciting - all in less than 10 minutes!
Box Template
2. Toy Menorah
Supplies: 9 candle sticks, 9 candle
holders, toy with horizontal surface
No matter what your beliefs,
it’s a wonderful idea for families
to embrace inclusion by learning about different winter
holiday traditions.
Whether Hanukkah is celebrated in your house or not, Holiday crafts are a wonderful opportunity to learn about Hanukkah and the festival of lights! Furthermore, this project could
also be easily be adapted to be a simple, creative candle display.
This project involves making a super-quick menorah out by
simply gathering nine candle sticks and candle holders and
arranging them on a toy that has a horizontal surface that will
allow you to place all candles safely. Besides being a visually
interesting display. Using a toy as your display surface provides an interesting juxtaposition between the tradition of
long-past and the hopeful energy of our childrens’ future.
Obviously the key is the creative selection of the toy! A toy
truck is shown here, but that is just one option! Try doll furniture, kid-sized easels with children’s art, building blocks, or
even vintage board game boxes.
The other thing to keep in mind is safety. You should secure
the candle holders to the surface with super-tacky tape or rubber cement, and of course, never leave lit candles unattended.
Another holiday craft in under 10 minutes!
Project #4
Fast & Fun Stars
Supplies: Felt, paper, buttons
Optional: glitter glue, markers
Making these stars is quick and fun!
Use the pattern on the next page as
a stencil to trace on to a piece of felt,
and cut out. You can enlarge or shrink
the pattern to your taste. Glue the
felt star to a piece of paper in a coordinating color. Don’t limit yourself
to “traditional” Christmas colors - have
fun with your color choices! Cut the
paper leaving about 1/4” border.
Then comes the fun part! Select some spare buttons, arrange
them in a circle on the felt, and glue with tacky glue or a hot
glue gun. Finish with dots of glitter glue for extra sparkle.
part! Select some spare buttons, arrange them in a circle on
the felt, and glue with tacky glue or a hot glue. Finish with
dots of glitter glue for extra sparkle.
These fun stars are quick and very versatile! Consider these
ideas:
- Back them with a strip of double-sided tape to attach them
to windows, walls, or other surfaces
- Use them as creative handmade gift tags on packages
- Punch a hole in the top of the paper and tie a string or wire
through it, to hang the star as an ornament.
- Make several stars and hang them on a clothes line, hung on
clothespins.
Star Template
Project #5
Little Gift Magnets
Supplies: Small boxes, wrapping paper,
bows and ribbon, self-adhesive magnets
We spend lots of time in the
kitchen during the holidays,
and this project is a quick,
under-10-minutes way to
bring some Christmas cheer
to your kitchen appliances.
You’ll need several small boxes, such as matchboxes, small
jewelry boxes, and “Tic Tac” containers. If you don’t have
any tiny boxes on hand, you can even shrink the pattern on
page 4 and make your own!
Next, simply wrap the boxes up like gifts and add tiny bows
or ribbons. Then attach adhesive-backed magnets to each
package. You can buy “blank” round magnets with adhesive
backing at any craft store.
Another option is to use adhesive-backed magetic sheets,
available at office-supply stores, which you can cut to fit the
size of each of your small packages.
In addition to the kitchen, also consider other magnetic surfaces for these “attractive” decorations, such as filing cabinets
and lockers.
Project #6 Easy Elegant Ornaments
Supplies: Plain ornament, metallic paint pen, glitter glue
Most of us have some plain, solid-colored Christmas ball ornaments in our holiday supplies, and even if not, they are easy
to find and quite inexpensive.
This project is a quick and easy way to dress them up with
simple elegance that will make them stand out and sparkle on
your tree.
In addition to the ornmanet itself, all you need is a metallic
paint pen and glitter glue. Use the pen to make three
intersecting lines that form a star, as shown in the photos.
Then add dots of glitter glue to the ends of each line and
in the center.
Stagger this “star” design arround the ball 3 times so that it
can be seen from all angles. It is simple and understated,
but catches the light beautifully.
Project #7
Rustic Metal Stars
Supplies: Cardboard, aluminum foil,
craft paints, paint brush, scissors
Recommended: rubber gloves
Optional: jumprings, wire
This project is really easy and the effect is
beautiful! All you need is aluminum foil,
cardboard, and some inexpensive craft paints
(i.e., acrylic decorative paints you buy in
small bottles). The project is messy, so you may
want to use some gloves!
Cut a piece of cardboard into a star pattern. You can use our
template on page 7, if you like. This will be your base for the
star, that you’ll be wrapping with your “rustic” foil.
To create the foil, lay out a piece that will be large enough to
wrap around the star. With the shiny side up, use any paint
brush to brush a very thin coat of paint to completely cover
the suface. With the paint still wet, crumple up the sheet of
foil, and then un-crumple it.
Next, wrap the foil around the cardboard star, pressing the
foil as flat as possible on the cardboard by creasing it carefully
(yes, this is all very messy with the wet paint - that’s why you
have the gloves!). If there is a lot of excess foil, you can trim
as you go.
Set your star somewhere to dry where both sides can dry
(i.e., not flat). Sitting upright in an egg carton, or something
similar is ideal. To make single ornaments, attach a jump
right to the top of the star and string wire through it. Or create a hanging with several rustic stars, as shown above!
Project #8
Gumdrop Tree
Supplies: Tree branch, gumdrops, plate,
clear cellophane packing tape, toothpicks
Optional: white spray paint, small cloth
The important part of this project is to get a branch that looks
“tree-like” and has plenty of small “branches” onto which you
can stick the gumdrops. To keep the project under 10 minutes, just let keep the branch as-is. A variation is to spray
paint the branch white, as shown in this photo, although that
will add a bit more time to the project, since you’ll need to
wait for it to try before continuing. Note that if you
spraypaint the tree, you should not consume the gumdrops
after they have been on the spraypainted tree.
Once you’ve selected the branch, make any necessary clips or
cuts to perfect the shape. Anchor the bottom of the branch
onto a dish with clear packing tape. Once the branch is secure, cover up the tape with gumpdrops, or a small cloth or
piece of fabric.
Make holes in the gumdrops with a toothpick first, and then
carefully slide them on the branches. Continue until you’re
pleased with the design!
Project #9
No-Sew Stockings
Supplies: Baby socks, yarn Optional:
interesting fibers, buttons, and charms
The quickest project in this booklet is to simply take some
cutie-patootie baby socks and tie them to a piece of yarn to
make an adorable ornament to hang on the tree, on a
wreath, or on a doorknob.
Simply tie a knot in one end of the yarn and then push the
other end through the top cuff of one of the socks. Leave the
desired length of yarn for hanging, push the yarn through the
other cuff and secure with a knot.
To add a little more pizazz, add charms, buttons, beads, and
interesting fibers to the yarn. It’s a great gift for new parents,
and a perfect decoration for any corner that needs some
Christmas sweetness!
Project #10
Beaded Ornament
Supplies: Round ornament, tacky glue, sponge
brush, micro beads, wire coat hanger, deep
mixing bowl Optional: ribbons
Start by cleaning and drying the ornament
thoroughly. Remove any top or hook of
the ornament so that you can have access
to getting inside it through the hole on top.
Un-bend the round top of the coat hanger
and insert it in the ornament, giving it a
twist at the top, so it won’t fall out. The
hanger will be used as a tool that will allow you to maniuplate the ornament without touching it.
Hold the hanger (which is holding the ornament) in one hand,
and then brush on the tacky glue with the other glue. Our
favorite glue for adhering small beads is DUO Embellishing
Adhesive by USArtquest. After you’ve applied the glue, wait
for it to get “tacky”. If you’re new to using the product, you
should experiment with attaching beads to scrap paper before
you try the ornaments. Refer to the product instructions.
Pour beads into your mixing bowl and then, with the ornament still on the hanger, literally roll the ornament around in
the boll until all areas are covered in beads. You can use your
fingers to get to hard-to-cover areas. As long as you keep
working over the bowl, you can simply shake the ornament
(lightly) as you work to release the excess beads.
When all the areas are covered, replace the ornament’s top
or hook, if you took them out. You may want to decorate
the top with a matching bow to add even more flair!
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