4 Christmas Crafts, 6 Readily Available Items
Add your own personal style to Holiday planning with these simple and merry crafty decorations.
Whether hung in the
tree or scattered throughout the house, these fragrant spicy
packets will inevitably get you into the Holiday spirit.
Choose among these four herbs and spices: verbena, rosemary, mint and bay leaves, pieces of cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and allspice. Add dried orange zest, cedar chips and a few drops of cedar oil. Put into a plastic bag and mix every day for a few days. Then, divide into little jute bags and tie with wide decorative ribbons.
This year, give your
tree a new look. For a classic style of simple-elegance, try
combining your dried fruit garlands with white Christmas lights and
ball ornaments of the same colour.
Cut a whole apple and orange in attractive round slices. Dip them for 1 minute in a mixture of water, the juice of one lemon and 1 tablespoon of salt. Lay them flat on a plate and cook in the microwave for approximately 30 minutes. Check them regularly to make sure they don't turn black, but take into account that apples will shrivel up a little. Let slices cool and treat with a little hair spray. Poke a hole in the fruit slices with a paper clip or other pointy object, and string together with raffia. And for an extra creative flair, glue cinnamon sticks or star anis to the fruit slices.
The dried fruit are also a great way to decorate your gift-wrapping. And don't forget, kids love to be involved in this type of activity!
Choose a variety
of citrus fruit – oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes – and with a
sharp knife, cut grooves into the peel. Insert the whole cloves.
Make decorative patterns and your fruit will be as appealing to the
eye as it is to the nose.
Display your citrus fruit in a decorative bowl or dish, and add a few cinnamon sticks, cranberries, greenery, and gold ribbons. These centerpieces are sure to get your guests’ talking!
This craft is also a
great idea for kids.
- In a large bowl, combine 225 grams of sugar, 3 tablespoons of butter, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1½ to 2 tablespoons of milk. Icing must be smooth with a firm consistency to make it easy to apply.
- Pour the icing in a watertight plastic bag and cut off one corner (for your own pastry bag).
- Place a graham cookie on the table and squeeze some icing on all four sides. This piece will serve as the house's floor.
- Place one cookie per side for the house's four walls.
- Squeeze icing to seal the walls together. Add more icing to two of the top surfaces, to create the roof.
- Place two cookies for the roof and seal together once again with icing.
- For decoration, use the icing to create snowy effects or to affix colourful candy.
Once the house is dry and solid, string a ribbon through the opening in the roof, and it then becomes an attractive Christmas tree ornament.
Happy Holidays!