Christmas Crafts: The Perfect Homemade Gift!
When you're stuck for that personal touch, turn to Christmas crafts for the answer!
Christmas crafts are fun, readily available, and turn out remarkable results. Some people don't associate Christmas crafts with gift giving, but that's because they aren't using their imaginations! Here are three spectacular Christmas crafts that will make perfect gifts!
1. Shrink Art Ornaments
Remember Shrink Art, sometimes known as Shrinkydinks? Well, it makes fun, fast, material for Christmas crafts that look almost professionally made! There's no better way to provide something beautiful with a personal touch.
Shrink Art is a flexible plastic sheet that shrinks to about a third its original size in a hot oven, maintaining the dimensions of whatever you put on it while reducing it in size and making it harder (like plastic). In other words, you can put just about anything on shrink art. Trace a beautiful Christmas card, write a calligraphic letter, draw an original sketch: the doors are wide open! Just don't forget to punch a hole through your masterpiece before you put it in the oven. Shrink it according to directions, and viola! Christmas crafts become gorgeous ornaments!
2. Stained Glass
Some of you might be thinking, "Stained glass? I can't do that!" Well, believe it or not, you can make beautiful stained glass Christmas crafts that double as perfect gifts! All you need is a piece of glass (buy those frameless picture frames) or a glass ornament (candle holders, mason jars, etc.). Buy glass paints and imitation leading at an arts and crafts store (or your local department store). Draw your design in "leading," then fill in the blanks with glass paint. The result: gorgeous stained glass works of art that will have people whispering, "How did you do that?"
3. Chocolate Pretzel Gift Bags or Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
Christmas crafts are at their best when they're delicious! To make these super-simple Christmas crafts, get some of the twisty-type pretzels and squares of white chocolate. Melt the white chocolate in a double burner or a microwave. Dip each pretzel in white chocolate, place it on wax paper, and cool them in the fridge until they harden.
When they're hard, put the pretzels into Christmas-y cellophane bags and seal them with a ribbon.
For Gingerbread hot chocolate, fill a cellophane bag half-full of prepared hot chocolate mix. Add 1/8 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Shake well and seal it up.
There are many Christmas crafts you can transform into beautiful gifts! Check your library and the internet for more ideas, and don't be afraid to share your love of Christmas crafts.