Hand -made decorations?

Graces7

I am just starting to make these; I already make small (knitted) angels and bells ( that ring!)

When I was still trading at street markets and craft fairs they sold so well for our work for needy folk.

Any other, ideas please?

Deja Boo

I don't knit or crochet, so am lost there... what about needle felting, Graces?
You could make some quite expressive little critters with that technique.
Personally, I think felted sheep would make fun tree ornaments.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/54/c7/6c/54c76ca99f521d9298b8a8f8949dff58.jpg

Batgurl

Do you mean what to make? Or where to sell them?

I’ve seen amazing Christmas decorations made out of wine and champagne corks. Very creative.

In terms of selling, I think Etsy or an Instagram or Facebook shop would be best.

Speedsie

When I was a chisler (back in the 70s), my brother and I used to make popcorn garlands for the tree.

Basically, pop some pop corn, then with a needle & thread string then along 2 or 3 foot lengths. These were then knotted together.

Then after twelfth night the garlands were added to the bird table.

New Home

Could someone please suggest a theme for me for this year's Christmas cards? I've previously done snowflakes, baubles, Christmas trees, gingerbread men, bare-branches trees with baubles, reindeer, Nativity scenes, candles, presents, Santas, Christmas villages, winter wonderlands, candles... and now I'm at a loss. As for the technique/media, I've used wrapping paper, origami, paints, kirigami, "stained glass" effect, stamps, beads, glitter, ribbons, card, foil, enamels/nail varnish, copper. Ideally it should be quick and easy (I need to make over 40 cards by hand) but pretty/eyecatching. I've tried drawing/making wreaths, mistletoe, holly, etc but the results were quite poor.

As usual I've left it quite late...

Deja Boo

Your calligraphy is beautiful New Home. Why not a simple word like Joy with a bit of swirly ornamental holly at the ends... you could do it with a simple a gold ink gel pen and colour penciled in... The swirls don't have to be perfect, just swirlie and whimsical.

Deja Boo

• An origami peace crane ornament (made from christmas wrap) slipped inside a pocket on the front of a blank card (for peace on earth).
• Something whimsical, like elf legs or a cute simple christmas bird on a branch...
• Wordart is lovely (especially this year) - Hope, Peace, Joy (wishing you joy always)...
• Their name in Christmas lights ?

k, sorry done now... I do love homemade cards.

New Home

Thank you, Boo, all good ideas.

(You just reminded me, I made Christmas owls and and stockings, too. )

Deja Boo

New Home wrote: »

Thank you, Boo, all good ideas.

(You just reminded me, I made Christmas owls and and stockings, too. )

Owls? wow!

You are talented and creative, well done New Home!

otnomart

Disney has shared a video on How to Make A Festive Star Lantern - a tradition from the Philippines which featured in their Christmas advert

otnomart

otnomart wrote: »

Disney has shared a video on How to Make A Festive Star Lantern - a tradition from the Philippines which featured in their Christmas advert

That's lovely!

Deja Boo

New Home wrote: »

Could someone please suggest a theme for me for this year's Christmas cards? I've previously done snowflakes, baubles, Christmas trees, gingerbread men, bare-branches trees with baubles, reindeer, Nativity scenes, candles, presents, Santas, Christmas villages, winter wonderlands, candles... and now I'm at a loss. As for the technique/media, I've used wrapping paper, origami, paints, kirigami, "stained glass" effect, stamps, beads, glitter, ribbons, card, foil, enamels/nail varnish, copper. Ideally it should be quick and easy (I need to make over 40 cards by hand) but pretty/eyecatching. I've tried drawing/making wreaths, mistletoe, holly, etc but the results were quite poor.

As usual I've left it quite late...

Just seen these that might have potential, (looking for gift-tag ideas myself)... vine wreath and whimsical tree ...with 3d elements.

I have one small snowflake punch, I might try one gift-tag tree, (not sure it would hold my interest long and wont turn out like the pic, so - meh...)

Garlinge

Making cards kept me busy a month or so ago, watercolour paints with glitter glue highlights and and metallic paint border, good watercolour paper stuck onto coloured cards. One theme was snow crystals that unfortunately look like corona virus

Other ideas? christmas tree bauble, polar bear, snowman, eskimo, street lantern silhouette against night sky.....I try and have indigo blue background then sprinkle white paint over to look like snow (splatter with help of old toothbrush).

Garlinge

I have sprayed gold paint on dried seed heads of flowers (alliums)...then arranged in vases. I saw someone sprayed same with white paint and put just the flowerheads in the tree as decorations. I tried this but white paint does not seem so dramatic or else paint was cheap, poor quality.

I looked up preserving autumn leaves and apparantly people do it via wax and use for christmas decorations. Best of colour gone now but idea for next year! I only wanted to keep for week or so to enable a painting of same to be done. I did not realise you could preserve colour for so long.

Lord Spence

My friends mom knitted this for me :-)

New Home

:D:D

Posy

Aaaaaw, I love it!!

SarahLil

Brilliant

Deja Boo

very cool!

tscul32

My son made these a few years ago for his gran and auntie. Frames from ikea, pebbles from the beach, a few scrabble tiles and a hot glue gun.

Deja Boo

Lovely tscul32 well done to your son!

SarahLil

Wow tscul32 they are gorgeous x

now online

If you crochet, some baubles? The plain baubles can be bought in boots. I usually put in a little bit of snow and crochet different patterns on them. The stick on pearls I usually get in the €2 shop

tscul32

now online wrote: »

If you crochet, some baubles? The plain baubles can be bought in boots. I usually put in a little bit of snow and crochet different patterns on them. The stick on pearls I usually get in the €2 shop

They're beautiful

HildaOgdenx

now online wrote: »

If you crochet, some baubles? The plain baubles can be bought in boots. I usually put in a little bit of snow and crochet different patterns on them. The stick on pearls I usually get in the €2 shop

They are gorgeous.

Jenna James

I just had a memory of making tree decorations in primary school from a piece of styrofoam and a festive picture, usually a christmas card. Oh no, sentimental :pac:

TRS30

Jenna James wrote: »

I just had a memory of making tree decorations in primary school from a piece of styrofoam and a festive picture, usually a christmas card. Oh no, sentimetnal :pac:

I still have a Christmas log, candle holder that I made in primary school.

New Home

Ah, yes, but do you still have your First Holy Communion money? :pac:

Jenna James

New Home wrote: »

Ah, yes, but do you still have your First Holy Communion money? :pac:

Never got any :mad: and haven't made my confirmation :pac:

TRS30

New Home wrote: »

Ah, yes, but do you still have your First Holy Communion money? :pac:

We don't have that in my religion however I do still have old money in my first piggy bank if that counts

Loughc

I am watching Kirstie's Christmas: Quick and Easy Craft is on channel 4 this Sunday at 8pm it might be worth a watch.

em_cat

Speedsie wrote: »

When I was a chisler (back in the 70s), my brother and I used to make popcorn garlands for the tree.

Basically, pop some pop corn, then with a needle & thread string then along 2 or 3 foot lengths. These were then knotted together.

Then after twelfth night the garlands were added to the bird table.

Your the first person I’ve heard of doing that here, we made up the popcorn garlands too, but they never lasted until the twelfth, mostly the cats & dogs got to them or the odd one went on fire from the fairy lights

tringle

I make lots of decorations with felt. Cut out two shapes, decorate the front one, sew and stuff. Last year was all about zombie gingerbread men, this year its gnomes. I have about 15 gnomes in total made. Its great cos the collection builds each year.
Xmas 2018 i put a tree up in the large open plan office i worked in and colleagues wanted to buy them. So i left a charity bucket there (with management permission), take a decoration and leave a donation. Made over €100 for the Lifeboats.

em_cat

I’m working on a storyboard to create a Christmas story of the worst elf on the shelf there ever was. I’ve started hand illustrations and am laying it out over the 12 cards I’ll watercolour the scenes, all cards will have to brought back together to get the whole story. My nieces absolutely love these things, I don’t do them every year But thought it would be great this year and well then put on a wee diy panto on the day.

otnomart

em_cat wrote: »

I’m working on a storyboard to create a Christmas story of the worst elf on the shelf there ever was. I’ve started hand illustrations and am laying it out over the 12 cards I’ll watercolour the scenes, all cards will have to brought back together to get the whole story. My nieces absolutely love these things, I don’t do them every year But thought it would be great this year and well then put on a wee diy panto on the day.

I love storyboards, fair play to you !
Lucky nieces !

Speedsie

em_cat wrote: »

Your the first person I’ve heard of doing that here, we made up the popcorn garlands too, but they never lasted until the twelfth, mostly the cats & dogs got to them or the odd one went on fire from the fairy lights

I think my mother came across it in a magazine, I never came across anyone else doing it either. Indeed, I made contact a couple of Christmases ago with an old school friend, and she asked if we still did it.

The dogs & cats never really paid attention to the decorations, and we were very traditional in that decorations went up on Christmas Eve, so and in a very cold hall, so they lasted until Twelfth Night.
Didn't last long on the bird feeders though!