Christmas Freebie #1~ Playful Penguin
I figured in honor of my favorite number (16). I should start with my favorite animal, penguins. I love this craft because it is not specific to Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. In fact, it can even be used as a decoration on a card on Valentine's Day. If I am doing a cardI like using like blue for winter holidays and pink for Valentine's day.
Materials:
- black, white & orange construction paper (if you do not have orange, you can use white and color it orange)
- scissors
- glue
- googly eyes (optional)
Directions:
1) On the black construction paper draw a fat heart about 6 in. length and about 4 in. width. This is your head and body.
2) Then draw 2 thinner hearts on the black construction paper. These are your wings.
3) On the white construction, draw a medium size heart. You want this to be almost as wide as the big black one, but only about two-thirds as tall. (approx. 5 in. tall by 5 1/2 in. wide). This is your belly
4) Then cut two eye shapes out of the white construction paper. You draw whatever color eyes you want on here. I like using googly eyes but when I am all out of them I draw them out for Carissa.
5) On the orange paper, draw three hearts the same size. These are your beak and feet.
6) Glue the white heart on larger black heart so the bottom points touch.
7) Glue on your eyes above the white heart.
8) Glue one small orange heart just below the eyes to form the beak.
9) Glue the two orange hearts on for feet.
10) You can fold the skinny hearts down the middle if you want for a 3D effect and then glue them on, or you can just glue them
11) If you want to make a card, you can glue it onto construction paper and write a note.
Here's one Carissa Made for her Aunt Merri:
Christmas Freebie #2~ Beaded Ornaments
My daughter Carissa loves beads. So, when I found this craft, I thought it was perfect. I like it because it is very versatile. Your princess can you multiple color beads, do all one color, or can even do the transparent beads for a crystal-like effect.
Materials:
- beads (whichever you choose, opaque, clear, colored transparent ones)
- 3 chenille stems also called pipe cleaners (cut them to be about 6 in. if you want a snowflake)
- string or cord (to hang it)
Directions:
1) If you want to do a snowflake, take three of the 6 in. chenille stems and twist them together in the middle. Spread the branches out to desired position
2) For other shapes, bend an end of a chenille stem into 90-degree angle. Have yout child thread on beads from the opposite end, stopping a half inch from the tip.
3) Twist together the two ends, and the strand is ready to shape into any festive object.
Suggested Shapes: Bell, Star, Candy Cane, Christmas ball, etc.
I am a firm believer that it just is not Christmas unless you have hot cocoa. This is myfavorite recipe because the spices give it a truly wintery-feel. Plus, there's an adult version, which makes it all that more enjoyable.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cocoa mix
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups milk
6 teaspoons sugar
a pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
cinnamon to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
Directions:
1) Combine cocoa and water in saucepan and simmer on stove for 10 minutes.
2) Stir in milk a little at a time. Add the sugar, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon.
3) Stir for another 5 minutes.
4) Ladle into mugs and sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired.
Suggested Servings: This is even more delicious if you top with whipped cream before sprinkling on the nutmeg and then serve with a cinnamon stick. For An Adult Version: substitute the milk for Bailey's.
Christmas Freebie #4~ Rudolph the Red Nose Hand-deer
Carissa has been singing "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" for the past week. So, I think it is about time that we do a Rudolph craft. This is one of my favorite crafts because there is seriously nothing better to do with a little kid than crafts that use their hand shapes.
Materials:
- brown construction paper,cardstock, or (if you are feeling particularly crafty) foam
- brown pipe cleaners or chenille stems
- googly eyes
- red construction paper or felt (this is just a matter of preference)
- gemstones, glitter or sequins (also a matter of preference)
- mini red pom-pom
- black marker or crayon
- a clothespin
Directions:
1) First trace your child's hand onto a piece of brown craft foam or card stock.
2) Cut out the shape and add black marker hooves to the fingertips.
3) Next, cut a strip of off of the red felt or red constructionpaper, this is going to be the reindeer's collar. You can add the glitter, sequins, or gemstones to the collar to decoration. This is going to go by the base of the thumb.
4) Glue on a googly eye, a red pom-pom nose, and a tail cut from the brown craft foam or card stock.
5) For the reindeer's antlers, cut a brown pipe cleaner in half. Bend each half in two (slightly off-center) and curl the ends.
6) Glue together the pipe cleaner pieces, holding them in place with a paper clip or clothespin until the glue dries. Finally, glue the antlers in place on the reindeer.
Crafty Suggestion: Glue the clothespin to the back of your reindeer so you can clip him anywhere, or you can write a name on it and turn it into an adorable personalized gift tag.
Christmas Freebie #5~ Friendly Photo Ornaments
Every year, it turns out that I ordered at least one extra Christmas card, and every year after Christmas, I feel bad throwing out that extra one and the Christmas cards of our friends. So, here's a nifty way to have your friends smiling at you every year. Besides, kids always love knowing who everyone is.
Materials:
- Pencil and ruler
- Scissors
- Card Stock
- Jar lid or cup (for tracing)
- decorative string, pipe cleaner or thin elastic cording
- glue
- glitter glue or stickers
- photos or those holiday cards
- craft scissors (optional)
- shiny paper
1)
For each card, measure and cut a 9- by 4-inch
piece of card stock and fold it in half. Starting at the fold, draw a
simple ornament shape, tracing around the jar lid to create the round
portion. Cut out the ornament, going through both layers but leaving the
fold intact.
2) Open up the cutout and lay a 9-inch length of string, piper cleaner or cording across the crease, as shown.
3) Apply glue to the paper just below it, refold
the paper, and tie the string ends together to form a hanging loop.
4) Cut a square from the shiny paper to fold over
the top of the ornament, using craft scissors for decorative edges, if
you like.
5) Stick it in place with glue dots. Decorate the outside with
glitter glue or stickers, then glue a photo, trimmed to fit, inside the
card.
Make it Easier on yourself: I always have everything cut out before I present it to Carissa. Then she gets to help decorate and do gluing.
Christmas Freebie #6~ Mrs. Claus' Chilled Mint Christmas Pie
For those of you who have been following the page for a while, you remember how excited I got when Dunkin Donuts started offering MINT Hot Chocolate. This is my homage to that. It is traditionally called Grasshopper Pie, but it is green and minty and just screams Christmas time.
Ingredients:
- 1 (9 inch) chocolate pie crust
- 1 cup milk
- 1 package (3 ounce) instant vanilla pudding (can be sugar free)
- 1/4 cup creme de menthe
- 2 cups whipped topping
- 8 Oreo cookies, crushed
- green food coloring, till you get desired shade
- chocolate chips (optional)
Directions:
- With a hand mixer beat milk, pudding mix, creme de menthe, and food coloring until smooth and thick.
- Fold in whipped topping and crushed Oreos.
- Pour into crust and chill at least 2 hours.
- If desired, you may melt the chocolate chips and drizzle over the top.
Christmas Freebie #7~ Paper Bag Ginger Bread Men & Women
I love the smell of gingerbread. It's just part of what makes Christmas Christmas. But, it is not time for another recipe so told keep with the holiday spirit. I am offering. Gingerbread garland if you will made out of paper bags. How green am I?
Materials:
- Brown paper grocery bag
- Gingerbread girl and boy cookie cutters or you can freehand them- Brown paper grocery bag
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Acrylic paint: white, red, pink, purple, orange, green, light blue, black (but honestly any colors you wish)
- Paintbrush
- Cut a 7” wide strip the length of the paper grocery bag.
- Decide which side you want to be the front and turn over so that the back is facing up.
- Place gingerbread boy cookie cutter at the left side of the paper strip. Use pencil to trace the outline of the cookie cutter.
- Place gingerbread girl cookie cutter just to the right of the tracing of the boy gingerbread and trace with pencil.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you run out of room on the paper.
- Use scissors to cut the outlines of the gingerbread people out, keeping them connected. Do not cut the gingerbread people out separately. If need be, cut around your tracing marks rather than on them to give yourself “padding” which will make up for any gaps between the tracings.
- Turn paper over so that your pencil marks are now facing down. Decorate gingerbread with acrylic paints. Dot buttons on by dipping the handle end of the paintbrush into the paint and then onto your paper.
- Use thin paintbrush to add the “rick-rack” squiggles with white paint around wrists, ankles, and skirts.
- Use a thin paintbrush or black marker to add smiles them dot on pink for cheeks with handle end of paintbrush.
- Dot on eyes with black or dark brown and paint on red bowties for the boys.
Directions:
Christmas Freebie #8~ Paper Drops
I like this craft because the product is really pretty and you do not need a ton of materials. It is also a great way to introduce your child to a stapler. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE supervise any child who has not previously used a stapler successfully. I know a little boy who stapled his hand while his parents weren't looking. It wasn't pretty. That being said.... easy, inexpensive craft that looks gorgeous, especially if you use shimmery or glittery paper (Walmart, Target, or Michaels). There are multiple shapes that you can make.
Materials:
- colored, patterned, glittery or shimmer paper
- stapler
- cord or ribbon
- stapler
- cord or ribbon
Directions:
ORNAMENT: Cut two 12-inch strips, two 10-inch strips, and one 8 3/4-inch strip. Line them up in this order: 12, 10, 8 3/4, 10, 12, with one set of ends even. Staple this end. Line up the other ends evenly (bending the outer strips as needed) and staple.
HEART: Cut two 12-inch strips and two 9 1/2-inch strips. Line them up in this order: 9 1/2, 12, 12, 9 1/2, with one set of ends even. Staple this end. Now bend the unstapled ends into a heart shape, so a small heart lies inside a larger heart. Align the ends and staple together.
TEARDROP: Cut two 12-inch strips, two 10 1/2-inch strips, and one 9-inch strip. Line them up in this order: 12, 10 1/2, 9, 10 1/2, 12, with one set of ends even. Staple this end. Next, make a crease 1 inch from the unstapled ends of the 12- and 10 1/2-inch strips. Finally, align the ends of all the strips and staple them together.
To hang each, knot the end of the gold cord and place it between the loose strips of paper at the top. Staple it all together.
Decorative Suggestions: Use the completed shapes to dress up a window or spin in midair from a light fixture or a ribbon.
Christmas Freebie #9~ Prancer's Peppermint Bark
Let's face it. Christmas is not the time to lose weight. You have hot cocoa, Christmas pie, and now candy.
Materials:
- 1 bag Chocolate Chips (2 in you want to make more)
- Candy Canes (the number depends on how pepperminty you want your bark.
- wax paper
- cookie sheet
Directions:
1) Boil a pot on water and place a large bowl over top and put in the chocolate chips in the bowl.
2) Stir chocolate so it melts but does not seize.
3) Break up candy canes, and stir into the chocolate.
4) Spread chocolate on wax paper on a cookie sheet
5) Chill for about 2 hours or until hard.
6) Break up into bark and share.
- green felt
- transparent beads (preferably color)
- hole puncher
- cord, ribbon or string (for hanging)
- glue
ORNAMENT: Cut two 12-inch strips, two 10-inch strips, and one 8 3/4-inch strip. Line them up in this order: 12, 10, 8 3/4, 10, 12, with one set of ends even. Staple this end. Line up the other ends evenly (bending the outer strips as needed) and staple.
HEART: Cut two 12-inch strips and two 9 1/2-inch strips. Line them up in this order: 9 1/2, 12, 12, 9 1/2, with one set of ends even. Staple this end. Now bend the unstapled ends into a heart shape, so a small heart lies inside a larger heart. Align the ends and staple together.
TEARDROP: Cut two 12-inch strips, two 10 1/2-inch strips, and one 9-inch strip. Line them up in this order: 12, 10 1/2, 9, 10 1/2, 12, with one set of ends even. Staple this end. Next, make a crease 1 inch from the unstapled ends of the 12- and 10 1/2-inch strips. Finally, align the ends of all the strips and staple them together.
To hang each, knot the end of the gold cord and place it between the loose strips of paper at the top. Staple it all together.
Decorative Suggestions: Use the completed shapes to dress up a window or spin in midair from a light fixture or a ribbon.
Christmas Freebie #9~ Prancer's Peppermint Bark
Let's face it. Christmas is not the time to lose weight. You have hot cocoa, Christmas pie, and now candy.
Materials:
- 1 bag Chocolate Chips (2 in you want to make more)
- Candy Canes (the number depends on how pepperminty you want your bark.
- wax paper
- cookie sheet
Directions:
1) Boil a pot on water and place a large bowl over top and put in the chocolate chips in the bowl.
2) Stir chocolate so it melts but does not seize.
3) Break up candy canes, and stir into the chocolate.
4) Spread chocolate on wax paper on a cookie sheet
5) Chill for about 2 hours or until hard.
6) Break up into bark and share.
Christmas Freebie #10~ Felt Christmas Tree Window Decor
Add some color to your window with thes super easy crafts that are so much fun for the kids.
Materials:
- green felt
- transparent beads (preferably color)
- hole puncher
- cord, ribbon or string (for hanging)
- glue
Directions:
1) Draw out a Christmas tree shape on the piece of green felt. If you want to make a bunch of tree I suggest you make them about 5 or 6 inches in length.
2) Cut out the Christmas trees.
3) Use the hole puncher to put 1 hole at the top for the cord and multiple other holes for the decorations.
4) Tie the cord through the hole on the top.
5) Glue one transparent bead over each of the other holes. Then hang up where they can catch light. I like hanging them around the window.
This is one of Carissa's favorite crafts because it can be a puppet. Plus, much like our gingerbread friends crafts, it is a great way to recycle.
Materials:
- Brown paper lunch bag
- Medium black or red pom-pom (You can use paint if you don't have pom-poms)
- Construction paper: black, white and tan/brown (I use black for the color and white for the eyes, but brown felt for the antlers)
- 4 jingle bells (or sequins or rhinestones)
- Scissors
- Red plastic milk jug lid (or red paper)
- Glue
- Gold paint pen
Directions:
- Use glue to attach the black pom-pom to the flap of the bag.
- Cut out the eyes/ You will need two brown/tan eyelids, two white eyes, and two black pupils. Assemble the eyes with a glue and attach the eyes to the front of the bag above the pom-pom nose.
- Cut a strip of black paper with length of paper bag, about one inch wide. Cut a small piece of black paper for the nametag hanger. Glue the small strip to the center of the larger strip so that it is hanging down.
- Use gold paint pen to write "Comet" or any other reindeer name of the red lid and then use the glue to attach the lid to the bag, overlappin the black hanger.
- Use a generous amount of glue to attach 4 jingle bells to the black strip (collar) or whatever other decoration you desire.
- Trace child's hands onto brown/tan paper or felt and cut out. Then attach the hands to the back of the bag as the antlers. I like using felt because then they are fuzzy just like real antlers.
Tips:
- To make this puppet into Rudolph, use a red pom-pom and write "Rudy" on the plastic lid.
- Instead of hand print antlers, you can simply cut simple antlers from brown paper.
- You can use large wiggle eyes instead if you prefer.
Christmas Freebie #12~ Gingerbread Faces & Edible Dreidels
Because today is the first night of Chanukkah, I am offering a Christmas and a Chanukkah recipe.
Gingerbread Faces Ingredients:
- your favorite gingerbread recipe ( I like this one at kaboose.com)
- icing
- gumdrops, sprinkles, m&ms, skittles, etc.
Directions:
1) Make cookie dough and use large round cookie cutters or a
drinking cup to create circles. Bake as directed and allow to cool off
completely.
2) Place different types of decorations into small bowls. We used Dots candy, spiced gumdrops, nonpareils, Skittles candies, and white tube decorator frosting.
3) Use decorator frosting to draw on rick rack.
4) To “glue” on eyes, cheeks and nose, dot some decorator frosting onto the cookie, then gently press the decoration on top of it.
5) Cut gumdrops in half, use the top half for eyes and bottom half for cheeks.
6) To make colorful hair, cover top of cookie with decorator icing them dip into nonpareils or sprinkles
Edible Dreidel Ingredients:
- large marshmellows
- hershey kisses
- pretzels
- icing or peanut butter or nutella (all based on preference)
Directions:
1) Put icing on one side of the marshmellow to "glue" the hershey's kiss to the marshmellow.2) Push the pretzel into the other side. of the marshmellow and Voila!
Christmas Freebie #13~ Christmas & Chanukkah Place Markers
Night #2 of Chanukkah
Christmas Place Marker Materials:
- Green acrylic paint
- Paper cone water cups (without wax coating; 1 for each guest; available at office supply stores) or construction paper
- Clear or double-sided tape
- Glitter glue
- Craft glue
- gold paper
- white paper
- plastic gems
- pen or marker
- scissors
Directions:
1) Paint some of the cups green and let them dry
(about 10 minutes). If you're using construction paper instead, roll it
into cones, tape the seams, then trim the bottoms so they sit evenly.2) Decorate the trees with garlands of glitter glue and glue on plastic gems for ornaments.
3) Finally, glue together different-size stars cut from the white and gold paper, write a guest's name on each pair, then tape or glue the stars atop the trees.
Chanukkah Place Marker Materials:
- blue and white construction paper
- scissors
- glitter glue
Directions:
1) Cut equal sized triangles out of the blue and white construction paper and glue in the shape of the star of david.2) Outline with glitter glue and write the guest's name in the center.
Tip: Cut to slits so that the star can hold the silverware and write the name in glitter glue on the part of the star between the two slits. You can also cut the paper into dreidel shapes.
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