DIY Holiday Decorating Tutorials

I haven't had much time lately to put together original tutorials, so instead enjoy this roundup of great holiday decorating tutorials from other sites! (I know I'm a little late on the Hanukkah crafts... but there's always next year)

Yarn Wreath from Country Living

Magazine Wreath from Going Home to Roost

Found Object Party Bunting from Readymade

Glass Bottle Menorah from Readymade

Candelabra and Scouring Pad Accessories from guardian.co.uk

Twinkle Lights from Disney's Family Fun

Colorful Cabinets from Country Living

Happy crafting!

Lasts Year's Holiday Cards are This Year's Gift Tags!

I’ll admit it, I have a hard time getting rid of stuff… I’m not a hoarder, it’s just the crafter in all of us!

It’s the idea that you can make something out of anything. You know as soon as something is thrown away you’ll undoubtedly have a brilliant idea of how to reuse it.

One thing I have a hard time getting rid of is Holiday cards. I save them, then the next year I usually end up tossing them, knowing I’m just going to get another group from the same people.

Finally I decided to do something with them. There are a lot of possibilities, but the one I went with this year was gift tags. Use them on holiday gifts, host/hostess gifts, thank you tags on favors, or even as place cards tied around a glass/bottle.

Materials:

Scissors and/or X-acto

Hole punch

Tag-shaped punch (optional)

Ribbon

Any or all of the following for decorating: pens, markers, crayons, glitter, paint, puff paint, beads, sequins, feathers, yarn, twine, raffia, tissue paper, stickers, charms, wire, twigs, acorns, pine cones, dried flowers and berries, stamps and anything else you can think of!

Steps:

(If you are using a tag-shaped punch skip steps 1-2)

1. Use the backs of a few greeting cards as stencils. Draw the shapes you want on the back of a few cards and cut them out.

2. Trace your stencils on the front of your greeting cards.

3. Cut your tags our with scissors or an X-acto knife. (Or if you are using a tag-shaped punch, just use that to punch the shapes from your cards)

4. Decorate your tags. This is the part where you really get to be creative! I stuck to glitter paint, pens and beads, then layered varying sized tags on top of each other for texture. The possibilities are endless! Go with a glam theme sticking to metallic paint and glitter, or keep it natural with twigs, dried berries and raffia.

5. Punch a hole at the top of each tag.

6. Thread ribbon through the hole and tie a knot. Add a bead if you’d like, for even more decoration.

Now your tags are ready to go, bringing a personal, handmade, eco-friendly element to every gift you give this holiday season!

Holiday Cards - Free Gift

Now through Thanksgiving receive this set of 4 Holiday Cards FREE with any purchase at DESIGNosaurus or triSERIFtops on Etsy. Includes 4 cards, 4 envelopes and 4 envelope seals.

Designosaurus Earrings in Rockland Magazine!

Hey, look up there, that’s a pair of Designosaurus earrings in print!

A pair of my Designosaurus earrings have been included in Rockland Magazine’s annual “In the Bag” gift guide, part of their Nov/Dec holiday issue! This 5-page guide includes gifts to fit any budget, and even better—you can purchase them all right here in Rockland!

This is the first time I’ve seen a Designosaurus piece in print, so needless to say I’m pretty excited. I feel honored to have been included, and am happy to represent ML Gifts & Accessories in this way.

Stop by ML Gifts & Accessories to pick up a pair, or check out Designosaurus on Etsy (lots of new items added!)

www.jessiekatz.etsy.com

Below is the issue’s cover and the entire “In the Bag” guide…

The holiday issue has some other great features as well, including tips for throwing a Hanukkah party and holiday-worthy restaurants. Contact The Journal News to get your copy.

Transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving

Here's a simple way to transition decorations from Halloween to Thanksgiving...

Many of us decorate with gourds, sugar pumpkins and small pumpkins at the start of fall and Halloween, after all they are beautiful on their own and a great, natural way to decorate all the way through Thanksgiving.

But what if you want to switch it up a bit? With a little metallic paint you can embellish your gourds for a chic, new look!

Make your gourds last longer by keeping them outside until Thanksgiving day, then bring them inside to decorate the table or other places where your guests can enjoy them.

Tuesday Tutorial: Halloween Plant Markers

I’ve seen a few Etsy sellers use similar techniques for traditional plant markers, and decided to do a quick version for Halloween decorations!

Materials:

Old silverware

Newsprint of other lightweight paper

Black fine point pen

Colored pencils

Outdoor glossy varnish

Glitter paint (optional)

Paintbrush

Instructions:

1. Trace your silverware onto the newsprint. This way you know how big to make your designs.

2. Draw and color Halloween themed images within your traced outlines. Simple images work best—ghosts, pumpkins, bats, etc. If you don’t want to draw your own images, try using clip art or stickers.

3. Rip your images out, crumple them up and flatten them back out again. The torn edges and wrinkles will give an old, weathered look.

4. Use your paintbrush to apply varnish directly to the silverware where your image will go. Press your paper image down on the wet varnish and apply one coat of varnish on top. You might have to hold the image with one finger while you apply the first coat so it doesn’t move around. Let this first coat dry until tacky.

5. Apply glitter paint to selected areas of your images, if desired. Let dry.

6. Apply second and third coats of varnish. Let the second coat dry to tacky before applying the third.

Once the third coat is completely dry, you are ready to decorate your garden, potted plants and anywhere else you can find to stick these things!

Feeling ambitious? Create a silverware graveyard! Make all your images headstones, coffins, zombies & ghosts then arrange them together in one area.

As always, I’d love to see photos if anyone tries this project for themselves! Just post links to the photos below…