Quick-Change Artist

Halloween & Christmas Dogs

Christmas Day has come and gone. It’s time for all those year-end sales. As you browse, you may find some decorations for next year. I like to find ways to get two holidays for the price of one.

Big Dog – Halloween

Big Dog Halloween

Big dogs have been trending for the last two years. I bought this masked Halloween skeleton dog and added a Witch’s hat as a bit of whimsy. In a few easy steps you can transform him into a Christmas dog.

How to Transform Halloween to Christmas:
Add a Cardigan Sweater

Snowflake Sweater

Cover the skeleton costume with a cardigan sweater. Pin the sleeves to align with the front paws so it looks like he is wearing it.

Add a Winter Scarf

Winter Scarf

This scarf looks cute and covers the neckline of the black sweater beneath.

Add a Pair of Ski Goggles

Dog Ski Goggles

Believe it or not, they do make goggles for dogs! There are two straps, one around the head and the other around the muzzle. This dog’s head is quite large, so rather than exchange for a larger size, I cut off the muzzle strap and set the goggles in place.

Big Dog – Christmas

Big Dog Christmas

The adorable Santa hat completes the transformation, while holding the goggles in position. If you want to keep him out all winter, you could easily swap out the hat and he’s ready for the ski slopes. I hope you enjoyed this project and a wonderful holiday season.

Thanks for Reading, Happy Holidays & Happy Crafting!

Gift Wrap – Thinking Outside the Box

Christmas Stocking

Christmas Stocking

Wrapping gifts can be fun or stressful depending upon how many presents and how much time you have. I have posted previous articles on the typical gift-wrapping options, but this time I thought it would be nice to see several “outside the box” ideas. Let’s go….

Bottle & Jar Wrapping

Bottle & Jar Wraps

Bird’s Nest Bottle Topper

Bottle Topper

Homemade Chocolate Box for Candy

Chocolate Box

Homemade Chocolate Box for an Engagement Ring

Chocolate Box

Hinged Ornament for Gift Inside

Christmas Ornament

Decorative Cigar Box

Cigar Box

Cloisonne Box

Cloisonne Box

Hand Crafted Baskets

Craft Baskets

Specialty Flower Envelope

Floral Box

Hat Box

Hat Box

Ice Cream Waffle Cone for Homemade Candy

Ice Cream Cone

Kwanza Holiday Fabric Wrap

Kwanzaa Fabric

Novelty Lingerie Bag

Lingerie Bag

Mug for Baked Goods or Candy

Mug

Multi-Compartment Container for Serving Baked Goods or Candy

Multi Compartment Box

Nested Dolls

Nesting Dolls

Origami Box

Origami Box

Puzzle Box

Puzzle Box

Santa Sack

Santa Sack

Stuffed Animal with Zippered Compartment

Stuffed Animal Zipper Pocket

Set the Stage – (e.g. Gnome on a Wall)

Stuffed Figure

Decorative Take-Out Container with Edible Roses

Take-Out Box

Tissue Paper Wrap & Flower Topper

Tissue Paper

Mini Travel Trunk

Mini Trunk

Trinket Box

Trinket Box

Umbrella Raining Money

Umbrella

This concludes our exploration of unusual gift wrapping/presentation ideas. Many of these can be reused, which is great for the environment. Please let me know your favorites. Have you come up with interesting ways to wrap gifts? Please share them in the comments.

Thanks for Reading, Happy Holidays & Happy Crafting!

Forever Green

Snow Covered Pines
What I miss the most during the colder months are the beautiful colors in nature. The winter sky is so gray, the trees are dormant, and the flowers temporarily disappear for a long winter’s nap. Evergreens defiantly retain their glorious shades of green regardless of the weather. To brighten your home decor, you can add a little evergreen and it will never need to be watered.

How to Paint Wooden Pine Trees
Lighted Tree Close Up
This painted craft is very easy to complete in a short amount of time and it’s great for beginners too!

Raw Wood Trees
Raw Wood Trees
As with all raw wood, a little sanding may be required, especially along the edges. The pre-drilled holes are for lights in a later step.

Supplies
Painted Tree Supplies
Supplies:
Wooden Pine Tree (17” high x 9” wide x 1/2” thick) (Base is 9” wide x 2” deep)
Acrylic Paints – green, white
Paintbrushes
Sandpaper
String of 20 lights

Apply Green Paint
Painted Green Trees
Paint each tree green, ensuring both sides, all the edges and the base are painted.

Define the Branches with Snow
Painted Snow Trees
In nature, snow gathers on the branches. To give these trees a more three-dimensional appearance, add patches of white paint to imitate Mother Nature.

Tree Lighting
Trees with Inserted Lights
Those pre-drilled holes were made to hold a strand of twenty white lights. The lights can only be pushed through from one side of the wood frame. You may need to secure the last light at the bottom with a piece of tape to keep it from pulling out from the weight of the electrical cord.

Finished Trees (with and without camera flash)
Lit Trees
All you need to do now is choose a spot to display your handiwork and plug in those lights. I place my trees in the living room windows to enhance the rest of the outdoor decorations. When the holidays are over, they can remain on display throughout the winter.

Pom Pom Alternative
Pom Pom Tree
As an alternative to lights, you can turn a simple pine tree into a Christmas tree by gluing on multi-color pom poms as ornaments.

I hope you enjoy this project and have fun decorating your home for the holidays.

Thanks for Reading & Happy Crafting!

It’s a Fire Truck!

Fire Truck

Aside from stating the obvious, I’m sure you’re wondering where I’m going with this post. I have a funny family story to share…

When my brother and I were little, my mom took us to a department store to buy Christmas presents for her. Inside the store was a life-size Santa’s workshop, which looked like a log cabin with fake snow and icicles hanging from the roof. Parents brought their children to purchase gifts for individual family members, with the help of a store employee. To a kid, this was such a cool idea.

A salesperson walked each child around, helped select a gift, and wrapped it up to be placed under the Christmas tree. I went in first and found a lovely pair of earrings for my mom. I felt very proud of myself, shopping just like the grownups did.

While my mom and I waited, my younger brother went inside. For some reason, he was taking a very long time to choose a gift. When we discovered why, we were hysterically laughing. My brother did his very best to convince the salesgirl that my mom wanted a shiny red fire truck for Christmas! And being a thoughtful boy, he said he could play with it when she wasn’t using it!

Ever since, whenever someone receives a present that is really for the gift giver, we call it a “fire truck.”

Fire Ladder Truck

So, on that special occasion, when you open your gifts, if you see something that reminds you of this post, just smile, say thanks and think… Fire Truck! lol

Thanks for Reading & Happy Crafting!

Crafts for Every Holiday

New Year's Kitten

I couldn’t resist this photo of a kitten swatting a clock just before midnight on New Year’s Eve. Time flies so quickly. I don’t think this little guy could catch it, but that won’t stop him from trying. There are so many creative opportunities throughout the year. Let’s look at some of the possibilities for each of the major holidays:

New Year’s Eve/Day – Specialty Drinks

New Year's Drinks

New Year’s Eve/Day – Homemade Zodiac Chocolates

New Year's Zodiac Candies

Chinese New Year – Lanterns & Decor

Chinese New Year Decorations

Valentine’s Day – Homemade Candy & Cookies

Valentine's Cookies & Candy

Valentine’s Day – Flower Arranging

Valentine's Wreath

St. Patrick’s Day – Flower Arranging, Jewelry, & Sewing

St Patrick's Day Apparel

St. Patrick’s Day – Cookies

St Patrick's Day Cookies

Easter – Dyed Eggs & Wood Crafts

Easter Eggs & Wood Crafts

Easter – Cookies & Ceramics

Easter Cookies & Ceramic Basket

Cinco de Mayo – Hat Design, Beading & Embroidery

Cinco de Mayo Hat

Cinco de Mayo – Costume Design, Sewing, Embroidery & Beading

Cinco de Mayo Couple

Mother’s Day – Flower Arranging & Jewelry

Mother's Day Flowers & Jewelry

Mother’s Day – Painting

Mother's Day Painting

Mother’s Day – Portraiture

Mother's Day Portrait

Father’s Day – Wood Sculpture

Father's Day Wood Sculpture

Father’s Day – Craft Beer

Father's Day Craft Beer

Father’s Day – Illustration & Digital Art

Father's Day Illustration

Independence Day – Cake Design

July 4th Cake Design

Independence Day – Homemade Popsicles

July 4th Popsicles

Halloween – Cosplay Costume Design, Makeup, & Props

Halloween Cosplay

Halloween – Cookies, Candy, & Baked Treats

Halloween Desserts

Halloween – Nail Art

Halloween Nail Art

Thanksgiving – Centerpieces, Candle Making, & Specialty Lighting

Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Thanksgiving – Ceramics

Thanksgiving Ceramics

Hanukkah – Candle Making

Hanukkah Candles

Hanukkah – Jelly Donuts

Hanukkah Jelly Donuts

Christmas – Cupcakes

Christmas Cupcakes

Christmas – Hand-Painted Nutcrackers

Christmas Nutcrackers

Christmas – Hand-Painted Ornaments

Hand Painted Christmas Ornament

Kwanzaa – Candle Making, Candleholders, & Centerpieces

Kwanzaa Candles

Whether you make these holiday-themed crafts for yourself or give them as gifts, they are all wonderful ways to express your creativity. Don’t be afraid to try something new. You may discover talents you never knew you had.

Thanks for Reading & Happy Crafting!

The Christmas Mouse

Cat Toy Mouse in Manger

Years ago, when my brother and I were kids, we added an extra animal to our mother’s cherished Nativity scene, which was proudly displayed on the buffet in our dining room. We wondered how long it would take her to notice. Much to our surprise she liked it! In fact, it became a family tradition every year. We’re lucky to have such a cool mom!

Original Mouse

Original Mouse

Now we are adults, and that same adorable critter is in the display, but the years have not been kind to him. His hair is thin and there are some bald spots too. His tail is twisted and torn. This little guy needs some TLC to restore him to the cute furry mouse he used to be.

The Solution – The Hair Club for Mice

Gray Cat

Sometimes a mouse’s best friend is…a cat. Lol

Supplies

Mouse with Supplies

For this project, we will need gray fur, Elmer’s Glue and white felt.

Partially Repaired Tail

Broken Tail in Progress

Cut & glue a piece of felt to underside of the tail. The original tail was so fragile, it broke. I glued it on top of the felt, making it stronger and easier to handle.

Repaired Tail

Close Up - Needs Fur

Apply Gray Fur

New Fur Coat

Apply glue to the top of the tail and push small pieces of gray fur along the entire length. Don’t worry about trimming, which will be done in a later step. Now apply glue to the body and press hair into it to fill the gaps. I also applied hair to the face, which was worn smooth. I allowed it to dry overnight. The next day he looked great, but in desperate need of a haircut.

Trim Fur & Tail

Mouse After Hair Cut

Carefully trim the hair as needed. New eyes were created using black 3D fabric paint.

Restored Mouse

Restored Mouse

Ta-da! Here is our new and improved mouse. Before the makeover, he looked like a well-worn toy, but now he looks very realistic. Should we try to scare our mom with it? No, she’s always three steps ahead of us. Lol

Our cats have their toy back (shown in first photo) and once again our Christmas mouse proudly sits in the Nativity scene. You never know where new traditions may come from or what you might do to keep it going for generations to come.

Togetherness

Cat & Mouse

Thanks for Reading, & Happy New Year!

Holiday Wrap Up

Dreaming of Christmas
It’s the night before Christmas, and little feet tiptoe toward the tree for a sneak peek at the presents. We may not admit doing this but it’s human nature to wonder what’s inside the box. Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, you’re going to give gifts to lots of people, and those gifts need to be boxed, bagged or wrapped in an attractive fashion. Here are a few ideas:

Colorful Gift Boxes
Colorful Boxes
If the thought of wrapping gifts is unappealing, you could buy readymade gift boxes such as these. All you need is some ribbon and bows and no wrapping is required.

Vintage Wrapping Paper
Vintage Paper & Red Twine
Revive memories of Christmases past with vintage designs and twine.

Contemporary Sparkling Gift Wrap
Sparkling Paper
Modern technology has enabled the creation of new textures, colors and special effects never before possible.

Nature’s Wrapping
Nature Wrap
For an all-natural look, utilize recycled paper with twine instead of ribbon and pinecones, evergreen or other elements from your own backyard.

Foil Wrapping
Foil Wrap
This easy-to-use method only requires the gathering of foil paper and a simply tied bow.

Coordinated Paper & Ribbon
Fabric Ribbon Coordinate Paper
Even though the prints vary, red and white colors unify this attractive gift wrap.

Self-Stick Bows
Self Stick Bows
The invention of the self-stick bow is a wonderful time saver.

Fireworks Bow
Fireworks Bow
What do you get when you combine a metallic pompom and a large white bow – an amazing starburst bow, which makes the perfect topper for an elegant package. (And it’s a self-stick bow too!)

Crinkle Ribbon
Sprinkled Snow Curled Ribbon
Instead of a bow, tie long strands of crinkle ribbon around a package and curl it with a pair of scissors.

Triple Bow & Custom Paper
Triple Bow & Finger Painting
Making your own bows is a sure way to make your gifts stand out. For an added more personal touch, plain white wrapping paper can be colorfully finger-painted, creating wrapping for gifts year round.

Floral Fabric Bow
Floral Bow
Sometimes a really great topper steals the show. A floral bow, such as this, will be treasured and it’s reusable. Check out the many bow-making videos online for how to instructions.

Floral Picks
Floral Picks
From a distance, this photo resembles a water lily garden, but it’s actually green bows adorned with artificial red berries.

Ornaments

Dress up dollar store ornaments with ribbons or bells and tie onto your gifts and hand-delivered cards.

Handmade Ornaments/Gift Tags
Holly Tag & Ornament
Is it an ornament or a gift tag? It’s both! Write the name & year on the back and attach it to your present. After the gift is opened, it’s ready to hang on the tree.

Gift Bags – Paper
Gift Bag Paper
Gift bags are probably one of the best inventions of all time. They’re sold just about everywhere, including the food stores, so when you’re running around at the last minute a gift bag is easily on hand.

Gift Bags – Fabric
Gift Bags Fabric Amazon
Amazon provided these sparkly gift bags, which are reusable and perfect for any occasion.

Gift Pouch
Christmas Pouch
Gift pouches are ready to use and include the ribbon and gift tag.

Christmas Stocking
Christmas Stocking
If you have several small size items, a Christmas stocking is a fun alternative to traditional gift wrap.

Gift Baskets
Gift Basket
A gift basket filled with the recipient’s favorites is always a welcome surprise.

Collectible Porcelain Box
Porcelain Box
Porcelain boxes come in a variety of designs for jewelry, small items, or cash gifts.

Seasonal Metal Tin
Seasonal Metal Tin
Most people associate tins with cookies or other baked goods, but this large tin could easily hold a pair of pajamas or sweater. The design is adorable and all you need to do is simply close the lid and the gift is ready to give, without the need for paper, bows, tape or scissors! How easy is that?

Glass Mason Jars
Glass Jars
Jellies, candy, sauces and anything else you cook up stores well in re-sealable glass jars, which require nothing more than a simple bow or ornament, and can be reused indefinitely.

Handmade Soap & Soap Dish
Hand Made Soap Dish
Many people like to make their own Christmas gifts. Take your creativity to the next level by designing a unique gift presentation, such as this handmade soap and accompanying twig soap dish.

It’s a Family Affair
Festive Dogs
If you can’t get help with all that wrapping, at least you’ll have the companionship and encouragement from your family pets.

Treat Yourself
Treat Yourself
As they say, “it’s the thought that counts,” but “presentation is everything.” With a few creative choices, wrapping gifts can be a pleasure, and be sure to treat yourself while you’re at it! Thanks for reading!

Happy Holidays & Happy Crafting!