We have done foot prints on scrap book stock and framed it.

We have done hand prints in fabric paint on a sweatshirt and wrote "Hugs for Gramma"" on it.

There was one that Gramma really loved. It was when we did foot prints on scrap book heavy stock. Then placed cut out portrait mini pictures and glued on the big toe or heel. We then placed magnets on the back and cut out the foot print and had them laminated as Fridge Magnets. This can be done with hand prints as well.

We made coasters out of hand prints the next year (no magnet but felt on the bottom).

With 4 kids they have become great conversation pieces over the years. (Cherie)


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Decorative Nite lights

I make these Decorative Nite lights for christmas as gifts or they can be decorated with other silk flowers to match your decor in bathroom or bedrooms.

To get started you need to buy those little nite lights with covers on them, then buy 1 pkg of 4 inch round plastic disks, some little pearls that are sold by the yard about 44 cents a yd. and some dried flowers, silk christmas flowers to glue in middle and some ribbon, and lace.

First you take the plastic disk and glue some lace that you gather and glue on the plastic disk, then you glue either a christmas flower or silk flower in center to cover up the gathers of the lace. Then just glue the correct string of pearls so it drapes down from top to bottom of the lace, the flower will hide the top, then glue on any leftover dried floral pieces you have and then tie a bow to match your flower glue at top let the ends hang down at the side of the flower, then take the whole decorated piece and glue on the cover of the night light, hold it till it is dry and stays. These are so nice to give as gifts at Christmas or just for any occasion, enjoy. thanks. (Ms. Jerry McGinnis)


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Make a Batch of Salt Dough

Salt Dough:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt 
water to make play dough consistency

Buy inexpensive theme cookie cutters. (ones with details are especially nice)
Roll dough out to half inch thickness. 
Cut out with cutters pressing especially firm with more detailed cutters.
Use a straw to poke a hole for hanging
Cook in oven on 200 for an hour or so. (or pop them in the microwave 2 at a time for 3-5 min turning to cook evenly)
Remove let cool and paint.
Makes beautiful ornaments for all seasons I especially enjoy christmas ones but will work for just about any theme. You could also give them as gifts from the children to special family and friends attach magnets to the backs, almost forgot, spray with clear coat stuff for a shiny finish. My daughter does this year round she stores the dough in a plastic ziploc baggie and also freezes it for easy access later when I don't have time to help her make it. (Sharlene)

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Sand Art Brownies

This Christmas I received a treat that was special to me, so I have to share it with you.  Sand Art Brownies, came in a regular mayonnaise jar layer a tsp. baking powder, a tsp. salt, a cup of flour, 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, a cup of white sugar, a cup of brown sugar. Next insert a bamboo skewer down between the jar and contents several times forming the art. Then, add 1/4 cup chocolate chips, 1/4 cup butterscotch chips, 1/2 cup walnuts. Decorate the outside with a raffia bow and a kitchen utensil and the completing recipe (Combine contents of jar with: 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 2/3 cup veg. oil, 3 eggs. pour on top greased pan and bake at 350 degrees: 7x11 pan-32 to 37 mins. 9x9 pan-27 to 32 mins.). (Clara)

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Prayer in a Bottle

Materials:
Clear bottle
Bible script (printed on Pretty paper)
Ribbon
Cork to fit the top of the bottle.

Print a favorite bible verse on pretty paper. Roll up the verse, insert it  into the bottle, unroll it in the bottle, add cork on the top of the bottle, add the ribbon, and bows.

Add a gift tag of your choice. (Lisa R.)

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Reindeer

I made a reindeer using a flat tooth brush, wiggly eyes, small pom-pom, pipe cleaner and brown foam. I needed to make something for our nursing class designing an ornament using the information that we learned in class. Since we just did oral hygiene, I used the toothbrush. Just glue on some eyes to the bristles and a pom-pom for the nose. Put a small bow around the handle for a tie. Use the pipe cleaner and cut to shape for antlers, and arms and feet. Cut the foam into shapes making four feet, making two slightly smaller for the hands. Glue the pipe cleaners to the handle and attach 2 hands and 2 feet at the middle of the handle and at the bottom. Only don't use the pipe cleaner on the feet, just glue straight to the handle. These work up cute and was very big with my class.
(Patti C.)

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Ice Cream Cone Ornaments

Grab a box of icecream cones, some fiberfill, ribbon, glue or tape.

Simply stuff the fiberfill into the cones, glue or tape ribbon to each side of cone then hang on tree. Fun & delightful ornaments for kids of all ages. (Barbara)

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Felt Advent Calendar

This one is a Christmas Tree, but you could do any Christmas scene, such as snowmen, Santa's sleigh, or the Nativity, etc.

You'll need Felt (large piece for background and tree, and multiple colors for other pieces), dowel, scissors, glue, as well as optional things like ribbon, glitter, fabric paint, etc. 

Take a large piece of felt (whatever the size for your wall space) and attach to the dowel at the top for hanging.  (You can use ribbon loops if you like.)  If making a Christmas Tree you could use white or maybe red for the large background piece.  Then make a cutout of a Christmas tree shape which you glue to the background felt. 

Then for your "24 days" you can cutout felt ornaments, including the star or maybe presents for the base of the tree.  Then on each day of  December, place an "ornament" on your tree. 

To dress it up a bit, each ornament can be topped with a small ribbon bow, and you can add touches of glitter, or maybe fabric paint to add designs to each ornament. Happy Holidays! (Hutt)

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Scented lighting

Supplies.... One glass jar approx. 6 inches high and 4 inches around. (Can be fancy like hurricane type candle jar or any large jar I'll bet a canning quart jar would work even), potpourri of your choice, lace doily to fit top of jar, string of small christmas lights (35 or less), and a bit of ribbon to tie around jar top.

Place the lights in the jar as many as you can close to the outside edge of  the jar as possible... fill with potpourri working it down around the lights....cover jar with doily,  tie ribbon around jar to secure doily. The cord will come out of the top of the jar to plug in.

The lights heat the potpourri just enough to release the scent and they work up really pretty!! (Ginger)

A NOTE FROM ELAINE: This was very popular during the last Christmas season, but unfortunately it caused a number of fires because the heat that built up melted the coating on the light strings.  Please let people know that these must never be left unattended.

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Scented Gift

As a wonderful scented gift try this:
take a terra-cotta pot base about 8 inches wide and a piece of fabric around 2 inches wide and 18 inches long fold in half now glue in a fan shape around the inside edge of pot base (like a pie crust) now fill with potpourri and a little cinnamon apple oil.  now take thin strips of material around 3/4 inch wide and 9 inch long and glue on in a criss cross pattern. (hint use craft glue, not a hot glue) glue on fruit slices of your choice sprinkle with a little sugar and either cinnamon or paprika (for color) blow of the excess preheat oven to 350 shut off and place pie inside after 10 min set out on table and enjoy the fresh smell of a pie baking.  to refresh drop in a few drops oil and enjoy! (Amy M)

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Christmas Bank

You will need: empty cans of baby formula or anything like that with a lid, construction paper, glue, and scissors.

Take wrapping off of original can and cut construction paper to match the length of the can.  Cut it and let your child draw pictures on it and then take it and wrap it around the can and glue where the two ends meet.

Cut a slit in the lid and you have a bank. Your child can give these as christmas presents to grandparents or friends, because who doesn't have loose change laying around the house. (Lolita)

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Sweatshirt Idea

A few years ago I received  a sweatshirt at Christmas.    Two of  my sons, my daughter-in-law,  and my two grandsons painted their hands with fabric paints and placed the hand prints mostly on the back and sides of the sweatshirt.  On the front was written "HUGS FROM AFAR".   I live in Indiana and they are in Texas so needless to say, it was a special gift and I loved to feel their 'hugs' each time I wore the shirt.   (Gail)


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T-shirt Idea

For a special gift for my father-in-law, I took a T-shirt and fabric paint around to each of my nieces and nephews. I painted one of their hands and had them put the print on the shirt. When all the hand prints were done, I wrote each child's name and age with fabric markers. Over the pocket, I wrote the year and "Best Grandpa". I've done the same for my husband ( with babies, it's easier to get a foot print!). (Pat)


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Christmas Stars

Let your kids help with Christmas ornaments.  You will need thin cardboard pieces, zig-zag scissors, foil, glue, and a star cookie cutter or any star shape for tracing. 

First, glue foil on the cardboard. Next, trace star shape on the foil.  Cut out with zig-zag scissors, then poke a hole in the center of the star. The stars can then be placed on christmas tree branch ends.  For a fun touch, stick on tree lights for bright and colorful stars.  (different size stars would be nice too!!)(Michelle) 


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Snowman Jam Jar

SNOWMAN JAM JAR (GLASS JAR WITH LID) 
1 Jam Jar 
cotton wool 
glue (pva) 
felt fabric for features 
you could use goggle eyes (ones that move) 

Cover jar with glue and cotton wool. Then make a ball of  cotton wool and stick it to the lid. Fill the jar with sweets or small presents and put the lid on the jar. Now use your imagination to create a jolly snowman by using the felt fabric to make eyes, nose, mouth, hat, scarf, buttons and any other bits you can think of. (Pauline)


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Wall Hangings

Make Christmas tree wall hangings!  Using construction paper of different colors cut out a christmas tree, the trunk and an area of snow.  Glue the pieces together so that it looks like a tree in the snow.  Next using some white glue make a glue line going back and forth down the christmas tree until you reach the base.  Cut up fine pieces of different colored construction paper and sprinkle onto the glued area.  Shake remaining pieces off of tree and reapply pieces until the areas of glue are covered.  Next, cut out larger squares of colored construction paper for the presents and glue them around the base of the tree on the snow.  To enhance your tree, glue cotton batting where the snow is.  Cut out a star for the top of your tree and put a light film of glue to coat.  Sprinkle with gold colored sprinkles and attach to the top of your tree.  Once your tree has dried, hang on the wall.  Don't forget to date them and put your child's name on them, they can really be a great childhood memory for them.  (Jess) 


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Snowman

Get 3 smallish flower pots (Those brown pottery type work best, but the name of them escapes me for the moment) Place 1 upside down, then place the next one on top, right side up and glue (hot glue works best, but anything will do). Next complete your tower by placing the last one upside down and glue. Use spray paint to make your snowman white, and yarn or moss for hair and/or a cardboard cut-out for a hat. The possibilities are really endless, add long ears and a fluffy ear for Easter, paint it red, white and blue for Uncle Sam, Add some straw and gingham for a scarecrow. (requiem7)


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Rudolph

You'll need: construction paper, scissors,  pencil, glue, buttons and/or just pompoms. 

Put your child's or your own foot on the construction paper and trace around it to make the head of rudolph. Cut it out. Make antlers by tracing around both hands with a different color of construction paper. Cut them out. Attach the antlers to the back of the reindeer with glue. Now decorate with buttons, pompoms, or just construction paper for the eyes nose and mouth. They can be used for ornaments or a garland or just hang them on your walls.


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Felt Hand Puppets

You'll need: felt, scissors (regular and zigzag), hot glue gun, glue sticks, pompoms.

Outline the child's hand, and cut out the hand puppet with the zigzag scissors. (outline the thumb and pinky fingers (for the puppet's hands) and one main for the other 3 fingers (for the puppet's head). It's a good idea to maybe tack it temporarily to see if your child's hand will fit into it. Before you glue them together, wait to decorate the main side, so the glue doesn't leak through and stick to the other side.  For eyes  use pre-made eyes or pompoms or cut some out with the felt (white circle with a small black circle glued on top). To make a snowman cut out his hat (2-one for the front of the puppet and one for the back) cut a scarf, and a carrot nose. Use some pompoms for the buttons down the snowman's belly. Now use your hot glue gun to tack everything on. Allow to dry well before use.  Try to make others like an elf or a penguin.


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Christmas Cards

You'll need: construction paper, scissors, glue sticks (hot glue gun for mom for the stubborn things that don't want to stay on), crayons, glitter, sequins, markers, yarn scraps, and whatever else you would like to decorate the cards with. 

Kids are wonderful at decorating Christmas cards. I pre-make the cards and then have the kids decorate  them for the finishing touch. First I cut the construction paper in half to make 2 cards from one piece. Next fold each one in half. I then take a marker and write a greeting and draw the outline sketch of a Christmas tree on the front. On the inside a write a personalized message to the recipient and sign it. I then let the kids do the rest, assisted ofcourse. They then color the tree and put the star on top and the yarn for garland and the flat sequins for the ornaments. Pop in a pre-addressed envelope and send.


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Cookie Cutter Ornaments

You'll need: 1/2" foam sheets, cookie cutters, dimensional paint, thin ribbon, hot glue gun or thick craft glue, emery board,  nail, and scissors. 

Press the cookie cutters through the foam. Emery board the edges to smooth. Paint the ornaments with paint. Once dry, use the dimensional paint to highlight any edges. Hang by using the nail to punch a 1/2' hole deep in the top of the ornament. Place glue into the hole and place a folded 6" piece of ribbon in half, and place it in the hole.


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Ribbon Chain

You'll need: ribbons of different colors, scissors, stapler 

Make a paper chain as usual only use pretty ribbon. Staple 7" strips of ribbon in interlocking links. Then hang.


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Wreath

You'll need: store-bought twig wreathes, twine or glue gun, berries, tiny ornaments, dried flowers, or anything else you would like to use to decorate with. 

Just tie, glue, or tuck in your accents, and use these mini wreaths to decorate your Christmas tree or string together to brighten a window.


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Fragrances

You'll need: apples, oranges, cloves, ribbons, pine cones 

Stud the apples and oranges with the cloves and add ribbons and place in a bowl  with pine cones for a spicy fragrant centerpiece.


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Peppermint Candy Decorations

You'll need: white paper plates, red marker, plastic wrap, ribbon 

Place the plates upside down and draw red half swirls on the back of the plates with the red marker. (like the peppermint candies) Put the two plates together front to front, so that you can see the swirls on the outside. Wrap the plates with the plastic wrap and tie the two ends with the ribbon. They look like wrapped peppermint candy. Hang from the ceiling and enjoy. (Friends at Upcounty)


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Homemade Christmas Ornaments

You'll need: 2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, 1 cup water 

Knead together to form a medium stiff dough. Add water or flour if needed. To add color knead in a dab of paste food coloring. 

Bake finished creations at 325 degrees for one to two hours, or until dry. (Anon)


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Flower Ornaments

You'll need: tissue paper and string 

First take the one tissue paper and hold it in the middle. Then take the other sheet of tissue paper and put it across the other sheet then tie it with the string. The first sheet appears as the inside of the flower bud and the outside sheet appears as the outside of the flower. Be creative and use different colors. (gaexum basangawi)


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Ice-cream Soda Ornaments

You'll need: cups, pompoms, string, straws

You can make a perfect miniature ice-cream soda out of the cups used for communion. First put in a Medium Brown or Pink Pom Pom ball (will be either chocolate or strawberry soda) then a smaller white Pom Pom for Whipped Cream and a very tiny red Pom Pom for the cherry, add a coffee stir (the kind that looks like two straws) cut in half and bent at the top to represent the straws. Can also add string or yarn to be used as Christmas ornament. (Betty S)