What better way to spend time with family and friends over the holiday than to plan a craft-making shindig? Transform your home into a holiday haven fit for the most festive of parties, or simply add a few cute additions to the home. Martha Stewart provides us with some fantastic holiday crafting ideas to create decorative items like reindeer wreaths, ribbon garland and bows, and tips for using ornaments off the tree for a sparkling window display (be sure to get the adorable, shiny acorn ornaments).
Reindeer Wreaths
What you’ll need:
24-inch pre-lit Winslow wreath
Martha Stewart Winter Tidings Collection shatterproof ornaments – 101-pack, 51-pack or 75-pack (for red ornament for nose)
14-gauge wire
wire cutters pliers
sisal rope
small zip ties
small chip brush
white glue
How to do it:
1. Straighten and fluff the branches of the wreath until full. Cut two 50-inch pieces of wire. Fold one wire in half and bend to create antler shape, following template here. Crimp points with pliers. Repeat for second antler.
2. Cut four 60-inch pieces of rope. Place two pieces together and fold in half. Starting at the top of the antler, secure rope tightly with a zip tie. Wrap rope around wire to hide it, splitting as needed for antler branches and securing at every joint with zip ties. Continue to cover, leaving bottom six inches unwrapped.
3. Using a chip brush, paint the rope with glue, soaking it heavily and avoiding zip ties. Hang until rope is rigid and completely dry. Repeat with second antler.
4. Cut off zip ties with wire cutters and trim excess rope ends. Use more zip ties to attach antlers tightly to the back side of the wreath frame. Wire a red ornament for the nose to the bottom of the wreath frame.
Decorate the windows with ornaments
What you’ll need:
Martha Stewart Living Merry Metallic ornaments
golden wire edged ribbon
24-gauge wire
How to do it:
1. Take the golden wire edged ribbon and thread it through the ornament hanger.
2. Take a piece of the 24-gauge wire, create a loop and wrap around the ribbon several times to
secure it.
3. Hang the ornaments at varying lengths on clear command hooks on top of the window.
4. Hide the hooks by attaching glittery snowflakes and placing them over the hooks.
Ribbon Garland
What you’ll need:
Martha Stewart Living Alpine Holiday Collection ribbon
Martha Stewart Living Winter Tidings Collection ribbon
wire snips
hot glue scissors
How to do it:
1. Cut 12-inch lengths of ribbon (number depending on length of garland).
2. Roll one length of ribbon into a loop and hot glue ends together.
3. Feed next piece of ribbon through that loop, roll, and glue. Repeat until garland reaches desired length.
The Perfect Bow
What you’ll need:
Martha Stewart Living Alpine Holiday Collection ribbon
Martha Stewart Living Winter Tidings Collection ribbon
Scissors
How to do it:
1. Wrap ribbon around all four sides of box and knot at the center, leaving tails approximately two feet long.
2. Arrange ribbon in the shape of an ‘M’ to form the loops, and tie. Fluff loops.
3. Fold ends of ribbon in half lengthwise and cut at a steep angle to form a ‘bird’s beak’.
Whether you’re hoping to spend some simple, quality time with the family, or you want to dazzle guests for your next holiday gathering, craft making is a great way to spend your time around the holiday season. So get out there, and don’t be afraid to get a little messy!
For more craft ideas for the home, visit marthastewart.com
