Holiday Crafts/Gift Ideas
Egg Cup Bouquets
What You Need
1. Several polystyrene foam egg cartons in pastel colors
2. Sharp scissors
3. Sharp pencil
4. Pipe cleaners
5. Ribbon or vase
What You Do
1. Cut egg cartons into single egg cups
2. Scallop, fringe, point edges to make flower shapes out of the cups
3. Using the pencil, poke a small hole in the center of each egg cup
4. Insert a pipe cleaner in the hole
5. Tie stems with ribbon or place in vase
Bleach Bottle Candleholder
What You Need
1. One empty bleach bottle (triple-rinse and drain thoroughly)
2. Pocket or paring knife
3. Pair of sharp scissors
4. Decorative pieces of scrap- felt, fabric, rick-rack, lace
5. Glue
6. Candle with diameter similar to bottle spout (if too large, use knife to carve away wax until it fits)
7. Aluminum foil
What You Do
1. Using the knife, make a slit in the side of the bleach bottle, about 2/3 of the way up from the bottom
2. Insert one scissor point in the slit and carefully cut the bottle into two pieces
3. Decorate by gluing scrap pieces
4. Wrap base of candle with foil, wrinkling and crushing until you have a safe, snug fit
Holiday Placemats and Coasters
What You Need
1. Used holiday cards and wrapping paper
2. Ribbon and glitter
3. Scissors
4. Self-stick clear shelf paper
What You Do
1. Cut out shelf paper in desired number of 4” x 4” squares (coasters) and 10” x 14” rectangles (placemats). You’ll need 2 pieces of shelf paper for each item
2. Cut out the pictures from cards
3. Trim wrapping paper into interesting shapes
4. Peel off the backing of the shelf paper and place on the table sticky-side up
5. Arrange cards and paper face down on the shelf paper leaving a ¼ inch border for a good seal
6. Add ribbon, glitter for decoration
7. Peel the backing of the second piece of shelf paper
8. Press together the sticky sides
9. Trim edges
Recycled Paper Ornaments
What You Need
• Blender*
• Screen on a frame*
• Water
• Plastic cookie cutters with backs
• Microwave oven
• Acrylic paint, glitter, markers
What You Do
1. Make recycled paper pulp by mixing 3 parts water to 1 part torn shredded paper.
(complete paper making instructions)
2. Pour water/paper mixture through a screen
(simple vinyl window screen works great) leaving pulp on the screen.
3. Use a plastic cookie cutter (no metal in microwave) with a back. Squeeze water out of the pulp, but don’t let the pulp get too dry or it is not manageable. Push the pulp into the cutter, filling the entire cutter and working the pulp into all the grooves and turns.
4. Press the full cutter paper side down on a towel to get out as much water as possible
5. Microwave for 1.5 minutes. 4-6 small cutters can be placed in the microwave at one time.
6. Cutters will be Hot! Gently tap cutter paper side down until the damp ornament pops out.
7. Dry ornament overnight – 2 days. Place something on top to keep from curling.
8. When dry, color with magic marker, glitter glue or spray with acrylic paint. Do not use water-based paint!
9. Hang with thread or use hot-glue to attach a pin on the back to wear the ornament on clothes.
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