DIY Crafts For the Holidays

There is nothing more special than a handmade gift. Find the perfect present for your friends and loved ones, and show them how special they are to you with these all-handmade craft suggestions fit for everyone!

1. Glitter Playdough for Kids (and adults)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup salt
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
food coloring
glitter

* Add food coloring to water for easiest, even distribution. This is especially helpful if you’re using a gel or paste food coloring.

* Place flour, salt, colored water, oil, and cream of tartar in a large saucepan. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until it turns into playdough.

* Turn dough out onto the counter to let sit until it’s cool enough to knead. Flatten a bit on the counter, and sprinkle generously with glitter. Knead the glitter into the playdough. If you want more sparkle, repeat this step.

* Store in an airtight container. One batch of this recipe filled four jam-jars perfectly.

2. Snowman Pin for butingting

1 square red felt
1 square green felt
1 package pin backs- 1 1/4″ long
White buttons — the larger, about 7/8″ wide; the smaller, about 3/4″ wide. Each should have 2 holes (Simple, plain buttons work best.)
Green beads
Green sequins
Craft glue

* With the pin of the pin back pointed down, glue (hot glue works here also) one large button at the bottom and the smaller button directly above the larger one.

* While glue dries, cut out a small top hat from the green felt, approximately 1″ wide and 5/8″ high. Cut a small bow tie from the red felt, approximately 6/8″ wide. (Feel free to reverse the colors.)

* Carefully glue the hat to the top of the small button and the bow tie between the two buttons. Glue a small green bead over each hole in the buttons, forming eyes and “coal” buttons. A toothpick may be helpful in placing a dab of glue over the small holes. Glue one green sequin to the center of the bow tie.

* Allow to dry thoroughly before using.

3. Christmas Cookies In a Jar

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chocolate-covered candy (such as holiday M&M’s or Hershey’s Holiday Candy Coated Bits)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup cocoa crisped-rice cereal (or regular flavor)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

* In a 1-quart wide mouth jar, add the ingredients in the order listed. Pack them down firmly after each addition (use the blunt end of a table knife or a wooden spoon to level and tamp down each layer). Screw on the cover (see Wrapping It Up for a note on securing a ribbon beneath the threads) and prepare a gift tag with the following instructions: “To make your holiday cookies, cream together 1/2 cup of butter or margarine, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 egg in a large bowl. Add the contents of the jar and stir until well blended. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 4 dozen.”

* WRAPPING IT UP: This gift, with its various layers of colorful ingredients, is most beautiful unwrapped. We fashioned the instructional tag from a folded rectangle of white card stock, decorated it with markers, and wrote the all-important baking directions on the inside. Punch a hole in the corner for a length of narrow ribbon, which can then be tied around the jar’s neck or secured beneath the threads of the lid.

4. Snowflake books

Books
White paint (I used leftover semi-gloss house paint.)
Primer
Paintbrush
Foam roller
Mod Podge (I used matte because I had it on hand, but I would recommend gloss for a more finished look.)
Doilies (I used foil baking doilies. You can find silver doilies here and gold doilies here. They’re kind of amazing.)

* Paint all of the books with primer first (so that the paint would stick to the glossy covers) and then coat them with two coats of white paint.

* Once the paint is dry, attach the foil doilies with Mod Podge, pushing the doilies into the crevices of the binding.

* Once the initial layer is dry, put one coat of Mod Podge over the top of the doilies to seal them.

* Put them in desired locations.

Source: sheknows.com