HOLIDAY CRAFTS

Templates

         Templates are patterns that can be traced around to make a copy and then color or paint or sew. The blank gingerbread people, the stocking, the box and the star can all be used as templates. You can also search for the butterfly templates and use these for your Holiday projects. To make a Template, print your selection and then cut it out. Trace this onto a heavier weight cardboard. Old file folders work great. When this cardboard template is cut out you can choose the weight and color of paper or even the material called felt that you want to trace your craft on. For tracing onto paper you need only a pencil. For felt you can use a permanent marker on the wrong side of the felt, just turn your template over and trace, then turn back to use the other side.

Gingerbread People

         The directions for the gingerbread people is the same as for the stocking except you can also use the gingerbread template for cutting real cookies! Well, you could make a cookie stocking too and stars. It is a little harder than a cookie cutter but fun. You can use a small knife to cut them out. Be sure this is alright with mom and dad, even if you are 39 years old! If you are going to make the gingerbread people into ornaments there is some difference from the stocking directions. Cut two sides with the seam allowance and then cut a third out of heavy paper stock at the same size as the print out. This will go between the two layers and make the gingerbread people stronger. There is also two products that are stiffer than ordinary felt, one is a stiffened felt and the other a sort of spongy material that cuts well and only needs one side. When gluing, glue the ribbon hangar at the top center. You can make, oh, hundreds! and string them all over, even if they are made of paper they will last the season very well.

Stocking

         This is a little stocking that can be used as a gift bag. If you are going to make a gift stocking, print one and make a template that is ¼ in. larger all around. This will be like a seam in sewing. Trace a front and a back stocking onto either a heavy paper or felt. On the paper use whatever makes you smile, paint, felt tip pens, mashed potatoes, finger paints. On the felt you can use fabric paints, lace trims, and buttons. There are all kinds of tiny treasures in the craft stores that can be glued on both felt and paper. You can create on one side or both. Cut a length of pretty ribbon for a hanger. Hot glue this to the top edge(above where the heel of the stocking is), and then glue along seam line. Whoops! Don’t glue the top closed! If you need to use white glue, have a handful of wooden clothespins ready to clip along the glued section. This will help hold it together until dries. Wooden clothespins are like having extra fingers and they are inexpensive.

Stars

         Using the ideas above you can make a variety of stars. You can make a star for the tree topper by gluing it to an empty TP roll that has been covered with paper or painted. If you wish, find pictures in magazines or draw your own designs and make templates for candy canes, snowmen, and pine trees.

Wish List

         After you have printed this and colored it in(if you chose to use the one that needed to be colored), you have to decide what is most important of all you wishes. It may be toys and that is perfectly alright, this time of year. However, your wishes may be for the special gifts of unknown things, or peace and love, you decide. And then put it up on the fridge just about level with your mom’s nose.

Tiny Box

         There is one blank box template and one that is already colored and only needs to be printed, cut out and folded. You should print both of these boxes out on a heavier paper stock, such as card stock. If you do not have card stock, use the technique above for making a template. You might add some fairy dust, sparkle, or gold or silver pen outlines to the colored box to make it more festive. The blank box is yours to design anyway that pleases you. You can even make this box out of paper that is foiled on one side, or interesting handcrafted paper, or bark and glue moss and tiny seeds or shells to it. This is a sweet little box. It can hold a found treasure, a piece of very special candy, or jewelry. Be sure and use something tantalizing to tuck in with your gift, like iridescent raffia, sparkly wonders, stars, more fairy dust, remember, now you are the secret charmer, the smiling elf, the twinkly fairy giving a special magical gift to someone you love or like a lot.

        May your heart be full of joy, your head full of ideas, your companions loving and peaceful.

         Your Fairy Friend, Phee McFaddell