Christmas Crafts~ Heather Young

Whether you make these Christmas-themed crafts for yourself or to give to a special someone for Christmas, they are sure to put a warm smile on the face of whoever receives them.

Cookie Cutters*

Can’t seem to find the perfectly shaped cookie cutter for those special holiday cookies? Running out of unique designs for all of your relatives? Look no further! (Well, look below.)

Things you will need:

Large (rectangular) disposable aluminum lasagna or roasting pan

Ruler

Permanent marker

Heavy duty scissors

Paper

String

Stapler or super glue

Metal file

Directions:

1. Using the ruler and permanent marker, draw straight lines, marking lengthwise, onto the bottom of the lasagna pan, at least 1 inch apart.

2. Cut the sides off the pan with the scissors and also cut out the strips you have just drawn. Since cutting aluminum can leave sharp edges, it’s a good idea to wear gloves during this step.

3. If you’re like me, you always design something on paper before drawing the real thing. If you want to go for it without sketching designs first, then go ahead and skip this step. Just be careful; the perimeter of your shape cannot be longer than the perimeter of your longest strip. You can measure with the string to make sure.

4. Take one of your 1-inch aluminum strips and mold it around your design. Use pens or cups to create curves, and table edges or a ruler to create 90° angles.

5. Close your cookie cutter by overlapping the ends of the strip and stapling them together two or three times.

6. Use the metal file to grind down any sharp edges. If you need to, you can fold the edges about 1/8 of an inch for a smooth, non-hazardous surface.

7. Once you have constructed your cookie cutters, be sure to wash them before shaping your delicious cookies!

*Credit to wikihow.com

Clay Ornaments*

Ingredients:

4 cups flour

1 cup salt

1 ½ cups water

Directions:

1. Combine the flour, salt, and water so that it makes dough.

2. Shape it however you wish. For a large selection of creative cookie cutters for cheap, click here. You can also make your own cookie cutters (see previous craft instructions).

3. Place them on a cookie sheet, and spray with a fine mist of water.

4. Bake at 350° F until golden brown or until the cookies move freely on the sheet.

5. After removing the tray from the oven, spray with clear shellac, varnish, or clear plastic spray paint.

6. Paint with tempera or acrylic paint and then spray with clear lacquer, varnish, or shellac spray paint.

*Credit to Art Today and Every Day by Jenean Romberg and Miriam Ruthz

If you want to create some lovely beauty products for the ladies in your family:

Coffee Scrub*

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon vanilla flavoring
1 cup sugar
15 drops peppermint oil
1/2 cup used coffee grounds

Directions:
1. Dry the used coffee grounds on a paper towel for 24 hours or until most of the moisture is gone.

2. Mix all the ingredients together and keep them in a sealed container.

To use: wet your skin and rub a small amount of the scrub in circular motions on your face and body. Rinse off. You won’t believe how soft your skin will feel!

Milk Bath*

Ingredients:
1/2 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup Epsom salt
1 teaspoon corn starch
4 drops of fragrance oil

Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients together.

2. Keep them in a sealed plastic container or sealed plastic baggie until ready to use.

Scented Bath Bubbles*

Ingredients:
1 cup of sweet almond oil (or try sesame oil or light olive oil)
1/2 cup of honey
3/4 cup of liquid soap (preferably castile soap)
10–15 drops of essential oil

Directions:
1. Measure the oil out into a bowl.

2. Blend in the other ingredients and stir until it is completely mixed together.

3. Pour the mixture into a plastic or glass bottle.

Shake the mixture up before using. (Makes about 4 bubble baths)

Bath Salts*

Ingredients:
1/3 cup Epsom salt
1/3 cup course-ground sea salt
1/3 cup baking soda
5 drops of your favorite fragrance or essential oil (vanilla, lavender or almond extract work beautifully).

Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients together.

2. Allow to dry.

3. Store in a sealed container until use.

Chocolate Lip Balm*

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon cocoa butter
1 teaspoon sweet almond oil
1 teaspoon beeswax
1 capsule Vitamin E
3–6 chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Heat cocoa butter, oil and beeswax just until melted.

2. Add Vitamin E and chocolate chips and mix well.

3. Use a dropper to place in small jars.

Tinted Lip Gloss*

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon of honey
1 vitamin E capsule
1 tablespoon of sweet almond oil
1 teaspoon of beet juice (use the liquid from canned beets; add more for stronger color)

Directions:
1. Combine the honey, vitamin E capsule and almond oil together in a small pot on low until it’s about to boil.

2. Remove from the heat, mix in the beet juice then pour the mixture into a small container or empty lip balm tube before it cools.

Essential oils and flavored oils can be found in health food stores, online and at some pharmacies. Depending on the mood you’re trying to create, here’s a guideline to knowing what oils or flavors to use:

Relaxing: lavender, rose and sandalwood
Stimulating: peppermint, lemon and eucalyptus
Uplifting: orange, jasmine and rosemary

*Credit to SUSIE magazine

Flower Arrangement*

This craft would make a nice centerpiece at Christmas dinner!

Thing you will need:

Large basket (that sits flat)

Styrofoam

Knife to cut the Styrofoam

Pine branches

Poinsettas and other large flowers

Baby’s breath or other fillers

Scissors

Decorative wrapping paper (optional)

Fake moss (optional)

Ribbon for bow (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut the Styrofoam to fit the basket.

Note: The Styrofoam has to fit the basket tightly and will need smaller pieces cut and wedged into the spaces around the original rectangle. This gives a solid base to put the arrangement in.

2. Add flowers in this order:

-Large filler (pine branches), to form the base of the arrangement.

-Large flowers (poinsettias), small number carefully positioned.

-Medium flowers (holly sprigs).

-Small filler flowers that come last and fill in gaps in the arrangement.

Note: If any of the foam shows, cover it with fake moss or crepe paper.

Work from the top down, but lift the arrangement and look at it from different angles as you work. Don't be afraid to take flowers out and move them around until you're happy with the effect.

3. Add decorative wrapping paper and tie with a bow if you desire.

*Credit to http://crafts.kaboose.com/teen-christmas-ornaments.html

Did you know that Heather wants to live on a farm?!

Sketching Faces~ A Fun Craft Article by Hogan Stevens

(Apologies for the blurriness of the picture. LAT has been having some technical difficulties)



When I was told to write a fun article for January, I seriously could think of nothing. Nothing. And that’s weird for me, because I can usually come up with something to write about after a day or so. So I kept asking myself, “What fun things do girls do that I can write about?” And I just could not figure it out. You see, I don’t think I am what is considered a “normal” teenage girl. I hate to shop, and my idea of a fun afternoon with my best friend is reading a book…or talking about books. So I instead asked myself, “How do I have fun? Maybe I can inspire one of our readers to try something new!”

  Here lately it seems I’ve caught the drawing bug. Of course, I’ve always loved to draw all sorts of things, even when I was really young, but lately I’ve grown to love sketching portraits. I really only discovered this talent a couple of months ago, I would like to share it with you. All it takes is a blank piece of paper, a sharp pencil and your imagination!

  I usually use an actual picture for reference when drawing a person. Just follow the details of the picture with your eyes as you draw, paying attention to the shape of the face, eyes, and mouth. Sketch lightly at first, that way you can erase any mistakes (I do lots of erasing the first few minutes).

  When filling in each area of the face, make sure you pay attention to each detail, like just where the eyebrows lay on the forehead or how high the lips are from the chin. These things really help bring out the characteristics of your subject.

  The hair and eyes are usually what I save for the last, since they are probably the most difficult to sketch. I also like to make them as lifelike as possible. With the hair, make quick, decisive strokes--all in the same direction--and be sure to make them all even looking. Don’t want spotted hair, now do we?

  I always pay special attention to the eyes, since they are what give the subject that small spark of life. Each person has a unique shape to their eye, and every eye has a different layer of coloring that is not all that hard to capture. Don’t forget to make the pupils the darkest part of the eye, and you can also add a small catch light right next to the pupil just to add that extra bit of sparkle to the eye. Take your time.

  Of course, you don’t have to be the best artist to do this! It takes loads of practice to get it all right, but I think you will really enjoy it. I know I sure do. I’ve spent hours just sketching out my friends and family, and it really is a joy to see their reactions when I show them a hand-drawn portrait of themselves. They really seem to appreciate it…even when I don’t get their nose just right or forget to add just enough freckles. I can hardly wait to give my parents and my best friend the pictures I’ve drawn of them for Christmas!

  And…if it turns out you just can’t seem to get down a good technique at making your drawings 100% lifelike, just put them off as caricature! No one will know the difference. Hopefully.

Three Turkey Crafts for Thanksgiving~ By Heather Young

Thanksgiving is tomorrow! You have most likely traced your hand to draw a turkey for Thanksgiving.  This craft goes back to those little fun times, only with a new twist.  You can create various types of turkeys, but in this article, I am only including how-to steps on three.

Drawn Turkey:
 

For this craft, you will need:

Pencil

White paper

Hand

Something to color it with if you wish (colored pencils, crayons, paints, etc…)

1. Just as you probably did when you were little, you can trace your hand with a pencil onto the paper.  Place your hand flat fingers spread out) onto the paper and trace around it.

2.Add a beak, eye, legs, and whatever other accessories you wish to adorn your turkey with.

3. Now comes the hard part, or really, the easy part. Think of at least four things you are thankful for.  I say four because that is how many wings your turkey most likely has. Think of how God has blessed you. I know, it’s hard to choose four! In the turkey’s wings, write them down.

4. You may want to color the turkey to make it more pretty and realistic.

Cut-out Turkey:

 

For this craft, you will need:

Pencil

Paper (brown construction paper is recommended)

Fall colors of construction paper (red, orange, yellow, etc…)

Hand

Scissors

Glue

1. Place your hand flat (fingers spread out) on the brown construction paper and trace around it with the pencil.

2. Cut out the outline you just drew.

3. Trace around at least one of the fingers (wings) onto each of the different colors of construction paper.

4. Cut out the fingers (wings) you just drew on the fall colors of construction paper.  You may also want to cut out a beak and legs.

5. Glue the various colors onto the different wings.  Likewise, glue the beak and legs on.  The turkey also needs an eye drawn in.

6. Inside the wings, write out at least four things you are thankful for, as explained in the craft above.

Last but not least, the Apple Turkey:

For this craft, you will need:

Apple (any kind will do, although red apples resemble actual turkey color more than say green)

Toothpicks

Popsicle sticks (colored recommended)

Soft treats (marshmallows, raisins, gumdrops, etc…)

Paper towel or plate

Googly eyes and glue (suggested)

1 candy corn (suggested)

Sharpie®

1. Using the Sharpie®, write out things you are thankful for on the Popsicle sticks.

2. Take the stem out of the apple and place the apple sideways on the paper towel or plate.

3. Stick the toothpicks and Popsicle sticks into the apple, so that they look somewhat like wings.  Also, be sure to stick a Popsicle stick into where the stem of the apple was; this will be the neck and head of the “apple turkey.”

4. Glue the googly eyes onto the head of the turkey, one on each side.  Or, if you’d rather, you can just draw eyes with the Sharpie®.  Also, stick the candy corn onto the end of the Popsicle stick head for the beak.

5. Skewer the soft treats onto the toothpicks.  This will make for a sweet treat with the apple.

6. Don’t forget to stick two toothpicks into the bottom of the apple for the legs of the turkey!

Note for Apple Turkey: You can complete these steps pretty much in any order just as long as you write on the Popsicle sticks before you stick them into the apple.

These crafts can be fun little things to do for Thanksgiving. Even little crafts like these can help us remember the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Giving thanks. Not just to God, but to the people around you. For the little moments in life that keep us going. For our blessings.

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