Old Magazine Christmas Trees

Transform old magazines into glittered table-top trees with this easy -- and kid-friendly -- step-by-step process.

Tools and Materials
Old magazines of any size
Gold, silver, or clear spray paint
Glitter in desired colors
Bone folder (optional)

Magazine Trees How-To
1. Open magazine and bend to break spine.

2. Fold individual page from top right corner to inside seam. Fold same page from bottom right edge to gutter.

3. Fold bottom triangle of each additional magazine page up, making the bottom of the tree flat. Then, fold top of all pages down to form tree shape.

4. Spray-paint folded tree desired color. Immediately sprinkle glitter over wet paint. Let dry.

Wool Wrapped Bracelets

I think these are great! What a fantastic and inexpensive way to keep up with trends! You can use yarn, cloth strips, ribbon or felt.

Tools and Materials
Scissors
Clothespin
Plain plastic bangle bracelets
Yarn or ribbon
Fabric glue


Wool-Wrapped Bangles How-To
1. Create a ball of yarn slightly larger than a golf ball.

2. Densely wrap the yarn around a plastic bangle bracelet, making sure to neatly keep the yarn aligned, and pulling tightly as you go.
Tip: Work over a table or in lap in case the ball slips out of your hands.

3. Finish by overlapping a few wraps at the point where you started. Glue the strand of yarn in place along the inside of the bracelet with a fabric glue.

4. Hold the glued end of yarn in place with a clothespin and allow to dry. Once the glue has fully dried, snip off the extra yarn.

5. Bangles can be covered in thin decorative ribbon using the same process.

Crafting Ideas

I have never been a "crafty" person, but since joining my local ward, it seems that I need to think a little outside the proverbial box. I've been asked to help a friend with something called "Super Saturday" which, as I understand it, is a day before the Christmas rush where church members get together to be super!!! Well, actually, its so that we can all come together and do crafty things before Christmas, and also to eat lots of food.

I am making this post for my pal Tomoko who needed a little help with crafting ideas. Thus, without anymore delay....to the crafts!!!

Seed Bomb

A seed bomb is a very simple and crafty gift to make - the best part about it is that most of the materials are free!!

Seed bombs can be placed in little bags with ribbons (as you can see from the image on the left). Seed bombs are a ball of clay, water, soil, and flower seeds. Also, seed bombs are easy, you don't even have to plant them, you simply put them outside and when it rains, nature does the rest of the work!
Seed Bomb How To:
All materials in this craft are cheap or free, easy to find, and are natural and organic.


Clay from your area if available or if clay unavailable in your area you can use crayola air dry clay and is found in walmart for about $5.00 (used to protect the seeds from insects, birds, etc. that might eat them)
Water (For forming clay, do not water seed bomb when finished)
Seeds native to your area (Check with your local Nature Conservancy or your state's department of natural resources for which seeds/plants are native to your area)( buy seed mixtures of native flowers and plants. Not only will they grow well, they will not crowd out other plants, disrupt bird and insect populations, or do other environmental damage)
Compost or worm castings
Yogurt container top or any large flat surface


For the dried red clay mix 5 parts clay with 1 part compost and 1 part flower seeds, put some careful drops of water into the mixture(make sure not to make it into a goopy sloppy mess!), Knead with hands into a ball, flatten it out and cut to desired size. Now just make into a small ball and let it dry in the sun. Now you have a red clay seed bomb.


Paper Heart Christmas Ornament:
This nice little ornament is made from scratch paper, any sort you like! I find that getting books from the second hand store (they are usually less than a dollar) are the best way to find cool paper. The ornament seen in the photo uses sheet music - which can also be printed off for FREE on the internet!

Materials:
Ribbon
White Elmers Glue ( you can get these at the dollar store)
Cardboard strip (or card stock strip)
One inch thick strips of various decorative papers (double sided)
Glitter or small beads (Optional)
Single Hole Punch


Last Years Christmas Card Garland:
What a fantastic way to up-cycle last years Christmas cards! Also, if you don't have Christmas cards from last year, mixed boxes of cards can be purchased from the dollar store, OR you can occasionally find boxes of old Christmas cards at your local thrift store!




Materials:
Ribbon
Colored Cardboard
Christmas Cards
White Glue
Lace Scissors (These can be purchased form the craft store or dollar store)

Cold Tea for a HOT Day!

I think its close to 80 degrees in our studio today. I am caught up in the Sunday work which must happen to get me ready for the following week. Laundry is being done, the kitchen cleaned and fridge emptied. Tuna salad is being prepared for lunches, and the floors are being busily swept and cleaned!

This frenzy really works up a sweat, so I like to make iced herbal tea!! We are a caffeine free family, though I honestly don't miss it one bit.

For Delicious Iced Tea, the secret ingredient is baking soda (it creates a wonderfully smooth and refreshing softness in the tea and reminds me of summers in West Virginia).

You will need the following:

1 Standard Juice Pitcher
4-6 bags of your favorite herbal tea
1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda.

Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the tea bags, sugar, and baking soda. Let steep for 5 minutes. remove tea bags, fill the rest of the pitcher with cool water, and transfer to the fridge.

Enjoy!

Listen to that little voice.

"The man who neglects the whisperings of the Comforter will never comprehend the salient truths of the universe. Locked tightly in a world of his own construction, he will reject anything that does not fit the pattern he has created."

Do you get a slight nagging feeling when you know something is wrong? Do you hear that little voice in your head telling you to take action, or to be still, or to assist? Listen to that little voice of intuition, it is the directional compass to great things.

Up-Cycle Lamp Shades

I love this idea! I am semi stealing this craft idea from an Etsy seller named Eclu from Boston Mass. To see her lovely store please click this link.

However, to make these items yourself, you will need the following:

Lamp shade - ANY lamp shade will do, the best is a cheap and sorta icky one from a second hand store.

Large Hole Punch - I find that the martha steward one in hole punch works best

Fabric Glue

Cool looking paper or fabric

Method:

Make a ton of dots with your hole punch and begin at the bottom of the lamp shade. Think of it like a roof, you overlap half of the previous dot. Work around the width of the lamp, adding your dots and overlapping until you reach the end of your row. When you are finished, your top row should overlap the top ledge of your lamp, bend it down over the edge and secure with glue.

No Coffee! Coffee Drink

Its a pretty hot day here in the city of Vancouver! Its days like these that I want to drink a nice iced coffee drink. However, since I don't drink coffee anymore and since I don't drink anything with caffeine either, I thought I would share my recipe with you!!

You will need a blender for this.

2 1/2 cups cold tap water
4 Tbs Bamu
1 cup half and half or organic vanilla flavored half and half
3 Tbs Agave Nectar or Sugar in the Raw
6-10 ice cubes.

BLEND!!

POUR!!!

OM NOM NOM NOM!!!