Vintage Salt Shaker = Glitter Dispenser

 

A gift from Kate at Pome. Pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen. The circle "lid" is adhesive and keeps the glitter from falling out everywhere.

I have some superfluous restaurant-style salt shakers that I was hoping to put homemade bay leaves in for neighbor gifts this year, but my basil leaves, when dehydrated, are as fragile as flakes of mica. I will have to figure out how McCormick makes their bay leaves so thick and glossy and sturdy another year...

"Merry Christmas" Garland from Old Christmas Cards $0

 

 

This one is super easy. You just have to crop old Christmas cards!

I had a corduroy alphabet sticker set that I used for the letters, but you could just as easily print letters on your computer or stamp them. I mounted each letter to a piece of cardstock and then double-mounted that onto old Christmas cards. Set eyelets in the corners (or just punch a hole) and string some waxed floss or whatever thready-type stuff you want through the holes! It's a hodge-podge way to showcase all the neat cards people send.

Hemstitched Bucket from Old Christmas Cards $0

 

 

 

I glued Christmas cards back-to-back and then created a template that would make a 6-sided bucket. I tapered the ends a little so it would open like a popcorn bucket. To make the bottom piece I just measured the base of the tall piece and created a hexagon with that same length on each side. Once you have six wall pieces and a base hexagon punch holes all along the perimeter. I have a little hand punch that I used that makes a hole 1/8" wide.

After all the holes are punched you hemstitch them. Hemstitching is like mini-crochet. I learned at a class at church, but I'm sure you can google it. Just pretend the Christmas cards are flannel and that you are edging a little burp cloth. All I did was two single crochets in each hole with an extra chain to help me reach the next hole. Super easy. And I know there are great tutorials online for single crochet. You just use hemstitching yarn (it's skinnier than regular yarn) and the tiniest crochet hook (a #1 hook).

Once you have crocheted every piece whipstitch the pieces together with the same yarn. I only attached the base on one side so that the bucket could fold flat for storage.

I just like making things with junk while I watch TV. I put our napkins in this bucket on the kitchen table for the month of December. Once I put shiny bulbs in it. Pinecones would be neat. Or candy.

Halloween Garland from Tangled Trash $0

 

 

 

Every year our church has a Halloween carnival. There is a fish pond. The same heap of Oriental Trading Company toys get given every year. This blob of Halloween necklaces has been in the supply box for at least four years. Greg tried to untangle them during an entire Presidential debate but it was no use. Too tangled. So I chopped the rubbery little plastic pieces off of the strings and made a garland with them.

I just tied each trinket to a scrap of ribbon with a different scrap of ribbon. I was finally able to use the roll of Halloween ribbon Diane Gaede gave me two years ago! Hooray! No materials needed other than scissors, ribbon, and the items you are stringing.

I love hanging seasonal swags from my collection of glass bottles. Plus it forces me to clean all the bottles a few times a year.

You can make garlands from anything: leftover holiday paraphernalia, buttons, miniature toys, game pieces, cards, ticket stubs, etc.

12 Days of Christmas Ornaments <$5

I have a group of girlfriends and we meet the third Wednesday of every month to craft. We have been doing this for several years. It's like the Friday Night Knitting Club except it's on Wednesdays and we don't knit (although we've discussed learning how). We used to make cards, and then we made mini cards, and then we decided to do a big year-long project. All I know is that I need that one night a month. I think I can safely say craft nights enhance friendships and save marriages.

Anyways, our big year-long project was to create a set of ornaments illustrating the 12 Days of Christmas. I had seen a set in Ballard Designs but wasn't about to pay what they were asking. Chipboard was all the rage, but we're cheap, so I went to the Olive Garden and kindly asked the manager for 750 coasters. He eventually gave them to me (and asked me to never come back to his restaurant) and we used them for the structure of each ornament.

 

We pooled our resources to make each ornament. The backgrounds were scrapbook paper, sheet music, French etchings of cows from Mary's grandma's old books, scans of postage stamps, etc. We just found stuff we could use. Jonna used her Cricut to cut out the flutes and the lords-a-leapin'. We had punches for the turtledoves. We had birdcage stamps and partridge stamps (okay, it's a quail) and Spanish moss and glitter. Turns out that Michelle was a whiz at hot melting bird nests. Jaime worked her digital magic on the numbered side of the ornaments. My mother-in-law even cleaned out her basement and gave me a bag of miniature eggs, which worked perfectly for the six geese-a-layin'.

All we had to buy was the strand of pearls (Walmart), the cheap golden rings (party store), and Mary bought real guinea hen feathers for the three French hens. Mary's mom is French, so she's serious about representing France. I'm a huge European poser, so I appreciate representing France as well.

 

We glued everything right onto the coaster (some did the Xyron, I used Scotch glue sticks because they are my favorite), rolled the edges in Elmer's glue, and then rolled the gluey edges in glitter. Punched a tiny hole up top and tied baker's twine in it. It took the whole year and it was really fun to do.

Twelve coasters stack perfectly in this 4" wide circular tin that was $1 at the craft store. There's even room for 12 hooks on top. I hang mine from our dining room chandelier. They twirl and spin and sparkle and I can't help but smile when I remember all the Wednesday nights that we spent making them.

Texas Roadhouse was not at all stingy with their coasters, which were square. I would have done squares but we already had the circular tins.