Quick and Easy Gifts for the Office

This year I made all of my coworkers ornaments with their names on them. It only took a couple hours, was super simple, and perfect for this festive time of year. Here's how you can make your own:

Step 1- Procure some sparkly baubles (I recommend plastic, or "shatter resistant" bulbs). I also bought mine at Target.

Step 2- Get out your Prismacolors! I used metallic silver.

Step 3- Draw on the person's name with a festive design (the bauble above has candy canes drawn all around it)

Stunning Scraps: Transforming Excess to Ornament

In a world where there is so much want, I think it is important to take value in what we have; even our scraps. Today, I'll show you how to use up fabric scraps to make a fun bauble for your holiday tree.

Here's what you'll need...

Tools:
- Paint brush

Materials:
- A Christmas Bauble
- Scrap Fabric
- Fabric Glue
- Semi-Gloss Paint (clear)

First, you'll want to cut stripe of fabric tapered at either end; enough to cover the entire bauble.
Then, remove the cap from the top and wash the bauble with a little soap.
As with decoupage, you want a clean surface to apply your glue to.
So, apply your fabric glue to the outside of the bauble and, piece by piece, apply the fabric strips; converging the tapered end at the bottom of the bauble, and tucking other end into the bauble's opening.
Once the fabric glue has dried, paint over the fabric with clear semi-gloss paint and let dry.
Finally, add the top back on and attach a ribbon for it to hang on.

See more at Mind Ruffle

Repurposed Holiday Decor: Chili Pepper Ornament

Spice up your holiday with a chili pepper ornament made from the heart. Christmas is fast approaching, and if you're a crafter like me you know that there aren't enough hours in the day to make a gift for everyone. My default for handmade Christmas gifts are ornaments, and its never let me down. This chili pepper ornament is quick and easy to make, and here's what you'll need:
Tools
- Sand paper
- A paint brush
- A hot glue gun
- Pliers

Materials
- A bent tip light bulb
- Fine red glitter
- Red paint
- Green felt
- Small green beads
- Hot glue
- A fine gauge wire, or twist-tie

Clean off your bent tip light bulb with hand soap and water. Once it's dry, sand it lightly and use your pliers to pull of the metal seal on the bottom, where a small hole should be. Then, paint blub with two coats of red paint. While the bulb is still wet, sprinkle the red glitter evenly around the bulb and let it dry completely. Touch up bald spots with more paint and glitter.

Once, the bulb is dry, take a 6" piece of fine gauge wire, or a twist-tie*, fold it in half and place it into the hole in the bottom of the bulb. Then secure it with hot glue. And let dry.

* If you use a twist-tie, peal away the paper and use the wire within

Cut a round piece of green felt, a little larger than the diameter of the bulb's base, and thread the wires through the center. Use your hot glue to make a ring around the rim of the light bulb. Press down the felt circle and let dry.




Take a strip of green felt, that is about the width of the bulb's base, and cut ridges into it. You'll want to secure the felt strip with hot glue a couple centimeters above where the felt circle ends. Also, secure the felt strip where you would like the back of the ornament to be. Then wrap the felt strip around the bulb's base (small dots of hot glue will help keep the felt in place as you wrap it). Once, the metal base is fully covered trim away the excess felt.

Now, separate your wire strands and thread them with green beads.








Twist the wires together, so that the beads meet, and trim away the excess wire. And...

 It's a spicy holiday!
See more picture on Flickr
Buy your own on ETSY