Here at the LPL, we take crafting seriously. We decorate our departments with paper flowers, leaves, pilgrim hats, snowflakes….let’s just say that I work with some amazing people who know how to take paper, some glue dots, and our Cricut machine to make magic. The best part is that unlike magic, the beautiful odds and ends that we create can be easily replicated. And at this time of the year, crafting can lead to perfect, homemade gifts for friends and family.
Regular Checking the Shelf readers know all about my Pinterest obsession. My undying love for virtual pins and boards has helped me put together a list of five of the trendiest holiday-related crafting projects. Any of these projects can be used for gifting or to enhance your own home during the holiday season. Enjoy the clickable links to Pinterest and beyond, where creative inspiration awaits.
The typical image of a wreath is usually the Christmas wreath: fragrant, green, and with a big red bow draped from the center. But, don’t be fooled, because wreaths do not belong exclusively to Christmas; crafters are using wire, styrofoam, burlap, mesh, and a variety of embellishments to make year-round or seasonal wreaths. Sure, yours can be holiday-themed (a popular choice seems to be a styrofoam wreath covered with Christmas balls), but it can also be winter-themed, beach-themed, or it can follow a color scheme that matches your shutters or your living room couch. If you want to make this project extra special and gift it to a loved one, think about attaching tiny picture frames filled with meaningful photos or quotes. Browse through the pins for inspiration!
Okay, guys, this is a big trend that’s been popping up in my feed for weeks. It looks like there are two ways to go about procuring the wood slices. Die-hard DIYers who are also handy with a saw and have some spare firewood can actually slice the wood to size. For the rest of us who are less outdoorsy (and speaking for myself, probably shouldn’t be handling a chainsaw), we can look for wood slices in our local craft stores or on Etsy. Ornaments, wall hangings, coasters, place cards, and door hangers made from wood slices are beautiful, rustic gifts. Embellish them with paint (or chalkboard paint, which is another big trend), decoupaged photos, or material. If you know how to use an etching tool (like a Dremel) safely, you can burn designs or sayings into the wood slices.
This is the kind of craft that allows for total personalization and can be made year-round to accommodate all gift-giving occasions. The sky’s the limit! As proof, search “gift tags” on Pinterest and the first result you should see are homemade gift tags in the shape of coffee containers. I love the randomness of that! It’s that type of specificity that can truly capture someone’s personality. Glitter, buttons, soda can tabs (yup…they can be used to make Santa’s belt buckle), bows, markers, and ribbons of all kinds will help to elevate this small detail into a showstopper! Our Innovation Station is here to help get you through the holiday season. You can make a reservation and come by with the paper of your choice to use our Cricut machines and Ellison Die Cut Machine. With the help of this equipment, your gift tags will be a work of art.
Only for the purposes of crafting will I encourage you to cut up old books. This is a great project for book lovers–as long as you can get over the trauma of destroying a book. In the end, it will be worth it, as amazing, one-of-a-kind creations will emerge. Some of the gems that I have seen other DIYers make: planters, ornaments, decorative snowmen, trees, and apples (maybe a cute gift for the teacher in your life?), and incredible artwork made from book folding, like these that spell out Joy, Love, and Dream.
I love Mason jars! I know I’m only one of many who feel this way, as entire sections of crafting stores are devoted to Mason jars. Although there are so many ways to get crafty with this southern staple, I think that one of the most appropriate for this time of the year is to make some centerpiece magic. Something as simple as painting the jar gold and adding a votive or electric candle will add something to your dining table. I also love the idea of adding water, cranberries, fake stems, and a candle on top, like this blogger. Even a few pinecones and cinnamon sticks, with a touch of twine wrapped around the top, can give your holiday guests a cozy feeling. For something a little more meaningful, fill the jar with a family photo, or turn it into a shadow box and add details that reflect the spirit of the photo.
I’ve had so much fun putting together this list, and I hope you have just as much fun crafting! Please feel free to send us photos of your finished projects. I would also love to know of other crafting projects that you would recommend.
Happy Crafting,
Jess
