DIY: Elves at Work

If you’re in need of a quick homemade holiday gift or are just looking to repurpose old house hold supplies, there are several simple and fun options you can pick from this holiday season. All of these holiday crafts can be made from items lying around your house, or can be bought from Michael’s or Kroger for under $15.

Origami Snowflakes: free- .10

Supplies:

  • One square sheet of paper

How to make it:

First start by folding your paper in half vertically and horizontally and unfold it. Next, fold the top right, top left and bottom left corners to the center. Then fold the paper in half horizontally. Lastly, fold the bottom right corner back and you’re left with a pocket and two bottom tips. Repeat this process to make a total of five pieces. When all five pieces are made, connect them by putting the tips into each corner. When your snowflake is complete you’re ready to hang them up; attach them to holiday cards or set them around the house as decoration.

 

 Scrabble Tile Ornaments: $3 (not including the price of a hot glue gun)

Supplies:

  • Scrabble letter tiles (use the ones in the board game or buy them on Etsy)
  • Hot glue gun
  • Ribbon

How to make it:

Decide what you want the ornament to say and pick out tiles of the letters you want to use. Next glue the tiles vertically on the ribbon. Lastly tie a bow at the top and hang it on a doorknob, fireplace mantel, etc. This is a good decoration idea that can be varied using different pieces of all kinds of old game board parts.

 

Christmas Jar Snow Globe: $5 (not including the price of a hot glue gun)

Supplies:

  • Mason jar or an old spaghetti sauce jar
  • Water
  • Glitter or fake snow
  • Superglue or a hot glue gun
  • Holiday figurines

How to make it:

The first step is gluing your figurine onto the inside of the lid. Next fill your jar completely with a mixture of water and glitter or fake snow. Lastly screw on the top and flip the jar right side up.  If you want you can tie a ribbon around the outside.

 

Chalkboard Mug: $11

Supplies:

  • Mug
  • Masking tape
  • Paintbrush
  • Porcelain chalkboard paint

How to make it:

Begin by deciding on what pattern you want on your mug. Use masking tape to cover up the part of the mug that you don’t want painted. Next apply the chalkboard paint onto your mug. Let the painted mug sit at least four hours. Preheat your oven to 300° then bake for 35 minutes. When it is done you’re ready to draw on your chalkboard mug.