Happiness is Cocoa in a Cabin...

 "It is good to know that out there, in a forest in the world, there is a cabin where something is possible, something fairly close to the sheer happiness of being alive." Sylvain Tesson

Above is the entire display for cocoa with friends including: cake, candy,
and a cast iron cabin or two to display candle light within.

       I'm decorating my dining room cupboard this year using several different themes for parties among friends and family. This decor needn't cost much, just 'shop' your own collections and add a few key pieces to represent the theme for a coffee bar, tea party or in this case -  cups of cocoa and a delicious, rich bunt cake for a cozy reunion with old friends. I cut the pine sprigs from bushes on my front lawn and unpacked a plaid blanket from the linen closet to use in this woodland display. My adult children gathered pinecones from a walk in the woods to fill-out the empty spaces between the dishes.

• The Best Chocolate Bundt Cake Ever from neighborfoodblog
• Scattering Christmas Kindness by thebettermom.com
• Most amazing chocolate bundt cake by The Stay Home Chef

Left, a cup of hot chocolate or cocoa with marshmallows on top.
Right, chocolate and peppermint stirring spoons for those who like an
extra punch of flavor in their hot drink.

Left, on display is one of two cast iron cabin, candle holders. The bouquet is of cotton plant stems
inside of an old, vintage tinware pitcher. Right, are two cut glass apothecary jars filled with 
chocolates and spice gum drops.

Left decorative lettering spells "Noel" on a sign, dead center of the woodland display in my cupboard.
Right, is the chocolate bunt cake on top of a galvanized metal cake stand.

Detailed photo showing apothecary jars with gum drops, marshmallows, peppermint pillows, and 
candy canes. I've used a old plaid stadium blanket to cover the wooden counter top of the cupboard
to protect it from spills.

Left, vintage silver leaves, pine cones and evergreens decorate the top shelf. Right, the middle 
shelf has enamel white stars that light up in the dark and a Santa pitcher filled with autumn berries.

A close-up photograph of our family sized "cocoa bar." Here I have also
included shakers filled with cinnamon and sugar and flavored stirring spoons.

More Ideas for A Woodland Christmas Theme:

• Christmas owls, squirrels and a upcycled hornet's nest
• How to make a pine cone Christmas tree ornament
• Decorate a Woodland Christmas Tree

Customize these angel gift tags...

        These angelic gift tags will print in blue. Customize them with gold or silver ink pens and a bit of glitter for a heavenly effect! Then gift wrap your presents in solid blue, gold or white to compliment the tags.

Click to download the largest available image.

Print, Color and Cut a Gold Fish for the tree

       Download, print and color this gold fish in whatever colors that you would like. Layer the cardboard that the design is pasted to and also Cover it with Mod Podge. This process will give your ornament strength so that perhaps you can hang it on your tree more than once.

Above is just an example of how I painted my goldfish. On the right is the pattern
 of the fish that you can print, cut-out and color for your own Christmas tree.

Discover More Gold Fish Crafts:

• Craft a Goldfish Turkey Collage
• Gold fish clip art for games, crafts and number books...
• Craft an entire school of "Rainbow Fish" from paper plates!

Virgin and Child Christmas Gift Tags

        Guests may download and print these religious Christmas gift tags for coloring and labeling their presents. Color them, cut them out and punch a hole in each tag at the top where indicated, in order to string a ribbon onto each tag. Every gift tag also includes a place at the bottom for writing the name of the person the present is for and who has given it.

Mary and Baby Jesus gift tags with halos for coloring.

Print, Color and Cut a Sleepy Cat for the tree...

        Download, print and color sleepy cat in whatever colors that you would like. Layer the cardboard that the design is pasted to and also Cover it with Mod Podge. This process will give your ornament strength so that perhaps you can hang it on your tree more than once.

Above is just an example of how I painted my cat. On the right is the pattern
 of sleepy cat that you can print, cut-out and color for your own Christmas tree.

Christmas Gift Tags for Coloring

Eight holly tags for coloring. Write to and from labels for presents.

       Color these simple holly and Christmas tree gift tags. Use your own pens, crayons or colored pencils to match the colors in your gift wrap this year. Punch the hole where shown and tie a colorful twine or ribbon to match your choice of gift wrap too.

Eight gift tags of Christmas trees for coloring. "Merry Xmas" on the labels.

Color and Cut-Out The Paper Santa Claus

This paper doll requires brads for it's assembly.

Description of Coloring Page: A Santa paper doll, Santa's suit, moving parts, bag of toys, snow white beard, big black boots

Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

 

 A Holly Song by Mary E. Butts

Oho! for the holly, the shining holly,
Green when the year is old;
Brave and bright in the winter light,
Glad in the storm and cold.
Oho! for the holly, the faithful holly,
Like the heart that is true and bold.

White are the drifts in the bleak December;
Red is the holly fruit;
Deep in the woods in the Christmas splendor
When the noisy winds are mute,
We gather the holly, the shining holly,
For its joy doth the season suit.

Then oho! for the holly, the brave, bright holly;
Oho! for the winter cold!
May we never forget our due and debt
To the Christmas Day of old;
But warm with love the patient earth
Wrapped in the snow's white fold

Hey kids, here are kids from WhatsUpMoms making three great Christmas cookies on their own in the kitchen! Learn how to make the holidays delicious all by yourself, well... maybe you will need a little help from Mom.

He dreams of Christmas toys...

Description of Coloring Page: the little Santa Claus, his bed becomes a snowdrift, window, sleeping, Christmas Eve, bed curtains, toys playing on the bed, dancing blocks, parading ducks, toy soldiers and dolls, rocking horse, toy train

Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

 

       Here is another fun thing to make; a paper chain depicting a very old-fashioned kind of a toy called a jack-in-the-box. Crank a handle round and round until you hear a clicking sound . . . then pop! Jack is out of his box!

 

       Download and print out the pattern below. The dotted lines indicate where the image will be folded to continue the tree silhouette seamlessly after it is unfolded. The number of images "linked" together in one continuous chain is determined by the length of the paper being cut. Use a very thin paper to make your cutting easier. Cut away the areas indicated by the design. (see image above and read text on the pattern below. This paper-cut may be used as a border around a Christmas bulletin board in a classroom or as a paper chain for the Christmas tree if you like.

 

Pattern for a jack-in-the-box toy chain.

Olivia is longing for Santa to bring her a special Christmas toy.
You can have a peek at what St. Nick has stuffed inside his bag
for her by printing the mystery puzzle, cutting out the pieces
and putting them back together again!

Color Joyful Children Christmas Morning!

Description of Coloring Page: candle light, toy drum, stuffed elephant, three children, toys and dolls hanging on the tree, sharing her wealth with little friends

Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

 

 Below are two bookmarks one with carolers and the other with text, "Joy." Include them inside a book you may wish to gift to a friend this Christmas or just color them for yourself...

So many reasons to be joyful this Christmas, remember this whenever you read!

We Three Kings of Orient Are...

       "We Three Kings", original title "Three Kings of Orient", also known as "We Three Kings of Orient Are" or "The Quest of the Magi", is a Christmas carol that was written by John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857. At the time of composing the carol, Hopkins served as the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and he wrote the carol for a Christmas pageant in New York City. It was the first widely popular Christmas carol written in America.

Illustration of "We Three Kings of Orient Are" sheet music, CC.

 

       At the time he was writing "We Three Kings" in 1857, John Henry Hopkins Jr. was serving as the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Although he originally worked as a journalist for a New York newspaper and studied to become a lawyer, he chose to join the clergy upon graduating from the University of Vermont. Hopkins studied at the General Theological Seminary in New York City and after graduating and being ordained a deacon in 1850, he became its first music teacher five years later, holding the post until 1857 alongside his ministry in the Episcopal Church.
       During his final year of teaching at the seminary, Hopkins wrote "We Three Kings" for a Christmas pageant held at the college. It was noteworthy that Hopkins composed both the lyrics and music; contemporary carol composers usually wrote either the lyrics or music but not both. Originally titled "Three Kings of Orient", it was sung within his circle of family and friends. Because of the popularity it achieved among them, Hopkins decided to publish the carol in 1863 in his book Carols, Hymns, and Songs. It was the first Christmas carol originating from the United States to achieve widespread popularity, as well as the first to be featured in Christmas Carols Old and New, a "prestigious" and "influential"  collection of carols that was published in the United Kingdom. In 1916, the carol was printed in the hymnal for the Episcopal Church; that year's edition was the first to have a separate section for Christmas songs. "We Three Kings" was also included in the Oxford Book of Carols published in 1928, which praised the song as "one of the most successful of modern composed carols."
       The carol centers around the Biblical Magi, who visited Jesus as a child in a house (Matthew 2:11) sometime after his Nativity and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh while paying homage to him. Though the event is recounted in the Gospel of Matthew, there are no further details given in the New Testament with regards to their names, the number of Magi that were present or whether they were even royal. There are, however, verses in the Old Testament that foretell of the visitors. Isaiah 60:6:..."The wealth of the nations will come to you. A multitude of camels will cover you. The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba will come; They will bring gold and frankincense, and will bear good news of the praises of the Lord." New American Standard Bible, and two selections from the Psalms- Psalm 72:10: "The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute, and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts" and Psalm 72:15: "...and may there be given to him gold from Arabia", New American Standard Bible. Hence, the names of the Magi—Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar—and their status as kings from the Orient are legendary and based on tradition. The number three stems from the fact that there were three separate gifts that were given.

Ella Fitzgerald sings this version, 

Capital Records 1967.

Christmas Waits

 P. Monsted, inscribed Langseth, and dated 1919

        "In England, more than in this country, I think, little troops of children go around singing Christmas carols under the windows of their friends. And for those of the Readers who live in countries where it snows I will whisper that there is no better fun, when the holidays come around, than to go down to the best stable in town and whisper to your friend who manages it that you want on Christmas Eve the biggest sleigh he has, with two horses or four, as he thinks best, and all the furs that can be piled in, and then start with the best of the drivers and pick up a sleigh load of young people -- boys and girls. Let it be five or twenty-five, according as the size of the sleigh suggests. But be sure that Joseph Haydn or Luke Tenor, or some one who can lead them well, Is tucked in-with the rest. Then spend the hours before ten o'clock in the evening singing carols under the windows of their friends.

       Under the full moon, on the snow still white, with sixteen children at the happiest, and with the blessed memories of the best the world has ever had, there can be nothing better than two or three such hours.

        "Oh, we went to twenty places that night, I suppose! We went to the grandest places and we went to the meanest. Everywhere they wished us a Merry Christmas and we wished them a Merry Christmas. Everywhere a little crowd gathered around us and then we dashed away far enough to gather quite another crowd. Then we would go back, perhaps, not sorry to double on our steps, if need were, and left every crowd with a happy thought of 'The Star, the Manger and the Child.'"

       A very tender and unselfish friend and companion of mine, living in a large city and without any bank account which enabled him to go into Howland's stable, or Hobson's, and give an order for four horses and twenty-live bearskins, used to take an evening walk as the sun went down before Christmas Eve, and take note of the boys or the girls who were flattening their noses against the windows of the toy shops. And after standing a minute or two he would select his boy and lead him in. "Which of all these things in the window would you like to have most?" he would say. And then that particular thing would be bought and paid for and wrapped up in a parcel and given to the amazed child, to whom this was much the same thing as if Santa Claus had driven his reindeer over the roof and had come down through the chimney.

       Yes, and as I write I remember another of the princes among men, who looks in at the post office every day of the week before Christmas, and with his own eyes sees the unfortunate parcels which have been left for Uncle Sam to carry by mail and which should arrive on Christmas morning. They should arrive, but alas! the postage is deficient, and here they are stranded d. p., which means "deficient postage." Then is it that this Santa Claus without a reindeer bids the clerk make up the deficiencies, and in his way helps on the belated present." Generous Hearts.

Sleigh Ride sung by The Ronettes

Craft a Vintage Camper for The Tree

The finished retro camper ornament.

       Retro campers are not only popular these days for camping in, they are also very popular in textile design, home decor, children's books etc. so I've decided to make one for the Christmas tree as well!

 Supply List:

• acrylic paints: blue, black, white, grey
• tiny beads or buttons shaped like flowers
• one recycled pop bottle cap
• thin wooden craft sticks
• cardboard
• template for camper

 Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. First, you will need to download and print my template for the camper. The link is above in the supply list.
2. Trace around the cut template on top of cardboard with a pencil.
3. Cut out the cardboard and begin to brush on a light coat of white school glue to the backsides of thin craft sticks. 
4. Line these up, side-by-side, allowing for some of the longer lengths of the sticks to hang off to the side of the cardboard template. 
5. Clamp down the craft sticks and allow the glue to dry.
6. Clip off the excess wooden parts with utility scissors. (see photo below)
7. Once you have covered the entire cardboard piece with craft sticks, sand the edges.
8. Glue on more craft sticks vertically to make the door of the camper. 
9. Glue on thin slices of cardboard to make a frame for the window and door. 
10. Cut extra craft sticks short for the awning of the window frame and the wheel well.
11. Cover the bootle cap with masking tape and then layer glue and brown wrapping paper on top. 
12. Paint the wheel and hot glue it under the wheel well from the back side of the ornament, just beneath a short craft stick. (see photos below)
13. Hot glue a tow bar made from left over craft sticks and paint this gray and black.
14. Now add more paint details like: curtains inside the window and another window inside the door panel. 
15. Hot glue on floral beads below the window awnings to look like there is a flower box there.
16. Paint the window awnings in stripe pattern.
17. Hot glue on twine for a hanger.

The first part of this craft begins with a template and with gluing on long narrow craft sticks.
You can see that I used clamps to prevent the craft sticks from warping while these dried.

Left, the finished wooden, retro camper prior to painting. 
Right the wheel is a bottle cap that has been painted. 
See also the details added to my camper's window.

Left, is the backside of the ornament. You can see how I attached a bottle cap wheel.
Right, the ornament is ready to hang on a Christmas tree.

Glue together a modern looking tree ornament...

Left, details of toothpick pattern on the tree stand.
Right, the finished Christmas tree ornament.

       I've included a template for this Christmas tree stand on a different post here. This variation of a wooden craft stick, tree ornament, is a bit more sophisticated than others. Perhaps, an older child or teen would enjoy making the houndstooth pattern arrangement with toothpicks and white school glue?

Supply List:

• toothpicks
• red beads
• white paint
• green scrapbook papers
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• white school glue
• ribbon for hanging
• thin wooden craft sticks
• large paper clamp
• Mod Podge

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Trace around a thin wooden craft stick on top of scrapbook papers to cover these with a thin layer of white school glue.
2. Glue four thin wooden craft sticks together at one end in the shape of a fan. Let this dry thoroughly.
3. Cut out the template for the Christmas tree stand from a pattern posted here.
4. Trace around the pattern on top of a thin piece of cardboard.
5. Using white school glue, paste down the toothpicks in a "houndstooth arrangement", clamp the toothpicks and cardboard to keep these from warping while they dry.
6. Trim the toothpicks that hang over the edges of the cardboard shape, off with a pair of scissors.
7. Paint the tree stand with a white wash.
8. Hot glue red beads to the tree branches.
9. Seal everything in the end with Mod Podge.
10. Hot glue on a ribbon for hanging.

Make a calico gingerbread person for the Christmas tree...

        To sew these cute stuffed gingerbread people your will need the following supplies: white embroidery floss, white yarn, white ribbon, white beads for the eyes, a white button, white eyelet lace, scrapes of brown calico, cotton batting and a needle with both brown and white spools of thread.

Above on the left, is our gingerbread boy sporting a button shaped belly button and a
straight stitched bow tie. On the right, is our girl version using the same pattern
with an eyelet lace skirt and a tiny flower trim at her neck.

       The pattern for the gingerbread ornaments can be downloaded from this post. Cut out the pattern and trace around it using a pencil. With the right sides facing together sew around two pieces of calico leaving a one inch opening to turn your gingerbread person inside out. Stuff a bit of batting inside the opening and then whip stitch it closed. 

       Using your embroidery floss and needle, stitch straight seams around the outside of the gingerbread person to accentuate his or her cookie body-shape. Then give your person a broad smile and other accents. Sew on the white beads for your person's eyes and also trim the outside edges with a bit of white yarn and needle with white thread. Add more faux "icing" if you like! These fun homespun ornaments are both "child" and "pet" proof, so hang them lowest on your Christmas tree branches...

Make a gumball ornament with kids...

The finished gumball machine ornament
for kids to cut, color and glue together.

    To make a simple cardboard ornament like this one with your kids you will need the following art supplies: colored pencils, cardboard, pom-poms, a recycled metal spout from a salt box, white school glue, hot glue gun and glue, the pattern to trace around (it is located here.), a wire hook for hanging the finished gumball machine ornament.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Download and print out the pattern with a template for the gumball machine.
2. Cut out the gumball pattern and trace around it on top of a nice piece of cardboard using a soft lead pencil.
3. Cut out the cardboard background and draw in the rest of the design lightly to look just like the photo of our gumball Christmas ornament on the right.
4. Color in the globe with a pale blue pencil and color in the stand for the gumball machine with a bright red pencil.
5. Now glue in colorful pom-poms to act as "gumballs" for your candy machine.
6. Ask an adult to help you hot glue on the metal salt spout and then glue another pom-pom inside of this at last.
7. Poke a hole at the top of the gumball machine and work a wire hanger through it for hanging on the tree.

More Gumball Machine Crafts:

• Craft a Small Wooden Gumball Machine
• A Gumball Machine Provides More Than One Cent of Fun

       "Would we know the joy of Christ on Christmas Day? That joy and delight springs forever from the feeling that we are doing good, loving and living and giving happiness to others with no thought of the self.'' by Lucille Browne, Age 16

See our family's micca dusted cardboard houses from Japan...

Although these houses sparkle a bit more under the lighted tree, their micca dusted roof-tops are not a self-evident in the following photos.

Above is the largest "glitter" house in our collection that was mass-produced in Japan after WWII.
It looks much like the trending Mid-Century Modern homes of America at that time.
It has a simple sloped roof and a few bottle brush trees trim it's edges.

     

This tiny house is a bit peculiar in that it looks something like a platform for a train station instead
of a house. It's slanted and also has a hole in the back for a tiny Christmas tree light to shine through;
 all of these examples have holes like these.

Here we have a 'barn' shaped cottage with a gambrel roof and fancy arched windows.
This house is painted a Christmas red. Because these homes are very light weight,
they are most frequently hung on the feather trees in our home during the holidays.

Last, but not least favored is the blue house, with a gable and double front door.
It is probably one of the most popular shapes for glitter house ornaments of it's era.

Find More Authentic Japanese Designs Here:

• "Papa Ted's Place!" - History of the "Dimestore Christmas Village Houses"
• Merry The's Christmas Collection: Village & Houses

Glitter houses from Japan in a train display, 

both slides and video at the end.

By FlyerJazz

Make an igloo home for a peanut penguin...

The finished igloo ornament hangs on fir branches.
Older children will enjoy the challenge of this project.
I will include a 3-D igloo project on our blog later.
Go here to download a penguin pattern for your 
classroom crafts at Thrifty Scissors.

   Here is my first penguin project for our giant Christmas ornament craft collection. Several of our readers have requested him this year...

Supply List:

• narrow wooden craft sticks
• clamps for craft process
• white school glue
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• one peanut with shell
• tiny bit of craft foam sheet (for feet)
• acrylic paints: black, white, blue and grey
• one toothpick (for beak)
• two tiny google eyes
• Mod Podge
• twine for hanging
• heavy cardboard
• Igloo template (below)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut out the igloo template and place it on top of a heavy piece of cardboard to trace around.
2. Cut out the igloo from the cardboard.
3. Use clamps and white school glue for the next steps. Measure and cut each craft stick as you line them up for gluing directly onto the cardboard igloo cut-out. (see photos below) Clamp these down as they dry to prevent the cardboard from warping.
4. Keep going until the outer part of the igloo design is finished. The inner part of the igloo which represents the front opening to the ice block home, is crafted with cardboard cut-outs. These are cut one by one and stacked several pieces thick. The 'door' opening is left without dimension and painted black.
5. After the igloo has been constructed, hot glue your penguin, which is a peanut, in front of the door.
6. Next glue on his eyes, and then cut a small slice from a toothpick for his beak and glue it on. Attach a pair of feet cut from a small piece of craft foam in the shape of a heart.
7. Using a pencil, draw the ice bricks onto the igloo and paint these in shades of grey, ivory, blue and white. I used a dry brush technique for mine.
8. Paint also the penguin using black for his backside and white for his front. 

Left, you can see how I lined up the wooden craft sticks and cut these to fit in a row.
Right, here you can see how I clamped these down during drying time.
This helps prevent warping.

Left, the peanut in it's shell is hot glued in place and the ice bricks are drawn directly on the
wooden craft sticks. Right, everything has been painted.

Templates for several Christmas ornament crafts coming soon.
Above are the patterns for the igloo, thus far.

The Unknown Giver...

Cuddle Baby Jesus.

        Dear Grace or dear Robert, if you and I can remember how many people there are in the world who are working for us every day, though we do not know it, that will be a good Christmas memory for you and me. Not only on Christmas morning, but every morning, our daily bread comes to us because a thousand brave men and a thousand brave women are at work in the world trying to do God's will here as it is done everywhere else in His heaven. We will not forget this as we meet at Christmas, on this blessed Christmas Day.

       Christmas sets one careening back a little, to look at that mysterious connection of Rome with Christianity, which has held on so steadily since the first Christmas got itself put on historical record by a Roman census maker. Humanly speaking, it is nothing more nor less than a Roman census which makes the word Bethlehem to be a sacred word over all the world today. To any person who sees the humorous contrasts of history there is reason for a bit of a smile when he thinks of the way this census came into being, and then remembers what came of it. Here was a consummate movement of Augustus, who would fain have the statistics of his empire. Such excellent things are statistics. So Augustus orders his census, and his census is taken. This Quirinus, or Quirinius, pro-consul of Syria, was the first man who took it there, says the Bible. Doubtless it was a great staff achievement of Quirinus, and made much talk in its time. And it is so well condensed at last, and put into tables with indexes and averages, as to be very creditable, I will not doubt, to the census bureau. But alas! as time rolls on, things change, so that this very Quirinus, who, with all a pro-consul's power, took such pains to record for us the number of people there were in Bethlehem and in Judah, would have been clean forgotten himself, and his census, too, but that things turned bottom upward. The meanest child born in Bethlehem when this census business was going on happened to prove to be the King of the World. It happened that he overthrew the dynasty of Caesar Augustus, and his temples, and his empire. It happened that everything which was then established tottered and fell, as the star of this child arose. And the child's star did rise.

Mary and Joseph. 2020

Make a giraffe ornament using recycled cork...

My finished cork giraffe is very light weight.

        Save your left over wine corks for this light weight tree ornament representing a long-necked giraffe.

Supply List:

• two long wine corks and three shorter wine corks
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• brown and yellow yarn
• acrylic paints: yellow, browns, black and white
• two thumb tacks with bead tips
• two scales from a pine cone
• white school glue
  

Step-by-Step Instructions: 

1. Hot glue the recycled wine corks in the order shown in the photograph, just right. After the glue cures for a few hours the cork is ready for painting. Parents may choose to do this part of the craft ahead of time so that kids aren't handling the glue gun.
2. Paint the entire giraffe body a golden yellow.
3. Paint the hooves of the giraffe black.
   
4. Paint on the spots of the giraffe.
5. Tie the giraffes mane by cutting one long piece of yarn that measures the length that you need. Now tie shorter strands of yarn in alternating colors, yellow and brown down the length of the longer strand. Trim the mane to a short length and hot glue it to the neck of the giraffe.
6. Hot glue two scales to each side of the cork head to make the giraffe ears. see photo.
   
7. Squeeze out a bit of white school glue onto the tips of the beaded thumb tacks. Gently push these into the top of the head between the ears of the giraffe, these are the short hairy horns of the animal.
8. Paint the horns brown.
9. Paint the smile and eyes of the giraffe next.
10. Hot glue a few strands of yarn onto the back end of the giraffe's body to act as his tail.
    

How wine corks are made...

DIY Velvet Capped Mushrooms

Velvet capped mushroom ornaments. She has yet to sew in 
the ribbons for hanging them.

    These velvet capped mushrooms are the latest additions to my eldest daughter's Christmas tree. She purchased the wooden 'stems' from a dollar store and raided our family sewing basket for the lace trim. The mushrooms are finished with glass seed beads on top of the stuffed caps. 

Supply List:

• hot glue and hot glue gun
• velvet scraps
• lace trim
• cut stick segments or recycled corks
• seed beads 
• batting

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut 4 to 5 inch circles from the velvet for the caps.
2. Gather these around the edges and stuff with just a bit of batting before pulling the thread taunt and sewing them firmly at the top of each wooden stem. (trunk)
3. Use the hot glue to adhere the caps permanently. 
4. Hot glue the lace near the underside of each cap.
5. Sew the beads in random fashion on top of the tufted caps.

More Mushroom Crafts in Our Collections:

• Capturing the veiled lady in cotton...
• Grandpa's Wooden Morels
• DIY Cotton Batting Mushroom/Toadstool Christmas Ornaments

Bend pipe cleaner snowflakes for decorating the house...

Two bent snowflakes made using white pipe cleaners.

       The only materials you will need to make this snowflake craft are pipe cleaners or chenille stems. However, I used a hot glue gun to attach the silver beads in random places. Because these ornaments reminded me of icing on Christmas cookies, I thought that the faux "dragees" or sugar pearls would make a nice decorative touch on the snowy swirls of icing.

       Encourage your children to spend time bending their designs! Soon you'll have more snowflakes for the tree than you need. Give them a challenge to make the craft more interesting like: 'who can make the snowflake with the most points' or 'who can make the snowflake with the most swirls' 

       The wire constructions don't need to hang on the Christmas tree, these could be strung across a window, or hung from a mobile, or be used to decorate a banister on the staircase of your home. 

       Teachers could use this economical craft to introduce a lesson on the infinite patterns found in snowflakes. Or save the idea for a snow day when kids cannot go to school; it's easy to keep a bag of chenille stems tucked away in a cupboard or drawer for just such an occasion.

More Snowflakes for Christmas:

• Beaded snowflakes for early learners
• 31 snowflake crafts for kids this Winter

"My Heart Is Full''

Grace Churchhill, shopkeeper, 1938

       "I have the most attractive showcase in the store. Lovely colored blocks in sturdy pull wagons, take-apart toys, big pileup ones, mosaics, puppets--these are displayed in it. At Christmas time my circle is the most popular place in town. How busy I am, then! Sometimes my back aches. Sometimes my feet throb. Then I think of the brand-new father who purchased ''baby's first toy,'' or the proud uncle who saved and saved these twenty-two dollars, to get ''everything a kid of eight would like,'' or I think of the earnest couple who wanted to the '' best educational toy money can buy-under four dollars,'' exclaiming in wonder before the ever-purpose "Treasure Castle.'' When I think of the bright Christmas look these wore, I forget my aching back and my throbbing feet, and am glad only that my cramped fingers are still not too cramped to go on, writing ''letters to Santa Claus'' because Christmas people ARE different from the people of May or July or November! There is Attorney L., a hard, close-fisted man. He examined my display on Tuesday, and after much thought selected an impractical toy train for his infant grandchild. After the package was on its way I discovered that I had sent the wrong item, on Attorney L. had definitely rejected! With what tremulo I watched him approach on Thursday! And with what surprise I returned his seasonal greeting, and heard him commend me on my wiser choice, and re-order, in addition, the floor train! Oh Christmas Spirit that does things to people! They forget themselves. They remember their childhood pleasure at receiving gifts, their youthful, enthusiastic thanks for "just what I wanted!" The warm, adult thrill that comes over them even now when someone has been thoughtful. They want others to experience the same emotions. They want approval, Isn't that true of all of us? If we could live May and July and November in the spirit of one seeking it, we would be emulating Christ, that Gift Beyond Human Comprehension. O God, when I think of the few I can help to Christmas happiness with my shining windows of cheer, or with my pennies dropped into the chimney of the gaunt corner Santa---representative of those whose meagre hearths cannot replenish at my showcase of toys or pay for a letter out of my book--I wonder. But when I think of the Gift of thy love, transcending these other things, I know that the richest hearths are not always those crowded with the things money can buy... And my heart is full beyond expression of THANK YOU FOR CHRISTMAS! Grace Churchill, Age 20

Stitch a red and green felt poinsettia ornament . . .

A vintage poinsettia ornament.

       I will sew a thin green wire to the back of this vintage Christmas flower and use this to attach it to a tree branch instead of hanging it with a hook.

Supply List:

• red and green felt scraps
• free pattern here
• pearl beads for the center of the flower
• red lace for the trim on the petals

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Download and print the free pattern from the link above.
2. Cut 6 green felt leaves and 6 red felt petals. All of these use the same small template.
3. Gather the flat edge of each petal/leaf.
4. Sew the red lace around every petal except on the gathered flat ends.
   
5. Then sew all six gathered red petals together at the bottom, flat side, from tip to tip. There should be a small hole at the center of the poinsettia. 
6. Cut a small, red circle to tack onto the backside of the felt flower where the hole is. 
7. Attach the pearl beads to this center.
8. Now repeat the same steps for the green felt leaves, omitting the addition of lace.
9. Turn the flower over on it's backside and stitch the green felt leaves in a circle to the back of the poinsettia.
   

Left, the pearl beads are sewn to the center of the poinsettia. Right, the green felt leaves
are attached to the backside of the felt flower.