How to make mini accordion braid wreaths . . .

Three versions of construction paper accordion folded wreaths with ribbon trim are pictured here.

       This particular ornament is very light weight therefore a perfect handmade craft for a tabletop feather tree. It is possible to make it using all textile materials instead of paper but the samples shown above are made with construction paper and trimmed with real ribbons.
       Once you learn the simple folding method, there are several classic, accordion shapes one can make for decorative holiday ornaments. Also, these ornaments make excellent crafts to teach in school environments or student craft fairs because it takes very little money to manufacture simple kits for each person to work with. 

 Supply List:

• contrasting scrap papers: red and green, green and white or red and white in lengths measuring at least twelve inches (Once you begin to weave the wreath, you will be able to determine the size you will need.)
• A ruler for measuring consistent sizes and lengths
• scissors to cut the lengths of cut paper
• tacky craft glue to adhere the ends of paper together
• a hot glue gun for sticking the ribbon trim onto the paper wreath
• ribbon for trim (More ribbon if you should decide to make the entire wreath body out of it.)
• wire for hanging and a needle for making a tiny hole wear the wire is strung through

Step-by-Step Folding Process Pictured Below

Illustrated accordion braid process.
Click to enlarge.

• Paper Chain Wreath Craft - for elementary kids made using construction paper and cotton balls
• Kids can make an easy pom-pom wreath for their dollhouse

Were the gifts of the Magi Symbolic?

       The gifts of the Magi were symbolical of their three-fold faith; the gold that He was King; the incense that He was God; and myrrh, that He was man and doomed to death. The Virgin bestowed on the Magi gifts of the linen bands in which she had wrapped the Savior, for which they thanked her in great humility, and laid them among their treasures.

       According to the old legends, Caspar is king of Tarsus, the land of merchants; he makes the offering of gold. Melchior, the king of Arabia and Nubia, offers frankincense, and Balthasar, king of Saba, "the land of spices," offers myrrh. The gifts are described in scripture, the names of the kings are made up. The "kings" are called "wise men" from the East in scripture.

Before The Paling of The Stars

 Before The Paling of The Stars

Before the paling of the stars,

 Before the winter morn,

 Before the earliest cock-crow,

 Jesus Christ was born;

 Born in a stable,

 Cradled in a manger.

In the world His hands had made, 

Born a stranger.

 Priest and king lay fast asleep

 In Jerusalem.

 Young and old lay fast asleep

 In crowded Bethlehem.

 Saint and angel, ox and ass,

 Kept a watch together

 Before the Christmas daybreak

 In the wintry weather.

Jesus on His Mother's breast

 In the stable cold,

 Spotless Lamb of God was He,

Shepherd of the fold;

 Let us kneel with Mary Maid,

 With Joseph bent and hoary

 With saint and angel, ox and ass,

To hail the King of Glory.

 - Christina E. Rossetti.

Recycling old buttons for a trim on a stocking...

To make a stocking similar to my own, sew a felt or quilted stocking 
and then attach a collection of beads. This stocking is made of white
and pink felt, then trimmed with felt pine trees and random antique
buttons from my grandmother's old sewing box.

A collection of beads inside of an old canning jar. These may be found in many flee markets.

Santa stocking that I made in the 1990s; his beard trimmed with pearly white buttons in many
sizes. See a similar stocking for dolls here.

 

Folk stars trimmed with buttons too!

More Crafting With Buttons:

• Snip, stitch and tuck snowmen from notions
• DIY odds and ends tree stocking

How to work a felted lady's boot into a Christmas stocking!

The finished ladies boots representing something
that may have looked quite similar to the real
thing during the Victorian era.

       To sew this small Victorian inspired, felt stocking you will need just a few scraps of fabric in felted wool or cotton. I chose to use a woven plaid and/or tweedy looking primary wool combined with a contrasting solid color in each of the examples you see in the photographs; the possibilities for both color and pattern combinations are obviously endless.

       Each stocking is sewn together with an embroidery needle and floss using a blanket stitch and the pattern is included below for visitors to download and print off on their own home computers.

       Crafters may finish trimming each boot with three or more buttons each. For the boot on the left, I chose very pale pink buttons with rhinestones at their centers and for the boot on the right I used classic shell, pearl buttons to give each of them that vintage look.

       In these small stockings, a cash gift or tiny candies may be hidden from view while hanging from the branches of a tree or chimney mantle. Tiny stockings like these may keep your gift exchanges both modest yet stylish at the same time. 

       I think small stocking like these would also look so charming hanging from a ''charitable contributions tree'' as the primary decoration in an agency or church. Give a little gift to the givers and include a message in each to describe the whether the recipient of your chosen present should be male or female of a particular age, while inviting the person to keep the stocking as a small token for their contribution.

• See the angel tags and read about Angel trees during the holidays at The Salvation Army here.
• Read about how the Arc Giving Tree Works in the City of St. Louis
  

Left, is the plaid version of the boot stocking in classic colors, Right is a brown tweed version.

A vintage felt pattern of a ladies boot. Victorian looking design.