cheap and easy Christmas crafts?

[olmue]

I got roped into helping put in a Christmas in August event, and I'm supposed to help come up with cheap and easy Christmas gifts/crafts. I don't have to teach a class, just come up with some examples and directions to put on a display table. I draw, yes--but that is NOT the same thing as crafts! I uh, need to have it all ready by Thursday. Look, it's been Dentist City around here, plus I'm critiquing (that's not the right word, because I am not knowledgeable enough--more like reading and commenting) on DH's scholarly book about Print and Prognostica, and it has big words. (It's interesting, though, especially comparing publishing Back Then in 1488 to Now.) One idea I had, though, was sock dolls. We call them Grandmadolls in our house because my grandma made them for us. I think I could make one of them by Thursday. It's not particularly Christmas, but it's something you could make for someone, I guess.

Um. Anyone have any fantastically fast, easy, and cheap ideas?

Comments

[anngatti.livejournal.com]

Have you checked in Oriental Trading.com. They usually have cheap crafts that you can buy sometimes by the bulk.

[olmue.livejournal.com]

That looks like a cool site! I will have to remember that one.

[edawn.livejournal.com]

I made some stained glass window cookies with a preschool class of mine. It was a lot of fun. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Stained-Glass-Window-Cookies/Detail.aspx has a good recipe, and the tip found in a review from Jubie66 seems to be a good idea. I used cheap hard candies instead of jolly ranchers.

[olmue.livejournal.com]

Those are pretty! I'm also supposed to bring a dessert to the actual event, something I might make or give away at Christmas. Maybe I'll do those.

[angie-frazier.livejournal.com]

I make people gifts every year, but it usually takes a while, so I don't know if it could be ready by Thursday.... I usually embroider or knit. This year I'm thinking lavender heat packs: sew up a little pillow about the size of your hand, stuff it full of dried lavender and dry rice, sew up the seam, then make a kind of "duvet" or cover for the pillow out of whatever fabric. The use: when someone has a belly ache, ear ache, etc, just take the covering off, heat the rice pack in the microwave, and then put the covering back on...my girls love cuddling with them ;-)

Here's a fancy version: http://www.cornbagcritters.com

[olmue.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I like the lavender idea! I have a plain rice beanbag I made in college, but recently a friend gave us some bundles of cut lavender from her garden, and mm, they really smell good!

[angie-frazier.livejournal.com]

And when you heat it up it smells so wonderful! Lavender is my favorite scent. Very soothing.

RE: Anubis. I can't get him out of my mind. He's one of those characters who stay with you after reading about them. Good luck with revising and sending him out into the agent/publisher world!

[olmue.livejournal.com]

Thanks again for the crit, Angie. I have had a couple full requests already, and it's been good to be able to implement your suggestions. I HOPE someone in publishing likes him! He's been talking to me all summer, and I want him to have a chance to live on his own.

[angie-frazier.livejournal.com]

Yay Rose!! I'm so happy about the full requests. I'm not surprised in the least. Keep me posted!

[jeannineatkins.livejournal.com]

The doll sounds fantastic.

They're not cheap, but they're easy and they could help fill your table and make everything smell good. I love the simple tradition of poking cloves into an orange: you can get spiraly or clever with patterns or just stud it in circles around.

[olmue.livejournal.com]

Things that smell good are definitely part of Christmas! That's a great idea.

[newport2newport.livejournal.com]

I love sock dolls! Sock monkeys, especially.

Print and Progrnostica?! Hoo boy... (*stifles giggle*) Good luck with that... xo

[olmue.livejournal.com]

If only someone could prognosticate a happy publishing future for me... :)

[robinellen.livejournal.com]

If you ever buy frozen juice, keep the round lids (or just make a round circle about that size out of stiff paper or matting material). Then cut out pictures from old Christmas cards (we keep all of ours), glue them to the round lid, glue on some bric-brac and a string to hang it, and voila! You have a Christmas tree ornament ;) (We used this at D's school last year).

[olmue.livejournal.com]

Cool idea! Maybe I'll print up a list of crafts like that that people can take home with them.

[shaelise.livejournal.com]

How about snowmen made out of balustades. You can go to home depot and buy any size you want. Then paint white, paint a face, make a fleece hat and scarf and voila, finished.
Also, you can make snowman buckets out of clean, never used paint cans. Same sort of deal and fill them with popcorn or something. Easy. Make earmuffs and put on the handle ends where it meets the can.
You can get paint sticks from your local home depot (usually they'll give them to you for free). Paint them and make them into skiis...they usually cross in the middle..then tie a sprig of holly and ribbon around the middle.
Easy to make fleece hats and scarfs for kids and gifts.
Salt dough cookies that can be painted and strung with ribbon for ornaments.
Those are just a few off the top of my head that are really easy, quick, and inexpensive (the balustrade being the most expensive).
Good luck!

[olmue.livejournal.com]

I <3 fleece projects for easy sewing! Especially if kids are involved. We had fun with fleece today...