Tutorial Tuesday: Handmade Holiday Ornament Wreaths . . .

You know me, I am all about glitter & sparkle when it comes to holiday decorating!  Need a fun & easy craft to help you feel artsy and add some shine to your season?  Why not head to Target for a big $15 box of shatterproof ornaments, then set to work with your glue gun and styrofoam circle and create something purely magical to greet your guests at the front the door?!

First, a little inspiration:

DIY ORNAMENT WREATH
(via The Next Bird)

Supplies You Will Need:

~ Glue gun

~ Styrofoam wreath base

~ Ornaments

~ Pretty Ribbon

1.) First start by attaching a lengthy ribbon to the Styrofoam donut. This will be where your wreath will hang.

2.) Line the inside and outside with ornaments. I took the hook piece off the top of the ornament and placed them hole side up, so this will be the back of the wreath.

3.) Flip it over when it dries and start piling the rest of the ornaments on, leaving the smaller pieces for last. When you're satisfied and the larger spaces are filled, make a pretty bow with the ribbon and hang on the front door! It would also be fun to put a little mistletoe in there somewhere..  if you're into that kind of thing.

So fancy, right?  And just so darn simple as well...wouldn't these make lovely gifts for teachers, neighbors, and friends too?  

DIY Holiday Gift Card Holders .

For the last few years I have seen quite of my few friends head to their favorite social media site and ask their teacher friends what their favorite gift to receive was from their students.  While some mentioned liking handmade gifts, a few others said that they honestly just preferred the gift cards, for as much as they loved their darling little pupils, they got to experience the joy brought from their homemade art all the year through.

So wouldn't it be just great if you could come up with a way to combine all of the heartfelt thoughtfulness of a handmade gift with a tried and true favorite as well?  Now you can, with these simple DIY gift card holders.  Go ahead and make them out of plain paper or kraft paper if you'd like, and give the little a crayon to color to their heart's delight!  You could always print up paper with a picture of your sweetheart and make your holder out of that too!  The options are endless, you just have to start with these basics...

DIY HANDMADE GIFT HARD HOLDERS
(via Smashed Peas and Carrots)

Supplies You Will Need:
~ paper (card stock, kraft paper, printed picture, or whatever you prefer)
~ scissors or exacto knife

Directions:

1.) First cut yourself a 6 x 10" piece of paper.

2.) Cut your paper to the dimensions above.  You'll be left with some crazy looking origami thing but rest assured that this will actually turn into a simple envelope-style gift card holder!!

3.) Now just fold around the center rectangle like in the picture above.  

4.) Then on the bottom rectangle you will cut a slit horizontally that is about an inch long for the pointed flap to go in.  Your gift card will be nice and secure then!!

5.)  Place your gift card inside

6.) Then, just fold the 'arms' in to hug your gift card and bring the bottom flap up towards the top flap..

7.) Tuck the point into your slit and your gift card is ready for giving!

A little more inspiration . . .

(via Noble Earth) 

You know, these little guys would work great as a way to store a business card in to, just in case you were making something special as a way of promoting your small business this holiday season!  Now all you need is that thoughtful little gift card and your favorite teachers, instructors, neighbors, & mailmen will be happy as can be with the best of BOTH worlds!