Whether you’re counting on the kids to handcraft a gift or two, or you’re just looking for a fun, quiet activity to fill a winter afternoon, check out these holiday crafts.
The ornament and reindeer come from Gassia Mouradian, owner of Petit Bizoo Art Studio in Encino. The studio is currently offering in-person classes with limited numbers, sessions for private pods, Zoom classes and parties, plus take-home art kits with online tutorials. “Even with these unpredictable times and so many changes around us, at Petit Bizoo we continue to create an atmosphere of love and creativity for our children,” Mouradian says.
The treasure box idea comes from Lauren Dennis-Perelmuter , founder of The Art Box Academy, which offers specialty art box kits designed to promote creativity. “Now, we do more things together and, unknowingly, I have been saving many of the little tokens, notes, trinkets and memories from our outings and times together,” says Dennis-Perelmuter of her time with her two sons. She designed these treasure boxes as a place to keep these special items.
Gumball Machine Ornament
You will need:
- 1 clear plastic ornament
- A handful of colorful pompoms
- 1 three-ounce plastic condiment cup
- A sheet of foil
- 10-inch length of ribbon
Wrap the aluminum foil around the plastic condiment
cup and set aside.
Fill the ornament with pompoms and close the top.
Glue the ornament to the condiment cup and allow
to dry completely or use hot glue for faster results. Tie the ribbon to the hook of the ornament for easy hanging.
Papier-Mache Reindeer
You will need:
- Newspaper
- Masking tape
- Craft paper cut into 1-inch by 3-inch strips
- Watered down white glue
- 5 coin sleeves
- Twigs
- 1 red pompom
Mix three parts water for every one part glue. Crush one piece of newspaper into a 5-inch oval shape and secure with masking tape for the reindeer’s body.
Crush another piece of newspaper into a 2-inch oval for the reindeer’s head. Secure with masking tape.
Attach four coin sleeves to the body with masking tape for legs and one more for a neck. Attach the head to the neck with masking tape.
Dip the pieces of craft paper into the watered-down glue and, one at a time, paste them onto the reindeer to completely cover it. Massage each piece down to make a smooth surface. Cover the whole reindeer with two or three layers of craft paper.
Let the reindeer dry completely for two days, then glue on the twigs as antlers and the red pompom for the nose.
Homemade Holiday Treasure Box
You will need:
- A box, any size
- Tape and wrapping or craft paper for wrapping
- Crayons or markers for decorating
- Stickers, glue and fabric, ribbon, buttons and photos for collage
You can wrap your box with holiday paper or any paper of your choice. Wrap the entire box and leave a little opening at the top to drop your treasures in or use a lid. Your kiddos can also draw on the box, or you can use glue and fabric, ribbon or buttons to create a collage. Stickers are a favorite, as are handprints, cutout shapes, photos or anything that you like that is easy to use and safe.
Put on your “collectors” mindset and gather those keepsakes. The result will be a true treasure that you can use to look back over the years and remember all those “little things.”