Christmas Crafts for Kids

Straw Stars

Supplies
- 3 to 4 pieces of 12" straw
- gold, silver or red string
- ornament hook or yarn

Soak natural straw in warm water to make it easier to handle. Take one straw and fold it into a triangle. Each section should be 4 inches in length. Fold a second straw in the same way and tie the two triangles together as seen in the photo at right. Then cut two short pieces of straw to fit across the bound triangles. Cross them in the middle of the star and tie in place. You may add two very small pieces to make another crossed star in the middle. Make sure that each bound section is securely tied. The straw will shrink when it dries. Tie a piece of yarn or secure a hook at the top of the star and put on your tree.



Christmas Potpourri

Ingredients: To 1 quart of fir needles, ADD: 1 cup dried mixed citrus peels; lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime, coarsely broken (whirl in blender); 1 cup whole rosemary; 1/2 cup dried whole basil; 2 to 4 whole bay leaves, coarsely crumbled; 2 cups coarse (not iodized) salt.

Mix all ingredients together and use to stuff fabric tree ornaments. Warmth brings out the fragrance. If fir needles are not available, the potpourri will be deliciously fragrant in any case!

To prepare citrus peels, remove membrane, cut into strips, dry in a warm place till very crisp and brittle.. Break into small pieces and store in plastic bags tightly sealed.

Coarse salt is a fixative to help hold fragrance.


Offray's Ribbon Poinsettia Ornament

Supplies:
- 4mm gold beads
- 9" of 11/2" wide wire-edge gold ribbon
- Wire
- 11/2 yds. of 11/2" wide wire-edge taffeta ribbon with gold metallic edge
- Hot glue gun

- To form inner petals, cut 3-6" lengths of wire-edge taffeta ribbon. Cut the ends of each length into a sharp point. Pinch the lengths at the center and wire the three lengths together. Shape petals into a circle.

- To form the outer petals, cut 4-8" lengths of wire-edge taffeta ribbon. Cut the ends of each length into a sharp point. Pinch the lengths at the center and wire them onto the inner petals. Shape petals into a circle.

- To form the leaf, cut the ends of the wire-edge gold ribbon into a sharp point. Pinch at the center and wire onto the back of the outer petals.

- Place a dime-size puddle of glue in the center of the ribbon poinsettia. Sprinkle with gold beads and pat down to hold. Shake off excess beads.



Handprint Elf Ornament

Materials
tacky glue
fine line permanent marker - black
red pompoms
wiggle eyes
small jingle bells
felt - green, red, pink

Directions:

Trace each girl's hand onto green felt and cut out.
Cut out an oval of pink felt for the face, and glue into the palm of the hand cutout. (The fingers of the hand cutouts are at the bottom.)
Cut out a red felt triangle for the hat and glue to the wrist section of the hand cutout.
Glue on wiggle eyes and use marker to draw on a smile.
Fold the tip of the hat down and glue on a red pom pom.
Glue a small jingle bell to the tip of each finger.
Add a hanging loop to the top and write the date on the back.