CIJ Crafts!

[Noel+]

We celebrate CIJ and want to make it special. One extra way to add meaning is to select special craft projects for the day! Here are some I love!

FloralMaterial Needed

Floral stem - silk, white in color removed from stem
One 1 inch bead or doll head
2-1/2 inch by 2-1/2 inch square of lace or fabric
Spanish moss
Gold pipe cleaner/chenille stem for halo
2 leaves - silk or similar
Tiny flower
Gold thread
Hot glue and glue gun

Start with removing carnation from stem leaving the small green part (stub) that holds the flower together. You will be using the flower in the upside-down position. Roll or fold lace to form a long tube-like form and glue to hold together. This will form the arms.

Place the center of the lace roll just behind the green stub on the flower and glue into place. wrap the ends to the other side and glue at tips together. This becomes the arms and hands. Glue flower into hands. Attach bead or doll head to top of green stub, above the arms.

Apply glue to the area of head for hair and roll into cut up pieces of spanish moss to create the hair. Trim if necessary. Loop gold chennille stem to form a halo and attach to the top of the head with a dap of glue to the back. Glue the two leaves the the back of the Angel for wings. Loop gold thread to desired length for hanging the Angel and glue to back of her head.

When I make these Angels I usually make about two dozen at a time. I look for flowers with a light pink on the tips for added color. I purchase the bunches and prepare them all by removing the stems first. Then I gather the proper amount of leaves. I like to use the leaves from roses because they are a bit more rounded than the ones from carnations and make nicer looking wings.

You may also substitute for roses or any other similar flowe

[Noel+]

Angel YOs


With just a little fabric and time, you can make a host of angel yo-yo's to enjoy at Christmas in July!

Supplies for large angel: (sizes for the small angel in parentheses)

Two 9" (6")squarish pieces of coordinating or contrasting light-weight to medium-weight fabrics

Gold-toned ring (You can find a bag of them in the Wedding Favor area of a local dollar store.)

3/4" to 1" large (1/2 to 3/4" medium) button for the angel's head (Preferably a two-hole button to look like eyes or a smooth surface button. )

One button smaller than the head button to go in the "belly-button" hole on the round yo-yo (Novelty buttons such as a heart or Christmas buttons work as well as contrasting solid color buttons.)

Two needles and thread

Scissors

Glue to attach the "halo" and buttons

Optional: Pin back to convert the angel into a wearable accessory



Directions for the large angel: (sizes for the small angel in parentheses)

1. Cut out a heart from one piece of fabric 8" wide and 7" tall (5 1/2" wide and 5" tall). Starting at the bottom point of the heart, fold over a scant 1/4" and make a running stitch around one half of the heart. Stop there and take another threaded needle and make an identical running stitch around the other half of the heart. Now, you can pull the threads and gather the edges of the heart together. Tie off both threads and flatten the heart so that the puckered "belly button" is in the center.

2. Cut out a 5 1/2" circle (4 1/4" circle) from the second piece of fabric. Fold over a scant 1/4" and make a running stitch around the entire circle and finish by pulling the thread tight and tying off the thread. Flatten the circle so that the "belly button" is in the center.

3. Position the round yo-yo on top of the heart shaped yo-yo and tack into place with needle and thread. The heart forms the "wings" of the angel and the circle forms the "body".

4. With glue, attach the head where the top of the round yo-yo and the and accent button in the angel's "belly button". Nest, glue the gold ring to the back of the head button to form the halo.

5. If you wish to make wearable pins, add on a pin back either by gluing or stitching with thread.

These angels can be made smaller or larger simply by altering the sizes of the beginning hearts and circles. Add them to your gift packages, scrapbooking or even add a string to make adorable Christmas tree decorations.

[Noel+]

CANDY MOUSE

Materials Needed:

Felt Scraps
Small Candy Cane (tail)
Wiggle Eyes or Beads
Small Pom-poms (nose)
Ebroidery Floss or Yarn (whiskers)
Hot Glue and Hot Glue Gun
Instructions:

Using the scrap felt, cut 2 small teardrop-shaped pieces about 3-inches long. Lay the candycane on top of one of the teardrop-shaped pieces of felt, noting in the graphic how the candy cane hangs out over the edge. Cover with the other teardrop-shaped piece of felt. Glue the 2 pieces together, sandwiching the candy cane in the middle and lining up the edges.

Using the graphic below as a guide, glue the nose and eyes in place. Cut two small circles about 1-inch across to be the ears. Cut 2 smaller circles out of a contrasting colors and glue them the center of the 1-inch circles. Glue the ears in place. Glue on the whiskers.




You can give this as a gift or add a piece of ribbon and use it as an ornament. Also, instead of candy canes, you can glue on a bent pipecleaner.

[Jodie]

What great ideas Noel. You are very crafty.

[Noel+]

Thanks Jodie. I hope you'll try one -- they're easy and fun!

[Jodie]

I might have a go at the candy mouse, he looks like my level of craftyness (is that a word?)