GL's DIY Holiday Gifts!

Jiae’s Snowmen Cupcakes

 

Materials:
Pre-made or homemade cupcakes Rice Krispie balls (in two diff sizes) White frosting Blue, red and yellow food coloring Coconut flakes Twizzlers (the stringy kind) Brown candy confetti sprinkles 2 Frosting cones or parchment paper

Instructions:

Snowmen: Take one small and one big Rice Krispie* ball and stick together with a toothpick (or glue together with icing). Cover body in white frosting. Roll frosted snowmen in coconut flakes. Lay snowmen down and use one frosting cone* filled with icing to glue eyes, mouth and buttons with candy confetti sprinkles. Take a teaspoon of white icing and add a drop of yellow and red food coloring to make orange. Place the orange icing in the second frosting cone. Squeeze a little nose on the face and pull up to make a tip. Lay completely flat till dry. Pull apart strips of Twizzler and wrap or tie around the snowmen’s neck to make a scarf.

 

Cupcakes: Add a couple drops of blue food coloring to make frosting blue. Ice cool downed cupcakes. Sprinkle a layer of coconut flakes. Plop snowman on top. 

*Instructions for making Rice Krispie treats are on the cereal box. Once made, cover your palms with butter and roll into two diff sized small balls.

 

*Roll a triangular piece of parchment paper into a cone to make a frosting cone. 

 

Katie’s Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

 

Materials:
Clear containers Ribbon Fabric Labels or paper

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups powdered milk * ¾ cup sugar * ½ cup unsweetened cocoa * 1/8 tsp. salt

Optional: Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, marshmallows

Instructions
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Portion into containers. Add about a ½ cup of chocolate chips (more or less if you want). Top off with marshmallows. Place fabric on top of the container and tie with ribbon (like a lid). Write instructions for mixing hot chocolate on labels or paper. I like to use about 3-4 tbs. of hot chocolate mix for 8oz. or water or milk. (Milk is the best!) Attach to ribbon or stick on container.

 

Meg’s 3-D Snowflakes

 

Materials:

5 sheets of perfectly square paper Scissors Glue gun Stapler

Instructions:

Fold paper to make a triangle. Fold the same triangle in half, so that it makes a smaller triangle. Cut a horizontal slit at the side of the triangle that doesn’t open. Make sure to leave about a centimeter of space at the end. Cut as many more slits across (spaced an inch apart from each other) that you can fit on the paper (should be about 5 or 6 cuts). Unfold the triangle. Grab the two points in the center and fold them in towards each other and staple. Then, grab the next 2 points and fold them in towards each other the opposite way. Staple. Keep folding and stapling all matching points together (remember to alternate front and back). This is one arm of your snowflake. Repeat instructions to make 5 more arms. Once all 6 arms are made, staple points together.

 

Katie A.’s Eco Friendly Gift Wrap

Materials:

Magazines A sheet of newspaper Glue Scissors Tape A present that needs to be wrapped

Instructions:
Carefully rip colorful pages of the magazines. Cut the pages lengthwise, creating 1-inch strips. Glue some of the strips together, until you have a few yards of “ribbon.” Let it dry. Wrap the present in the newspaper, using tape to keep it in place. When the ribbons are dry, wrap it around the present. Then, loop some magazine strips to create a bow, gluing them onto the box as you go. Cover the center of the bow with a circle of cute paper or a fake flower.

Cait’s Personalized Playlist

 

Materials:
Blank CD CD Jewel case Playlist of songs that remind you of the gift-getter Pictures Paper Markers (or type and print the playlist) Scissors Glue Sparkles, gems, buttons, etc.

Instructions:
Burn the tunes onto a blank CD. Label the “album” with the title of your choice. Type out or handwrite the list of songs that you used on your CD. Make it look really pro by adding track numbers, artists and song lengths. Cut track list to slip inside the back part of the CD case. If you can’t open the back, just glue the sheet. Measure a square of paper to match the size of the case. Glue pics to the square. Let dry. Then, glue square (with pics) to the front of the CD case. Decorate with album title and little trinkets—concert tix, shells, sparkles, gems, whatever.

Feeling ambitious? Create a booklet with cute messages about how much ya heart having the person in your life to slip inside the front of the CD case.

Trish’s Paper Bag Lanterns

 

Materials:
Brown paper bags Battery-operated tea lights Scissors

Instructions:
Fold the bag in half lengthwise and then fold again. Cut in designs (like how you make paper snowflakes). Open the bag and pour two scoops of sand or birdseed into the bottom. Grab a battery-operated tea light and place in the center of the bag (on the sand or birdseed). Line your driveway or walkway, place on your porch or window sill, wherever you would like glowing fun. 

BY JIAE K. ON 11/18/2009 1:18:00 PM 25 COMMENTS

Kid Made Modern:
Bubble Wrap Paper

It’s too cold outside. There’s nothing on TV. You’ve read all your books. Sigh. You're out of things to do! Lucky for you the book Kid Made Modern by Todd Oldham is chock-full of 52 easy-to-do crafts.

Simple, fun and creative craft projects make this book the best Saturday afternoon boredom buster ever. Most of the materials that ya use are recycled stuff that you can find lyin' around the house (hello, helping the environment!). Clear, colorful pictures guide you through each step of the craft so you'll never make a mistake or have a problem understanding the directions.

Want to have the cutest wrapping paper or book cover EVER? Looking for a cheap alternative to cloth book covers and expensive wrapping paper? Check out this cute, easy craft that can be created any way you like.

Grocery bags
Bubble Wrap
Acrylic Paint (any colors you want)
Wide paint brush
Scissors

1. Cut down one side of the brown paper bag and cut out the bottom. Remove the handles (if need be).
2. Lay our your bag flat and cut a piece of big bubble wrap the same size.
3. Paint the bubble wrap in stripes of your fave colors, patterns, designs, whatever!
4. While lining up the edges, place the paper bag straight down on top of the painted bubble wrap and press down evenly.
5. Pull the paper away from the wrap and lay out flat to dry.

1. Fold the top and bottom edges of the printed bag to match the height of the book. Lay the book on top, fold the ends in and trim off excess.
2. Slip the book’s edge into the cover and close the book.
3. Tuck in and adjust the end folds for a perf fit!

1. Lay the present box on the paper and cut so you have enough paper to cover the box.

Kid Made Modern by Todd Oldham. Copyright © 2009. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, AMMO Books, Los Angeles, CA.

BY CAITLIN R. ON 11/12/2009 8:00:00 AM 17 COMMENTS

Pretty DIY Party Masks

Need a last minute costume idea? Wanna make a costume even more creative? Just throw a mask on!

Here's three easy masks and how to make 'em. Just head to your party store and pick up plain masks.

Wanna go all-out DIY? Cut a mask out from cardboard or posterboard, poke holes in the sides and attach with elastic or ribbon to fit around your head (psst! Measure it out first to make sure it won't fall off your noggin!).

-A fabric eye mask (can be in any shape) in black
-Loose glitter in blue
-White fuzzy boa OR white lace
-Glue
-Silver glitter pen
-Silver spray paint

1. Spray paint the bottom portion of the mask, so that the top is darker and gradually becomes lighter towards the bottom of the mask. Let dry completely.
2.  Take the fuzzy boa or lace and glue it to the backside of your mask so that the fabric still peaks out of the front. You could use it entirely along the edges or go for just a few hints in specific places.
3. Moving with the shape of the mask, create a design that appeals to you. This design is where you will be gluing the loose blue glitter down, so this is your chance to get super sparkly, or keep it simple. Wanna go all-out ice queen? Make snowflake shapes on your mask.
4. Once the design is done, spread the glue out evenly and pile on the glitter. Remember, use A LOT of glitter.
4. Let dry and then shake off loose glitter (or re-collect to use again!).
5. Use the silver glitter pen to accent your mask. Add swirls, dots, designs, whatever. Once it's all dry get ready to look oh-snow-fab!

-A fabric mask in purple or black
-Purple feathers
-Purple and silver sequins
-Glue

1. Glue sequins all along the outline of the mask…don’t forget to decorate along the eyes, too.
2. Once the sequined border is dry, add your sparkles anywhere else you desire.
3. Figure out where you want to place the feathers. You'll want to glue 'em on to the backside of your mask so that the plumed part shows up on the front. You can either put them in the center of the mask between your eyes so they are sticking straight up, or glue them on the left or right side of the mask so they stick out away from your head.
4. Let dry and enjoy your fairy mask!

-A fabric mask in black
-Sequins in any color
-Ribbon in any color
-Glue

1. Trace glue shapes on mask (you can even get fancy with patterns like swirly designs, flower patterns, stars, hearts, etc.).
2. Place sequins on glue and let dry.
3. Cut ribbon to desired length when wearing the mask (we suggest to your shoulder or longer for a dramatic look!). Three or four ribbon strands will work (you can also do more or less) and glue down on the inside of the mask (you can have them coming down one side of your face, or both!).
4. Let dry and get the party started!

BY CAITLIN R. ON 10/29/2009 8:00:00 AM 21 COMMENTS

Pillowcase Candy Bags...That Match Your Costume!

You spend the weeks leading up to Halloween thinking about your costume and how you can be the perfect cat, witch, princess, poodle girl or...whatever creative disguise you've dreamed up. Now that you're all settled on your gear you gotta figure out where you're gonna stash all the sweets you score from trick-or-treating.

Check out our fab pillowcase idea. It’s the perf accessory to complete your costume (and it’s totally reusable as a decorative pillow once the night is over). If you think you're collecting lotsa candy go for a full-size pillowcase. If you want to keep the bag a li'l daintier, do it mini-size.

-A black pillowcase
-Hot glue gun
-Pink fur trim or boa
-White felt
-Black lace
-Silver pipe cleaners

1. Start by laying out your pillowcase so the opening is facing you. Measure about 2-3 inches down from the opening and make a horizontal guiding line (usually there is a horizontal seam that you can use to measure against). Using the hot glue gun, glue the pink fur trim along the length of the seam near the opening (the trim should be horizontal, not vertical).

2. Use the white felt to cut out cat ears. It’s easier to draw the shape of the cat ear onto the felt before cutting. Make them big enough so they are visible on your pillowcase. About 5-7 inches should be big enough.

3. Turn your pillowcase so the opening is away from you. Place the two felt cat ears about an inch away from the fur trim and glue down.

4. Cut the black lace into the shape of a cat’s ear, only make it smaller than the white felt. This will be used as the inside of the ear. Glue down, bottom center of the white felt ear.

5. Use six silver pipe cleaners as whiskers underneath of the ears, three on each side.

6. Glue down. Let dry overnight. And enjoy!

-A dark purple pillowcase
-Black/white lace
-A fake spider
-Black felt

1. Place the pillowcase on the table in front of you with the opening farthest away from your body.

2. The lace is going to be the spider web and will be placed at the corner of your pillowcase. Cut semi-jagged edges in the shape of a circle to create a rounded web. Glue lace down with the hot glue gun.

3. Hot glue the spider onto the lace.

4. Create a witch hat out of the black felt big enough to cover the bottom of the pillowcase. The hat should cover about half of the pillowcase, but shouldn’t touch the web.

5. Glue down your witch hat and place the ribbon where the brim of the hat meets the pointy cone part.

6. Let dry. And enjoy!

-A pink or purple pillowcase
-Thick ribbon in any color or pattern that will match your costume and pillowcase
-Rhinestones

1. Lay the pillowcase so the opening is farthest away from your body.

2. Take your ribbon and make a bow as big as the opening of the pillowcase. Make sure the tails of the bow are long enough to extend halfway down the pillowcase.

3. Glue down your bow at the opening of the pillowcase

4. Using the hot glue gun, decorate the front of the pillowcase with the rhinestones.

5. Let dry. And enjoy!

- A pillowcase in white or pink
-Black and white felt or old black vinyl records (ask mom or dad)
-Silver/pink fabric glitter pen
-Polka dotted ribbon

1. Lay pillowcase so the opening is farthest from you. Glue the ribbon about 2-3 inches from the opening, horizontally, along the seam of the pillowcase.

2. If you have an old vinyl record, glue it down in the left hand bottom corner. If not, make one out of felt. All you need to do is cut a big circle out of the black felt and then a smaller circle out of the white felt to glue in the middle (if you don’t know what a vinyl record looks like, ask your mom).

3. Use your silver and pink fabric glitter pens to create swirly designs in the blank areas of the pillowcase.

Psst: Other fun decade-themed pillowcases? Tie-dyed pillowcase for a '60s hippie chic or a bright neon one to match a 1980s costume.

BY CAITLIN R. ON 10/15/2009 8:00:00 AM 61 COMMENTS