Saturday, December 24, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 1

Today's craft actually starts with a kit, a Van Gogh paint by number set. I've been fond of Starry Night ever since I saw Vincent and the Doctor so I figured it might be nice to have a version of the painting for my house. While I was planning this month's crafts, though, it occurred to me that the nativity could fit into that painting. So this is my rough approximation of those two elements. I might do some refinement in future, but for now it hangs proudly on my wall.


With that, I leave you for the rest of the month. Thanks for checking out my blog. I'll see you again in the new year when I return to my regular blog schedule.

Friday, December 23, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 2

I had every intention of making a Christmas themed puppet. I had some vague notions of a rod puppet featuring a marshmallow snowman in a cup of hot cocoa. Or perhaps a woodland animal wearing a Christmas sweater. That was the plan. But then this little guy occurred to me. Once the design was in my head it wouldn't leave me alone. I used my fallback for making it holiday themed - holly.

I'm particularly fond of his shiny syrup hair.
 

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 3

I've made these little felt penguins before, usually stuffing them and adding a nylon thread to make them into ornaments. This time I left the bottom open much like a finger puppet. I'll use this little guy to carry my earbuds.

 

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 4

When I left my job at the library, I was given this very nice, very large, owl bank. I'm a fan of stylized owls so it was a very thoughtful gift. What I'm not a fan of, though, is pink. And this owl is quite pink.
I've had it set aside for repainting since I moved. Christmas seems like a perfect excuse for repainting.
Not only is she more my color scheme now, she's also wearing a lovely festive sweater vest.

 

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Crafty Christmas Coundown: 5

I saw this craft online and knew I had to try it for myself. I believe the original was painted but I did my version with high pigment crayons on construction paper. They really need to be high quality crayons. I tried it with Crayolas and the pigment wasn't nearly as strong.


Monday, December 19, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 6

The idea for this one came to me while I was watching Rudolph. Usually this lion sits on a shelf in my wardrobe in front of my Narnia scene, functioning as Aslan. A quick felt crown and wings, though, make him into a serviceable King Moonracer.

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 7

We have a number of these cookie tins around so when I started planning my Christmas crafts, I knew they would feature somehow. They make a decent looking candle. As with my nutcracker oatmeal tub, I'm not really sure what I'll keep in this tin. Maybe votive candles.
 

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 8

Sometimes the best crafts are the simplest ones. These two trees may not be perfect and even but I think that gives them more character.
 

Friday, December 16, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 9

An evil snowman might not be everyone's idea of a great Christmas decoration but this homage to the Doctor Who special "The Snowmen" seems perfect to me. It now holds a place of honor on my bedroom door.
 

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 10

An empty oatmeal canister just begs to be used in a craft. I'm not sure what I'll do with this nutcracker box. My first inclination was to bake cookies for my coworkers but they would need to be awfully big cookies. So for now it's sitting empty on my table.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 11

Today's craft started with a simple template I found online, traced and cut out of lightweight cardboard. I could have painted this little sleigh and decorated it with fancy trims and sequins and such. In the end, though, I decided I liked it plain. So I decorated the scene with little figures scavenged from around my house instead. 
Nothing says Christmas like a penguin and a yeti in a sleigh pulled by unicorns
 

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 12

With the number of crafts I'm doing this month, one was bound to be something of a dud. And here it is.

In this case, I think it's roughness actually works in it's favor. I was going for something that was intentionally tacky. Our second floor is decorated with dark wood paneling and green stripped shag carpet, so we put all of our tackiest decorations up there. I made this hot air balloon to go with our paper chain and elementary school artwork.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 13

This self-imposed challenge has stretched my creativity in some interesting ways. Like this puppet. It was a vague idea that popped into my head one day while I was at work. I had intended to make it out of a foam playground ball but when I couldn't find one at my local store, I dug out the paper mache. She turned out pretty well.
 

This is probably my favorite part: the eyelashes made from dollar store false eyelashes.


Sunday, December 11, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 14

I've always wanted to make my own Christmas cards but I've never been able to come up with enough ideas in time to get them sent out. These were the designs I came up with this year.
 

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 15

Some time ago I made a cardboard viking ship in a tennis ball can. Like a lot of things I got rid of it when I moved (though I somehow managed to keep the can). I've had a vague thought for a while that I might replicate it. Then, when I had my cuckoo idea to make all these Christmas crafts I had this idea to make my viking ship holiday themed. And this was the result.



Friday, December 9, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 16

With the number of crafts I'm attempting this month, it should come as no surprise that some of them are on the weird side. Today I bring you an elf in a flying saucer made out of a cd and one of those capsules you get out of vending machines (with some tinsel trim for good measure). I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it, though it makes a pretty good top.


Thursday, December 8, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 17

I had a couple of these marvel posters from a conference I attended. While I like the poster, I don't need more than one of them. So it only seemed fitting to give one a holiday theme. And the Hulk just needs to be Santa.
 
It's hard to tell from the photo, but the book Hulk is reading says "Nice List"

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 18

I started out to make a snow globe like this one. The tree I bought was a little on the big side, my spare jars a touch small. I was going to put something together in an empty plastic container when I remembered a plastic house I got as a gift when I was a kid. Part of a series of farm playsets, this scaled down house works pretty well with the Hot Wheels car I bought for my project. A little bit of glitter trim and a pipe cleaner finishes the scene. 
 

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 19

Today's craft started with a kit. I did personalize it a bit with the teddy bear.

Monday, December 5, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 20

Two years ago I made a nativity set for my mother. It's a nice little set but was missing some pieces. With the addition of these figures it should be relatively complete.

 

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 21

I tend to use thumbtacks more as decoration than to actually hold anything on my wall at work. I like the little festive touch this string of tacks adds to my work space.



Saturday, December 3, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 22

Today's craft wasn't one I intended to make. I bought a cheap string of white lights to replace a bad string I own that has flamingo shaped covers on the bulbs. As I got ready to move the covers over I realized I had the chance add some subtle Christmas decoration to my room. But I didn't want to use just plain white lights. So I cut some little star shapes from red and white cardboard, punched a hole in the center of each, and slipped them over the bulbs.
 

Friday, December 2, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 23

Today's craft started with a pair of Christmas socks that I've owned for years. They were some of my favorites so I was pretty bummed when I realized that the sole was wearing out. I was resigned to the idea of relegating them to the rag bag when I realized that there was nothing wrong with the cuff. And sock cuffs make great sock puppet shirts. Or, in this case, sock ugly Christmas sweaters. Add in goofy eyes, a tacky red nose, and reindeer antlers and it's just the right level of Christmas tacky.


Thursday, December 1, 2016

Crafty Christmas Countdown : 24

A couple of weeks ago, while trying to fall asleep, I had an idea. Why not count down to Christmas here on my blog by posting a different holiday craft every day? In the light of day I had to admit that the notion of producing 24 unique crafts in less than a months was a truly impractical idea. One might even say nutty. But I couldn't talk myself out of it. So we'll give it a try. To be clear, I'm using a pretty loose definition of crafts. And also of what makes something a Christmas craft. Take today's project for example. I've had this kit for making wind-up robots for quite some time. What makes these little guys Christmasy? Each one has a candy cane made out of pipe cleaners glued to it's side.