Handmade Holidays

While I somehow managed a completely handmade Christmas last year, I am not going to be so extravagent this year. Mainly because, well, with only two weeks left---I would be insane.

But I do have a few little things planned here and there that I'd like to share.

The first *little* project are for the little girls in the family. Hairclips in all shapes and sizes.

I stuck with Christmas colors this round but have in mind quite a few more variations (which would be preferred as Christmas gifts since you could use them all year long--these happen to be for my girls for their Christmas dresses). I could have kept going all night if I wouldn't have run out of the metal hairclips. So fun!

((And with only scraps of ribbon, felt and sequins this makes a truly FRUGAL gift that doesn't SCREAM "FRUGAL"!))

For red polka dotted clip: pick a ribbon of your choice, cut to the length of your clip adding a touch of length to fold under the top metal piece and then hotglue the raw end on the underside of the squeeze part, glue ribbon down center of clip and then on the underside of the metal barrette end.

For red and green polka dot: follow instructions above, but add a circle of green felt and sequins with hotglue.

For red and green flower print: Follow instructions for red polka dotted clip. Make loops with ribbon and hotglue those down then top off the center with hotglued sequins or beads.

For "Bow": cut out a 3/4 inch wide rectangle of red felt the length of your barrette with a bit extra to fold over to the undersides (taper this to fit the barrette.) Hot glue tapered ends to undersides of top metal barrette. Then simply cut a thin strap of felt (or ribbon for a different look) and squeeze it tight to pucker the felt, then hotglue raw edges together.

For poinsetta: free hand eight petals and one large oval, cut on both ends to resemble leaves. Put green "leaves" inside clip (as you would your hair) and hot glue it to the underside of the metal clip. Hotglue four petals on the top side to clip and green felt. Now, alternating the next four petals over the spaces of the first four petals, hot glue in place. I also pinched the ends together with a bit of hotglue to create some dimension-this is optional. Now, hotglue beads, sequins or glitter into the center of the flower.

For Rose: Make a green oval with tapered ends to resemble leaves. Glue as you did the leave section for the poinsetta. Cut a 3-4 inch long rectangle of red felt, tapered at both ends and wrap into a circle, twisting slightly as you wrap. Hot glue ends in place and hotglue flower onto green felt/clip.

EXPERIMENT on your own with these-there are countless options and the creating is the FUN part!