Category: Christmas

Recycle your Christmas cards
Posted by Jo on January 6, 2009

Recycle the Christmas cards you receive using these 10 different ideas. Learn how to make scrapbooks and bookmarks and get ideas for donating them.

Create a Christmas keepsake with kid handprints
Posted by Jo on December 16, 2008

Paint your child’s hand to create a Santa keepsake image for years to come!

Tips for hanging Christmas stockings
Posted by Chica on December 15, 2008

Get tips on hanging your Christmas stockings, from how to choose the best stocking hanger to alternative ways to hang stockings around the house.

Feature Friday — How to make felt Christmas ornaments
Posted by Jo on December 12, 2008

Learn how to make your own flelt Christmas ornaments out of leftover materials and decorations.

Use color-coded gift wrap this Christmas
Posted by Chica on December 11, 2008

Make it easy to find presents under the Christmas tree by color coding the gift wrap to suit the recipients.

Quick Tip:  Use gift tags as name tags
Posted by Jo on December 10, 2008

Use pretty, self-adhesive gift tags instead of normal name tags to help identify guests at a large party.

How to make your own bows
Posted by Chica on December 9, 2008

Learn to make your own bows out of ribbon. This simple technique works great for gift wrap, baskets, and decorations for Christmas or any other occasion.

Decorate a miniature tree for charity
Posted by Jo on December 8, 2008

Decorate a miniature Christmas tree for a charity or use it as a unique gift for a kid in your life.

Feature Friday - Advent calendar inspiration
Posted by Chica on December 5, 2008

Get lots of inspiration for advent calendars, including a fun knitted string of lights, from PoppyTalk, a design blog dedicated to inspiration.

Turn your Christmas cards into a scrapbook
Posted by Jo on December 4, 2008

Collect all of your Christmas cards and other items of memorabilia and make them into a scrapbook using a hole punch and book rings.

Tips for hosting a holiday cookie swap party
Posted by Guest on December 3, 2008

Get lots of tips for hosting your own cookie swap party this Christmas.

Traditional Christmas candy recipes
Posted by Jo on December 2, 2008

Try our recipes for classic holiday candy-making that include: fondant candy, fudge, cream pull candy, caramels and English toffee.

Make an advent calendar house from polymer clay
Posted by Chica on December 1, 2008

Use polymer clay to create an advent calendar house. Start with an empty house on Day 1 and add a new piece to it every day until Christmas, and you’ll end up with a beautifully decorated house.

Handmade Christmas cards with a removable ornament
Posted by Chica on November 25, 2008

Make fun and easy Christmas cards that have a removable ornament to be hung on the tree. With minimal waste and maximum re-usability, these cards are rather “green”!

Chica and Jo’s hot gifts for 2008
Posted by Jo on November 24, 2008

Check out the gifts that we think will be well-received for the 2008 Christmas season. We give you lots of ideas for all kinds of hard-to-shop-for people on your list.

Make Christmas ornaments from Shrinky Dink plastic
Posted by Jo on November 20, 2008

Use Shrinky Dink plastic to make your own Christmas tree decorations. Simply trace or draw an image, punch a hole, color and shrink!

Make your own traditional English Christmas crackers
Posted by Chica on November 19, 2008

Celebrate Christmas or other occasions by making your own traditional English party crackers. Filled with goodies, these fun favors will really make your party “pop”!

Gift ideas for the host or hostess
Posted by Jo on November 18, 2008

Thank the host or hostess of the next event you attend with a thoughtful gift. Read our list of suggestions from traditional hand towels to unique oil lamp projectors. Don’t arrive empty-handed!

Make a tree skirt from a bridesmaid dress
Posted by Chica on November 17, 2008

Create a beautiful, custom tree skirt from the bottom of an old bridesmaid dress.

Feature Friday - Resource for handmade Christmas stockings
Posted by Jo on November 14, 2008

Visit AuntJoy.com to have her design your own custom Christmas stockings. Pick the fabric, design and colors.

Start a yearly Christmas ornament tradition
Posted by Chica on November 13, 2008

Start a family tradition with a new custom photo Christmas ornament each year. Soon you’ll turn your tree into a mini photo album of your lives!

Christmas party invitation idea
Posted by Jo on November 12, 2008

Paint plain wooden wreaths or other Christmas shapes to make a unique party invitation. Embellish the front and then write the party information on the back with a paint pen.

Create a natural centerpiece for fall or winter
Posted by Chica on November 11, 2008

Pull items from nature to help you create a lovely centerpiece for fall or winter. It’s so easy and inexpensive, and can be adapted to whatever you’ve got on hand.

Make your own luminaries from aluminum foil
Posted by Jo on November 10, 2008

Make your own luminaries by using aluminum foil and a printed pattern to make your design. Simply use an ink pen or a stick pin to poke the holes. Wrap the finished product around a recycled jar and instant luminary!

Print your own Christmas gift labels
Posted by Jo on November 6, 2008

Use our template to print your own customized Christmas gift labels using basic mailing labels.

Handmade snowflake and snowman Christmas cards
Posted by Chica on November 5, 2008

Learn to make two styles of fun and easy handmade Christmas cards — one with a spinning snowflake and another with a build-your-own-snowman kit.

Sponge painting with a cleaning scrubber
Posted by Jo on November 4, 2008

Paint fun images by using a handled sponge brush to blot paint onto paper. Try making fall trees, snowmen or turkeys depending on the season.

Make your own mulling spices
Posted by Chica on October 30, 2008

Enjoy the cooler weather with hot spiced cider, or make batches of mulling spices for gifts this winter. Our worksheet and tag template make it easy!

Make your own snowglobes
Posted by Jo on October 27, 2008

Make your own snowglobe out of recycled containers

Colorful swirled cupcakes
Posted by Chica on September 18, 2008

Use our easy technique to decorate cupcakes with colorful, swirled icing in colors to suit any occasion.

Set the party mood with colored light bulbs
Posted by Jo on March 14, 2008

Set the mood for fun at your next party by replacing some of your regular light bulbs with colored ones instead.

Please visit Chica and Jo at http://www.chicaandjo.com for even more clever ideas!