I Hate Cleaning

Let me be honest with you, as I have always been! I hate Christmas! I don’t hate the smell of oranges and cinnamon, I don’t dislike family gatherings and it’s not even about Christmas cleaning (which I hate a little bit too). I hate Christmas because of the “All I Want for Christmas” song, Santa Claus and because it’s such an industry and so commercialised that, media nowadays would have us believe that the best gifts are the ones you purchase at the department store. The best gift to me is the one made with love and here I’ll give you a few easy ideas to make all your friends and loved ones happy.

1. Christmas Ornaments with Decoupage

Decoupage is such an easy craft and it doesn’t require any specialised skill at all. Just a bit of imagination and the following materials:

• Napkins, or paper cut-outs;
• Modge Podge, or a similar glue;
• White base paint;
• Concealer brush (at least that’s the kind I use);
• Ornaments with smooth surfaces – mine are wooden;
• Craft scissors;
• Decoupage sponge brush (or just a sponge);

Apply the white base paint on your ornament and wait a little bit to dry. Add a coat of glue and start applying your paper, or napkin cut outs to form beautiful pattern. You can add glitter, ribbons and anything you see fit. Apply a coat of varnish to seal when you are done. If you are very new follow my first tutorial on decoupage here.

Prepare Your Paper Cut Outs

Give Your Item a White Base

Make the White Base Even

Remove the Inner Part of the Napkin

Glue the Napkin Cut Outs to Your Object

Cut Where Needed and Varnish

2. Hand crafted cards

Wish everyone you love a “Merry Little Christmas” with unique home-made cards. It’s a great past time with the hubby and kids and is a very relaxing activity. The results are often adorable, hilarious and beautiful. Everyone will love to receive a card like that. The items you will need really depend on the type of card you want, but in general, scissors, glue, glitter, coloured A4 sheets of paper and some Christmas Stickers are a must. You can add items found at home too like beads, buttons, ribbons, etc.

Unleash your imagination!

3. Home-made Beauty Products

These are definitively going to put a smile on your girlfriends’ faces, because they are all-natural and so good for the skin! I made my lip balms in a chocolate melting pot with only the following:

• 2 gr Beeswax;
• 2 gr Cold-Pressed Cocoa Butter
• 4 gr Pure Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil;
• 4 gr Cold-Pressed Almond Oil;
• Mineral Pigments of your choice (optional);
• 1 drop essential oil of your choice (lemon, orange, lavender, calendula, rose, grapefruit, bergamot, tea tree oil);

Melt all the oils (except for the essential oil and mineral pigments) in the melting pot. Stir with a wooden stirring spoon, add the drop of essential oil and the mineral pigments. Stir some more and transfer into clean and disinfected container.

Put the Beeswax on a Scale

Measure the Coconut Oil

Melt the Oils in the Melting Pot

Add the Mineral Pigments

Stirr Well and Add a Drop of Essential Oil

Pour in a Clean Disinfected Container

Voilà!

You can decorate the containers to be more Christmas-y!

4. Handmade Christmas Centre Pieces

Even though in Australia it’s no secret we don’t see any snow, it doesn’t mean we can’t add a bit to create some ambiance. Here is an easy centrepiece a friend of mine showed me.

Prepare Your Materials

What You’ll Need:

• A Glass;
• A good looking, clean conifer cone;
• Glitter;
• Glue;
• Cardboard;
• Scissors;

Fill the glass with baking soda and salt

Decorate Your Cone

Glue the Pieces

Voila!

Get a clean glass, fill it up with baking soda and salt. Decorate a conifer cone (you can add some glitter) and glue it to a piece of cardboard the size of your glass top. Glue the cardboard with the cone to the glass and wait for it to dry. This centrepiece is a hit among children. Doesn’t last long in their hands though, so careful!

5. Cookies

Cause who doesn’t like food, right? I made these cookies two years ago and they were an absolute hit. I am thinking of putting them in pretty boxes decorated with decoupage and plan to give them as gifts. Throw a handmade card and you are all set!

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Lana Jane Fox

Lana Jane Fox is a young, aspiring housewife, currently living in North Melbourne. At present her primary job is to be a good wife and a helpmeet to her husband and only after that she describes herself as a marketing executive and a blogger. When she is not knitting, cleaning, cooking, or experimenting with DIY projects, Lana is planning her next road trip, or spends precious time with her husband. She dreams of having a baby boy, a Welsh Corgi dog and a house with a fireplace and a garden where she can grow organic food.

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christmas, christmas gifts, diy