As you can tell by the title of this blog post I am already delayed in blogging about my 12 Days of Christmas creative experience.  My excuse:  internet failure.  From here on out it shall be daily until the deed is finished on December 12 🙂

Throughout November I pondered the thought of the 12 days of Christmas.  I knew I wanted to participate but I ran circles around the fact that giving Josh 12 days of presents would significantly  mark down the number of gifts he could receive on Christmas.  I also pondered candy and food gifts but I wasn’t stoked about that idea either.  Then, while searching for wreath ideas on Pinterest the idea came… here I present to you the 12 Days of Handmade and Homemade Christmas.

DAY 1:  Christmas tree garland.  The idea came because I wanted to spruce up our tree by means of personal touch.  My thought was to cut circles out of pretty paper and string them on yarn but I wasn’t in love with the idea so I pondered a little longer.  Then it came to me when I saw these super fun Origami stars.  Now I give you the first ever Origami adventure of the Origami star master 😉  Behold…

“love”

My personal favorite 🙂

Your steps:

1.  Go get scrapbook paper (I got mine from Hobby Lobby in the a ‘la carte section scrapbook paper section)

2.  Watch a youtube video on how to do Origami Stars

3.  Cut strips of paper about 3/4″ thick.  I found between 1/2″ and 3/4″ made for the easiest Origami

4.  Origami a star but before you slip the tail into the mass slip your string into the crease.  Then seal.

5.  Repeat steps 4 and 5 until your garland is finished.

A string of three…

DAY 2:  Sparkling Pine Cones

Josh and I took the dogs for a walk and lo-and-behold I set eyes on five perfect pine cones.  They certainly looked like they belonged on our Christmas tree so we snatched them up and headed on our merry way.  When we got home I pulled out my handy dandy powdery glittery spray can and set to dress up my pine cones.  By the end of spraying, as my friend Jeremy’s said, it looked like I slapped a fairy…

Handmade fairly dust 😉

…but TA DA!  Project Pine Cone = success.  Easiest Handmade and Homemade project for sure.

Your steps:

1.  Go find pine cones

2.  Spray with Glitter Blast Diamond Dust spray paint (Hobby Lobby)

3.  Let dry on some scrap paper

4.  String with dental floss by wiggling the thread at the base of each pine cone so its buried around the neck.

5.  Hang to taste 😉

Sparkling Pine Cone Ornament