festive diy projects!

DIY Ornaments

Santa's Tummy

This is a cheap, simple ornament that you can use for years to come, or give as a cute gift.

• wooden craft circle
• red and black acrylic paint and brushes
• pencil
• tape
• gold vinyl stickers, gold fabric, or white and gold paint
• thin, gold ribbon
• hot glue gun
• clear coat spray paint (opt.)

Start by getting a cheap, wooden circle from the craft section of your local Wal-Mart or a craft store. Paint a red base coat on both sides of the circle. Acrylic paint is thick, and if applied evenly should not require a second coat. If you plan on using gold vinyl stickers, fabric, or some other material that you need to cut for the belt buckle, go ahead and create it before painting on the belt. Once you've cut out the belt buckle the way you like it, place strips of tape on the lower half of the circle, leaving a space between the two that will fit in proportion to the buckle. Paint black between the tape, and peel it up before the paint dries. Once it is dry, repeat the process on the other side, not yet placing the belt buckle. Apply a clear coat of spray paint to each side if you would like a clear finish, and once it is dry, place your buckle. Next, put a tiny dab of hot glue on either side of the ornament, and glue a strip of thin ribbon to it, creating a loop that you can use to hang it with. If you do plan on using paint for the buckle, paint a white square on the lower center of the ornament. You may need to apply a couple of coats for the white to be opaque enough. Next, go over the white with gold paint to create your golden belt buckle. Once you're sure this is completely dry, grab four strips of tape. Place them vertically to cover the edges of the buckle, so that you do not get paint on it, and horizontally, leaving a space in the center of the buckle for you to paint the belt. Paint in between the strips of tape with black paint, and peel off immediately after, to create the belt. Allow to dry, and if you want a shiny finish, apply a thin coat of clear spray paint.

Reindeer Ornament

• Gold ornament
• Black, white, red/pink paint
• Hot glue gun
• Pipe Cleaners (brown)
• scissors
• brown construction paper

On a gold ornament, paint two circles of white where they overlap for an area for the eyes and let dry. Paint two black dots for eyes in the center of the two white circles and let dry. Paint a nose in the center using red or pink paint, and add a small mouth shape underneath the nose with black paint. Let dry. Attach the pipe cleaner antlers to the top of the ornament with hot glue, shaping them however you want using scissors. Cut out a triangle ear shape from brown construction paper and bend inwards slightly and put a thin line of hot glue right in front of the antler and glue it down.

Meal-In-a-mug

Snickerdoodle

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup milk, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a mug, microwave for 1 minute to 1 minute and a half.

Mug Coffee Cake

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or plain nonfat greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon nonfat milk or almond milk
• Dash of vanilla
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients to the mug, microwave for 45 seconds (if your microwave is less than 1100 watts, you may need to microwave it longer, do so in 15 second increments).

Sugar Cookie Mug Recipe:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of sprinkles

Mix up a few simple ingredients in 2 mugs, microwave for just 1 minute each, and these cookies are ready for decorating!

Pumpkin Cake Mug Recipe:

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• few pinches of nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• pinch of clove
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Mix all wet and dry ingredients separately, pour the mixture in to a mug, microwave for just 2 minutes, and then it's ready to be topped with whipped cream or your favorite ice-cream!

diy stocking

Personalized Stocking

This is a simple, customizable Christmas stocking perfect for your family members. You will need:

• Plain solid-color stocking
• felt (color of choice)
• ribbon of choice
• needle/thread

Start by buying a plain, solid-color stocking. Next, get some felt and ribbon--you can go with a theme, or get the favorite colors of the person the stocking is for. Cut the first initial of said person out of the felt, and any shapes that may correlate with things they might like, such as stars or animal silhouettes. Sew the pieces of felt on in whatever pattern you wish, and use a thin stripe of hot glue over the seams to place the ribbon, covering up where the felt piece was sewn on, and giving off the illusion that it was a simple, store-bought stocking.

Pine Cone Wreath

Pine Cone Wreath Materials: pinecones, hot glue, circular wire.

Want to be extra festive on a budget this year? Bring a tad of the outside to your front porch. Start by laying out the pinecones in the shape that you want. Then, hot glue all of the pinecones into a circular wreath form, starting with the main circle. Continue to glue the pinecones into five-pointed-star shapes. You may need to use a little wire and extra hot glue to secure a few pinecone tips that are hard to line up.