Christmas Crafts: Quick and Pretty Poinsettia Ornament Tutorial, Just in Time for Christmas!

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Need a quick and lovely gift to bring to Christmas dinner or just because?

Try these Poinsettia Ornaments.

I made them a couple years ago as Christmas presents. They are beautiful and can be changed up easily depending on what supplies you have available. 

Materials needed:

• Poinsettia clips (These come in a three pack)
• Christmas bell Necklace
• Festive Ribbon
• Thin Ribbon or Cord for Hanging
• Felt Scraps
• Scissors
• Glue gun
• Needle and Thread

Most of the supplies I got at Dollar Tree from their Holiday Section. I actually got the idea for these ornaments by wandering through the aisles there.

First, remove the center and clip from a Poinsettia. Feel free to save the clip for another project. 

Cut a piece of the "chain" of one of the necklaces with a bell. Glue just the ends to the center of the Poinsettia, so the bell hangs loose.

Cut a length of your thin ribbon/cord to make loop to hang the ornament. Then glue it to the back.

Cut a small circle of felt and glue on the back to make it look neater.

Now cut a piece of your festive ribbon about 5-6 inches long.  Sew and gather along the edge...

...To form a nice ribbon rossette. 

If you need more help, please check out my lace rosette video tutorial. 

Then, just glue the rossette to the center to finish up the ornament. Alternatively you can use a large decorative button or gem.

Only thing left to do is make more.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Give it a try:

• Christmas House Glitter Poinsettia Ornament Clips, 3-pc. Packs
  
• Christmas House Beaded Bell Necklaces, 2 ct.
  
• Crafter's Square Decorative Holiday Ribbon, 9 ft., 1 ct.
  
• Assorted Bent Scissors By Craft Smart®
  
• 9" x 12" Basic Felt by Creatology™
  
• 3mm x 7yd. Metallic Cording by Celebrate It™
  
• Crafter's Square Felt Roll, Assorted Colors, 1-ct
  
• Mini High Temperature Glue Gun by Ashland®
  
• Loops & Threads™ Start-to-Sew Kit
  

 

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Elf Watch 2025, Part 1

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out our disclosures page for more info. Thanks!

This is Elvie, my little "elf on a shelf". I found her at an local antique mall. She is from the Elves Behavin' Badly brand (you can buy them here on Amazon for a good price). 

She has been staying in the breakroom at work for the last couple of holiday seasons. Here's a few of her adventures this year.

First Elvie had a little fun climbing up my mini Christmas tree. It's one of the little trees from Dollar Tree. I couldn't resist getting one to decorate the breakroom.

When I got home that day, I was shocked to find that Elvie had teleported there, or so I thought. This is actually another elf that my mom got from a thrift store. Surprise.

The next day, Elvie decided to do a little early "Spring Cleaning". She scrubs and does windows too!

Then, Elvie decided to she would rather just hang around.

Here, Elvie is getting ready to join me for lunch. She likes ketchup on her food.

Unfortunately, another employee accidentally knocked her off the shelf. Luckily, she landed on a step stool. 

Time to get something to drink from the refrigerator, and Elvie was one step ahead of me.

Yay! The food in the microwave is ready. What are you cooking, Elvie?

Now she's getting into the extra kitchen supplies.

When working hard all day, it's important to stay hydrated. But, I think a gallon sized bottle may be too large for an elf.

One day, when I finished my shift, I discovered that someone had helped Elvie climb up the wall. Great, except she was too high for me to reach, so how will she get down?

This sign should do the trick.

A handwritten S.O.S note from Elvie the elf.

And it worked. A taller employee came and got her down and lowered her safely back to the top of the mini Christmas tree.

 

And hopefully, Elvie the elf will stay out of trouble for the rest of the holiday season. Or, at least for the rest of this week.

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Lucky Cat Beaded Charm Tutorial

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

After far too long of an absence, here's a fun and easy craft tutorial.  

Lucky Cat Beaded Charms

I got the idea for these charms sometime after finding these cute cat bead at JoAnn's, but that was before they closed up. Sigh...

Don't worry, I found similarly cute kitty beads here at Amazon. So, on to the tutorial.

Materials needed:

• Cat beads or large novelty beads of your choice.
• Smaller round beads like these.
• Small bells. These ones from Michael's should work, also these from Dollar Tree.
• Eye pins, like these ones.
• Some phone charm straps. I got mine at Daiso, but these ones should worked too.
• A pair of pliers like these.

First slide one of your round beads and a cat bead head first on to a pin.

Use your pliers to bend the pin as shown. Just grip with the pliers, then turn your wrist to bend the wire pin, leaving enough space between the cat and curved part to slide a bell on.

Slide on the bell, then continue to bend the pin with your pliers to wrap the rest of the pin loosely around the top of the bell. It needs to be loose, or the bell won't be able to jingle.

Now just attach the charm strap to the "eye".  The straps I got use a lobster clasp, but some use a split ring. Either works. Now the next step...

...Is to make more!

Make plenty to give to friends and family. Maybe it will bring them luck.

Just don't forget get to save one for yourself. I love their cute little faces. 

That's it for now. I am planning to post another simple craft tutorial later. Hopefully, it won't be quite as late as this one.

Look forward to it!

Give it a try:

• 26pcs Ceramic Beads Lucky Cat Beads Maneki Neko Porcelain Spacer Beads
  
• Matte Glass Round Beads by Bead Landing
  
• 2" Eye Pins by Bead Landing
  
• Silver Jingle Bells by Creatology
  
• Crafter's Square Christmas Round Bells
  
• Phone Charm Accessory Mix by Bead Landing
  
• Bead Landing 3-In-1 Pliers
  

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Sewing for Dolls: Some Last Minute Halloween Costumes

This post contains affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

I cut it really close for this next craft project, but at least they are finished.  Just in time for Halloween.

Doll sized Halloween costumes.

I got my 1/6 scale ball jointed dolls all ready for Halloween.  Or should I say they got themselves ready?  Check out the doll blog to see, also to learn how to make some of these costumes for your own dolls at home. 

For this one (Yuna), it’s a super easy ghost costume.  Just need to cut some sheer gauzy fabric and slip it on.

My sister thought I should do it like on the Charlie Brown Halloween special, maybe next year.

This little boy is just wearing the cat eared headband I made previously.  Check out my doll headband video tutorial to make one, it works for dolls of all sizes.

For the next costume, you can see here how the doll (Sakura) “made it herself”.

It started as a simple robe, that could work for a wizard.  Don’t forget to check out my doll blog to see how to make it.

But, flip it around and throw on a hat, and it’s a classic witch costume.

The next costume (for Momoko) started as a doll swimsuit with a tutu, instant ballerina.

The tutu is made from a long piece of tulle folded in half with some elastic. 

But, take one of these butterflies from Dollartree and glue on a clip…

…Then clip it on my doll’s clothes for wings…

…And now it’s a fairy costume.

All the dolls dressed and ready for trick or treating, but one more thing.

These little buckets.  I was lucky enough to find them at Goodwill, but they actually sell them at Party City.

You can find the pumpkin buckets here and the Cauldrons here.

They are just the right size for my dolls, and add just the right touch to my doll sized Halloween.

Here’s the updated list:

• Costume
• Case
• Doll and Kitty
• Little Halloween
• 3 Skirts
• Accessories
• Socks
• Overalls
• Ornaments
• More Cases

Two down, eight more to go.  Happy Halloween everybody.

Give it a try:

• Singer Sewing Kit Beginner's
• 9" x 12" Basic Felt by Creatology
• ArtMinds® Fashion Mini Glue Gun
• Floral Garden Sheer Butterflies and Flowers
• Pumpkin Trick or Treat Candy Pails 12ct
• Black Candy Cauldrons 12ct

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Quick and Easy Dollar Store Tea Set Makeover

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

Finally, the last project on my list.  A pretty tea set.

I wanted another cute little porcelain tea set for my dolls and stuff.  You used to be able to find them at most dollar stores.  Sadly that’s not the case anymore. 

So, I did the next best thing.

I got a plastic set instead (see the doll blog for their reaction).  You can find this tea set at Dollar Tree as well as most dollar stores.

It’s the right size and is sort of cute, but the colors are kind of tacky.  The easiest way to fix the color issue was to paint it.

So let’s paint some plastic!

I gathered up some supplies I had on hand and got to work.  I used acrylic paints, paint brushes, a paper plate for the paint, and glossy Mod Podge. 

The Mod Podge protects the work and makes the pieces shiny and pretty.

I also used these, nail emery boards.  You could also use fine sand paper, but I used these because it’s what I had around.

So first, I lightly sanded the surface of all my pieces.  This helps the paint stick on better, or so I’ve been told.

Then I applied 2 coats of white paint to all the pieces, allowing them to dry between coats.  I painted one side of each piece at a time.

I was going to paint the pieces a different color after the white paint dried, but I decided they looked pretty that way and went with it.

I then added some pale pink paint to bring out some of the details.

And finally, I applied two coats of the glossy Mod Podge (allowing to dry between coats) to seal and finish them.

The tea set looks so much nicer now.  The gloss makes the pieces look very porcelain-like, but since they are plastic I don’t have to worry about dropping them.

I could have painted little designs on the cups like flowers and such if I wanted to, but maybe I will save that for another set.

I really like how cute the tea pot came out.  There were little roses around the heart that I didn’t even notice until I started painting it.

The plates look really pretty too, the hearts are so sweet.

I added a touch of pink to the spoons to tie them into the set, also because painting them white made them look too much like “disposable” plastic spoons.  Maybe next time I’ll try using a silver or gold paint.

Over all, I think the tea set looks great and it would be fun to paint more of them in the future.

Here’s the updated list:

• 3 piece outfit
• Holder
• First aid cases
• Umbrella
• Tea set
• Tote

Six down and out.

Give it a try:

• Plastic Toy Tea Sets, 14 pc.
• Craft Smart® Acrylic Paint, 2 oz.
• Mod Podge® Gloss
• Craft Smart® All Purpose Brush Set
• Sassy+Chic Printed Emery Boards, 2-ct. Packs

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