Our Handmade Christmas Gifts

My family reads this blog (thank you!) so I did not want to post these until after they had received their gifts.  They would still make lovely Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and other special day gifts so I wanted to share them!

For the grandmothers and great-grandmother and aunt, the children made these votive candle lanterns:

Materials:

• pressed leaves or flowers
• tissue paper
• mod podge
• glitter
• glass bowl or candle holder (we got ours for $1-2 at Michaels)

Directions:

1. Apply a layer of mod podge to the glass bowl.
2. Place the bowl in the center of a square of tissue paper and wrap the tissue paper up and around, trimming near the rim of the bowl.
3. Apply another layer of mod podge to the glass bowl.
4. Add flowers or leaves and carefully apply mod podge over them.
5. Sprinkle with glitter.
6. Allow to dry and then add another layer of mod podge. Repeat if necessary.

These have a beautiful glow when lit and the kids had a lot of fun making them!

For Daddy and Papa and Great-Papa, the children made pencil holders inspired by these lovely photo pencil holders at Katherine Marie Photography.

Her’s are a bit more professional and polished–I adapted the craft to be more of a process for my young children .

Materials:

• tin soup can
• photograph
• tissue paper
• mod podge

Directions:

1. Apply mod podge to the tin can and add torn-up scraps of tissue paper. I recommend adding several layers but my kids decided they were done and my four year-old daughter added, “This fulfills my artistic vision.” Can’t argue with that.
2. Apply a layer of mod podge over the entire tin can.
3. Add a photograph and coat that with mod podge.
4. Allow to dry and then add another layer of mod podge. Repeat as necessary.

You can see the tin can through these because there is just a thin layer or two of tissue paper.  If you want a less “rough” / “industrial” look, you could either apply more layers or use construction paper instead.

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