DIY Christmas Decorations
Christmas is quickly approaching and I still have so much decorating to do! I feel like I’ll be decorating right up until Christmas Eve at this point.
Since I now live on my own, I needed a few more decorations to make sure my apartment is as fully Christmasy as possible. And in true, Actually Alli style, I of course, had to DIY them.
Watch the video below to learn how to make all 3 DIYs! Then if you keep scrolling, you’ll find all the supplies and text instructions you need to make them.
1) DIY Christmas Shadowbox
Supplies:
Shadow Box frame
Bottle brush trees in various sizes
White pom poms
Various Sequins
1 sheet of light blue scrapbook paper
White letter stickers
Hot glue
Scissors
Instructions:
First remove the back from the shadow box
Then you’ll need some light blue scrapbook paper (I got really lucky and found this one that looks like falling snow at Joann Fabrics). Trace the back of the frame onto the back of the paper and cut it out.
Then I just used some hot glue because it’s what I had on hand to attach the paper to the back of the frame.
Now it’s time to start adding the trees to the frame. Remove the base of the trees by just pulling it off, then add some hot glue to the bottom and hold the tree in place until the glue has cooled.
Also, I was totally going to add this cute wooden reindeer to my scene, but he seemed a bit too tall, so unfortunately this cute little guy didn’t make it in.
And just like the first tree, add the other trees to the scene with a little hot glue. I found it to be easier with the frame tipped vertically so the glue would cool perfectly.
Once all the trees are in, it’s time to fill the frame.
I used some white yarn pom poms first, and tucked them in around the trees.
After the pom poms were in, I added some silver snowflake sequins and some white sequins.
Then it’s time to put the back on the frame. You may need to kind of smoosh down the backs of the trees just so it all fits.
Flip it back over, and now time to add the letters. I used a ruler to find the middle of the frame, then kind of just eyed where I placed the rest of the letters. I chose to spell out “merry and bright.”
2) DIY Wreath
Supplies:
Plain artificial evergreen wreath
LED fairy lights on a green wire
Paper mache house
Pine cones
Gold ribbon
Hot glue
Instructions:
So of course I needed a wreath on my front door. This idea was inspired by a stock photo I saw on Pinterest, so I wanted to give credit there.
First you’ll need some white fairy lights. I found some on a green wire. Begin weaving the lights around the entire wreath, making sure to end where you can hide the battery pack in the back.
I forgot to show this part, but I used some hot glue to attach the battery back to the back of the wreath so I could still change the batteries and turn it on and off
Next, I took this little paper mache house I found at the craft store and gave it a good coat of white acrylic paint. If you can’t find a house like this one, you could also use a tiny wooden bird house, which can also be found at most craft stores.
Once the house is dry, use some hot glue to attach it to the bottom inside of the wreath.
Then take some pinecones and sporadically glue them throughout the wreath.
Once the pinecones are on, it’s time to make the bow. First, cut three equal lengths of ribbon.
Then take the pieces and fold them so the ends meet in the middle and give them a little glue to secure it.
Next, cut a smaller piece of ribbon to wrap around the folded piece to create a bow shape and secure with glue.
Finally, cut two pieces of longer ribbon at an angle and glue to the back to create the ties, then glue the whole bow to the wreath.
3) DIY Farmhouse Noel Sign
Supplies:
12x16” Wood frame
Various shaped wooden letters in N, E, L
Small bit of garland
Red ribbon
Hot glue
Paint (white chalk paint, grey pickling wash or acrylic paint, silver, black and red acrylic paint)
Paint brushes
Instructions:
First, I used this paint called pickling wash paint to give the frame of the sign a nice weathered look, you could also use some watered-down grey paint for the same effect.
Then paint the background of the sign with white chalk paint. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s nice to see the wood through the pain in spots.
While that’s drying, you can paint the letters. I chose letters in a similar size, but different styles.
I chose to paint the N red and the E was already black, and then since all the L’s in the store were sold out, I had to improvise.
So here’s a little hack: You can buy thin piece of balsa wood at the craft store. It’s so soft, it cuts like paper with regular scissors. So I just cut two pieces to make my L shape. Obviously, this hack only works on letters with all-straight edges.
And then I just gave the pieces a good coat of silver paint.
Once all the paint is dry, It’s time to assemble everything. Starting with the garland “O”, I took some tiny garland and used some wire cutters to cut off a small piece and set it aside.
Then begin gluing the letters onto the fame. I just eyeballed it, but you can measure if you want to make sure everything is centered.
Once the letters are on, form the shape of the O by wrapping the garland around a bottle that’s about the size you want it to be.
Then using some hot glue, attach the garland to the sign.
To make the tiny bow, cut two loops of ribbon and glue them together.
Then cut a tinier piece of ribbon to make the middle of the bow and glue it around the loops.
Finally, attach two more piece of ribbons to make the ties and glue the bow to the garland
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