C-r-a-f-t-s spells big fun around our home, especially during the holidays. My young daughter is a Martha Stewart wannabe, which is why the majority of our seasonal decorations are handcrafted and displayed with love. Of course, the homemade holiday fun requires quite a bit of craft materials. Fortunately, I stock up during post-holiday sales, so our craft closet is well-stocked in preparation for the Christmas project rush.
Never underestimate an after-holiday sale. Last year I scored major savings on a number of seasonal craft staples by shopping on the day after Christmas. In addition, this year I found drastically reduced prices on some generic craft items, such as chenille sticks and glitter at Wal-Mart and Target’s post-Halloween sale.
Stocking up on staples when prices are slashed is an excellent way to save money on Christmas decor. Moreover, having a well-stocked craft area will help keep boredom at bay when your kids are home on Christmas break from school. I try to keep the following supplies on hand throughout the year:
*Construction paper
*Glitter
*Glue
*Markers
*Stickers
*Felt
*Styrofoam in a variety of shapes
*Buttons
*Chenille sticks
*Sequins
*Paint
*Popsicle sticks
The aforementioned items can be crafted into hundreds of items, including homemade Christmas ornaments. For example, one of my daughter’s favorite handcrafted ornaments is a simple sled made from Popsicle sticks. Just glue together five Popsicle sticks in a bell-shaped curve (two end sticks lower, the next two sticks slightly higher, and the stick in the very middle the highest). Allow the glue to dry, then adhere a stick along each side of the sled and a stick at the bottom to make the runners. Finally, glue a small piece of string to the front end of the sled, paint, and add it to the tree or place it on an end table along with a seasonal flower display.
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