I love getting into the Christmas spirit. Each year, I have a hard time waiting until the day after Thanksgiving to put up the decorations and begin shopping for the holidays. However, that does not mean I enjoy over spending on fun decorations I could easily make at home for half the cost. By purchasing affordable craft items from dollar stores and places like Hobby Lobby, it is easy to make beautiful Christmas decorations for half the cost of store bought ones.
Wreaths
Christmas wreaths are one of the easiest decorations to put together yourself. Begin by buying a simple, undecorated wreath from your local dollar store. Red craft flowers, such as poinsettas, and plastic pine cones can also be purchased from the dollar store. Remove the craft flowers from their plastic stems, and adhere them to the wreath using a hot glue gun. Adhere the plastic pine cones to the wreath using the hot glue gun as well. For extra finishing touches, you may choose to purchase other items such as a large red bow or silver Christmas bells. These can be tied onto the wreath using red ribbon.
Ornament center piece
Decorative center pieces are a beautiful touch to add to your kitchen table, or even your mantle. Purchase a clear plastic of glass bowl, a package of red ornaments, and a package of green ornaments from your local dollar store. Place the ornaments into the bowl with the hook facing down. Arrange them so that there is a good mixture of red and green throughout the bowl.
Garland
Garlands are a fun way to jazz up a staircase, a fire place, or a door frame. Undecorated garland can be purchased at any dollar store or Walmart. Purchase a variety of small inexpensive ornaments. Plastic candy canes and red and green bulbs are great choices for a fun and eye catching garland. Using a hot glue gun, adhere the ornaments onto the garland.
Pillows
Christmas themed throw pillows can sell at stores for upwards of $20.00. Christmas printed fabrics can be purchased from stores like Hobby Lobby for only a few dollars a yard. To create fun festive throw pillows for your living room, purchase 4 yards of your favorite Christmas fabric. Start by measuring the size you want each pillow to be, and cut a piece this size out of the Christmas fabric. Lay the squares flat on top of each other with the printed sides of the material touching each other. This way the dull side of the material is facing out to you. Pin the material together. Measure 1/2 inch from the edge and sew the fabric together all the way around three sides. On the fourth side, sew across just enough until you have an opening large enough to stick your hand in. Take the pins out and stick your hand in the opening to grab an inside corner of the material. Pulling this corner through the opening will turn the material right side out, so the silk is now on the outside. Next, stuff the material with batting through the opening until it feels firm enough to your liking. To close the pillow off and finish, tuck the material and circle stick it all the way closed. This will hide all of your seams and leave you with beautiful home made Christmas throw pillows.
