written by threadslinger

Every year in college around the holidays my friends and I would have a night where we made graham cracker houses. Why not gingerbread you ask? Well, graham crackers are cheaper, take less effort and honestly, the fun of the houses is eating all the candy you stack on them anyway!This is a great craft for children and adults. Here is a quick tutorial for the materials you would need to make your very own graham cracker houses.

Materials needed

-Graham crackers (1 box makes about 3 normal houses)
-Lots of frosting (I usually put it in a plastic baggy and cut a hole in one of the corners for easy squeezing)
-Candies! Get creative here but the best kinds are:
- Gum drops
- Mini candy canes
- Licorice ropes (ie twizzlers pull n peel)
- Various hard candies
- Marshmellows
- Apple rings
- Chocolate kisses
- Powered Sugar (to sprinkle like snow on your house!

Directions

1. Construct your house using the frosting as the glue that holds it all together.
2. Decorate your face off!
3. Eat your house before it turns gross. Yay for the holidays!

written by threadslinger

Even though Thanksgiving is over I think that this recpie so so dang good that you will want to make it just because. This is clearly one of those “this is holidays so I will allow myself to eat this” desserts cause diet it is not. But, it is very delicious. And good for people who like pumpkin but don’t want to o.d on it.

Ingredients

3 packages cream cheese (8oz) at room temperature
1 Cup Sugar
1 teaspoon groung cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup solid-packed pumpkin
1 graham cracker pie crust

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. To make filling, Mix cream cheese and sugar for 3 minutes on medium speed. Add the cinnamon, ginger, cardoman and nutmeg. On medium speed add the whipping cream and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition and scraping the bowl. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined

3. Add to prepared pan. Put pie pan in a larger pan (like a roast pan) and put in the oven add boiling water half way up the sides of the pie pan.

4. Bake for 60 Minutes. Turn off the oven heat and open door slightly. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for an hour.

Store refrigerated

written by threadslinger

I made these ornaments last year and they were fun and very simple to make. Plus, you can really add your own touch by adjusting the size, colors or even adding some hanging beads. Here is a quick tutorial to show you how to make your own.

Materials needed

Yarn
Bendable Cardboard (I found that cereal box works best)
Scissors
Decorative Paper
Tape
Glue
Crochet hook
Beads or any other embellishing desired.

Directions

1. Cut out three rounded edge diamond shapes from the cereal box cardboard. You can cut different sizes to make different shapes.

2. Cut out paper to cover the cardboard that is the same shape. Glue to the cardboard.

3. Tape together the diamonds starting on the sides and moving up to the point. It will form a 3-D diamond shape eventually. Don’t worry about it showing too much tape because you are going to cover this with yarn.

4. Make a single crochet chain long enough to go along the edges of the ornament. Then glue around the edges.

5. Now decorate as desired, have fun with it! I am planning on making more this year with dangling beads or maybe modge podge a few. Happy ornament making!

written by marieann

I know it’s too late for this year, but google will direct people here next Halloween. I made this t-shirt octopus costume for the Etsy contest (I didn’t win but I was featured!). This concept is really simple to work with and I’m sure you could think of lots of other ideas too. I love having the t-shirt as the base and just attaching stuff because it makes for a quick dressing (just slide on the shirt) and is relatively cheaply made. I got lots of smiles when I wore this out to our local Halloween bash (the kiddos loved it!)

Materials:
T-Shirt
Scrap fabrics

Tools:
Sewing machine
Scissors
Glue

Instructions:
1. Design something! I spent a lot of time drawing out octopus faces and the shark for the back (see below). Whatever animal or object could be centered on a t-shirt, do it.
2. Cut out scraps of fabric to make your design and sew on with an applique stitch. I got tired of doing that with the spots so I glued them on.
3. Make stuff to attach to the outside! I attached tentacles out of purple tubes stuffed with newspapers. You could do anything like a tail, leaves, legs, etc.

written by marieann

I know this would have been more useful over a month ago, but I couldn’t post here before the holiday because then my mom would have seen her Valentines’ Day card. After all, this card could easily be given for other holidays and there’s no reason why you can’t just tell someone you love them on any day. So here’s a not-too-difficult but very cool looking card. There are obviously lots of ways you can personalize this and make it your own, so do it!

Supplies
Fabric scraps
Thread
Cardstock

Tools
Sewing machine
Clear glue
Stick pin

Instructions:
1. Make a small quilt block. You can choose any pattern or style but here I did a twist on the Log Cabin pattern. You can also make a crazy pattern too if you’d like using a more scrappy style. It should be a square. Be sure to press all the seams open.
2. Draw a heart pattern that you like that almost fills your block. Pin to the quilt block and cut out.
3. Pin to a piece of cardstock larger than your heart.
4. Satin stitch around the heart. This means that you take your zig zag stitch and decreased the width and height so that it makes more of a solid line. You will probably want to sew around the entire heart twice to fill in the stitches even more.
5. Sew using a special stitch across the top of your card and along the bottom too for some more prettys.
6. Using a straight pin, poke your loose threads thru the cardstock to the inside of the card.
7. Glue another piece of cardstock in the inside to cover the loose threads.

written by threadslinger

I decided to do one post featuring the recepies I included in my holiday baked goodies that I gave to my co-workers and a few select friends. Many of these recepies are passed down from my mother, grandmother and aunts and all of them are delicious.

Christmas Fudge

Ingredients
1 Cube butter
12 oz of chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 lb powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions
First, melt butter and chocolate chips together in a microwave or double boiler. In medium bowl, beat eggs and stir in powdered sugar. Add chocolate mixture to egg mixture. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Pour in 8×8 buttered pan. Let sit for about 4-5 hours and cuut into squares.

Grandmas Sugar Cookies

Ingridents
4 C Flour
2 t baking soda
2 t cream of tartar
1 t salt
1 C shortenings
1 C butter
1/2 C Sugar
1 1/2 C powdered Sugar
2 eggs
3 t vanilla

Directions
Blend together shortening, butter, sugar and powdered sugar. Then add in eggs and vanilla. Then mix in flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Bake at 350 for 10 min.

*This recepie is really big so to switch things up I made some of the cookies “stained glass cookies” which involves cutting a hole in the middle of a regular sugar cookie and placing crushed candies in the middle. When you bake it the candy will melt creating a stained glass effect. These are tricky because you have to let the cookies cool so the candy will harden but you don’t want it to cool too long or it will stick to the pan.

Peppermint Meltaways

Cookie ingredients
1/2 C powdered dugar
1 C butter
1/2 t peppermint extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 C cornstarch

Glaze ingredients
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
2 T butter
1-2 T milk
1/4 t peppermint exctract
2 to 3 drops red food coloring
Starlight candy, crushed, if desired

Directions
For cookies in large mixing bowl combine sugar, butter and extract. Beat at medium speed until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour and cornstarch. Beat until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until firm. Bake at 350 for 10-12 min

For glaze in a small bowl combine powdered sugar, butter and peppermint extract. Graduall add enough milk for desired glazing consistency. Stir in food coloring as desired. Drizzle over cookies and immediately sprinkle with crushed candy if desired.

Snowball Cookies

Ingredients
2 C flour
2 C chopped pecans
1/4 C sugar
1 C butter
1 t vanilla
Powdered Sugar

Directions
In bowl combine all ingredients except powdered sugar. Beat at low speed until well mixed. Then shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, place on cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Bake for 18 to 25 min at 325. Take out of oven, cool 5 min and roll in powdered sugar while still warm.

written by marieann

I made these little ornaments to tuck into my Christmas cards. There was an accident in the middle of the night with water (when you have a small studio, your “eating table” is a few inches from your bed) and I lost all but these three! Also, I never had time to write out cards. But if I had, I would have put these babies in there. They aren’t that hard to make but I think it’s a cute idea because you can mail them regularly in a flat envelope. Take an afternoon to make these and send your friends/family something they’ll keep on their tree to think of you.

Supplies
Ribbon
Beads
Paper — computer paper and cardstock

Tools
Markers
Hole punch
Scissors

Instructions

1. Pick a design for your ornaments. Print copies of that design onto computer paper.
2. Trim around the edges (but not right up to the edge, leave some elbow room).
3. Color your ornaments with markers. I suggest you invite your bf to help and put on Home Alone for best results.
4. When it’s all colored, glue it to the cardstock.
5. Trim closely around the ornament so you cut thru both the cardstock and the top colored image.
6. Use a holepunch to make a hole near the top. Thread ribbon thru the hole, a bead on the ribbon, and tie together.
7. Mail to your friends/family!

written by threadslinger

Now, before you get all “omg is this a country kitchen craft website? why don’t you just write instructions for how to make wooden dolls with no faces” I believe using popourri (and even a doilie) can be hip and these lighted popourri jars are a great holiday decoration or even a gift. Plus, very easy to make and inexpensive.

Materials

1 quart jar (like ones used for jam or applesauce)
1 strand 20 white lights
Bag of popurri
A doilie
Rubberband
Ribbon

Step one:
Make sure jar is clean and dry. Then place lights into jar.

Step two:
Fill jar with popurri as much as you can making sure that it goes in all the cracks.

Step 4:
Place doilie on top of jar and then secure with a rubber band.

Step 5:
Cover up rubberband with ribbon. I looped mine around a few times and then tied with a bow. Now you are finished and you can use it as a holiday decoration or give it away as a nice Christmas gift.

**I have been crafting and baking like crazy so expect a few posts for me about good holiday things to bake and create in the next few weeks.

written by threadslinger

I know seeing Santa in the title of the post may alarm you as per my previous vow to celebrate fall. It is after all still November. I am writing this post so you all can get ahead on Christmas gift ideas. Plus, Thanksgiving is over so there are technically no more fall holidays to prepare for. Over Thanksgiving weekend my mom and I made these Santa bags and plan on putting our holiday goodies in them. Its a nice alternative to the traditional tin people give away cookies in, plus they are really cute.

Materials Needed

-Red, gray,black felt (I bought red glitter felt because I like the bling, but regualr felt is fine)
-buttons
-1 inch ribbon (ribbed or plain is fine)
- White furry fabric
-Acrylic glue
-Sewing machine or extreme patience/perfect hand sewing

Step 1:
Cut all your felt pieces.

First, cut out two equal rectular sizes of the red felt (just use your best judgement for measurement, mine is like 12 inches tall, 7 wide) Then cut one red felt piece that is as long as the two sides plus the bottom of the rectangle (and about 3′ wide). This will be sewn to the other to the other and act as your sides and bottom.

Cut a black piece of felt as wide as rectangle pieces (Santa’s belt)

Lastly, cut a belt buckle out of gray felt.

Step 3: Glue “belt pieces” onto the front of bag.

Step 4: Sew buttons onto felt (either 2 or 3 depending how big they are) above belt as if they are buttons on Santa’s shirt.

Step 5: Sew bag togehter. Starting on the sides sew longer piece of felt to the front of the bag. Sew so that there is an edge on the bag (ie just sew the pieces together on the outside of the felt).

Step 6: After sewing both rectangle pieces to the longer piece it should be like a box without a top. Now sew handles to the bag. On the pieces of rectangles spaced about 3 inches apart sew ribbon onto each side.

Step 7: For final touch glue white fluff around the top of the bag and it is finished! Now bake lots of goodies to fill your cute bag with.

written by marieann

I made this hat for Sean for his Halloween Waldo costume. Everybody at the party recognized him and yelled “I found you!” This was really basic and easy. I think this would work great using fleece to make a warm winter hat. I have to apologize for the quality of these pictures. I had low batteries in my camera and so I was having a hard time shooting because there wasn’t enough juice to focus.

Supplies
Fabric; you need less than 1/4 yard
Cardboard

Tools
Scissors — both fabric and paper scissors
Sewing machine

Instructions
First, making the pomp pomp.
1. Draw and then cut out two equally sized circles from the cardboard with a donut-hole center cutout. The pomp pomp turns out to be about the same size as the circle so keep that in mind when drawing it out.

2. Hold the two circles against each other.

3. Wrap strips of fabric (or yarn) around the donuts, thru the hole, until the entire center hole if filled. I torn strips of fabric about 1/2 thick to use for this. Fabric doesn’t make as nice of a poof but I didn’t want to use any yarn. The more fabric/yarn you put the poofy-er it will be. So you can double up if you want it to be really full looking.

4. When the entire cardboard thing is full, then put your scissors between the cardboard pieces and cut around the outside of the circle until the edges are all disconnected. But be careful! Keep the cardboards squeezed together and hold on to your fabric or else it will fall off the model.

5. Put a string/fabric strip between the two cardboard pieces to tie the strings together.

6. Peel the cardboard forms off either side of the knot you just made, and wallaa! You have the pomp pomp finished

Second, make the body of the hat.

1. Measure around the head of the person who’s going to wear your hat, where you want the hat to sit. If you want it to go around the ears, be sure to take that into account. Add 1/2 inch for the seams. Cut a piece of fabric (I chose white fabric) that is this measurement long by 12 inches tall. This is your hat “body” piece.

2. Cut a second piece of that fabric (or a different color, I chose red) that is 4.5 inches wide and your measured length long. This is your brim piece.

3. Turn over, iron, and hem the long edge of one of the brim piece 1/4 inch.

4. Sew the short ends of the body piece together with a 1/4 inch seam so that you made a tube 12 inches tall. Turn this right side out and try this on your/your model’s head. If your hat is too big, then you can just sew again with a bigger seem (like 1/2 inch). Keep trying on until it fits perfectly. When it’s the correct size, turn it wrong-side out again.

5. Pin the RIGHT side of the brim piece to the WRONG side of the body piece. Be sure to line up the ends of the brim piece so that seam will line up with the body seam you’ve already made.

6. Sew around the edge (1/4 seam) but don’t so it shut. Don’t sew all the way around so that you connect the loose edges. Remember, your brim isn’t a full circle yet.

7. Now you need to sew the brim into a complete circle. Pin the edges of the band together and sew that part shut.

8. Finish the seam now so that the brim is fully connected to the body. Turn the hat inside out and iron the brim up against the hat. You might want to put a couple of small stitches in the brim so that it’s sure to keep standing up.

9. You need to try on the hat and see how “tall” you want it. That is, how much do you want the hat to stick up from your head? Trim any extra fabric.

10. Next, thread a needle and sew around the top of the hat by hand with a running stitch. When you’re finished pull the thread tight and this will gather the center together.

11. Sew the pomp pomp into the top of the hat. I put a little bit of a glue gun glue there too so that I was sure that it was held on tight.

12. Be Waldo or just warm in a fleecy winter hat.