INTRODUCTION
Hi there crafty lady. I am taking some liberties here and am assuming you’re female, since my tutorials are not necessarily for men. But if you are a male and you are reading this right now, welcome to you as well! The holidays have always been my favorite time of year. Everything just feels different: happier, colder, and all around better. Full disclosure: I celebrate Christmas, but I like to use the term holidays because I think these projects, for the most part, would be appropriate no matter what holiday you actually celebrate. My parents always made a huge deal about the holidays, even as my brother and I got older. And that has stuck with me since I was a child. Now that I am 26 with a family of my own (my husband Jeff, our cat Nuggs, and our dog Luna), which does not include kids at the moment, I get into the holiday spirit more than ever: creating handmade ornaments and little decorations for the house. Hey, I have to keep myself entertained somehow on my down time, right? So, by the time November rolled around this year, I realized that I had so many project ideas for the holidays, I could make a book. And that’s exactly what I did. I’ve packed this e-book with my favorite holiday projects for the season: ideas for handmade gifts, packaging and unique wrapping ideas, and even a few projects for holiday decorations. Every tutorial, from start to finish, was designed by little old me, including all styling, product shots, and of course all the step by step instructions. About me: My name is Brittni Mehlhoff, and I am the founder of papernstitch, an exhibition site that promotes art, handmade and vintage goods. I also am the editor of a blog also called papernstitch, where I share a hodge podge of craft tutorials, handmade finds, small business advice, and inspiring interiors. My background, as it relates to crafting, is in art. I’ve been a painter for the last eight years, and I love making things with my hands. But as my business with papernstitch has grown, I’ve been moving more and more away from painting and into three-dimensional projects, like these tutorials. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have my projects featured all over internet land, on sites like Better Homes and Gardens, Design Sponge, Apartment Therapy, 100 Layer Cake, CRAFTzine, ReadyMade magazine’s blog, and more. Most recently, one of my tutorials was featured in Family Fun magazine (November 2010 issue). ...Enough about me. Let’s get down to business, and talk about these festive holiday projects...
DISCLAIMER: If you like these tutorials enough to share it with friends, I would be thrilled. But please, please, please do not post entire tutorials found in this book online (on your site, blog, etc) or anywhere else. A few pictures are totally fine, just not the full tutorials (i.e the step by step instructions). If you have any questions about this, feel free to email me at brittni(at)papernstitch(dot)com. Thanks so much!
Table of Contents
Lace Gift Boxes
4
Golden (and silver) Toy Ornaments
6
Gift Idea: Letterpress Card Journal
8
Library Lovers Gift Wrap Idea
10
NOEL Letter Blocks
11
Gift Idea: Yo-Yo Party Favor
13
Clay Ornaments with Lace Detail
14
Unravel a Love Letter this Holiday
16
More Gift Ideas
18
LACE GIFT BOXES There is not a person on the planet who can’t be impressed by beautiful packaging. And in my mind, the packaging of a gift is just as important as what’s inside. So if you want to really impress a few of your friends this year, wrap their presents in these keepsake boxes, and they’ll get two gifts in one (the gift inside and the decorative box itself). Its a win-win! Here’s what you need to make your own: 1. kraft boxes, which can be found at any hobby store 2. thin handkerchiefs with interesting patterns or textures (I used a combination of vintage linen hankies and doilies for my boxes) 3. string 4. craft glue that works with fabrics or fabric glue 5. clothespins 6. paint brush (optional)
Here’s how you make it: 1. Remove the top from your kraft box, and iron out your handkerchief so that there are no wrinkles. 2. Before you go any further, you’ll need to make sure your hankie is large enough for your box lid. You can do this by placing your hankie face down, and then placing your lid on top of the hankie in the center. Wrap the hankie around the box lid just to be sure. As long as you have about an inch of overlap when you pull the hankie underneath the lid, you should be fine. 3. If your handkerchief is large enough, you can move on to step three, which is gluing the hankie to the box. 4. Using your paintbrush or your fingers, apply the glue to the entire top and sides of the lid of the box. Place you hankie on top of the glue as centered as possible. You can move it around while everything is still wet if you don’t get it right the first time. 5. Once the hankie is secured to the top, its time to secure it to the sides. Use hospital corners to keep everything looking neatly tucked in and add additional dabs of glue where necessary. 6. Using your clothespins, clamp the hankie down on each of the four sides of the lid. Wait for the glue to dry completely before moving on to the next step. 7. Once the glue has dried completely, you are ready to finish things off by gluing the access parts of the hankie that are dangling down to the underneath of the lid. Remove the clothespins that you used to clamp the hankie down, and flip the lid over, so that the underneath of the lid is showing. 8. Glue the access fabric the same way as before. So, use your paintbrush to apply an even layer of glue to the sides in the underneath part of the lid, as well as the flat, larger area. Then press the hankie down, against the glue, one side at a time, making sure to follow the contours of the box, so it is easy to close when everything is finished. 9. Use your clothespins again as clamps to keep the fabric tight to the lid. And allow the entire lid to dry. Once dry, remove the clothespins, check to make sure the lid will indeed still fit on top of the box, and you’re done!
GOLDEN (AND SILVER) TOY ORNAMENTS If you have kids, chances are, you have a few discarded toys laying around the house. Heck, I have a huge pile of discarded toys and I don’t even have kids. The toys that were once pushed aside and forgotten, are getting new life with this golden toy ornament project. And by the way, don’t worry, if you don’t have any toys (preferably small and plastic) at home. You can easily pick up a bag at the thrift store for a couple of bucks. Or head into any grocery or hobby store, and they’ll have a whole bunch of options. Here’s what you need to make your own: (step by step photos on next page) 1. miniature plastic toys (this will not work for metal toys) of any kind- horses, dinosaurs, cars, etc 2. small eye hook screws 3. hammer 4. ribbon 5. clear gloss protective coating (I use shellac) 6. liquid gold or silver leaf 7. paint brush
Here’s how you make it: 1. Wash and dry your toys to make sure they are clean of debris. 2. Find a place at the top of your toy for the eye hook screw and using your hammer and your screw, punch a hole in it. Depending on how hard the plastic is, this may take a little time. Be careful. This is just a starter hole. 3. Next, screw in your eye hook with your hands as far as it will go. 4. Once that is done, spray the entire piece with shellac or some other protective coating. This will ensure that the paint doesn’t soak into the plastic, so less coast will be necessary and there will be less chipping later as well. 5. Wait until the coating has completely dried, and then you can begin applying your paint with a small brush. Applying the paint in thin layers works best, so you can get in to all those crack and crevices. Be sure to paint the eye hook as well, so it will blend in more. 6. Wait for paint to dry and apply a second, thin coat if necessary. 7. Wait for paint to dry and then apply a clear, gloss protective coating (again shellac works well for this). 8. Once that is dry, insert a ribbon through the eye hook. Tie it off at the desired length and your ready to hang it on the Christmas tree or box it up and give it to a friend. Take it Further. More ideas for this project: Attach these little guys to packages during the gift-giving season for a special gift tag friends and family won’t soon forget. And when the holidays are over, you can remove the ribbon and use the pendant year round for necklaces. Add a chain and its ready to wear. See how it looks on a chain right here on the blog.
GIFT IDEA: LETTERPRESS CARD JOURNAL Journals and sketchbooks are great gifts for anyone on your holiday shopping list. And if you want to make things a little more special, why not make the journals yourself? Better yet, why not make them letterpress journals? Even more impressive right? Well, they’re actually really easy to make, and it will look like you spent tons of time slaving away. Sound good? Here’s what you need to make your own: (step by step photos on next page) 1. Needle and embroidery floss 2. scissors 3. blank sheets of paper (consider using a thicker weight than standard printer paper) 4. blank letterpress cards (I chose a blind embossed eyelet lace set from Pistachio Press. look for letterpress sets with multiple cards to save even more money, and use an A2 size card 4.25 x 5.5 inches). other letterpress options can be found here on papernstitch. 5. bookbinding awl (which can be found here on amazon) 6. paper cutter (this is optional- you can easily cut the paper by hand if necessary)
Here’s how you make it: 1. Measure the letterpress cards you are using, and then with a paper cutter or a pair of scissors, cut the sheet in half horizontally. Now you have two halves of paper that are of equal size. 2. Trim about 1/4 inch off of your newly cut sheets all the way around the edges. Then fold sheets in half (hamburger style this time) and stick the pages inside your letterpress card. 3. Trim any excess so that it fits neatly into your letterpress card. There shouldn’t be too many problems with that though since we already trimmed the pages before folding them in half. 4. Next, turn to the middle section of your newly formed booklet. Using a stab or bookbinding awl, create three evenly spaced holes down the spine of your booklet. 5. Use your needle and thread or embroidery floss to go through the three holes as if you are binding a book (see image to right for guidance). Then tie the thread or embroidery floss off and cut off any excess. That’s it. All done.
LIBRARY LOVERS GIFT WRAP IDEA Take a trip to any gift supply store, and you’ll find a stockpile of generic wrapping papers to choose from. But you’re not generic. So, here’s another idea for wrapping gifts this year. Perfect for librarians and book lovers alike. Here’s what you need to make your own: 1. brown kraft box 2. vintage library cards with envelope pocket 3. string or embroidery floss 4. craft glue Here’s how you make it: 1. Attach the envelope pocket to the top of the box with craft glue and wait for it to dry. 2. Write a note on the library card and stick it into the envelope pocket. 3. Wrap string or embroidery floss around the box several times and tie it in to a bow. All done. Take it further. More ideas for this project: Don’t have a kraft box to use? No problem. Use a brown paper bag from the grocery store. Cut it so its flat and cover a box you already have. And if you want to add some extra flare, just create a paper holiday ornament on your computer (a circle with a little rectangle on top will do the trick). Print it out and cut to shape. Then tuck it underneath the string.
NOEL LETTER BLOCKS This is a fun and easy project that you can get the kids involved with, if you’d like. You only need a few supplies and the finished product is oh-so-cute. Of course, you can create whatever saying you’d like here. This is really customizable for any phrase, name, or holiday. Here’s what you need to make your own: 1. ABC wooden blocks, which can be found on amazon right here 2. metallic sharpie paint pens 3. craft glue (optional) Here’s how you make it: 1. Decide what message you would like to create with your wooden blocks. Grab each letter and put the blocks in the proper order, face up. 2. Shake your paint pen according to the directions and begin filling in the boarders and letters for each block. 3. Wait until blocks are completely dry and apply a second coast if necessary. 4. Finish them off by painting the other
sides that are not yet painted in a solid color of your choosing. I used the same two colors (silver and copper) for all of my wooden blocks. 5. At this point, if you’d like to glue the blocks together to create one, solid piece, now is when you should break out the glue. Just a few dabs on the sides that will be touching should so the trick. No need to overdo it. Personally, I like to keep my blocks free, so I can re-arrange them whenever I’d like. Gift Idea: An entire A-Z hand-painted block set would make for a wonderful gift for a child during the holidays. If the blocks are left unglued, kids can create their own messages.
GIFT IDEA: YO-YO PARTY FAVOR Yo-Yos aren’t just for kids. Adults love them too. So, if you’re throwing a dinner party this holiday season, why not include a special gift like this for your guests. Bonus: This yo-yo converts to a clever place card at the table by customizing each one with first names. Here’s what you need to make your own: 1. wooden yo-yo (I picked up a whole bunch of pre-finished ones from target for just a buck) 2. silver leaf or gold leap paint 3. sandpaper (fine grit) 4. Shellac spray 5. paint brush Here’s how you make it: 1. Sand you yo-yo so that the paint will stick to the wood easily. 2. Wipe clean of any debris and then spray the entire yo-yo with shellac. This will seal the wood, so the paint doesn’t absorb into the material. 3. After the shellac is dry, paint the yo-yo with a small brush. 4. Wait until dry and add another coat. 5. Once that is dry, you are ready to decorate it however you choose. 6. Spray with shellac one more time after paint has finished drying.
CLAY ORNAMENTS WITH LACE DETAIL These cute clay ornaments are addictive. Make one, and you’ll make five. Guaranteed. Here’s what you need to make your own: 1. oven bake or air dry clay (I used super sculpey. You can also get colorful oven bake clays if you prefer.) 2. rolling pin 3. top coat or finishing spray (I used spray shellac) 4. string, embroidery floss, or thread of some kind 5. a textured piece of fabric that has the look of lace, such as a doily, that can be pressed into clay to produce a pattern 6. sharp object to poke hole through hardened clay (I recommend a bookbinding awl) 7. kitchen knife or clay cutting tool optional items: 8. acrylic paint 9. cookie cutters in various shapes Here’s how you make it: (step by step photos on next page) 1. Warm up a golf ball to baseball size clump of clay in your hands and then roll it out with a rolling pin to to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. 2. Using a clay cutting tool or a regular knife, carve a heart, oval, or other shape. Or use one of your optional materials, like a cookie cutter, to cut out fun shapes quickly and easily. 3. Press your fabric into the clay hard enough to see a visible pattern in the clay when you remove the fabric. This may take a couple of tries to get right. Experimenting with different kinds of textiles is recommended. I used small linen doilies that had a raised pattern for my ornaments. 4. Poke a hole in the top of each ornament using a bookbinding awl or another sharp object. make sure the hole goes all the way through the clay. 5. Bake in the oven, following instructions. Or if using air dry clay, let dry for 24 hours. 6. Once the clay has cooled and/or dried out, punch out the hole at the top of each ornament again if it has shrunken up at all, using your bookbinding awl or another sharp object. Just make sure the hole is big enough to put your string through at the end. 7. If you’ve chosen a non-colored or undesirable clay color, you are now ready to paint with water-based acrylics, if you would like. Another option would be to simply seal in the natural color with clear nail polish, which works like a charm. 8. Once that has finished drying, poke your string through the hole and tie it off at your desired length. Now, its ready for hanging.
Take it further. More ideas for this project: Use rubber stamps to create a message in your clay before you put it in the oven for a completely custom look. Or skip the holes all together for a cute keepsake that can be given as a gift (see the heart ampersand below for an example of this).
UNRAVEL A LOVE LETTER THIS HOLIDAY Tell a loved one how you feel about them this holiday with a unique letter that they’ll have to unravel to read. Makes a great keepsake. Here’s what you need to make your own: 1. fabric or medium width ribbon (length will vary depending on length of message) 2. wooden spool 3. rubber letter stamps 4. stamp pad 5. craft glue Here’s how you make it: 1. Cut a long strip of fabric about 1.5 wide and at least one yard long depending on how long you want your letter to be. Or use a medium width ribbon instead of fabric (cotton webbing works great). 2. Leave a couple of inches on the end of the fabric strip blank and then begin stamping your message. 3. Once your message is complete, glue the start of the message (the area that you left blank at the beginning) to the spool using craft glue. Ravel your message around the spool. And you’re done. * If you want to be really clever, you can stamp the message backwards, so that it reads as the message is being unraveled.
MORE GIFT IDEAS We are coming to the end of the tutorials. But I didn’t want to leave you without a couple more inspiring (bonus) gift ideas for the holidays. Here are my favorites from the papernstitch blog. Polaroid Magnet Frames: A great gift for the photographer in your life. For the full tutorial, click here.
Vintage Clutch Makeover: For the lady that loves all things vintage and unique, here’s a diy that gives new life to an old vintage clutch. Make the old new again! And then give it as a gift. For the full tutorial, click here. I hope you’ve enjoyed these tutorials as much as I did. Thanks again for picking up a copy of The Happy Holidays gift guide to diy. For even more diy projects, please visit the tutorials page on the papernstitch blog. And if you’re tired of making crafts yourself (let’s face it, it can be a little exhausting after a while), visit papernstitch.com for handmade goods, artwork, and vintage items you’ll love. -Brittni Mehlhoff (papernstitch)