Creating gifts and decor for the holidays

One of the crosses that I created in 2007.

There are many things we can make ourselves that we can share or use to decorate our spaces. We first learn to do this when we are kids in grade school. We learn to make cards, or small Christmas trees. We then move on to creating larger works of art or crafts.

I surround myself with my art as well as that of other artists. I have countless books that I look through to get inspiration from time to time.

During Christmas you see so many things that you'd love to have, but you either don't have the space or the price seems a little rediculous. For me I have to look back and think because I know I can make something that I see for little of nothing. I usually stock up on supplies when I find a bargain so I have most of what I need.

I've always admired the angels that you see, but I'm not going to pay $24.99 or higher for something to use once a year. I thought wouldn't it be great if I designed something that I could just leave up all year round. Then you don't have to worry about where to put something as you have placed something in that spot after Christmas. If of course that is the case then make sure you take photographs and you can remember where everything was the previous year. Then you can make changes accordingly.

If you are going to make a seasonal display here are a few ideas I'd like to share. Take a jar, or grits or oatmeal box and removed the wrapping. Cover it with colorful ribbon or scrapbook paper. Fill it with your favorite candy or flowers. You can also buy some candy canes and put them all the way around and still fill it with other candy or flowers. It's a multifunctional center piece.

Back to the angel. If you take a wine bottle with a long neck you can decorate it with some felt. Depending on if you want it to be only used for Christmas or leave it up all year round pick a color that will work for any season. Felt comes in all different colors and styles. You can even find embossed or glittered felt.
Cur out your wings from cardboard and cover them with felt. You could even do two sets of wings and that way your only changing the wings for the holidays.
Take a doll head or a round wood block and glue it to the top of the wine bottle. Paint or draw on the eyes and mouth. Attach a halo and finish decorating your bottle with some sheer ribbon or fabric. This can also serve as giving you a seasonal look that can be removed after the holidays so that your angel can remain out all year round. You can create arms using colorful pipe cleaners. The possibilities are endless, just use your imagination.

You can also take a wine bottle that has a bowl shape to create the face of a Santa or an elf. After removing the label, put on some squiggly eyes, a beard, mustache and eye brows. Use the long neck at the hat. Cover it with felt and add a pom pom at the top. I've given you the tip now make the idea your own.