Switching things up today with a first for the blog – a DIY post!
It's been almost a year since I started Forks on the Right (where has the time gone?), and I'm pretty happy with myself for not giving up on the whole blog thing. I've enjoyed it and I hope you have too. I've got some new plans in store for 2015 (more details to come later), but consider this a preview for what's to come.
Today I've got a few Christmas DIY projects that will have you wanting to stay home for the holidays (or throw a party just to share the spirit with others).
Today I've got a few Christmas DIY projects that will have you wanting to stay home for the holidays (or throw a party just to share the spirit with others).
1. Merry & Bright Wreath
SUPPLIES:
· Wreath
· Christmas Greenery
· Yarn
· Fabric
· Paint
What's Christmas without a wreath to decorate your door? I opted for an already assembled twig wreath (but you could even make that from scratch if your little heart desires) and dressed it up with red & silver Christmas berries and frosted greenery . Then I took some scrap fabric and cut out triangles, painted "Merry & Bright" on them, and strung red yarn through the little flags. Absolutely loving the finished result and the entire project cost under $20! I purchased all the supplies at Michael's (check online for coupons before you make your trip). Plus the paint and yarn came in handy for a few other Christmas projects on my list! Keep reading...
2. Christmas Canvas
SUPPLIES:
· Canvas
· Paint
· Paintbrushes
· Pencil
Up next: a festive Christmas quote to deck the walls! I've seen so many great Christmas printable on Pinterest, so I decided to create my own version. I had an extra canvas and already had paint from the wreath...all I needed was a Christmas quote. Choosing a quote was the hard part, so I had Zack help me narrow it down. We decided on one of our favorite "Elf" quotes, a holiday movie staple for us. "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!" The runner up: "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, but if the white runs out I'll drink the red."
First thing I did was write the quote in pencil (and shaped it like a Christmas tree). Then I painted the entire canvas red. Once it dried I used white to paint the words (you could see the penciled words through the red paint). Other ideas for this project: used chalkboard paint or even a block of wood instead of canvas. Tons of possibilities.
3. Stocking Tags
SUPPLIES:
· Yarn
· Cardboard
· Safety Pin
· Double Sided Tape
· Scissors
If you're looking for the easiest DIY ever, then this one is for you. I just bought Zack and I Christmas stockings, and even though I intended on buying us different stockings, I just really loved the plaid so they ended up matching. Anyway, I saw these little "initial tags" that could be pinned on the stocking, and I thought it was a great idea to tell them apart. They were only $3.00, but they didn't have the letter "C" (yes, they had "Z"), plus I knew I could make them for much cheaper. Challenge accepted. I went home, cut our initials out of cardboard from a shoe box, covered the cardboard with double sided tape, wrapped them in my leftover red yarn, and safety pinned them to the stockings. Mission accomplished.
4. Oh Christmas Tree
SUPPLIES:
· Christmas Tree
· Paint
· Polyurethane Clear Gloss Spray
· Twine
SUPPLIES:
· Christmas Tree
· Paint
· Polyurethane Clear Gloss Spray
· Twine
And finally, we've arrived at the Christmas tree. Tons of crafting opportunities there. You can really let your mind run wild with ornament ideas, but I'm going to share one today that I've been planning on for a while: an ornament made from our first tree! Even if it's not your first tree, you could still do this with your tree and decorate it however you want! When you are buying your tree just ask them to cut an extra slice for you to keep. After you paint it, spray a clear polyurethane coating over it to protect it and give it a nice shine. Our tree already had a little hole in it which made hanging it really simply, but you can drill your own hole in yours and it's good to go!
Now you've got less than 20 days till Christmas, so it's your turn to get crafting! And keep in mind all the ways you can save money by recycling and reusing items you already have. I know the red yarn and paint will come in handy once again when I start wrapping presents. And I'd love to hear your DIY Christmas projects with me so feel free to share them!
XO – Courtney
