Youngs - Christmas crafting in no time: 50 step-by-step projects and inspirational ideas

Christmas CRAFTING In No Time Christmas CRAFTING In No Time step-by-step projects and inspirational ideas CLARE YOUNGS Published in 2011 by CICO Books An imprint of Ryland Peters & Small Ltd 2021 Jockeys Fields 519 Broadway, 5th Floor London WC1R 4BW New York, NY 10012 www.cicobooks.com 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Text Clare Youngs 2011 Design and photography CICO Books 2011 The authors moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress and the British Library. eISBN: 978-1-908862-30-3 ISBN 978 1 907563 78 2 Printed in China Copy editor: Katie Hardwicke Designer: Christine Wood Photographers: Claire Richardson, James Gardiner, and Kate Davis Stylists: Clare Youngs and Sophie Martell Illustrator: Michael Hill Contents There is no better time to get creative than at Christmas. Trimming the tree, decking the hall, setting the Christmas dinner tableall present wonderful opportunities to get crafty and create a sparkling, warm, and welcoming festive home.

There is something magical about the festive season. Unpacking the decorations evokes memories of Christmases past and stirs all the feelings of wonder and excitement that we felt as children. It is a time to take a break from our hectic lifestyles and enjoy the simpler things in life, like spending time with our friends and family. Making decorations together is all part of that special time. One of my familys prettiest trees was created in a Christmas away from home, with a tree made from twigs and leaves dragged from the woods and festooned with homemade decorations created from paper, twigs, and ribbons. Children love to be involved with the preparations, whether transforming the home into a winter wonderland or helping out in the kitchen in the days leading up to Christmas.

Youll find several projects in the following pages that you can sit and make together, and many that will be loved and treasured as gifts for them to discover under the tree or spilling from hand-stitched stockings. It is thoroughly enjoyable spending time making gorgeous gifts for loved ones. Gift wrap, greetings cards, sumptuous and stylish table settings with individual place names and handmade crackers, are all personal touches that your friends and family will really appreciate, too, and you will have the immense satisfaction of having created something stunningly beautiful with your own hands. So get the children involved, put on some Christmas music, get stuck in, and create a truly individual and totally gorgeous homemade Christmas! This stunning mirrored card wreath makes a stylish alternative to more traditional Christmas decorations and would make a striking focal point in a contemporary setting. Make some extra flowers and scatter them along the center of the dining tableset among glowing candles, they will reflect and shimmer in the changing light. materials Tracing paper and card Pencil Scissors 4 sheets of mirrored silver card Craft knife Cutting mat Blunt knife Piece of foam board Glue Copy the petal and flower center templates on ).

Cut the shapes out to use as templates. Place the petal template on the back of the mirrored card and draw around it to make rows of petals. You need 60 in total and you should be able to get approx. 17 on a standard-sized sheet. Cut out the petals. Lay out six petals in a flower shape, so that the petals are equally spaced and the ends completely overlap each other. Lay out six petals in a flower shape, so that the petals are equally spaced and the ends completely overlap each other.

Make a small slit in the top petal with a craft knife, using the template as a guide. Remove the top petal and put it to one side. On the petal beneath, you will see an impression of the slit you made from the first petal. Use this as a guide to cut a slit in the second petal. Continue, making a small slit in each petal. The position of the slit will move diagonally as you go through the petals.

When laying them to one side, keep the petals in the correct order, to help when you slot them together in step 6. Go over each slit with the craft knife to enlarge the slit to approx. in. (1mm) wide. Score a line above each slit with a blunt knife, across the width of the petal, and bend the petal upward. Take a center piece and slot the petals on one by one in reverse order, to make a flower.

Repeat steps 36 to make ten flowers in total.