Kids Craft Project - Beaded Wreath Holiday Ornaments

When our daughter was a little girl, we spent a weekend afternoon crafting up some really cute holiday wreath ornaments using beads and lace. You can find the craft supplies listed for this project at your neighborhood craft supply store in the general supplies area of the store.

This is a great project to do with older children who are age 5 and over with some adult supervision. Over the years, I have even done this project with local school groups, scouting troops, after-school programs and youth groups.

Materials Needed For Each Completed Ornament:

6" piece of pipe cleaner (I used clear ones and they are also called chenille stems)

16" to 18" piece of red flat edge lace that is 1" in width

1 package of green plastic tri-beads

1 package of clear plastic tri-beads

1 flocked teddy bear measuring approximately 1 1/4" tall

4" piece of gold metallic cord or gold metallic string

all-purpose quick-drying liquid craft glue

sharp scissors

24" or longer ruler

Note: When you purchase the flat edge lace (non-gathered lace) look for a pattern that has a hole that runs along the edge so that you can thread your pipe cleaner through it. The best type of lace to use also has a scalloped edge that runs along the outer edge.

Step 1: Cut off a 6" piece of pipe cleaner and a 16" to 18" piece of lace and set aside. If doing this as a group project, this step can be done ahead of time by a responsible adult.

Step 2: Slightly pinch one end of clear pipe cleaner and then thread on a green plastic tri-bead. Start threading on your lace followed up by a clear plastic tri-bead. You will want to continue this pattern for the length of your pipe cleaner. (green bead, lace, clear bead).

Step 3: Once you have the pipe cleaner filled up with beads and lace, shape it into a circle and twist the two pipe cleaner ends together. It should look like a round wreath.

Step 4: Glue the flocked teddy bear onto the wreath as shown in the picture. (he should look like he is sitting inside it). Finally, take a 4" piece of gold metallic cord and thread through the lace at the top and form a knotted loop so that it can be hung on your holiday tree.

Tip: If you can not find flocked miniature teddy bears, you can glue artificial flowers into the center or around the sides of the wreath to fancy it up.

Shelly Hill is a mother and grandmother living in Pennsylvania who enjoys crafting, beading, crocheting and scrapbooking. You can visit Shelly's online craft blog called Passionate About Crafting at http://passionateaboutcrafting.blogspot.com for free craft project ideas and tips. You can find a photo of the completed project on her blog at http://passionateaboutcrafting.blogspot.com/2009/11/kids-craft-project-beaded-wreath.html

Kids Craft Project - Easy Beaded Felt Holiday Tree Ornaments

When my nieces and nephews come to my home to spend an afternoon, they always look forward to crafting with me. I try to pick out easy projects for all of us to do together. We were able to create several of these felt tree ornaments in just a few hours.

What is really great about this particular project is that children ages 7 and up can make them with some adult supervision. All of the supplies that you will need are readily available at your local craft or fabric store. If you are a proficient crafter like myself, you might have all of the supplies already on hand.

Once you complete these beaded ornaments, you can use them to hang on your holiday tree, off a garland, on a wreath or as package toppers. This is also a great project for the kids to do and they can give them out to family members and to their teachers.

Supplies You Will Need:

Green Craft Felt

Various Round Plastic Beads (various colors and size but no larger than 4 mm)

All-Purpose Liquid Craft Glue

Sewing Needle and Dark Green Sewing Thread

Wooden Dowel Sticks (1/8" diameter by 3" long)

Sharp Scissors

Disappearing Ink Marker (for tracing pattern)

Pattern: Simple triangle shape measuring 3 3/4" tall by 2 3/4" wide cut from paper and used as your template.

Step 1: Trace your triangles onto green colored felt and cut out. You will need two green triangles for each ornament that you make.

Step 2: Center your wooden dowel onto one piece of felt, leaving 1 1/2" of the dowel sticking out beyond the felt to resemble a tree trunk. Use a little glue to glue it into place and set aside to dry.

Step 3: Using dark green thread, hand sew various color and sized beads onto the front of one of your triangles.

Step 4: Sandwich the two triangles together (the one with the beads and the one with the wooden dowel). Using a sewing needle and dark green thread, whip stitch around the entire tree's edges, being careful to not pull the stitches too tightly.

Step 5: Use a piece of thread and attach it to the top of the tree for a hanging loop. (I like to double my thread so its a little more sturdier).

Your little beaded felt tree ornaments are now ready to be hung onto your holiday tree.

Shelly Hill is a mother and grandmother living in Pennsylvania who enjoys crafting, sewing, crocheting and scrapbooking. You can visit Shelly's online craft blog called Passionate About Crafting at http://passionateaboutcrafting.blogspot.com for free craft project ideas and tips. You can find a photo of the completed project on her blog at http://passionateaboutcrafting.blogspot.com/2009/11/easy-beaded-felt-holiday-tree-ornaments.html

Kids Craft Project - Beaded Felt Lollipop Holiday Tree Ornaments

When it comes to making holiday crafts with my children, one of my favorite crafting materials to use is felt. These felt lollipop holiday tree ornaments are easy to make, take only a few basic craft supplies and work up quickly.

Since there is some hand sewing and beading with this project, I recommend ages 7 and up with some adult supervision.

Supplies You Will Need:

Craft Felt (red, white and green)

Multi-Colored Plastic Seed Beads

White Sewing Thread and Sewing Needle

4" long by 1/8" diameter Wooden Dowel Sticks

All-Purpose Liquid Craft Glue

Sharp Scissors

6" Piece Satin 1/4" Wide Ribbon

Pattern: Cut out a 4" diameter circle from paper. We used the bottom of a drinking glass to get our circle. You will use this circle as your template pattern.

Step 1: Trace your pattern onto the white piece of craft felt. You will need two white circles per lollipop. Trace your pattern onto red or green felt and cut out. Now using that colored felt, cut swirls into the felt (see photo for example).

Step 2: Lay your swirl colored felt design on top of one white felt circle. Using a sewing needle and white thread, randomly hand sew on colored seed beads to represent lollipop sprinkles. (make sure you knot your thread on the reverse side of the felt).

Note: As you are hand sewing on the seed beads, you are also attaching the swirl felt piece to the top of the white round circle. If desired, you can decorate both white felt pieces with colored felt swirls and seed beads.

Step 3: Using some craft glue (just a little bit), glue the wooden dowel to the other white felt circle leaving 3" hang past the circle. This will serve as your lollipop stick. Let this dry for a few minutes before proceeding to the next step.

Step 4: Place the two white felt circles together (like a sandwich). Using white thread and a sewing needle, whip stitch around the edges of both white felt circles. (you are attaching the front piece to the back piece).

Step 5: Cut off a 10" piece of white thread and double it. Thread it through the top of your ornament and tie into a knot. Take a piece of satin ribbon and tie a bow around the handle of your lollipop. You can now hang your ornament on a holiday tree.

You will want to let your ornaments try before using them.

Shelly Hill is a mother and grandmother living in Pennsylvania who enjoys sewing, quilting, crafting and scrapbooking. You can visit Shelly's online craft blog called Passionate About Crafting at http://passionateaboutcrafting.blogspot.com for free craft project ideas and tips. You can find a photo of the completed project on her blog at http://passionateaboutcrafting.blogspot.com/2009/11/kids-craft-project-beaded-felt-lollipop.html