Published: 28 November 2016
Deck the halls with…homemade decorations! It’s the perfect time of year to get creative. Making gifts for friends & family is a lovely thing to do but why not put your skills to good use in your home too. Here are some ideas to get you inspired.
Candles fight the winter chill and fill your home with a cosy glow. Instead of spending a fortune on candle holders why not make your own. It’s really easy to do. Here’s one idea to try: Carefully cut your design out of sticky back plastic or tape using a craft knife. Stick your design to a jar. Spray the whole jar with your paint of choice. Chalkboard paint gives a modern edge and leaves your design as a window to your candle within. When a candle is placed inside, your design will be brought to life. These make for great gifts too.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to making your own wreath. Start with an old wire hanger and bend it in to a loop, keeping the hook at the top ready for hanging. Now you can basically tie or glue anything you like to the ring to build up your very own wreath. (You can also use Styrofoam ring as the base for you design.) Baubles add a modern twist to the traditional wreath. They can be looped and tied straight on to the wire or glued in place on the foam ring. The finished look is really effective and you can bring it out year after year. For those with a sweet tooth try building a wreath design using your favourite wrapped chocolates. It’s a great way to greet guests if you’re planning a party.
A classic. All you need for this one is some crisp white paper and a pair of scissors. Fold the paper in half and then half again, a snip here, a snip there and repeat. Et voila! You’ll have yourself a set of pretty paper snowflakes. These look brilliant hanging in windows, from the ceiling, on the tree or wherever you like. You don’t have to be too particular over the designs. After all, no two snowflakes are the same.
Glitter makes anything - and we mean anything - look festive. Try this: get the PVA out and delicately dust artificial fruit and flowers with the glitter for a frosted finish. Arrange your flowers in pretty vases and spritz with a scented room spray. Your home will look and smell amazing.
Dreaming of the crackle of a log fire? Now you can fake it. Many smart TVs have an app which simulates the look and sound of a fireplace. Okay, we know it’s not quite the real deal but it really does give your home that cosy glow. Try it out while you deck the halls.
These tree decorations not only look good, they taste great too. We’re talking stained glass biscuits. Start with a basic biscuit dough. Roll it out and cut it into your desired shapes. Cut a shape out in the centre of each biscuit. Place a hard boiled sweet in the centre and bake. The sweet will melt to form a pretty stained glass effect. It’s a fantastic one to do with the kids. They can choose the sweets for the windows and help hang the biscuits on the tree.
Centre of attention
Dress your table for all those festive frivolities. A centrepiece will transform any table. Fill a big glass bowl with red, white and green sweets or the ones in the gold wrapper (enjoyed by ambassadors, you know the ones!) This also looks great with baubles in a variety of sizes and colours. Candles also work brilliantly. Mix and match your holders or customise your own – read on for more candle inspiration.
Whether you choose to go all-out-DIY or mix and match your homemade with your shop bought, we hope you can draw inspiration from these tips. Set aside time to make your own decorations and you really will feel a sense of acomplishment when you can show off your own creations. You'll save yourself some money too, and that's never a bad thing in our eyes!
