If you are still trying to come up with some last minute gifts for friends, family or neighbors, I found a few ideas that might help.  These are all fairly easy and inexpensive to make.

1) Homemade Christmas Potpourri (pictured above) – This would look so nice placed in a gift basket and then wrapped in cellophane.  Here is what you need:

• handful of dried orange slices (instructions on how to do this included in the tutorial)
• handful of small pine cones
• handful of whole cinnamon sticks
• half-dozen star anise
• basket

Here is how to make it, thanks to Homemade Gifts Made Easy! -> Christmas Potpourri Gift Tutorial

2) Christmas Cupcake in a Jar – I have heard of cookie mixes in a jar, but never the actual baked cupcake and frosting in a jar.  So cute and super yummy.  I would love getting something like this.  Thanks to According to Kelly for such a great idea!

Here is what you you will need and how to make it. -> Christmas Cupcake in a Jar Tutorial

3) Cookie Cutter Candles – This is one that the kids would love to help with! Thanks to one of my favorites sites, Family Fun, for the idea!

Here is how to make these candles, as well as 40 other great Christmas craft ideas for you to do with your kids. -> Cookie Cutter Candles Tutorial and other crafts

This year I am in need of new ideas for how to display my Christmas cards.  The standard resting place on the mantel just isn’t cutting it anymore.  If you are in the same boat, then here are three really great ideas that I found.

1) Christmas Card Shutters (pictured above) – This is fairly easy to make and shouldn’t take very long.

Supplies needed:

• 2 wooden shutters (can be found at any home improvement store)
• spray paint

To learn how to make it, check out Pearls, Handcuffs and Happy Hour.

2) Christmas Card Garland – This is still fairly simple, but will require a bit more time and supplies.

Supplies needed:

• Small wooden clothespins
• Acrylic paint & foam brush
• Various patterned papers (in Christmas colors, of course!)
• Coordinating buttons
• Decoupage medium & foam brush
• Coordinating buttons
• Hot glue gun
• 3 to 5 yards ribbon (depending on where you hang your garland)

To see the tutorial on how to make this, check out Little Birdie Secrets blog post on Make and Takes.

3) Christmas Tree Card Holder – This one requires sewing and quite a bit more of your time, but it is all so very worth it.

Supplies needed:

• One Christmas Charm Pack ( I chose Fruitcake by Basic Grey)
• 1/2 yard or one Fat Quarter solid fabric for tree trunk (I used Fruitcake – Grunge in Hot Cocoa)
• One piece of 1/4″ plywood or hardwood that is at least 32″ x 48″ (Home  Depot & Lowes sell pre-cut plywood that is 4 ft x 4 ft. You can get  two trees out of it.)
• Thin craft Batting
• 7 yards 5/8″ coordinating ribbon
• 20 Upholstery Tacks (sold at most home improvement and craft stores)
  Sawtooth picture hanger
• Staple gun
• Electric Saw

For a detailed tutorial with pictures on how to create this, check out Moda Bake Shop.

Thanks to all for such creative and wonderful ideas!

I love ice block crafts.  I have made Christmas ones and a few for every day display, but I never thought of doing one for Thanksgiving.  As I packed-up the Halloween decor today, I realized I basically have no Thanksgiving decorations.  This glass block turkey will be perfect for my mantel.

Back when I first started making glass block displays, they didn’t sell the blocks in craft stores.  You had to buy them at a home improvement store and drill a hole in the bottom yourself.  Thank goodness for craft stores!  They have made my life exponentially easier.

Here is what you need to make this Glass Block Turkey:

• Small glass block, 5.5 inch x 5.5 inch
• Brown glass enamel paint
• Black acrylic paint
• Patterned scrapbook paper in coordinating fall colors
• Orange and red paper, or orange and red acrylic paints
• wooden craft sticks (popsicle sticks)
• White glue, such as Elmer’s
• Heat resistant glue, such as a two part epoxy
• decoupage medium, such as Mod Podge
• 2 googly eyes
• scissors
• paint brush
• A string of orange Halloween lights (50 light strand works well)

Here is how to make it thanks to Crafts for All Seasons -> Glass Block Turkey Tutorial

Don’t forget your coupons as you head out to the craft store.

• Michael’s 40% off any one item (expires November 5th)
• Hobby Lobby 40% off any one item (expires Novemver 5th)