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With only a week between Christmas and the new year, there isn’t much time left to decorate for a New Year’s Eve bash. No worries, because I’ve got a project that’s quick and easy and is sure to add some pizazz to your party.
Repeat with a third group, there should now be six balloons in this cluster. Do the same with remaining groups, so you end up with two big clusters (each with 6 balloons).
Now, put the two clusters together and twist the necks of a couple balloons around each other. You will end up with a ball that looks like this. You can move the balloons around until the colors and shape look good. I hope that all made sense (it’s way easier than it sounds).
Set that aside for a bit and let’s start on the base. Stick your dowel into a piece of styrofoam and place it in the bottom of your vase. You may need to glue it down to keep it from tipping. Add marbles or other decorative items to fill the vase.
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This is actually a guest post I did over at Craft Gossip last year but never shared with my readers.
Don’t you love the look of over-sized pillar candles? Unfortunately, they can be quite expensive. Why not save some major bucks and make your own. I love vinyl and I go through quite a few rolls each month. So, I always have plenty of empty tubes laying around. I thought they would be perfect to make these candle.
Aren’t they cute? They are super easy to make and are made from supplies you probably already have. Here is what you will need:
Cardboard Tube (you could also use PVC pipe)
Paint
Battery Operated Candle
Styrofoam
Glue Gun and Plenty of Glue Sticks
Circle Base
Wax Paper
Greenery
Start by cutting your tube down to size. Cut it angle it to give the look of a partially burned candle.
Paint the tube. I used stencils to paint snowflakes and painters tape to create stripes. Use the top of the tube to make an indentation in the styrofoam. Then, cut out the circle (I just used a serrated kitchen knife).
Place your battery operated candle in the center of the styrofoam and trace around it. Use a knife to cut out the circle, without going all the way through. This will give the candle a place to sit, but make it accessible to turn on and off.
Put the styrofoam circle in the top of the tube and use glue it in place. Wrap a strip of wax paper around the candle and place it inside the styrofoam.
Now, the fun part…making the dripping wax. Begin applying hot glue to the top edge and sides of the tube. Go slow and squeeze hard. You can make longer drips by squeezing and not moving the glue gun. Create a “drippier” candle by adding more layers of glue.
Once the glue has completely cooled, remove the candle and wax paper. Paint all the drips and inside the candle the same color as the outside. You can also paint the top of the battery operated candle.
For the base, I covered a cardboard circle with tinfoil. Add a bag of rocks or marbles to the bottom of the tube and glue to the base
Add greenery or other Christmas decor and this candle is done!
You can make just one, or create several candles cut them at different heights to create a super-sized candle centerpiece!
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Here is the project I made.
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One of my big projects this holiday season is to build a faux mantle. I needed something dark for the back of the firebox, so I decided to try chalkboard vinyl. It’s thick and black and I thought it would be perfect. And, since chalkboard drawings are so popular right now, I thought I’d join in the fun and create some chalkboard art of my own.
The problem is, I’m not that great at free handing and I wanted something that looked good. So, when I saw this tutorial, it got me thinking I could do something similar.
Here is how I did it. I started by printing my design the size I wanted it.
Then, I flipped it over and rubbed chalk over the entire design.
I flipped it back over and placed it on my chalkboard and used the top of a pen lid to trace over the letters.
Once I finished tracing, I removed the paper and was left with a faint outline of my design.
Then, I outlined and filled everything in.
When I finished, I had this! Yeah, I kind-of love it.
My kids all asked why it says baby…apparently, they need to listen to more Christmas songs.
If you’re worried about little fingers smearing your drawing, you can spray a light coat of hairspray over the top (and don’t freak out when it pretty much disappears – it will come back).
Come back later to get the free digital file to make your own.
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