Simple Gifts
This article was originally published in the December 2005 issue of 2TCHKeepers, the T2CHK E-Zine.
by Wardeh Harmon
‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free, ’tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, and when we find ourselves in the place just right, ’twill be in the valley of love and delight.
“Simple Gifts” ~ Shaker song, eighteenth century
I promise myself each year that I’ll strive for simplicity during the Christmas season. I contemplate what could prevent me from achieving this. Is it waiting too long for the inspiration to make plans, making too many plans for gift-giving, or underestimating how long my projects will take? Perhaps the answer, for me, is a little of each.
The three Christmas projects that follow are memorable for their simplicity and loveliness — beaded ornaments your children can practically create themselves; a button embellished candle; and a photo keepsake frame your beloved relatives will treasure. I am certain these simple projects will be easy to include in your holiday plans.
Beads-If-You-Please Ornaments
Button Candle and Starry Night Photo Keepsake Frame
I welcome your comments, questions or suggestions! Please write to me at wardeh@t2chk.org.
BEADS-IF-YOU-PLEASE ORNAMENTS
modified from “Holiday Treats: A Year-Round Celebrations Book” published by Chronicle Books
The ornaments my children and I fashioned look a little funky. We adore them this way! We used beads from old costume jewelry and thrift stores. You can also buy bags of plastic beads at a craft store. Bead shop glass beads are more expensive, but they make exquisite ornaments. Large beads of varied shapes give the best results. Each ornament requires florist wire in an 8-inch length and up to a dozen beads. You’ll have to put the glue on each end and shape the hook, but let your children string the wire with their own eclectic or symmetrical adornment.
Needed Materials
- 22-gauge florist wire
- Wire cutter
- Glass or plastic beads
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Wax paper
- Pencil
Cut florist wire into 8-inch lengths. Lay out a piece of wax paper for a work surface. Hold up a length of wire. Use a hot glue gun to put a small ball of glue at one end. Let cool. Repeat until all wires have a dot of dried glue at one end. This will hold the beads from slipping off the wire.
To make an ornament, string beads onto a wire, leaving 2 inches free at the top end to create the hook. Secure the beads in place with a drop of glue just at the last strung bead. Let it dry. Bend the unused wire around a pencil to help shape the hook into a curlicue.
BUTTON CANDLEmodified from “Gooseberry Patch Christmas” Book 3, published by Leisure Arts Publications
I am certain that you’ll make several button candles ~ definitely a few to keep for your home, but maybe even a couple to give away. Here you see an ivory candle adorned with white buttons, but why not try a red candle decorated with red buttons? I prefer the tone-on-tone, but just for fun, I glued white buttons on a green candle. The white buttons wrapped around it resemble delicate lace.
You can make several button candles and space them out on your mantel with pine boughs and berries tucked around them. For lovely simplicity, take one tall pillar adorned with buttons and let it stand alone on a silver charger candle plate. Make it “down home” by slipping a homespun cloth napkin underneath. After Christmas is over, I plan to turn mine into a spring candle centerpiece just by changing the cloth and greenery I’ve tucked around it.Needed Materials
- white or ivory pillar candle
- Assortment of white buttons
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Gold or silver glitter glue and brush (optional)
Glue one button at a time around the candle, starting at the bottom and working upward to make your desired design. Don’t let the tip of the glue gun touch the candle. Use the buttons to make designs or layer the buttons. If desired, brush a shimmer of glitter glue over the buttons.
STARRY NIGHT PHOTO KEEPSAKE FRAME
Preserving our children’s Christmas photo, I made the Starry Night Photo Keepsake Frames two years ago for our beloved relatives. Uniquely, each frame featured a different verse. The frame pictured displays the message from Isaiah 26:12: “Lord, you will establish peace for us, for you have done all our works in us.” But this is not just a great Christmas gift. I’ve created keepsake frames in many sizes and colors for numerous occasions ~ birthdays, new baby’s births, weddings, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and more.
This Starry Night frame is in navy with silver lettering. It also looks fantastic using a deep red or other deep color for the background. Instead of the stars, embellish with other doodles like hearts, flowers, snowflakes or XO’s. Try a gold pen instead of the silver. Use simple printing to which you’ve added just a few flourishes, like large, swirly first letters. Adjust the dimensions accordingly for your own frame or photo size.
Needed Materials
- Horizontally oriented photo that can be cut down to 4″ x 2.5″
- Navy cardstock, 1 sheet, 8.5″ x 11″
- White cardstock, 1 sheet, 8.5″ x 11″
- Ruler and pencil
- Straight-edge scissors
- Decorative-edge scissors
- Corner rounder (optional)
- Sticky notes
- Photo-safe glue stick
- Metallic silver pen, extra fine tip
- Clip frame, 5″ x 7″ (available at craft and discount stores)
1. With straight-edge scissors, cut a 5″ x 7″ rectangle out of navy cardstock. Using sticky note, label as A (frame background).
2. With decorative-edge scissors, cut a 4.5″ x 3″ rectangle out of white cardstock. Label as B (photo border).
3. With straight-edge scissors, cut photo down to 4″ x 2.5″. Finish corners with corner rounder, if using. Label as C (photo).
4. With decorative-edge scissors, cut a 4.5″ x 3.25″ rectangle out of white cardstock. Label as D (message border).
5. With straight-edge scissors, cut a 4″ x 2.75″ rectangle out of navy cardstock. Finish corners with corner rounder, if using. Label as E (message box).
6. Place A on a clean work surface in a vertical orientation. Using photo-safe glue stick, glue B down horizontally at the top of A, leaving 1/4″ border at top and sides. On top of B, glue C down horizontally, centering it. Glue D down horizontally at the bottom of A, leaving a 1/4″ border at bottom and sides. On top of D, glue E down, centering it.
7. With silver metallic pen, embellish A with line & dot stars. Also with silver pen, write verse message on E.
8. Insert entire collage into clip frame, following manufacturer’s instructions.
© Copyright 2005 by Wardeh Harmon. Used with permission from the author.
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