By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

There are so many uses for clothes pins from displaying greeting cards and Valentines to hanging up clothes. The only problem is that they’re boring. Decorating them is a great way to bring a little more pizazz into the home and you can even make them themed depending on what you’re using them for. It only takes a few materials and a little time to make any type of themed clothes pins you wish.

What you’ll need:

• Clothes pins
• Decorative paper
• Mod Podge
• Scissors
• Embellishments

Step 1. Cut two strips of paper that are slightly larger than each side of the clothes pin.

Step 2. Put Mod Podge on one side of the clothes pin, then press it down to the paper. Do the same for the other side. Let it dry for at least a couple of hours before moving onto the next step.

Step 3. Use the scissors to carefully trim off the excess paper. Make sure not to cut the clothespin itself.

Step 4. Choose embellishments that match the paper you used. I chose red bows because I loved how it looked combined with the black and white polka dot paper.

Step 5. Use Mod Podge to attach each embellishment to one or both sides. Don’t attach it near the ends of the clothes pin; opt for the center. Press each embellishment down for a few seconds to ensure it sticks, then let it dry for a few hours without moving it.

By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!

As design blog readers will no doubt know, the beginning of the year comes with not only resolutions and de-holidaying the house, it also comes with a color. A Pantone color of the year to be precise. Each year the art marker company declares a color or colors that will dominate, or at least show up regularly, in the years color schemes. 2012, it seems, it the year of Tangerine Tango, and it’s already everywhere.

Oranges have been making quite a comeback in the past few years, both in the design and the craft worlds and it’s the perfect color to help transition from winter to spring, especially in your crafting.

These citrus toned pom-poms scream warmer weather and look almost good enough to eat. String them into a bunting or gather them up like a bouquet to add a pop of color to your house.

This painted chandelier is nothing short of fantastic and as simple as a can of spray paint and a cast of light fixture. Check out the tutorial for the project.

Create your perfect shade of bright orange yarn with a summer staple! Kool Aid makes an excellent dye for natural fibers and mixing flavors results in a myriad of colors and shades.

Check out our Craft Trends Pinboard for some more Tangerine Tango ideas and tell us what you’ll be using the shade for this crafting year.

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

Whether you want to make Valentine’s Day decor for yourself or to give a loved one, creating a heart candle holder is a great option. The neutral colors also make it ideal regardless of the color scheme in your home. It’s an easy project for any age and it requires spending little money.

What you’ll need:

• Square glass candle holder
• Small round filled glass candle holder
• Small pebbles
• Mod Podge
• Gold or silver glitter glue
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Dictionary pages

Step 1. Choose the pages to cut your hearts from. I opted for antique French dictionary pages. Draw four hearts on the pages, then cut them out.

Step 2. Use the Mod Podge to adhere one heart to each side of the square glass candle holder.

Step 3. Choose a small round glass candle holder that is already filled with a candle, then place it inside the square candle holder.

Step 4. Put small pebbles all around the round candle holder until it reaches almost to the top.

Step 5. Put gold glitter glue along the top edge of the square candle holder, then smooth it out so it’s not a thick layer. Use the glue to make an outline around each heart. Let it dry completely before using.

By DCWV Diary

We can’t forget about Valentines Day! It’s one of my favorite days to craft for. I created a darling decoration this weekend using our Be Mine Stack.

 It is gorgeous and a timeless, classic, gorgeous Valentines line.

 Look how pretty a plaque of wood can be! I found this new easel and have decided to craft something for it for each season. I had my husband cut me a scrap piece of wood leftover from a project. It is about 10 inches wide and 12 inches tall. I painted it and then sanded & stained it.

I used doilies and paper from the Be Mine Stack to make a 3D decoration. I folded the hearts in half and hot glued them down right on the folded part. I hand cut the hearts with pinking sheers because I didn’t want them to be perfect! I love how it turned out. I painted the “love” but you could also add alphabet stickers instead. Something about Valentines and handmade things just make me smile

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

Valentine’s Day flowers are lovely, but they’re also expensive and they die shortly after you buy them. A better option is to make paper flowers for yourself or to give as a gift. However, make small centerpieces instead of making a bouquet. It may sound complicated, but all you need is a little patience and a handful of inexpensive items.

What you’ll need:

• Tissue paper
• Mod Podge
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Short glass jar candle

Step 1. Cut tissue paper into squares. The smaller the squares the smaller the flowers. I cut each square into 5 inch pieces and alternated between using red tissue paper and one that’s heart-patterned.

Step 2. Take each square and fold it into a triangle. Follow that up by folding each triangle in half, then in half again.

Step 3. Hold each triangle so the fold faces to the left, then cut off the top of the triangle so you form a curve at the top.

Step 4. Next, cut off the lower point at a curve.

Step 5. Open up the triangles; each piece should look like a flower that’s missing the center.

Step 6. Make a cut in each piece from the top of the petal to the center so they are no longer solid pieces.

Step 7. You’ll notice the pieces have creased sections which is going to help with gluing the flowers together. Take one section and overlap the two ends until it’s the size you want for the outer layer. Don’t glue the ends down; instead, glue down the second or third section in.

Step 8. Repeat Step 7 for each layer until you get to the center. As you go along, make the layers smaller and put a small drop of glue on the bottom of each layer so they stick together.

Step 9. To make the center piece, roll one of the layers into a cone shape. Put a small drop of glue on the sides of the point, then stick it through the center of the flower layers. Pinch the layers around the point so they curve in.

Step 10. After the flower dries, place it on top of a glass candle holder. Opt for a candle whose coloring complements the colors of the flower.

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

Valentine’s Day turns out so many pretty decorations. If you’d like to create some of your own, make hanging heart garland to hang on your walls or in your windows. The great thing about them is that they add decor without taking up too much space or blocking your view if you’re hanging them in windows.

What you’ll need:

• Scissors
• Patterned paper
• Bows
• Mod Podge
• Ruler
• Ribbon
• Large heart punch

Step 1. Decide how long you want each strand of garland, then cut a ribbon for each strand you want to make.

Step 2. Punch out one large heart for every three inches of space on the ribbon.

Step 3. Place the heart about 3″ down from the top of the ribbon, place it over the ribbon, then use a dot of Mod Podge to attach the two together. Keep attaching hearts every three inches until you get to the end.

Step 4. Put one small bow in between each heart. Use a dot of Mod Podge to attach it to the ribbon, then press it down to ensure it sticks.

Step 5. Tie a loop at the very top of the ribbon so it can easily hang from a hook or tack.

Step 6. Continue to repeat Steps 1-5 until you have all the garland pieces you need.

By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!

Once upon a time, having personalized china took either a lot of money or some serious painting skills. Now a days, however, anyone with a steady hand can decorate their dishes at home with pretty amazing results with Porcelain Pens. Whether you want a simple pattern or something a little more complicated, these draw and bake projects are a great place to look for inspiration!

By General Crafts Contributor Melissa, from the blog MeloMomma.

Did you have any New Years Resolutions? I know I did! I wanted to get organized! To begin my organizing, I went through my dresser. If I had not worn it in 6 months, I tossed it. Then a big red light went off in my head! DON’T THROW AWAY those old shirts! That is perfectly good material!

Oh… the brain of a crafter!

So, I bring to you the T-Shirt Wreath! It is so simple! No sewing anything and it takes under 15 minutes! I bet you have a few shirts you’d be more than happy to sacrifice, right?

What you will need:

• 12″ Wreath mold ( I used a flat wood one, but foam works as well.)
• 2-3 t shirts or pants (soft fabrics work best)
• Scissors
• Clear craft glue
• Decorative beads or flowers

Directions:

Cut old shirts or pants into long strips. The strips should be approx. 2 inches wide and 12 inches long.

You do not need to cut the strips nice and neat. It will not matter!

Fold the strip into half and tie it around the wreath mold as shown in the photo.

Continue to tie all the fabric around the mold. I made a pattern with mine, but you can do anything. It all looks neat! Trim the edges so that all the tied pieces are about the same size. Decorate with beads or flowers.

Use a clear tacky glue to secure the beads. Tie one more piece of fabric around the top to hang it. (I used a draw string from the pajama pants I cut up.)

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

Unfortunately, we can’t always live near our significant other, but that doesn’t mean the love for each other diminishes. It’s important for your partner to know that no matter how far you are from each other, the love is still there. One cute way to provide a reminder on a constant basis is to make and give a “Love Knows No Distance” Magnet. It’s easy to make, involves using materials that would have ended up in the trash, and costs very little to make.

What you’ll need:

• Colored cardstock
• Mod Podge
• Marker
• Scissors
• Red felt
• Pencil
• Map
• Magnet sheet

Step 1. Choose the map you’d like to use as the background. One option is to use any map you have, another is to choose a map that’s specific to your location. If doing the latter, make sure your city is visible.

Step 2. Pick any colored cardstock you wish, then use the Mod Podge to adhere it to the back of the section of map you’d like to use. Give it some time to dry before moving onto the next step.

Step 3. Use a pencil to draw a heart shape on the back of the cardstock. I’m horrible at drawing hearts (one side always looks lopsided), so I printed out a template and traced it onto the back. Cut out the shape once it’s drawn perfectly.

Step 4. Peel the paper backing off the magnet sheet and stick it onto the back of the heart, then cut off the excess so the magnet covers the entire back.

Step 5. Use a black marker to write “Love Knows No Distance” across the heart.

Step 6. For a final touch, cut out a small heart shape from a piece of red felt, then use the Mod Podge to adhere it underneath the wording.

By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!

Be honest, when you spot a bunting hanging on the wall, doesn’t it make you just a little bit happier? It’s like having a little bit of party around all the time, and who doesn’t want that?

Buntings come in all shapes and sizes these days, and more importantly, they are made in all sorts of crafty ways. Get your craft supplies out and get ready to make one because here are some of our favorite festive buntings.

Traditional

You can’t really top a good old fashion string of triangles. These buntings can be as simple as paper with holes punched in the corner for stringing up or as complicated as a hand embroidered, double sided piece of sewing mastery. Make it monotone, color coordinated or just use up your scraps. Anything goes!

Unusual Shapes and Materials

You can, of course, veer from the traditional route and make a bunting in almost any shape.

Hearts

Circles

Hexagons

Or how about pom-poms?

These crocheted buntings couldn’t be any cuter, could they?

Mini

Mini buntings are the perfect thing to top a cake, finish off a plate of brownies or decorate the front of a card. Perhaps the simplest of buntings to make, these can be created quickly and easily out of scrapbook paper, ribbon or fabric scraps.

By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!

When I was eighteen years old, a family friend gave me a hand crocheted doily as a graduation gift. And I didn’t get it. It was beautiful, of course, but a doily? What would I use a doily for? Well, I get it now. The humble and old-fashion doily has made a big comeback, both in the craft world and in the realms of fashion and interior design, which is good news for you, my little crafters, because you can whip those doilies that great Aunt Agnes made you out of the closet at last and put them to good use.

The Doily Lamp

I’d like to think that this is where doilies made their initial comeback since this project has been cropping up on craft blogs for a while now. With a myriad of tutorials and examples out there, you’re sure to find one you like.

The Doily Lamp

The Doily Table Runner

Romantic and yet, at the same time, very modern, this table runner is made up of a jumble of different doilies. So simple. So dramatic. So doable!

The Doily Table Runner

The GIANT doily

I would learn to crochet just to make this for my bedroom floor. Comfy and cozy, this oversized doily is a fun play on the original barely there lace creation.

The GIANT Doily

The Paper Doily

Let’s not forget the mass produced version of our lace friend, the paper doily. Oh so cheap and oh so versatile, paper doilies should be a staple in any crafters cupboard. Wrap them around gifts, use them as envelopes, pretty up a card, hang them as a banner, or fold them as a snowflake. So many craftertunities, so little time.

Altered Paper DoiliesDoily Invitations

 Press them in, glue them up, sew them on.

Some of the best doily related crafts have them displayed in unusual places. Roll a doily into dough, Mod Podge it onto a plate, paint it onto a canvas or sew it onto a sweater. Think outside the doily here and you never know what you might come up with!

Decoupaging with doilies

Doily Wall Art

By DCWV Diary

I wanted to share a fun thing that we did on our front door this weekend…using 4 sheets of Immortal Love patterned paper!
 

You can see this big red heart from about 8 houses up the street! So fun, the neighbor kids have loved it!

I used 4 sheets of 12×12 paper and cut them down to 2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ pieces and simply taped them up! Easy, easy!!!

By General Crafts Contributor Melissa, from the blog MeloMomma.

The holidays may be over, but winter is not! Making it still totally OK and adorable to make snowman crafts.

What you will need:

• Jar (I used a Ragu Pizza Sauce Jar)
• Felt
• Lace
• Fabric for a scarf
• Googly eyes
• Rocks
• Tissue paper
• Construction paper
• Clear Gel tacky glue
• Paint brush
• Scissors
• Glass bowl

 Directions:

1. Wash and dry the jar.
2. Using the tissue paper, cut out several squares of tissue paper. Cut a variety of sizes.
3. Put about a 1/4 cup of glue in a bowl. Add a tbsp water and mix well. The glue will be a little easier to work with now.
4. Paint the entire outside of the jar.
5. Cover with the tissue paper.
6. Secure any lose edges by painting glue over it.
7. Allow to dry.
8. Using construction paper, make a cone shape.
9. Glue on googly eyes.
10. Glue on the cone nose.
11. Take a walk outside and gathers some small pebbles.
12. Wash and dry the pebbles.
13. Glue the pebbles onto the jar to make the snowman’s mouth.
14. Cover the lid in felt. Be sure to cut off all the excess felt so the lid will still fit.
15. Add lace to the edge of the lid.
16. Tie a piece of plaid fabric around the snowman’s body for a scarf. (I actually used a prop from another craft, but fabric looks just as awesome).
17. You could place a flameless candle inside for a special glow!

By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools.

About the time my kids were toddlers, I made a decision to use photos (of them, naturally) as the main “art” in my home. On top of the photos I take (and there are many!) I’ve also had a photographer take portraits of my kids every few years. I love having their smiling faces all around me, but I’d love it even more if I had BIG photos of my kids everywhere! Unfortunately, the cost of giant, canvas mounted photos has prevented this from happening. Until now, that is.

The process of transferring photos to canvas, or wood, or even fabric, – using a decoupage medium - has made huge leaps of late, making now not just possible, but simple, to create your own large scale (or small, of course). While there are several tutorials floating around, these are the ones we like best. Click on the photos to find step-by-step tutorials!

By Sewing Contributor Jessica, from the blog Life Sew Good. 

Rag wreaths have been done since…well, I don’t know how long. Here’s one I couldn’t resist though! After seeing one similar on Etsy last year, I had to try making my own. It’s simple, quick and inexpensive.

You’ll need:

• ½ to ¾ yd. fleece (your choice of color—I used cream)
• Scrap of coordinating colored fleece
• Wire hanger
• Scissors
• Measuring tape/ruler

Cut fleece into 2″ x 4″ pieces. Stretch your hanger into a circle, then twist the top into a loop so you have a way to hang it.

Begin tying your pieces of fleece onto your hanger.

Make sure to push pieces close together. You want to tie as many on as possible so you get a full looking wreath.

Take your coordinating piece of fleece and make a bow around the top, or be creative and decorate however you wish! This could be part of great table centerpiece.

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

I love homemade ornaments; I think they really add personality to a Christmas tree. This year, make use of vintage paper materials by making ornaments out of them. You’ll save a huge amount of money, prevent paper from going into the landfill, and make sparkly personalized items for yourself or loved ones.

What you’ll need:

• Vintage music sheet
• Snowflake template
• Colored cardstock
• Scissors or craft knife
• Small hole punch
• Mod Podge
• Ribbon
• Glitter glue

Step 1. Choose a snowflake template. Cookie cutters work well. There are a variety to choose from whether you want something simple or one a little more elaborate.

Step 2. Use Mod Podge to adhere the sheet of vintage Christmas music onto cardstock. Depending on the size of the ornaments you’d like to make and the size of the sheet music, you’ll likely be able to make at least two ornaments out of each sheet of music. Give it at least an hour to dry before moving onto the next step.

Step 3. Print the snowflake template on the cardstock side, not on the paper side. Ink sometimes has a tendency to blur or bleed a bit on vintage paper, which typically doesn’t happen on cardstock.

Step 3. Either using scissors or a craft knife, cut out the snowflake shape. For the more elaborate designs, I recommend you use a craft knife as it’s much easier to maneuver than scissors.

Step 4. Punch a hole into a top section of the snowflake, then cover the ornament with glitter glue. I used green because of the green music print on the paper. Give the ornaments at least two hours to dry.

Step 5. Tie a matching ribbon through the hole.

By Sewing Contributor Jessica, from the blog Life Sew Good. 

We typically get a tree to decorate our living room, but this year we added a little tree to our family room, which meant we needed another tree skirt! I had fabric, so I decided to make my own. Here’s how to make yours! Note: This is for a SMALL tree skirt. You will need more fabric for a larger skirt and will probably need to make a pattern to do so.

You need:

• 1 ¼ yd. fabric (I used corduroy)
• 1 Fat Quarter or other scrap fabric
• Grosgrain Ribbon
• Heat & Bond
• Thread
• Scissors
• Pinking Sheers

1. Cut your fabric 44″ x 44″. Fold into a square.

2. From the center corner, where all the corner is all folds, measure down 4″ marking in several places.  If you connect the dots, you should have a curved line.  Cut the curve.

3. Measuring from the curve down your fabric, mark 18″ down in several places. If you connect the dots, you should have a curved line. Cut the curve.

4. Make one cut all the way from the bottom to the top.

5. From your fat quarter, cut out a design or designs you want to appliqué.

6. Attach your design: Click HERE for a tutorial on how to appliqué.

7. Finish your edges. Normally, I would serge my edges or fold under and sew, but since I was in a hurry to put it under my new tree, I just used my pinking shears this time!

8. Add your ribbon: Cut 4—8″ pieces of ribbon. Place your ribbon 2″ and then another 6 ½” down from the center back along the “slit” and sew. Repeat on other side of slit.

Place under your tree!

By Sewing Contributor Jessica, from the blog Life Sew Good. 

My mom was the genius behind this. (Thanks, mom!) I love these stocking silverware holders, especially because they can be decorated nicely for an adult crowd or fun for a kid crowd. I used fleece to make this one, but I think making them out of linen would be a nice formal touch. Also, for a more formal version, you could use white napkins inside the stocking instead of sewing in the white fleece. So many ideas…so little time.

You need:

• Red Fleece or Felt (or linen or whatever you like!)
• White Fleece or Felt (again, up to you!)
• Ribbon
• Stocking pattern (make your own or google it)

1. Trace stocking pattern onto your red fabric, placing the straight side on the fold. I used this little green stocking for my pattern!

2. Cut stocking out.

3. Using the measurement for the width of the stocking, cut a rectangle from your white fabric that measures width x 3″.

4. Open red stocking and place white piece on the left inside of stocking. Sew directly into the stocking, close to the edge.

5. With right sides facing, sew curved side of stocking. Flip right side out.

6. Decorate with ribbons, bells, or other festive things! Insert silverware & you’re done!

By Guest Bloggers Melissa + Kellie, from the blog Icing Designs.

We are quickly approaching the holidays! As we all know this month can be so overwhelming. It is almost a hassle to walk through the mall to buy all those gifts on your list. We have learned over the years that some of the best gifts are handmade and from your heart. I have been making homemade sweet trays for years to give to some of my favorite people on my list, including Kellie! I love finding a gorgeous platter and filling it with beautiful sweets and wrapping it up festively! I always include my chocolate covered marshmallow snowmen on the trays and they are always the first thing people comment on. They are so easy to make and are so cute! Today we are really excited to share them with you, along with the easy DIY instructions so that you can make them too! Even if you just make a few and wrap them up sweetly, they make a great little gift to give to someone you love!

These are so easy that even your kids can help! One of my twins, Maia helped me and she did such a great job…and had so much fun! Just use lollipop sticks and put three marshmallows on each stick.

After you are done setting them up you just dip them in white chocolate, shake off the excess and lay them to dry on a parchment lined cookie sheet. As they are drying, add an orange sprinkle for a carrot nose and sprinkle some edible glitter on them to give them some snowy sparkle!

After they are dry put some melted chocolate in a pipping bag and make little half moons for eyes. I like to take a tooth pick and drag some chocolate down to make eye lashes.

Then use some melted pink chocolate to create a ruffled scarf!

If you want to make a snow “man” You can cut a marshmallow in half and instead of letting the chocolate drip off, put it on the parchment paper and move it in a circular motion to create a hat brim.

You can use some melted chocolate to “glue” it on to the top of the snowman!

We hope you try these…your friends and family will love them!

By DCWV Diary

Here is another ornament tutorial for you! These snowflakes are so cute!

Templates are below, or can be downloaded HERE and HERE. You can also use your personal cutting system to cut out the snowflake and it would be even easier!

Supplies:

• DCWV printed paper or cardstock
• Jump ring
• Paper Piercer
• Liquid Adhesive
• Faux snow & Glitter
• Scissors
• Pencil

1. Trace template onto the patterned paper. Cut out 4 identical pieces.

2. Fold all 4 pieces length wise in half. Glue the 4 pieces together matching up a left side of the folded ornament to the right side of another folded ornament. When all 4 are glued, it will become 3D to form the ornament.

3. Use the paper piercer to make a small hole at the bottom tip of the ornament. Attach bead with jump ring. Hang ornament hook from the jump ring.

4. Add faux snow and glitter to the edge of the ornament.