Emeraude string the beads on to her pipe cleaner.

This was a fun craft, easy and pretty and though I had a kit for it (found it in one of my many craft stashes, probably bought the kit at a yard sale knowing it would come in handy) the supplies could easily be purchased seperately…

The kit included:

• 108 inches of red pipe cleaner (literally! all in one piece) I had never seen such a long pipe cleaner in my life.  It needed to be cut into 6 lengths of 18 inches ea.
• 108 white snowflake beads {snflk bds} they sound fancy but are very common, I have often seen them at craft stores and now know at least one use for them lol Each wreath had 6 bunches of 3 snflk bds.
•  
  

  So much fun! Emeraude was quite impressed with the fancy beads.

  80 green leaf beads – though these are probably less readily available (wouldn’t be able to buy them in Manitouwadge) they could of course be substituted for almost any green bead, best substituted with a thin green oblong bead (just remember you are trying to imitate a leaf).

• 24 red ‘cherry’ beads. Looked like a pair of cherries with stems  connected.  Again, you could just substitute for some kind of red bead and it would look great.
• Silver thread… Don’t know the length that was provided as we never used it. The pipe cleaner lengths were more than adequate and we just used the excess to make a hoop for hanging.

• Scissors
• Ruler

Emeraude quickly worked out more efficient ways to string the beads such as stacking the snflk bds before stringing them. Good Job!

Great fine motor skills development craft, these would work as indoor and outdoor ornaments though they are not too large so probably best for  indoors.  I said 3+ and it is the type of craft that really does work up to any age (even adults could enjoy it over coffee as it has a nice finished look). Emeraude enjoyed piling and organizing the beads as well as making the wreaths. 

I love to watch her hard at work.

I have not yet begun any real Christmas decorating (other than crafts made with/by Emeraude) and am quite concerned at how quickly December is flying by as I feel incredibly overwhelmed and unprepared so these crafts are nice. They let Emeraude feel like we are preparing and keep her thinking of the celebration ahead in spite of the lack of decorations in our home.  Still trying to accept how few articles of mine are being published by the Chronicle as this has left me scrambling to make ends meet in a month where I expected to have extra income – not less than adequate funds… The flood last week certainly did nothing to help this situation and I have yet to here from Big O Construction (great contractor from Kapuskasing hired by the insurance to do flood clean-up and bidding on the re-assembly contract) regarding when they are returning and I can’t even get at the decorations (everything in the basement has once again been boxed and piled under plastic once again) much less consider beginning to put them up just to need to take everything down again should Big O show up. *sigh* Prayers are appreciated and definitely needed if I am going to find a way to make Christmas happen this year!    

Leave a comment sharing your favourite Christmas crafts (or as is the theme for this post, the most recent, easiest or quickest you know lol) post a photo as well, I love to see what other people think up (that includes YOU Cooocaracha! lol)

Emeraude shows off her finished wreath. She had alot of fun thinking of uses for them other than ornaments such as rings, bracelets, etc. 🙂