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The Minimal-ish Mama

10 Last Minute Christmas Crafts

in DIY, Home on 12/21/12

Need to Christmasify your decor before company arrives? Or do you need to occupy your children with a quick craft? With wide velvet ribbon and glitter, you can whip up most of these Christmas crafts in minutes. If you’ve got half an hour or more, try the crafts involving paint or sewing. All of them are fast and easy, but don’t try do make all ten. Pick a few that will give you a quick feeling of accomplishment.

1. Sweater pillow.

You’ll need:

  • A sweater. I bought mine at Savers for less than $5.
  • A throw pillow.
  • A sewing machine.
  • 30 minutes.

First, chop off the sweater’s arms and collar. Then, turn it wrong side out, and sew it closed. Since my sweater has a zipper, I sewed it shut all the way around, and then unzipped it and turned it right side out.  Don’t sew over your zipper; your sewing machine won’t like that! Just hop over it. If your sweater has buttons, this will be even easier! After you turn it right side out, pop your pillow inside. Thirty minutes, including threading a bobbin and setting up a sewing machine. Done!

2. Glitter Letters.


You’ll need:

  • Wood letters. Mine cost 99 cents each at Hobby Lobby. 
  • Glitter.
  • Glue.
  • A paint brush for spreading the glue.
Spread the glue on each letter, sprinkle with glitter, and let dry! This craft takes fifteen minutes tops, so there’s plenty of time to clean up the glitter before your husband gets home (cough cough). 

3. Sharpie Mugs. Easy to make, but bear in mind, you do need to let the paint dry for 24 hours before baking. So, make these the day before last minute. Here’s the full tutorial.

More Ideas:

4. Paper Trees. Use scrapbook paper, construction paper, newspaper, or  gift wrap scraps to whip up a forest of pine trees. 

5. Baby Jesus Ornament from Wild Olive (these would also make a nice small gift!)

6. Infinity Scarf. These infinity scarves probably take less than an hour each.

7. Gold Painted Animal Ornaments from A Beautiful Mess.

8. Wide ribbon is all you need to Christmas-ify one of your throw pillows.

9. A bright and merry doormat, also from A Beautiful Mess.

10. Display your Christmas cards using wide ribbon. Don’t have a spare shutter lying around? A friend of mine tied the ribbon around her kitchen cabinets and attached the cards with clothes pins. Super cute!

For lots more craft ideas, here’s another post from A Beautiful Mess you’ll enjoy: 20 Quick DIY ideas.

Happy quick crafting!

« Last Minute Christmas Cards Tutorial
Beauty Find Friday: Christmas Gifts »

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