Holiday Décor Ideas

Holiday Chime 
Bring sweet sounds and sweet thoughts of holiday baking into your seasonal décor with a holiday chime that uses festive bronze and silver cookie cutter shapes.

MATERIALS
6 bronze and silver cookie cutters (stars, bells, trees, and other holiday shapes)
2 spools of 1/4-inch wide ribbon (in two different colors if you like)
1 medium-sized embroidery hoop

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut six, 30” ribbon pieces (three in each color). These will be used to tie the cookie cutters to the embroidery hoop.
2. Cut six, 18” pieces of ribbon (one color). These will be tied to the embroidery hoop for hanging.
3. Tie one of the 30” ribbon pieces to the cookie cutters with a simple knot and cut off any excess.
4. Tie the other end of the ribbon to the embroidery hoop in a bow (or tie in a tight knot and tie a bow over the knot with extra ribbon). Alternate the lengths slightly, but make sure the cookie cutters will still touch for the “chime” sound.
5. Space the 18” ribbon on the top of the embroidery hoop so there is one ribbon on each side of the circle and tie in tight knots.
6. Tie the other ends together in a knot, make a loop for hanging and tie the excess in a bow.
7. Hang from a ceiling hook, curtain rod over a window or outside on the front porch as a simple, welcoming accent.

Jars That Jingle 
Add a sparkling decoration to your kitchen and reuse basic glass jars at the same time! Layered jingle bells and red berries or colorful beads make an eye-catching display for a windowsill or countertop.

MATERIALS
1-2 large glass jars with lids (mason, pasta or jelly jars)
Silver jingle bells in various sizes
Colorful beads or red berries
Ribbon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Clean out the jars thoroughly.
2. Remove any labels. Soak in hot water with dish liquid to help remove the labels if needed.
3. Layer jingle bells smallest to largest with berries or beads layered in-between.
4. Screw the top back on and tie a holiday bow around it.
5. Set out on a windowsill, countertop, shelf or table.

Cozy Covers 
Give old winter sweaters a new life, as cuddly covers for your living room throw pillows. If you don’t have any old sweaters at home, check thrift stores for great finds. You can use sweaters with holiday patterns or colors, a winter theme, or even warm solid neutrals. When the season is over, just slip off the covers and store them with your seasonal décor for next year.

If you need added instructions for sewing, there are a lot of great resources at your fingertips. Check your local library for helpful guides or simply type “sewing tips” into your favorite search engine.

MATERIALS 
1-2 sweaters per pillow (depending on size)
Matching thread
Sewing machine or a thick sewing needle
Straight pins
Scissors
Small throw pillows

Design Tip: If you need to use a different sweater for the front and back of the cover, choose complementary colors or patterns.

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Wash and dry the sweater to prepare the fabric and prevent unraveling before cutting or sewing.
2. Cut the arms off of the sweater and cut along the sides and shoulders to separate the back from the front.
3. Drape the sweater pieces over the throw pillow you plan to cover to determine how much you will need to stretch across the pillow with a little extra (about 1/4”) for hemming and seams. Square off the pieces by cutting the sweater to the size you need. (If the pillow is larger you may need more than one sweater.)
4. Turn the sweater pieces over so the inside is facing you. Fold over a 1/4" of fabric around all sides and pin down for hemming.
5. Use a sewing machine or hand sew hems on each sweater piece.
6. Sew the two sweater pieces together along the hems. Leave one side partially open (4-5”) so the pillow can be easily stuffed in and removed.
7. Stuff your throw pillow inside the cover and fluff out into corners. Place on the sofa in your living room or family room.

Design Tip: To close the opening in the cover, try adding a simple button closure or thread a ribbon through and tie in a bow.

 Festive Gift Box Centerpiece 
When you wrap gifts this season, create a tiered centerpiece for your dining table using gift boxes. Gift boxes in various sizes combine to create a tower with wrapping and colorful ribbon to match your décor. For extra fun, place a few surprise gifts in the boxes to be given out at a dinner party or holiday celebration.

MATERIALS
5 gift boxes in descending size order (large to small)
Plain and patterned wrapping or tissue paper in complementary colors
Ribbon
Scissors
Tape
Optional: Small favors or gifts, extra decorative elements

INSTRUCTIONS

1. If you plan to give surprise gifts inside the boxes, place the gifts on a bed of tissue paper inside the boxes before wrapping.
2. Wrap each box, with patterned or solid wrapping paper, alternating every-other box.
3. Tie a large bow on the smallest box, which will be the top of your centerpiece. Add your own special accents like curled ribbon or shimmering tinsel if you like.
4. Measure ribbon for two more boxes, the middle box and bottom box, and tape it flat around the middle of each one.
5. Stack the boxes largest to smallest and place in the center of your table for your next special celebration. If you want to hold the boxes together simply secure with tape on the bottom of each box.