See a sneak preview below or go to our new Holiday Crafts Index Page.

I have my first Holiday Craft Fair coming up this Saturday. Every year, I say I’m not going to do any more craft fairs.

Then I get fidgety wanting to use up my supply of Christmas and winter holiday ribbons, artificial holly boughs and poinsettias, lampwork beads and on and on …

Next I start making up all these things and run out of supplies. So what do I do? You got it: I go out and purchase even more.

It’s a vicious cycle. I guess I’m just addicted to crafting!

Please take time to check out our other effort at “Helping Crafters to Be”: The Artful Crafter Blog.

Here you’ll find something new every day, from crafting-for-profit advice to links to new patterns and project ideas.

Eileen

Put Stars in Their Eyes with Glow-in-the-Dark Star Gift Bag

A few years back, a friend of mine was cleaning out her closets and gave me a package of glow-in-the-dark stars.

Barbara said, “I know you’ll find a use for these.” You can buy them in packs of about 30 in dollar or craft stores. They’re intended to be glued on a ceiling so you or your kids can drift off to sleep under (artificial) starry skies.

I came across Barbara’s stars a few weeks ago and was struck with an inspiration.

I had made up some two-tone organza wine gift bags. Find the basic wine gift bag directions here and directions for some organza variations here.

On the starry organza bag, I used one color on the inside and another on the outside. The result is a jewel-tone that simply gleams.

Try green and silver; maroon and gold; blue and silver; or blue and gold. Sew up your bag using the directions referenced above.

For the rest of the step-by-step directions including a photo, click here.

Make Your Own Decorative Bar Light

Here’s a clever gift idea that’s really easy to make. All you need is an empty wine bottle, a short string of battery-pack lights, a cluster of plastic grapes and some raffia or ribbon.

Figure out how to hide the battery pack or follow the more detailed illustrated instructions on our website.

Snake the light string into the neck of the bottle. Try to get the lights to spread out as evenly as possible. It helps to turn the lights on when you do this.

Take several strips of raffia and tie them around the top of the grape cluster. Then tie the raffia and grapes tightly around the neck of the bottle (making sure to go under the light string).

Tie raffia in a bow and arrange the raffia strands. Trim the ends to desired lengths.

Leave a little slack on the wire to make changing batteries easier. Insert cork.

Easy Christmas Earrings – Easy Christmas Money

Click here for complete directions for Christmas motif lampwork bead earrings. Really cute; really quick and easy.