Christmas Craft: Bead and Pipe Cleaner Ornaments
Christmas ornaments made from pipe cleaners and inexpensive acrylic beads can look very pretty and are easy Christmas craft to make. They are even easy enough for young children to make.
Materials required are pipe cleaners in various colors and acrylic beads. There are two sorts of beads that are particularly successful when strung on pipe cleaners. One is the sunburst bead -- also known as paddlewheel beads or snowflake beads. These beads have six faceted paddles spaced equally around a center that contains the hole for stringing. When several sunburst beads are strung one after the other, they fit against each other in an interlocking pattern.
The second bead is called the tri bead or propeller bead. It has three rounded bumps arranged around the stringing hole. Like the sunburst beads, the tri beads interlock when strung consecutively. Tri beads can be found in metallic gold and silver which are particularly effective for this Christmas craft. To make sparkly Christmas ornaments, use tri beads and/or sunburst beads in translucent colors of red, green and clear.
Although the beads will cover the pipe cleaners the ends will show. The ends are twisted together and looped to make hangers. The best pipe cleaner colors to use for this Christmas craft are metallic and other suitable Christmas colors.
When stringing the beads on the pipe cleaner bend the one end so that the beads don't fall off. The pipe cleaner works like a needle. Show the children how to bend the beaded pipe cleaners into different Christmas shapes such as red and clear beads strung alternately and then bending one end of the pipe cleaner for a candy cane shape. A circle becomes a wreath and a colored pipe cleaner can be used to form a small bow. Using silver pipe cleaners with clear beads you can make some beautiful snowflakes or star ornaments. .
This Christmas craft idea is fun for all the family to make and you will find yourself making some bead and pipe cleaner ornaments each year to add to your collection. Both children and adults will appreciate this simple yet pretty Christmas craft.
Christmas Craft for Kids: Handprint Stationery Gift.
By Lyn Bell
This is a great Christmas craft for kids to make as gifts for family and special friends -- individualized and personalized ‘handprint’ stationery. You will need access to a color copier machine or scanner.
Other materials are white and colored photocopy paper and washable inkpads in several colors, or paints. Ribbon: to complete the presentation of the gift.
Let each child make hand and finger prints over a sheet of white paper. At the top of the paper write the name of the person that the gift is for, using a black marker. This may need to be done by an adult or let the child write over lightly penciled markings.
Set the photocopier to a light setting and photocopy the artwork onto colored paper. The handprints should show as a faded background. Copy a set of five or six pages for each person receiving a gift of this personalized stationery and tie together with ribbon.
This is a useful gift and will bring delight to Grandparents and family members receiving this special paper. It makes a lovely keepsake too. This Christmas craft for kid’s idea can be used at any time of the year and can act as a record of the child’s handprint over the years.
For something special for your child why not request a personalized letter from Santa? He sends a follow up postcard too. Now that's personalized stationery at its best!
Santas visit....
Because your child’s magical belief in Santa only happens once in a lifetime!
For more Christmas craft for kids visit:
Christmas crafts for kids
Kids Christmas crafts
Arts and Crafts For Kids: Halloween
