Simple ways to bring in Christmas cheer

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas! If you do not have the space for a Christmas tree or the budget for it, there are still plenty of ways to bring in the festive spirit. This is the first of a small series on ideas to add the simple Christmas decor to your adobe.

First in the series, an alternative for Christmas tree and a couple of DIYs for paper ornaments. This

All you need is a big vase with few tall sprigs of any coniferous variety. (If you do not have access to such kinds of tree, fret not! I have something for you too, coming up in the next post). Fill a vase with water to keep the branches fresh. I added a few pebbles to the vase to prevent it from toppling over. Fan out the branches to your liking & decorate with lights and some ornaments. Be mindful of the weight of the ornaments as they are going to hang from branches & not a tree here. I have just the perfect light weight DIY paper ornaments. Read on below for the tutorial.

First up is the simple & adorable DIY paper baubles.

Things Needed:

1. Scrapbook sheets in different prints
2. Wire
3. Beads (optional)
4. Scissors

Steps:

1. Measure & cut 6 of of 2 inch strips of paper.
2. Stack them, fold them at the mid point and cut them into 2 parts. You will need 10-12 strips of paper.
3. With a pin or a hole punch, make holes at the top and bottom of the strips atleast 1 cm from the edges.
4. Cut a piece of wire & loop it through the top hole. If needed, loop in a couple of beads. Make a loop at the top with the wire.
5. Thread the other end of the wire through the bottom holes on the strips.
6. Bend the strips to make a C shape. Make a knot at the bottom ensuring it is tight enough to hold the shape.
7. Fan out the strips to complete the paper bauble! (Full Video is below)

DIY paper stars

Things Needed:

1. A rectangular sheet of paper – any kind will work – Gift wrapping paper, scrap book paper etc.
2. Thread
3. Glue
4. Scissors

Steps:

1. Take a rectangular sheet of paper and fold them into 2 inch strips alternating on each side.
2. When folded all the way, fold it at the midpoint.
3. Tie with a piece of thread & cut off the excess.
4. At both the ends make a cut at an angle or as a curve.
5. Optionally, you can make small cuts at the center.
6. Fan out the sheet and stick the ends together to make a star. (Full video below)

There is going to be more in this series of simple Christmas decor. Hope you enjoyed reading the first post!