Creative Ribbon Decorations for Christmas

Ribbon isn’t just for finishing off your gift boxes, though it is always lovely for that. With a near-endless variety of colors, fabrics, designs and widths, you can use ribbon to decorate your entire home for the holidays.

Whether you stick with traditional red and green, go wild with bright colors, elegant with metallics, or country with rustic colors and patterns, you can create a wide variety of ribbon crafts to liven up your holiday decorating.

Ribboned Candleholders

Use ribbon to decorate plain glass votive candle holders for a colorful addition to your holiday table.

You will need:

• Glass votive candleholders
• Votive candles
• Mod Podge or similar craft glue
• Ribbon in four different colors or patterns, and at least two different widths.
• Scissors

1. Cut pieces of your widest ribbon the same length as the height of the votive candle holder.
2. Use Mod Podge to glue the ribbon strips to the glass, arranging the ribbons vertically side-by-side. Continue until you have covered the entire candle holder.
3. Cut strips of the thinnest ribbon to the height of the candle holder.
4. Glue one thin strip of ribbon over each seam where the thicker ribbons meet.
5. With the third ribbon, measure around the candle holder horizontally, like a belt, and cut two strips of ribbon the same length.
6. Glue the pieces of ribbon around both the top and bottom edges of the candle holder.
7. Cut a strip of the fourth ribbon to fit horizontally around the candle holder, and glue it midway between the top and bottom of the glass.
8. Set the votive candle inside the holder, and decorate your table or mantel.
9. You can use scented candles to make your home smell fresh and clean or even festive with a cinnamon scent.

 

Candy Cane Ornaments

Simple candy cane ornaments look so pretty on your Christmas tree.

You will need:

• Foam candy cane shapes, available at craft stores
• 3/8-inch ribbon
• 1/8-inch ribbon in a contrasting color and pattern
• Hot glue gun

1. Wind the wider ribbon around the foam shape, spacing it evenly to create a candy cane appearance. Use hot glue to hold the ribbon in place.
2. Layer the thin ribbon over the wide, following it up the foam shape. Glue in place.
3. Cut an extra length of thin ribbon, and knot it around the candy cane’s neck, then tie the ends in another knot to create a hanger.

Decorate Your Banisters

Add a beautiful holiday touch to your home with ribbon, ornaments and garland weaving along your stairway banisters.

You will need:

• 2 different patterns or colors of wide, wire-rimmed ribbon
• Tinsel garland
• Glitter or glass ball ornaments
• Fishing line or heavy thread

1. Loosely wind the ribbon and garland together, and use fishing line to fasten the end to the top of the banister.
2. Drape the ribbon and garland down the banister, attaching it with fishing line every couple of feet. Let the garland drape gracefully and evenly.
3. Once the garland runs down the entire banister, use fishing line to attach ornaments in a cluster wherever the garland attaches to the banister, and scatter ornaments along the draped sections.

Ribbon Christmas Tree

What could be easier, or more beautiful, than a Christmas tree completely decorated in streaming ribbons?

You will need:

• A large embroidery hoop
• Many different long lengths of ribbon in a wide variety of styles, colors and widths

1. Cut lengths of ribbon a foot or so shorter than the height of your Christmas tree.
2. Tie one end of each ribbon to the embroidery hoop, spacing the ribbons so the hoop is nearly covered.
3. Set the hoop over the top of the tree, and gently arrange the ribbons to stream down around the tree. Settle the embroidery hoop down into the tree branches to conceal it.
4. Fill in the tree with brightly colored glass ornaments.

Ribbon and Glass Chandelier

Create a delicately beautiful hanging decoration with ribbons and glass ornaments.

You will need:

• Gauzy lengths of ribbon
• 15 – 20 Glass ball ornaments
• Medium eyehook

1. Decide on the best spot to hang your decoration. For best appearance, it should hang down two or three feet, so be sure not to hang it over a walkway. Good spots are over a table, in a corner or on a high ceiling peak.
2. Screw the eyehook into the ceiling where you want your decoration.
3. You will need a length of ribbon for each ornament. Cut half the ribbons 3 feet long, a quarter of the ribbons two inches shorter, and the remaining ribbons two inches shorter than that.
4. Tie one end of each ribbon to an ornament, the other end to the eyehook. Hang all the ornaments in this manner.
5. Arrange the hanging ornaments so they are displayed in a graceful cluster.

Ribbon has so many uses beyond wrapping gift boxes. With so many colors and styles available, you can use it to create nearly endless looks in your holiday décor.

20 Creative Ways to Use Clothespins (other than hanging clothes!)

Whether you have them leftover from hang drying your laundry, or stock pile them as craft supplies, clothespins are a fun reminder of simpler times and a handy tool to use around the house. While they certainly still serve a functional purpose, clothespins can also make some pretty cool crafts and decor and are very cheap to buy. Try using clothespins in one of these 20 ways:

Towel hanger

If you need a quick and inexpensive towel rack or tie rack, hang a clothespin on the wall or to a block of wood. Attach one side of the clothespin to the wall so that you can push on the other side and put the towel between the clip.

Bag clip

Instead of buying a fancy clip to close chip and snack bags, just roll the open end of the bag and use the clothespin to keep it closed.

Letter holder

This is a great craft project for the kids. A quick and easy letter can be made by attaching a clothespin to a block of wood so that the clip sits above the block of wood.

Refrigerator magnet

Need an easy way to pin notes and photos to the side of the refrigerator? Glue a magnet to one side of a clothespin to make a handy holder.

Love note

Leave your sweetie a clothespin valentine. Decorate a clothespin with red hearts. On a piece of paper, which is folded in an accordion fold, write your message. Glue the message inside the clips so that it expands when the clothespin is opened.

Photo gallery

Make a photo display by stringing twine between the sides of a picture frame and hanging the clothespins on the twine. Pictures can be clipped in any position.

Decoration clips

Clothespins can be painted and decorated for the holidays. Turn a clothespin into a character from The Nutcracker or into an unusual Christmas tree ornament.

Holiday wreath or garland

Create a quick holiday wreath to display holiday cards by painting the clothespins a festive color, pinning to a round wire frame or string and hanging it from a ribbon and bow.

Toys and dolls

For a different twist on paper dolls, make clothespin dolls. Paint a face on the clip end of the clothespin and dress in paper or fabric clothes.

Yarn spool

If you need a way to store yarn, string or ribbon, use a clothespin. Secure the end of the string in the clothespin and wrap the string around the outside of the pin.

Bulletin board

Secure notes and lists to a bulletin board with decorated clothespins. Label clothespins for bills, grocery lists and car keys.

Recipe card holder

Keep recipes in easy view while you are cooking by pinning the card within easy reach.

Birthday banners

Use clothespins to celebrate a special occasion. Decorate clothespins with washi tape or paint. Use the decorated clothespins to hang cards, a sign or a banner.

Kid games

Teach kids about doing housework and chores by playing pretend laundry.

Goodie bag decorations

When giving goodie bag gifts, attach the label and close the bags with clothespins. Glue some ribbon to the clothespins for a little flair.

Place card holders

Clothespins can be a party helper. At your next dinner party, decorate clothespins with the name of each guest and set up the clothespins around the table.

Lampshade

A large cache of clothespins can be pinned together in the shape of a lampshade for a modern ornament.

Temporary labels

If you don’t want to place permanent labels on baskets and laundry hampers, attach the label to the basket with a clothespin.

Nail holder

Tired of hitting your fingers with a hammer? Use a clothespin to hold the nail.

Hang up wet laundry

One last way to get the most out a clothespin is to hang your laundry outside on a sunny day. You’ll save energy and your clothes will smell fresh.