| Here's an excellent Christmas gift idea that can be | | | | Styrofoam balls. Also buy a whole load of sequins, |
| made right at home, and it's a wonderful family | | | | beads, buttons and straight pins. |
| craft project for older kids, teenagers, and adults | | | | Then simply decorate the balls! Put a straight pin |
| who just love being crafty: Homemade Christmas | | | | through a bead first, then through a sequin. Then |
| Ornaments. | | | | push that pin into the Styrofoam ball. Put together |
| When I was a young girl, I used to get a specific | | | | colors and patterns as you see fit. The designs |
| Christmas gift every year. It was a beaded doll | | | | are pretty much limited just by your imagination. |
| craft project. The project came in a box with all | | | | You could make straight rows for instance, of |
| the materials I needed: A Styrofoam doll body, | | | | alternating colors. Red beads with clear sequins on |
| the doll head and arms, and many beads, sequins | | | | one row, and clear beads with green sequins on |
| and pins. | | | | another row. Keep putting new rows on the ball |
| I don't know how many different doll designs | | | | until it's fully covered, then push a small eyelet |
| there were, but I ended up with many over | | | | hook into the ball, and thread some ribbon or |
| several years. And I don't know what happened | | | | thread through it for hanging. |
| to those kits either... I've looked for them to buy | | | | One note of warning: Since your homemade |
| for my own daughter in recent years but I can't | | | | ornaments will be filled with sharp pins, be sure |
| find them anymore. | | | | they're not easily accessible by small children or |
| You can use the same concept to create your | | | | pets. They'll love the sparkly, almost jewel like |
| own Christmas ornaments though, and these | | | | look created from the Christmas lights shining on |
| make wonderful gifts to give to family and | | | | the beads and sequins, but they could be hurt by |
| friends. | | | | the pins if they tear the ornament apart. |
| Go to the craft store and buy a batch of | | | | |