Better Homes And Gardens Cool Crafts

cozy & cute

HOME, SWEET HOME With the charm and detail of a gingerbread house, this sweet structure relies on felt, lacy trims, beads, and embroidery floss to cook up a sentimental favorite. Outfit it with a bead-embellished Christmas tree or personalize the accents. Buttons, pom-poms, and other white trims can capture the look of a snowy cottage. Designer: LUCY RAMIREZ WOODLAND COUNTDOWN Surprise the family with an adventure each day of December. Tuck activity tags behind snowflake-embellished wood slices and flip over a slice to reveal a plan for the day. Fun and games can mingle with volunteer opportunities. The Advent calendar's tree-decorated slice marks the arrival of Christmas. Designer: VALERIE CHRISTENSEN RING THE BELLS Tucked into an evergreen wreath, these homespun bells ring out a seasonal welcome. Made of grain sack fabric, the bells possess a textural attraction…

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elfin treasures

FELTED TREE FARM Shape wool roving into a dynamic design that melds movement, color, and texture into 4½ inches of felted fun. Each whimsically shaped wool tree stands on a wood slice base. Jingle bells, beads, and wooden stars serve as finishing touches. To add dimension, hand-card several shades of green roving together before felting. Designer: SARAH GABRIEL MITTEN SMITTEN On a cold winter night—or bright winter day—cozy up with a warm project. Three simple embroidery stitches and four colors of embroidery floss are all you need to whip up the 3-inch delight. For other looks, designer Amy Chappell has created a set of six winter and holiday word designs at her Etsy shop. Designer: AMY CHAPPELL SPRUCED UP Loop this mini pillow over a doorknob, hang it on a coat hook, or use it as a…

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flipping over christmas

POCKET CALENDAR Kids and adults will flip over this sweet Advent calendar design. A quick turn reveals the day's treat. Fussy-cut the tabs so the novelty designs are oriented right side up on both sides. Using template plastic, cut one pocket flap with the curved portion at the bottom of the novelty print design and one with the curved portion at the top. Designer: HEIDI STAPLES Pocket Calendar shown opposite MATERIALS □ 10-inch square each of 25 assorted novelty prints (pocket flaps)□ 1⅜ yard tan linen (pocket center, border, backing)□ ⅜ yard muslin (pocket flaps)□ ¼ yard aqua stripe (hanging sleeve)□ Fabric pen□ Embroidery hoop□ Embroidery floss: black□ Transparent template plastic□ Crafts knife□ Pinking shears□ Clover Hera marking tool□ 24×25-inch piece batting□ Basting spray□ Sewing needle and matching sewing thread□ 28-inch length of ⅜-inch-diameter wooden dowel□…

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