You don't have to blow the budget to decorate your home for the holidays. If you've been out cruising Beavercreek homes for sale, maybe you've noticed some of the delightful holiday ornaments and wreaths on display. And guess what? Some of these are actually made by hand. This also goes for decorations inside the home, such as pine cone baskets, paper projects, a Christmas gingerbread house, and so much more. Our REALTORS® have compiled some groovy projects to get you in the holiday spirit.

Holiday Crafts to Make at Home

1. Wreaths
   Celebrating nature's cycles isn't always easy in our modern world, but hanging a wreath on our front doors seems to be one way where we can hark back to a more natural time. Enwreathing plant material (of course, there's nothing wrong with artificial materials as well) in a circle and then marking the season on the front door at Christmas time is a symbolic means of wishing the world well. Nowadays, yuletide wreaths aren't just for the front door but can be found on windows and elsewhere on the home's exterior, as well as on interior walls and above the fireplace.
   
   Wreath-making supplies include floral wire (green is the most useful color, but brass and copper are also commonly employed), floral tape and pins, twine, craft glue, pruning shears or snips, and monofilament to hang the wreath. You can use a wire wreath form or a Styrofoam (spray painted or fabric covered) form to get started; snip greenery from your holiday tree and attach with wire. Add pine cones, cranberries, ribbons, ornaments — wherever your imagination takes you.
   
   
2. Holiday Ornaments
   There are many online instructions available for creating Holiday Ornaments. Let's look at a few simple ones.
   
   Glitter Leaf. Outline a leaf shape on heavy card stock or watercolor paper, and cut out two shapes. Glitter the outward-facing sides, then string a looped ribbon through a bead, gluing the two ends between the leaves. Clamp the sides together and let them dry. Simple but pretty and all sparkly on your tree. Hang a few of them around the tree for a maximum sparkle effect.
   
   Fabric/Wrapping Paper Ornaments. Obtain wooden ornament forms (available online). Cut out fabric or pretty wrapping paper or napkin designs. Using watered-down school glue, affix them to the ornament forms, let them dry, then cut away the excess paper with an X-acto knife. Run some raffia or ribbon through the hole in the forms to hang them.
   
   Cinnamon Stick Bundles wrapped in twine and adorned with bells or beads are another simple but pleasant smelling addition to all the pleasant Christmas smells swirling around your home.
   
   Chalkboard Messages on Ornaments. We're seeing chalk messages everywhere. Why not on plastic ornaments? Wipe 'em clean when you want to change your message. The kids will enjoy doing this.
   
   
3. Lighted Pine Cone Baskets.
   Lighted pine cone baskets add a rustic touch near your fireplace. Spray the pine cones with clear paint, then sprinkle with gold glitter. Want more glitter? Use a glitter glue pen. Place cones in a basket, then weave mini lights among them, leaving enough to trail over the edge and reach the outlet. Try it out for effect. If it doesn't work, try rearranging till you get it right.
   
   
4. Gingerbread Man Cookies.
   There are so many Christmas cookie recipes plus novel ways to decorate them, but let's go with a classic Gingerbread Man. So fun to cut out and decorate.

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