|
|
|
A Poem For Christmas
We remember the birth of a babe this day,
born in a stable, his bed filled with hay,
heralded by angels and searched for by kings
but whose life would be full of much simpler things.
His mother, Mary, a woman of faith and trust,
His father,...
Christmas Decorating That Will Make Your Holidays Special
If you are like the majority of people, you do not have a lot of time during the holidays to make special decorations. You can make your holiday decorating quick and easy and create a festive atmosphere in your home without spending a lot of time...
Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.7 of 12 - Garlic Poussins and Kumquats
Christmas recipe Serves: 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Calories per serving: 580
Not suitable for freezing
Christmas recipe ingredients:
* poussins, 3, about 700 g (1.5 lb) each
* salt and pepper
* kumquats,...
So It's Christmas Time, Is A Payday Advance Right For You
It seams that with all the excitement of the holidays comes
expectations of greatness from friends and loved ones. Quite
frankly, Chirstmas is expensive. Many people flock to payday
advance services to get them through the holidays. Is this...
Sticking to a Gift Budget at Christmastime
The Christmas season is upon us, and with it one of the most difficult times to stick on a budget. It’s so easy to go overboard on gifts for those you love. There’s always some cute, cheap item that is just perfect, but when you find things like...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Christmas Decorating: Create A Lifelike Santa In Your Bathroom
If you love to go all out with your Christmas decorating, here is a whimsical, original idea for your bathroom:
Materials needed:
White shower curtain, canvas, or fabric (a new canvas drop cloth works great)
Shower curtain liner (to protect curtain from moisture)
Projector*
Permanent black marker, preferably a thick one
Paint pens
Paint
Fiberfill or cotton balls
Santa hat
Black felt (about one yard)
2 red hand towels or red fabric
*If you can draw, you may not need the projector. If you are not artistically inclined, and do not already own a projector, see if you can borrow one.
Let's get started!
If you're using fabric instead of a shower curtain, you'll need to make it standard shower curtain size, which is about 72" x 72". Cut the fabric 73" x 73", fold each side over one half inch, press into place, and hem each side to make smooth edges. Purchase plastic rings (usually found near the curtain rods) and sew them to the top for shower curtain rings. If you don't already have a second rod, pick up a tension rod. They are inexpensive and simple to install.
The next step is finding a great picture of Santa Clause. Look in coloring books, storybooks, or online. Once you find a picture you like, blow it up on the projector until Santa looks life-sized. Hang the fabric or shower curtain on the wall or a door with thumbtacks or straight pins, and project the image onto it. Santa's knees should be about 6" from the bottom of the shower curtain. Stop at the knees and do not draw the rest of the legs (you will see why later).
Next, trace the image with a permanent black marker (put paper behind the curtain to keep marker from seeping through). Fill in the details for Santa's face as well as other intricate areas with the paint pens. Fill in his suit with paint. Nearly any kind of paint will do, but craft paint is the least expensive.
In order to create a three dimensional effect, use fiberfill or stretched out cotton balls for Santa's hair and beard. Apply with regular school glue or use fabric glue. Use a real Santa hat instead of painting one. These can be found at dollar stores and discount stores for very little
money. Simply stitch the hat onto the curtain from the backside, or attach it with fabric glue.
Add a piece of black felt for Santa's belt. A real buckle makes a nice touch. You can remove a buckle from an old belt that you no longer wear and thread the felt through it, or you can purchase a used belt at a thrift store and simply remove the buckle to use it for this project. Stitch the felt into place or apply with fabric glue.
Hang the curtain and tuck the bottom edge inside the tub. Santa's knees should line up closely with the edge of the tub.
Here's the really fun part: Fold the red towels in half lengthwise and stitch or glue the sides together. If using fabric, cut to the size of regular hand towels (not fingertip towels) and proceed as directed above. Next, arrange the towels so that the attached edges are in the middle instead of along the side then press into place with a warm iron. This seam should face the shower curtain so it won't show. Stitch or glue the towels to Santa's knees. Santa now has three-dimensional legs that swing when the curtain moves!
Make mittens and boots from the leftover black felt. Attach the mittens to the curtain and the boots to the towels. Another neat idea is to set a pair of boots outside the tub and tuck the "legs" into the boots. This looks terrific and makes the effect even more dimensional. This idea is best used in the guest bathroom or on the day company is coming, after everyone has showered, if used in the main bathroom (otherwise, you'll have to keep moving the boots each time the tub is needed).
To make your shower curtain even more festive, wrap small empty boxes to look like gifts and attach them to the curtain, or sew on tiny plastic ornaments or candy canes. Just use your imagination.
This is a fun, yet fairly simple project to complete, and you will get lots of compliments on this unique, whimsical decorating idea.
About the Author
Johann Erickson writes for such sites as Online Discount Mart (http://www.onlinediscountmart.com) and TV Products 4 Less (http://www.tvproducts4less.com).
|
|
|
|
|
|