Any ideas for beaded Christmas gifts?

[lsijohn]

Does anyone have any ideas to share?? Maybe some unique, simple project ideas??

I am can't believe Christmas is almost here!! Tomorrow is December 1st!! Nothing like the last minute to start thinking about Christmas craft ideas.

I appreciate any thoughts.

[Heals the Wild]

I've been getting some earrings and pendants made lately. I bought some of the wire circles at the local craft store. One side opens up and you can run beads on them (8's or 10's). I then weave a dream catcher in the middle and hang a couple of feathers from the middle. I raise button quail and thier primary feathers make perfect miniature eagle feathers. I can get these done in less than an hour and everyone I make them for loves them. I also take a gemstone cabachon ( I got a bunch on ebay for not much money) and then bead a rosette around it and make a pendant. I've had great comments from them too. The last thing I did was I took a branch about 3 inches in diameter. I sliced 1/2 inch circles off the branch and let them dry. After they were dry, I painted on them or glued small gemstones, rosettes and feathers to them and made special ornaments. Everyone loved them.

Hope these helped! I can e-mail you photo's if you want!

Maryjane

[Blackbear]

What about some beaded picture frames?

[CoyoteMama]

yeah, or how about beaded Christmas ornaments? (if you really want to mix it up! Native Victorian ornaments for a Euro-Christian holiday! lol) You can get plain glass ones, or the silky round cloth covered kind, and bead over it, like a netting, in nice colors, and then a tassle at the bottom of looped strands of beads. You could do it quick, I think. If you use clear glass ones you can put something inside them too (even tinsel or something, or a crumpled wad of that thicker, tinsel-like stuff you can get to put in gift-bags, you know the stuff I mean?)

I'm thinking of "crafty" stuff like that, not nice works of art, due to the time constraints!

what about - you can buy a little cloth-covered box at the craft store (or an uncovered paper mache or wood one and then cover it yourself) for just a couple bucks - one with a lid. You can then either do a beaded panel that you can then attach to the lid of the box, or do an appliqued net-like pattern across the top and/or sides. To applique at all, even just to anchor the crossing points, the cloth cover would have to be padded a bit, not glued straight to the surface. If you get a pre-made box (look at sewing supply areas of the craft store too) it would save time.

[Heals the Wild]

Wow, CoyoteMama! Some wonderful ideas! My husband made a bunch of boxes for me a while ago and I forgot about them. I'm going to get them out and bead something to attach to the tops! Love this thread!! Great question Redfringe!!!

[BeadedPony]

Get some wine glasses with long stems from a place like Pier 1 and gourd stitch the stems. They make gorgeous gifts for the adults on your list. I've also done candlesticks as well.

[lsijohn]

A couple of ideas I thought would be quick and easy for people in my family...........because we all dance, a beaded scarf slide. And I just finished a cute little pair of beaded earings for my sister. The earings are kind-of rosette style with a cute little beaded boarder.

I love the idea for beaded wine glasses! I never would have thought of something like that. I love the idea for the boxes, too.

Great ideas!! :Thumbs

[NancyJo]

Beaded Christmas gifts

I've been making some small coin purses (like a small envelope). Beading some floral designs on the cover, and then edge beading the edges, and a snap to keep it shut. Can't seem to make them fast enough....the ladies that I work for keep buying them to give as stocking stuffer gifts. I spend maybe a couple of hours on each one.
Then also making small fingernail clipper pouch keychains, with some edge beading. They make up pretty fast, and look pretty good.
I've needed alot of quick homemade gifts this year......and sounds like everyone else is also.
See ya,
NancyJo