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this first holiday craft was super duper easy but looks really cool.
we made 3D snowflakes!
you will need only pipe cleaners and beads.
we choose silver pipe cleaners and clear beads.
(but you could do white pipe cleaners with rainbow colored beads and it would be adorable!)
clear beads from the plastic crafty bead section at the craft store.
they are like $1.99 a bag or so.
take 10 pipe cleaners and lay one the opposite direction of the other 9.
wrap the 9 together tightly a few times with the one pipe cleaner…twisting to make it stay.
then fan out the pipe cleaners as evenly as you can in all directions.
then we snipped off a few inches from all the sides EXCEPT ONE.
on the ONE tall pipe cleaner…place one bead and the wrap the end into a loop.
next place one bead or more on every pipe cleaner.
they stay on whereever you place them…they don't slide around.
i like that.
we took some of the small pieces that we snipped off and wrapped them
around the ends of a few of the points…to give it that "snowflake" look.
and that's it!
my kids each made several.
and argued over whose was the best.
of course.
happy crafting!
(idea for this craft was found here)
Beth - So cute, meg! I am really looking forward to the days when my kiddos are old enough to do crafts like this – they’re 3 and 1 now.
emily hope - really love this – so simple & pretty. I think we’ll continue making Christmas crafts all month too 🙂
Tracy Fisher - thank you for this “happy” blog today. much needed. love love love the trees and ornaments. cherished items for sure. -tracy
Tammy - Love this idea! I just saw that the Sandy Hook PTA is asking for snowflakes to decorate the school the kids will be going to in January. http://www.ctpta.org/SANDY-HOOK-FUND.html We’ll definitely be making some over our Christmas break!
Amber - I love all your crafts. I really need to step up my crafting lifestyle. 😉
tara - amazing craft idea….
talby looks so grown up. 🙂
Kimberlymccoy@mac.com - oh perfect! Thanks for this. I’ll be doing this with my girl scout troop on Saturday. Beautiful!
Jennifer - Great idea 🙂
Ashley - Woah black and white photos! I am not used to that here 🙂 I like them…just like I do the color ones. Miss you.
laurenrger@yahoo.com - Loved this too! The first thing I thought was they would be great to send to CT! So glad someone alrwady provided the dets.
Lisa - I saw on Facebook they PTA at Sandybrook was looking for snowflakes for the children/school…these would be perfect to send if you have extra:
Connecticut PTSA is deeply saddened by the tragedy that has struck our Newtown community. We have met with the PTA and community leaders in Newtown and Sandy Hook Elementary to offer our assistance at this very difficult time. They have asked us to spearhead the following efforts on their behalf:
Snowflakes for Sandy Hook
Please help the students of Sandy Hook have a winter wonderland at their new school! Get Creative!! No two snowflakes are alike. Make and send snowflakes to Connecticut PTSA, 60 Connolly Parkway, Building 12, Suite 103, Hamden, CT 06514, by January 12, 2013.
Mail snowflakes or donations to: Connecticut PTSA, 60 Connolly Parkway, Building 12, Suite 103, Hamden, CT 06514. Phone: 203-281-6617
For questions or to reach anyone at Sandy Hook PTA, please email us at sandyhook@ctpta.org. The Newtown community has requested monetary contributions, but we do know there may be service and product donations that will be offered. For service or product inquiries, please contact
Michelle from Australia - Maybe we could do yellow ones for the hot Australian sun? Oh for a white Christmas…..
jen - we are so making these this weekend!! thank you!
Tanya H - This might be my favorite craft you’ve ever shared, and we’ve done several of yours in our house! 🙂 Thanks so much!! 🙂
Lori Austin - So pretty and so simple. Thank you for sharing. These supplies are on my shopping list.
Btw, are you aware Katie Brown has a pic of yours on her blog? Wowza!!
Kim - You made my day with this post!! I am in charge of my daughter’s Christmas party at school on Thursday and she really wanted a craft as part of it…but I am just not naturally good at that and couldn’t find anything online that thrilled me. Until this. Perfect! Yeah!!!
Carrie D. - I think this is going to make a great last minute addition to my daughter’s preschool Christmas party!
Kirsten J - Bah!!! How do you make these look so good???? I’ve tried them and they looked like they were done by a two year old in the dark.
alimoll - I love this idea! So simple, but they are soooo beautiful!
Liz - This is so neat – love this craft!
Did you hear about the snowflake drive for Sandy Hook Elementary? Just wanted to pass this on in case you’d like to send some there (c&p from a friend’s Facebook feed):
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So many friends near and far have asked how to help. There is a Snowflake Drive for the students of Sandy Hook Elementary to turn their new school into a winter wonderland being sponsored by the PTA.
Like our children, no two snowflakes are alike. We invite you to
create snowflakes to decorate Sandy Hook School’s new home. Be creative! All colors and designs are welcome. You can mail your snowflakes to
Connecticut PTSA,
60 Connolly Parkway, Building 12, Suite 103,
Hamden, CT 06514
by January 12, 2013.
Please feel free to share this with others.
Jamie M. - So cute!! Thanks for sharing this, I pinned it so I would remember to make it with my kids over winter break.
Kate - Cute! Thank you!
Kimberlee Jost - Those are beautiful!
And seem so easy…even I could do it. 😉
Talby always looks so serious when she is crafting, and I KNOW she’s loving every minute of it.
I wonder if that’s how I look when I’m into my craft.
Ha.
Penny - I agree, so well rounded. He will make someone a wonderful husband!
Tracy - Love this simple craft! And love that there is very little clean-up 😉
Melissa Kojima - Oh, they’re beautiful. I’ve never really like pipe cleaners, but this is perfect for them. I bet your place looks really wonderful with all your crafting decorations!
Melissa Kojima - Oh, they’re beautiful. I’ve never really like pipe cleaners, but this is perfect for them. I bet your place looks really wonderful with all your crafting decorations!
Molly - Also, my daughter needs scissor practicing, do you have any crafts for that?
Molly - I love this idea. I have these beads in green, red and white left over from a craft I did on my own and I think I have pipecleaners too. Thanks, we are off next week, so I appreciate the crafts you are posting. 🙂
My friend did the ice cream cones with frosting and sprinkles with her kids yesterday, have you tried that one?
Linda - WOW My 12 year old son saw this post this morning and said”MOM we have to make those” I was blown away, lately he has been too cool for crafts! Thanks for the great idea!
alicia @ la famille - sooo fun! i love the clear beads with the sparkly pipecleaners.
Seriously Sassy Mama - Love it. Too bad my house is already overflowing with Christmas. This will make a great craft for next year. Love the black and white take.
Debbie Hargadon - Loved This! So simple but so nice, as Jaimie said. Merry Christmas to you and your family, Meg! Thanks for exposing me to so much great stuff on the internet that I do not have time to find myself. Your blog is my guilty pleasure. I’ve found so much great stuff at your direction. And I LOVE Sean! How lucky his friends will be in his adult life with his grounded background of crafts, sports, God, Kansas living – I love how he is not too cool for these things. He seems to be comfortable in his own skin, which is so fabulous for a middle school boy. Bravo to him!
jaimie - Thanks for sharing…what a great craft! Love the simplicity but great impact! Merry Christmas to you and yours!