One Messy Christmas Craft

If you are like me, you like to bake lots of Christmas goodies, and you like to give them out as gifts. Oh, and you would also like to eat them too. But that's not what this post is about. If you are in need of an extremely cheap, creative, cute Christmas gift, follow the instructions below! Enjoy!

Materials:

• Various containers found in your own kitchen. (I'm using: plastic ice cream, butter, and rubbermaid containers.)
• Strips of newspaper (Rip them, don't cut them.)
• Strips of Christmas wrapping paper. (Same rule applies.)
• Paper Mache paste (1 part flour to 2 parts water, plus some salt.)
• Cookie cooling racks for drying purposes.
• Garbage bag to protect table from messy, flour paste goo.
• Optional: you can add a touch of cinnamon to the paste to make it smell oh so sweet.

1. Dip strips of newspaper in water, one at a time. Apply to container until a few layers have covered the entire thing. To make it extra strong, place strips in various directions.

2. Your last layer will be the Christmas wrapping strips of paper. Apply just one layer, enough to cover the newspaper.

3. Set aside on the cooling rack and let dry for a few hours.

4. When they are dry, carefully pinch the sides of the plastic container to help loosen the paper mache. It should slide off the container fairly easily. You can then apply a layer of clear acrylic paint, or a clear glaze if you wish.

4. Place an assortment of Christmas goodies in some saran wrap, then place the bundle in your decorative container, tie a ribbon around the entire thing and it's ready!

I also got creative with a few other things from my kitchen:

• Clean out an empty liter milk bottle. Tie a decorative bow around the middle and secure with a bit of glue. Using paint, write Merry Christmas, or another Holiday message on the plastic, especially to cover up any thing stamped on the bottle (like a date.) Fill with chex mix.
• Tape a Ritz cracker box shut, then cut a "door" from one of the faces of the box. Place one layer of Christmas wrapping paper mache around the box, then let dry. Goodies can be placed in the box, and the lid will stay closed with a ribbon.
• Clean out an empty milk BOX. Repeat the same process as the Ritz container.
• Remove the label from an empty jam jar. Paint a greeting around the outside and fill with Chex mix.
  

I will also be placing a small book in each gift box in that person's language to explain what it is we are celebrating.



Enjoy getting messy!