Make festive decorations you can use all year round

Jar candle, vase, bowls and side plates from MRP Home; glasses from Woolworths

Photographs Francois Oberholster

Out of the box

Decorate wooden boxes in different sizes and position them on top of each other to form the shape of a Christmas tree – they will also make pretty gift boxes!

You will need

SHOPPING LIST

• masking tape

• leftover paint

• markers

• wine corks

• potato 

TOOLS

• artist paintbrushes

• knife

• star cookie-cutter 

Get started...

Box 1 Mask out lines in various widths with masking tape and paint these in different colours. Remove the masking tape and repeat with more lines.

Box 2 Mask out triangles on the side of the box and paint them in different colours. Once the paint has dried, remove the masking tape and mask more triangles to overlap the first ones. Paint them in various colours. Remove the masking tape.

Box 3 Use a marker to draw a ‘string’ across the length of the box. Dip the corks in paint in different colours and stamp circles underneath the string you’ve drawn. When the paint has dried, draw more strings and hooks to connect the ‘baubles’.

Box 4 Use the markers to draw tree shapes on the box.

Box 5 Use the cookie-cutter and knife to make a potato stamp of a star. Apply some paint to the potato stamp with a brush and stamp it on the side of the box.

Nifty napkins

Here are a few different ways to decorate napkins; you can use all of the techniques to make an eclectic set or choose one technique to create a uniform look.

You will need

SHOPPING LIST

• markers

• wine corks

• fabric paint

• embroidery thread

• napkins

• cross-stitch template

• potato

TOOLS

• embroidery ring

• embroidery needle

• iron

• paintbrush

Get started...

Napkin 1 Draw simple step-and-repeat patterns on the entire napkin with fabric markers. Some fabric markers need to be ironed from the back to make it permanent.

Napkin 2 Download a cross-stitch template and print it. Position the embroidery ring on a corner of the napkin and pin the template in place. Embroider the cross-stitches through the paper, according to the pattern. When you’re done, remove the paper.

Napkin 3 Use the corks and fabric paint to print a polka dot pattern on the napkin. Once the paint has dried completely, iron

Napkin 4 Cut a potato in half, then cut a triangle into the potato to make your own stamps. Apply fabric paint in different colours to the stamps with a brush and stamp on the napkin. Once the paint has dried completely, iron from the back to make the paint permanent.

A festive wreath

Make a wreath that you can re-use for any occasion!

You will need

SHOPPING LIST

• polystyrene wreath base

• mixture of small wooden beads and colourful beads

• ribbon for hanging

TOOLS

• hot glue gun 

 Get started...

Use the hot glue gun to stick the beads on the wreath; cover the entire wreath, except for the back. Tie a ribbon around it so you can hang it up.