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You are here: Home / Naturally Frugal Living / Frugal Christmas Crafts

Frugal Christmas Crafts

December 16, 2009 by Alea Milham 7 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.
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How to make snow flakes with toilet paper rolls

I always try to have craft projects lined up for Christmas break. I find that my children have a difficult time transitioning from having hours of school work to hours of free time. Crafts this year will be a little simpler, but even more fun, because Rew is finally old enough to join in.

The snowflakes at the top of this post were made with cardboard tubes! The only thing you might have to buy to make these snow flakes with your kids is pipe cleaners. Here are the directions for these retro snowflakes. For more elegant snowflakes, that only require paper, scissors, and tape, visit TAD Town.

How to make penguins from recycled soda bottles

These adorable penguins are made using empty soda and water bottles. The hats and scarves are made from old socks. The other items are easily found, and may already be in your craft cupboard. The directions call for you to put sand in the bottom for stability, but I think you could use water instead. Click here to view the directions for the penguin craft .

How to make an angel with a coffee filter

My husband bought not one, but two packages of white coffee filters on a BOGO sale.  He was very proud of himself, so I just could not bring myself to tell him that I only use unbleached coffee filters, and instead started looking for ways that I could put the bleached filters to use. I plan on using quite a few of them to make these snowflakes, as well as the angel pictured above.

More Frugal Christmas Ideas:

How to Make a Fancy Bow

How to Make a Reusable Gift Box

Homemade Candy and Fudge Recipes

Do you have any craft projects planned?

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About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Diana says

    October 28, 2018 at 12:31 pm

    Hi Alea,
    I have been looking and looking for the penguin craft shown above. Do you happen to have the website or and suggestions?
    Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      October 29, 2018 at 8:37 pm

      Family Fun magazine was bought out by another company and then closed down. I was disappointed. I will see if I can find a similar project.

      Reply
      • Diana Smith says

        October 30, 2018 at 8:14 am

        Hi Alea,
        Thank you so much. I have found similar projects, but this was my favorite. Please don’t spend too much of your time. I can probably figure out how to make something similar from the picture. The good news is I found your website and signed up for your newsletter. Again, thank you!!

        Reply
  2. Beth @ Aunt B's Kitchen says

    December 3, 2012 at 6:47 pm

    Nice links Alea.

    I make those white filters into flowers. If you dip the edges in watercolours or in water with a little food colouring in it, they soak it up and make the most beautiful ombre effect. Just let them dry and make the flowers. Easy peasy, perfect gift package toppers.

    Reply
  3. noimportance says

    December 17, 2009 at 4:38 am

    My daughter and I love your snowflakes and other crafts! Thanks for the link to TADTown.

    Reply
  4. Alea says

    December 16, 2009 at 11:14 pm

    You have to love helpful husbands though! Be sure to check out the snowflakes using coffee filter. They are quite elegant. After you are done cutting them out, you spray them with corn starch and then iron them.

    My daughter has a friend from college who is coming over to make snowflakes and sugar cookies. She has never done either before (gasp!), so my daughter feels the need to remedy the situation.

    Reply
  5. Vickie's Michigan Garden (my backyard) says

    December 16, 2009 at 9:02 pm

    Alea,
    I love all your ideas -put the coffee filter angels spoke to my heart-Bat bought the wrong ones (wrong size) like your husband so this is a great idea.
    vickie

    Reply

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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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