DIY Tips for Festive Holiday Lights

Here are some DIY tips from the experts at Trades By Jack to ensure your holiday lights shine brightly and safely.

 

Festive Crafts with Air-Dry Clay

Air-dry clay is fun to use for many different crafts but. since the festive season is almost upon us, why not make a festive wreath?

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Inexpensive Crafts for the Festive Season

Decorating the home for the festive season can be expensive if you buy everything, but these festive crafts are affordable and easy to make.

 

Affordable Folded Paper or Card Gift Boxes

'Tis almost the season where your hard-earned earnings are spent faster than you can earn them and any way to save is appreciated, which is why these DIY affordable folded paper or card gift boxes are a great money-saving project!

Buy a Living Christmas Tree for the Festive Season

Why settle for an artificial Christmas tree when you can buy a live tree that can live out its life in the garden?

4 Easy to Make Advent Calendars

As traditional as Christmas cake, an advent calendar is a fun way to build anticipation leading up to the festive season and we show you some quick and easy advent calendar ideas.

Safety Guidelines to Decorate your Family Christmas Tree

Unless you have a set tradition for decorating the Christmas tree, every year you give thought to how you can make the Christmas tree more stunning - and safe.

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Buy or DIY this Wooden Succulent Box

Here is a wonderful gift that you can buy or make to give to a loved one or friend this festive season.

 

How to have a Cool Christmas in a Hot Climate

We South Africans know not to expect a white Christmas and decorate our homes to suit the hot climate and you will love some of these summer decorating tips for a festive holiday season.

 

Recycle Wrapping Paper and Christmas Cards

If there are two things you will see plenty of at this time of the year, it is wrapping paper and Christmas cards and we have a few ideas on how you can save and use these.

Make these Plywood Reindeer to Decorate the Garden

Bring a festive touch to your home with this pair of plywood reindeer that you can make in an hour or two.

Decorating a Home for Christmas to Start a Family Tradition

When starting out as a family, you will want to establish traditions that will see Christmas becoming a favourite time of the year for you and your loved ones.

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DIY Ideas for an Advent Calendar

Make the countdown to Christmas an exciting event with one of these DIY Advent Calendar ideas that the whole family can get involved with.

Make Christmas Snowflakes with Clothes Pegs

These Christmas snowflake decorations are made using ordinary clothes pegs and only require a few tools and materials.

Festive Ideas for Decorating the Dining Table

We put together a selection of ideas that you can use to make the holiday dining table special for the festive season.

Where to put the Christmas Tree in a Small Home

Not every home has the space for a full-size Christmas tree, but where do you put one if you don't want to settle for a mini version?

Christmas Craft: Make a Felt Wreath Cushion

This beautiful felt wreath cushion will not only bring a festive touch to your home, but it also a great gift idea.

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Bake Sugar Cookies for Christmas

With their colourful icing decoration, sugar cookies are fun to bake and easy to decorate and is a great family project that the kids will love.

 

A Roll of Paper for Your Holiday Tablecloth

With a single roll of brown or white paper your can dress the holiday table, wrap presents, create holiday decor and so much more.

 

Make a Wrapping Paper Stamp using a Lint Roller

It is so easy to make your own wrapping paper or holiday decorations by turning a lint roller into a stamping tool.

 

Clever Ways to use Pine Cones for Christmas Decorations

With everyone keeping an eye on their spending, making your Christmas decorations instead of buying them is a sure way to save money.

 

Christmas Craft: Recycle Wooden Coat Hangers into Christmas Stars

With the trend for recycling, what better way to put this into action that to make your Christmas decor using items you already have in the home.

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Celebrating Christmas in July

Christmas in July has been celebrated for decades, but many of us aren’t sure exactly how to go about it and while it’s usually held during the last weekend in July, you can choose any day, as it isn’t an official holiday.

Best DIY Gift Ideas For Father's Day

Get the kids involved in making a great father's day gift he will love using basic tools and supplies.

Budget Decorating Ideas For Easter

Easter 2020 wasn't a memorable one for many and this year celebrating Easter might be just as tough, but we put together some budget-friendly ideas for decorating a home for Easter.

Make A Heart Frame For Valentine's Day

This DIY Valentine heart frame is an easy project that you can do and one that will be appreciated by a loved one.

6 Craft Ideas For Valentine's Day

There are thousands of ideas on crafts you can do for Valentine's Day, and we found 6 of the best ideas for this Valentine's Day.

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Decorate the holiday home with balloons

If you are planning any special occasions at your home for Christmas or New Year's, don't forget the balloons!

 

Make Christmas Gift Boxes with Coloured or Printed Card

Making your own Christmas gift boxes is easy if you have a template, and we provide a template and instructions for making them below.

 

Upcycle Food Jars to Make an Advent Calendar

This is a project that mom or dad and the kids can get together to upcycle glass or transparent plastic food jars into a colourful advent calendar.

 

Make a Succulent Wreath for the Festive Season

Decorate your front door or inside your home for the festive season with this easy succulent wreath.

 

7 Easy Gift Wrapping Ideas of the Festive Season

If you want to make your Christmas gifts look like they're worth a million take a look at some of these amazingly simple gift wrapping ideas.

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5 Crafty Ways To Create A Wreath For Christmas

With very few ready-made options to choose from, creating a beautiful Christmas wreath for your front door or to hang in your home is an easy craft project.

 

Make Festive Decorations With Macramé

Simple to learn and offering you so many project possibilities, macramé opens up a new way to craft Christmas decorations for the home.

 

6 Ideas For Christmas Decor From Leftovers And Scraps

For anyone who is keeping a tight rein on spending this holiday season, here are some Christmas decor ideas you can make from scraps and leftovers from previous projects.

 

Quick Project: Design A Wall-Mounted Christmas Tree

With Christmas just a month away, many are looking for ideas for a way to celebrate the festive season without taking up too much space, and this minimalists wall-mounted Christmas tree is just the thing.

 

Christmas Greenery - Make It Or Fake It!

Every home should have a touch of festive greenery for holiday decorations and in this article, we look at how to fake it or make it!

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10 Crafty DIY Alternatives To The Traditional Christmas Tree

Not everyone can have a traditional Christmas tree in the home, so here are some of the best crafty DIY alternatives that you can make.

 

How To Make A Tablecloth For Christmas

When it comes to decorating the home for Christmas, I'm always a bit let down when it comes to options for Christmas tablecloths, so why not make your own!

 

Family Fun: Crafts for Christmas

This year, get the whole family involved in making decorations for the Christmas tree and your home and set a new tradition.

 

How to Decoupage Pretty Easter Eggs

Decoupage is a fun and easy way to add pretty designs to a lot of items, but it's great if you want to create stunning Easter eggs, even at the last minute.

 

Fun Ideas for Easter Decor

Easter is not far away and we found some pretty ways to dress up your home for Easter and crafts that the kids can also do to decorate the home.

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Ditch the Roses and Buy a Pretty Plant Instead

This Valentine's Day, instead of spending a fortune on a bunch of roses that won't last more than a week, rather splurge on a beautiful pot plant for an option that will leave a lasting memory.

 

What not to throw away after Christmas

Once again Christmas has come and gone, but there are some things you shouldn't throw away that can be used again...

 

Last-Minute Christmas Decorations

If you are looking for last-minute Christmas decorations, either for your home or for the Christmas dining table, you will love these quick and easy ideas that don't cost much to make.

 

Quick and Easy Crafty DIY Christmas Ornaments

If your Christmas tree is looking a bit empty or you just don't have enough ornaments to finish off, here are some quick and easy crafty DIY Christmas ornament ideas.

 

DIY Gifts that you can Make

This article is especially for all the DIY Divas out there - even those who haven't yet put their newfound skills to good use!

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Make a Reclaimed Wood Candle Holder

We used a stave from an Oak barrel to make an attractive wood candle holder as a centrepiece for the festive dining table.

 

Kids Craft: Pretty Paper Angels

Let the kids make these pretty paper angels to dress the family Christmas tree.

 

Wrap your Gifts with Style

It is so easy to make your gifts even more special simply by wrapping them with style with these easy gift wrapping ideas.

 

Fairy Light Christmas Tree

No space for a Christmas tree? Make this decorative Christmas tree with fairy lights and a piece of pine or board.

 

Make A Wine Gift Box

Kreg and Dremel have partnered to show you how to make this handmade Wine Gift Box.

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A Beautiful Feature for your Christmas Dining Table

This beautiful Christmas feature brings a touch of nature to your festive dining table and is super-easy to make.

 

Make Wooden Tree Ornaments

Since we are all looking at becoming more sustainable, why not consider making your own wooden tree ornaments and festive decor?

 

Make A DIY Spiral Christmas Tree

Based on the Tannenboing Christmas Tree that appeared a couple of years back, this spiral Christmas tree is something to make as a eco-friendly option to buying a fake tree.

 

What colour will your Christmas be?

If you like to keep up with the trends, you will love the Christmas colours for decorations and ornaments that you will find at Mr Price Home.

 

Dressing the Christmas tree

A beautifully dressed Christmas tree is the centrepiece of your festive decorating, so let your Christmas tree shine.

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Make Your Own Xmas Decorations

Pratley’s FrogzEggz® hand-mouldable plastic is the ideal product to get the whole family involved in creating your very own Christmas figurines and decorations.

 

Throw a Halloween Themed Party

If you're looking for an excuse to host a party, why not throw a Halloween-themed party and add some spooky decor to your home.

 

Craft Ideas for Mother's Day

We have compiled a selection of great craft ideas for Mother's Day that dad and the kids can make, or you can make for your own mom.

 

Grab some Sharpie pens to decorate Easter eggs

Sharpie pens are great for a variety of projects but are a fun way to decorate Easter eggs with intricate designs and colour.

 

Fun Easter crafts for the whole family

It is Easter holidays and we put together a selection of Easter crafts for the whole family.

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Easter craft ideas

We've compiled a selection of easy, affordable Easter crafts that the whole family can get involved with.

 

Salt Dough Easter Garland

Start crafting for Easter with this adorable salt dough Easter garland.

 

Valentine Decor Ideas

Whether you prefer to celebrate Valentine's Day with an over-the-top display, or something a little more pared back, we've put together a selection of ideas to inspire you.

 

Valentine Heart Clock with Spraymate Rose Gold

Spraymate has just launched Rose Gold as part of its colour range, and I used this to finish off my Valentine Heart Clock.

 

Make a Shaggy Valentine Cushion

So soft to cuddle and so easy to make, this shaggy cushion is perfect for a Valentine's day gift for someone you love.

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Round up of our favourite Gift Wrapping Ideas

If you're looking for gift wrapping ideas, we have compiled a selection of our favourite gift wrapping ideas to make wrapping your festive gifts a breeze.

 

Fresh Orange Scented Candleholders

Use fresh oranges to make your own scented candleholders for the festive holiday season.

 

Christmas Lantern made with Recycled Plastic Bottle

This Christmas lantern is made by recycling a plastic juice bottle with some added embellishments.

 

Make Christmas Tree Ornaments

Start a family tradition by making your own Christmas tree ornaments using air dry clay.

 

Decorative Box for a Christmas Tree

This pine box is perfect to cover the pot or stand for a Christmas Tree, and it's designed to accommodate any size of stand or bucket.

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Bleached Pine Cone Wreath

This bleached pine cone wreath is made using pine cones, a pool noodle and some LED fairy lights.

 

8 Christmas Sewing Projects For A Crafty Holiday

Make your home décor and Christmas traditions even more special with these projects which are guaranteed to make the season more special and personal for your family and friends.

 

Make festive decorations with FrogzEggz

This Festive Season, Pratley has the solution that allows the whole family to get involved with Christmas decorating.

 

Festive Wreaths with Burlap and Ribbon

Burlap is an inexpensive fabric that you can buy at most fabric stores and it's ideal for making your own affordable festive wreath.

 

Natural ways to decorate a holiday table

Simple and elegant, nature provides us with so many options for setting a natural festive table that is affordable for everyone.

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Festive crafts with Cupcake Liners

Cupcake liners are an easy way to make a variety of holiday decorations to decorate your home for Christmas, or for any occasion.

 

Quick Project: Make photo candles

Here's a simple and easy way to transfer family photos on a candle - great gift idea!

 

DIY gift for dad

Everyone likes to receive a gift made with love and this charging station is the perfect gift for Father's Day.

 

Chalkboard Easter eggs

If you're looking for something different to decorate your Easter table, these chalkboard Easter eggs are a great idea.

 

Quick Project: Colourful Easter garland

Add colourful Easter fun to your celebrations with this easy bunny garland. The kids will hop with delight!

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Beautiful Easter egg ideas

Take a look at some of these beautiful Easter egg designs that you can easily replicate for your Easter celebrations.

 

Mason jar crafts for Valentine's

Here's a fun way to recycle glass food jars and containers, or to use Mason jars, to make your own Valentine's decor and gifts.

 

Easy Table Centrepiece

Add a touch of festive glamour to your dining table with this magical centrepiece.

 

DIY Gingerbread Decorations

Grab your power tools to make these gingerbread decorations that look good enough to eat!

 

All Natural Christmas

In this feature we show you how to put your DIY skills to use to make your own all-natural decorations - provided free of charge by Mother Nature.

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Homemade Festive Bauble Wreath

Christmas baubles are easy to break, and before you know it you have plenty of baubles that can no longer be hanged on the tree. Here's a way to make a holiday wreath using broken baubles.

 

Christmas Tree Ornaments

These wonderful tree ornaments are made using thin-gauge wire and colourful sparkly beads.

 

Xmas Gift Houses

These Xmas card gift houses are perfect for setting up a festive tableaux, or to use a gift boxes for presents.

 

Pumpkin cooler

Planning a party for Halloween? This pumpkin cooler is an inexpensive project that will add the perfect atmosphere for any Halloween celebration.

 

DIY Halloween decor

If you and the kids enjoy participating in Halloween, we've put together a selection of easy DIY Halloween decor ideas for the home.

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Easy DIY Gift Ideas for Dad

Father's Day is just around the corner, and if you still haven't gotten round to buying (or making) a gift, we've got some crafty gift ideas he'll love.

 

Craft ideas for Mother's Day

Mother's Day is coming up on Sunday 14th May. If you're still hunting for a gift idea, we put together a collection of crafty DIY projects you can make.

 

DIY flower vase ideas

It's time to start thinking about a Mother's Day gift. If your mom loves fresh flowers, why not make a personally decorated vase using one of these beautiful DIY vase ideas.

Easter Lace Eggs - with Ostrich Eggs!

Lace eggs are wonderful to craft if you own a Dremel Rotary MultiTool. I was given some Ostrich eggs and decided to use these to make a larger version of my lace eggs.

Valentine fun 

Here are some fun crafts for Valentine's Day where the kids can also get invoved. Make ultra-cute keepsake mementos that are perfect for Mum and Dad, and even grandparents.

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Air-dry clay bowls 

Use air-dry clay to make a selection of handcrafted bowls that are wonderful for gifts for any occasion - or for Valentine's Day.

Wire craft

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought it might be nice to have a feature on wire crafts  - to make something whimsical or practical for someone you love.

Custom gift boxes

Quality gift boxes can sometimes end up costing more than the gift. We show you how to make your own rigid gift boxes for any size or shape of gift.

Festive mantelpiece with Rust-Oleum

The festive season is upon us and Rust-Oleum offers ideas to customise your mantel with gold spray paint.

Festive tree ideas

For those that have left it to the last minute to decorate the tree, we put together 6 wonderful festive ideas for a magnificent tree to add to your festive decorating.

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Festive table decoration

Add a DIY touch to your festive table with these easy place markers that allow you to organise and decorate your holiday table.

Easy votives

Here's a simple way to turn glass jars or vases into wonderful candle votives for an inexpensive holiday display.

Triangular shelf for festive decor

Here's an easier way to make a triangular shelf, and the shape is perfect for displaying festive decorations.

DIY festive home

Use whatever you have, repurpose or re-use household items, or grab your craft or DIY tools and make your own holiday decor.

Felt holiday decor

Use affordable felt to make unique holiday decor for the festive season. In this feature we show you how to make a felt wreath and felt garland.

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Magical fairy lights

Use LED fairy lights to decorate your home for the holidays. Today's LED fairy lights are safe, affordable and can be used for a variety of decor projects to light up your home with festive cheer.

Make your own advent calendar

Tis once again the season to get crafting to decorate your home for the festive season. We put together a collection on DIY advent calendars to make to add a personal touch to your holiday decor.

Father's Day gift idea - bottle holder

Simple in design, you can easily make this Father's Day gift using pine and leather straps - or repurpose an old leather belt.

A Mother's Day plaque even the kids can make

In this project I offer two wonderful wooden plaque designs that you, or your older kids, could make for Mother's Day.

Pretty breakfast tray

Re-purpose an old door or drawer front, or make a basic tray using SupaWood offcuts, and dress up with tile to make a pretty breakfast tray.

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Wool or embroidery thread Easter wreath

Here's an easy Easter craft project that the kids can get involved in during the holidays.

Crafty Easter banner

Use leftover scrapbooking or wrapping paper and an old book to make this wonderfully easy and crafty Easter garland.

Easter crafts using Ball jars

March is Easter month, a time when we indulge in chocolates, celebrate with family and have Easter egg hunts for the kids! We thought we’d share these easy and cute ideas using Ball jars.

Engraved votive for Mother's Day

This seaglass frosted votive holder is perfect for your home or as a gift. Engrave a butterfly design onto the glass, or your choice of design.

Crafty Valentine's heart brooch

This crafty Valentine's heart brooch is so easy, the kids can make one for mom or for a sweetheart.

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Engraved jar for Valentine's Day

I found these cute jars at my local Westpack for R15 and thought they would be perfect for a Valentine's Day project. With my Dremel MultiTool and Flexi Shaft I engraved 'Sweets for my Sweet' onto the jar and filled with sweets.

Tie the perfect bow

Top off your gifts with the perfect ribbon bow. Here are easy instructions for the perfect satin bow.

Festive decorating ideas

If you still haven't got round to setting up the Christmas tree and hanging your holiday decorations we share some of our favourite decorating ideas.

Make or bake for a budget festive season

When you are working on a teeny-weeny budget for the festive season, making or baking your own gifts and festive fare can save you lots. Here are some simple ideas and inspiration to get you started.

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Alternative Christmas with Jubiltree

The Jubiltree is a modern and environmentally conscious alternative to the fake Christmas tree and one that you can make on your own.

Welcome guests with a Lindor wreath

There’s no better way to welcome guests over the festive season than with this cheerful twist on the traditional Christmas wreath

Turn old earrings into tree trimmings

Here's a fun way to put all your old earrings to good use. With a length of wire you can craft your own tree ornaments.

Repurpose old ornaments

Don't throw away your old or broken tree ornaments. Here's a way that you can use old tree ornaments in a new way to make your own festive decorations - and save money too!

Kreg offers 6 handmade gift ideas

This festive season why not give handmade gifts made with love. The Kreg community offers a selection of 6 handmade festive gift ideas.

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Make a Christmas tree with branches

Put trimmed branches to good use by making your own Christmas tree for mounting on a wall. Great idea for a small home that doesn't really have the space for a traditional tree.

Festive crafts with Nespresso capsules

Here's how you can use Nespresso capsules for various fun and unique festive crafts to decorate your home.

Make a sisal bottle brush Christmas tree

These sisal bottle brush Christmas trees are actually quite easy to make and add whimsy to your Christmas decor. Make a selection of bottle brush Christmas trees for decor and to dress up your holiday table.

10 Easy ideas to make your own advent calendar

Stock up on supplies and make your own advent calendar. These easy ideas are fun crafts that the whole family can get involved in.

Easy DIY Christmas gift ideas... Wooden plant holder

I am already constantly reminded that Christmas is just around the corner. In the spirit of this I
thought it might be nice to start adding easy DIY gift ideas that you can make with love and give to family or friends.

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Make herbal soap

What better way to spoil our moms for Mother's Day than with a simple, fun and creative herbal soap that the kids can make with a little help.

Using Dremel Micro to engrave glass Mother's Day gift

Coming up with ideas for Mother's Day is a good excuse to take out my Dremel Micro to engrave on glass and turn a recycled glass food jar into a gift filled with home-baked cookies.

A coffee can becomes a feather wind chime using the Dremel Micro

Dremel asked me to come up with a project idea for Mother's Day using the Dremel Micro Multitool. This wind chime has delicate feathers cut from an old aluminium coffee can using the Dremel Micro Multitool and accessories included as part of the complete kit.

Fingerprint Easter eggs - fun kids craft

I was trying to come up with ideas for Easter craft projects and finger painting came to mind. But then I thought about using fingerprints to paint fun designs onto eggs.

Valentine decor and gift ideas

Valentine on a budget doesn't have to be cheap and cheesy. There are plenty of ideas for cards, decor and gifts that you can easily and affordably whip up for your loved one (or someone you fancy!) without breaking the bank.

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Festive chalkboard menu board

For the festive season we thought it might be nice to grab some Rust-Oleum glitter spray and turn an ordinary chalkboard menu board into a decorative display for the home.

Take out the advent calendar

This creative advent calendar puts a new spin on 'taking out' the calendar for the festive season. This advent calendar is made using Chinese-style take out boxes that are stacked up to create a seasonal advent calendar.

Decorative votive display

This cute little house provides a wonderful display when filled with a votive candle. They make a wonderful display on top of a fireplace mantle or you can use them as a decorative centrepiece for the festive table.

Christmas tree card display

Everyone needs a place to display or hang their Christmas cards and this masonite or hardboard Christmas tree is easy to make and you can buy half a sheet at your local Builders.

Budget festive decor ideas

If there is one thing to be learned from the Scandinavians, it's how to decorate stylish interiors on a frugal budget.

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Stepladder = Christmas tree

Last year I shopped around for a new Christmas tree, since mine was starting to lose a few of its branches and looking worse for wear. Made me think about alternative ideas for a Christmas tree... like this stepladder Christmas tree.

Elegant engraved lace eggs

You can make this gorgeous detailed eggs for yourself or give them as a gift. Super easy to make if you have a Dremel Multitool, you can add decoupage any image onto the eggs once you are finished to fit any occasion.

Festive projects with Dremel

For the festive season, we have put together a collection of Dremel projects that you can make with your Dremel tools.

Teacher appreciation gift ideas

As we head towards the December school holidays, parents are trying to think up unique ideas for teacher appreciation gifts.

Card or paper decorations

I have been following Lia Griffith for quite some time. Using different types of card and paper she crafts some amazing designs for home decor and holidays.

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Pringles container = gift box

Recycle a pringles container into a decorative gift box that can be embellished for any occasion.

Angry birds key ring with modelling clay

The kids will enjoy making this angry birds key ring using modelling clay and it's a great craft idea for a Father's Day gift. You will find various types of modelling clay at craft and hobby shops. You can also use air-dry clay for this project, and add a few drops of food colouring to tint the clay to the colours you need.

Mother's Day gift idea - cellphone holder

This fabric cellphone holder is a great gift idea for Mother's Day, and the kids can easily get involved in a family project to make an easy and affordable gift for Mother's Day. We made our fabric cellphone holder out of faux suede, but you can use pleather or leather to make if you prefer.

12 Easter crafts and ideas

Whether you do or you don't, we have put together a selection of Valentine's Day crafts that you can make for your loved one. From crafty beer cases to recycled crafts and reclaimed wood signs. Making your own valentine's gift shows how much you care, and you can have lots of fun making your own creation!

Crafty DIY ideas for Valentine's Day gifts

Whether you do or you don't, we have put together a selection of Valentine's Day crafts that you can make for your loved one. From crafty beer cases to recycled crafts and reclaimed wood signs. Making your own valentine's gift shows how much you care, and you can have lots of fun making your own creation!

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Use a Dremel MultiTool to make Pysanka (lace) eggs

I have been having so much fun using my Dremel MultiTool to make Pysanka (lace eggs). Our Christmas tree was decorated with a variety of lace eggs and I included a hole at the back of the eggs, so that they could be placed close to the lights for a colourful effect.

Wire and bead tree ornaments

If you are looking for an inexpensive way to dress the Christmas tree, these wire and bead ornaments won't cost much and you can use mismatched beads to make them bright and colourful.

Salt dough ornaments and gift tags

Decorating the home for the festive season doesn't have to be expensive. These salt dough holiday crafts not only fill up the Christmas tree, they are also a fun way to keep the kids occupied during the school holidays.

Make your own paper holiday decorations

Decorate your home this festive season with affordable alternatives to ready-made and bought decorations that you can make from paper, magazines and old books.

Old sock - Adorable snowmen

How cute are these little snowmen made from old socks! The make the most adorable holiday decorations and the kids can get involved in making them during the school holidays.

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Scrap fabric ideas for Christmas decorations

So many ideas... so little time! I have decided to go au naturelle this festive season and make as many of my own festive decorations as possible. I also decided to take a look at making scrap fabric wreaths and garlands.

Homemade Christmas crackers

No Christmas table should be without the traditional Christmas crackers, and making your own means that you can fill them with fun accessories and thoughtful gifts for family and friends during the festive season. Here's how to make your own inexpensive Christmas crackers.

Advent calendar

Love this idea for an advent calendar, plus you can use the board for other purposes when it's not used as an advent calendar. You will find PAR pine at your local Builders Warehouse for this project, and you can recycle old Christmas ornaments.

Nativity scene egg ornaments

I have come to believe that commercially Christmas has lost its true meaning. This year, instead of piling on the tinsel, I decided to make some of my own ornaments with the focus being on the nativity.

Gifts you can bake

I don't know about you, but Christmas this year is going to be tight. So tight in fact, that all my friends and family will be receiving homemade gifts. The thing about homemade gifts is that they are made with love and care, and not something you whip together in five minutes!

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Cupcake fairy lights

How pretty are these cupcake fairy lights. They are inexpensive to make and you can mix up the colours to suit any special occasion or party. All you need are paper cupcake liners and LED fairy lights. It's important to use LED lights as they generate very little heat.

How to make dainty ribbon bows

Here's a clever tutorial that shows how to make your own dainty ribbon bows, using a single or two colours. This method is perfect for ribbons for small gifts, popping onto an envelope, using as an embellishment for scrapbooking, and for gluing onto a hair clip or barrette.

Faux gilded Easter eggs

How gorgeous are the colours of these dyed Easter eggs, and that gilded look adds just the finishing touch. Add quick and easy gilding to eggs with foil wrapping paper.

Charming Easter centrepiece

Don't you just love this Easter centrepiece. If you don't want to use artificial grass for your centrepiece you can substitute with wheat grass, or other lush grass variety that you find at your local garden centre or nursery.

Beautiful Easter egg designs

So many beautiful ways to decorate Easter eggs, or even eggs that you would like to put on display just because they look gorgeous.

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How to make decorative lace eggs for Easter

I have previously featured on lace eggs but this time I want to do Easter eggs with a lace design. Although, having made these I think I will put them on permanent display somewhere !

St Patrick's Day centrepiece

Make up a mini tabletop garden centrepiece for St Patrick's Day. This mini bouquet is set in a chic glass container and features clover and wheatgrass and cut flowers (Shasta and chamomile daisies). What a great way to dress up your St. Patty’s Day table!

Colourful Easter egg garland

Buy some colourful embroidery thread and a pack of small balloons to make an Easter egg garland or colourful table display.

Fold serviettes for a pretty table setting

Unique serviette folds can make a table setting extra entertaining. I'm happy to show you these fantastic fillable pouch serviettes by Matthew Mead. They are a perfect way to deliver Easter treats !

Decorate eggs with paper or fabric

Make these decorative Easter eggs with pretty fabric or patterned wrapping paper and then place them on display on a table or shelf.

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How to blow out or empty eggs

With Easter on the horizon, you will be on the lookout for Easter craft projects. One project that is always fun, is to decorate blown out eggs in different ways. For this project you need to blow out eggs and here's how to...

Valentines for the disheartened

Not everyone looks forward to Valentine's Day, so this year I decided to feature a Valentine's Day craft that would appeal to the disenchanted, disillusioned and disheartened. We'll show you how to make a bouquet of black roses using duct tape.

Crafty projects for Valentine's day

If you're tired of spending a fortune on a Valentine's day card or gifts, you can so easily start crafting your own. There are so many wonderful Valentine's day ideas on the Internet and here are just a few crafty Valentine craft projects that caught my attention...

Ideas for driftwood Christmas trees

If you are lucky enough to live by the coast, take a stroll along the beach to collect pieces of driftwood. You can use driftwood to make a variety of festive or home decor accessories. You will find some amazingly crafty ideas for driftwood Christmas trees...

Crafty DIY ideas for a festive wreath

So many beautiful ideas for a festive wreath and only one door...! There are hundreds of ideas for festive wreaths on the Internet and I decided to select a few to give you ideas and inspiration for dressing up the front door.

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Cute little angels

As an incentive to speed up their Christmas orders, Art Mind created these cute little angles as gifts for clients placing their orders early. Too adorable, these little angels would look wonderful as ornaments on the Christmas tree.

Patchwork star with aluminium cold drink cans

I have been looking for ways to use up my collection of aluminium cold drink cans and decided to make a patchwork star using the cans. I think the patchwork tin start came out great and will definitely be making more.

Christmas gifts you can make

When times are tough - the tough get creative. There are hundreds of creative gift ideas that you can make. And don't think that your gift won't be appreciated. I have always been one that truly appreciates a gift given a lot of thought and made with love.

Gorgeous paper Xmas trees

The trees are made using sheets of music for some trees, book pages for others, and even children's books for a youthful tree. They are adorable grouped together on a mantle or table.

Repurpose gift boxes into gift boxes!

Boxes and cartons are perfect for creating special gift containers, whether or Christmas, birthdays or special occasions. In this project I am using an egg box, and a couple of old gift boxes to show you how easy it is.

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Recycle plastic bottles into Xmas decor

Here I go again... once more using plastic cold drink bottles. This time I'm using plastic bottles for my Christmas fairy lights. I want to hang them around the window frame, so they need to be BIG. I'm also using plastic bottles to make miniature Christmas trees for the table.

Make an Advent calendar with Dremel

If you have some 9mm and 12mm MDF offcuts lying around at home, Dremel will show you how to put these to good use. This project also introduces the new Dremel Moto Saw, due to be launched in South Africa in the new future.

Make an Advent Calendar

With just under two weeks to go until the beginning of December I thought I should pop in a feature on how to make an advent calendar. There are plenty of ideas on the web and I put together a few of my favourite - and ones that are easy to make at home.

Sustainable alternatives for xmas tree

There are plenty of alternative and re-purposed options for Christmas trees, and many are truly exceptional. I personally feel that the traditional Christmas tree will remain with us for a long time to come.

Recycled beer cans for napkin rings

If your hubby is a beer drinker, or your kids like canned cold drinks, guaranteed you have aluminium cans leftover after a weekend, especially if friends come around for a braai. Repurpose aluminium cans using a Dremel MultiTool and create unique Christmas or table decor and accessories for your home.

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Home made potpourri

Homemade and gifts made with love are my fave gifts to receive. You know that the giver has spent time making a gift to give and has put a lot of thought and effort into the process. With this in mind I thought it might be nice to show a selection of easy gifts to make and nice ones to receive.

DIY wooden Christmas tree

This wooden Christmas tree was designed and created by Crafty Sisters, and the first time I spotted it on Pinterest, I knew this was a fantastic project for our DIY Divas Christmas Craft workshop.

Recycled cards for Christmas cards and gift tags

Considering how much you have to spend these days on greeting cards, it makes sense to recycle old greeting cards, repurpose them in other ways, or even make your own greeting cards.

How to make a basic wreath frame

 I have a front wall covered in Ivy that I am forever trimming to keep in shape. But I can't wait for new shoots to grow so that I can use them for home decor crafts.

Crafty idea for Mother's Day gift

If you're stumped for ideas for a Mother's Day gift, here's a really nice project - and everyone appreciates a touch of greenery for their home.

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Easter printables

Easter is just around the corner and I came across this lovely project with free printable templates for making your own gift or goodie bags and even bookmarks. All you need is cardstock and a printer to make your own gift bags.

Make a heart wreath for Valentine's Day

Feeling all soppy and romantic this year? Or perhaps you would like to do something different this year. Crafty Sisters have a wonderful red felt heart wreath that is fairly simple and only requires a few basic crafting tools.

Plan a wedding that is affordable and memorable

Planning a wedding takes a lot of time and effort, and this stressful time can turn out to be a nightmare for both bride- and groom-to-be. You've decided on the venue but how will you design and decorate the venue?

Craft ideas for a wedding

If a wedding is on the cards and you're still looking for last minute decorating and favour ideas, here are some that you can make yourself and they won't cost a fortune.

Decorate a home for the holidays

If shopping early makes the holidays less stressful, then planning early for decorating your home brightens the family's mood and makes this time of year more fun.

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Unique Christmas tree ideas

What would Christmas be without a Christmas tree. Today Christmas trees needn’t be as traditional as they once were

Make your own greeting cards

Here's a fun and affordable way to make your own greeting cards. The whole family can get involved and be creative.

Get crafty this Christmas

A few simple crafts ideas for extra special Christmas wrapping, decor and table dressing - for an affordable Christmas at home.

Recycled tree decor

A few blown light bulbs, a few tools and accessories and you can easily make your own gorgeous tree ornaments.

Happy Hanukkah

To celebrate Hanukkah with our Jewish readers, here are a selection of craft projects that you can easily do to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for family and friends.

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Tree of memories

Don't settle for store bought ornaments when you can create a tradition by using clear baubles each year and filling them with lasting memories.

Christmas ornaments

A few curtain hoops, some colourful, jewel-toned embroidery thread and a few sewing accessories are all that you need to make these gorgeous Dorset Button tree decorations.

Sentimental Christmas

As the holidays begin to descend upon us, we’re also working hard at keeping with the whole idea of creating more and consuming less.

Christmas crackers

Celebrate a clash of different cultures, epochs and art movements by creating your own Christmas Fusion Crackers.

Christmas baubles

Christmas decorations can work out expensive! Why not make your own this year, saving money whilst adding a personal touch to the festive celebrations?

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A surprise for Santa

Decorate brightly coloured rubber boots to create fabulous Christmas stockings with a difference - customising them for a fun and contemporary way to deliver gifts from Santa.

Budget decorating ideas

You don't need to spend a fortune on dressing up a home for the holidays.

Elfish skittles

Now who doesn’t want to bowl over those cheery little elves?  You could vary this project to create gnomes, fairies, farm animals, monsters, your family…whatever !

Recycled craft bows

Magazines, books, newspaper - use paper scraps to make these crafty bows for gifts !

Greeting cards

Here's a project that uses blank note cards from the craft store and fabric scraps from your stash to create one-of-a-kind embellished greetings that are sure to perk up anyone's day.

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Make Christmas cards

With Christmas around the corner, we decided to look at some of the absolutely gorgeous home made Christmas cards - to inspire you to make your own this year!

Engrave on glass

Always perfect as a gift, engraved wine or champagne glasses are easy to do if you own a Dremel Engraver.

Braai apron for dad

A braai apron is something that every dad will appreciate, especially when you add your own unique message!

Make your own gift boxes

We've all seen it at one time or another: a child opens a beautifully wrapped gift and ends up playing with the box and the wrapping much more than the toy it contained. In this project find out how to make the perfect gift box.

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Valentine gift boxes

Don't just wrap your Valentine's Day presents, box them with love!

Crafty Valentine Ideas

Spoil your special valentine with something sweet to say I love you!

Last minute gift wrapping ideas

Did you leave it too late to stock up on wrapping paper? These fun ideas will help you out of a tight spot and they're pretty and fun to boot. You'll find everything you need at your local stationary shop.

Scented Christmas ornaments

These scented fabric ornaments are a gorgeous way to introduce a hint of festive fragrance to any corner of the home.

Recycled Christmas decor

Give this Christmas a whole new spin by recycling for your gifts and gift wrapping!

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Crafts for Christmas

Here's a silver lining to the dark economic clouds still on the horizon this holiday season: handmade holiday decorations are not only less costly, they're perceived as more meaningful as well.

Recycle paper for Christmas decor

Recycle your old wrapping paper into a decorative paper wreath and dress up your home for the festive season.

Easy crafts for Christmas

Don't spend a fortune on Christmas decorations when you can easily make your own - for very little cost.

Gift wrapping ideas

Not sure how to wrap gifts? Be inspired by a few ideas to get your creative juiced flowing.

Raffia Christmas decor

Recycle appetizer or grapetiser bottles for these decorative xmas trees that would make the perfect centrepiece for your Christmas table.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Any Home

This festive season give though to handmade gifts that can be tailored precisely to the person you are buying for, allowing you to be both creative and innovative at the same time.

4 Ideas to Decorate Your Home with DIY Arts and Crafts

Eplore four ideas for home decoration that can be accomplished with DIY arts or crafts.

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