Home made Christmas crackers

Create your own opulent Christmas Crackers in a riot of colours and textures!

 

Celebrate a clash of different cultures, epochs and art movements by creating your own Christmas Fusion Crackers. Decorate with seals made from solid-coloured glue sticks in red, blue, yellow and green. Use animal skin patterned paper as well as materials such as velvet, embossed leather, feathers and wooden beads. Each one is unique and personalised.

YOU WILL NEED:

Dremel® Glue Gun 930 plus clear and coloured glue sticks
Wax paper or silicone heat gun pad
Hard stencil to make seal designs
Cardboard tubes from the inside of toilet rolls
Selection of decorative foiled, flock and metallic papers
Cracker snaps

 

 

HERE'S HOW:

Step 1
To make the decorative seals, place a coloured glue stick into the Dremel Glue Gun 930. Dispense a large bead of glue onto the wax paper and - working quickly so that the glue remains flexible - press the stencil to the surface of the glue to impress the design. Repeat to make more seals. When cool, peel wax sheet from the back of the seals.

Step 2
Cut decorative paper to measure 43 x 18cm. Place face down and score lines 10cm in from each short end, then fold the along the lines and glue the flaps down using the Dremel Glue Gun 930 and clear glue; this will strengthen the ends of the finished cracker. Use a small bead of glue to secure the cracker snap to the covering lengthways.

Step 3
Place three cardboard tubes end to end on the paper and begin to roll the covering tightly around them. Use the Dremel Glue Gun 930 with clear glue to run a thin line of glue along the edge and continue rolling to adhere the paper around the tubes.

Step 4
Pull one of the end tubes slightly away from the central tube and tie ribbon between the two tubes, gently manipulating the paper to create a ‘waist’ and tying a secure knot. Insert a small gift and some sequin confetti before repeating at the opposite end of the cracker. Leave the cardboard tubes in the ends while you decorate your cracker.

Step 5
Decorate with embellishments as desired. To finish, use your Dremel Glue Gun 930 fitted with a clear glue stick to glue short lengths of ribbon to the back of a prepared seal, then glue the seal in place on the finished cracker. Carefully remove the cardboard tubes from each end of the cracker.