Although we’ve heard it a thousand times, there’s no escaping that this Christmas is going to be a bit different this year. Zoom drinks loom large as office celebrations are put on hold, sparkly statement pieces might not see daylight for another year, and frantic shopping will mostly be done online. But, one thing that we can certainly take classic Christmas comfort in getting creative. From knitted hats to colourful paper chains and cut-out snowflakes; there really are endless possibilities when it comes to Christmas crafting, and choosing where to start can seem overwhelming! So, we’ve made it easy for you. Staying firmly on brand, of course, this blog compiles four tropical DIY endeavours that we, here at Caleño, have been turning our hands to as the festive season gets in full swing.
Baubles
Whether your tree is propped and glistening, or still has a few weeks left in the box, there’s no escaping the need for baubles. While there’s something comfortingly familiar about reusing the same Christmas tree decorations over and over, we can all agree that this year, like no other, demands at least a pop of colour. Queue the PomPoms. We recently stumbled upon the gorgeous work of Jess at FatPomPoms, and completely fell in love. Jess’ vibrant fluffy creations have got us dreaming of green firs draped in wooly Caleño coloured baubles. We asked Jess, what is it about this time of year that gets her so excited?
‘I love crafting at Christmas with bright colours because it brings so much joy and vibrancy to a time in the year everyone lets their hair down a bit! I think it brings so much fun using all the colours of the rainbow, with lots of sparkle too of course!’
The best part? They’re super simple to make, just follow this step-by-step guide.
Gingerbread Houses
Next up, the humble Gingerbread House. A fail-prone way to have fail-safe festive fun, something that the Caleño team can attest to after spending hours assembling, decorating and in some cases, destroying, our own! We get that most people don’t have the time nor Bake-Off skill it takes to conjure biscuit infrastructure from scratch – buying a kit is completely allowed. Make sure to keep an eye on our Instagram stories as we’ll be asking you, our lovely customers, to vote on the best Caleño architecture! We opted for Ikea’s ‘Vintersaga’ set, but you can also pick up fabulous and affordable kits from Sainsbury’s and Amazon. Or, if you are up for the full DIY challenge, we love this recipe from Waitrose.
Christmas Wreaths
Christmas wreath making has been on the to-do-list of festive crafters for generations. A greetings card staple and a true yuletide classic, little says ‘tis the season’ like these leafy wreaths. Although what’s to stop you from adding a tropical twist? This year, we’re swapping snowy pinecones and crimson berries for dried citrus fruits and faux palm fronds.
Etsy is a perfect place to start when looking for wreath extras, we particularly love these dried grapefruits and oranges, faux monstera leaves, and bougainvillea flowers.
Face Masks
If we’d included DIY face-masks on a christmas craft activities list this time last year, you’d have assumed we’d gone mad. However, in these wild circumstances, unique, fun, face coverings have never been more sought after. Mia’s mask-making tutorials provide step-by-step guides, and have given us endless inspiration! Online retailers such as Fabric Land offer a huge range of fabrics, and of course, we’re always especially partial to the vibrant tropical prints. Making face coverings can also be a great way to upcycle old clothes that you haven’t touched in a while.
We hope you’ve inspired you to try something new and crafty over the next few weeks, into the christmas period, and we’d love to see your attempts! Please share them with us on Instagram. So, pour yourself a glass of Caleño and get making!