Dear Just Be: I need ideas for making crafts with my kids over the holiday break

Below are three easy crafting ideas you can make with kids.

1.) A miniture Christmas tree.

This craft is ideal for decorating a kids room. The craft can be placed on the child's dresser or nightstand.

Materials
•Evergreen clipping
•Glass jar or cup
•Salt
•Pipe cleaner

Instructions
a.) Trim and shape the evergreen clipping so that it resembles a conical tree with a trunk.
b.) Fill a glass jar or cup with salt, and push the bottom of the tree deep enough into the salt to keep it from toppling.
c.) Finally, fashion a pipe cleaner into a star and attach it to the tip of the tree

2.) Old-fashioned garland

Materials
•2/3 cup unpopped popcorn
•Medium paper bag
•Dried apricots
•Dried cranberries
•Needle and thread

Instructions
a.) To microwave the popcorn, pour the kernels into the paper bag and loosely fold the bag closed. Place the bag in the microwave. Cook on high for 3 to 6 minutes or until the popcorn has popped (the exact time will depend on the power of the microwave). It's done when the pops slow to a near stop.
b.) Carefully remove the bag from the oven and open it to let the steam escape (an adult's job). Pour the popcorn into a large bowl and let cool. Open the bags of dried apricots and dried cranberries and pour into separate bowls.
c.) Next, thread a needle with about 36 inches of white thread doubled to make the thread strong and a workable 18 inches long. Tie a knot at the end.
d.) Choose a pattern to repeat, for example, two pieces of popcorn followed by a dried apricot, then two more pieces of popcorn followed by a dried cranberry. String several short garlands, then hang them on the tree

3.) In-door Icicles

Materials
•White glitter felt
•Paper
•Glue stick

Instructions
a.) Cut white glitter felt into a strip 6 1/2 inches wide and as long as your shelf. On the non-glittery side, draw long, pointy icicles with a pencil and cut them out, leaving a border of 1 1/2 inches on the top edge.
b.) Cut a strip of white paper about 4 inches wide and as long as your shelf (tape multiple pieces of paper together as needed). Fold over 1/2-inch of one edge, then join the felt piece and the folded paper with a glue stick as shown.
c.) Clear a shelf, lay the paper on it so that the icicles hang down, and replace the objects to keep the shelfsicles in place.

For more crafting ideas visit Disney's Family Fun page.