Add some Magic and Sparkle to your Christmas!

As I'm sure you are all aware Christmas is just around the corner, and Christmas really isn't Christmas without the decorations!

Some of you may already have your trees up and baubles polished, whilst the rest of us are groaning at the thought of having to wrestle your tree out the attic and untangle yards of fairy lights. 

Over here at The Border Studio we like to think we're quite a creative bunch, and we do like to sink our teeth into a good DIY project (as shown by our enthusiasm for knitting blankets and bears for our #bearinablanket project!)

A Christmas Wreath - handmade by our very own Tamsin

This year I decided to put together a list of some of my favourite DIY and 'How To' projects to help you decorate your house in a more creative, and even cost efficient way. Some of these would also be really fun activities you could do with your own children and grandchildren or with youth groups in the lead up to Christmas - and you'll end up with handmade decorations that are a bit more special then a multipack of coloured baubles from the local garden centre.

Of course crafts aren't for everyone - but if you do feel up for a challenge with decorating your house this year then this guide is perfect for those who want to be a bit more creative and hands-on. We certainly think our customers are very creative and hands-on and definitely willing to take on any challenge!
We have tried to find detailed 'how to' guides for each project so just click on the links to find out how to do them yourself. We hope you enjoy!

1. Ballerina Snowflakes 
2. Glitter Snowballs  
3. Wooden Diamonds 
4. Willow Stars - I learned to construct these on holiday at Centerparcs this year. They can seem a bit fiddly but once you get the hang of them you can do them in your sleep - and they look so pretty hung around the house!

1. Paper Snowflakes - Best Pattern Collections 1 & 2
2. Tissue Paper Pom Poms - We used paper pom-poms to decorate our office last year, alongside miles & miles of traditional paper garlands
3. Swan Place Settings - We couldn't find a 'how to', but I'm sure you can follow these to put together your own design. Perfect for Panto Parties!
4. Painted Tree Stump Side Tables - A unique way to dress your house, we love these rustic side tables. All you need is a tree, sanding paper, some elbow grease and some pretty paint colours. 
5. 3D Stars & Snowflakes - we made a few of these last year to hang in the window. Much easier to make then they look! We recommend using a stapler to put together and we made a card 'stencil' to cut around to ensure all the sizes matched.

1. Glittery Pinecones 
2. Glittery Leaves Garland 
3. Leaf Table Setting - Send your children outside to gather some leaves then simply spray paint them! A cheap yet very creative way to sort out place settings.
4. Glittery Twigs - Again you just need to gather some twigs together and spray glitter over them. Just pop them into a vase and display them in the corner of the room, you can even thread fairy lights through them. They would make an interesting, yet lovely table centrepiece.

Something a little different

Although these aren't strictly Christmassy, we couldn't resist popping them in to show you! The party boxes would be perfect alongside the swan place settings for a Panto themed party, and the paper hats are ideal for New Years. Lots of these decorations could be used to put together a fantastic 'Princess' themed party - with different coloured wooden gems, homemade crowns and Fairy Tale themed decorations the party would be fit for a Queen - you could even reuse all your snowflakes and declare it a 'Frozen' party!

1. Party Hats
2. Cinderella's Coach Party Boxes  - we found plenty of similar ones available to buy on eBay
3. Castle Lanterns

We would love to see how you get on! Make sure you post pictures of your handmade decorations to our Facebook page, tweet us or tag us in your pictures so we can see! 

Written by Tamsin

We would like to remind our customers that it is definitely not too early to start booking your cloths and pantomimes for next year! Get in touch today so that you don't miss out!

Contact us through our website or by calling us on 01750 20237.

The Border Studio - Design to Inspire

We are a theatrical hire company based in Scotland, and remain one of the UK's most popular scenic suppliers.

With a catalogue of over 100 different shows, the UK's largest collection of hand-painted backcloths and a vast prop store

get in touch today to see how we can help enhance your show.