DIY

According to major card seller, Hallmark, an estimated 1.3 billion Christmas cards are sent each year. This makes Christmas the biggest card-sending holiday of all!

If you’re looking for a way to break away from the norm and do something unique this year, why not try making homemade Xmas cards?

Even if you’re not a “crafty” person, there are plenty of ways to approach making Xmas cards that anyone can tackle–and even enjoy.

Read on for some great tips and tricks for making your very own Xmas cards for the upcoming holiday season.

Use Christmas Tags and Practice Your Calligraphy

Do you have naturally pretty handwriting? Do you want to give calligraphy a try?

These DIY Xmas cards are super easy to make and require only a few affordable materials. All you’ll need are large Christmas present tags, a calligraphy pen, and some blank cards.

Glue your tags to the front panels of your cards at a quirky angle. Then, grab your calligraphy pen and get creative with seasonal greetings of your choosing. The inside is then open to share a message and add your signature.

Grab Some Cookie Cutters and Paint

Christmas cookie cutters are easy to find at craft and home goods stores around this time. Plus, a fun assortment of mini cookie cutters won’t cost much at all.

Once you have your assortment of cookie cutters, grab a few seasonal colors of acrylic paint. You can stay traditional with red and green or get creative with other wintery colors like blue and even pink.

Use a paintbrush to apply paint to the bottom edge of your cookie cutters and start stamping your shapes onto your cards. You can go minimalist with a single image per card or add a fun jumble of holiday shapes. While the paint is still wet, you can dust your cards with a bit of fine glitter or even cinnamon.

Stencil On the Xmas Fun

If you want to include gorgeous artistic images on your homemade Xmas cards but don’t have a knack for drawing, don’t worry. This Christmas tree stencil set is a perfect solution.

Stencils are very versatile which means that you can use just about any of the art supplies you already have on hand. Trace the outline of the stencil with a marker or colored pencil or use paint and fill in the entire image.

Make Rustic Cards With Fabric Cut-Outs

Do you love the nostalgic feel of rustic Christmas cards? If so, this simple Christmas card trick is perfect for you.

Grab some blank cards with a matte or soft finish. Then, use fabric scraps to cut out Christmas shapes like snowmen, trees, and stars. If freehand cutting isn’t your thing, feel free to draw your shapes on the backside of the fabric using a pen before cutting them out.

To adhere the fabric to the cards, you can use any craft glue you have on hand. Use a paintbrush or sponge brush to make sure that the glue is applied all over the backside of the fabric in a thin, even layer. Make sure the glue is dry before you put your cards in their envelopes and pop them in the mail!

(Wondering what type of fabric to use if you want to get really rustic? We recommend a classic red and white gingham!)

Make a Decorative Garland Card

Do you remember making cut-out garlands in school as a kid? Dust off those skills for this cute decorative Xmas card idea!

Grab a large piece of cardstock paper and fold it accordion-style so that you have four alternative panels. Then, draw a snowman on the outermost panel, making sure that the folded edge is not cut all the way through. Cut out your snowman and unfold your cardstock so that you have four sweet snowmen all in a row.

From here, you can decorate them so they look like traditional snowmen, drawing on details like coal buttons and a carrot nose. Alternatively, you can decorate your snowman garland with paint, glitter, or other fun art supplies for a more abstract look.

Enlist the Kiddos for Hand Trees

When you’re making homemade Christmas cards for your friends and family, enlisting your kids is a great way to spread cheer. Plus, your kids will love a reason to get crafty!

Grab some green construction paper or cardstock. Then, have your kids trace their hands and cut them out, not unlike they would when making a Thanksgiving hand turkey!

Once the green hands are cut out, you can either draw tree trunks with a brown marker or cut out tree trunks from brown paper. Glue down your trunk and then glue your green hands upside down with the trunk sticking out from the bottom to make fun Christmas trees. From there, you and the kids can decorate your trees by drawing ornaments, garlands, and stars for that final holiday touch.

Get Three-Dimensional With Glue-On Decorations

Looking for ways to bring even more life to your DIY Xmas cards? If so, it’s time to get three-dimensional by gluing on some extra decorations!

What kinds of decorations can you use? Things like ribbon and buttons are perfect and easy to attach. You can also use rhinestones, mini pompoms, and tissue paper balls to finish your cards.

Go DIY With Your Xmas Cards This Year

If you’re looking for a new way to approach Xmas cards this year, consider ditching the storebought cards and trying your hand at DIY crafting, instead! With these tips and tricks, you can make memorable cards that your recipients will love no matter how crafty you are, to begin with.

Looking for more ways to go homemade in your day-to-day life? Take a look around for guides, tips, and helpful information to make DIY projects your go-to for everything!

The results are in: golf is becoming more popular for remote viewers to tune into. Recently, the US’s Golf Channel and NBA PGA Tour viewership ratings showed a 24% increase in viewers from 2020. Despite being considered one of the world’s slower pro sports, spectators are marking their calendars for major events like the Open and Masters tournaments.

Historically, diehard golf fans have bought tickets and lined up to view tournaments live. Not only are they surrounded by fellow golf enthusiasts, but they also get to stand close to their heroes. In some cases, they might even exchange a few words.

Another common way for fans to show their support is to wager on the outcome of a tournament. Popular oddsmakers offer golf betting odds on popular tournaments like the PGA’s Majors, as well as other competitions like the Northern Trust. Here, it’s not just about catching the action, but forecasting which pros, like Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas, will come out ahead.

But there’s one aspect of golf fandom that some struggle with: playing. With its specialized equipment (which is often pricey) and its complex technical movements, golf is a deceptively difficult sport to jump into. Casual fans often lack the resources to play themselves, but that doesn’t have to be the case.

Let’s take a quick look at how you can try out DIY golfing at home.

Equipment & At-Home Setup

The internet has made the search for affordable clubs simple. Though pros use a range of fourteen clubs for specialty shots, beginners can keep it simple with four different clubs: a driver for long shots, a putter for short shots, a wood club for long-range shots, and an iron for versatile shots.

Want to keep it super-basic? You’ll only need a putter and driver. Those with budgetary considerations can purchase used clubs online or new clubs at discount stores. New beginner sets run as low as £100.

Finding equipment is the first step. Next, beginners can set up an at-home net to start practicing their drives. Though many think that learning to golf requires membership to a driving range, all they need is a reliable net and a bit of space at home.

Find suitable piping to create a frame (PVC works great). Next, construct a frame that fits your spatial needs. Those building outside can dig holes to anchor the frame, while those working on a synthetic surface can use weights. Remember, you’ll be driving balls into the net, so it will need a bit of reinforcement to stay grounded.

From there, use Nylon tie cords (or a similar product) to secure tight netting around the frame. Netting solutions are vast, though most DIY at-home guides recommend using a cheap baffle net. Those short on time can purchase a golf net directly for the web that will fit their needs. On the other hand, those who are tech-savvy can jump ahead to create a state-of-the-art, at-home golf simulation.

Learning the Ropes

With a killer setup in place and equipment ready to go, all that’s left to do is learn how to swing a club. Once again, this is a deceptively tricky skill. Luckily for newcomers, YouTube tutorials have taken the headache out of learning. Some handy videos are available today from accounts like Mark Crossfield at AskGolfGuru, the team at Buzza Golf, and Peter Finch Golf Tutorials.

The channels listed above are great for learning how to drive. Driving is a long hit, which requires the most disciplined form. Amongst pros, styles vary, so be ready to take some notes. Those struggling to learn how to drive and put their golf net to use can always search Groupon and similar sites for discount lessons at local driving ranges.

However, well-rounded golfers need to do more than drive. They also need to perform well with close quarters putting if they plan on getting the ball into the hole. For this type of practice, a golf net isn’t necessary. Tips abound on creating (and purchasing) putting sets that are great for homes of all sizes. Keep in mind that a trip to the local put-put course is also an exciting way to practice short-range shots… with a few zany obstacles thrown in.

 

Have you spent more time in the kitchen than usual in the past year? From banana breads to elaborate date night dinners, many of us have tried to recreate the joy of our favourite cafes and restaurants while they’ve been temporarily closed.

But while your cooking skills might’ve improved, you may also have noticed a few areas and items in need of an upgrade. A recent survey found that three in five homeowners had been inspired to renovate during the pandemic.

So what projects could you take on this summer in preparation for the return of dinner parties and other social events? Get ideas for a kitchen refresh below.

Up your organisation

Is your space dominated by clutter? A messy kitchen can be frustrating at best and hazardous at worst. A survey by personal injury experts National Accident Helpline found the kitchen to be the most dangerous room in the home, so it could be time to get things in order.

Organisation doesn’t have to be boring though. Decanting everyday items such as coffee, nuts and pasta into clear containers is a great way to reduce packaging and make things easy to find. You could do the same with spices and create a pantry with clear, attractive labels.

Can you go vertical too? Open shelving and hooks will make items more accessible while displaying your decorations. Investing in modern pull-out drawers and cupboards meanwhile could make the most of dead space in corners.

Refresh or redecorate

If you’re tired of your kitchen’s appearance (or your kitchen’s appearance is tired), there are lots of effective ways to redecorate without completely starting afresh.

Repainting your kitchen cabinets is one of the most impactful. If your current colour scheme is neutral for example, could you create contrast with dark lower cupboards and lighter upper cabinets?

Or there’s your kitchen worktops. If replacing them with high-end materials like quartz or granite is a little too expensive, you could try a marble-effect wrap instead.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with tiling too. Your backsplash area is the most obvious area to target – but there’s no reason why you can’t introduce tiling in larger sections. Get creative with their layout or introduce eye-catching patterned designs.

Upgrade fittings and appliances

From taps to handles, you’ve got plenty of options for smaller upgrades too. You could even create your own drawer pulls to make your kitchen truly unique.

Or for a more modern take on DIY, could 2021 be the year you truly embrace technology? You could invest in multiple smart appliances and link them up to make prepping, cooking and hosting as optimised as possible!

The kitchen is the heart of the home, so it deserves your love and attention. Take on one or several of these projects and create a space to be proud of.

 

 

It’s not uncommon for many homeowners to feel the itch to remodel or renovate their properties. After all, a house is no more than a place for human habitation until it’s been properly personalised and made into our own. But with the involving work and rising costs of materials and services that these projects often entail, it makes sense to tackle the task responsibly and use a downloadable budget template so you don’t overspend. To this end, here are a few tips on home improvement that you should know.

Choose projects that will increase the value of your home

While home renovations and remodelling projects are primarily done to improve the comfort and liveability of a home, changes made to the property can also affect its worth. As such, it makes sense to choose to prioritise projects that will increase your home’s value such as the addition of modern amenities like freestanding baths for your bathroom areas or upgrading to more energy-efficient lighting systems. In doing so, not only will you make the house much more comfortable to live in but also achieve a better return on your investment.

Know when to do-it-yourself

Even with a stock of tools and equipment, not all projects can be done on our own. And while it may seem like an additional expense, it’s good standard practice to know when to leave specific tasks to professionals. In this way, you will be mitigating costly mistakes, which should save you both time and money. More importantly, you’ll also be able to avoid safety hazards and prevent dangerous accidents from occurring.

Study and research

Whether it’s to hone your DIY skills or to find inexpensive alternatives to the materials and services that your project needs, it’s never a bad thing to study and do research. After all, the more you know, the less likely you’ll encounter problems mid-project and the better your chances of getting good deals. Best of all, there are plenty of resources online, making it relatively easy to do.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew

Home improvement projects can often require a substantial commitment of financial resources. And depending on the scale of the renovation, it’s always better to try to stick to one project at a time. Doing so will not only keep you focused on the task at hand and maintain a consistently high level of productivity, but you will also be able to avoid delays and mitigate the risks of potentially blowing the allotted budget and breaking the bank in the process too.

Despite how increasingly popular they have become in recent years; home improvement projects are huge undertakings that can be as time-consuming as they are costly. But by staying disciplined and tackling each project responsibly, not only will you increase your chances of making sure that they are completed promptly, but you are much more likely to get the desired results without having to spend a small fortune to do so as well.

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