Bird’s nests make wonderful elements in spring decor. Did you know that you can make your own out of twigs? Check out this sweet project from Jess at Make and Do Crew! The instructions call for your twigs to be as green as possible, so if you have some pruning on your upcoming to-do list, you may want to save some of those clippings so you can make your own nest! [how to make a twig bird’s nest]

Project estimate:

• Twigs, on hand
• Water, on hand
• Wire, on hand or $1 and up

Total: Free and up!

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Chic, easy, and inexpensive, this twig and yarn brooch from Journey into Creativity is definitely our kind of project! The tutorial is in Greek, but the pictures do a great job of demonstrating the project. The blog post is about brooches, but you could also adapt this project to make hair clips, necklaces, and more. You could even use the yarn-wrapped twig bundles to embellish decor projects like picture frames and jar candles! [how to make twig and yarn jewelry]

Project estimate:

• Twigs, on hand
• Yarn or string, on hand or $1 and up
• Glue, on hand
• Jewelry findings, on hand or $1 and up

Total: Free and up!

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This advent calendar idea is adorable and brilliantly simple! Swedish blogger Sandra Brundell used twigs and twine to string up a selection of small gifts. And when the gifts are gone, the twig tree still looks fabulous hanging on your wall through the rest of the holiday season! [how to make a twig tree advent calendar]

Project estimate:

• Twigs, free
• Twine, on hand or $1 and up
• Wrapping paper, on hand or $1 and up
• Assorted small gifts, $1 and up

Total: $1 and up!

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Paper is one of our favorite craft mediums because it is so very versatile. You know that roll of kraft paper you have tucked in the closet? It’s good for so many things besides just wrapping gifts. Get inspired by these ginormous paper flowers that Caitlin from The Merry Thought made for a floral themed baby shower! They would also be great for weddings, birthdays, or even as part of your home decor. Carry the theme even farther by making a smaller version of these flowers to string up as a garland! [how to make giant kraft paper flowers]

Project estimate:

• Kraft paper, on hand or $1
• Cardboard, on hand
• Colored paper, on hand or $1
• Sticks, on hand
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Hot glue, on hand

Total: Free and up!

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After the tree in her yard got a little trim, Priyam from Simple Joys gathered up a bunch of dried twigs to use for crafting. She contemplated what to do with the pile for a few weeks until inspiration struck and she decided to turn them into a simple fall wreath. And since her wreath form came out of the recycling bin, this project was free – a totally amazing price for something that looks like it came out of a trendy design boutique! [how to make a twig wreath]

Project estimate:

• Cardboard, on hand
• Twigs, on hand
• Hot glue, on hand

Total: Free!

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Need a project to keep the kids busy over the holiday weekend? Perfect for family holiday gatherings or a cold, snowy afternoon, these bottle cap reindeer by Angie at The Country Chic Cottage are just too cute! Use them as ornaments or package toppers, or skip the ribbon and glue magnets to the backs instead. What will you do with your herd of bottle cap reindeer? [how to make bottle cap reindeer]

Project estimate:

• Bottle caps, on hand
• Googly eyes, on hand or $1
• Buttons, on hand or $1
• Twigs, on hand
• Glue, on hand

Total: Free and up

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The other day, I woke up and there was a little bit of white stuff accumulating on my lawn.  Yes, winter is definitely on its way!  Inspired by the weather, and a twig craft challenge issued by Funky Junk Interiors, I grabbed my giant jar of buttons and got to work.  The results came out even better than I’d pictured them in my head, and they are so simple to make!  I left mine plain, but you could dress them up with a little bling as well – cover them in glitter, or glue a rhinestone to each button.

Project estimate:

• Twigs, free
• Buttons, on hand or $1
• Glue, on hand
• Wax paper, on hand or $1
• White spray paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Fishing line, on hand or about $2

Total:  Free and up

1.  Decide how many “arms” your snowflake will have – I made one with 5 arms and one with 6 arms.  For each arm, break off a piece of twig, making sure they are all about the same length.  (Your finished snowflake will be about twice as wide as the length of the arm pieces.)

2.  For each arm piece, you will need two smaller cross pieces.  Again, make sure all of the cross pieces are about the same length.

3.  For the gluing portion of this project, work on top of wax paper or plastic-coated freezer paper.  If you have any stray drips of glue through or around the buttons, it should peel easily off of the slick surface without leaving a pesky residue of torn paper.

Put a drop of glue on the back of a button.  (I used wood glue, but many different types of glue will work.)  Place the button glue-side-up on the wax paper.  Lay an arm piece on top of the button, then carefully line up two cross pieces at the point on the arm where it crosses the button.  All three pieces should be in contact with the button and drop of glue.

4.  Put a drop of glue on the back of another button and place it on top of the meeting point of the twigs, creating a twig-and-button sandwich.

5.  Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all of your snowflake arms are assembled.  Allow the glue to dry completely before moving on.

6.  Put a drop of glue on the back of a larger button.  Place the end of each arm into the glue on the button.

7.  Glue another large button over the exposed ends of the arms.

8.  When the glue is completely dry, apply several light coats of white spray paint to the snowflake.  To hang, tie a piece of fishing line around one of the arms just below the cross pieces.  (I snagged my fishing line from the hubby’s tackle box, but if you don’t have any handy, the non-fancy kinds of fishing line are really cheap – and useful!)

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My mom collected twig-sized driftwood during her most recent trip to the beach and used the driftwood to construct two Christmas trees for her holiday decorations. The project is super simple and it looks fabulous (even better in real life, of course!). If you don’t have access to driftwood or a nearby beach, you can use twigs from trees to make decorations with a more woodsy feel.

Project Estimate:

• Driftwood or twigs, on hand
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks, on hand

Total: FREE

These trees are about 12 and 18 inches tall. She used hot glue to assemble them. To assemble, line up four twigs, about a half inch from each other to create a stable base. Layer twigs on top, gluing each layer with hot glue. You will probably want to trim or break the twigs to make them shorter as you build the tree up taller.

Thanks for the cute project, Mom!

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