Christmas is coming...... Here's a lovely personalised family decoration thats easy to make and cheap too!

Well the shops are stocked with lots of lovely Christmas treats and decorations and the big day will soon be here.  However Christmas doesn't have to be an expensive time as there are lots of ideas around for decorations that can be made very cheaply or by using things from around the home.

While I set myself the challenge of making the sensory / coloured hand print book, I came across some old pringles lids I had kept (other crisps in tubes are available).  

I made the following tonight in a very short time to show you how easy these family keepsakes are to make to hang on the tree, wreath or similar.

Children love getting involved and can help to decorate them, you can add glitter too.

These are the items I started with:

• 3 x pringles lids (use can use as many as you need for the tree)
• Pieces of ribbon left over from last Christmas
• Sharp needle
• Cotton
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Family photographs

Cut out family faces from photographs by using the pringles lid as a template.  The pictures will then fit into the lid nice and snug.  I used a glue stick to reinforce the pictures to stay in the lid.  You can also add pictures back to back so that when the decoration hangs on the tree and moves you can see a picture on both sides.

I then folded the thicker ribbon into bow shapes and used the thinner ribbon to hold them together as seen in the picture below.  I then used the needle and cotton to sew the back of the bow and make a loop to hand the decoration onto the tree.  I tacked the cotton to the back of the bow again, then left a length of cotton before threading the needle through the plastic lid a few times and knotting.

Finished product hanging on my tree...

You can add beads, buttons etc.  The possibilities are endless.  Have fun!