The festive season is upon us and we’re feeling crafty. There is something extra special about handmade gifts, wrapping and cards – and here at The Deckle Edge we’re all about creating DIY goodies! Today we will be showing you how to create your very own DIY festive crackers. You can decorate them any which way you like and fill them with all sorts of little gifts. They can be personalised or you can just make a whole bunch for your friends and family to enjoy. We’ve put together a step by step process so you can follow along and make your very own crackers – its so much fun!
Step 1:
Gather tools and materials – you will need:
- A4 brown paper
- cracker snappers
- ribbon or string
- cardboard toilet roll
- scissors
- tape
- Posca markers or other tools & supplies for decorating
- small gifts that will fit inside the toilet roll
You will find almost all of these products at The Deckle Edge (except for the toilet rolls – those you’ll have to upcycle from home!)
Step 2:
Print the cracker template (which you can download here) onto your A4 brown paper. The next step is to cut out the template. You can fold your paper in order to cut out the diamond shapes more easily (as seen in the image on the left). Then cut along the outside border of the template. Once you’ve finished cutting you’ll need to carefully fold along the dotted lines making sure the little triangles are folded inwards like in the photo on the right.
Step 3:
You may need to trim your toilet roll to ensure that it fits inside the middle section of your cracker. Measure by placing the toilet roll on the template and check if it is the same length as the rectangle in the middle – if it is too long you will have to trim off a bit using your scissors. Next, secure the cracker snapper inside the toilet roll using a small piece of tape on each end. Then fill your toilet roll with little gifts and treats! You may want to add a little bit of scrunched up tissue paper to keep the gifts from rattling around. Add a piece of tape to the end of the toilet roll so the gifts don’t fall out.
Step 4:
Roll your toilet roll inside the brown paper and then secure the middle with tape. Using your ribbon or string, tie a bow on each end of the cracker and then secure either end of the paper with tape.
Step 5:
The final step is to decorate your crackers. We used Posca paint markers but you can do anything you like! Include names for personalised crackers or draw patterns, pictures and shapes. You can also add stickers, paint, Washi tape or glitter – the possibilities are endless!