First Christmas Craft

Have you ever gotten a gift that is so beautifully wrapped that the thing it came in is almost as good as the gift itself? I have and it's like 2 gifts in one. I love it!

I bought these plain wine tubes on after-Christmas clearance a few years ago. I thought I might paint them or decoupage them but I liked the faux leather outside so much that they just sat in my closet until the right inspiration came. And.... ta-da! Here is the result:I made 3 of these in 10 minutes. No kidding! (You know me... if it can't get done quickly these days, it'll have to wait.) I'll tell you how. What you need is 1 wine tube, 1 small ready-made wreath (I think mine is meant to be around a candle) 1 flat ornament or embellishment (I found my birds in the $1 bin at Michael's -just like this), and Gorilla glue. I can't sing enough praises about Gorilla Glue. Your hot glue gun will not be able to do this job. Bend the wreath so it contours better around the wine tube. Find the contact points between the wreath and the tube and put the Gorilla Glue on. Remember that Gorilla Glue expands so don't use too much. Glue the bird or your ornament of choice on top of the wreath and let it dry for a couple house. That's it!

Don't forget to put the wine in. This would also make a great container for a big stack of cookies. You better get crafting--only 49 days left until Christmas! Can you believe it?!?!? Cheers!