Christmas Decorating
By Johann Erickson, Fri Dec 9th

If you love to go all out with your Christmas decorating, hereis a whimsical, original idea for your bathroom:

Materials needed:

White shower curtain, canvas, or fabric (a new canvas drop clothworks great) Shower curtain liner (to protect curtain frommoisture) Projector* Permanent black marker, preferably a thickone Paint pens Paint Fiberfill or cotton balls Santa hat Blackfelt (about one yard) 2 red hand towels or red fabric

*If you can draw, you may not need the projector. If you are notartistically inclined, and do not already own a projector, seeif you can borrow one.

Let's get started!

If you're using fabric instead of a shower curtain, you'll needto make it standard shower curtain size, which is about 72" x72". Cut the fabric 73" x 73", fold each side over one halfinch, press into place, and hem each side to make smooth edges.Purchase plastic rings (usually found near the curtain rods) andsew them to the top for shower curtain rings. If you don'talready have a second rod, pick up a tension rod. They areinexpensive and simple to install.

The next step is finding a great picture of Santa Clause. Lookin coloring books, storybooks, or online. Once you find apicture you like, blow it up on the projector until Santa lookslife-sized. Hang the fabric or shower curtain on the wall or adoor with thumbtacks or straight pins, and project the imageonto it. Santa's knees should be about 6" from the bottom of theshower curtain. Stop at the knees and do not draw the rest ofthe legs (you will see why later).

Next, trace the image with a permanent black marker (put paperbehind the curtain to keep marker from seeping through). Fill inthe details for Santa's face as well as other intricate areaswith the paint pens. Fill in his suit with paint. Nearly anykind of paint will do, but craft paint is the least expensive.

In order to create a three dimensional effect, use fiberfill orstretched out cotton balls for Santa's hair and beard. Applywith regular school glue or use fabric glue. Use a real Santahat instead of painting one. These can be found at dollar storesand discount stores for very little money. Simply stitch the hatonto the curtain from the backside, or attach it with fabricglue.

Add a piece of black felt for Santa's belt. A real buckle makesa nice touch. You can remove a buckle from an old belt that youno longer wear and thread the felt through it, or you canpurchase a used belt at a thrift store and simply remove thebuckle to use it for this project. Stitch the felt into place orapply with fabric glue.

Hang the curtain and tuck the bottom edge inside the tub.Santa's knees should line up closely with the edge of the tub.

Here's the really fun part: Fold the red towels in halflengthwise and stitch or glue the sides together. If usingfabric, cut to the size of regular hand towels (not fingertiptowels) and proceed as directed above. Next, arrange the towelsso that the attached edges are in the middle instead of alongthe side then press into place with a warm iron. This seamshould face the shower curtain so it won't show. Stitch or gluethe towels to Santa's knees. Santa now has three-dimensionallegs that swing when the curtain moves!

Make mittens and boots from the leftover black felt. Attach themittens to the curtain and the boots to the towels. Another

By: Andrew Wolf
How do you turn it off when you don't want light????

neatidea is to set a pair of boots outside the tub and tuck the"legs" into the boots. This looks terrific and makes the effecteven more dimensional. This idea is best used in the guestbathroom or on the day company is coming, after everyone hasshowered, if used in the main bathroom (otherwise, you'll haveto keep moving the boots each time the tub is needed).

To make your shower curtain even more festive, wrap small emptyboxes to look like gifts and attach them to the curtain, or sewon tiny plastic ornaments or candy canes. Just use yourimagination.

This is a fun, yet fairly simple project to complete, and youwill get lots of compliments on this unique, whimsicaldecorating idea.

About the author:Johann Erickson writes for such sites as Online Discount Mart(http://www.onlinediscountmart.com) and TV Products 4 Less(http://www.tvproducts4less.com).