Last Minute Gift Giving Idea

Hey, were you wondering a fun way to share the gift cards you bought for your friends and family?  Why not make this darling stocking to hold them? I searched all over the Internet the last couple days trying to find something that was easy, and free.  Here is a template that I found. : Template  Thank you to the creator of this template, because they went together really quick.  I added a paper rosette and a tag to mine.  I was happy with the results!

I ended up making 5 of these.  Other than waiting for the stickles to dry, they went together very quick and easy.  Perfect for the last minute idea!

Raise the cuff flap and underneath is a pocket that holds the gift card. Pretty nifty!

Gift Ideas for Christmas

Do you ever start a project and it becomes bigger than you thought it would?  I showed you the Candy Boxes yesterday. Yes, I actually made 22 of those things for co-workers.  But that's not all I did this weekend...No.  I always have to out-do myself, and this time is no exception.  I am a team lead for 9 people at my work and I decided to give everyone a stocking to hang outside of their cubicles.  Now, I knew I needed to fill them!

Remember the cute little post-it books I made at Halloween?  Well, here they are again, only this time they are ready for the Christmas holiday. (the link will show you a more descriptive photo) These books are simple to make too.  Here are the steps:

• Cut 4 pieces of decorative paper 3.25" x 3.75"
• Cut 2 pieces of chipboard 3.25" x 3.75"
• Adhere the paper to both sides of the chipboard.  I used double-sided paper and made sure my front and back covers were the same, any my inside covers were the same.
• lightly sand all edges of covers
• lightly ink all edges of covers
• I used my bind-it-all and punched out 6 holes in the top.  I then bound it with 3/4" wire.
• I applied adhesive to the back of a post-it book and placed it inside.
• Embellish the cover however you like!  I used paper rosettes and whatever else I could think of.  No two were alike.

I also whipped up a yummy little bag of home made caramels.   I showcased the caramels a couple years back, but they were ready for a redo this year.  Before you think, "forget making home made caramels...who has the time or patience?"  You better check the recipe out.  Did I mention they cook in the microwave??  So easy!!  My good friend, Jackie, gave me this recipe and it really is wonderful.

Microwave Caramels

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

In a glass bowl, melt butter. Add remaining ingredients and mix

well. Microwave 7 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes. Pour into

buttered 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Cool to room temperature. Chill, cut

and wrap in wax paper.

Tips and Tricks:

- Use just slightly less than 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

so that you can get two batches out of each can! It won’t

mess up the recipe.

- Use a metal pan.

- After caramels come to room temperature, chill in fridge for

about one hour. Take out and let sit for just a few minutes then

pop out of pan in one big block.

- Cut with pizza cutter. I try to get 81 caramels out of each

batch, so 9 rows by 9 rows of about ¾-1” in size.

- Cut wax paper into 4x4 squares using a paper trimmer (like

you use for scrap booking projects)

After the caramels were wrapped up, I put them in a clear acetate bag and cut a header out of the matching decorative paper I used for my projects.  I also put the post-it book in a bag as well, to keep the embellishments on the front nice and sharp for gift giving.  It was definitely a busy weekend, but it was really fun.  I haven't spent this many hours in my craft room for a very long time!

Candy, Candy, Candy!

Hello everyone!
Paper Patch Crafts has another fun challenge for you that is not only fun, but also might be something you want to work on for your holiday gift giving.  Over at the group page, Anne would like everyone to create a candy box using this template, either by hand cutting or incorporating it into a cut file.  I tried it both ways, and decided that I would use the cut file with my SCAL because I couldn't imagine handcutting 20 of these for my work friends.  Here is what I created, and also the template if you'd like to give it a try.

These cute boxes are filled with candy treats. Won't this be fun to give out to friends or family for the holidays?  Or any occasion actually!

Here is the template.  Come and join us at the Paper Patch Group page at Facebook.  Also...Paper Patch Crafts has selected merchandise for 40% off.  WOW...now, that's a sale!!

I really hope you will play along!  Anne will be giving away a set of stamps to a lucky participate.

Items Used:

My Minds Eye Paper "I Believe"

Tim Holtz Mini Paper Rosettes Die

Stickles

For the tags I used "Schoolbook" Cricut Cart

Cut file was available at SVG Attic

Christmas Wreath

I was looking over the internet the other day and came across a Christmas wreath that I loved.  I decided to be a copy cat.  The original post is here.

But here is what I created.

Burlap is a cool look.  It was a bit messy to work with, and you have to be careful that you don't just cut it without first pulling a thread from the weave so you can see exactly where to cut because it is usually woven pretty wonky.  Plus, it's a bit dusty and smelly.  (I am really selling you on this, aren't I?)  But oh, so adorable.  The flowers are just a larger version of the ones I made for my ribbon rose tutorial.

Here is what I did.  I took about 1 1/4 yard of green burlap and cut it into 3" strips.  I then took an old wire coat hanger and formed it into a circle.  Taking one end of the wire I accordion folded the strips onto the wire.  I smooshed it on there pretty tight because I wanted my wreath to be really textured and not so loopy looking.  (if you follow that other link above, you will see what I mean)  But whatever you like!  Once it was all crammed on there I twisted the circle closed.

Then I cut a strip of the red burlap to create the roses.  Following the same procedure as shown here.

Kinda cute and festive, isn't it?  It makes me happy when I look at it.

Cut Card Challenge

Paper Patch Craft has a card challenge now through the 15th of December.  The challenge is to create a card with a cut in the front.  I couldn't sleep this morning and I decided to take on this challenge (since I am on the Design Team and because it's just plain fun).  We hope you will want to play along too.

I made the burlap flower myself using the same technique in my ribbon rose tutorial.

• I cut a strip of burlap about 8"-12" long and 1" wide.  I then folded it in half length wise so that I am working with the folded edge at the top and the frayed ends at the bottom.
• I then tightly rolled the edge about 4 turns to make the center of my rose.
• From this point I didn't leave the strip folded in half, and folded the strip down and away from the center. I just rolled it as I went. (see video above for better explanation)
• It's not a bad idea to add a dab of hot glue here and there.
• When it was to the desired size, I cut the end and tucked it underneath then hotglued the flower down onto a circle of paper I had pre-punched.

So cute!!

Come and join us in the challenge.  You can do that HERE!  If you are not already a member of our fun facebook group ask to join!  We can hook you up with a click of the mouse and there are always fun challenges and nice people sharing their crafty fun.

By the way...there is a prize being given away as well:  Teresa Collins Stamp Set

I am also adding this card to another challenge.  The image is from Mo Manning and this is the challenge currently going on at her Design Team Blog:

Image:  Maisie Caroling

Oh Christmas Tree

I am excited to share with you my first Christmas project for the holiday season.  I found the idea over at the Teresa Collins Design Team blog.

I used a 13" paper mache cone and created a base for it out of chipboard.  I mounted it onto a candlestick holder.  I then created many, many rolled flowers.  Oh my, there were so many flowers! The flowers are very easy to make.  Cut out a circle of paper, and then spiral cut into the circle until you come up with this:

 Starting at the outer edge, simple roll the flower up until you reach the base (or center) of the circle.

  I then used a dab of hot glue to adhere the flower to the base.  Pretty easy stuff...just takes a long time to make this many flowers. 

 I also used differing sizes so they would start large at the bottom and get smaller towards the top.  After it was all done I zapped the tree with my heat gun to melt away all the hot glue "webs" and then lightly sprayed it with my homemade glimmery mist. (In a mini-mister put water and a few little scoops of Perfect Pearls. I used "Heirloom Gold").

Baby Day

Happy Sunday.  Over Thanksgiving week I was fortunate enough to have all my children home.  It was wonderful. That was 2 week ago though, and I am still recovering!  I sure am not as young with the bounce-back reflexes I used to have.  But, regardless..it was wonderful.  Here are my sons with their wives and my grandchildren.  One of my daughters in law was absent in the photo.

We also have a new addition to the family!  My oldest son and his wife recently brought a new little sweetheart into their family.  Sidney Jean was born this past month in November.

Here she is with her big sister!

Oh yes, crafts!  Here I was bragging up my family when you may have been checking in merely to see what new craft was completed recently by me. :)

I found this pattern on pinterest recently and decided to make a new heirloom for my newest grand daughter. Aren't these sweet?  The pattern seemed simple enough, but for some reason I was having a very difficult time getting it to work out.  I would share the pattern with you, but I had to purchase it, and so it would be wrong to infringe on that copyright.  If you follow me on pinterest though, you can find the links to it yourself.

I have been working on some crafts lately and hopefully will make a tutorial later today that I can share a little later this week.  Tomorrow...please pop over because I have a monster project I just finished yesterday that I want to show you.  When I say monster, I really mean...I turned into a monster while creating it because it was a long process.  But, I really liked how it turned it.