Welcome Christmas

Howdy.  I hope this post finds you well, and still have some holiday spirit left after countless hours standing in line, searching for a parking space, and logging in your required hours at work.  {smile}

I, like so many of you out there, I have different groups of friends, and they all want to get together for the holidays.  So, the crafting for family and friends doesn't really stop until, well, never.  It does slow down the few days between Christmas and News Year.  

For this particular group of friends, we always do a white elephant gift exchange.  There are only 2 requirements, $10 limit, and must be something craft-y.  Check, and check.  I grabbed a package of white coffee filters, and the ring from a mason jar.  

I am entering my creation into a 'new-to-me' challenge:  Crafty Calendar Challenge: It's Christmas.  You are free to create anything, JUST make sure, your creation matches their theme.  Check.

And here is what I came-up with:

Ta-Da!  I made a Holiday Ornament.  I cut each coffee filter into quarters, and then a rough circle.  I dyed the cut coffee filters with tea.  Dried them in the dryer; its fast and super easy.
I added the silver star and thin satin ribbon 'hanger' before adding the coffee filter folds.
Then, I created rough folders with each 'circle', and hot glued them to the ring of a mason jar lid.  I lined them up, and got them pretty close, so there wouldn't be any gaps.
I took tiny cream colored paper flowers, and painted them with a shimmer pearl paint.  Then I added glitter while the paint was wet, so the glitter would adhere.  I added an odd number of blossoms, to keep the wreath 'interesting'.
The final addition, is the 'Merry Christmas' banner.  I hand-stamped the sentiment in archival black ink onto white card stock.  I cut flag ends, and bent the strip into this fancy looking banner.  {smile}
Viola.  Something sweet, vintage, shabby chic, and with a bit of country charm.  {smile} Just my style!  Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you have been inspired to create something beautiful for those special folks in your life.

Hello Santa Gift Bag

Howdy.  and welcome.  For those of you who are following me, I thank you for your patience.  Life has gotten in the way of me crafting.  Super sad, right?  Yeah.  But, I believe that I have a handle on this.  And hopefully my posts keep coming, and I can share with you what I have created.  {smile}

I know that Christmas is only 15 weeks away.  Wow, can you believe it?  I have decided to start crafting, to get my inventory up.  I have two craft fairs on my books, and I am looking into adding one more.  So, let's get started.  {smile}

I like to use non traditional holiday colors; so anything other than red and green.   And I prefer to use retro or vintage style.  And I am pretty happy with what I came up with.  

gift bag:

The 'bag' is 4 1/2" x 8", so it will hold a fair amount of loot!  {smile} 

Recipe:  The red (pure poppy) and black (true black) card stock are both from PaperTreyInk.  The 'red' has an orange undertone, to coordinate better with the vintage red images.   The pattern papers are 'Hello Santa', that I purchased from a big box store.

I matted each of the pattern papers with solid card stock.  Just to help define the papers.  

I added a simple border stitch around the main panel and the polka dot pattern paper.  I felt that the machine stitching added a 'homespun' look & feel to my project.

I machine sewn a scrap piece of cream cotton trim to the focal panel.  I wrapped some black, cream, and metallic bakers twine around this piece.  I tied a snowflake 'charm' to the bakers twine.

I purchased this fun font 'Merry Christmas' stamp at the same big box store I pirated the pattern paper from.  I stamped the sentiment in basic black classic ink, onto white linen card stock from PaperTreyInk.  I hand cut the ovals.  I used a piece of sand paper to help keep the edges clean and neat.

I added a 'Santa Delivery' tag to the top of the bag.  I tied on a scrap piece of real red pom pom trim with the same back, cream, and metallic bakers twine.  I added a scrap piece of the polka dot paper to the clothes pin.

Thank you for looking.  I hope I have inspired you to use some of your new or old crafting supplies to create something pretty!

Joyous

Welcome.  If I said that I am making Christmas cards, you wouldn't be surprised.  Would you?  Well, yeah, I have started.  For a little background information, if you didn't know, I sell my paper crafts at local Holiday Arts and Crafts Fairs in November and December.  So, to be honest, I am a bit behind in my crafting.  I set a goal for each week, what to have accomplished, and what to work on.  And well, I am a bit behind.  Have you ever had a day (or weekend) where you had chores to do, but just didn't have the motivation?  Well, that is how it has been for me.  So, my stock is low, my motivation is low, and my mojo is low {frown}  But, I hope to turn that around.  

I stopped by a challenge site that I stalk frequent, but never participate.  Not really sure why I don't participate.  It's basically up my alley.  So, I have run out of excuses.  Until today!  Today, I have made a decision to participate and see what I can create with the many boxes of Christmas paper crafting supplies I have on hand.  But, today I want to 'play' with some new supplies I received in the mail last week: Joyous by My Mind's Eye.  I love vintage, and nostalgia.  So, this paper collection is perfect for me!

Now, let's swing by Merry Monday Christmas Challenge to see what these talented crafters have created, and what our inspiration is for the week.

Ok, so Merry Monday asks that you use polka dots, or stripes, or both.   Are you kidding?  I can do that!  Now, look at this beautiful inspiration photo: stockings, red stripes, and holly trimming the fireplace.  How home-y is that?

ok, here is what I made:

Before you say anything.  I think the pop of blue really brings out the reds in this card.  I got the idea of using some blue from the main panel on this card.  The blue bird and the blue string that is tied to the sentiment tag.

Recipe:  I started with crumb cake card stock (SU!) for the card base.  I used 5 pattern papers from the 6" x 6" pattern paper pad (Joyous by MME).  First I cut the merry christmas pattern paper (4" x 4 1/4").  Then I added a strip of the deep red flourish pattern paper (4" x 1 1/2").  I purposefully have a 1/4" overlap, to allow me to adhered these two pattern papers together.  I then did a simple machine stitching all the way around the front panel.

Next, I cut three different pattern papers 1", 1 1/4", and 1 1/2" wide, and 3" long.  I used scissors to create my flag ends.  I adhered the banner pieces slightly off center and overlapping each other.  I trimmed the blue strip and kraft snowflake pattern papers so that they would fit on the card.  I added two random staples to the upper right corner of the card.

I machine sewn the deep blue seam binding and crochet trim to the card front, using a zig zag stitch.  I tied a long strip of the seam binding into a multi-loop bow.  Then tied the bow to the card front with a piece of kraft twine.  I tied a red button to the bow center, and created a simple bow with the length of kraft twine under the button.  I secured the bow to the card front with a few glue dots.

I took a twig punch and punned out three branches.  I painted the tips with picket fence paint and then dipped the tips into glitter.  On the top twig punch I added three dots of red stickles.

I was inspired by the photo, and used stripes (blue) and polka dots (red), along with some greenery with berries.  To finish my card, I added a light misting of shimmer mist.

Thank you for stopping by.  And I'll post more projects I create with this lovely pattern paper line soon.