Sassy & Sweet Notes

Hand Dippin'

Made a mess in the kitchen hand dipping my country candles, but it smelled divine!

And look at these cuties! They're even chocolate scented! Just in time for spring displays. YUM!

Find them here.

Claudine!

I've been busy busy BUSY, crafting up some Claudine shelf sitters! Claudine is my own design, and I do love her so ... so much so that I made a flock!

I've posted these clucky friends in the shop.

Cluck, cluck!!

UPDATE: All the Claudine's have flown the coop!

Henny Penny Potholder e-Pattern

It's about time I got her finished, isn't it! *grin* Find yours here.

Cluck cluck!

Meow, Meow, Meow!

Surprise! One by one, another litter made their way to my Etsy shop! I've been working on these wee ones all week, and must say that they smell so good, and turned out cute as can be!

I also put together an e-Pattern, if you are so inclined to want to make your own litter, which is also available in the shop. It is a 3-page document that includes full instructions, a supply list, pattern, and my tea dying technique for the kitty, seam binding ribbon, and paper tags tags.

Purrrr!

Girly Kitty Themed Pillow Case

Seems I'm on a bit of a kitten kick these days! Here's another kitty themed project I have to share. Alan and I know a girl who really seems to like kittens, so when I saw this fabric Saturday at Joann's, I picked up a yard to make a pillow case for our young friend.Tonight it was raining CATS and dogs (haa!), so it seemed a good time to do some sewing.

I made this case a bit fancier than usual by making the decorative strip along the cuff a ruffle instead of just a coordinating color band. I like how it turned out, though it does make the case a bit heavier than usual. The fabric I used for the ruffle (a Michael Miller print) is from my stash, and the pink/daisy print I used for the cuff is another piece I picked up at Joann's on Saturday. Their calico wall was on sale, and I do love a good fabric sale! Hard to tell in the photos, but the pink/white daisy print matches nearly exactly to the pink color in the kitty print. The green polka dots coordinate just as nicely! Yay!

I also spent quite a bit more time on this case than usually required on pillow cases -- every seam is a french seam, and the ruffle has a double top-stitch. For the amount of time and miles of sewing done on this, I could have finished 4 or 5 regular cases. *grin* But I love how it turned out, and it is certainly worth the extra time and finishing touches.

Hope you've enjoyed your evening ... I had a good time sewing! And I'm looking forward to seeing the rain gauge tomorrow!!

Fabric Coiled Coasters

Last night, just for fun, I thought I would make some fabric coiled coasters. I used this tutorial, but stopped short of forming the bowl that the tutorial continues on to make.

I've never made anything like this before, and it was fun! Some of the coasters I made use 1 fabric print, and others have several different prints for more of a "scrappy" look.

I think they turned out pretty fun, and now I have another project on my "what to do on a rainy day" list.

Tonight I'll be making more kittens! Stay tuned!

Purrrr.....

Sorry for the silence for the past couple/few days, but I've been busy sewing and stitching and baking! Meet Milla, Mabel, Berry, Chutney, Maude, Mille, Lemon Breath, Mocha, and Lola, all posted in my Etsy shop.

Phwew.

Meow!

New Prim Kittens!

 

I had so much fun making the primitive snowmen earlier this week, I decided to make a litter of kittens! Meet Clover, Ginger and Nutmeg.

MEOW!

One by one, they found their way to my Etsy shop! *grin*

Prim Snowmen Bowl Fillers

Last night I pulled out my sewing machine and stitched together some primitive snowman bodies, stuffed them fat, tea dyed them and baked them up in the oven.

Pretty cute how the tea settled around their faces in the shape of a heart!

To their scarves I added my homemade rusty bells, pins, and tags.

Alan watches Dr. Who... all I can think of when I see this photo is "EXTERMINATE!"

I think they turned out pretty cute, with their stick arms, and primitive assembly.

This project was inspired by lots of prim projects I've linked to on Pinterest.

what's with the moose...

Below is a comment Dad made on THIS post that's not to be missed, and a little visual help with a rotated photo to give you his perspective:

"Great pictures and Memories, during one particularly loud giggle session I walked in to see what got them going and saw things from the "wrong side" of the table. For fun go back up through the pictures and check out the Hula girl upside down or stand on your heads....  I thought she was a freaked out Moose.....and the "coconuts" were the eyeballs....  so I said "what's with the moose" Ma?.... What moose? was the reply. So I picked her up and turned her upside down and promptly got laughed out of the shop! We see lots of confused meeses around here in the spring..... I went back to my ham samich and my fishin show.... Love, Dad"

Haa! Thanks for more laughs, Dad!! *grin*

Christmas 2011 Crafting

Finally got photos taken of SOME of the holiday crafts made up and Mom and Dad's this Christmas. I didn't get photos of everything, though.

This year we focused on felt projects. Some we made with shapes cut out using metal dies, and others we made with free-hand cut shapes using hand-drawn patterns or ideas from books and magazines. Usually we take over Mom's dining room table with our project mess, but this year we got to enjoy the new quilt room Dad built for Mom. We spread out our supplies along the counter, and pulled in the old (retro-old) kitchen table as our work surface. There was a large stack of felt on the counter, as well as boxes of felt from Mom and Aunt Patty's stash, too! I brought cutting dies from my house to use for our projects (why pack clothes when I can bring craft supplies instead!), and we used Mom's die cutting machine. There were beads in every color imaginable, buttons galore, and every embroidery floss color, all right at our fingertips.

One of the projects we made was made with the Gift Card Envie die from The Cat's Pajamas. We made needle keepers that we decorated with various cut flowers, beads, and embroidery. On my needle case, I used the Sunflower Rosette die from The Cat's Pajamas to create the large flowers for the front of the case.

The backside is embellished with two buttons that also act as the closure for the case.

Inside, yellow felt "pages" work perfectly for keeping my needles safe and secure.

We also made cookies! I remembered seeing this idea on Linda's Catered Crop blog last year. Her project turned out so cute, I knew I needed to bake up my own batch of cookies! If you do a Google image search for "felt cookies" you'll find all KINDS of great ideas! It's amazing how long a project like this takes... it might actually be faster to bake real cookies! *grin* But using metal dies to cut the felt into shapes works great! We used Spellbinder dies for our cookies and frosting.

I made a gingerbread girl using the Sizzix gingerbread die, and various other dies for embellishment. My favorite is the Icing die, by The Cat's Pajamas! It's the perfect size for these little woolies! To create her dress, I sandwich'd her between two pieces of red felt and carefully cut out the shape of her dress. Once cut, I hand stitched the side seams of the dress together, as well as the arms and shoulders. The white scalloped collar was added last.

And of course I had to make a gingerbread boy, too. Dressed in tidy overalls, he's ready to hang on our tree. A quick way to create clothes for the boy is to cut out a second gingerbread body using the color you want to use for the clothing; for my project I used blue. Then just chop off the extra parts on the colored cut-out, like the feet, the arms, and a little area to create the neckline. Easy peasy, you've got overalls shaped perfectly for your fella!

By FAR, the funniest project completed during the week was this hula gingerbread girl that Mom made. Quietly working away, Mom used the small Sizzix gingerbread die to cut out two body shapes from brown felt. She did a short row of blanket stitching for hair, and embellished the body with two mother of pearl buttons, green embroidery floss for the skirt, and two beads for eyes. It's perfect in every way! We laughed and laughed when she showed us what she had been secretly working on!

Aunt Patty made pretty red felt cardinals and attached lapel pins to the backside. Here, mine is pinned to my sweatshirt, all festive and cheery!

Using a project from one of her many books as inspiration, Mom made this cute little partridge ornament. Won't she be a cutie on the tree!

Using a Spellbinders flower die I made this snowman face ornament.

On the backside, I used the beautiful Snowflake die from The Cat's Pajamas to quickly and easily embellish the back. I love the stark contrast between the black and white wool felt.

And finally, using an idea from a magazine article Aunt Patty brought with her, I made this snowman face mug rug. The mug is one that I hand painted years ago at a paint-your-own-pottery shop, and just happened to be the mug I used this morning for my coffee!

Each scallop on the mug rug has a simple snowman face -- two knot eyes, and a quickly stitched carrot for a nose. The sample in the magazine article was so perfect, I didn't change a thing!

We sure had a ball creating our projects this year! Wonder what we'll dream up for Christmas 2012!

a look back at some favorites...

I thought I would share some of my favorite holiday projects from recent years past. I made this card using the "scrap" of a die cut tree and old sheet music with one of my crystal snowflakes added for embellishment.

A holiday tag using a Crafty Secrets snowman scrap. Chubby little cuttie!

A wooden shape covered with paper and felt, with buttons for eyes and a nose.

Wooden hearts covered with paper strips, made to look like quilted heart blocks.

A scrappy holiday card made with various Crafty Secrets images and stamps. Lots of glitter for sparkle.

Country holiday tag, made with my Rustic Snowman stamp from Whipper Snapper.

Gingerbread boy tags, made with Sizzix dies, old sheet music, and designer paper. Again, lots of glitter for sparkle and shine!

My Sizzix snowman, made with chipboard and sheet music... Fa la la la la!

An altered birch bark candle, embellished with one of my crystal snowflakes.

My owl feltie ornament... love him!

Altered wooden snowflake, with lots of crystal snowflakes added to the center. Rustic jingle bells on curly wire add a bit more holiday cheer.

Tiny Tim's Santa coat... heheheeee!!

Quilt themed holiday card, made with my winter quilts stamp set, from Whipper Snapper.

A 4x4 handmade gift box filled with tea, cocoa packets, and peppermint sticks. Yum!

A Santa Christmas card, using the High Hopes Santa face stamp image. Ho ho ho!

A cowboy snowman card, made with this cutie image from High Hopes. Still, a personal favorite.

Hope you enjoyed this look back at some of my favorite holiday projects!

Zooooom!

Why is it that December always seems to just slip away from me? I need to put a pause on a couple of days, and catch up with life around me, and my to-do list! Monday I catch a flight up to the northwest for the Christmas holiday. While I don't ever look forward to the flight, I always look forward to the time spent up north. I have a fistfull of project to share with you, but haven't had time to get photos taken. Soon, I promise!!

A while ago (October? November?) I mentioned that I made some cinnamon dipped primitive candles, but at the time didn't have a photo to share. Well, I snapped this one the other day at the local shop these are sold in, so you could see what I was talking about. The candles are sold in pairs, wrapped with a festive piece of homespun fabric. And they smell sooooo gooooooooood! I made them in two sizes, and am presenting them in two old bread tins from my kitchen cupboard. *grin*

Holiday Treats for our Furry Friends Part 2

I finished more critter treat packets! This time, cats and big dogs.

For the cat toppers, I used the Whipper Snapper image called Sanders. Perfect fit, and perfect image for such an occasion.

I filled the packets with catnip flavored Temptations. Mmmmm! And festive, too!

For the big dogs, I used the Whipper Snapper image called Smiling Lab. I tucked a wrap into a long, narrow cello bag, and added the topper.

Labs of all colors!

You will find my first post of holiday treats for our furry friends here.

And by the way, I'm entering these toppers in the current Touch Twin Markers & More challenge.

Holiday Treats for our Furry Friends

I started making this year's pet themed holiday treat packets last weekend, and was able to put the final touches on these three last night.

We don't have a lot of kiddos in our family, and only a few of my friends have kids, but there are lots of furry friends between us all! They are always on Santa's "Nice" list, so we put a little something in their Christmas stockings!

I used this cute little dog from Whipper Snapper (Wriggley) to create "toppers" for small clear envelopes that I tucked a couple of small-dog friendly chews in. I used papers from the recently released Holiday Style paper pad by Cosmo Cricket for the die cut layers. I used a Martha Stewart punch to create the holly leaves (one of my favorite holiday punches!), and one of my small tea-dyed tags for the sentiment.

The images were stamped in Memento ink and colored with a combination of Touch Twin and Copic markers.

I used my trusty Karen Foster Snap Stamps to create the sentiment on the tags.

I have no doubt these will be enjoyed come Christmas morning, if not sooner!

More critter themed treat packets to come!

Snowman Faces

I love snowmen, if you can't tell... *grin*

I made these snowman face magnets, using this project on making reusable gift tags, as inspiration. That project was also the inspiration for the lapel pins I made. I loved her idea but I just borrowed her "face" and made something completely different. Oddly enough, when I was in college I used to make snowman face lapel pins out of clay that look just like these magnet faces. Some had hats, some had scarves, some had ear muffs, and some were just faces, like these.

To "present" the magnets, I punched a hole in some of my tea-dyed tags and poked the magnet through the hole. The magnets stay put on the tag, snug as a bug in a rug.

I painted the faces with an off-white paint, added the face, roughed up the edges of the discs a bit with an emery board, and then gave them a quick spattering of brown paint using a tooth brush.

I wonder what I'll do with all these cuties!?

Cheery Snowmen Ornaments: Need New Homes

I finally finished some new snowman ornaments I've been working on. These took soooo long to make (days!), which is why there are only 6 finished!

It has been like an elf's workshop here, non-stop!

Painting and sanding and glittering and sewing and gluing and baking... their heads and scarves are hand painted wood, their noses I created out of clay. Their hats are felt, and their candy canes are dyed chenille. Each one was made with love.

Each one is a one-of-a-kind.

Even their cute felt hats were handmade, and their chenille candy canes were baked up right here on the farm.

I love every one of them... but if you'd like to have one for your very own, or perhaps you'd like to have one packaged up and shipped off to a friend as a secret santa gift, you can find them in my Etsy shop.

Here is a photo of one of them not on the tree.

Ho ho ho!

More Candy Cane Ornaments

I've been busy making more candy cane ornaments. I love them so!

I've listed a few of them in my Etsy shop.

I think you should adopt one. *grin*

Magic Reindeer Food

The idea of Magic Reindeer Food is certainly not new, or my own, but I think it's a good one and wanted to put my own spin on it. I packaged up some oats, colored sugars, and holiday "jimmies", and added toppers to the bags. You can't see it in the photos (because I did it after I took the photos), but these also got a spritz of super fine gold glitter for lots of shimmer and shine. Oooo la la!

I found lots of samples of Magic Reindeer Food on SplitCoastStampers by searching the gallery for "reindeer food". Some people used a poem, and others didn't. I found a poem I liked and then edited it a bit, just because.

The images of the reindeer on the front are from two different Recolections stamp sets I picked up at Michael's during a 50% off sale. The art reminds me of older Stampin' Up art that I LOVE, and I'm guessing were illustrated by the same artist that did the halloween set I used on these cards. Yup, I'd lay money on it, even.

Stuffed and Stuffers

I hope you and your families had a great Thanksgiving feast! We had a nice late lunch with Alan's parents, got stuffed, watched a bit of football, took short naps, and then carried on with our day. It was a pleasant way to spend the holiday.

This evening I made some felt poinsetta brooches to sell in the local antique shop. I think the local ladies will like them... I know I do!

I used some of my absolute favorite buttons in the centers. Old, worn, mother of pearl buttons, that add a bit of country charm to each flower.

In addition to the rich red flowers, I also made some natural colored flowers as well. I love how they turned out!

I made a charming blue-grey flower too, just because the felt was handy in my stash and it's such a great color.

This one might just be my favorite.

All of the flowers are attached to one of my homemade tea-dyed tags ready to go to new homes, perfect for stocking stuffers, or keeping for yourself.

I hope these little pretties sell! I'm tucking away the money I make selling my handmades to pay for my flight up north to Mom and Dad's for the holidays. Yahooo!

Just shout if you'd like one of these to make it's way into my Etsy shop as a custom order for you! I'd be delighted!

Not-so-primitive Primitive Candle Sleeve...

Here is one of the projects I've been working on for the shop downtown... I made four of these candle sleeves using a light cream colored burlap, some pretty homespun cotton, twill, twine, and a tin star embellishment. The sleeves could be used around a standard candle for decoration, if removed for burning, but I actually wrapped them around vanilla scented LED candles.

So the candles can be "lit" while the decorative sleeve is in place.

Fun!

All that's left is to get pretty little price tags on them, and deliver them to the shop. Yeehaw!

Are you thawing your turkey yet!?

Satisfying My Primitive Sweet Tooth

Fresh from the farm, primitive candy cane ornaments! Also very cute as bowl fillers, tucked on a shelf or in a china hutch, on a wreath, or as a beautiful gift topper!

I used hand dyed fabrics and primitive prints, along with a few of my favorite embellishments to create some fun primitive holiday canes.

I had such a blast making these!

They're so hard to part with ... but you'll find these and more in my etsy shop.

Primitive Snowmen ... {love}

My week has been filled with snowmen. Hand crafted snowmen, that is!

I made these primitive lapel pins and magnet snowmen to sell in the local antique/gift shop. And I decided to list some of them in my Etsy shop, too!

I decided to package them on hand dyed tags that I dyed with a mixture of tea and cinnamon. Mmm... I think they turned out pretty flippin' cute!

I also made some hand painted country snowmen clothespins, too! These are great as toppers on gifts, or with a magnet added to the back on the fridge, or even as lapel pins.

If you would like one for your very own, find them here.

Holiday Pencil "Treats"

I made more pencil wraps using images from Christmas Cuties! I used the Pencil Treat Box template that I created for my Halloween pencil treats. These are fun to make, and if you haven't made any yet, what are you waiting for!? *grin*

The images color up really quickly, and dress up nicely with a bit of glitter. I set them on a scalloped circle base, just for a little extra cuteness. The striped paper is from the Jillibean Soup holiday 6x6 paper pad. I like the addition of non-traditional colors in the stripes.

The pencils I used were some I picked up last year around Christmastime, but I'm sure if you keep your eyes peeled, you'll start seeing holiday pencils in local retailers soon, if not already! Pick some up!

I think some lucky kiddos will find these in their stockings this year!

Santa Ornament

There's a challenge being hosted on the High Hopes Stamps blog, and the theme is Ribbons, Lace or Twine. You've still got a couple days to enter the challenge (one winner gets free stamps!), so go on, play! The challenge ends Monday, October 31.

You'll find all the details on the High Hopes blog.

For my project, I used Santa Moon, along with a Sizzix die cut chipboard ornament, some old sheet music, ribbon, twine, a button and a bell. O, and glitter! A jolly ol' fella, I say!

Now, scoot! *grin*

Fresh from the Garden

The photos I shared from the farm in Oregon reminded me of this little Farmer John garden tag I made before I left on my trip. I used scrap strips of paper from the Memorandum paper pad by Lily Bee Designs to create the tag, and added Farmer John to the tag using foam adhesive to give him a little "lift". I used twine that I use in the garden (to tie up tomatoes and cucumber vines), and I like the extra bit of rustic it adds to the project.

This tag will come in quite handy next spring, when hopefully I'll have something that actually IS fresh from the garden! *grin*

Wool Felt Flower Hair Clips

I did a little non-paper crafting earlier this month and made some sweet wool felt flower hair clips. The felt for these flowers was all hand cut, the flowers assembled, and finally hand stitched to a barrett. I added pearls to the centers, and gave them all a quick dusting of fine silver glitter.

Similar rolled felt flowers can be made using paper crafting tools you may have on hand ... like circle, scallop, or even flower dies (like the Spellbinders Blossom and Peony dies). Or you can buy dies made specifically for making rolled flowers. I chose to hand cut the felt for these. The flowers are so fun to make that I guarantee I will be making a variety of others!

You can find lots of inspiration online if you search for felt flower hair accessories, and look at the images results.

Packaged up, they'll make a fun gift to give, and hopefully receive!

Halloween Pencil "Treats"

Pencil "treats" are by no means an idea original idea. But they're cute as can be, so I decided to make some for some lucky kiddos! I picked up some halloween themed pencils at Target last weekend. They had several variety in the dollar bins at the front of the store, but I liked the ones they had in the holiday section of the store better.

I chose a couple different images to decorate the front of the pencil wraps. I used Scardy Cat from Whipper Snapper, and Pumpkin Treat from High Hopes. The images are stamped on cream colored cardstock, colored with markers, adhered to a black scallop, then adhered to the pencil wrap. I even added glitter. Ooooh la laaa!

They're so cute, I wish I was getting these for Halloween!

If you want the dimentions of the boxes, let me know and I'll whip up a cut and score diagram for you.

UPDATE: You will find the template I made for these here: Pencil Treat Box Template.

Home for the Holidays: A High Hopes Challenge

There's a challenge on the High Hopes blog today and the topic is "Home for the Holidays". The challenge runs for two weeks, so I encourage you to play along! Get all the details on the High Hopes blog. This week, the High Hopes designers are showcasing images from this week's new release, so be sure to check out all the cuteness starting today on the High Hopes blog!

For my challenge project, I chose to use the adorable new gingerbread baking girl image. I have a package of small kraft colored gift bags on hand for this years holiday gift giving, and I decided to doll one up with a cute tag, a bit of stamping, ribbon, and some sparkle!

Honestly, I could not resist using the "Happiness is Licking the Spoon" sentiment from my own What's Cookin' cling set from Whipper Snapper. It just seemed to be the perfect sentiment for the image.

Autumn Themed Labels...

I'm soooo done with summer. My mind has transitioned to fall, and I'm hoping that the season change comes soon outside, too! I made myself some new custom return address labels to help get in the autumn spirit!

Would you like your own? Sure you would! $9 will get 140 professionally printed labels mailed directly to you, with your name and address, of course.

Email me with your request and let's get you hooked up with some fun, seasonal labels!

Offer valid August 9-31, 2011.

Go Green with High Hopes

There's a challenge on the High Hopes Stamps blog, and I'm the hostess... check it out!

I made a pillow box that will come in handy next time I need to send a small gift to a friend. I used the Hoppy Single Flower and Hoppy Flower Border stamps to decorate the box and the center of the bow. The sentiment is from my upcoming *new* cling set from Whipper Snapper called All Things with Love.

Hope you're enjoying this fine Saturday!

Birthday Cupcakes

Now that I've given Sue (Alan's mother) her birthday card, I can share it with you and not spoil the surprise! Oh, and by the way, don't tell anyone but you just MIGHT be seeing a SNEAK PEEK of one of my new cling sets for Whipper Snapper that's releasing next Monday. *grin*

I've been inspired by the doily craze in paper crafts, and for some reason I find myself using PINK again! Of course, I did make pink icing for the birthday cupcakes, so pink on Sue's birthday card seemed fitting.

I stamped the cupcake, rose, and banner images in brown ink and colored them with markers. I used paper snips to carefully cut them out, added fine crystal glitter for lots of sugary sparkle, and layered them on a tag.

In addition to the card, I made a cute cupcake topper! Again, the images were stamped in brown ink, colored with markers, cut out and layered together. I added glitter for shine, and adhered the entire ensemble to a toothpick.

The sentiment was adhered to a large sewing pin (which had a pearl colored head). The sharp end of the pin was then adhered to the backside of the paper cupcake beneath a piece of cardstock for safety. Cute! And the cupcakes sure were tasty!

CHICK tags

I thought I'd pull out some goodies and start on some Spring/Easter projects. Inspired by the so-very-cute "scrappy tags" by Michelle, and some of the holiday projects I made with Mom last Christmas, I made these little scrappy CHICK tags! I chose various prints of October Afternoon paper from my scrap drawer, layered them up, and used a Sizzix tag die to cut the layered tags. The chick was cut from chipboard and vintage sheet music using another Sizzix die (called Chicken & Eggs).

The Sizzix die cut chicken has a couple of "odd" looking features when she's cut out (shown here, on the packaging insert), that Alan and I both agree need to be "fixed". I think Sizzix needs to consult with me before designing any more Chicken dies! *grin*

A couple of quick snips with the scissors, and the odd looking spike in her comb and the WAY too big waddle are removed. MUCH better!

I colored her comb, beak, and feet with markers, added a thin layer of adhesive to her fat little chipboard body, and dipped her into some fine crystal glitter. Oooooh la la!

She's a happy chicken! And I'm a happy crafter!

A Few More Kleenex Cozies!

Yup... I made more. They're like chips... you can't stop at just one! Since the machine was out, the measurements were in my head, and the fabric was there, why not!?

This time, I chose some prints that have pink in them. Pretty cute! Too bad these will arrive a bit late for Valentine's Day. I had fun making them! *grin*

Kleenex Cozies

I don't know about you, but I'm TIRED of having the sniffles, sneezes and coughs. I'm almost out of travel sized tissues, and we're nearly out of jumbo boxed sized tissues in the house, too!

Do you keep your travel sized tissues in a cozy? I usually just stuff tissues in a purse pocket, or jacket pocket, ...maybe when I get older I'll stuff them in my bra... But as I was walking out of my office this evening I saw these cute fabrics on my shelf, just begging to be stitched into something handy! I already had the sewing machine out, so what better time to make something cute?

I did a quick google search for "tissue cozy tutorial" and found oodles of links to check out! Here is the tutorial I followed....sort of. I changed the measurements of the pieces I used. I actually used a 6" square for the outer print, and an 8x6" rectangle for the inside print. I wanted my center stripes to be a bit wider, and the entire cozy to be a bit shorter in length. Other than those changes, I followed her instructions. She has a pretty cute Valentine "knock knock" joke included in her project, as well.

The low tonight is supposed to be in the 'teens'. Brrrr! Hope you're keepin' cozy!

Refrigerator Note Holder

Here's a project I put the finishing touches on last night. A refrigerator note holder, made using designer paper and chipboard, the Sizzix Jar/Label die, tea-stained ribbon, wooden heart button, clothes pin, and a bit of glitter for sparkle. I added a couple of OLD mother of pearl buttons to it as well. The tea-stained tag is stamped with a sentiment from A Muse (an oldie, but a goodie!)

On the back, so that this can securely stick to the frige, I used the magnet from a used-up magnetic notepad. This magnet has some staying power! I imagine this note holder will come in handy for all kinds of things in the kitchen. A holder for a favorite recipe, snapshot of a friend's pooch, grocery lists, and even honey-do lists! I can't WAIT to put it to use! *grin*

Holiday Projects Shared (Better Late than Never...)

I finally got around to getting some photos taken of a few of the holiday projects I made while up at Mom and Dad's over Christmas. I made this wood and paper snowflake (like the ones we've been making for a couple years now). It's covered with glass glitter and is VERY sparkly!

Mom, Aunt Patty and I always have a craft day (which usually lasts more than one day), and this year our primary project was covering unfinished wood shapes with holiday paper to make ornaments. This little reindeer was one of my favorites.

This Santa face looks very similar to one that Mom made. I used her idea for the fuzzy beard, mustache, and hat, and also her cute little sleepy eyes. I also used beads for the nose and mouth, just like she did! What can I say, I wanted my own sleepy Santa! *grin*

The wooden shapes are some that I picked up at the local craft/crap stores (JoAnn, Michael's, Hobby Lobby) prior to the holiday (and maybe even last year, or the year before). Some of them weren't necessarily "holiday" shapes, but we made them work for what we were doing.

It was fun decorating both sides, too!

I really liked using the heart shapes. I chose papers that were more "country" than "holiday", and then went on and added a tin snowflake... Doh!

Another shape we had several of were little wooden stockings. I added a scalloped paper ruffle to this one.

We used various papers, some from Cosmo Cricket, some from October Afternoon, and maybe a few others. Here are three hearts that I paper pieced (an idea I stole from my Mom!), but didn't get them finished.

I'm thinking I kind of like them like this, so I might just seal them up and use them as coasters instead of ornaments!

Here is another one that I didn't get finished. This is an example of one of the shapes we used that wasn't necessarily "holiday" themed. Once I get some rustic twine added, and maybe a tin star and button, won't this be cute hanging on the Christmas tree?

We have so much fun sitting around the dining room table working on our projects, giggling and laughing at our ideas. Mom is the silliest, and comes up with the craziest ideas! This was a star she was working on, turning it into quite the humorous Santa! *giggle*

Christmas is the only time of year we're together long enough to do anything like this, and it's so much FUN!

Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments... with a twist!

Last night I decided to make some cinnamon applesauce ornaments. I used to make these as a kid, and they were always fun to do. If you've never made them before, you should, at least once. The recipe is simple ... equal parts cinnamon and applesauce, with a bit of white glue (mix the glue with the applesauce before adding the cinnamon). I add in just a bit of ground cloves and nutmeg too, because I like the extra zip they add to the scent.

Keep extra cinnamon and extra applesauce handy, in case you need to add a bit more of either one during the process. While the recipe is easy, working with the "dough" can be a challenge. If it's too applesaucey, you'll have a hard time picking up the cut ornaments, and if it's too cinnamony it will be very crumbly and hard to roll out. Patience is most certainly required. But the results are fun, and your home will smell soooooo good!

Mix the dough really well with your hands, then roll it out to about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick. Cut out with 2"- 4" cookie cutters. You can use a drinking straw to cut holes in the dough for hanging, or you can wiggle the flat end of a toothpick to create a hole. Just be careful! You can easily split the dough. If that happens, press the crack in the dough together gently. The glue in the dough should keep it from cracking once dry. For drying, you can either let them sit out for a few days, turning often, or you can dry them in a warm oven (200* or less), turning at least once per hour, until they're dry. The results are a rustic and very scented holiday ornament perfect for hanging on the tree, or adding to the top of a special gift. I added a bit of glitter to mine once they were dry, and the effect is perfect.

Google "cinnamon applesauce ornaments" and you'll find all kinds of info online about making them (and probably other recipes, too).

Now for the extra crafty goodness I have to share with you!

I wanted to make a gingerbread shaped cinnamon ornament, but I don't have a gingerbread boy cookie cutter. So, I got to thinking .... I do have a Sizzix die cut in the shape of a gingerbread boy, the perfect size for a cinnamon ornament. Normally, I adhere glitter to die cuts using glue, so I thought I would try adding cinnamon to the die cut shape with glue to see if it worked. Guess what! It did!

I do have some recommendations for you if you try this for yourself. First, since the cinnamon doesn't adhere thickly to the glue, I found that it's best if you either use dark brown chipboard for your shape, OR ink it a dark brown before you add your glue and cinnamon. You'll get a much more realistic looking shape than if you leave the chipboard a pale color. Also, don't forget to ink the edges of the chipboard shape! Cute as can be, and he smells divine! This little guy is decorated with a red (hard to tell it's red) button and two holly leaves. Since he's not as delicate as a real applesauce cinnamon ornament, he'd be perfect worn as a little pin on a scarf or hat. Glue a pin to his backside, and you've got the perfect holiday scented pin!

Holiday Projects from the Archives

I don't have any new crafty goodness I can show you right now, so I thought I would pull a few holiday favorites from the archives!

I had a ball making this High Hopes Santa card. Santa is watercolored, and glass glitter was added to his hat for sparkle.

This sweet little bunny image is from Crafty Secrets. This image is also watercolored, and I added some vintage silver glitter for sparkle. I created the small snowflake embellishment using various paper punches, and a pink brad. I added some vintage silver glitter to some areas of the snowflake too, and it really sparkles!

Using various Rosie's Roadshow stamps, I created this little holiday scene. The whimsy and charm of Rosie stamps is like no other, and I love them!

Using a hand carved stamp, I put together this earthy holiday gift box. Inside, a starter kit of blocks and a cutting knife, made for a wonderful gift for a very special crafty friend! Which reminds me ... I should carve more stamps! It's GREAT fun!

This chubby little bird is one of the images in my Cozy Critters cling set. Lots of dimension on this project with the button, the little "tweet" banner, the bird, and even the polka dot background paper is mounted with foam adhesive on the card base.

The final project I'll share is this festive gift set of various warm drinks, and peppermint sticks. I used my 4x4 lidless box and embellished it with ribbons, a cinnamon stick, and crystal snowflake. The coordinating gift card was made using images from my Winter Schminter cling set.

You will find more holiday projects on the Holiday Projects category page. Sorry, I don't have all of my Christmas card posts linked to the Holiday Projects page, but there are lots of other projects to get you inspired!

Now, I've got some projects to work on before I leave town ... Monday, bright and early, I'm headed to Washington state for some time with the family. Looking forward to the SNOW!

 

Mulling Spice Packets

Here's a project I put the finishing touches on last weekend. I wanted to share some delicious mulling spices with friends, so I put together little gift packets. I decorated each one with a tea dyed paper doily, crinkle ribbon (also tea dyed), little wooden button (also tea dyed), and mini-tag (...yes, tea dyed). The mini-tag is stamped with a sentiment from my holiday Whipper Snapper set called Got Mistletoe?.

I added little silver glittered sprigs of fern, a yummy cinnamon stick, and even some glitter for sparkle! Not only are mulling spices wonderful added to cider (and red wine), but I use them to scent up the house for the holidays. A few tablespoons of mulling spices added to a pot of simmering water on the stove makes the house smell "perfect" all day long! In fact, I have a kettle on the stove right now, and the house smells all warm and festive.

The mulling spices are inside a clear bag which is the same size as the glasine packet. Since the packets were being mailed, I wanted the package to have a bit of extra strength to keep the spices inside. And, the clear bag inside seals in the freshness of the spices. When they arrive, the spices will be as fresh and fragrant as possible! And hopefully just as cute!

The decorated packets were inspired by the letter "Mmmmm", and by my friend Michelle (Mish), who loves paper doilies.

Cranberry Cookies in a Jar

I wanted to put together some "cookies in a jar" for some of the locals we know, for Christmas. In the past I've done all kinds of baking and put together a sample plate of all my different different baked goods and candies. I'm not sure I'll have the time to do as much baking this year, so I decided to do "cookies in a jar" for some of the locals we know. I was browsing allrecipes.com for recipe options when I came across this recipe. To make sure the cookies were good enough for gift-giving, I whipped up a batch. So glad I did!

The recipe seems rather "dry" when mixing it together, but the cookies cook up really moist and delicious! And, the raw dough is just as good as the baked cookies! *grin*

Here's one of the mix jars I put together for one of the neighbors. I kept the decor of the jar quite simple. I hope they enjoy the cookies as much as we do!

PS: Costco has the BEST dried cranberries! Goodness, they're yummy!! I should have picked up two bags!

Handmade Star Ornaments...and then some

I love using the big Sizzix dies that cut chipboard! I used the nested stars die to make these fun holiday stars with a country twist, featuring some of my favorite Cosmo Cricket papers!

Each star is unique and has a different silver medallion as an embellishment. Some rusty wire kinked and twisted makes a nice hanger.

This one got an added embellishment - a little rusty jingle bell attached with wire. That's what happens when you punch the hole for the wire hanger in the wrong spot! Suddenly, you have a hole you need to figure out what to do with!

The back of each star is unique, too. I used various papers on the backside.

I favor the simple faux wood looking paper on the backside the most.

I also made this crazy-sparkly tree using one of the left over small stars, and one of my newly tea-stained mini-tags.

I think it's amazing how good chipboard looks with just some brown ink applied to it, and a bit of glitter for sparkle! It looks so much like tooled leather, with the added faux stitches. Cool!

Here are my tea-stained mini-tags I made. I will be using these on holiday packages with twill, twine, buttons, glitter, and maybe even some faux berries!

Want to make your own tea-stained goodies? It's really quite simple. I find instant tea works best (sugar free), and gives the richest color and good variety of shades. But you can use a heavy brewed bagged tea, if that's what you have handy. Coffee works too, but I prefer the brown color of tea stain over coffee stain.

Simply dip your tag in a mixture of tea & water (I used about 2 TBS of instant tea mix per cup of water). Don't forget to dip the string! Once the tag is good and dampened, lay the tags on a cookie sheet. Put them in the oven on the lowest heat setting (mine goes down to 175*) and let them "cook" until they're dry. If you want some areas much darker than others, you can add a few spoonfuls of tea to the tags once you have them on the cookie sheet. The pooled areas of tea will soak into the tags and dry, giving a darker stain. If you want a bit of "scent" to your tags, you could add a few drops of cinnamon oil or even some vanilla to your tea mixture! Have fun!

Snowman Treat Bag

Fellow stampers have been using glassine bags lately as the outter wrap for treat packets, and they always look so CUTE! I thought I would put together some bags of treats for small holiday gifts we give to folks in the area (like our egg customers). I like using glass and tin containers at the holidays, but this year nicely wrapped treat bags might be just the ticket to some much needed penny-saving! Though, don't be distracted by the peppermint kisses ... I'll be making homemade treats for the holiday gifts! But the peppermint kisses came in handy for this project. *grin*

To create the bag topper, I started by stamping one of the snowmen from For the Love of Snowmen on a white tag. I colored him with markers, and then using a clear-drying adhesive, added faux snow to give him lots of texture. While the adhesive was still sticky, I tossed on some crystal clear glitter too, to give him a bit of sparkle.

About the faux snow I used ... I came across some a large container (4"x4" box) of faux snow a couple of weekends ago when I stopped in at Pier 1. Similar products I've seen have a heavier consistency, and bulkier look. I like the Pier 1 faux snow because it really is light and fluffy, and the particles are small enough to not look like "chunks" when adhered to cards. I obviously brought a box home with me that day. *grin*

Once the adhesive on the snowman dried, I added a strip of paper lace to one side of the tag, adhered a crystal snowflake, and tucked it into a die-cut heart covered with sheet music and glitter. I created a simple paper doilie using a scalloped Spellbinders die (I punched holes in each scallop with a standard hole punch) and adhered the entire ensemble to the treat packet with ribbon. Then I gave it a good spritzing with Glimmer Mist for lots of extra holiday sparkle!

Want to see more ideas using glassine bags? Projects shared in the SplitCoastStampers gallery might give you the inspiration you're looking for!

Do you have plans for quick and simple gifts this season?

Chipboard Snowman

...I'm having a GREAT time making pretties for the holidays...

I made this guy out of chipboard, old sheet music, a bit of Cosmo Cricket paper for the scarf, an old button and some hemp twine. Oooh, and glitter!

I could punch a hole in his noggin and hang him on the Christmas tree, or tie him to a package, but..... I think I'll give him away! If you'd like to win this cheery holiday fella, leave me a note on this post. Let me know what your favorite holiday decoration is. I'll choose one name from all the entries on Thursday morning at 8am Central -- the chosen name will receive this sparkly holiday fella. Sound good? *grin*

EDITED TO ADD: Entries on this post are now closed. The winner's name can be found on THIS post. Thanks for playin' along!

Fabulous Flower

I put this ensemble together for a friend who recently celebrated a birthday. I put a "friendship" spin on the projects rather than "birthday", to express to her that she's special every day, not *just* on her birthday. I'm certain her family agrees. *grin*

I used various October Afternoon papers on the card and for the layers of the flower. To create each layer of petals, I used the recently released Tim Holtz Sizzix die called Tattered Florals. It is my new favorite flower die! I love that it has multiple layers, and that they all have a unique and interesting shape. I applied a bit of matte finish gel medium to each layer of petals, and dusted on a fine shaking of crystal glitter for lots of sparkle.

I created the double layer sentiment banner using vintage sheet music and cream cardstock. The sheet music is rather delicate (the old tattered book I pulled it from was printed in 1909) so I added a thin layer of gel medium to the backside of the sheet music to give it more stability, and help it keep it's form.

I love giving nice rubber stamps as small gifts to fellow crafters, and most often just do a simple gift wrap on them to dress them up a bit. A couple of score lines on a strip of cardstock make wrapping a stamp very easy. I added a torn strip of sheet music, some twine and a button, and I think it's all this little package needed!

Do you have a favorite gift item to give, or a favorite way of wrapping?

Crafty Secrets: Guest Designer

I was so excited to be asked to be the November guest designer for Crafty Secrets. For a long time, I was on their design team, but early last year I made the decision to step down from my design team responsibilities (for all the companies I worked with at the time, other than Whipper Snapper). It was very hard to say goodbye to the ladies of Crafty Secrets. I miss them... So, when asked if I would be interested in being a guest designer for a month, YAY!! You BET I'd be interested! I have a soft spot in my heart for vintage, and Crafty Secrets. *grin* So hear I am! Guest Designer for November. Yay for me!!

Being on a tag, sheet music, and glitter kick, I decided to continue the theme. Afterall, it's so much easier just to keep on going once I have all the supplies out... I've got bits of sheet music all over my desk, not to mention all the glitter! I'm wearing my share of glitter, too...

This snowman image is from the Merry Christmas double sided Creative Scraps sheet. When you pick up the Creative Scraps for yourself, be sure to get at least two... the printed images on side two are just as beautiful as the images on side one.

I cut the snowman image from the sheet and set him inside one of the Crafty Secrets chip frames that I covered with vintage silver glitter. The sentiment and little snowflake stamp I used are from the small clear stamp set called Christmas Mail. The tag base is a Sizzix die that I used to die cut medium weight chipboard and sheet music paper. Some vanilla colored lace and pink velvet ribbon add a nice soft touch. Once it was all put together, I spritzed it a few times with some Glimmer Mist for a little added sparkle, and boy, does this little number sparkle!

I also put together this girly tag using the supplies I had out. I used the same Sizzix tag base die cut, sheet music, and another one of the images from the Merry Christmas Creative Scraps sheet.

I think this little gal is just the cutest thing, wearing her sparkly hat and hand muff. I added a jingle bell to this tag, just for fun. Originally the bell was silver in color, but I painted it white using white acrylic paint, tossed on some glitter while the paint was still wet, and set it aside to dry.

For more info on Crafty Secrets, and for a complete list of their design team members, I encourage you to visit their blog.

Hope you had a good Monday ... here's movin' into Tuesday!

Holiday Baking PaperCraft Style!

I did some baking last night... with Sizzix dies, old sheet music, glitter, and more!

I used a couple of Sizzix dies for the shape of the gingerbread boy, and the tag base. Once I had the gingerbread boys cut out (I used old sheet music adhered to thin chipboard for their bodies), I used markers to pink their cheeks, and used Ranger Distress ink to brown up the edges a bit. Then, I used a makeup wedge sponge to dab matte finish gel medium onto the body of the boy, and added some crystal glitter for sparkle. I like the uneven coverage I get by using the gel medium and makeup wedge. If some areas don't get glittered, that's OK with me! I used a primitive heart punch, button and hemp twine to add a little embellishment to the gingerbread boys.

The stars were done similarly, just without any paper adhered to the chipboard. I die cut the stars out of medium weight chipboard, inked them brown with Ranger Distress ink, added some faux stitching around the edges, dabbed on some matte finish gel medium, and then sprinkled on the glitter. Before they get glittered, they look like tin, or leather, stars. Once they're glittered, I think they look like little gingerbread snaps dressed up with sugar sprinkles! Easy on the eyes, and the hips! *grin*

Won't these guys be cute on packages of homemade goodies for the holidays!? Oh, and by the way, the little "Be Merry" sentiment on the tag is a sneak peek at a sentiment from a soon-to-be-released Whipper Snapper cling set!

Their only downfall is that they don't make the house smell all warm and wonderful while they're "baking". *grin*

Happy Saturday!!

Sparkled Hen Tag

I made another country chic hen tag, this time a bit smaller, and this time, she's glittered up!

To adhere the glitter, I used a makeup wedge/sponge to apply a thin layer of matte accents (a clear adhesive that dries with a matte finish), and then sprinkled on some Martha Stewart course crystal glitter. Sparkle, girl, sparkle!

To create the text paper lace at the bottom, I used an EK scallop punch to scallop the bottom of a narrow strip of October Afternoon paper. To soften it up a bit, I spritzed the strip with stamp cleaner (because it was within reach). Once the strip was damp, it was much easier to form it into the gathered shape I wanted. I adhered the strip to the tag using a piece of sticky strip tape. The matte accents gave the dried strip a bit more stability, and of course the glitter makes it sparkle!

Off topic: Thanks for the nice feedback and comments about the video tutorial I did on painting with craft/pigment ink. I'm happy you found it helpful! If you have other topics or processes you'd like to see in video, please let me know and I'll see what I can do!

Happy Saturday!

I treated myself to a few new goodies recently, and did a bit of fiddling around with them. I bought the Sizzix Bigz Tags #3 die, and the shape of this tag is one of the shapes it cuts. The other tag shape in the die is a bit more traditional, with the diagonal corners at the top of the tag. I like using the Bigz dies, becuase unlike thin metal dies, the Bigz dies cut the weight of chipboard I like making projects out of. I also bought the Primitive Stars Bigz die as well, and look forward to using it on my holiday projects. Also on this tag I used my Potted Sunflower stamp from Whipper Snapper.

I also recently purchased the large Making Memories self healing work surface, which you can see in the above photo. It's 17x23, and significantly larger than the version offered in the Stampin' Up catalog. I had been using the 12x12 self healing mat on my Score-Pal, but wanted a little more elbow room. The new mat is working out perfectly, and is actually helping me keep my work table more organized, and tidy!

Have you picked up anything new recently?

 

Unrelated....

I thought I would share this photo, as some of you have mentioned missing Dad's comments (DK Wight) here on the blog! This is my Dad, on a recent fishing trip on the Snake River. Fishing = no blog commenting. And sometimes he is at a loss of words when I post crafty projects, rather than farm and garden posts.

Say hello, fishy fishy! *grin*

Dad is a very active member of the local flyfishing club, and coordinates trips for the club members to take. Great fun is had by all!

Happy weekend!

pumpkin poo.

I'm not usually one for "poop" poem packages, but I thought I would make an exception for halloween. I came across a "pumpkin poop" poem online, printed it out on some kraft cardstock, and put together this package of candy corn.

Here is the poem text if you want to create your own pumpkin poop packages...

Pumpkin Poop
I started to carve a pumpkin
with my carving knife and scoop
but the pumpkin got so scared
he took a little poop!
It looked so cute and funny
just like a candy treat
so I'm sharing it with you
because you are so sweet!

Sorry, I don't know who the author is, so I can't offer credit...

I did a search on SplitCoastStampers to see if anyone had used the pumpkin poop peom, and sure enough! They have! Enjoy the gallery!

Speaking of pumpkins, we've got a few pumpkins in the garden! They're all about the size of bowling balls, so not very large, but hey ... it's a miracle as far as I'm concerned considering the heat we had, and the trouble they had setting fruit!