More Christmas goodies!

I made a bunch of these wooden gift bags for teachers/bus driver, etc. and just hapened to finish these two up last night and actually remembered to get pics, lol! Both are super quick (the only thing that took a while was drying the Scribbles, which I left overnight but was able to at least tie the ribbons after about a half hour). Papers and metal charms from Flair. Ribbon from Stampin Up. Mod Podge from Plaid. I used tons of Scribbles glitter paint on these too. On the left one, every star has clear glitter Scribbles in the center. On the one on the right, I used tons more and in matching colors - red, green, gold, and clear - to embellish all the ornaments. If you click on the picture you'll get a gigantic version in which you can see some of the detail. They are filled with peanut butter cup bells and hot cocoa kisses (yummy!!!)

Deck the Halls

I love Christmas - have I mentioned that? I love decorating for it. I love making and buying presents for the people I love. And I LOVE making Christmas crafts! In fact, I've been so busy making Christmas crafts this year, that for once my house doesn't yet look like an elf threw up all over it! Yet, lol! The tree is up, but very little else has been unboxed yet and if I keep making new stuff I won't have room!

But yes, I made yet another wooden gift bag anyways! I'm in love with this one too. This would be why I've had an Etsy shop for months now and have never put a single thing in it yet - I make these things then can't bear to part with them! This one comes with a few little tips and tricks I'd like to share...and my signature not-so-great photography! I used more paper from the Romantic Collection from Prima - I know this line is supposed to be geared towards romance, but every time I look at it I just see Christmas! I edged everything with a gold marker from Sakura - it's a very subtle detail but adds a nice touch to transition to the interior. I painted the interior with a metallic green from DecoArt (they really do some fantastic shades of metallics!). The holly leaves and berry brads are from Making Memories. The original red just didn't work for me, so I used gold glitter Scribbles over them.

Scribbles vs. Stickles. I have been using these like crazy lately! Both kinds. Stickles are from Ranger, and once dry, have complete glitter coverage. Scribbles are from Duncan and are actually meant for fabrics. They come in dimensional regular colors, neons, glitters, metallics and pearls. And are less than half the cost of Stickles! The Scribbles glitter gives a random glitter pattern with plenty of the color showing through from underneath (which is why I used them for this application). Both definitely have their very distinct uses though so I keep lots of both on hand!

The rubons are from American Crafts, from the Christmas Book Two MiniMarks. What I want to focus on is the design below the words. I used two scrolly rubons. I also made a mistake and wanted to let you know how I fixed it! As I was twirling them around trying to get the placement the way I wanted it, I wasn't paying that great of attention to which side was up (ahem, here's my plug for using a good natural light such as an Ott Light or Daylight lamp - I have several and just didn't have one on, which would have saved me this step...). I put the first one down and began to rub and it was upside down. So part of the design was gone. I used a needle tool to remove the rest of the section to a joint where it would make sense then repeated the process on that exact same section out of the matching rubon. Obviously this won't work on words, but then again, who's going to get a word upside down anyways?

Another Christmas Frame!

I've been noticing a trend in my sitemeter tracking. I am completely addicted to it! My readership just keeps going up and I just marvel then want to know where on earth you're all coming from, lol! Well in recent weeks I've found the #1 search that leads people to my blog is for Christmas frames. Eek! Of course, I had to pull down my Christmas frame picture because it's in an online magazine! So, this morning I decided to remedy that and do up another one really quick. Yes! These REALLY are quick projects and the perfect beginner project as well. These $1 frames from Michael's are my favorite way to get a quick altering "fix". They're great for last minute gifts as well! If you don't add a coat of Mod Podge on the top, you can literally give someone one of these in an hour. Another half hour and you can add the top coat, just warn the recipient to keep it from touching anything overnight to be sure it cures completely! It's all nice, straight lines (with a little curve around the corners for practice!). There simply is no easier altering project.

For this frame, I began by adding two thin coats of white Apple Barrel paint (if you keep them thin, they'll dry really fast!) to the back and sides (don't forget the inside edge!). Then I added Merry & Bright paper from Scrapworks' Season of Joy line. When everything was dry, I simply added a few matching chipboard embellishments from Scrapworks. I really love their glittered chipboard - the glitter stays put -no brushing sparkles out of your hair days later! I had originally planned on adding more, but after looking at it at this point, decided I liked it just the way it was.

Altering is a wonderful way to use up extra embellishments (especially bulky ones!), but it's also a great way to keep the focus on papers!

Really not a fan of snow!

I just got done shoveling. Again. And watching the weather it looks like we're due to have snow/icy rain/sleet for the next six days straight. I'm so no looking forward to this! Guess I'll just have to stay cozy indoors and do some more crafting (gee, darn...)!


I wanted to share a little frame I stickled to death the other night. I took a super inexpensive wooden frame (the tiny, lightweight, inexpensive kind) and first aged it a bit with two shades of Clearsnap chalk ink. Just use a direct-to-wood technique and keep dabbing them on until you like the colors. I then used a stamp from Sugarloaf (now Inque Boutique) and stamped it all over the frame using Staz On. I was kind of bored with the look so I grabbed some red Stickles (from Ranger) and some crystal Scribbles (same as Stickles but from Duncan) and plopped down in front of the TV to watch Dirty Sexy Money (my new must watch show, lol) and started adding some sparkle. I did all of the berries in red then covered EVERYTHING else that was stamped in the crystal. It brightened up the green once everything dried (overnight). Even with all the sparkle it had a nice vintage look to it so I decided to use a nice red twine for the bow, then stickled some film letters from Zsiage (1.5" Monica font). I was originally going to frame a black and white picture, but now I'm thinking I might hunt down an old vintage postcard to finish this off. After I go stock back up on Stickles and Scribbles, that is! They're addictive!



Has everyone been keeping up with the 12 days of creative tags going on over on Tim Holtz's blog? If you haven't, go there immediately! He's been sharing a new tag a day with complete instructions and tons of great techniques! I'm wondering how all these techniques will translate to wood...

Christmas Ornaments

I had some help with these from my 6 year old - what a fun way to spend an evening! I apologize for the photography - still haven't figured out how to photograph these! I wish I were a better photographer!!!

This one uses paper from Hot Off the Press, rubons from EK, and glitter.



Paper from Hot Off the Press, outline stickers from Making Memories, and glitter.



Poinsettias from Hot Off the Press, glittered brads from Making Memories, and glitter.



Paper from Making Memories (really old paper!) and rubons from Making Memories (also really old!). Also, although I really love the way this looks with the little paper spirals, please be forewarned that this takes FOREVER! That's about 3/4 of a piece of 12x12 paper and took well over an hour (ok, so I was watching Dancing With the Stars too - yay Helio! Is he adorable or what!). I'll be sticking with larger strips from now on! Although I'm thinking this would look fantastic done up with some of the glittery Bazzill...hmmm.

Quick Christmas Ornament

You have to love those five minute projects! This would be great for last minute gifts or even for kids to put together. I used one of the old metal frames from Making Memories (they came in packages of 3 different sizes) and simply glued on a few glittered chipboard pieces from Scrapworks (are those cute or what!!!). I then used the Crop-O-Dile to punch two holes in the top to thread the ribbon through. The ribbon is from American Crafts. Then I just used a tape runner to attach a picture to the back of the frame.

Christmas Wish List Clipboard

As seen in the December/January issue of Ready set create E-zine!
Along the same lines as me and my endless list-making, I decided to try and actually be organized for Christmas this year and put all my son's requests together, as well as whatever wish lists I can drag out of the rest of my family. I am really loving the new American Crafts line for this Christmas (see my earlier posted Christmas Frame for more from this line)! The paper, ribbons, vinyl stockings and candy canes and chipboard letters are all from this line. Mod Podge from Plaid, of course. I further embellished the letters with Scribbles from Duncan and the stockings and candy canes with a snow writer from DecoArt. I wish my photography skills were better so you could see just how fun the snow writer looks! It really looks like snow with a little glisten to it, rather than glittery like it looks in the picture because of the glare - sorry!

Holiday Frame

This was something I put together for a nursing home craft project so it's a bit off my beaten path. I used paper mache, which is something I really don't do often (and this frame was warped when I began, so I don't see my paper mache useage going up after this experience, lol). The paper is from Prima and the velvet ribbon from Flair. Jingle bells and glitter finish it off. Everything is attached with Mod Podge except the bow/bells combo (which I used a bit of wire to complete), which I used a glue dot on.

I've never tried doing glitter like this with Mod Podge and was pleased that it worked as well as it did. This project is very simple, and would be a great project for children as well - very easy, very messy with all the glitter!

This was also the first time I used the newer Mod Podge Satin Finish and I REALLY like this! Think of it as the halfway mark between the matte and the glossy. It also shows the brush strokes without leaving a textured brush stroke (like the Mod Podge Brush Strokes Finish) so I did experiment a little with that before smoothing it back out and think I'm going to try that on my next project.

Christmas Frame

As seen in the December issue of ScrapStreet Magazine online!

I love doing these little frames. I picked up a ton of $1 wooden frames at Michael's and whenever I feel the need, I just grab some paper and my trusty Mod Podge and whip one up!


For this particular frame I used patterned papers, ribbon, a white vinyl tag and chipboard Thickers letters from American Crafts, glittery green Stickles from Ranger, and an epoxy tag and holly flowers/berries from Making Memories.

And now, 9 months after the fact, I finally have a place for Michael's picture with Santa from last year!