BFF Open House

 

I hope everyone's start to the New Year has been a good one. Mine's been a mix. THRILLED to have my adult son here for a visit. We extended Christmas (or observed the Orthodox calendar!) and have enjoyed time together as a family. On the down side, my Mom suffered a minor stroke a couple of days before he arrived. Overall, the prognosis is good and the only damage is some weakness in her left hand. Waiting for her to be discharged to a PT Rehab facility for a short stay, and then she'll get to go home which she is very eager to do. 

Not gonna lie, I'm tired and haven't worked on anything for the New Year besides starting a serious clean of my craft room!

Times like this are when I appreciate seeing others' creativity at my weekly party so let's do that!

My French Twist has embarked on one of my loves, jewelry making. Check out her tutorial for Beginner Jewelry Making here and see how she made these lovely earrings. No time like the New Year to start a new hobby, right? 

I've passed on similar ones before but will rethink that when I next see them. Petticoat Junktion shared how to incorporate Vintage Doorknobs into home decor!

If you're looking for ways to Decorate Your Home Through the Winter Months, check out this post from Master Pieces of My Life, which does exactly that! 

New year, more chocolate! Like these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies from Cindy's Online Recipe Box. Yes, please! 

Thanks to all who linked up and can't wait to see what you have to share this week!

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BFF Open House Happy New Year!

 

I hope everyone who celebrated had a joyous Christmas and is starting off 2026 with a peaceful heart. I'm not a big resolution maker. For me, continuing on paths started, growing, learning, and taking life in stride is what I focus on. Our Christmas celebration continues, and we will get our best possible gift on Monday when our son comes to visit. 

As much as I understand seasonality and how we, as Makers, love to get a jump start on the next holiday, it feels like Valentine's decor sprang up overnight and I confess, I'm not ready. I've been focused on doing a real clean out of my craft room...reorganizing and getting things together to donate to a local art based thrift store before I bring in anything else! I'm also excited to play with some new tools Mr. Chocolate got me for Christmas!

But let's wrap up the last party of 2025 with some features you can Pin for...um...THIS year! Eek. 364 days til Christmas! 

Steph Creates shared this awesome idea that would make a great gift and can be adapted to year round or seasonal use with these DIY Stacked Wood Books! Endless possibilities. 

January is prime thrifting month and a great opportunity to look for supplies to make a gorgeous Stacked Glass Bowl Christmas Tree like this one from The Apple Street Cottage. I meant to try to make one and got distracted. 

Is it ever too early to get started on gifts? I always plan to do them throughout the year and...This is a fabulous idea from Building Our Hive with this Vintage Image Tall Candle Gift. 

If you're out thrifting, look for things to make this gorgeous Vintage Ornament Upcycle shared by Artsy Va Va. 

Thank you all for the wonderful shares and inspiration in 2025, and I hope you'll continue to join each week in 2026. 

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BFF Open House Two Week Edition

 

EEEK! (Wrong holiday, I know). It's CRUNCH time, and I'm not talking about Nestle's. We have one week until Christmas! Insert Buddy the Elf scream here. Everyone ready? HA!

To simplify, since Christmas falls on the day of the week my weekly party starts, I'm leaving this party open for two weeks, and we'll start 2026 with a new party. Sound good? 

For my last projects of 2025, this week I shared: 

Cardmaking: Hanukkah Cards

Winter Decor: Woodland Wall Hanging

Elfing Around Town: Local Gifts

Now, let's take a look at some of the wonderful ideas shared at last week's party with a focus on those there's still time to do! 

Pettikoat Junction is back with thoughtful and festive Nursing Home Staff Gifts. My mom spent 10 days in a physical therapy rehab facility that also has a nursing home wing and these are the hardest working people. #kindness

Darcy and Brian shared these Coffee Filter Angel Ornaments. If you've got littles at home for break, these could be a great way to keep them occupied. Likewise they make great package toppers, or to set at place settings, a garland... So many possibilities! 

Save those wrapping paper scraps! Steph Creates shared a great use for them with this beautiful Mini Wooden House Upgrade. 

And wouldn't these Gingerbread Pancakes make a wonderful Christmas Breakfast? YUM! From Mommy Hates Cooking (but does a great job, clearly!)

THANK YOU ALL who've shared your talents here this year. Here's looking forward to a peaceful holiday and making 2026 a year of Creativity and Joy! Wishing all celebrating a very Merry Christmas. 

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Holiday Elfing Gifts

 

We live in a small enough town where we interact regularly with the same people. Our mail carrier, our go to checker at the grocery, our local Friday takeout restaurant, etc. Sharing some things I made to drop off this week, along with treats I made and sent to our son's office.

DIY Tumbler:

Every week, we get takeout from our local Mexican restuarant, owned by neighbors in our development. The young woman who takes the orders is always so sweet and knows ours by heart so my weekly call is simply confirming "The usual?". I love that. I made a couple of these glass tumblers which were so much fun, using DTF stickers and cup wraps I found online. This is one I made for her. Kinda hooked!

I fell in love with these whimsical reindeer that I cut apart and applied at different heights on the tumbler. 

I also appreciate the ladies behind the scenes who make our yummy food. Last year I made a bunch of gift tags they loved, so I made some more for them. 

Great way to use up paper scraps too! 

For the owners, I painted this frame from DT, and mounted an ornament. My never-ending paper stash had the background paper that brought it all together! 

Our favorite checker at the grocery store, whom we've gotten to know a bit, gets an LED candle wrapped with a festive tumbler wrap and a wood-slice ornament. I painted the background, added a reindeer sticker and sequins. 

I forgot to take a pic before I packaged but you can peek through here. 

We'll celebrate Christmas with our son in January. He and his office have had a crazy, busy year, so I thought they needed some treats. I did tins of dipped Oreos and chocolate-covered peanut butter balls, and each gets a treat bag with a hot chocolate packet, candy cane spoon, chocolate snowman, candy cane and a bottle of toasted marshmallow syrup. Just waiting on the text that it's been delivered!

These are the kinds of things that fill my heart. I think it does that for many of us Creative types. I bought a big bottle of the Toasted Marshmallow Syrup and filled these smaller ones I found online. 

UPDATE: These arrived yesterday and were a hit! 

Sharing At: 

Sundays on Silverado #280

Winter Decor: Woodland Wall Hanging

 

I love it when a plan I didn't have comes together. It came while tidying up my remaining Christmas crafting supplies and seeing how some things that weren't planned to go together, went together! It turned out to be a great stash-busting project too. 

Supplies: (All of which were in my stash!)

• Unfinished Wood Sign 
• Wood Slice  
• Half Ornament  
• Wood Stickers  
• Wood Snowman
• Mini Trees
• Faux Snow

The half ornament was leftover from another project that only needed the other half. Likewise, the rest of the items were from various projects. 

I used Folk Art Multi-Surface paint in Thicket, with a little Apple Barrel English Ivy to paint the base. I wasn't going for opaque coverage and liked the wood grain showing through. Likewise, the two colors of green were more natural to me since most evergreens have some variegation. 

I had one leftover snowflake sticker, which I applied to a leftover wood slice. I had some wood snowmen in my stash, along with some mini bottlebrush trees, and added those. 

Glued those in place with hot glue, and then added some faux snow to my half ornament, applied hot glue to its edges, then flipping my wood slice over, attached it to the ornament. 

I went around the outside with more hot glue, sprinkled more faux snow atop the glue around the dome, and then glued it to the center of my painted sign. Made a double loop bow with...you guessed it, leftover ribbon!

To finish, I laid out the wood stickers, then glued them in place. I re-attached the twine hanger I'd removed, and DONE!

Easy, peasy, stash busting pleasy! 

Sharing At:

TUESDAY TURN ABOUT #334

Vintage Charm Party #520

Sundays on Silverado #280