Dollar Tree Tree Topper

I decided I wanted a new Christmas Tree Topper this year for no reason other than I did, and makers make right? 

I was originally looking for the kind that have the coil thingy and went to Dollar Tree looking for one to use as a base but they didn't have any. But, makers make right? We also have to adapt and improvise so that's what I did. 

Supplies: 

• 2 Gold Glittered Dollar Tree Star Ornaments (Large)
• Toilet Paper roll...yep...toilet paper roll
• Gold duct tape 
• Gold and Black glitter vinyl (scraps in stash)
• Large bottle cap ( I had in my stash )
• Gold wire
• Hot glue and glue gun

Cost: $2 since I had everything on hand except the Star Ornaments

I covered the  toilet paper roll with duct tape. Using my Silhouette I cut the gold glitter vinyl to fit inside bottlecap and cut the number "25" from black glitter vinyl.  The number works especially well this year since we celebrated our 25th Anniversary earlier in the year but obviously also works for the date of Christmas! 

Now in the spirit of radical honesty, this part didn't go totally as planned. If you look really closely at the bottlecap, you can see the grid lines from the transfer tape because I layered the numbers after I put the circle of vinyl inside the bottlecap. I should have done this before I put the circle in the bottlecap which would have made it easier to get the transfer tape off. At least that's what I'm telling myself. So since I couldn't get the transfer tape off without screwing up my numbers and a lot of swearing, I left the transfer tape on and it looks like ledger paper or something. At least that's what I'm telling myself! 

I marked the toilet paper roll where I was going to glue the stars ( front and back) but to make this contraption sturdier, I used some jewelry wire to secure the two stars together at the top and right and left sides. Then I glued my oopsy bottlecap to the front and done. 

Since I'm just taking down Thanksgiving and we won't get our tree until Friday, I can't show it to you atop a tree but here it is atop the mantle. 

This was my Thanksgiving mantle which I never posted so "Happy After Thanksgiving"!  I update my chalkboard for each holiday but I'm kinda thinking I'll leave this sentiment through Christmas since PhD boy ( man...he's a man...but that doesn't sound the same) comes home on Friday for a month!!! Not that I'm excited or anything. 

I've been practicing my lettering too! 

BFF Open House Link Party #237: Merry Christmas !

Merry Christmas Eve all! Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas. Ready or not, here we are. Opening up the party early. Here are some things you may still have time to squeeze in ( or definitely pin for next year) .

I love all things paper...fom detailed patterns to the simplicity of brown paper. The guys at Crafty Lumberjacks used kraft paper and paint to make this wonderful wrapping paper. I keep a roll of brown kraft paper in my craft room and use it for everything. The simple elegance of this idea is so lovely! 

In keeping with a simple, rustic, yet elegant theme, Mich in LA has a fantastic ornament stand that can be made from garden wire! Love the snowflake she has hanging on this one! 

Whether for a last minute gift or to have extras on hand for guests, Heather at Woods of Bell Trees has a great way to dress up cork coasters. These could be done in so many ways...not just for Christmas. 

I think these would still count as cookies for Santa if you left out Oreo cookie cake pops don't you? Check out Logan Can for the how to . 

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Tagmania: Pretty and Practical Gifting

Being addicted to paper as I am, I hate to see any beautiful papers go to waste. So I've had a lot of fun making gift tags to give as gifts figuring who can't use more gift tags this time of year? I know I've wrapped many a present and then realized I had no way to personalize it / indicate the recipient. 

This is one of those things that the more you make, the more you want to make! 

Simple process: 

• Gift tags (you can buy packages of ready made tags or cut your own. I cut mine using my Silhouette)
• Paper scraps
• Random embellishments : rhinestones, washi tape, punched shapes buttons, etc. ( this is a great way to use up onsie twosie leftovers)

These are some I made for a Hanukkah gift. I cut the dreidels using my Silhouette, randomly covered them w/ embossing ink and then embossed with gold embossing powder. 

One friend of mine decorates her tree in bright greens, pinks, purples so I coordinated these tags around those colors. To embellish I used punched glitter stars, snowflakes, sequins, and glitter ribbon and had some Japanese Mizuhiki cord in my stash that coordinated. 

Tip: I apply the papers slightly wider than the tag and then trim the edges all at once so they're uniform. 

I used the same idea for these in black, white and green, using white Mizuhiki cord on some. 

After seeing these, Mr. Chocolate asked "where are our tags" so guess what I'm working on ? 

Christmas Mantle : Black and White Tree Makeover

I made over my mantle decorations this year, going with a black , white and gold theme w/ accents of red. 

Waste not want not so I try to repurpose pieces I already have which is what I did with these black and white felt trees. They used to be these from a few years ago: 

which were fun and I still liked them but was tired of them. 

I'd pinned the tinsel to the tree ( see thinking ahead to when I might want to rip them apart!) so removing it was easy. I created a pattern for my felt freehand on a piece of scrap paper and then cut out a bunch of shapes in black and white felt. I started off counting them. That ended quickly. 

These trees are a little more permanent since I hot glued the felt pieces to the styrofoam cone.  Working from the bottom up, glue one color around the cone then offset your pieces and glue the next color around the cone. Continue until your cone is covered. 

Slightly more work than the tinsel trees but only slightly. 

They fit right in on my mantle with a black and white Father Christmas I painted years ago, and my mantle focal of a chalkboard sign I also  made this year. 

The chalkboard sign was made from a pre-cut piece of plywood from Home Depot, painted with chalkboard paint  and bordered with gold glitter paint ( Martha Stewart). 

The right side of the mantle contains a large vase filled with pinecones I've picked up on walks, birch and glittered branches left over from my Thanksgiving mantle and filled in with silver and gold balls. 

Vintage bottle brush and live  mini cedar trees in antique cordial glasses finish out the mantle along with collectible ornaments. 

Elf Bite Cookies and Snowball Pretzel Rods

The coming year will be one of change for the Chocolate house. College Boy will be graduating which seems unreal. The past four years have flown by like that. It seems like just yesterday I sent off the first care package of treats to him, and hard to believe this was the last batch of college Christmas treats.

I saw a fun cookie idea on Pinterest that I decided to try. Mine don’t look nearly as spectacular as the originals but they turned out OK. You can see the inspiration for them along with the full recipe here: Salt Tree Family Food and Crafting Swirled Sugar Cookies. 

Make the dough, divide in half and color half with gel food coloring. Then layer the doughs, and roll together jelly roll style.

The original cookies used the dot sprinkles but I only had jimmies so improvise!

Basically, you roll your roll in the jimmies, then chill, slice and bake. I am calling mine elf bites!
I also made dipped pretzel rods which resulted in my asking “why haven’t I done this before?” These were super easy! I used a sparkly Wilton candy melt and added little sugar "snowballs".

Dip your pretzel rods in melted chocolate ( I got my pretzels at Safeway), let set, then dip in melted candy melts. Decorate as desired.

I included some candy canes and continued the elf theme by cutting some elf stockings using my Silhouette. Embellished with washi tape and pom poms.

To package everything, I used these candy cane bags I found at Michaels, along with some candy cane striped paper ribbon I had in my stash.

Altered Vintage Grater Christmas Decor

While walking through an antique store looking for a pair of ice skates ( no joy) I stumbled upon this old grater. Along with the ice skates I was actually looking for a box grater ( also no joy).  I had no idea what I was going to do with it (it’s not like I knew what I was going to do with the box grater either) but I knew I’d regret not getting it.

The focal for this is actually the “25” charm which is what I’ll show you how to make.

For this you will need:

• Dimensional Mod Podge ( I used silver glitter)
• Mod Podge Matte
• Jewelry bezels (Michaels)
• Scap of scrapbook paper
• Punch (my 1” punch fit the bezels perfectly)

This is one of those easiest projects ever that people will think is a lot harder than it is. Let them. Also, you can use one of the pendants for actual jewelry!

Here’s how difficult this is:

• Punch circles from paper
• Adhere circle to bezel w/ Mod Podge Matte
• Flood bezel with Dimensional Mod Podge, let dry

For the grater itself? Easy peasy. Wrap the grater with a scrap of dropcloth or fabric scrap. Make a pinwheel from more paper scraps. Add a star and the “25” charm. I added another charm I made from microscope slides. Finish with a strip of washi tape and a button.  Mine sits in my kitchen because it’s a grater and even though I alter them with all kinds of non-kitchen stuff….duh!

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Pottery Barn Merry Christmas Knockoff

I think I’m one of the last people in the world or at least in the blogosphere who doesn’t decorate for Christmas until December. The first weekend in December has always been our tradition. Of course that doesn’t mean I don’t work on some things before that!

Everyone’s favorite place to find knock off ideas, Pottery Barn, had this very cool and very expensive “Merry Christmas” sign. I think it was $99 and it’s also no longer available.

Loved everything about it except did I mention the price and that it’s no longer available? And theirs was 30x30 which would have been too big anyway.

So, doing what all creative bloggers do, I went looking to see if any like minded creative types had already created a printable and voila, Kristy from The Diary of Dave’s Wife had done just that.  Because she’s awesome you can get the printable from her for free and she’s also got a project idea you should check out.  Thank you Kristy!

For my version you will need:

• 12x12 frame  (re-purposed one I had on hand)
• Red craft paints ( I used red and glitter red by Martha Stewart)
• Printable
• 12x12 black scrapbook paper
• Chalk

I started with my plain frame:

and gave it a couple of coats of flat red and a couple of coats of the glitter red paints.

I don’t have a 12x12 printer (and was too impatient to send the printable somewhere that prints 12x12 prints) so I sized it as big as I could (8.5x8.5) and printed it out. Still, I needed to fill my 12x12 frame so lightbulb moment, mounted it on some 12x12 scrapbook paper. To make it blend, I chalked up the black scrapbook paper background:

Just rubbed a piece of chalk all over like you would to prime a chalkboard.  Then I trimmed my printable and did the same thing to it:

Centered and taped it to my primed background and done and done.

Cost to me: $0. I like my price!

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Chic on A Shoestring