Yes Virginia. This Is A Christmas Card!

I could tell from the envelope that there would be a treasure inside. My life longiest BFF ( since 7th grade!) is a true artist. She’s one of those naturally talented people who for as long as I can remember could draw ANYTHING freehand without instruction.

She went on to expand her creative talents into sewing just about anything including her own wedding gown, home décor, art dolls,  gorgeous gifts…you name it. She’s done some very creative Christmas cards over the years but this is my absolute favorite:

It is a 3-D Gingerbread House! It folds flat to mail but with a easy twist, pops right into shape. I just had to share it. And this is so her…look at all of the details done by hand:

Twisted chenille stem candy canes. Ribbon candy trim and puff paint trees and snow!

Look at the sides and the roof!

And for privacy, I’m not sharing the inside but if you undo the bow, the doors open and there’s a pic of her gingerbread family complete with Santa hats!

How could I not share this? She’s not a blogger but since I am, what’s the point of having a blog if you can’t show off your BFFs?

Love you, you.

Glitter Is For Hanukkah Too! Hanukkah Card

I’m a glittermaniac lately so I was quite thrilled when I found glittered cardstock that I could use for some Hanukkah cards I wanted to make for friends.

Michaels had their glitter cardstock 10 (12x12) for $10 last week. It’s hard to capture just how gorgeous this blue is in a picture but trust me it is!

I generated the menorah from my PrintShop program , printed on a textured cardstock, and then went over the candles with an iridescent Stickles glitter glue.

I also accented the dreidel. Mounted this on gold glitter cardstock and then on the blue.

I made the main panel for the card from a spongy blue paper with a strip of the blue metallic and added a row of gold glitter ribbon. Hey, if you’re going to go glitter, go all in!

To finish, added a strip of blue rhinestones I had in my stash ( more from last year’s after season Michaels binge).

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BFF Open House Link Party #31 Wrap Up and Features

Once again, a huge thanks to everyone who linked up at Friday’s BFF Open House. I hope you all enjoyed meeting Lesley from Freaking Craft.

I continue to be inspired by the incredible creativity that’s shared each week. Here are just a few highlights:

Jamie, from the creative imperative shared this gorgeous ruffled Christmas tree skirt.

It’s so pretty, you could just skip decorating the tree!

It would look fantastic in a room with this Nagoya Wreath, shared by Michele from The Scrap Shoppe:

The wreath is named for the stencil she used on the fabric she painted and then in a genius move, she mounted this on a charger.

Since I love ordinary materials transformed into things of beauty, I was stunned to learn that this trendy tree started out as moving boxes:

Go visit Tracy at Screaming Sardine to see how she did this.

The minute Mr. Chocolate sees this, I’m going to hear about it until I make one. Jenn from Rook No.17 shared an AMAZING Restoration Hardware knockoff that has to be seen to be believed:

The original is a wallet busting $995. Jenn estimates her cost at $25. I know which price I like!

And finally, you know I have to include a chocolate feature right? And what goes better with chocolate than peanut butter? And what’s better than FUDGE?! Trick question because the answer is nothing!

When you’re done drooling, go visit Carlee and Alyssa over at LadyBirdLN to get the recipe!

If you were featured, please fee free to grab a button (which for some reason does not want to be centered)

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Have a creative week and hope to see you all again on Friday!

Stay Away Hoarders People. Wherein I Use My Paper Scraps.

I wonder if the Hoarders producers have ever thought of doing a crafter’s edition? Specifically paper crafters. I always have scraps left over from making cards and there’s no way I’m just going to throw them away. Not after I fell in love with all of that paper in the first place. But I confess, the scraps add up. Tags are the perfect way to use them.

I cut tags out using my Cricut Expression ( Plantin Schoolbook cart) and gathered up some scraps from my Christmas cards to cover the tags with and punched shapes from other scraps to use. I usually have a stash of tags from the office supply store but I actually ran out and had to remember which cartridge had a tag shape!

Trimmed my scraps and laid out two pieces for each tag.

I tore some of the pieces and left the others as they were cut because I was also going to use up some scrapbook borders I used in my cards.

Then I just played with different combinations and added some of my punched shapes, glitter glue, self adhesive rhinestones etc.

The one on the right actually used a scrap of glittered ribbon that was left over.

This is also a great way to use up those onesie twosie embellishments.

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BFF Open House Link Party #31 and BFF Freaking Craft!

OK folks. I’ve begged. I’ve pleaded. But time will just NOT slow down! SO here we are already at the 2nd Friday of December snowballing towards Christmas!

I know everyone’s been busy in their workshops so can’t wait to see what you creative elves have been up to! This week, I’d like to introduce you to Lesley from the blog Freaking Craft! Let me tell you, she’s hilarious in addition to being a talented and creative kinda gal.

When she’s not busy as an actor, educator, wife to her wonderful hubs and mom to her cute daughter, she’s well I’ll let her tell you:

i discovered the world of crafting. and i have to admit,
i freaking love it.
but more than that, i love to take something that i've most likely purchased at a thrift store/goodwill or at a yardsale and transform it into something that freaking makes me smile.

She makes me smile too. Take a look at these gorgeous DIY mercury glass trees:

and her gorgeous ( complete with hilarious tutorial) DIY vintage glass ornaments:

Lesley has had some awesome printables that she has generously shared. I love the one she has for Christmas.

Really, I hope you will pop over to Freaking Craft and visit. I know Lesley would love to have you. 

Now, time to link up! Rules are simple. If you made it, link it. Please link to your specific post and not your main blog page and no advertising or shops please. Tis the Season to be jolly so won’t you also go visit at least one other busy elf?

Silver and Red Mantle

I changed up my mantle again this year.  I tend toward more formal decorations but also love having some fun with Christmas.   For no particular reason, I decided on red and silver. This is where my retro tinsel Martian trees come in.

Naturally, I just had to make a new banner. I mean it’s not like I’m crazy about making banners or anything ! I went with the word JINGLE.

I cut the letters on my Expression using the Doodle Type cart and used glittered cardstock by Core’dinations. Also cut a snowflake from the Damask Décor cart. Finished with some red and clear rhinestone strips from my stash.

I made another Christmas charger with the word “MERRY” and white vinyl tree.

Dollar Tree DIY footed hurricane vase, Epsom salt, cracked glass ornaments I picked up at Restoration Hardware on an after Christmas sale,  and red and silver snowflake ornies  from Michaels.

Tinsel Tree and my North Pole project.

Naughty or Nice charger, Tinsel Tree, mercury glass candlestick and Martha Stewart tree topper nested in a clear glass votive.

I found these stemmed votive holders at Michaels on clearance for $3.99 and loved the pattern and rhinestones . Plopped a cracked glass ornament inside and it reminds me of a snow globe!

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Naughty or Nice? Vinyl Charger

One of my décor staples has become those vinyl chargers that you can get at Michaels in a variety of colors. I look at them as blank canvases to play with. I did one for Thanksgiving and picked up some others to use for Christmas. Charger + Vinyl = easy peasy

I cut the letters from red vinyl  and placed on the charger. Since the message was “Naughty or Nice” and Santa is the one who knows which one you’ve been, it was a perfect use for more glittered ornaments I found at the Dollar Tree ( 5 for $1 )

I ended up going over the face with silver RubnBuff to give it more definition but had already taken the pic.

Finished off with red and clear rhinestone strips I had in my stash, picked up on sale after Christmas last year, and dotted the letters with individual clear rhinestones.

So which one does Santa think you are? Naughty or Nice?

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