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.

Sharing At:

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!

Hopping Today:

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?

Sharing At:

Guest Posting At The Scrap Shoppe Today!

Happy Tuesday all. I'm over at The Scrap Shoppe today, sharing a super easy and inexpensive Christmas decor idea that would also make a great gift. Hope you'll drop by. Michele has a wonderful series going with tons of inspiring ideas !

Blast From The Past: Tinsel Trees (Stinkin' Easy)

OK this was the easiest thing ever. So easy it’s not really even worth posting about but what the heck.

I have lots of different styles of Christmas décor. I like different looks, and since I decorate just about every room, I figure I can do different styles in each. This year I’ve caught a glitter bug and am doing a kind of retro mid-century modern mantle. Enter the tinsel!

What the heck are they you ask? Tinsel trees I answer. With Snowflake toppers.  Here are the complicated ingredients for this crazy concoction:

Styrofoam Cone and Tinsel Garland. I hoped to get the cone at Dollar Tree but apparently they don’t have them anymore so I got one at Michaels with a 50% off coupon and one at JoAnn’s with a 40% coupon. The tinsel garland I did get at Dollar Tree. 50 Feet for a buck.

For the topper, a VERY expensive glittered snowflake from Jo Jo’s ( JoAnn) $.79 and 50% off . I know…pricey!

I didn’t even use glue. Just started at the bottom of the cone and stuck a straight pin through the tinsel garland and a few more as I went around the bottom to make sure it was on there good.

And wrap. And pin…from time to time in random places on the way up to the top.

Before I stuck my snowflake pick in, I added a glittery red pom pom I had in my stash.

The mantle’s not quite finished but getting there and I’ll show it soon. In the meantime, I’m in the mood to watch some cheesy 60’s sci-fi Christmas movie like Santa Claus Conquers The Martians. OK so that may be the ONLY cheesy 60’s sci-fi Christmas movie and I don’t even know how I ever saw it but somehow I did. Don’t judge!

“Take me to your leader. No not the crazy woman with the glue gun. Anyone but her!”

Sharing At:

BFF Open House Link Party #30 Wrap Up and Features

Slow down December! Thanks to everyone who linked up to Friday’s BFF Open House. I hope you all enjoyed meeting Aimee from It's Overflowing.

Clearly there are some busy Elves out there in blogland producing some amazing holiday creations. Here are just a few!

Carolyn from homework can always transform the most mundane object into something amazingly beautiful. These little box ornaments are no exception:

Likewise, Bev from Flamingo Toes outdoes the original inspiration for an ornament from Anthropologie with this interpretation of it:

I love this mesh wreath from Gray Cardigan and would you believe this is her first attempt?!

And check out this peppermint wreath from Brown Paper Packages! Looks good enough to eat:

Finally, of  course I have to feature something chocolate! Check out these tempting treats from Pressed Down and Shaken Together. YUM!

Can’t wait to see what everyone gets up to this week. Make it a creative one! If you were featured, please feel free to grab a button.

<a href="http://answerischocolate.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff511/AnswerIsChoco/TAICBFFButton-1.jpg" /></a>