8th Night
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Submitted by Andrea on Fri, 12/18/2009 - 20:39.holidays
Trimmings
For a moment, I wished every season had a "tree" to decorate...
Then I realized it wouldn't be near as special that way. Perhaps that can be my excuse for NOT decorating for all the other seasons...to make Christmas decorations more special...
See that ribbon on the wall? Add a few clothespins and it's a SUPER-easy way to display our Christmas cards. Here's another idea that I used last year.
Love my wrapping paper this year (and probably next year too--there's a ton of it in the Sams-size roll). It's reversible. And, it's not Christmas specific, so it's good for Hannukah and maybe even weddings or birthdays too!
A view of our kitchen side nook. Although you can't see them, the four frames on the wall usually have my "HOME" pictures in it, but have been switched to holiday photos along with the frames all over the main level of the house. Makes everything look a little more festive and is CHEAP decorating!
I hung our stockings on the railing in the kitchen this year since we don't really spend much time by our fireplace down in the playroom. And yes, Paxton has his own now! :)
Now, if only all that rain we had last night could have been snow....
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Submitted by Andrea on Wed, 12/09/2009 - 16:20.Christmas Stocking Photo Tags
Instead of doing all the things I *should* be doing today, I was inspired to make these photo tags for each of our Christmas stockings as I was in the middle of decorating the house for the holidays:
I made Paxton one too...but he doesn't have a stocking yet! I gotta get on that...
Supplies:
- Pressed Petals Chip Chatter Alphabet
- Imaginisce Polar Expressions Rub-Ons
- Imaginisce Polar Expressions Ribbon
- Clear Scraps acrylic circles
- Crop-a-dile
- large white eyelets
- alphabet beads
- artistic wire
- StaZon black ink
- glue dots
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Submitted by Andrea on Thu, 12/03/2009 - 16:38.Making My List...
It's that time of year.
Time to make your Christmas wish lists, who-to-buy-for lists, what to make, what to bake, when to decorate, etc. Whew. I'm already tired.
But here's the notebook I'm keeping all that info straight in this year:
An easy project! It's just a $1 composition book covered in Polar Expressions papers from Imaginisce. Makes me excited to open it up and write in it. And it's tote-able. I just slide it into my purse or diaper bag (depending on my shopping companions).
I know I won't use the whole notebook this year, so I might just save it and use it next year too...it might be nice to have a reference to what I bought, made, etc.
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Submitted by Andrea on Tue, 11/17/2009 - 17:18.DIY Handmade Gift Ideas
I'm helping host a "Crafts for Christmas" workshop at my church next weekend, where everyone will bring ideas and supplies to work on crafty gift projects for an afternoon. To prepare, we're sending all the attendees a list of handmade gift ideas. Here's a list I've come up with so far, some I've made, some I've found online...please feel free to add your ideas in the comments as well!
- Family Tree Stretched Canvas
- Framed Photo Familiy Tree Collage
- Fingerprinted Notepads
- Handmade Jewelry
- clear glass ball ornament ideas
- photo coasters
- personalized altered clipboard
- set of notecards
- paper-pieced altered canvas designs & this one too!
- bookmarks
- altered wooden letters
- Metal tin ornaments
- mini clipboard magnetic frames
- Mini Tool Box from Altoid Tin
- Cookie Gift Bags (from CD sleeves)
- Decorated Hand Sanitizers or Soaps
- set of marble magnets
- gifts in a jar
- little girl princess tutus
- hand puppets
- reverse applique t-shirts
- painted & iron-on personalized aprons
- accordion fold brag book
- hooded towels for kids
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Submitted by Andrea on Sun, 11/08/2009 - 12:05.Boo Banner
This is a fun little Halloween banner I made (with Ayla's help) to hang in my office doorway. I have it hanging so that the "Boo" side peeks into the kitchen, but it didn't photograph well that way, so I just turned it around to show both sides.
Products: Imaginisce Spooky Town Collection
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Submitted by Andrea on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 13:36.Bunny & Duck Puppets
Looking for something to do this afternoon, I decided to see if I could make Ayla some Easter puppets to play with this week. A little bit of scrap fabric, buttons, and a hot glue gun, and here's what we came up with:
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Submitted by Andrea on Mon, 04/06/2009 - 20:05.Christmas Card Tree
Thank you to Nicole for this fabulous idea of how to display your Christmas cards. I saw it on her blog this afternoon and had to try it out! Hers is much prettier of course, since I don't have a pretty side table to put it on, but this present-wrapped book and a wire shelf works for me.
If we get as many cards as we did last year, I may need to add some branches!
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Submitted by Andrea on Mon, 12/08/2008 - 17:45.Frosty the Doorstop
I went to my friend Patricia's house today for a Cookie Exchange, and the crafty girl that she is....she had a holiday craft all ready for us to make and take home with us. Gotta love that! I came home with a bowl full of cookies and a really cute snowman doorstop (idea courtesy of Family Fun magazine).
First, the cookies...YUM...
And here's my finished Snowman...
I used a trimmed off wool sock that sadly hasn't had a "match" for well over a year as the hat. A rolled paper cone made the nose. The main portion of the snowman is made from a keyhole-shaped paver...and I believe they only cost about $0.75 or something like that. Cheap, and cute!
Patricia's 10 year old daughter left us all in the dust though...she thought a penguin would be more fun, and I LOVE how it turned out. So neat how kids can take an idea and totally make it their own.
Thanks Patricia for a fun morning!
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Submitted by Andrea on Mon, 12/08/2008 - 15:08.Decorating for the Holidays - on the cheap!
A few crafty projects and just a couple of dollars turned some old Christmas decorations into a festive atmosphere around here this week.
First, my favorite, a wreath for our front door made with some garland we found in the storage spot above the garage at our old house. The lights on this strand didn't work anymore, so I took them off and put half the garland onto a wire wreath holder that my mom brought me over Thanksgiving when she was getting rid of a bunch of craft stuff. Then I added some gold beaded garland (also from the old house garage treasures) since our front door has some gold on it. Then finally, I picked up these red berry bushes at Wal-Mart for $1 each and hot glued them onto the wreath. Then I realized I had no way of hanging the wreath on the door. Now, I know the wreath hangers are only about $1 some places (I've seen them recently), but I couldn't go out right then, and I just *knew* I could come up with something from around the house. So...here you go. A wire coat hanger became my wreath hanger with just a few snips & bends.
Next, the centerpiece on our island is usually just a blue vase and a green plate. Our craft project at MOPS the other night included a small wreath and these pine-cone accents, so instead of making the original craft project, I decided to dress up our centerpiece for the winter:
Next, the dining room table. This I had to keep super-simple because little hands are always grabbing everything on it. So, I used a white candle (also picked up at my MOPS meeting for the would-be craft project), a clear candle holder we already had, and I picked up the little berry wreath at Dollar Tree for just $1. The Santa Claus placemats were made by a former boss/friend in Arkansas (Thanks Lora! We still use them!). Don't mind the trivets..not really a part of the decoration, but for some reason we store them there, and I didn't move them. Although I did move the napkins, salt & pepper to a nearby shelf. Not sure it was the most useful choice of items to move...but whatever. Just pretend the trivets aren't there.
Then, the kiddie table...which came upstairs from the playroom for Thanksgiving dinner, and fit so well, we decided to keep it there a while. More garage treasure garland (this time with working lights), some $1 silver ornaments, and two stuffed animals make Ayla very happy when she sits at her table.
In my office, I have a mini-tree on my bookshelf, decorated with chipboard stars that I made last year for neighbors...these were the extras.
Then, of course, some Christmas layouts from the last two years displayed in my Picture It PageFrames:
And finally tonight, the finishing touch....our tree. This 7.5 ft tree we picked up from some people at church who were giving it away. Talk about lucky! I did buy about $4 worth of silver and red ornaments and a $1 star from Dollar Tree to add to our family ornaments.
There you have it. Our VERY inexpensive holiday decorating....works for me!
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Submitted by Andrea on Thu, 12/04/2008 - 22:56.