Christmas Decorations

I love Christmas decorating especially with lots of lights. Seeing the lights at Christmas puts a smile on my face every time! I just wanted to share some of our decorations to show what our house looks like for Christmas :)

Hanging Scrapbook Layouts/Christmas Gifts

I found these really neat hanging scrapbook layout frames on Etsy a few months ago and just knew that I wanted to alter them for Christmas. I bought 2 to make for gifts and 1 for my family. You can find them at this Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/scrapendipitystudio?ref=search_shop_redirect

Snowman Hershey Bar Gifts

Aren't these ADORABLE? The template for the face/body can be found here and is "Free" right now: http://lauriefurnell.blogspot.com/2011/11/snowman-candy-bar-wrapper.html
I printed these and taped them to my full size candy bars. I picked up some cheap felt from my local craft store (9"x12" piece @ .29 each) I cut the felt into 2, 5.5" x 6" pieces. I then folded in half to create a 5.5" x 3" piece and Hot Glued the longer (6") ends together. Once cooled, I turned the piece inside out to hide the seam and then created a cuff by folding the end up twice. I then placed it on my snowman for positioning, gathered the top portion and tied it off with a small thin wire. With a pair of sharp scissors, cut slits in the top to create the frayed ends. I took the excess felt and cut it into thin long 12" strips to use as my scarf. Once the scarf was attached, my snowman was complete! So simple and so cute :)

Christmas Decoration

I just love how this project turned out- another Pinterest Inspired one! I bought this metal container at Michaels at the end of summer as it was on clearance. I already had the greenery in my Christmas extras. I used 20 mini lights, bought some pine cone picks and berry picks at Target and the rest of the pretties are from the Dollar store! Here's the steps to complete this:

I spray painted the metal container black as it was brown. I filled the bottom with a box to take up some space and then added the greenery and the lights. Next I started placing the sparkly twigs or whatever they are called (lol). I filled in spaces with the pine cone and berry picks and then added ornaments.

The pictures just don't do it justice - it is so much prettier in person :)

Christmas Sign

This is one of those unfinished wooden frames that you can buy at Michaels or any other craft store.

I decided on the papers that I wanted to use to cover my frames and then traced and used a craft knife to cut out the center openings of the frames. I then spray painted my frames black. Once dried, I used Mod Podge to glue my papers down. Once that was dry, I inked the edges of my frames. 

I used my Cricut to cut the letters for my words onto a printable vinyl that I used with my Imagine. I then adhered the vinyl to the glass of the frame so that the words are "floating" in the frames. Simple but pretty craft that can be done in any theme/occasion. TFL!

Christmas Gift Boxes

I bought these cute little 4" tall Gable boxes awhile ago. I thought that they would be cute for little gift boxes at Christmas! I cut my papers to fit the front/back and sides of the boxes. Added a little bit of embellishments and a tag and they are ready to go...The stamps on my tags are from Miss Emma over at: http://www.creativetimeforme.com/

I love how they turned out. Great for little gifts or gift cards!

Crystal Branches

This is another Pinterest inspired project. To do this project you just need some twigs/branches from outside, some Tacky Glue (I used Aleene's), a sponge or paint brush, a bowl for the glue and Epson Salt or Color fill vase filler. I used both Epson salt and Color fill as they had different elements to them that I like, so I mixed them together. The process is so easy, just lay out some newspaper, pour your "crystals" onto the newspaper, "paint" on the glue and then roll your twigs around as well as use your fingers to sprinkle some on. Let dry and voila! I am going to make lots more of these for Christmas arrangements. They are so beautiful, I can't wait to put some on my mantel with clear lights and see the sparkle!

I am linking this project on Pink Cricuts Link it up Tuesday: http://www.pinkcricut.com/2012/11/link-tuesday-26/

http://www.brassyapple.com/

Pine Cone Trees

I had picked up some large pine cones for free at a garage sale this summer. I also picked up a bag of small clay pots. I thought that the 2 would go well together. 

Minimal supplies needed. Just add your own embellishments. I sprayed my pine cones with a glitter spray to give them sparkle. I painted my clay pots. 

The pictures dont really show the sparkle to them :(

"Fake" Gifts for Decorations

I love to recycle/up cycle used items. I made these fake presents, to use as decorations around my house, out of old boxes. One was a gift box, 1 was a box that my Stampin 'up stamps came in and the other was a Tissue box! I found this Fluffy, yummy fabric at my local craft store in the scraps pile. I measured each box and then cut 2 pieces of fabric for each box. I hot glued 1 piece to the box (leaving the bottom plain) and then glued the other piece to the opposite side being careful to cover all areas of the box. Once the fabrics were on, I chose ribbons to decorate and complete my wrapping. I am an awful bow tie person so escuse the look of that part. But I do love how these came out. The pictures dont really show how fluffy and fun the texture of the fabric is.

I am linking this project on Pink Cricuts Link it up Tuesday: http://www.pinkcricut.com/2012/11/link-tuesday-26/

"Santa" Cones

These were Pinterest inspired. Pretty easy to make. I took 3 paper mache cones, spray painted red. While drying, I cut my shiny black paper to fit as the belt for each santa. I also cut the fluffy white beard like fabric for the base of my santas. Once my cones were dry, I adhered the white to the bottom using a hot glue gun. Next was the black belt, also adhered with a hot glue gun. I added my rhinestones for the belt buckle using tacky glue. And, to top it all off, I used hot glue to stick 1 cotton ball to the tops. See, easy peasy and cute.
The tray I had found at a garage sale for $.50, can you believe it? I took it apart and spray painted it a shimmery red. I will be filling the tray with ornaments surrounding my Santas. I need to get to the dollar store to buy some tomorrow :)

I am linking this project on Pink Cricuts Link it up Tuesday: http://www.pinkcricut.com/2012/11/link-tuesday-26/

Lite Up Christmas Presents

Hello ~ I saw a similar project on Pinterest and just knew that I had to try this! I've taken several pictures and will label them by the steps taken to make this project. I LOVE how they turned out but I do need to add another layer of the silver fabric to the smaller present as it is a bit too see through for me but I ran out of fabric :) These boxes are 12" x 12" and 9" x 9". I have a 10 x 10 to finish...

 1. Here is the material that I used to create my "box". 2. I cut 2,  9" x 18" pieces to create a 9 x 9 box. 3. I folded each one in half and then re-opened  4. I laid one on top of the other overlapping by 1 row of squares

5. I used zip ties to connect the pieces, one on each end. 6. I then folded what I had connected

to meet the other 2 loose ends, again overlapped by 1 row of squares and zip tied those together

7. I used my hands to create sharp creases on all sides to form the box shape. It still seems wobbly at this point but it gets better. 8. I cut 2, 10 x 10" squares to form the top and bottom of the boxes. 9. I zip tied the top of the box (much sturdier now). 10. I began to fill the box with 100 clear lights, I used zip ties and zip twists to hold the lights on all sides and top of box. 11. secure the bottom of the box with zip ties. Plug in your lights to be sure they are spaced how you want them. 

Now your box is ready to wrap.

I chose 2 fabrics for my boxes. I wrapped them like a present using a hot glue gun to hold it all down. I then used a glittery red mesh to cover my red fabric to give it more shine and as I said, I will be adding another layer of silver fabric to my smaller present and I also have a 10x10 present that still needs to be wrapped :)

I am linking this project on Pink Cricuts Link it up Tuesday: http://www.pinkcricut.com/2012/11/link-tuesday-26/

Halloween Ghostly Yard Art

I LOVE decorating for Halloween. These adorable ghosts just fit perfectly into my yard. I simply took tomato cages, bent the tops down to create different sizes for my family, strung clear lights through the inside of the cages and then covered with several layers of white sheets and drew on the faces. I love them!

Christmas Coasters

I am so excited to share this project. I had begun a list of gifts/projects that I wanted to complete for the upcoming holidays. From that list, I made a list of supplies that I would need. On that list was tiles to create Holiday Coasters. Well, while my hubby and I were garage selling in our community for thrifty finds to complete my projects, I found an entire box of tiles for FREE on the side of the road - how great is that?

For this project I was so excited to use Emma's newest stamp lines which you can find on her site:
http://shop.my-creative-time.com/Stamps_c8.htm

Once I stamped my images and let them dry, I used a clear spray to seal the inks. I love how they turned out and have already 3 sets for Christmas gifts :)

These are the final sets all packaged and ready to give

Halloween Shadow Box

Believe it or not, this is another Garage Sale find. This shadow box was only $0.25 at a garage sale. I altered it for Halloween Decor. I layered 4 different patterned papers across the back and then added adorable embellishments to each section. So fun and easy and affordable to make :)

Isn't it just too adorable?