Gift Card Holders

This year I decided to give all our kids gift cards to Red Lobster, so I made Christmas envelopes to hold the gift cards then just put them in the Christmas Tree for decoration since I didn't know where to put them...I thought they came out pretty cute and look nice in the tree. I learned how to make the santa tags on a Ustream that Heidy Swap had last week. (Its pretty unprofressional but if you would like to learn how to cut the fringe and make these, check it out!) http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/19069141 I attached the tag to the back side of the envelope so that they don't have to turn it over to open...just open under the tag.

Snowman

The girls that I scrapbook with every week came across this project pattern for a snowman at Archivers ...so we just had to make it...since I love snowmen and collect them, he just fit right in to my snowman family.

Go to http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/home-decor-rosette-snowman-3414 for the directions...oh in addition to the directions...my friends husband made us a 4 or 5 inch round platform and glued a dowel rod into it...so that the rosettes are stacked with the dowel rod going thru the center, which makes him very sturdy! Traditional snowmen are white but I wanted to try a tattered sort of look so I use 12 x 12 music note paper instead of white paper.

More scalloped Christmas Trees

Betty shared such a neat idea for paper trees. I made mine using My Mind's Eye Lost & Found papers; glitter everywhere! I had seven sizes of dies for each tree and short bamboo skewers, about 8 inches. Some trees were layered with 3 of each size and others with 4. Both look wonderful! Thanks Betty!

Paper Ring Garland

List of supplies:

6 different digital designed papers

12 pages of matte Presentation Paper

Paper cutter

Scissors

Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher Stapler

Printer

I printed on both sides  of (12) - 8.5 x 11 inch Presentation paper(using a different pattern for the opposite side).  I printed 4 of each combo I chose to put together. 

After printing, you may need to trim off the white edge on all 4 sides of each paper.  Then place each paper lengthwise in your trimmer and cut into 1 inch wide strips x roughly 10.5 inches(remember you trimmed off the white outer edge.)

Cut a piece of plain white paper the same way in a 1 inch strip x the same length of your patterned strips and then fold it in half and cut along the fold. You will use this 1/2 strip to help you place the long strips back on your cutter to cut each long strip in half.  This will save a lot of time cutting multiple strips at a time.

 

Line up all 8 strips and cut them in 1/2 all at once.

You will get (16) 1/2 strips out of each page.  You will end up with (192) 1/2 strips in all.

 

Remember these are all printed double sided so find a pleasant color pattern before you start stapling.  Below are the opposite sides of each of my 6 patterns.

 

Now get your Tiny Attacher and start making loops and overlapping at the ends about a 1/4 inch. You can put one staple in the middle of each overlapped end. Keep your 6 stacks of paper in a row and just use one of each and then start over again.  Doesn't the inside look pretty with a patterned printed on both sides?

I ended up with about 18 feet of garland when I was finished!

It went around my tree about 3 times.

And here is a closeup of the garland on the tree!

The digital designs I used were from the Jessica Sprague Christmas Blog Train(2010)

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Greetings to all! These square cards are 5.25" x 5.25" but under the 1/4" thickness limit. Don't' forget to use the surcharge plus postage if mailing.

Project supplies are from Paper Wishes: Rich & Spicy paper and ribbons, 3-D Papier Tole die cuts, foam squares for dimension and card size of your choice.

Christmas Cards-Cricut Class 11-11

I made these 3 Christmas Cards at the November Cricut Club Class that I've been going to...The Cartridge of the month is "Winter's in the Air Holiday". Had a great time!

Key Lime Pie

Yummy!!! I made a Key Lime Pie today with a Meringue top! Can't wait to have a piece when I get home from work! Pulled the last few limes off of my tree to make this.....and made the crust from scratch too!  CLICK TO ENLARGE PHOTO 

Here is the recipe!

Ingredients:
Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/4 cups Honey Maid Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
5 T. margarine, melted

Mix above ingredients well and press into the bottom and sides of an 8 inch pie tin. Bake @ 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Filling
3 egg yolks
2 t. lime zest
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
2/3 cup freshly squeezed Key Lime juice, or store-bought

Beat egg yolks and lime zest with an electric mixer in a mixing bowl for 5 minutes on high speed. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat an additional 3 to 4 minutes until thick. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice just until mixed in good....no longer. Pour the mixture into the baked pie shell and bake for 10 minutes @ 350 degrees. Cool on a wire rack. You can top with Cool Whip or Freshly prepared whipped cream, or top with meringue like in the picture above. See below for whipped topping and meringue instructions.

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy or whipping cream chilled
2 T. confectioners sugar
Whip the cream and the confectioners sugar until nearly stiff. Spoon onto pie.

Meringue Baked Topping
4 egg whites
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar

Whip with electric mixer the egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar on medium speed. Beat for 4 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and stiff glossy peaks form. (I didn't beat mine for 4 minutes). Spread over pie sealing to the edges of the crust to prevent shrinkage. Use the back of a spoon to create little curly peaks. Bake an additional 13-15 minutes to brown on the middle rack in the oven set to 350 degrees. Don't burn the top. Let cool for 3 hours before cutting. ENJOY!

Christmas Tree with Nesting Scallops

This was definitely a fun Christmas Tree to make (all 3 pictured at the bottom of this post)...thanks to Julie from my Wishful Scrapbooking Group for sharing this link with the directions on how to make this project.

http://lifestylecrafts.com/blog/nestingscallopstree/


I thought it would be more sturdy to use these paper mache boxes I bought at the craft store for the base. I painted them, and brushed some stickles over them to make them sparkle as well as brushing stickles on the tree branch edges for the sparkle.

I cut and laid out my scalloped tree parts to get the colors in the order that I wanted them, using all paper from my stash and scraps.

Here are the 3 trees I made using 3 of the pedestals I just finished making...I'm having fun crafting but not getting a whole lot else done.

Pedestals for Home Decorating!

This was a fun project! I hope you get make some & enjoy it as much as I did!

Supplies:

1. Glass or ceramic dinner plate (can use any shape and size as well as bowls)
2. Sundae glass,andlesticks (can be any size you choose. I even used a shot glass)
3. Quik Steel Epoxy ( or something simular, available at Hobby Lobby or other craft stores), a
4. Paper plate, & plastic spoon or craft stick
5. Rustoleum 2x Coverage spray paint (I used Krylon)
6. Paper doilies (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Prepare your plates, sundae glasses &/or candlesticks by:

1. Cleaning them thoroughly and letting them dry completely. If you are doing more than one, decide which plate will be matched up with which base. You want a variety of heights. I started out going to the local thrift store looking for glass candle holders, dessert cups, plates etc...that looked good together to form my pedestals.

2. Take the epoxy from the packaging. Squeeze into a paper plate, about a dime-size of each part of the epoxy. Quickly mix together with the end of a plastic spoon or craft stick. You will feel it generate heat as it mixes. Use the end of the spoon or craft stick to place the epoxy around the bottom of your glass or candlestick – whatever end will be attached to the plate. Try to be neat but this epoxy will pretty much be covered up by spray paint so don’t worry about being perfect. Place it in the center of your plate and place something heavy on top (like books) to exert pressure.

3. Using a large cardboard box to catch the over overspray, place your pedestal face-down in the box. Spray the pedestal completely and generously with Rustoleum 2x Coverage spray paint. Let dry. Turn the pedestal over and spray paint the top of your pedestal. Let it dry. Touch up any spots you missed and let it dry completely before using.

These were so easy to make...and I was able to get them glued and sprayed, and put away all in the same day. I can't wait to Decorate for Christmas now...I may use a couple on my kitchen table and spread the rest out thru the house...will just have to see. I also thought of buying some decorative wreaths or outside candle decorations for setting on the plates and putting my candls or decorations inside that...and the more I think about it I want to go out and buy more dishes and make more to use for different seasons...or I may just respray paint these...the possibilities are endless...have fun!!!

Fall Cards and Scarecrow Decorations

I just got home from my first Cricut Club Class, it will be once a month and I was so excited that I went ahead and signed up for the next 2 months.

In this class we got the cartridge Simply Scarecrow, to make this Fall card,

This fall Place Setting card. I'm sure I could come up with a dozen uses for this card.

and these 2 adorable scary scarecrows...I believe there are about 10 different scarecrows on the cartridge plus some words. (I think the scarecrows should be pushed further down in the gords probaby.

Overall it was a nice class, and was fun taking it with 3 of my very good friends!

Halloween Candy Gift Holders

I'm always seeing ideas or thinking up ideas to do with containers for the grandkids for different occasions...I started empting these Crystal Light containers and then saving them, thinking they would make something cute some day...so Halloween is coming and I decided to decorate them for the kids for Halloween.

I took the empty container and took off the wrapper...tossed the lid in the trash.

Then I took Halloween patterned paper and cut to cover each container...I am bad about abusing adhesive...I use a lot...a girl wants to know that stuff will stick, long enough to give it away.

I made six treat containers...one extra for our cute little neighbor boy!

Then I decorated with ribbon and halloween left overs from last years treat boxes (What was I thinking, I forgot to put buttons and stickles on them)...put one package of Pixy Stix in each container, but wrapped them up in tissue paper first so the Stix wouldn't fall clear down in the bottom of the container...I thought they would look cute sorta sticking up there.

And now all finished I think they look pretty cute...and I'm sure the kids will love them...I'm just gonna let them pick the one they want as the come to the house...and will give the neighbor boy the last one standing!