Fresh Air

I really love the colors in my layout today from the Miss Art’s kit Vinnie’s Vignette.  This kit is full of softness and Spring… and that’s just about what I need this time of year to breathe a little fresh air into the Winter gray. 

Little Things

Both my color pallet and design elements everywhere in home décor and design right now. It doesn’t hurt that I absolutely love these colors and patterns! Chevrons (or zig zags) are also popping up everywhere in design these days. I like using them as a more masculine touch, even though I am perfectly comfortable putting floral prints on my boy pages.

The chevron pattern was easier to make than it looks. I cut 1” x 1” squares of patterned paper and then cut each of those into triangles. Then, you simply stagger the triangles in two lines. I added some stitching to reinforce the pattern.

I really enjoy picking a kit apart to find the unexpected uses that go beyond a first impression. In this case Vinnie’s Vignette initially appears to be an ultra feminine heritage kit but I think I did a pretty decent job with this layout of my little guy. I’ll be back next month with a more traditional look for this gorgeous kit but check it out in full detail at Miss Art’s Papercrafting School!

Deck the Halls: New Year’s Mini Poppers

Y’all, I just could not bring myself to do another Christmas decoration AFTER the big day!  I am already looking forward to toasting friends this Saturday night and (to be honest) I was getting a little antsy to move on from the red and green… this girl needs more COLOR in her life!

So this final Deck the Halls features some super fast and easy mini treat poppers for counting down to 2012. 

We’re going to start with the most basic of “ingredients”… come on… you know you can scrounge up an empty Charmin roll!

I wanted these to be pretty small so I cut mine in two.  Then cut yourself an 8” wide piece of tissue paper.  It should be long enough to wrap around the tube a couple of times.  Do just that and then tie one end off with twine.  Fill your tube up with goodies (I used Hershey’s kisses) and then tie off the other end.

Cut a 2” x 6” strip of patterned paper and wrap it around the tube.  Decorate! 

I used the Pink Paislee Soiree collection for mine because I needed some bright, celebratory colors in my life!  When I hand these out at our New Year’s countdown my guests will just have to pull at the tissue paper and the chocolate will come spilling out.  That’s a sweet way to start 2012!

Deck the Halls: Mini Banner with Twine Pom Poms

Wow, I can’t believe it has been an entire week since I have updated here!  Unfortunately the entire house has come in contact with The Plague and we’ve been feeling mighty awful.  I still managed to put together a little something for this week’s Deck the Halls feature:

The burlap triangles are by Canvas Corp and the loopy brads are so ancient I have no clue who made them.

Cut four 1”-1.5” circles from cardstock and edge them in white pen:

Cut four more circles from white cardstock.  Add a ruffled edge with ribbon, paper, or (my choice) printed tape:

Cut four 1.5” x 4” strips from patterned paper, notch the edges, and outline in white pen:

My favorite part of this banner are the stinkin’ adorable twine pom poms! Begin by wrapping twine around a fork.  I used twine from The Twinery and had to wrap it about 35 times.  My Mind’s Eye also makes some thicker, softer twine that works beautifully for these. 

Cut a smaller piece of twine and thread it between the center tines to tie it off:

Remove the bundle from the fork and pull as tight as you can, tying it off in a square knot.  Cut the loops:

Fluff the ends of the twine to fray them and round it out as much as possible.  Trim all the strands until you get it as pom pom like as you can:

Then layer each element one on top of the other, string the pennants with more twine and VOILA!  I hung mine amidst our lit fireplace bough but it would also be super cute right smack on the tree. 

See you next week when I figure out what to do about Decking the Halls AFTER Christmas… DOH!

Deck the Halls: Looped Paper Ornament

It’s Wednesday and that means I am back with another ornament for December!

This week I went back to the feather theme (I have a huge bag of them just calling to me!) but added in some paper, chipboard, and other scrapping supplies.

First, cut yourself a pile of 1” strips of old book pages.  I get my yellowed books at the thrift store for super cheap and don’t feel bad about cutting them up and giving them a new life. 

I gathered three strips together and formed them into a loop.  The fastest way to make the loops is to use a piece of clear tape on just the bottom.

You’ll need to form a bunch of these loops.  I ended up using fourteen. 

Punch a small hole near the very bottom center of each loop.  I threaded some string through one loop and tie it so that the string is secure.  Thread each loop onto the string and tie it off when you are done so that it they form a circle.  They will lay all wonky for a while… just push them flat and line them up so they form the circle.

This next part is just a piece of Basic Grey chipboard covered in acrylic paint and Martha Stewart glitter.  I used a paper piercer to punch three small holes in the bottom and hung crystals from them. 

The bird is another piece of Basic Grey chipboard but this time I added a KaiserCraft pearl eye and covered the entire thing in Glossy Accents. 

It’s glue gun time!!  I wanted everything to be really secure so I hot glued the chipboard to the looped circle.  I added some longer white feathers, then shorter white feathers, and finally a sprig of beaded branch from Prima.  Then I layered on the bird and some Pink Paislee baubles. 

To finish it up just thread a velvet ribbon through the top loop or two and tie a bow. 

I really like the soft, non-traditional colors on this and I always love a project with book print!  Thanks for stopping by today to check out my ornament.  I will be back next week with another!

On the 12th Day of Christmas…

… I’m wrapping up the tag and card fun over on the Right at Home blog!

I can’t believe how quickly these past few weeks have flown by.  I’ve been busy with my son’s birthday festivities and I feel like I am just now opening my eyes to holiday lights and celebrations.  But that doesn’t mean I haven’t made time for a few small projects, like the pocket card I have for you today!

The kraft center of my card is only adhered on the bottom and sides so that I can slip a little sumthin’ sumthin’ in there… gift card, baby!  If you can’t give a personal gift (Hey!  I LOVE getting gift cards!) it is nice to at least package it in something that says you cared enough to create something special. 

I used Simple Stories 25 Days of Christmas, May Arts ribbon, and some twine from The Twinery.

Thanks for taking a peek!  Don’t forget to come back to visit on Wednesday when I will have another ornament to show you!

Deck The Halls: Glass Feather Ornament

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! 

Well.  If I am being honest, it really is NOT looking like Christmas around here yet.  We have had temps in the sixties and I am ashamed to admit that I haven’t even put our tree up yet.  Little Man’s birthday being smack in between Thanksgiving and Christmas means that our holiday decorations take a back seat while I work on party details!

Of course that doesn’t mean I am not celebrating in spirit!

This month I will be posting an ornament or decoration on Wednesdays and today I am sharing an easy one.  Use it as a quick holiday gift, tie it to a present, or hang it on your own tree!

I used: a plain glass ornament from the craft store, white feathers from the craft store, Prima crystal swirls, Tim Holtz and Pink Paislee hanging crystals, gray velvet ribbon and gray chiffon ribbon. 

The instructions here are almost self-explanatory:
- Remove the foil and wire cap and fill the ornament halfway with feathers.  You may have to cut down your feathers to get them to lay correctly, depending on what feathers you find.
- Use metal jump rings or twine to hang a couple of crystals from the bottom of the foil cap.  Tie the crystals with twine through the little hole in the top where the wire comes through.
- Replace the cap.
- Cut the crystal swirls to the desired size and affix them to the top of the ornament.
- Tie a length of velvet ribbon to the top of the hanging wire.
- Tie a length of chiffon ribbon around the top of the cap in a bow

Thanks for stopping by! Join me next Wednesday for something a little more detailed and involving PAPER!

Tag, I’m It!

Right at Home Scrapbooking is in the midst of 12 Days of Christmas tags and cards and today is my day to show off a tag!  So far the tags and cards have been stellar and I can’t wait to see what else the team comes up with.  Sometimes something super fast like a tag can really get your creative juices flowing and they are super useful on gifts this time of year. 

So here’s my tag, using Simple Stories, BoBunny cardstock, and a couple of fun jingle bells:

Stop on by Right at Home to see more tags and cards and look out for more from me on day twelve to wrap things up!

2011 Christmas Planner

Every year around this time I think about participating in one of the many Christmas scrapbooking "events" that go on all over the internet.  But I find the idea of scrapping a page every day of December really overwhelming, to be honest.  I already have four million things to do and although scrapping is a great stress reliever it sort of stops being fun if it's just one more thing to add to your to-do list.

So this year I came up with an all-in-one mini album that combines a planner AND a place to put important memories and photos.  I like the idea that I can use the organizational section up until the big day and those lists will become a neat record of the past all on their own.  But I can also use the other sections after Christmas when I add highlight photos, reflections on the holidays, and even our family card.

I used the fabulous Echo Park Season's Greetings collection for this, with Cinch book boards and my Bind-It-All. 

The 6” x 8” outer Cinch boards are covered in cardstock and embellished in a way to avoid getting punched in the binding. 

All inner pages are cut to 5.75" x 7.75" and the organizational pages are all printed free from this site.

The planner is divided into three sections: planning, details, and memories.  The planning section includes a monthly calendar page, lists for card giving, to-do, and gifting, and a receipt pocket.  The details section has space for photos of some of the parts of the holidays that make it festive and your own like the baking you do, the crafts you make, and your family’s decorations.  The memories section rounds out the year with more photo mats, a spot for your family card, and places to journal about what happened this year. 

You can read my full tutorial at A Cherry On Top if you want to know dimensions, full details, and see the rest of the pages.

And while you’re at it you should totally link up your “Holiday Madness” creations at Paper Issues!  There is already a staggering amount of awesomeness over there!!

Happy planning!

Chalkboard Gift Tags

Mmmm… chalkboard paint.  ::drool::

Yeah, you’re seeing it everywhere these days but I thought you would enjoy a SUPER easy and practical project that you’ll be able to use again and again.

Chalkboard gift tags:

- paint generic cheap wood shapes from the craft store with black chalkboard paint (at least two coats)
- punch a hole near the edge of each shape (the Cropadile cuts them like buttah!)
- outline each shape in white pen
- add crystals, pearls, rub-ons, etc. to embellish
- thread with ribbon and tie
- sit back and admire how cute they are

You can “condition” the tags by rubbing chalk over them.  The chalk rubs off with your fingers and cleans even better with a damp cloth.   You can use your chalkboard tags again and again and a set of these would make a great holiday gift.  Who doesn’t need tags?? 

Last Minute Thanksgiving Table Runner

If you’re like me you start out with grand intentions for a million holiday projects and end up feeling stressed and overwhelmed. As much as I keep thinking I just need to start planning for these busy days in June, well, that’s just not going to happen! So here was my solution for an unbelievably quick and pretty Thanksgiving table runner using May Arts ribbons. Simply change the colors to fit the holiday you need it for.

Supplies
- a piece of burlap about 22” wide and slightly shorter than the length of your table
- hot glue and gun
- 2.5 yds. 372-15-32
- 2.5 yds. 372-15-33
- 2.5 yds. QN76
- 2.5 yds. EH28

- Begin by cutting your burlap down to about 22 inches wide. To cut a straight line with burlap simple snip where you want to cut and carefully pull out an entire strand of the fibers. That will create a gap in the burlap that is completely straight. Cut along the gap line. Make the burlap just slightly shorter than your table length.

- Fold the edges of the long sides over about an inch and use a sewing machine to sew a clean hem. If you do not have a sewing machine I am sure your hot glue gun would work.

- Do not hem the short ends. Simply pull out several strands of fibers to create a nice fringe.

- Cut two lengths of about 40” of each ribbon.

- This next step can be done by hand but will go infinitely faster if you use a machine. Set your stitch length to the longest possible. Leave long thread trails and sew a straight line down the middle of each ribbon:

- Take up the end of each ribbon, hold on to just the bottom strand and carefully begin to bunch the ribbon down the thread line creating a ruffle:

- Continue until you have ruffled each ribbon to about half the length… just enough to fit the width of the burlap, plus a little extra:

- Now the part where I cheated and made this project super simple!! Usually “the done thing” here is to sew a more permanent line down the center of the ruffle and then remove the basting stitch. But frankly, the entire point of this décor project was to fool people into THINKING it took me forever… not to have it actually take forever! So what did I do? I hot glued those ruffles right on there!

Make sure you put something under the burlap when you do this. I used a non-stick mat and any glue that leaked through the burlap just peeled right off.

Fold the edge of your ribbon over so you have a clean end and begin gluing. Work in small sections so the glue doesn’t get cold and you can make sure you are laying it the way you want it. When you get to the other end trim (if necessary) and fold the edge again.
- Continue gluing until you have one ruffle of each color on both ends of the table runner.

Annnnnndd…..DONE! I told you this was easy!