Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! 

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who Christ the Lord.” Luke 2: 10-11

More Christmas Package Wrapping Ideas

Have you wrapped everything yet?  Here are a few more ideas for creative wrapping.

For this one I hand cut a letter D from cardboard (a cereal box) and wrapped it in fuzzy string.  I created the pennant banner by handcutting triangles from scraps of paper, attaching them with pop dots, and added the string with glue.  I also glued on the button to attach the letter.

I love how these packages turned out!  They were for my fellow "tea committee" members, so I cut the tea flourish found on Damask Decor and simply adhered it to a kraft paper base.  I used my Crop A Dile to punch holes in the popsicle stick (easily) and strung a ribbon through (it's tied in the back).  I added the name with red pen and then sprayed a little shimmer over the whole thing.

This last one may be my favorite!  Just cover your package with plain wrap and let your little one do the decorating!  Little Miss H. put glittery stickers on for daddy and "signed" her name (the letter Hs).  So cute!

December Daily - Days 10 - 18

Here's my second round of December Daily pages.  It just works for me to print off a week's worth of photos and complete my pages in one day (as time allows).  Enjoy!

Christmas Mantle Sign

So excited to finish this yesterday!  I love how easy the project was (and I didn't spend a dime!) and it makes such a statement (literally) on our mantle.  I first saw the idea on Pinterest - thank you Red Letter Words!  - and wanted to make my own version.  First thing I did was rummage around in our garage for a suitable piece of scrap wood.  I lucked out and didn't even have to cut anything as I found a perfectly sized piece of luan.  I brushed it off (ewww- it had been in there awhile) and brought it into the house.  It sat on my mantle for a week or so before I finally got to bring it up into my craft room for its makeover.  I found some acrylic paints in my stash to use - a charcoal grey, country blue, and metallic gold.  I simply squirted the grey on first and brushed away! I kept it pretty dry and thin, so the wood shows through a little, too.  I added a little blue and gold, using the same brush.  It all blended together nicely for a weathered look.  I painted the star with more acrylic - a mustard gold - again with the dry brush technique.  I added a bit of yellow and crystal stickles for a bit of glimmer.  I cut my letters using my Cricut - Sophisticated (for "love") and Lyrical Letters.  I used some pages out of an old hymnal - Christmas hymns of course.  Then I laid them out on my board and mod podged them all in place.  The manger scene can be found it the Inspired Heart Cricut cartridge.  Love this project and love that it's a big reminder of the reason to celebrate Christmas!

Linking up to:

            

Wrapping Up Christmas Packages

I decided that I would be more creative with my packaging this year, so I only bought brown kraft paper and a roll of plain white wrap.  Here are a few things I wrapped this week using my Cricut and other "scrap" supplies.

#1 = kraft wrap, 2 layers of scrapbook paper, sillhouette cut from A Child's Year, red sheer ribbon.

#2 = kraft wrap, a doily, red ribbon; tag cut from Winter Woodland cartridge

#3 = white wrap, snowman cut from Winter Frolic, glitter glue, silver letters, a bit of white fleece glued on for the snowman's snowy hill

#4 = kraft wrap, white and blue scrapbook paper, silhouette cut from Christmas Village, black marker to outline; tag cut from Joys of the Season

I'll be posting some more little Christmas crafties soon, so check back!

December Daily

Yeah! I finally sat down to work on my December Daily Album for this year.  My cover has been done for ages, but with the tea and just catching up around the house, the dailies were at the bottom of the list.  I finally printed off pics for days 1-9 and completed them last night and this morning.  I am using a red Fancy Pants Brag Book for my album.  I basically took off the binding and am leaving it off until I am done.  I just take from the pile of pages and use what I want for each day.  The Brag Book comes with three different types of pages - the single kraft page with journaling lines and red scrolls, the red pocket page, and the 4x6 photo sleeves.  I'm not worried about them being in a specific pattern or anything - whatever I feel like for that day is what I'll use. 

I really like the Christmas line from Teresa Collins and am using a lot of that.  I purchased the set of coordinating stamps, too.  I LOVE the deer motif and the rich reds.  But I'm also using lots of other things, including the Mrs. Claus's Kitchen Christmas Stack from DCWV and the O' Christmas Tree Recollections Signature Stack.

Christmas Tea Decor 2011



Our Invitation



This past weekend my church hosted a Christmas Tea.  It was our 4th Annual.  My friend and I dream up, design, and create the "ambiance" for each year.  We work really well together and this year was no different.  The church Fellowship Hall (the basement) was transformed into a "wintery woodland" of lights and wonder.  Combine that with the smells of delectable delights from a small crew of completely awesome bakers (that was NOT me) and some wonderful tea (that was me) and it was a magical afternoon.



We spent hours on the decorations and ornaments that we give away each year.  This year we also made wreaths as door prizes.  Our Cricut machines were in overdrive cutting our teacups for the invitations, little pinecones, snowflakes, and other little goodies.  My sewing machine patiently sewed 600+ snowflakes into 350+ feet of snowflake garland.

This year we used a lot of natural elements - pinecones, painted branches, cranberries, and even a few tree stumps to hold platters of goodies at the food table.  We also used a lot of donated and found items - fabric, antique sleds, old iceskates.  The photos do not do the entire room justice.  It was indeed wonderful, magical, and completely transformed into a woodsy winter wonderland.

We had near 130 ladies gathered around 16 tables, each decorated by a table hostess, and there was certainly no lack of creativity.  What an inspiring afternoon!  There was much to look at and admire.  There was much to smell and taste.  There were friends to laugh with.  And most importantly of all, there was a reminder as we enter this busy season, that Christmas is all about love - that wonderful, perfect, all-encompassing, overwhelming love - which came to earth so long ago.  We were reminded that Christmas is about Jesus, Our Savior, Our Redeemer.  No better way I can think of to begin this Christmas season!  Merry CHRISTmas to you!