Meaningful Gifts

Crafts are my passion. I love to give homemade gifts because they show how much you care. We have a sweet lady (Miss Connie) who comes and visits our classroom at least once a month and is our adopted class grandma. I wanted to do something special for her this time of year from the kids to show her how much she means to us. She's already received a quilt and I couldn't give her a scrapbook because of confidentiality, so I decided to make her a hand wreath! It's pictured above. So quick and easy and she LOVES it. I know that it will be a gift that keeps on giving because it shows how much she is loved. I hope that during this season of our Saviour's birth that you will take the time to give meaningful gifts. Merry Christmas and happy crafting!

Ornamentation

I love Christmas! I also really love Christmas crafts. Usually I am the one that is making them, but this year I received a WAY CUTE ornament as a gift from a teacher at the school I work for. It is so cute and so creative, so I had to share it along with instructions on how to make it! If you get really brave, my brother and I thought it would be cool to make a really big one for a wall hanging! It would smell SOOOOOO good! Hope you take a chance to make one! Merry Christmas and HAPPY CRAFTING!

Cinnamon Tree Ornament

Supplies:
Cinnamon sticks
Ribbon
Hot glue gun
Craft wire

Instructions:
*Cut cinnamon to size
*Cut 3-5 different sizes of ribbon and tie them onto the cinnamon from top to bottom (smallest to largest).
*Cut 3 small pieces of thin ribbon and glue ribbon pieces on for star.
*Attach wire to top.
*Gift it or use it!

Check out more Christmas crafts at http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/

Very Merry Workshop Projects

I love Christmastime! And I love crafting--as you all know! The pictures above are of the three projects we will be making at my Very Merry Workshop this weekend. I want to share the instructions on how to make the ornament. They are really wonderful to make as a gift and they can be personalized with whatever patterned paper you want. Hope you can make one soon! Happy crafting!!!

Double Ball Ornament

Supplies:

*1 sheet of 12"x12" DOUBLE SIDED patterned paper
*Small hole punch
*Hat pin with cap
*Beads
*Ribbon
*Silver elastic cording

Instructions:

1. Cut 10 pieces of 4" x .75" paper.
2. Cut 10 pieces of 3" x .75" paper.
3. Group the same sizes of paper together and punch a hole about 1/4" from the end.
4. Place the bigger pieces on the hat pin alternating the pattern that is face up. Take the BOTTOM piece and loop it over through the hat pin. Repeat this until all 10 pieces form the top ball.
5. Do the same thing with the smaller pieces.
6. Add beads and cap the hat pin.
7. Add ribbon and elastic cording.
8. Gift it or use it!!!

Patterns & Placement

I love to use patterned paper in my projects. It's really versatile and can be used in so many ways! I also like that if you make more than one of a certain card, they each turn out differently because the pattern is always different! This sometimes means you have to place embellishments in different places as well. The two cards above are made with the same supplies, but they are totally different because of the placement of embellishments and the patterns. Which do you like best?

I hope you find some way to use patterned paper in your next project! Happy stamping!

It's the MOST WONDERFUL Time of the Year!

Yeah!!! December!!! Christmas!!! I love to make homemade Christmas cards to give out to close family and friends!!! Here are a few from the past--sorry the pictures aren't very good. I hope to be able to post more current photos soon--especially since I have Christmas Card Group next Saturday! Take some time today to create a card for someone you love! Happy stamping and Merry Christmas!

Living In Thanksgiving Daily

I recently discovered a wonderful short movie on my church's website (www.lds.org). It talks about living in thanksgiving daily. After thinking about it, I decided that I would want to be a person that could be considered living in thanksgiving daily.

Gratitude is so very important! If we appreciate someone, we should tell them! Above are some cards that I have made for a few people who've helped me recently. Details are shown because I grabbed out my glitter gel pens and just had to show off my shimmer!!!

ALSO...feel free to save this awesome printable and use it for whatever! I originally got it from another blog...The Fickle Pickle (isn't that name HILARIOUS?!). Hopefully they don't mind me sharing as it's FREE!!!

ANYWAY...I hope that you decide to living in thanksgiving daily and not just this time of year. Make some thank you cards today! Thank You are two of the most powerful words in the English language! AND as always...I do wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and happy stamping!

I've Turned Into a Purple People Eater!

So....have you ever had a problem with color? Like, you only want to use one?! That is the problem I've been having lately. I seem to be stuck on purple! But you know what? I don't even care! I love purple! It is one of my absolute favorite colors of all time and I think these cards turned out beautifully! I hope that you enjoy them--they were quick and easy to do since I used patterned paper. Happy stamping!