Use up some scraps! Wrap a box!

If you're like me, you always have a ton of scraps and you're too stingy to throw them away :)  I cannot bring myself to get rid of paper....I love paper.  I am a total, complete, paper addict.  They should have a support group for people like me, LOL!

I am making monogrammed ornaments for everyone in my family this year.  I purchased kraft boxes to put them in.  Well, because I don't want just "kraft" colored boxes, I was going to wrap them.  Then I decided that I had some Christmas paper from my scrapbook stash left over and why not use that?  So I took some measurements and cut a few pieces and used my ATG gun to adhere them to the box, cut out a few decorations, added the initials and a bow and TA DA!  I don't have enough Christmas paper scraps to do all my boxes (since I'm doing about 20) but still I like how simple it came out.

The paper is Cosmo Cricket, as are the picture embellishments on the side.  The letters are Thickers....pretty glitter ones, and then just some silver cord I had in my stash.

Christmas Gift Idea: Stamped Candles

I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far.  I spent my Saturday getting up and going to work (I don't normally work on Saturdays but due to the weather here Thursday I wanted to make up some time rather than use vacation) and when I got home I was so exhausted.  I put my 2 yr old down for a nap and preceded to take a nap myself.  My husband let us both sleep for FIVE HOURS!  Wow I must have REALLY been tired!  Shortly though I'm going to step away from the computer and work on my family Christmas gifts.  Both my mom and mother-in-law recently acquired cricuts and I'm also pondering shopping for a good cartridge deal.  Just don't know if I could get it by Christmas or not :(

Anyway, today I have a cool cricut-less project to share for you that as made as gifts for 2 of my co-workers.  Next week I'll have another similar project where I make a matching set and matching packaging, but for today we'll stick to the candle.

Did you know that by using a few things you may already have around the house you can make awesome, super easy, decorated candles??  Well you can!  Candles can be expensive but there are several online sites where you can get them pretty cheap.  The sets I'm making next week involve using online purchased candles, but for this I just picked up a pack at Meijer.  It was $5 for the set of two.  White and Cream colored candles work the best.  I haven't experimented too much with other colored candles but if you do, let me know as I'd love to see what kind of results you get.  In addition to candles, you need tissue paper, wax paper, stamps of your choice, ink pads in the colors you prefer to use, and a heat gun.  A blow dryer will not work for this.

Since this was Christmas themed, I chose a stamp set from Clear Dollar Stamps called Holiday Patterns. The ink I used was from their Clearly Coordinating Collection in Spring Leaf, Wild Huckleberry, Deep Sea, Turquoise Gem, and Bubble Gum.

First I measured my candle and cut a piece of tissue paper that would fit around the candle exactly.  I then cut a piece of wax paper larger that when wrapped around the candle would completely cover all the tissue paper.  You place the tissue paper in front of you and stamp away!  Anything you'd like...this can be decorated in any way you choose.  Once you've stamped all over the tissue paper and you're happy with how it looks, wrap the tissue paper around the candle.  Then wrap the wax paper around the candle over the tissue paper as tightly as possible.  Secure the wax paper down with a piece of tape.  Next you take your heat gun and run it over the wax paper.  You will be able to see the tissue paper change.  Keep the heat gun moving though.  Spending too much time in one spot can cause it to melt too much wax out of the candle and make pits and bumps in the candle.  Believe me, I've found this out the hard way in the past.  When you've gone all the way around the candle, turn off the heat gun and roll the candle on a hard surface.  Next remove the tape and was paper and VIOLA!  A perfect, pretty, festive candle that anyone is sure to love!  Here are some pictures of my finished candles.  Feel free to leave comments.  I love comments!  To see a video tutorial of this technique, My Pink Stamper has a great one.....it's Episode 38.  This is where I learned how to do it.  I love all of Robyn's videos, but I think this technique is my favorite :)

Apologies...it's been too long!

Hello craft world!  I have been somewhat MIA.  After looking at my blog today I realized I have not posted in 3 months!!!  Oh my....where did all that time go?  I have been hard at work on some awesome projects.  And I have even been looking into doing my very first video.  Just trying to figure out exactly how that's done :)  I have a few things to share today.

This time of year is super busy, but this year was especially busy because my family was VERY involved our churches production of "The Christmas Post".  If you've never seen this musical, it is truly something special and SO much time and effort went into making it a success.  My family and I live in a pretty small town and pulling this off really impressed everyone in our community.  They are already talking about next year!  Being a part of it was truly a blessing, but it was a ton of work.  We spent nearly every weekend at chuch and two weeks before the performance, nearly every day!  Here is a video of one of our songs from the show.  If you ever get a chance to be a part of something like this, I highly recommend it.



Now that all that is done, I have also had a ton of things to do to get ready for Christmas.  Like many, the economy has really had devastating effects on my family.  I am SO blessed and thankful to God that we have been able to continue on this long keeping food on the table, a roof over our heads, and utilities paid.  Tax time can't get here soon enough! :)  So due to our money situation, this year is going to be a lot of homemade Christmas. 

I've always bought all of our gifts and have never tried to undertake a big project like this.   I now know why everyone does just buy things.  It's so much easier!  But it's also so much more special.  Over the next few days I'll be sharing with you the Christmas projects I've been working on. 

Last week, we had a Christmas party for our cub scout pack.  We have a very large pack, and every year at our Christmas party, Santa visits and gives the boys presents.  I wanted to have something for the siblings too so I made goodie bags for all of them.  I did 20 goodie bags.  Here's a picture of them:

To make them, I just filled cello bags from Clear Bags (size 3.75" x 6") with a variety of miniature candy bars and made toppers for them.  The toppers are from last year's DCWV Christmas stack cut at 4x2 and folded in half.  The layer used paper from both the DCWV Christmas stack and Cosmo Cricket.  The stamp was from Clear Dollar Stamps "Christmas Blessings" set (I LOVE their stamps by the way.  Check out their website, the stamps are inexpensive and awesome quality) and the ink is from their Clearly Coordinating Collection in Spring Leaf and Red Velvet Cake.  The images on the bags are from Cricut cartridges Paper Doll Dress Up and Create a Critter.  It probably only took about 2.5 hours to make all the bags from start to finish.  Not bad!

I hope you enjoyed this post for today.  I'll have another post either later today or tomorrow.  I have so many things to post.  I promise I won't be so far away from now on.....and keep in mind that I'm still trying for 100 followers.  If I get there, I'll have a Cricut cartridge giveaway!!!

Happy crafting!