Crafting with Fabric

Once December is here I usually find myself pressed for time but trying my best to pay it forward and show my appreciation to friends and family. It's always a challenge for me to give something to all the special people in my life, but with just a few minutes even store bought treats can be transformed into something more personal to give. These are both super quick, inexpensive, and easy projects.

I used a Big Shot Die with felt to make this small gesture seem BIG!
The words are inked in different colors with markers before stamping.

Stampin' Supplies:
STAMPS - Tags Til Christmas

PAPER - Whisper White

INK (markers) - Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive

OTHER - Red Felt, XL Scallop Circle Die, Square Scallop Punch, Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Crop-a-dile, Gold Cord

For a larger gift, you can decorate simple lunch sacks with your stamps or stencils.

I used a Jumbo Wheel to add a whimsical background before adhering an embossed snowman tag. The "ribbon" is a strip cut from our new Designer Fabric featured in the Holiday Mini.

Make sure you load the bag before you tie the ribbon on. If you don't have time to make homemade cookies, rum balls...etc. Try putting the pre-measured dry ingredients together in a baggie to give. Just tuck an altered version of the recipe in there too so your recipient will know how much of the "wet" ingredients too add and how to bake it.

I just folded the top of the bag down about an inch, used a small circle punch to make three holes across the top of the bag, then threaded the ribbon through...

Lay the ribbon on your work surface and set the bag on top of it (flap side down) centered over the ribbon. Push the ribbon through the holes on the ends from the front to the back. Then push both ends from the back to the front through the center hole and make a bow!

Stampin' Supplies:
STAMPS - Tags Til Christmas, Whimsy Jumbo Wheel, Four The Holidays
PAPER - Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Real Red

INK - Bashful Blue, Real Red, Pacific Point

OTHER - Baskets and Blooms XL Die, 3/4" Circle Punch, 1-3/4" Circle Punch, 2-1/2" Circle Punch, Candy Cane Christmas Designer Fabric

Snowglobes and Glitter, How Can I Go Wrong?

I totally adore snowglobes and this little guy is available a la carte! The stamp is called Sweet Snowglobe, it comes with a wood mount block and it's only $8.95 (item no. 120868). I actually used it with the Sweet Treat Cups to give it dimension and create a display worthy scrapbook page full of bling!

We've had so many overcast afternoons, that this photo doesn't do it justice, but it's truly fantastic in person! If you click on the image you can zoom in and see it larger. :)

I started by sponging around the edges on a square piece of Crumb Cake card stock with Early Espresso ink, then I used Shimmer Paint to stamp snowflakes all over the background and followed up with a nice layer of Smooch Spritz. The inside of the snowglobe has Smooch (AKA fun in a bottle) painted on the "snowy" parts, and I filled it with Dazzling Diamonds.

Stampin' Supplies:
STAMPS - Jayne's Type Alphabet, Sweet Snowglobe, Serene Snowflakes

PAPER -Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Chocolate Chip 12x12 Textured Card Stock

INK -  Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler

OTHER - Smooch Pearlized Top Coat, Smooch Spritz, Shimmer Paint, Circle Punch, Top Note Die, Sweet Treat Cups, Stampin' Dimensionals, Dazzling Diamonds

Now see what you can create with this super simple layout, here's the sketch:

Charming Gift Idea

With the Simply Adorned Charms and Chains you can give something handmade and they're really sweet. The 1x1-1/4" Charm and 24" Chain (pictured above) is on promotion for 20% until December 16, 2010! It's a bundled gift set that also includes Charming pictured below for the special price of $39.88. Use item number 124076 to get them all together. If you place an online order for a Simply Adorned Charm, I'll personally create you a Winter insert like mine below. All you have to do is order this or any of the Simply Adorned Charms in the month of December. But remember, you only have until 12/16 to get the promotional price for the set.

Charming wood mount stamp set - item no. 116519    $19.95

I've had my 1x1" charm for a while now, but had not even removed it from the box until my recent purchase of the Vanilla Pearl Bauble and the 34" chain. I made the snowflake image for the beveled side and my monogram is on the other side. I hear that's what our co-founder and CEO Shelley Gardner did with her's too! :) You can see more Baubles in the Holiday Mini Catalog, they're only $3.95...I think I'm going to need them all! lol

Stampin' Supplies:
STAMPS - Serene Snowflakes, Circle Circus, Jumble Alphabet

PAPER -Bashful Blue

INK - Bashful Blue, VersaMark, Marina Mist Marker

OTHER - Silver Embossing Powder, Color Spritzer Tool

I'm cooking up a nice "Valentine's" version as we speak, I plan to make seasonal inserts to switch out. And now that I think of it, why stop there? I'll be making much more than that since they are just little 1x1" squares...so easy to update and change on a whim! I have a feeling I've just found my new favorite necklace.

Holiday Cards

There are from the two workshops I did last month. I really love the Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper, and have used a piece on each of these cards. It's such a great color combo too!

The one on the left has an embossed silver tree in the background...much cuter in person. The ornaments are stamped, gently watercolored and trimmed out. Then I "hung" them on the little branches, and of course put a star on top! :) I made it using only one stamp set, Holiday Happiness.

The center card has an embossed background using the Sizzix Big Shot. And the punched ornaments have hand drawn strings.

The last card is my favorite. I put Smooch on the wreath so it shimmers in all the right spots. The sentiment is edged in Old Olive ink and popped up on a Dimensional, and I just used a ruler and my green and red markers to add some interest and balance it out with a few lines in the corners.

Stampin' Supplies:
STAMPS - Holiday Happiness, Tags Til Christmas, Delightful Decorations, Northern Hearts (hostess), All Holidays

PAPER -Jolly Holiday DSP, Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler

INK - Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, VersaMark

OTHER - Silver EP, AquaPainters, Red Seam Binding, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Ornament Punch, XL Decorative Label Punch, Smooch Pearlized Top Coat, Stampin' Dimensionals, Green Satin Ribbon