Day 19 - Yuletide Magic

These glass domed doodads were sitting in the reduced asile in Michaels. I picked them up with the intention of putting little winter wonderlands inside. Finding myself in need of a boost of holiday magic, plans changed.

Instead of a miniature world, I've packed those baubles with magical herbs and a drop or two of oil.

I have one to hang to encourage glad tidings and sweet blessings for Yule. (We celebrate both Yule and Christmas... I'm greedy for the spirit of the holidays.)

There's a ring too, filled with herbs, so that I can keep some magic close by :)

I hope you're chugging along and not feeling overwhelmed. I'm just about to enter panic mode.

xoxo

Day 18 - Even MORE Rusted Tart Tins

I must have been half out of my mind when I made those rusty tart tins last year because it seems I have a never ending supply of them! Here's yet ANOTHER project using those metal bits...

I've simply affixed the tins atop wooden bits like this 3 Inch Tall Candlestick Holder and this Candlestick Holder. A bit of moss, acorns, glittery faux snow and inexpensive spun cotton mushrooms and you're done!

I did add these Memo Pins too, thinking that a little photo or sentiment would be a mighty adorable addition. I think these would be excellent as name/place holders! 

But they work just as well to hold paper birds and butterflies in place.

How are you holding up? 

I'm probably buried under a pile of laundry or cookies right this minute.

Deep breaths. We got this!

Day 17 - Gnome Shaker Ornaments

A week ago I promiced a second set of these shaker ornaments, and here they are. This time they're filled with gnomes!

I've used the Round Layered Ornaments Kits as well as Gold Ric Rac Dresden Borders Set  and Flat-Back Gold Star Studs - 12mm.

And I'll have to keep this post short and sweet because I currently have no home internet and my tablet is not a fan of working.

I'm an oldie and remember the days before the internet... but seriously, how did we get anything done?!??

Day 16 - Altered Jolly Blocks

An outstanding box chocked full of stuff arrived in the mail just the other day. It was from one of my craftster buddies. Cross my heart, some of the most generous people I know are crafters. ANYWAY, one of the really cool things inside the box were some old building blocks that I set to work on right away.

They're just a fun decorative thing, but I really like how jolly and cheery they are.

I had some of last year's Claus & Co. from Simple Stories in my stash so used mostly that.

They feel fun and festive and bright to me. Just the sort of thing you want to catch a glimpse of while swearing at the wrapping paper or getting stressed about the messy floors. 

I mean, who needs clean floors when you've got sweet blocks?! 

"Don't mind the crumbs and fur on the floor, look at these cute things!" *toss a block at your guest*

See! Floor problems solved.

Day 15 - Not at all Christmassy Leonard Cohen ATC's

These aren't exactly holiday themed but let's face it, not everyone is into happy ho ho ho seasonal sort of things AND it's awfully nice to give something that can be enjoyed beyond the holidays. 

I wanted to include a little handmade something in a package to an old friend. Nothing big, just a little something sort of sentimental.

 

That's the funny thing about little things - their ability to hold an awful lot of sentimentality.

I made these on the backs of playing cards that just happened to be the size of ATC's.

The quotes are all from Leonard Cohen songs or poems.

I suppose that while they may not LOOK Christmassy, they are filled with the spirit of the season. Sprinkled with care and given with love.

Day 14 - Naked Tanned Santa Cookies

It's getting down to crunch time and so I thought today would be a great time to share a disaster story. Things get a tiny bit NSFW at the bottom... fair warning.

I have a pretty great collection of cookie cutters. Cat's, mushrooms, moons, ballerinas... this year I thought I'd go with the dinosaurs, yeti/bigfoot theme. I rooted around for decorating ideas, I did sketches, I had a vision of just what I wanted to create...

... but I quickly realized that I was creating naked tanned Santa's. That was not the look I was going for. Was there a way I could fix it? Provide the old chap with some modesty?

French Rivera Santa was not an improvement but by this time I was overcome with fits of laughter. Streams of tears were running down my cheeks. I hadn't laughed so hard in ages. How could I help but take it just one step further?!?!

My husband called and was immediately concerned "Are you ok? What's wrong?" I couldn't even get the words out. I was having a fit of hysterics. No matter how hard I tried to explain the failed Yeti/Bigfoot turned naked Santa incident it did not do justice to the gingerbread masterpiece on the counter.

And so, if things aren't turning out perfectly, just remember that I lived through anatomically correct (?) naked tanned Santa cookies. You'll survive too.

Day 13 - Gnome Tart Tin Ornaments

I seem to have a thing with gnomes this holiday season... and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Gnomes are rather lovely after all.

I had a healthy stash of rusty tins left over from last year and I've finally put them to use. If you want to make your own rusty tins HERE is the blog post where I explain my process.

This isn't a design team project, but it is a fortunate coincidence that the images from Alpha Stamps Gnome & Mushroom Ornaments Collage Sheet fit just-so in the bottom of my tart tins.

Some spun cotton mushrooms, a bit of moss...

...acorns and little pine cones...

... and of course some glittery snow to finish them off.

P.S. Hope you're fine and dandy. Big wet kisses for you today!

xoxo