Day 21 - Emergency Altoid Tin Stocking Stuffer

First things first: YULETIDE BLESSINGS TO YOU! It's the Winter Solstice today and our pagan bottoms are celebrating with a feast. The seasonal holiday fattening begins in earnest this evening.

Now, on to today's project, which I am super stoked about!

Every year Santa's elves get into the nog and he asks for a little help with the stockings. As much as I love opening my own stocking, stocking stuffing for others can be a pain in the rump. Searching for ideas is frustrating because so many of the suggestions need to be ordered in advance or are totally ridiculous. (I'm not sticking a $60+ item in a stocking just because it fits in there.)

One of the ideas I came across was for an emergency kit in an Altoid tin. I've got tins galore and it's a cute idea, so I compiled a list of necessary items. Having been teetering on the edge of a panic attack for the past few days, my items reflected a more emotional magical emergency.

Inside I've included stickers, glow in the dark band-aids, a pink unicorn, thimble, a glittery ring, a small book for jotting down good ideas and happy thoughts, a wee pen, friendship pins, good luck charms, chocolate, glitter, a wee crown and a spinner to help make life's difficult decisions.

 I'm well pleased with the bottle cap spinner. It's cute and the only options are good ones.

And believe it or not, all of that fits into an Altoid tin with a smidge of room to spare!

I've got some dinosaurs and slightly less glittery items to make a more 'masculine' version... but to be honest, if I'm giving you love, you're getting glittered.

Sweet Little Peg Fairies

*gasps!* How cute is this years batch of peg fairies?! I made these ones with embellishments and trims from Shabby is Chic Boutique.

I'm so smitten with them. This Folded Tulle Trim is absolutely perfect for the little skirts. The little flatback pearly embellishments are also from Shabby is Chic Boutique. I didn't include them here, but these Silver Fairy Wand Charms would be a super cute addition!

I just love their floofy hair made from real wool roving.

In all different colours.

They're such happy little things.

With their acorn caps and their butterfly wings.

I hope you'll make some too!

And spread a little sweetness to those around you.

Love you this much!

xoxo

The Bird House for AlphaStamps

A while ago I created a set of mixed media chunky houses with bases I had the hubs cut from mdf. I still had one of those housey shapes kicking around and I decided to put it to use for this month's AlphaStamps.com project. And so, here is 'The Bird House'.

There's nothing too complex going on here. Some fussy cutting, some embellishing, painting and gluing and Ta Da! a pretty shabby thing-a-ma-doodle to hang on the wall.

I restrained myself and didn't use a spec of glitter. To make up for it I did paint a golden egg and add some Narrow Gold Fleur Dresden Borders* (which I think is just about the prettiest thing ever). And topped it with this Fancy Silver Birdhouse Charm* 

Normally I avoid using gold and silver together but I think they're getting along on this piece. Maybe it's because they're just sitting delicately, and are too buy being pretty to compete against one another. 

Note: Yes, my supplies have personalities.

While going off the deep-end, buying buckets of supplies, and throwing all you've got at a project can be fun, sometimes a 'simple' something is just the thing for your soul. Sometimes you only need a little this and that.

"The Bird House" supply round up from AlphaStamps
Silver Bead Caps
MDF board

Sparkly Floral Crown with Petaloo

I found some simple wooden crown cut outs at Michaels. They have a little stick to hold the crown shape above your head during photographs or when meeting crown worthy dignitaries, all the while preventing unsightly 'crown head' hair.

I thought the shapes were cute and a great kids project. After all, even if you can't find these wooden cutouts at your local craft store, it would be easy enough to create your very own from some cardboard and a bit of doweling. They would make a totally adorable "make and take" for birthday parties.

I began by painting all of the pieces white, then sploshing some paint on them. Sploshing doesn't require being neat or tidy so it is perfectly appropriate for little hands. Eat a cookie or fresh fruit salad and wait for that sploshing to dry before adding some glitter (Tip: good quality glue will help avoid glitter from loosening). For this crown I've added Fancy Trimsalong the bottom edge and a coordinating Teal Burlap Blossom

For this crown I've used a DIY-Mum which you can colour to match your project. (Note: I coloured this blossom with watercolour paint then dipped it in tea to soften the colour) Then I added a length of tulle to gussy up the handle.

Those DIY blooms are pretty amazing and colouring them could be a fun project for kiddos in and of itself.

My final crown has some Crochet Lace Trim, Burlap Daisy Layers and Flowers in Pistashio and topped with Embellishment Brads in Shades of Green.

Working with kids can be a lot of fun and there are many ways to include them in crafting. Let them make decisions about colour and trims. Let them do the sploshing. You can set limits if you like "Let's pic three flowers to add" but let them have some control. Be sure to have those little people help clean up afterwards too.

So get out there and make some crowns with your littles. And don't forget the tea party photo shoot afterwards.

Supply List:

Fancy Trims Shades of Teal 1910-129

Burlap Blossoms Teal 1200-205

DIY-Mums & Butterflies 1650-015

Crochet Lace Trim 1482-105

Daisy Layers Pistachio 1205-214

Burlap Flowers Pistachio 1208-214

Embellishment Brads Shades of Green 1920-009

Misc ribbons and trims

Wooden Crown cut outs or DIY crown shapes