Homemade gifts

Hi everyone, Welcome to Day 18 of the 25 Days of Christmas. Today's post shows you the gifts that I made for my co-workers and for the kid's pre-school. Above is the finished product for Tyler and Lily's pre-school teachers. The popcorn box was cut using my Cricut Expression and the Once a Princess cartridge. The tag was cut using the Merry Tags cartridge. The red cardstock piece was cut with my Cricut as well and for the life of me I can't remember what cartridge. The snowflakes are retired SU from my stash and the paper is from the now defunct Scenic Route. The ribbon is SU. Inside is homemade peppermint bark popcorn. So yummy and easy to make. I used my air popper to pop the corn. Try not to use microwave popcorn, it has carcinogens in it. After reading an article about it and having my sister, who is a dietician confirm it, I no longer have microwave popcorn in my house. But my airpopper makes popcorn in the same amount of time, so no loss.

You can find the recipe for the popcorn here.

Here is a bag of completed treat bags. I also enclosed a giftcard. The pics for those are at the bottom of the post.

Here are the completed gifts for my co-workers. I added cookies to their giftbags.

They really came out nice! It felt good to make my own gifts and use my crafting supplies too!

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Fun blog candy

Day 17 of the 25 Days of Christmas brings me to that leftover card. You know you got all of these random pieces of cardstock and dp and embellisments and you create a card with it. Somewhat to see what you can make but mostly so that it's less to put away and because all the stuff is already out. So that's what you see here. I used the MFT snowflake die with some glitter brads. Paper that I used on my Christmas cards cut out with the topnote die and a merry and bright sentiment. This card is going to a co-worker who happens to be male so I think that it's simplicity is just right!

Last week's winner is : SANDY ANG. Please email me your details so that I can send your prize to you. This week's prize is this fun stamp set. To win just leave a comment on this post so that I can mail your prize to you.

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Cherry cobbler

Today's card uses up more of that SU Deck the Halls paper - truthfully it was out and the less I use, the less I have to put away. I used this beautiful cherry cobbler paper which is also a favorite of my friend Melissa. I used the swiss dots embossing folder on it. I also used Bright Christmas for the sentiment, a glitter brad and red pearls from my stash. The ribbon is old olive from SU even though it looks quite a bit like celery. I also used the decorative punch and the large scallop punch. I so love dies and punches. They just make crafting fun and easy. Only 1 more day of work and then it's home for two weeks! Just the thought of not getting up at 5 in the morning makes me giddy. Thanks for coming by to Day 16 of the 25 Days of Christmas.

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How many days til Christmas?

Today's card uses some more of that beautiful SU deck the halls dp as well as the new tags set Tags Til Christmas and the sentiment stamp set Bright Christmas. I also used my cuttlebug flowers to cut some flowers with the paper and use a glimmer brad in the middle. Simple, I think that I am just about done with cards and such. I swear I always plan ahead each year but I'm always working up to the last minute each year too! Go figure. Have any of you done a Daily album this year? I am trying to keep up with but just haven't had the time. I will try and post some completed pages soon. Thanks for visiting on Day 15 of the 25 Days of Christmas.

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Today's project is this cute little bag. It was made with one of those small lunch bags you can get at Michaels, the top was cut off and then cardstock and decorative paper was added to the front. The project uses SU cardstock, dp, and big buttons as well as the wire ribbon which makes for a very sturdy handle. The button is attached with velcro so you can easily open and close the bag. Very cute for some little treats.

have you all seen the yummy peppermint bark popcorn that you can make here? Yummy. I made some the other night with the kiddies and it a real treat!

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Notebook gifts

This idea comes from Michelle Wooderson. These are fun notepads that I got from Papertreyink and I covered them with retired SU paper. I used chocolate ribbon, a fun tag and a metal rimmed circle from my stash. I used the Deer Friends stamp set. I know that it's retired but I love it for small embellishments and tags. I placed my notebooks in cellophane bags and then in brown paper sacks and put the stocking from yesterday on the front. The clothespin helped keep the gift together. Cute right? Thanks for joining me on the 13th day of the 25Days of Christmas!

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Fun with Fabric

Today's project is this fun gift that I made. I bought this super cheap stocking from Joann's for a buck, it's quite big too. I used SU's new deck the halls fabric and the Big Shot fabric adhesive to iron on this fun stocking image. I had this sizzix stocking die that I had bought on clearance and so it was perfect for this project. I used a clothespin that I decorated with the coordinating paper and filled the stocking with candy canes. The clothespin is hooked on to a giftbag and gift that I will share tomorrow. FYI today is Day 12 of the 25 Days of Christmas!

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Giftcard purse

Today's project is this cute giftcard purse. My cousin gave one to my sister for her birthday and I was like I can totally make that. So I did a search online and while I did not find the perfect tutorial, I found enough that I was able to create my own. I used the top note die along with the Deer Friends retired hostess stamp set and this retired SU paper. I didn't buy a lot of giftcards this year but if worse comes to worse, I can pop a ghirardelli square in it, cuz it will fit perfectly. Enjoy your day.

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Hearts and Posies blog candy

Welcome to Day 10 of the 25 Days of Christmas. Above is my second version of the photocard. I like it so much better. I ordered this paper special after seeing it being used in different ways. I am not big on collage or vintage so I didn't think that it suited me but I just love the card. The picture is the same as yesterday, of Tyler and Lily and I cut out my recange using the Cricut, but this time on the side because I used a smaller picture. The dp is called Deck the Halls and it is in the holiday mini. The flower was cut using a cuttlebug die with the matching Deck the Halls Fabric, I tied some sheer ribbon through an olive button for my own little embellishment. The sentiment is called Bright Christmas, also from the Mini and I punched it using the new decorative label punch. I also used a shimmery glitter brad from the mini. The colors are cherry cobbler and olive!

Last week's winner is: Brook. Please send me your address so that I can mail your prize to you. Today's blog candy is this posy stamp set. To win just leave a comment on this post and I will select a winner next Friday.

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Joy

Hi everybody. Welcome to day 9 of the 25 Days of Christmas. Today and tomorrow I will be showing you my holiday Christmas cards that I sent to family and close friends. I decided that this year no more buying photo cards, that I could make my own. I used this fun retro SU paper and used my cricut to cut out the rectangle in the middle - this made it a whole lot faster, trust me. I used riding hood red cardstock for the base. I then used my ornament stamp set and stamped in riding hood red and used the ornament punch and tied a black ribbon around the top of the ornament. Very simple but it still took awhile. When I started to address all of my cards, I realized that I would about 7 cards short but out of paper so tomorrow I will be sharing my second version of the photo card! Have you wrapped your presents yet? I started but I still got a ways to go! Happy day!

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Ho Ho Ho!

Today is Day 8 of the 25 Days of Christmas and I have two cards to show you. Both of them using retired SU paper. The top card is a Pure Innocence stamp from MFT. I colored in with my copics an used my scallop punch and this fun label punch and accented with ribbon and a button.

This card also uses MFT stamp set and a fun and funky card. Are you all done with your Christmas cards. I got mine out last week and I will be sharing two of the photocards that I made to send to family and close friends. I made one design and when I was addressing them I realized that I was short a couple of cards and since I was out of the paper I used, I created a completely new card which I ened up liking better than my original card! So stay tune.

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Teddy Bear Christmas

Welcome to Day 7 of the 25 Days of Christmas. Today's project uses lots of retired product. The stamp set is an older SU teddy bear stamp set and the DP is also retired SU, along with the snowflake and chocolate satin ribbon. I really love the non-traditional color scheme of tangerine tango, kiwi kiss and chocolate. Are you all done with your holiday shopping yet? I am nearly done. I just need to wrap all of my presents and really see what I got. I start off being really organized but somewhere down the line, I just completely lose track of what I bought and for who, mostly with my kids. I buy them way too much! Have a happy day!

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Sweet Treats

Welcome to Day 6 of my 25 Days of Christmas. Today I am showing a very cute little box of treats. I made these for a stamping party that I went to this past weekend. I used my cricut and the Bags, Tags and more cartridge but there are tons of templates for boxes to be found on line. I think it's a 2x2x3 box. I cut it out with the cricut and then put acetate over the cute stocking cutout so that the candy cane kisses could show through. I tied some riding hood red ribbon and made a tag using my SU tag punch and the Sparkle and Bright and teeny tiny wishes stamp set. I also used my retired hostess stamp set that has these cute Christmas circles which were perfect for the sides of the box. Fun, simple and easy!

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To all a good night

Day 5 of the 25 Days of Christmas includes this fun layout with materials from SU. I cannot for the life of me remember the name of this set. It comes with 3 stamps, the other two are thanksgiving and Valentine's. i stamped my santa sleigh in red and used baroque burgundy and olive along with more retired holiday dp from SU. I included an olive button tied off with twine.

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Happiest of Holidays

Day 4 of the 25 Days of Christmas- I am showing you a card that combines products from many different companies. The dp is from SU and has a lovely texture, the ribbon is a couple of years old but I am still getting use out of it and the cardstock is riding hood red and chocolate also from SU. The sentiment is from Paper Trey Ink, inked up in Chocolate and the holly is from CTMH, one of the first stamp sets they had that went acrylic. I saw on Andrea Walford's site how she used her ribbon to make this type of treatment and so I cased this idea from her. I have to remember to use it more often, I think that it looks very elegant.

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Merci blog candy

Day 3 of the 25 Days of Christmas a is a revisit to an old Stand by Snow Swirled. I used Marina Mist and Navy cardstock for this card and some tulle like ribbon from my stash. I did a bit of embossing and a bit of glitter for a sparkly effect. Don't be afraid to use different color combinations. Who says holiday cards have to be red and green?

Last week's winner was: the stamping lady! Please email me with your details so that I can mail your prize. This week's blog candy is this retired stamp set from SU called Merci. To win just leave a comment on this post and I will list the winner next Friday.

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All spruced Up

Day 2 of the 25 Days of Christmas - I am showing a very cute stamp from Fun and Fast notes. I used this retired SU dp from last year and some beautiful olive satin ribbon. I stamped the tree on dp and then colored in the ornaments with a marker. I think its came out snazzy. The brads are pewter and are from my stash. I think the key is to try and use what you have, stamp sets that you haven't used in awhile, paper hidden in the back of your paper cabinet and it really is a way to make old new again!

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Make Merry

Happy December! Where did November go? it was over in a flash I swear. Today is the start of my 25 Days of Christmas. I will be posting each day a different project or holiday happening. I am also starting my daily Christmas album, where I take a picture each day to document this wonderful month. You know that there is so much planning that happens to make that one day so special and then it's over! I think it's nice to have a way to remember all the fun things leading up to that one day.

Today's card uses this retires SU Christmas paper from last year. It uses this fun berry and wreath stamp set from SU and some red with white polka dot ribbon. I embossed the chocolate cardstock peace with this branches sizzix folder - it's part of the new Basic Grey line they have. Very simple but I love the traditional colors mixed in with the brown, festive but not too Christmasy!

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