See this at: sunshinescreations.v...| Added on 01/08/08

I know this doesn't look like a holiday ornament to most. But to those of us who hoard fabric, any fabric item is a good excuse to go buy fabric (all though this fabric is real, real old and pulled from my stash, and also a real small piece; still... See more

I know this doesn't look like a holiday ornament to most. But to those of us who hoard fabric, any fabric item is a good excuse to go buy fabric (all though this fabric is real, real old and pulled from my stash, and also a real small piece; still fun). Also, this is a reminder to Santa of what to put under our trees: more supplies for crafts. On a side note, if you make a mini-doll house, this would work for that as well. Update: I was also given the idea from a reader on flicker (after she saw my post) that you could make these to keep an idea of your fabric stash a sort of mini library. Supplies: * stiff paper or thin cardboard (like what rick rack comes on) size 1 inch by 2 inches * fabric 1 3/4 inches tall, however long you want it, with tiny, tiny holiday print on it * glue dots * embroidery thread * needle at least 3 inches long * scissors Order of events: * Cut boards 1 inch by 2 inches. * Cut fabric by 1 3/4 inches by what ever length you decide. * Place glue dots on board and... See less

See this at: cathystclair.blogspo...| Added on 01/08/08

These are super easy paper ornaments that look very pretty on a tree. They are also very light, which is great if you are trying to hang them on a miniature real tree. (they are hanging on a 2 year old rosemary plant here). The first step is to punch... See more

These are super easy paper ornaments that look very pretty on a tree. They are also very light, which is great if you are trying to hang them on a miniature real tree. (they are hanging on a 2 year old rosemary plant here). The first step is to punch (or diecut) 6 of the same shapes. Here I used the Marvy Giga scalloped circle. Score down the center of each. I used Basic Grey double sided paper and gold embossed snowflakes from the Inkadinkado Snowman Sketch clear set on the planer side of the paper. It is easier to score before you emboss. Fold the shapes in half with the right sides inside the fold. I alternated the embossed and the patterned paper. Then start gluing the wrong sides together to start building your ball. Note that with the Marvy scalloped circle, the score will go through one bump on one end and between two bumps on the other. So if it seems like the pieces are not fitting together, turn one of the pieces around and it will fit fine. Once you have 3 pieces glued,... See less

See this at: craftydaisies.com| Added on 01/08/08

Okay, I understand, enough with the holiday theme already. However, as the year draws to a close and you are contemplating the pretty cards on your mantle, consider saving them for one of these projects:

Okay, I understand, enough with the holiday theme already. However, as the year draws to a close and you are contemplating the pretty cards on your mantle, consider saving them for one of these projects: See less

See this at: linaloo.typepad.com| Added on 12/30/07

Your calendar is beautiful: the colors, the choice of fabrics and all the little details (including the cutest little bird - december 17th) are just perfect! I can't wait to see what you will put in the little pockets :) Claudia in Montreal under 2... See more

Your calendar is beautiful: the colors, the choice of fabrics and all the little details (including the cutest little bird - december 17th) are just perfect! I can't wait to see what you will put in the little pockets :) Claudia in Montreal under 2 ft of snow! See less

See this at: mollychicken.blogs.c...| Added on 12/30/07

You beat me to it. Just thinking I should post some pictures from some Norwegian Christmas crafting magazines... I haven't yet though because I have wondered: is that allowed - or is it against the law? Is it ok if you credit it? In any case I have... See more

You beat me to it. Just thinking I should post some pictures from some Norwegian Christmas crafting magazines... I haven't yet though because I have wondered: is that allowed - or is it against the law? Is it ok if you credit it? In any case I have been reading your blog for ages and love the adorable, happy things you make! See less

See this at: allsorts.typepad.com| Added on 12/30/07

Poor thing but I’m glad to hear that your mother-in-law is doing okay. I’m sending my best to her for a speeding recovery. Covina, CA P.S. you are sweet to share your pattern with us. Best to you.

Poor thing but I’m glad to hear that your mother-in-law is doing okay. I’m sending my best to her for a speeding recovery. Covina, CA P.S. you are sweet to share your pattern with us. Best to you. See less

See this at: kattitudes.com| Added on 12/06/07

So I keep seeing these really rather cute garland looking things and I just love them … until I look at the price. Good grief. Thirty dollars and more? Are they high? Again, I go into my “just no” response. Just no. I can make them myself. Period. I... See more

So I keep seeing these really rather cute garland looking things and I just love them … until I look at the price. Good grief. Thirty dollars and more? Are they high? Again, I go into my “just no” response. Just no. I can make them myself. Period. I need paper. I like my garlands with a little heft, so I always use my leftover mail boxes and cardboard junk mail that comes into the house for my garlands. This way I am reusing waste paper that would ordinarily be thrown away and I am still getting a good heavy stiff cardboard to use. I just print out my letters from my printer and tape them to the cardboard and cut them out. Then I use either glitter glue or glitter and glue to completely cover the letters. I use my eyelet setting tools leftover from my scrapbooking days to make the good reinforced holes for hanging and a ribbon threaded through for the garland itself. That is it. Instant garland. Last week (or earlier some time) I posted the same idea, but with snowflakes instead. These... See less

See this at: kattitudes.com| Added on 12/06/07

Oh nummy! What a wonderful idea from BHG and this is an oh so easy Christmas present to whip out at the last minute. Take those wrapped caramels, unwrap, melt a variety of the different chips that you have in your pantry and dip your caramels just a... See more

Oh nummy! What a wonderful idea from BHG and this is an oh so easy Christmas present to whip out at the last minute. Take those wrapped caramels, unwrap, melt a variety of the different chips that you have in your pantry and dip your caramels just a little (or a lot, depending on how much you like the extra flavors). After you dip your caramels into your melted chocolate or melted vanilla or melted cinnamon or so on, you can then dip them in chopped nuts or cake sprinkles or chopped candy or whatever strikes your fancy. This would make such a fast gift, especially if you are short on time. As long as you have what you need in your pantry, you could put this together in no time at all. And you know, you would not really need to keep this just for a gift. This is the season for holiday parties, and this would make a fantastic take along treat or cocktail party sweetie. See less

See this at: westcoastcrafty.word...| Added on 12/06/07

I made this super-quick ornament the other night after a long day of writing on deadline. It was the perfect little instant-gratification project: cut it, glue it, let it dry overnight, and there you go. You can create yours with any size or color... See more

I made this super-quick ornament the other night after a long day of writing on deadline. It was the perfect little instant-gratification project: cut it, glue it, let it dry overnight, and there you go. You can create yours with any size or color rhinestone — play with the scale and make a bunch of tiny flowers or a bigger one. Mine measures 1.5 inches across and 3.5 inches top to bottom, and I used a 25-mm rhinestone from Berger Beads for the center. You’ll need: A scrap of felt Pencil or fabric marking pen Pinking shears Two round flat-backed rhinestones Aleene’s Tacky Craft Glue 2.5 inches of 20-gauge craft wire Round-nose pliers, pushpin (optional) 1. Place your first rhinestone on the felt and lightly sketch a circle around it, about 1/8 - 1/4 inch bigger than the stone on all sides. Cut the circle out with your pinking shears. 2. Use a generous amount of craft glue to add the rhinestone to the felt and let it set (usually about a half-hour, longer is fine). Flip the piece over... See less

See this at: littlebirds.typepad....| Added on 11/30/07

Yay! Thank you so much for posting this--I've been admiring your soft trees for awhile. I was so inspired I'm working on a little set of felt tree ornaments. They're the basic cone concept, only unfilled (so they can be collapsed and put into... See more

Yay! Thank you so much for posting this--I've been admiring your soft trees for awhile. I was so inspired I'm working on a little set of felt tree ornaments. They're the basic cone concept, only unfilled (so they can be collapsed and put into envelopes for mailing) and stitched up the back with cross stiches. :) I just need to decorate them and then photograph them to share on my blog. Anyway, thank you again for sharing the pattern and instructions!! I shall enjoy making a few of these up very much!! :D See less

See this at: wikihow.com| Added on 11/30/07

* Larger snowflakes: If you want larger snowflakes, use larger paper. You will probably need to cut more lines though; work it out from how large your piece of paper is. Don't try enlarging your snowflakes until you are comfortable with the method of... See more

* Larger snowflakes: If you want larger snowflakes, use larger paper. You will probably need to cut more lines though; work it out from how large your piece of paper is. Don't try enlarging your snowflakes until you are comfortable with the method of making them with the suggested paper size first. * Paper color variations: You could vary the paper color if you want to match a Christmas color theme - red or green for instance. * Decoration ideas: If you want to "jazz up" your snowflakes, put liquid glitter on the snowflake along various parts of the paper lines. Silver, gold, red or green are probably the most suitable colors to use. Or you could think of other additions; the author tried tiny buttons and stick-on costume gems one year and they looked exquisite. Just remember though, that these do not store very well (easily crushed) and you might be throwing them out. Of course, you can always pull off the additional decorated pieces and keep for another time or craft. * Be patient.... See less

See this at: designspongeonline.c...| Added on 11/30/07

it’s official. we drove by a real-life christmas tree lot today, which means that it’s time to get cracking on our holiday decorating. these paper...

See this at: michaels.com| Added on 11/25/07

Reminiscent of time-honored red work the ‘Silent Night’ cross-stitch design is easy to make in DMC® Christmas Red Embroidery floss. They work up fast and make a beautiful hand crafted holiday gift.

Reminiscent of time-honored red work the ‘Silent Night’ cross-stitch design is easy to make in DMC® Christmas Red Embroidery floss. They work up fast and make a beautiful hand crafted holiday gift. See less

See this at: bhg.com| Added on 11/25/07

Rate and Comment These items may not look like much right now, but they will add wonderful holiday sparkle to your table for a special dinner party....

See this at: bhg.com| Added on 11/25/07

Add up your welcoming score with Scrabble game tiles. A pretty silver tray accented with complementary ornaments and a bit of greenery finishes off...

See this at: bhg.com| Added on 11/25/07

Glass candlesticks look like elegant pedestals for these oversize red ornaments decorated with glittered letters.

See this at: bhg.com| Added on 11/25/07

This skirt provides a lovely backdrop for the many presents that will soon nestle beneath the tree.

See this at: marthastewart.com| Added on 11/25/07

As shown on the ribbon swag. We started with a 24-inch length of wide ribbon. (For a different size, make bow on the ribbon spool before cutting.) 1....

See this at: marthastewart.com| Added on 11/25/07

This wreath is the ideal complement to a tree filled with paper ornaments and is also lovely displayed on its own. Trace a leaf, or draw one freehand;...

See this at: kattitudes.com| Added on 11/11/07

After a little mix in a jar fascination, we are right back into my Christmas stocking obsession. This would be an easy one to make by hand with no

After a little mix in a jar fascination, we are right back into my Christmas stocking obsession. This would be an easy one to make by hand with no See less

See this at: kattitudes.com| Added on 11/11/07

Kattitudes started in 1999, when I first looked online in search of ideas for handmade gifts. Nothing fit my taste, my fancy or my style, so I decided then and there never to have that problem again. Since that time, I have collected more ideas for... See more

Kattitudes started in 1999, when I first looked online in search of ideas for handmade gifts. Nothing fit my taste, my fancy or my style, so I decided then and there never to have that problem again. Since that time, I have collected more ideas for handmade presents, homemade crafts and wonderful kitchen gifts than you could possibly imagine. Stay tuned because over time, I plan on posting every last idea. * ↑ Grab this Headline Animator * Quotes Kattitudes favors: "I will act as if what I do makes a difference." - William James “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” - Confucius “Out of clutter, find simplicity.” - Albert Einstein * Kattitudes Music du Jour See less

See this at: cottonspice.com| Added on 11/11/07

Editors Note: Lei from My Many Colored Days was scheduled to be our guest designer today, but some unavoidable things came up and she couldn’t be here. We’ll try to get her for the next Blog Project. But, Tracy was kind enough to provide another... See more

Editors Note: Lei from My Many Colored Days was scheduled to be our guest designer today, but some unavoidable things came up and she couldn’t be here. We’ll try to get her for the next Blog Project. But, Tracy was kind enough to provide another great project from Plumcute Designs! Visit Tracy Souza from Plumcute Designs www.plumcutedesigns.typepad.com www.plumcutedesigns.com Thank you for joining us here at The Last Minute Gift Countdown! More great tutorials coming tomorrow and every day until the 17th! Don’t miss one of them! Visit our designers website and say Cotton Spice sent you. Your host for this blog and one of the best quilting magazines around is Cotton Spice. Have you seen a Cotton Spice issue yet? See less

See this at: marthastewart.com| Added on 11/09/07

These ornamental balls are made from holiday cards from Christmases past. Cut out twenty circles: For a small ball, trace around the base of a jar...

See this at: quietfish.com| Added on 01/08/08

We get a chocolate-filled advent calendar every year. I have a soft spot for chocolate advent calendars. Do you know that the chocolate advent calendar is the reason for the ring on my finger? I’m not sure if I ever wrote about that… hmm. Perhaps... See more

We get a chocolate-filled advent calendar every year. I have a soft spot for chocolate advent calendars. Do you know that the chocolate advent calendar is the reason for the ring on my finger? I’m not sure if I ever wrote about that… hmm. Perhaps this is a post for another day. ;) This year my mom gave us two chocolate advent calendars, so the girls are totally set up in that department. But I also knew I wanted to make my own advent calendar, filled with family stuff rather than sweet stuff. There are a lot of good ideas out there but I wasn’t able to find The Perfect One for Me. And I was overwhelmed by the type I really wanted to make. Check out this matchbox advent calendar. Amazing huh? Alas, at the time I was planning this all out I was stuck at home with no way of obtaining the requisite number of matchboxes. I then tried making my own orgami matchbox/slide box, but they wouldn’t have been nearly as stable as the version that used authentic matchboxes. And then there was the... See less

See this at: designspongeonline.c...| Added on 01/08/08

we’ve been in love with the work of artist/illustrator/educator ed emberley...

See this at: heatherbailey.typepa...| Added on 11/16/07

First, make a pattern. Your yo-yo pattern needs to be twice as wide as your intended yo-yo, plus about 1/2" for seam allowances. You can use a compass to draw out your pattern, or find a bowl or lid to trace. Chipboard works great for a pattern, as... See more

First, make a pattern. Your yo-yo pattern needs to be twice as wide as your intended yo-yo, plus about 1/2" for seam allowances. You can use a compass to draw out your pattern, or find a bowl or lid to trace. Chipboard works great for a pattern, as does the cardboard from a cereal box. See less

See this at: geocities.com| Added on 11/10/07

Mix equal amounts of apple sauce and cinnamon and add 1 teaspoon of craft glue for every cup of applesauce. Mix all the ingredients until you have a firm but wet dough. You can add small amounts of cinnamon if your dough is too wet. If you like you... See more

Mix equal amounts of apple sauce and cinnamon and add 1 teaspoon of craft glue for every cup of applesauce. Mix all the ingredients until you have a firm but wet dough. You can add small amounts of cinnamon if your dough is too wet. If you like you can substitute small amounts of cinnamon for a little nutmeg or ground cloves. Roll out your dough to at least 1/4 inch thickness (less than this will make your ornaments a little weak and they break easily) and cut shapes with cookie cutters. With a toothpick, poke a hole at the top of each ornament that is large enough for a ribbon to be pulled through. Place these on a cooling rack or tray to dry completely. Depending on how large your ornaments are, drying could take a couple of days. Don't touch your ornaments as they are drying. Once your ornaments are dry and if there are a few rough edges, you can easily remove the roughness with a little fine sandpaper. Sand your ornaments gently, it doesn't take much to remove the little edges. Tie... See less

See this at: bhg.com| Added on 11/10/07

Deck the walls with plates that send season's greetings. Have stick-on vinyl letters printed at a sign shop (check out speedysigns.com) or cut letters...

See this at: bhg.com| Added on 11/10/07

Extend the life of showy amaryllis blooms by cutting them from the plant and placing in water. Support the long hollow stems, which can break from the...

See this at: bhg.com| Added on 11/10/07

Recall fond memories with photos of holidays past. Overlay a holiday or seasonal photo in front of a typically framed photo, then tuck it beneath the...