Happy Holidays Chalkboard Sign

December 1, 2018December 1, 20182 Comments

How to Create a Happy Holidays Chalkboard Sign with a Simple Button Bow.

I really enjoy working with vinyl and love coming up with simple Holiday DIY projects.

The Happy Holidays Sign was one of the projects we created in last month’s Holiday Workshop.

For my sign, I used Styletech Craft’s Ultra Metallic Glitter Adhesive Vinyl in red, green and

white. The Ultra Metallic Glitter Vinyl has a white backing which ensures the colors stay bright

and true no matter what surface you apply it too.

To start my project… (*amazon affiliate links)

I used a piece of Wood Hardboard*. (it’s like a hole-less peg board) I cut mine 5 1/2 x 7 1/2″.
Drill two small 3/8″ holes in the top of the board to use for hanging the sign.
Paint the board using DecoArt Black Chalkboard Paint*.
Lightly sand the board using 3M Sandpaper, 220-Grit*. This smooths the board and allows a little bit of the brown board to show through for a vintage look.
Wipe the board with a clean soft cloth.

*Disclosure: This blog uses ads and affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!

I cut the words “Happy” and “Holidays” using my Silhouette Cameo Wireless Cutting Machine* and the red and green vinyl.

I applied the words on the chalkboard using Styletech Clear Vinyl Transfer Tape*.
I applied the word “Holidays” first and lined the word “Happy” over top.
Cut a small white snowflake using white ultra metallic vinyl and add onto the sign above the word happy.
Create a “Button Bow” for the top of your “Happy Holidays Chalkboard Sign”.
Directions for “button bow” below.
Add twine to the two top holes for hanging.
Glue Button Bow onto the top of the “Happy Holidays Chalkboard Sign” using craft glue*.

“This is a sponsored post. As a member of the StyleTechCraft Design Team I have been provided product and compensation in exchange for my creative ideas. The views and opinions are my own.

How to Make a Holiday Button Bow…

Fold ribbon in thirds. (like your getting ready to tie a tie.)
Gather and wrap twine around the center of the ribbon a couple of times and tie tightly.
Add a jump ring to the jingle bell and add onto one end of the twine and tie.
Add button to both ends of the twine and tie to the center of the bow.
Trim the ends of the ribbon and twine.

Ask for Styletech Craft vinyl at your local craft store

or online at ATSMCRAFT and limited availability on Amazon.

StyleTechCraft Christmas Colors Bundle on Amazon*

Shop Amazon Scrapbooking Supplies*

Creating Holiday Tees with Personality

November 26, 2018February 9, 2023Leave a comment

Creating fun and funny personalized tees for the Holidays are a snap with the help of

Joy® Embroidered Iron-on Letters.

My grandsons are good sports and will usually let me take their pictures for my projects.

We took this picture the day before Halloween. They weren’t really into Christmas pictures.

In the picture, Nicholas is giving me his best “grinchy” face.

His mom said his shirt should read “Grandma made me do it”.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

A variety of Joy Iron Embroidered Letters* in different sizes, fonts and colors
Plain T Shirts*
Iron

Directions:

Wash t-shirt to remove any residue or sizing.
Set iron to cotton setting or follow garment care label.
Remove letters from sheet.
Position letters with shiny side down.
Cover letters with a fine cloth.
With firm pressure iron cloth over the letters for 25 seconds.
Turn t-shirt inside out and iron the back of the letters for 25 seconds.
Allow to cool for one minute before handling.

You can find a wide selection of Joy® embroidered iron-on letters and alphabet sheets in different sizes at your local craft stores.

“This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Joy® Design Team I have been provided product and compensation in exchange for my creative ideas. The views and opinions are my own.

Shop Amazon Scrapbooking Supplies*

Holiday Candy Bar and Fillin Station

November 21, 2018November 27, 2018Leave a comment

Create a Holiday Candy Bar for your next Party or Get-together.

Both kids and adults alike will get a kick out of coming up and sneaking a few pieces of candy.

To get the party started you’ll need at least one set of Deflecto Interlocking Tilt Bins*

and a variety of yummy holiday candy.

The bins can be stacked, attached side by side or used individually.

Make it into a “Holiday Fillin Station” with Clear Candy Tubes* for your guests to fill.

Just add ribbon, twine and tags and let your guests create the perfect party favor.

You can purchase the Deflecto Interlocking Tilt Bins* I used for the Holiday Candy Bar

in a set of 4 interlocking bins, available at Michael’s or on Amazon.

Deflecto Interlocking Tilt Bins* (*affiliate link)

But don’t stop there…

Make sure to check out all the other great tilt bins and storage options available from

Deflecto Craft Solutions and create your own perfect storage.

“This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.”

Shop Amazon Scrapbooking Supplies*

Disclaimer: This blog uses ads and affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!

Simple Vintage Christmas Cards

November 19, 2018November 19, 2018Leave a comment

Simple Vintage Christmas Cards

Last week-end at my annual Holiday Workshop we made several Christmas cards using the

“Simple Vintage Christmas” Collection from Simple Stories.

I’m a big fan of vintage Santa’s and fell in love with this collection.

It was so much fun to work with.

I was able to keep the cards fairly simple with only a few embellishments and ribbons

because the images were so beautiful.

I picked up the cute snowflake embellishments at Hobby Lobby.

This one I made into a gift card holder.

Simple Vintage Christmas is a great Holiday Collection.

Simple Stories Simple Vintage Christmas Collection Kit*

Shop Amazon Scrapbooking Supplies*

DIY Christmas Blocks from Wood Scraps

November 1, 2018November 21, 20183 Comments

Quick and Easy Christmas Decorations using Wood Scraps, Vinyl and Stencils.

Got any old wood scraps lying around?

My Dad used to keep a box of old wood scraps for the kids to build and play with.

I grabbed a few of the worn out blocks for my holiday projects.

To make the Holiday Blocks…

Paint one of the blocks grey with DecoArt Vintage Effect Wash* and the other block paint using DecoArt Americana Chalkboard Paint*. (*affiliate link)

Using a Silhouette Cameo 3* and Red Glossy Vinyl, I cut out the word “Believe”.
Remove the excess vinyl (the negative pieces) using a Craft Vinyl Weeding Tool* or pick.

Use Vinyl Transfer Tape* to pick up and apply the word directly onto the block of wood.
Rub over the letters using a vinyl scraper tool to remove bubbles and help the vinyl cling to the wood surface better.
Remove transfer tape.

Tie a simple ribbon around holiday berries and glue it to the top of the painted wood block using a quick dry glue*.
I placed the block onto an old vintage metal base scrounged and saved from my Dad’s garage. (I love reusing cool old vintage junk.)
The Stag and Merry Christmas images were also created using my Silhouette Cameo and applied the same way as the Believe block.)

really simple Holiday Décor.

StyleTechCraft Christmas Colors Bundle on Amazon*

If you don’t have access to an electronic die cutter you might want to try a little DIY stenciling.

The “Believe” wood block was painted with red acrylic paint and stenciled using the Believe stencil from DecoArts and a stencil brush*

Another quick and easy Holiday DIY.

Need Stencils? I have several DecoArts Stencils in my Etsy Shop.

“This is a sponsored post. As a member of the StyleTechCraft Design Team I have been provided product and compensation in exchange for my creative ideas. The views and opinions are my own.

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Creating A Miniature “Christmas Magic” Room with Graphic 45 and Xyron

October 24, 2018September 3, 20207 Comments

How to Create A Miniature Christmas Room…

Graphic 45 Christmas Magic…Decorating the tree.

I knew as soon as I started working with Xyron that one day I would make a miniature room.

When I got the opportunity to work with Graphic 45’s “Christmas Magic” Collection,

I knew the time had come. (Graphic 45 and Xyron are the perfect combination.)

Here’s What I used to make my Miniature Christmas Magic Room: (*affiliate link)

Graphic 45 Christmas Magic Paper Pad*
Xyron Creative Station*
Xyron Acid-Free Permanent Adhesive Refill Cartridge for the 9-Inch Creative Station*
Chipboard
Craft Glue*
Bottle Brush Trees*
Mini Plain Wood Dollhouse Furniture*
Red, White and Brown Craft Paint and paintbrush
“Vintage Photo” Distress Ink Pad*
Ink Blending Tool*
Miniature Frames, Christmas Ornaments and pewter miniatures.
Cream Baubles Beads*
Evergreen Craft Stems*
Craft Knife
Cutting Mat
Sanding Block

*Disclosure: This blog uses affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!

How to make a miniature Christmas Magic Room…

My Christmas Room is 7 1/2″ wide, 7 1/2″ tall and 5 1/2″ deep. I used 5 3/4″ x 7 1/2″ chipboard pieces. (that’s what I had on hand) You could use a 7 1/2″ x 7 1/2″ piece of chipboard for the back wall instead of piecing it together like I did.

I cut paper for my walls into 3 3/4″ strips.
I cut a small strip of paper for my decorative border.
I ran each of my strips through the Xyron Creative Station*.
Adhere paper to the chipboard.

The Creative Station is perfect for projects like this. I wanted complete adhesive coverage on every corner and edge of the paper. (No wrinkles, no bubbles, easy to use.)

I cut my paper slightly wider than I need so I can trim the edges with a craft knife.
Gently sand edges with a extra fine sanding block for the perfect edge.

Ink the edges of the chipboard with “Vintage Photo” Distress Ink Pad* using a Ink Blending Tool*.

Glue the walls together using a good craft glue. I used wood boxes to hold my wall up while the glue dried. (If you have a better idea I’d love to hear it.)

I covered the back of my room with coordinating paper and added small strips of paper on the back corners for added support.

I made a small fireplace out of chipboard. (I needed a place to hang my stocking)
Paint the fireplace with white paint. Give it a vintage feel by rubbing a little ink on the edges.

I purchased inexpensive unfinished doll furniture at the Dollar Tree* and painted it red.
For a vintage look add ink to the edges of the furniture.

I used stickers from the collection kit to make little framed art.

I made a small little crate to hold my “ornaments” out of chipboard and painted it brown. I added a small “tis the season” sticker on the front.

I created a small picture using a sticker and chipboard and a small felt stocking to add to the mantel.

I have spent way to much time rearranging the furniture and playing with it.

It was a real labor of love. (and I loved every minute of it)

“This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Xyron Design Team I have been provided product and compensation in exchange for my creative ideas. The views and opinions are my own.

Sue’s 2018 Holiday Workshop

October 10, 2018Leave a comment

Registration is now open for Sue’s Holiday Workshop…

Saturday, November 10th

10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Sue’s Holiday Workshop is a great jumpstart into the Holiday Season and…a good way to spend quality time laughing and creating with friends.

For the card makers…This year we will be making even more cards and tags using the “Simple Vintage Christmas” Collection from Simple Stories.

For the Holiday Crafters… We will be making a cute Felt Santa, Rae Dunn Inspired Ornaments, Wood Holiday Sign and Bonnie will be teaching you how to make an adorable Origami Star. (Additional Holiday Workshop Samples pictures coming soon.)

The cost of the Holiday Workshop is $45…
which includes your workshop supplies*, hot lunch, yummy cookies and lots of prizes. (Did I mention every wins a prize?)

Sue’s Holiday Workshop will be held at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church,
200 S. Main St., Washington, IL in my church’s large Family Life Center.
Great lighting and plenty of space to spread out.

It’s going to be a fun day.

Invite a friend and reserve your spot today.
RSVP: suesholidayworkshop@yahoo.com

Payment is due by Nov. 1st.

How to make a last minute gift bag from a 12″ x 12″ piece of scrapbook paper.

December 21, 2017September 16, 2021Leave a comment

It’s getting to be crunch time… Need a cute little gift bag?

This gift bag measures 4″ x 6′ and is made from one 12″ x 12″ piece of double sided

scrapbook paper. (The paper used on my bags are from Paper House Productions.)

How to make a last minute Gift Bag…

Cut paper to 8 ¼” x 11 ¾”.
Score the top of the paper ¾”.
Score the bottom of the paper 1 ½”.
Score the paper at ¾”, 4 ¾”, 5 ½”, 6 ¼”, 10 ¼” and 11″

Fold paper along score lines using mountain and valley folds.
Make cuts as indicated on the diagram below.
Fold over the top scored section to expose the reverse side of the double sided paper.
Glue the top 1/2″ scored section down first before assembling the rest of the bag.

Glue sides together and then glue bottom flaps.
Punch holes on the top of the newly assembled bag.
Cut white sheer ribbon in half. Insert into holes, tie not on the inside of the bag.
Embellish your bag with additional images and tag.

*Disclaimer: This post uses ads and affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!

Shop Amazon Scrapbooking Supplies*

Sprucing Up with Holiday Greens

December 17, 2017November 20, 20186 Comments

It doesn’t have to cost a lot to spruce up your home for the Holidays.

I took advantage of the beautiful warm December Day we had yesterday to spend time outside

sprucing up the front porch with some Holiday greenery.

This year…October and November was an extremely busy and stressful time for me.

And, even though I winterized and cleaned up most of the flowers in the flower beds.

The big pots on the front porch were ignored.

A little Holiday Love was needed.

I used my Fiskars Pruning Shears* and went around the yard and cutting sprigs of pine

branches from the large pine trees in my yard. (lucky for me I have several)

I have a friend who buys an extra Christmas tree to chop up the branches to use for greenery.

After finishing cleaning out the pot…

I stuck the ends of the branches into the dirt filling up the pot making it look like a little tree.

I added a few pinecones for fun.

I tied a simple bow around the neck of a Solar Lamp* and added that to the pot.

So simple and easy. But, what a difference it makes.

One for the other side of the stairs as well.

A little Holiday swag for the sled.

I love this vintage sled I picked up at a flea market last year for only $15… skates included.

I’m keeping it fairly simple again this year.

I’ll be honest, with losing my Dad last month, I’ve had a hard time decorating this year.

I’m giving myself grace to keep it simple. Family is really all that matters.

Happy Holidays…from my house to yours

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Merry Little Sticky Note Holder

December 12, 2017February 9, 2023Leave a comment

Need a inexpensive gift idea to give a teacher or co-worker?

The Merry Little Sticky Note Holder is a quick and easy project that you can make

in just minutes.

How to make a Merry Little Sticky Note Holder

Supplies Needed: (*affiliate link)

3″ x 5″ Sticky Notes*
Cardstock
Warm My Heart Sticker
Wood Christmas Sharpes
Bone Folder*
Scotch Restickable Tabs*
White Acrylic Paint
Red and White Baker’s Twine*
Pine Craft Stem

Directions:

Score a 5 ¼” x 9” piece of cardstock at the 2 ¼”, 2 ¾”, 6” and 6 ½” mark.
Fold along scored lines.
Make a ½” guide line on end of the scored cardstock for applying sticker border. Apply a small border on the guide line. Add a second border to the back of the first.
Paint “merry” and “small ornament” from wood cut outs with white acrylic paint.
Wrap red and white twine around top flap and tie ornament and greenery. Glue merry onto front flap.
Add restickable mini tab to the inside of the flap and add sticky notes.