A Little Box Of Christmas & A Merry Christmas To You

I wanted to leave you with some Christmas Spirit so grab your warm cup of tea, hot coco or coffee and take a minute to view these wonderful vintage images, ephemera in this three book set of holiday goodness. Lyrics to some of your favorite Christmas songs and all the delights to make your Christmas bright~
There is even tutorials for paper craft, marsh mellow snowmen, snow globes and just all round holiday fun!
There are stories and songs to share with the little ones~ So with Christmas on its way I wish you all things bright and  beautiful. Blessings for a wonderful holiday season & a Happy New Year! 

                                              Images drawn by Theresa Huse 2010
Blogging Break Message~
*I will be back to blogging in January after Sammie's holiday break and traveling for the holidays to be with family. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being my blogging friends, warming my year with your visits and comments! I look forward to more crafty goodness and sharing in the New Year~ All my best, Theresa

Open publication - Free publishing - More vintage

Click on image to enlarge and view book!

Christmas Link Round Up "Gift Tags & Tutorials"

I am sure this is finding you rushing around & getting ready for the holidays! I can't believe Christmas is in twelve days!! That final countdown has arrived today I did a small round up of gift tags you can print yourself & tutorial for gift toppers or ornaments. I hope this helps you with some of your last minute details! I would love to know if you are ready or not? Are you planning on baking cookies this year? I sure am! & I will share a couple of my favorite recipes next week!

So here is Santa with the goodies list~

Print ready gift tags & felt tutorial~ 

Gift Tags via Going Home To Roost

Gift Tags via Creature Comforts designed by Camilla Engman  (kids would love these)

Felt Ginger Cookie Ornaments via Creature Comforts (great for package toppers too!) 

Faux Sugar Cookie Ornaments via Creature Comforts

Gift Tags designed by Georgianna Lane  (  This Link Expires12/31! but, these are my favorite & from one of my favorite blogs to visit! )

Easy Sewing , Fortune Cookie Ornaments & Sewing Inspiration

Hello Friends, I honestly can say I am getting slowly & surely back into the swing of sewing. Yes, they may be little projects but I am loving them none the less. Sometimes there is nothing better than quick & easy! These perfect ornaments I came across while surfing the web. Here is a link to a free tutorial for some fortune cookie ornaments! Now I put a little twist and added some handwritten fortunes inside the cookies!  Here are some examples of some of the ones I am working on above~

Now for my next projects I am so inspired by Alicia Paulson & am over the moon for some of her projects that I have seen. Honestly I am putting this on my Christmas List! Even if I didn't have a little girl there is plenty of projects and tips for making memories~ Check out her book Stitched In Time  
There is even a preview where you can flip through and see some of her sewing tips & designs.
This is sure to please beginner as well as seasoned sewers!
What is topping your wish list these days? I would love to know~

Handmade Projects

How many of you craft and sew handmade projects just at this time of year? Just for gift giving?
or Are you the ultimate crafter who enjoys creating things all year long including gifts?
Well here is a little round up of hand made / home made gift giving tutorials & links to the ladies who created the images in the photos.~
A little of this & that but all handmade projects to suit a budget~

Homemade Bath Salts

Re purpose a Sweater into a Purse

Pine Cone Fire Starter Gift Basket

Home made Vanilla Extract


made by agah

Thanks to the ladies who inspired my post today~
Made by Agah has a cute little etsy shop full of felt goodness and loveliness for gift giving~
Hann-Herz also has a shop on de.dawanda.
So be inspired to create or run off to shop. All I know is I am going to be on the creating end!
What about you? Creating or Shopping? Do tell~

Re- Purpose With Wool Sweaters

the long thread
the long thread

Here’s a quick tutorial for a felted sweater stocking.This makes a 12″ long stocking, but you could increase or decrease the pattern to suit your needs. Print the template here.

1. First, you’ll need 100% wool sweaters, washed and dried.
2. I cut my sweaters into 1 1/2″ strips (the width of my yard stick). I used about 15 strips in all. I sewed them with a straight stitch right sides together until I had a somewhat rectangular striped piece.
3. I then cut the pattern front from this piece, adding 1/2″ around the outside for the seam allowance. I cut the back from a solid color (with a band at the top). Be sure to cut the front and back in mirror image. I then inserted a quick loop and sewed it all together.

the long thread
the long thread creative commons

I am just dying to make some of these for around my house this holiday season!
This and the tutorial above is all thanks to Ellen Lucket Baker and here is what she had to say;
So get some wool sweaters, wash and dry them, cut 15 circles according to the template, string them together and hang them or add them to your miniature winter village. I’m hoping to make one of those this year, but we’ll see. You know, because everyone needs a miniature winter village, right? Template for the tree ornaments




Refashionso
Who couldn't use a little decor pick me up? Could you see using a sweater with a seasonal color and some special buttons to dress up your holiday decor?

every little thing
What little one wouldn't love one of these cute little critters to hug at bedtime while waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve?






TheDYIDish
And of course who doesn't need a two minute gift to make for the holidays? And with a how to get your sweater ready for any of these inspiring ideas that I am sure you are warming up to make! So don't throw out those old sweaters re purpose them & get new life out of them~
Have you used wool in any of your crafty projects? Have you tried to re purpose a sweater before? What was your favorite wool project? I sure would like to know~

I Heart Snowmen

Remember I was telling you that I decided to create something from Styrofoam for a challenge on DYITheDish. I even had posted what the beginnings looked like on my table and some inspiration I found. Oh and the late afternoon when we (Sammie helping me) were trying to catch the last bright sunlight to take these photos to capture the entry for the contest. Wind was blowing, they were toppling, leaves and shadows to deal with but finally some decent pictures! & my entry was submitted! Well here are the snowmen all ready for the Christmas holidays! I hope you like how they turned out as much as I did! I think I am inspired to make them a little snow display where I'll set them for the holidays. maybe even a cape or hat will be added. Well, I have a secret to share with you later, so I hope you come back soon to see what it is! Can you guess? I promise to share soon! Have you started any holiday projects yet?

Christmas Inspiration "Inspired Ideas"

Is it too soon to talk about Christmas? I couldn't believe the day after Halloween all the Christmas decorations are up even in the parking lot of our biggest local stores! What happened to waiting to Thanksgiving for all that? Well I digress, when it comes to Christmas I only think of it early when it comes to inspiration of homemade items and handmade goods~ Other than that I can wait. (As a matter of fact I could use a few extra months for making the holidays handmade! ) So when I saw this I had to share! Yes, Inspiration galore!! If you are or aren't crafty you still will be swooning over this e magazine that has been published~ Thanks to Amy Powers. I hope you enjoy ~ Will you be making any hand crafted items?

Open publication - Free publishing - More happy

Crafty Inspiration

1. Pink Lemonade Craft or Garden Apron, 2. lolliPOPs!, 3. pattern, 4. Before and After Thread Bag, 5. flores e espinhos..., 6. teeny weeny., 7. Crafty Pay It Forward Cowl, 8. Dou-te o meu coração :) / I give you my heart :)

I was looking for a little crafty inspiration tonight and this is what I found. Handmade aprons which I always love. I like to use mine when crafting or painting. Cute little ribbon and spool dolls. I was so excited to find these because we just got some round wood beads at a yard sale and I think it is a project my daughter can do with me. She is dying to learn how to knit or crochet too. But I haven't done either since I was a teen. But one of her sisters knows how to knit so maybe when we go to visit she can help us with that. I love hands on learning for something like that! I also saw this cute little bag makeover. A baby bag turned into knitting thread bag.
And who wouldn't love a doll hand crafted holding a heart~

For you crafty ladies who crochet here is a free pattern I came across for a lovely cowl like the one above. And if you don't want to make your own apron but were swooning over the craft apron you can look at Pamwares Etsy Shop. Or if you rather give it a go, here is a apron tutorial from One Pearl Button. But what ever you do have a wonderful day ~

What crafty inspirations have you seen lately? Has it made you want to sew? or knit and crochet? What projects with the kids or grandkids do you have this summer in the works?
I am listening~

Christmas Crafts

Image via Martha Stewart.com

Hello Crafters I am going to link a few sites with some free tutorials,

printables and such. Hope you enjoy them!

So the queen of crafts always has some must see items and these easy glitter snowflakes are at Martha Stewart~ She even has a video! Well of course she does ;)

Image via Victoriana.com

Did you ever dream of making a feather tree? I have always thought that they were so beautiful!

Imagine the one above decorated! But who knew they could be so cheap to make??!! $6.00 Check out this how to at Dollar Store Crafts. She has a great image of it done and decorated!

How about a little history on the feather Christmas tree~ Victoriana will make you swoon~

Image via boderlinebonkerscrafts.blogspot.com

Then if you like to make paper ornaments you'll have to drop by CreativitE Erin has a design to lift your spirits and make your fingers get to work.

Here is a video tutorial from ShopChop Suey that shows a similar style that is quite easy to make~

Snow Top Pillow Boxes and Tags:

Over at Creature Comforts she has some printable tags and boxes with directions you can make from another designer Daisy Jane! (Sorry images not available drop over and see them~)