Monday, February 25, 2019

Embossed Gingerbread Christmas Ornaments




These embossed rolling pins would make charming scented holiday ornaments or great accents tied to gifts with a piece of twine or raffia! This is just one site who sells a selection of these rolling pins. Don't want to use food based materials? Pick up some clay or make some of your own right at home!

Embossed Gingerbread Christmas Ornaments

Recipes:

No Bake Gingergread Ornaments - smells like Christmas

Salt Dough Recipe

Monday, February 15, 2016

Rustic Charm Easy Peasy Wood Slices for Home Decorating

Photo courtesy of 
Destination Decoration


Ever wonder how to make these charming wood slices for your home? Well, it's simpler then you think. Check it out 
here and you'll be making these in no time! Don't they bring  so much happiness and comfort to your soul? Handmade from the Heart. That's what I call them. 

Charming Cottage Woodland Character Slices

Photo courtesy of 
Instructables.com

What a great idea to use images on these wood slices for year round decoration and charm! 

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Whimsical Woodland Mini Tree Houses

Photo Courtesy of Croissant and Lavender


Photos and instructions below courtesy of Croissant and Lavender:

Step 1: Paint bath tissue rolls or paper towel rolls in different colors. If using paper towel rolls, cut them down to desired size.


Step 2: Cut out the top, bottom and middle of the window. Score the sides of the window so there are deep crevices to make it is easier to open up the shutters. 


Step 3: Place a small plate on top of your patterned papers and trace around it. The instructions didn’t specify the size of plate or papers. Cut out.


Step 4: Cut the circle in half and roll into a cone shape. Glue together. She used a glue dot which is found in the memory making aisle of your craft supply store. 


Step 5: Glue on top of the paper towel roll.


Step 6: She drew brick layers on orange paper. 


Step 7: Then, she cut out different shapes to glue onto the roll, in different locations on the house. Some under the window-door. Others, on the side to make it look like an older charming home with broken brick.


Step 8: There are 2 hanging options.

A: Hanging option 1: Cut a long piece of yarn and thread a bead or small button on. Knot both ends of the yarn at the end and push bead or button down toward knot. Thread the loop through the bottom of the house and thread it through the peak of the roof. Glue a litle bird or animals in the window. You can glue felt to the bottom of the house and stuff the inside of the roll so the bird has a cushion to sit on. 



B. Hanging option 2: Cut a long piece of yarn and thread a bead or small button at the end and tie off. Thread through base of house and through peak of roof. Tie yarn to center of stick found outside. Then, cut another long piece of yarn and tie to both ends of the stick. Glue a litle bird or animals in the window. You can glue felt to the bottom of the house to cover the hole and stuff the inside of the roll so the bird has a cushion to sit on. Its ready to hang. 





Charming...aren't they? Make different sizes. 

Monday, May 25, 2015

Outdoors Man Ornament

Photo Courtesy of A Thrifty Mom


Materials:
  • Clear plastic Christmas ornament
  • Jute twine
  • Fake pine branch
  • Hot glue gun to attach twine
  • Small piece of tan card stock to make tag
  • Odds and ends of what your outdoors man likes (ex: fishing hooks, empty ammo - DO NOT USE LIVE AMMO, camouflage fabric, mini compass and canteen

Open ornament, place pine in, then a couple items of the odds and ends. Put top back on ornament. Glue twine to top. Make small tag and write something on it. String tag on twine and finish gluing to top. Add more twine to hang ornament. You're done!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Christmas Tip - 1 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Relax ... And Smell The Eggnog

Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven.com
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



Christmas Eve is here ... and now it's time to celebrate.

For many of us, this day finds us stressed and obsessed. We fly around in a tizzy, feeling "not yet ready" for the holiday. It can be hard to shift gears out of planning mode.

But what's the best gift you can give yourself and your family? A relaxed and happy self.

Take time today to shrug off the last bits of holiday care. Release any remaining expectations, cancel un-completed chores, set aside the to-do list, and take time to smell the eggnog.


Christmas is here!

Christmas Tip - 2 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Simplify Holiday Breakfasts

Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



If you're hosting houseguests this week, think ahead to breakfast each day. The simpler, the better--so try these tips to simplify holiday breakfasts:

Set the table for breakfast as you clean up from dinner.

Post a breakfast menu on the refrigerator to encourage volunteer help from early-rising guests.


Focus breakfast menus on quick, make-ahead items like breakfast casseroles, muffins, fruit, choice of cereals and juice. You can't enjoy your guests' company if you're slaving away in the kitchen!

Christmas Tip - 3 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Assemble Toys


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



It's the phrase that strikes fear in the hearts of parents everywhere: "some assembly required". Today's toy packaging--twist ties and all--can put a serious wrench in a happy Christmas morning.

Will Santa bring bicycles, riding toys or other assembly-needed gifts this year? The time to assemble them is now!

For younger children, consider removing toys from packaging altogether. Short attention spans won't need to wait anxiously to play with Christmas gifts while you wield the wire cutter.


Get cracking on putting toys together in good time for Christmas Eve. Santa will sleep soundly on the big night!

Christmas Tip - 4 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Prepare Stocking Stuffers


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



The stockings are hung by the chimney with care ... so it's time to prepare to fill them! Ease this midnight chore with a bit of pre-holiday organization.

Set aside a plastic supermarket grocery sack for each family member, and sort stuffers into the sacks. Slip handles around a clothes hanger, and hang the sorted stuffers at the back of the closet.


With stuffers sorted and ready, Santa won't be fumbling in the dark, trying to remember what gift belongs where ....

Christmas Tip - 5 Days to Christmas! It's Time For A Camera Check!


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



Ready, set, roll 'em! Christmas morning will soon be here, so take a moment to prepare to capture the memories.

Haul out the cameras and videocams and make sure they're ready for the big day.


Charge the batteries, check supplies of film or digital media, and be sure you have cables handy for uploading digital photos. Share the moment!

Christmas Tip - 6 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Record A Holiday Greeting


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



To give a holiday welcome to phone callers this week, record a special Christmas greeting on the phone answering machine.

It's fun, free and a festive way to connect with those whose calls you've missed..


Happy Holidays!

Christmas Tip - 7 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Write Letters To Santa Claus

Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas


Haul out the pencils! It's time to write letters to Santa Claus.


Parents, do remember to save children's letters to Santa from year to year. Everyone will enjoy watching the lists (and the handwriting) grow over the years--and the result will spark family scrapbooks.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Christmas Tip - 8 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Make A Christmas Morning Basket

Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas




Gifts are piling up beneath the tree, and Santa's ready to roll: time to prepare a Christmas morning basket!

The concept is simple: gather the tools and supplies you'll need to open Christmas gifts and put them in a basket, gift bag or gift box beneath the tree.

Include items like scissors, box cutter, notepad and pen (for recording "gifts received"), camera or videocam, trash bags, zipper food storage bags (for bundling small pieces so they're not lost) and extra batteries.


Add a Santa hat for a fun touch: she who wears the hat, passes out the presents!

Christmas Tip - 9 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Keep An Ornament Journal

Photo and Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas




The family tree shines during the season when each ornament tells a story--but will you remember?

Keep track of ornament collections with an ornament journal. Whether it's "Baby's First Christmas" or a special gift from Nana's last vacation, a quick note about each new ornament will preserve the memories from year to year.


We make it easy with a free printable ornament journal page:

Monday, December 15, 2014

Christmas Tip - 10 Days to Christmas! It's Time For A Pre-Holiday House Cleaning


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas


With only ten days to go, it's time to give the house a final going-over before Christmas.


Play cleaning service this week, and give every room a top-clean session of dusting, vacuuming and final touch-up. You'll bring the entire house to a holiday-ready state in good time to celebrate!

Christmas Tip - 11 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Organize Holiday Potluck Meals

Photo and Article Courtesy of Organized Christmas




Pitching in to share the work makes a lot of sense when it comes to holiday meals--but without a bit of planning, you can end up with six different versions of Green Bean Casserole--and no rolls!


Bring order to potluck dinners today. Our free printable form makes it easy to plan, delegate and coordinate a shared menu:

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Christmas Tip - 12 Days to Christmas! It's Time For An Under-Tree Storage Box

Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



The tree is trimmed, lights glowing. Packing away the storage boxes is easy, but what do you do with all those little bulbs and fuses? They wander the house, constantly underfoot--until you need one.

Keep holiday decor supplies close at hand with this simple, sneaky solution: an under-tree storage box. Select a pretty holiday gift box with a removable lid. Put all fuses, replacement light bulbs and extra ornament hooks inside the box, add a gift bow and slide it beneath the tree.


Next time you need to replace a light bulb or add a new ornament to the tree, grab the box. It'll hold--and hide--all the holiday supplies you need.

Christmas Tip - 13 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Hold A Gift-Wrap Party

Photo Couresty of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



Whether you're a devoted wrap-a-holic or giftwrap-averse, here's a holiday event for you: a wrap party!

The premise is simple. Gather your friends, a few cookies, some eggnog and a few holiday CDs. Get together to wrap, wrap, wrap your gifts in good company. Sharing a few laughs with friends makes the chore fly.


Bonus benefit: encourage guests to swap left-over gift wrap supplies at party's end. Everyone will leave with fresh new wrapping designs for the last few gifts to land under the tree--and a good time, too.

Christmas Tip - 14 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Update The Address Book


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



Christmas cards and holiday letters are spilling from the mailbox these days, so take note! Their arrival means it's time to update the address book.

Check cards and envelopes for address changes; update address books for those who have moved or changed telephone numbers.


Too busy? No problem! Toss envelopes into a file folder; when life slows down in January, it'll be easy to check return addresses against address book entries and update as needed.