We sure hope Melissa helped reduce your level of frantic in November but just in case you're sensing a relapse, we have some beautiful decorations to feature today—always calming to look at pretty things! Chances are you have at least some of the items on hand, and sometimes the best way to slow down and enjoy the season is to take an hour to make something lovely with your own hands. Enjoy!
A Note From Lisa
Here is an easy way to share a little holiday joy on a shelf or even on the dinner table. I had these plain wooden blocks that nobody was playing with anymore. I sanded them a bit, so that I could paint them easier. I used some more water than needed for the paint to prevent it from being entirely covered. Let it dry and then I sanded them a bit again to get that aged look. Then from your letter sticker stash you can spell out Merry Christmas or any other holiday greeting, one letter per block.
I actually spelled another word on the backside of the blocks so I could use it for Valentine's Day too!
Translation from Swedish:
GOD JUL = Merry Christmas
KÄRLEK = love
TIP: If you would want to use the blocks as a part of a center piece be sure to spell the word on both sides for everyones pleasure!
I like to make something nice to put in a frame for the holidays. This year I am making some scrap circles with some holiday words. I took a few scrap patterned papers from my stash and adhered strips to my pre cut circles. My circles are just cardstock, but you can go with heavier paper it you want to. Then I got my sewing machine and set it to make a zig-zag stitch. I sewed along the circle and along the strips vertically. After that I added my letters. I used a digital kit called Teeny type alpha by Zoe Pearn I bought at the Sweet Shoppe Designs.
Frame your artwork and admire it all through the holidays.
A Note From Cheryl
This frame was inspired (heavily!) by the girls at eighteen25. When I saw their digital art I couldn't stop thinking about it! I created it in PSE—and clipped all the text to different digital papers to give it some texture. I added a ribbon, jingle bell and Holly leaf to the outside of my frame.
materials digital papers (Libby Weifenbach: Frageelay) + fonts (plantagenet cherokee, winter essentials, script mt bold, outlaw, century gothic, scrypticali) + metal holly leaf (Making Memories)
These decor pieces were made using digital scrapbooking kits, paper and my cricut. I cut the shapes that the letters sit on with my Cricut and the letters themselves were made digitally using a font on top of a digital paper and printed out to size.
materials digital papers (Creations by Crystal at www.jessicasprague.com + fonts (winter essentials, essential) + velvet ribbons (Making Memories)
materials digital papers (Tis the Season) + papers (Making Memories)
The Christmas Tree ornament was a little wooden plaque I found at the thrift store for 50 cents. I spraypainted and sanded it and then used spray adhesive to adhere the digital art I created in PSE. I sanded the edges of the photo paper to make it blend in, covered the back with coordinating cardstock and added a ribbon.
materials digital papers and elements (Creativity by Crystal at www.jessicasprague.com)
I made a bunch of these little ornaments, which measure 4x4, from a stack of chipboard coasters I had purchased a few years ago. I designed it in PSE, printed it and used spray adhesive to adhere it to the front, I then used my scissors to trim the rounded corners (which the coasters already had) and repeated on the back with co-ordinating cardstock. I used a sanding block to sand the edges (which is helpful if your sticking on technique is not super straight!) and then punched a hole with my Crop-a-dile and added a ribbon and a piece of twine to hang it with.
materials digital papers and elements (Creations by Crystal at www.jessicasprague.com) + ribbon (Making Memories)
A Note From Aly
These will be our Christmas centerpiece this year—so easy and fun to make! This is a great project for
using up ribbon scraps.
materials foam cones (Styrofoam) + ribbon + ric rac + twill + buttons + hat pins (Jillibean Soup) + glue dots (Therm-O-Web)
A Note From Beth
The minute I saw these felt shapes I knew they would make the perfect holiday garland. I simply tied them together with baker’s twine and called it done. They would look especially sweet on the footboard of a child’s bed!
materials felt shapes (My Little Yellow Bicycle) + baker’s twine (Martha Stewart)
A Note From Jody W.
I have always wanted to make a Christmas banner for my fireplace mantle and after receiving these goodies from Kaisercraft + American Crafts, I got my scrap on! I think once my house is fully decorated for the season, this will be a great simple addition to my holiday decor!
materials patterned papers, chipboard (Kaisercraft) + circle punches (EK Success) + letter stickers (American Crafts Dear Lizzy Christmas) + ribbon (AC Moore) + rub-on (“Merry” American Crafts Dear Lizzy Christmas)
A special thank you to Crystal Wilkerson of Creativity by Crystal, Jillibean Soup, Little Yellow Bicycle, Kaisercraft, and American Crafts for their generous sponsorship of our second annual WCS For the Holidays celebration!
