crafty christmas gifting

am i the only one in a crafting frenzy?? i don't think anyone has mentioned that we have been crafting weekly. due to the holidays and our never ending lists of ideas, anyone who can has been getting together every monday. we rarely do the same craft as we all have different gifts to make and decorations to create. some of us are night owls and we tend to get into a groove around 11 pm. let me just say that crafting until the wee hours definitely makes for crafting hangover the next day. 

i have been guiding some along in sewing (not that i know enough to do so), so you may see more sewing ideas in the next few months.

i just posted a few tutorials on my own blog, but since i haven't posted on here in a very long time, i thought i would share. unfortunately, i don't know how to get the posts to this blog, so i will share the finished project and the link and you can read more there.

this is my anthropologie inspired squiggle scarf:

and, this is my anthropologie inspired letter stand:

i whipped both of them up on the same day with a little kiddie patrol help from my parents, so they are definitely doable in the next few days if you need a quick, hand crafted gift. only 5 crafting days left til christmas!

Christmas Craftiness: Wooden Countdown

I've seen these countdown-type things all over the blog world. We have one where the numbers are on hooks, and it is a pain to change out the days. This one is something I can do when I walk by it, so it is much easier. I can rarely say that I had everything I needed to start and complete a craft project at my house (without having to buy anything), but this time I actually did.

I used a Martha pack of paper for all of the paper parts. The blocks are 4 x 4s left over from several other projects on here, and the base is a 2 x 6 left over from my JOY plaques. I used my cricut to cut everything out: squares and numbers - George and Basic Shapes, Christmas - Mini Monograms. I painted everything and then used mod podge to glue and seal. I haven't distressed these yet, but I want to. I'm always scared because there is no going back once you start distressing. Maybe I'll do it next year if I get tired of the way they look then.

Christmas Craftiness: Wooden Plaques

I have been kind of obsessed with this blog lately. The Shanty Sisters are crafty AND creative. I want to make so many of the things they create. I loved these JOY plaques that they made, so I copied them and tweaked mine a little. I have a friend that decorates with "grinch" green and red. I love those colors every year, so I decided to use that color scheme. The Shanty Sisters give a great tutorial, so follow theirs if you want to recreate.




Up close - I am still trying to figure out how they distress theirs. Maybe they have stronger arms than me, but I sanded and sanded until I thought my arm might fall off!


















On my buffet - I took these pictures while I was still in the process of decorating, so it's not quite finished in this picture.

Christmas Craftiness: Applique Shirts

ornament shirt

Christmas tree shirt

a little cutie wearing her Christmas tree shirt

more blocks

BOO!

EEK!!

BOO!! again

I cut my squares with a paper trimmer and used the Cricut cartridge Simply Sweet to cut the letters.

believe blocks

Back in June Beth made these cute blocks for Father's Day. This week at craft night we decided to make them for Halloween and Christmas. These blocks were super simple and are a great present! Think initials, sport's teams, or quotes (short of course).

Here are the supplies you will need (I'm horrible at tutorials so let me know if I've forgot something girls!):

• 3.5x3.5 wooden blocks (these are made from 4x4 posts which are in actual size 3.5x3.5)
• 3x3 paper squares (I just cut mine with a paper trimmer). You will need 6 per block.
• Mod Podge
• embellishments (You can either make these with the Cricut or use pre-made ones)
• letters (these can be made with the Cricut also or stamps or chipboard). I used chipboard cutouts and painted them with glitter paint. I think it is going to become a new obsession.
• paint
• distressing ink or paint

Sand your blocks down and brush off. Apply paint to the corners (basically where your paper squares will not cover). Mod Podge your paper squares on to your blocks. To seal paper put another coat of Mod Podge on. Then simply decorate with embellishments and words/phrases/letters. You want to let these dry for a few days. I roughed mine up with distressing ink and sanded them down really good.

a is for applique addict

Are y'all getting the drift that we are all addicted to all things appliqued?