Cupcakes for Christmas

“And visions of sugar plums” and cupcakes “danced in their heads”…

Here's a quick'n EZ project for last minute decorations. A box or basket of these would also make a sweet hostess gift, and the best part is, they're calorie free! 

You'll need:

• Smoothfoam™ Ball - 1.5"
• Flower Soft Sprinkles - Polar White
• Petit four cupcake papers
• Red Pony Bead
• Aleene's Tacky Glue
• Ad Tech glue gun
• Ornament Hanger
• Large jump ring (or make your own with wire)

Instructions:

1. Cover the top half of the ball with tacky glue, then add the white sprinkles. 
2. Glue the ball into a petit four cupcake paper. Use a low-temp glue gun to glue the red pony bead at the top. 
3. Attach the jump ring to the pony bead then add a decorative ornament hanger. 

Now sit back and enjoy those cupcakes!  Each one has zero calories so you can make as many as you like!

Enjoy!  Y'all come back now.........

Yours truly,

Julie 💝

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING

Cookies for Santa

Another week or so and we'll be making cookies for Santa. We usually make them on Christmas Eve, otherwise Santa's cookie plate will look like this....

I started by making a pattern for my die cutting machine including a line around the circle to make placement a little easier.  You can find the pattern in the "Personal Images" tab here on my blog. You will also need a small sea sponge, etchall™ etching crème, pik tool, etchmask™ and transfer paper.

Step 1:  Cut the pattern from etchmask. 

 

Step 2:  Weed (remove) the areas to be etched, including the circle line, with the pik tool while the etchmask is still on your cutting mat.

Step 3:  Cut a piece of transfer paper large enough to cover the pattern, remove the backing, then cover the circle with transfer paper.

Step 4:  Carefully lift the pattern from the mat then place at the center of the front of the plate. You can etch on the back if you like, but you will need to remember to cut a mirror image of the pattern. Make sure the pattern is firmly secured on the plate then carefully remove the transfer paper.  Check to make sure all the tiny pieces are in place. (Insides of the letter "e" for example.)

       

Step 5:  Cover the rim of the plate with scraps of backing paper, or whatever you have available to prevent any accidental etching.  Cover the areas to be etched liberally with the crème.  Etchall crème is reusable, so you can't use too much.  Let sit for 15 minutes then scrape the crème back into the container.  Rinse the plate to remove any remaining crème, then remove the pattern and extra paper.

NOTE:  This product will etch porcelain, so do not rinse over a porcelain sink!!! It will etch that too.

       

Step 6:  To create the lacy, snow effect on the rim, dip the surface of a softened sea sponge into the crème. (New sea sponges are always soft, but if it has been used before it will be hard. Soften under running water then squeeze out any water.  Dry thoroughly before using.)  Spread the crème on the sponge by dipping it gently on your work surface. Dab etching crème all around the rim of the plate on the back.  Leave for 15 minutes, then rinse. This method produces a lacy etched look, but usually there is not enough creme to scrape back into the container. 

Here's a photo of the plate in black and white so you can really see how pretty the etching looks on the rim.  You can see lots of etched glass ideas for Christmas and order etchall products online at www.etchall.com

Instead of adding words to the center of the plate, sponge the etching crème all over the back of the plate.  A set of these etched, glass plates would make a unique addition to any holiday table! 

Now it's time to bake some cookies for Santa!  Enjoy!  Y'all come back now......

Yours truly,

Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING! 

Smoothfoam Holiday Ball

Every year Smoothfoam has a Holiday Ball and everyone is invited! 

Smoothfoam balls are SO easy to decorate and definitely meet my criteria - Quick'n EZPZ.  So here are a couple of my guests for the "Holiday Ball" - (I'd say they were my Holiday Balls, but would hate to offend anyone).

I made two versions - one for a fancy tree and one for my "kid friendly" tree and here they are:
 

1.  This one is kind of elegant, but still easy to make.  You'll need a length of 18 gauge floral wire, crystal glitter, white glue, sponge brush, fancy beads, a decorative ornament hanger and I thought the feathers added a nice touch.  You'll also need a Smoothfoam ball.......  this one is 3", but you can use any size.

       Step one is to push the wire thru the center of the ball.  Smoothfoam is very dense, so I heat the end of the wire in a candle flame then push thru the ball, using the hole at the bottom of the ball as a guide.  EZPZ.  Use needle nose pliers to make a small loop at the top.  Next step is to cover the surface with an even coat of white glue, then sprinkle with glitter.  I push a bamboo skewer into the bottom of the ball (next to the wire) so I have something to hold onto while I do this. Set aside till the glue is dry, then remove the skewer, trim the wire and make a small loop at the bottom.  Thread whatever beads you have on hand onto an eye pin, beading wire, or thread then secure to the loop at the bottom of the ball.  To finish I added the feathers by poking the ends up thru the bottom bead, then added the ornament hanger to the loop at the top.

2.  The snow "ball" is even easier. (there's actually 2 versions).      

 Push a piece of wire thru the ball as above then make a loop at the top for the hanger.  Cover the ball with glitter.  His eyes and center of his mouth are large, black quilt pins.  I used 2 smaller quilt pins for each side of the mouth.  The nose is a red pony bead held in place with a large, red quilt pin.  Now you can hang on the tree as is, or decorate him in variety of ways.  I used a cupcake paper for the hat, and chenille and pom poms to make ear muffs and a scarf for the other.  The pom poms were held in place with quilt pins.  I also used a small, "U" shaped piece of wire to attach the bell to the bottom.  So many ideas, so little time - Christmas is only 3 weeks away - oh my!!!   Better get cracking...........  Enjoy!  Y'all come back now.................

Yours truly,
Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!

99 Handmade Holiday Gifts - Etched Glass Votives

There's always something special about candlelight around the holidays.  Use on tables, mantels above the fireplace, in guest bathrooms, or give them as a hostess gift.  Votives are relatively inexpensive and I buy the boxes of clear ones (without the wax candles) from Michaels using my 40-50% off coupon if they're not already on sale, plus the LED tea lights.  I do like to jazz them up a bit though so I used a sheet of peel off (or outline stickers) and dip'n etch, from B&B products to etch star designs on each votive.  As you know, I like EZPZ and these fit the bill perfectly.

To create the negative star design, I placed star stickers around each glass, then realized that after removing all the stars, the leftover sheet had a pretty neat design on it too!  That's what I used to create the carpet of etched stars on the other votive.

This is what you do:

1. Carefully remove the sticker backing sheet from the carrier sheet. You can discard, or use this to etch the stars as seen on the sample above by placing it carefully around the outside of the glass votive.

2.  Roll the carrier sheet back away from the star stickers and the points of the stars will pop up, making it easier to remove them with the tip of a craft knife, or a pick tool.  Decorate the outside of the glass with stars.

3. Now to etch. You'll need a plastic container that's just a little larger than the glass votive.  Fill the votive with something to weigh it down (I use glass marbles) then place it inside your plastic container.  Fill with water until it almost reaches the top of the glass then remove the glass.  Mark the water level in the container.  This is so you'll know how much etching liquid to use.  Empty the water then dry the container and the glass votive thoroughly.  (Use a votive without stickers for this step.) Fill to the line with dip'n etch then carefully place the glass votive into the container.  The etching liquid will rise to the occasion to the top of the votive.  Let sit for 20 mins, then repeat with your second glass votive.  etchall® Dip'n etch from B&B products is re-usable, so you can use it multiple times.

4.  Remove the votive from your container, rinse well then dry with a soft cloth.  Remove the stickers to reveal your design.

CAUTION - Etchall dip'n etch is a permanent etching product.  It is very easy to use, but please read the directions on the container.  Do not let the liquid touch a surface you do not want to etch. I work on a laminate counter top, not granite for example, and my sink is stainless steel, not porcelain. Always use caution.

So here are the etched votives with their LED tea lights.  I put red cellophane around the inside of one of them.  It ended up looking a bit too pink for Christmas, but it was an idea worth trying! My granddaughter loves pink though, so it will look nice in her bedroom...........

Look for more Handmade Gifts from the 365 Days of Crafts,  99+ Handmade Holiday Gifts blog hop.  Find instructions by selecting the links below.  If you see projects you like, follow the designers on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram to keep up with their creations. You'll find gifts that are perfect for friends, family, teachers and almost everyone on your list. There are handmade food items, paper crafts, ornament ideas, sewn items, home decor and so much more.  Be sure to visit each blogger and see what they created.  There is also a giveaway for  a $100 Amazon Gift Card.  You can enter the giveaway by using Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enjoy!  Y'all come back now.............

Yours truly,
Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!

Handmade Holiday Gifts - Christmas from the Beach

Life's a beach, even during the holidays.  I'm a shell collector and love creating with shells.  I've found all kinds washed up on the beaches I've visited and many of them have ended up as decorations in our home.  Have to admit however that I didn't collect these Helmet starfish.  These are from US Shell, and I found them at my local Michaels' store.  I have a shell mirror and a shell basket in our guest bathroom and since my sister and her husband are coming for Christmas, I thought it would be fun to add a small Christmas tree and it was easy to make! My sister has a "beachy" bathroom too, so this will be an additional gift to take home.

Here's what you need:

    •  Smoothfoam® cupcake shape
    •  5 Helmet Star fish (in graduating sizes large to small). You buy the larger ones in eaches, but there are packages of the smaller ones.
    •  2 Tiny Starfish (found in a package of assorted shells)
    •  Burlap ribbon
    •  Cool-temp glue sticks and glue gun

1. Glue the burlap ribbon around the cupcake shape for the base.
2. Glue the largest starfish to the top of the base then glue the others on top.
3. Glue two tiny starfish together (back to back) then glue to the top for the star.

Yep, it's that easy and it really does add that perfect little bit of merry to my bathroom beach theme!

These are the other shell projects:  The mirror was made by gluing a craft store mirror to the center of a Smoothfoam disc then adding shells around the edge.  To make the baseket, I glued clam shells around the outside of a Smoothfoam bowl.  Shells are surprisingly heavy, so Smoothfoam is the perfect surface for these pieces since it's very sturdy yet lightweight.

 

These are just a few of the Handmade Gifts from the 365 Days of Crafts 99+ Handmade Holiday Gifts Blog hop.  Look for more by selecting the links below.  If you see projects you like, follow the designers on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram to keep up with their creations. You'll find gifts that are perfect for friends, family, teachers and almost everyone on your list. There are handmade food items, paper crafts, ornament ideas, sewn items, home decor and so much more.  Be sure to visit each blogger and see what they created.  There is also a giveaway for  a $100 Amazon Gift Card.  You can enter the giveaway by using the Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enjoy! Y'all come back now........

Yours truly,
Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!

Snowman!

Look Nana!  It looks like a snowman nose!!!!  And with that innocent remark from an imaginative 5yr old, this snowman ornament was born!

Which also turned into this:

and it all started with this:

 Believe it or not, it's very easy to make.   

 You'll need the following supplies:

• 2 1/2" Smoothfoam™ ball  
• Tea light
• Aleene's Fast Grab tacky glue
• AdTech lo-temp glue gun
• White narrow cording
• 3"x5" Felt scrap (hat)
• 6" 1/4" Ribbon (bow for pik)
• 1/8" Black acrylic self stick jewels
• Clear glitter
• Jute string 
• 1/2" Jute ribbon (scarf)
• Craft knife
• Scissors
• Optional: Spray adhesive and clear glitter

1. Draw a circle on the front of the ball the same size as the base of the candle.  Since the ball is a rounded surface, draw around a cap, or, I found that the inside of a roll of decorative tape was the perfect size.

2. With a straight up and down motion, carefully cut around the line with a craft knife then cut a line across the center in both directions to divide it into 4 quarters.  This makes it easier to dig the center out. 

3. Starting from the outside cut line, use the tip of a spoon to carefully dig out the hole. Make sure the tea light fits snugly inside the hole, but not too tightly.  You will want to be able to take it in and out to turn it on and off.

4. With the tea light still in the hole, wrap the first row of cord around the base on top of the ball.  Pin in place then use the glue gun to place a bead of glue around the outside edge of the cord to secure it to the surface.  Cover the rest of the ball with tacky glue then continue wrapping cord around the ball until it is completely covered.  Optional: Let dry then spray the ball and front of the tea light with a light coat of adhesive.  Sprinkle with clear glitter to give the "snow" a frosty sparkle.

5. Add black adhesive backed jewels as shown for eyes and mouth. (You can also add dots with a black paint marker.)

6. Pin the rectangle of felt around the head for a hat, then fringe the ends.  Scrunch the fringed ends, then wrap with a jute, or tinsel bow. Add a small button if desired. DO NOT glue the hat in place. You will need to be able to remove the tea light to turn the light on and off.

7. To create a plant pik, pin a bow at the base of the tea light then insert a bamboo skewer into the base of the ball. 

8. To make the standing snowman, cover a larger Smoothfoam™ ball for the body with a piece of a white, ribbed athletic sock then attach the head to the body with a toothpick. Secure with glue then place a piece of jute ribbon around the "neck" for a scarf and felt brads small buttons, or small felt circles for buttons down the front of the body. You can also spray the body with adhesive and add clear glitter for frosty sparkle.  Note: When crafting, it's important to use the supplies you have on hand as much as possible. 

  

Hope you like my jolly snowman with the light up nose as much as I do!  

Enjoy!  Y'all come back now.....

Yours truly,

Julie 💝

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!

Cake Decorating

My mum loved to bake and decorate cakes!  Me?  Not so much, but we can all learn a lot from the creativity of these amazing cake artists.  I've been seeing the most beautiful creations from Katy Sue Designs on Facebook lately and thought I'd try my hand - I'm just not into fondant, so I picked up some air dry paper clay at the store the other day and their Father Christmas mold to play around with and look what I came up with!

You'll need some air dry paper clay and, of course, a mold.  I like this Father Christmas because he's the one I remember bringing presents when I was a little girl.......  The detail is absolutely amazing.

Following the directions on the package of clay, press just enough into the mold so it comes up to the rim.  Press firmly and flatten the surface, then gently remove from the mold and set aside to dry.  I let mine dry for about 24 hours then, using a small, soft paintbrush I colored his face and hat with chalk.  I then covered the outside area with an even coat of glue and sprinkled it with Flower Soft Glitter Frosting.  Shake off the excess and return to the container.  Brush glue onto the beard, mustache, rim of the hat and pom pom, then cover with Flower Soft Polar White to add a wonderful, furry texture to those areas.  I also glued Christmas braid around the edge of the medallion.

I could've stopped at this point and glued a circle of cardstock to the back of the medallion and added a ribbon hanger to create an ornament for the tree, but decided to take it one step further.  I punched a scalloped edge circle from red metallic paper, glued the medallion to the center then glued that to a rosette I made from gold cardstock.  This would make an excellent embellishment for a gift or place it on top of a dowel for a plant pick.

 

You can order this and other exquisite molds at Katy Sue Designs and Flower Soft Sprinkles from their website @ www.flower-soft.us.com.  Enjoy and y'all come back now...........

Yours truly,
Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!

Handmade Christmas Crafts

It's First Monday and Designer Crafts Connection is posting handmade projects for Christmas.  I'm sure most of you have already finished decorating, but maybe you're like me and still unpacking boxes!

As usual, I needed something that could be "Made in Minutes" since I'm behind as usual.  I should know by now that it takes a lot longer than I think to fix the lights on the reindeer.... if you get my drift.  On top of that, it's been 80˚ degrees here in Texas (not exactly weather that's gets you in the Jingle Bell mood) and it's been very windy - you know that's true when the reindeer actually fly......

Anyway, here's a simple project I hope you'll enjoy!  My daughter loves anything red with white polka dots, so I just knew I had to do something for her with this tissue paper I found.  I cut a 12" x 5" piece of Smoothfoam™ and glued the paper around it with DecoArt®, DecoPage. Because, as its name suggests, Smoothfoam™ is nice and smooth, I didn't have prep the surface.  I let it dry for a few minutes then coated the top of the paper with DecoArt Crystal Craft Twinkles to give it a bit of bling.  Next I wrapped ribbon around the center then glued pre-decorated letters on top.  I found these at Michaels in the seasonal dept.  I glued the ends of a piece of ribbon to the back for a hanger, then added a bit of a Christmas embellishment with a quilt pin (this way I can change it out, if I find something better when I unpack my Christmas stuff).  Voilà, I now have a sign for her kitchen!

TIP:  I cut the Smoothfoam with a craft knife and a metal ruler.  I sometimes have a problem with the blade sticking into a regular cutting mat, so I always cut on a glass surface.  I use a 13x13 glass mat, which used to be available from EK Success.  If you can't find one,  you can use a piece of glass from a frame.  Be careful however, because the glass probably won't be tempered like my glass mat.

Well that's it for now.  I'll be featuring more handmade Christmas decorations as I unpack next week.  It's always been a family tradition for us to make something new every year, so I have quite a few ideas to share.  Hopefully it will inspire you to start your own handmade Christmas traditions!  Better hurry though, Christmas is only 3 weeks away!  Boy, do I ever need to get a move on.........  Enjoy!

BTW, I'll be posting notes later this week about Scrapbook Soup, show 209.  There'll be a giveaway too, so y'all come back now......  Regina Hamilton won last week's giveaway - Becky Fleck's Page Maps 2 and the matching dies from Spellbinders!  Hmmm, wonder what the next giveaway will be...

Yours truly,

Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!