handmade Christmas gifts - candles with the We R Memory Keepers Wick

There is nothing better than making a special Christmas gift for someone. Choosing the colors, styles, and whatever that mean something to the recipient is just so darn cool! The gift becomes more heartfelt and personal. Certainly better than a gift card!

Each of these candles was created with the We R Memory Keepers Wick Candle Machine and the new silicone mold designs. As I have told you before, I was really not sure about this machine. I mean, I am a card-maker, and paper-crafter, not a crafter...Until I tried using it and became instantly hooked. Not only was it easy, but it was E.A.S.Y.! I could add color, scent, and create candles in shapes, or even in basic jars. I made candles for my deck to keep away mosquitos and my mom made candles for her new bathroom. So, I guess you could say we are all addicted!

When the new silicone molds arrived, I was in love with the modern and geometric look of these candles. They screamed my sister's name, so I got to work. My color palette is modern, yet Christmas. For all the details on how to make candles, including my tips for coloring and adding scent, visit the We R Memory Keepers blog. 

After the candles cooled, these special objects needed special packaging! I wrapped them up in boxes I created with the We R Memory Keepers 123 Punch Board. I measured the candles to get a size that would work for all three. These beauties are going to look lovely under the tree and be so loved when they are opened. And that is the best part!

Sincerely Yours,

Supplies. Affiliate links used. No cost to you, but a lovely blessing to me!

shaped Christmas cards - We R Memory Keepers Circle Spin & Trim

When we make our own Christmas cards, not only are we sending a little piece of ourselves and our love, we can also be as creative as we want! While I love sending heartfelt cards to my friends and loved ones, life is busy and time is precious. So when my creativity meets up with a tool that saves me time, well, you can image how happy that makes me! 

(and possibly even more so when all those things collide beautifully for a design team assignment. wink, wink.)

These shaped cards, made to look like Christmas tree ornaments, were easy to create with a new tool from We R Memory Keepers called the Circle Spin & Trim. Easy to use, even your kiddos can get involved with a tiny bit of supervision. 

The Circle Spin & Trim allows you to cut various sized circles from cardstock or patterned papers. The blades are stored in the top of the tool and the handle there makes it easy to turn the blade. For all the details on this tool, visit the We R Memory Keepers blog.

Stamp on your ornaments, add paper details, and then consider adding notes and circle photos to the inside as well! Hey, these could even be tree decorations, gift tags, or more! Have fun creating your holiday cards this season!

Sincerely Yours,

Supplies. Affiliate links used. No cost to you, but its a wonderful little blessing to me when you purchase through the links. Thank you!

Winter Wonderland decor - DCWV and JOANN Fabric and Craft

Admit it, you have started decorating for Christmas. I know I have. I cannot help it. Something about Christmas decorations brings so much magic to the house. Memories of Christmases past. The memories of loved ones. The little hands that made the ugliest mugs and plates that you proudly place on the mantel. The twinkling lights. The scents of pine and cinnamon. 

Each year, I find another corner of our home that needs some Christmas magic. Being a paper crafter, I love making projects. Then the magic is paired with handmade touches. Nothing could be more special. Today I am sharing projects made with DCWV and JOANN Fabric and Crafts. Creating heartfelt projects, easily, because friends at the holidays, it HAS to be easy!

Using DCWV White Christmas Premium Stack, available at JOANN, I created several fun pieces of decor for a new shelf in our house. This pad is full of double-sided patterned papers, glitter papers, tag and journaling card pages, and a sticker page. Not only could you make tons of decor pieces, but this pad can help you make all your cards this holiday season as well.

I started by making this white shadowbox frame. A piece of wood panel patterned paper was placed in the back. Then I cut out this large journaling card from the pad as well. Its so lovely, it needed to stand on its own! From a duplicate card (included in the paper pad), I cut the house out and foam mounted it over the base image. Adding a bit of dimension really makes projects like this pop. Two small bottle brush trees were also placed in the frame. I am obsessed with those trees!

Please note that to take photos of these projects, the glass in the frames had to be removed to stop the glare. However, I did make sure that the projects could truly be created with the front of the frame intact. Big thumbs up!

Every Christmas project needs gifts! I created small gift boxes using the 1-2-3 Punch Board from We R Memory Keepers. On the top of the small boxes, I created a wreath from greenery. In that greenery, I added a tag. The tag was cut from a sheet of patterned paper from the White Christmas pad. There are SO MANY TAGS! Hello pretty gifts under the tree this year!

There were many unique tags, some smaller like this, and some traditional-style tags as well. To attach the tags, I used the small punch on my We R Memory Keepers Cropadile to punch a hole through the paper. To make it easy to attach the tag to the wreath, I cut a into the hole in a straight line, allowing me to wrap the tag around the greenery wire.

Don't forget the larger box in the background. On the top of that box, I used the We R Memory Keepers 1-2-3 Punch Board to make a bow for the top. It makes me smile.

This little frame is where this entire ensemble got started. I created a wreath from greenery and "hung" it from a piece of patterned paper inside another white shadowbox frame. To make it hang better inside the frame, the green striped paper hanger is foam mounted to the base. That allowed the greenery to lay better.

I trimmed one of the tags and adhered it underneath the wreath. There really is no place like home for the holidays!

I wish you nothing but the best this holiday season! May this season bring new and happy memories. And maybe some new decor!

Sincerely Yours,

Supplies. Affiliate links used.

Sending Joy

The thing about Sending Joy is, you can make it work with your favorite color palette or holiday motif. You can even add the images to some of your other favorite holiday stamp sets! Simple, clean, and very versatile! We are inching closer to the time when you can order these images from PapertreyInk.com. October 15 at 10 PM Eastern. I will be sure and post a reminder when that times comes around!

I am having fun layering all these images together in different arrangements. The combinations really are endless. One big twist on this card-I stuck the die cut branch and berry image into a watermark ink pad and heat embossed the whole thing, without stamping the image. Its a cool look. I think next time I will repeat the process a few times and really build up the shine and the metallic finish.

And of course, these images work for envelopes! Since the launch of my Envelope Envy kit from Papertrey Ink last November, I have continued to be obsessed with adorning my envelopes. Its so easy to do and makes your happy mail even happier. Not to mention, its fully customized this way!

And, one more project, a simple tag. Tags are essential for gift wrapping in our house, so I know I will be making a bunch of these! Ok friends, next post will be time to shop! See you then!

Sincerely Yours,

Supplies. Affiliate links used. List will be updated with new products on Oct. 15.

Sending Joy - cards and a table runner

More projects with Sending Joy today! The October release from Papertrey Ink continues today. Be sure and visit the blog for a look at all the amazing products coming out this month! So much holiday goodness! And once again, thank you for all the online love! When you work so hard creating a set of images and dies, it feels SO great to have others get excited about them! Huge hugs to you all!

For the last two Christmases I have been obsessed with buffalo check, and the buffalo check pattern in red and black. I changed my tree ribbon to it and bought an adorable wool coat with the same pattern! Its probably the northern Minnesota girl in me and my love of flannel. But the look can be created easily with the gingham border image in Sending Joy. I stamped my image on red cardstock with black ink. I trimmed it out and distressed the edges to give it that rustic feel.

Please note: the border image in this set is an incredibly detailed image. It is also a very long image, as it runs the length of an A2 card. When you stamp the image, you will need to put a good amount of pressure on the center of the image. 

I added several stamped and die cut images from Sending Joy in the corner. To tie in the gold embossed sentiment, I added details to the stamped images with a gold gel pen. Simple touch, easy to do, but it adds quite a bit of visual detail. Plus, sparkle! :D

Wanting to continue using the buffalo check pattern, I punched the stamped image with a small star punch. I knew I could use them to create the look of ornaments. 

After stamping the pine branches along the top of my cardstock, I foam-mounted each of the stars. A black pen allowed me to draw quick strings to "hang" my stars. I finished off the card with some glitter. I stamped an image from Sending You Comfort and used my Quickie glue pen to add glitter. I know, enough with the glitter already. :D

The final project I have to share with you is this table runner! I found this table runner in the Dollar Spot at Target last year and picked up a few. I knew I could stamp on them when the perfect set came along. Today was that day!

Using an ink made for surfaces, I stamped the word joy first. Then I surrounded the word with images from Sending Joy. Again, its simple, but what a beautiful touch to add to your holiday table this season!

I am thoroughly enjoying the visit with my parents, so I apologize for this posting a little late. Shopping and cooking, watching movies, and today some crafting-I could not be happier! Have a wonderful day, friends!

Sincerely Yours,

Supplies. Affiliate links used. List will be updated on October 15, when the release is live.

Fairy Tale Christmas - Papertrey Ink

Fairy Tale Christmas is the latest kit from the genius mind of Betsy Veldman and will be available at Papertrey Ink tomorrow night. If you are even slightly interested in this kit, run now and set a reminder to order yours before they are gone. Once you see the unlimited possibilities with this kit, you will want, no NEED to have it! As I began playing with this kit, the amount of ideas I had were astounding. So many beautiful elements to create with! And there truly is something for everyone in this kit. From the beginning crafter to the advanced, it is all inside Fairy Tale Christmas!

My first card is lovely and easy. So easy. Which is my favorite kind of card. The card that leaves everyone trying to figure out if you REALLY made it or not. :D The pre-printed papers in the kit, along with coordinating dies, made the front of this card. Snip, snip, crank. I could have left the card finished, but with these cool clear card shaker elements and sequins, I had to step it up!

The plastic shaker component fits perfectly inside the opening. Fill. Adhere. Add to card base. Simple and so gorgeous!

Taking up another notch, the idea behind the kit is storybook Christmas. The kit helps you create small books. Books that can be used to hold gift cards, create ornaments, or more!

Layering the pre-printed papers, along with using the dies, I made this incredible ornament. Look at the wondrous world inside! Especially note the year stamp at the top. The stamps have years that you can use. Add it to an ornament like this, or even stamp on the spine of the book!

Oh yes, I took it up another notch with lights! The kit has a set of battery-operated lights! How amazing does this book ornament become now?! The switch can turn the lights off and on. The batter is also replaceable. The small LEDs do not get warm either.

Who doesn't want to open this book, walk inside, and celebrate the holidays?!?!

I want to decorate my entire tree with these! The attention to detail is truly astounding. My mind is completely blown!

One more card to share. This one is also a shaker card, but I utilized the stamps and dies in the kit more for this one.

After stamping and die cutting the scene elements, I decided to place them inside the card, inside a shaker. Like a snow globe world.

My favorite part of this card is the acetate for holding the shaker elements. I took a cosmetic sponge and rubbed white StazOn ink upon the surface. I wanted it to look like a frozen window. Adding a few stamped snowflakes from the kit really polished the look off! So fun!

Visit the Papertrey Ink blog for links to some unreal projects. There are several talented designers joining in this launch and you do not want to miss their projects!

Sincerely Yours,

Supplies, affiliate links used, list will be updated at kit launch:

Christmas Card Display

Need a new display piece for your holiday cards?! Check out this really cute Christmas card display I created for the We R Memory Keepers blog! I love the pine branches and jingle bells!!

Sincerely Yours,

P.S. Once again, I am sorry for the lack of posting. My health is still working on getting back to normal since my surgery in November. It seems like it is two steps forward and three steps back. Here is to a healthy and productive new year in 2018!