First Advent

Today is the first Sunday of Advent, a time of anticipation and preparation for the birth of Jesus. One of the visual aspects of the passing of time is with an advent wreath where one candle is lit the first Sunday of Advent, the second Sunday the first candle and another are lit and so on until December 25th. Another visual and tactile way to count down the days is with an Advent calendar. I have several of these - oops I think it's now another collection.


2008 Advent Calendar swap- round cookie tin painted beige with gold highlights and lots of fun rub-ons to decorate the tin when the calendar pieces are not there yet. I ran some small faux greenery around the outer edge just to give it a more wreath-like appearance.


Our hotel key Advent calendar filled with great pictures of Christmases past and family. More pictures HERE.


Michael's Advent calendar made solely of QuicKutz dies and lots of embellishments.


Advent calendar swap 2009 - I just fell in love with the snowman ornament found at Michael's in 2009. My friend Stacy did a beautiful job with the bow!


This is a talking story of Christmas Advent calendar. Each day that is opened, another nativity figure gets placed on the magnetic background and a portion of the Christmas story is revealed.


Here is the Advent Calendar finished. This was purchased in 2008 at The Shop, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.


This musical Santa Advent calendar, also purchased in Santa Fe at the The Shop plays music when a switch is turned on. Grandkids love this one!


I found this Lego calendar in Chicago. Or was it Huntsville, AL? I don't remember. What I do remember is lugging it back home! It's one that gets used year after year. the kids can build the little Lego characters. Very entertaining, even for the 29 yr old.

I am linking to Tablescaper's blog for Seasonal Sunday.. be sure to jump over and get some great decorating and seasonal inspiration.
I am linking to Holiday Haven's Christmas Blog party.. check this blog out for some great ideas!

August QuicKutz club project ... and a CSN giveaway!!!

It's Thursday. It's late Thursday, I know.. but you tell Regan he needs to let me type on the computer. You tell Regan that I can't rub and type. And you tell Regan that the whirring of the scanner is okay. Whew! Regan is the new almost house kitty. He's adorable. Well acclimated, but he is certainly taking up a bunch of time. And I love each minute of it.

Supply list:
5 Basic Grey designer papers as shown. You may or may not have the stripe - I do.
3 faux leaves - Prima flowers 'Autumn Leaves'
paper or cotton floss in off white and orange - scrappers floss orange and tan
Crewel or tapestry needle to fit floss (floss has to go through the eye)
Paper piercer and old mouse pad
adhesives and glue dots
Color Boss cat's eye inkpad Mango Tango and an almost dk brown.
basic scrapbooking supplies

Basil Paper jewel templates - mystical flourish
QuicKutz - Special Delivery Limited Edition Gift set

See you Saturday at 10!

Now for the giveaway: CSN contacted me to host this giveaway. Wow, I was excited. Me. I love CSN! A $40 gift certificate!!! You can find your new dutch oven, you can find some new dishes (I've got my eye on a few), scrapbooking and sewing supplies or the perfect accessory for your home, office or self.

So how do you enter to win that great $40 gift certificate?? It's pretty easy. And you can earn up to three entries!
1. Go to the CSN stores and come back and leave me a comment as to what item you would love to have. Notice that many items have free shipping! - one entry.
2. Become a follower (subscribe to posts) and let me know by leaving another comment - entry #2.
3. Link back to this blog post on your blog - leaving me another comment - entry #3.

If you don't have a blog, be sure to leave me your email address on your entries so that CSN can contact the winner with their gift certificate!

But in order to enter the giveaway - you must click here to go the original post!!! Posting here will NOT enter you in the giveaway - I've got my heart set on a fabulous set of dishes!! oh but it's not about me.. it's all about YOU!!!

Put a little light in your life

As you can clearly see, this darling shade was originally $30.00. Would I ever have spent that much on it? I mean it is really elegant.


How about $1.00? Certainly. On sale in Santa Fe. I purchased two of them.



And two of this hardware. I've looked on line to see if I could find a resource for you to no avail. But fear not.
I found a site that has a a votive converter for a candlestick. Click here. As long as the upper opening on the shade isn't wider than the opening in the votive cup this could work as well. Or follow along for another cute option.


I first made a paper pattern by tracing the original shade onto some plain white paper, which I cut out. Then I traced the pattern onto the decorator paper that I planned to use on the new shade. This is one of Basic Grey's lace cardstocks. Isn't it yummy?

Then the hard choice of choosing trims began. I finally settled on something more malleable so that it would lie flat when glue-sticked to the curve. Glue sticked isn't a word? Really, to a crafter it is! I used a Mokuba flower trim for the wider, lower edge of the lampshade and a mini, rayon rickrack for the upper edge.


Apply a 1/4" wide strip of Terrifically Tacky tape along the back straight edge. Press firmly to adhere. Release the orange cover. Press the other edge over the tape. Press to secure.


I also made another simple shade out of a patterned vellum. Once again, trace the pattern onto the letter sized vellum. Isn't it nice that it fits? Once it's cut out, use a Gold Leaf pen available at most craft stores, to edge both the upper and lower edge of the shade. Adhere the back closed with more Terrifically Tacky tape.


Place the hardware onto your candle holder. I chose my antique English Barley Twist candlestick.
See how cute this is? Today I've got a 'real' votive candle in the holder. However, with kids and company, I resort to battery operated candles. Makes me responsible and saves a disaster.


I love how the light shines through the opening in the paper.


I can see this appearing on a buffet table or on a side table in a room. How about the bathroom? It needs a bit of sprucing up don't you think?


No hardware? Find your favorite wine glass. Don't have one? The Dollar Tree has plenty. I like the chunky ones with interesting stems the best.


These would also be cute at a wedding reception, birthday party, individual candles on a dinner table, or even in a kitchen window. What ideas did you dream up?


And here is the simple one. Of course, the flaw is front and center. Oh well, I'm not perfect either.

Alternative shade ideas: paper piercing on vellum, die cuts on vellum (ooh so cute for halloween), your favorite Christmas paper. Can you think of more?

Have fun with this project. It's easy and will add a bit of light to your life for sure.

May Calendar - at last

Nothing slow about me. Calendar has been complete for over a month. But it was on display at the store and I seemed to have lost my memory lately. Each time I was in, I'd forget it. So dear sweet husband went and picked it up for me this evening! Redemption on his part ;-).


Basic Grey Kioshi designer paper, fabric covered buttons, paper rick rack and some yarn make this just a really fun project. Sew the variegated yarn through the openings in the paper ric-rack. The variegated yarn is by YLI, a favorite company whose products I simply adore and employs a cherished friend of mine. Lucky lady! Stamped month on a label die cut from a QuicKutz die. Backed with ribbon and yarns. Cool brads and pop dots to raise the piece off the base.
t!m Holtz tiny attacher to attach ribbon to the tags on which to write important info!
My eldest son. It's hard to believe that he is going to be 34 this month. Where of where has the time gone? Flown by for sure. Besides being a son that would make any mom proud, he's also the best dad to the most beautiful little girls in the world.

Perfect motto! Make it yours. Things to add to the calendar: two trips to Dallas (son and Martha Pullen market), shopping at the Garden Center in Dallas, shopping at the market in Breckenridge, QuicKutz club, soldering class, lunch with colleagues, lunch with a dear gal pal, Memorial Day, Mother's day, sis's in law back from Israel, BFF has a birthday this weekend, oh yeah and work without which all this wouldn't be possible! I'm tired already...

April QuicKutz Club Project

Wavy scissors + some stamps + dimensional die cuts = a winning combination!Wavy scissors + fringe scissors = perfection! Dimensional die cuts, brads, glitter and a photo corner punch finish out this month.
Supply list:
Basic Grey Sugar Rush designer paper (4)
5 x 3.5" chipboard
Large Wave decorative scissors
Fringe Scissors
Faded Jeans Distress Ink
Color Box pigment brush pad in Smoke Blue
Color Box Chalk inkpad in Charcoal
PostCard stamp
The Daily Grind stamp by Fancy Pants
Photo insert corner punch
QuicKutz dies:
2" Postcard die
4" Postcard die (stamp)
Cookie Cutter Nesting Flowers
Revolution Branches
Revolution 0016 Flowers
2" KS0413 Butterfly
Removable tape
Pop dots
Adhesive of choice
Glitter Adhesive
Diamond Dust glitter
Brad setting supplies
Basic scrapbooking supplies

See you April 17, 10am!

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads...

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

Sugarplum set. It's just the perfect size for those little pictures, quotes or a little mini album for a special occasion. A post-it note pad will fit inside the covers for a special gift for your favorite teacher.
Paper used for this project is Basic Grey's 6" Eskimo kisses mini paper pad.

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

...don't forget to hop by Beneath Naps on the Porch to see the goody of the day! You just have to go see the giveaway today! You must! You must! You must! It's refrigerator magnets to make a snowman - need i say more?

Halloween week.. part six

Today, a gnarly QuicKutz tree. This was a heap of work, but it sure was fun. Die cut the image twice; once for the back and once for the front of the "ornament". Be sure to reverse the image! Otherwise you'll end up with two fronts.
This is a great way to use up all those scraps with which we can't part. Sandwich a loop of thread between the front and back creating a hanger for the "ornament".
Carefully die cutting patterned paper can add some unique aspects to the ornaments.
I just love this skeleton, but count those pieces! and each piece is joined to the next with a bit of string between them so that the skeleton really moves!
Be Creative!