Pink & pearl garland

Here is a little something I whipped up recently. You know those strings of beaded garland that are about 18' long that you can pick up super cheap at Christmas time? Well, I crocheted around each bead on this long strand of beaded garland. Kinda cute huh? Its a great project to work on while watching t.v..... something you can just mindlessly work on and before you know it-- its finished! I'm going to add this (and several more) to my Christmas tree next year. Here is the easy-peasy instructions just incase someone out there wants to give it a try~

First of all, your needing to attach your crochet thread to the end of the garland with a slip stitch or knot, whichever you prefer. Once the crochet thread is attached you simply chain 4 stitches then make a sc in between the next two pearls. Thats it....just continue with the ch 4 and doing a sc in between each pearl. At the end chain 12 or more then come back down the other side doing the same ch 4/1 sc in between each pearl. Easy-peasy~ Once your garland is completed.... you could go back up and down each side again adding 5 dc in each ch 4 space and a slip stitch in each sc space. This makes a wider garland, but I was wanting a smaller/simpler garland for my own tree~

Glittery life~

I've been feverishly working on organizing and decluttering my studio-- in part because it was sorely needing to be done and also because Sarah at "The Thrifty Chick" is hosting a "Declutter & organize" party on January 12th. So you would think with that deadline looming over my head (I work best under pressure) that I would be working hard on my studio clean-up... it is such an unorganized mess......things everywhere.....but noooooooooo...

I've been shopping. *woot-woot* Everything I've come across has been 75% off! Practically free! Look at all the Martha Stewart glitter I picked up for $2.20 each, the regular price was $8.97 each!!!!

I know, thats probably more glitter than I'll use in my lifetime..so I had better put glitter on EVERYTHING from now on! I got some killer Christmas ornaments for next year...Disney car stuff for my grandson, girlie things for my grandaughter (yet to be born) and finally.... ornaments from the movie "The Christmas Story" I just LOVE that movie :-) even a matching tree skirt! Heavens to Betsy! What a fun shopping day!!

Ho-ho-ho....

Merry Christmas~Here is my grandson being very leary of this fat ol' guy who is holding him..... he choose not to cry seeing how his reward was a candy cane lol.

Pretty little Christmas Party~

Heather at Pretty Petals is hosting a Christmas party... since dust doesn't show up so well in photos...I thought I'd join in! lol Here is my new white tree...which is tied to the mantel because I have it wedged in the corner next to the fireplace :-)
My two silver glittered deer from the dollar store sitting atop my chenille scalloped mantel runner I made~A silver beaded bowlie holding some vintage ornaments~One of two angels sitting on my mantel~ and noooooooooo there are no ashes in that urn~ dust yes, ashes no :-)My hall tree (which I converted the bottom into a cat bed) holding Santa's hat and balls...no, not HIS balls~

Magic elf....

Here is my magic Christmas elf. We have had him in our family for about 21 years. He comes out at Christmas time and does things like put up the Christmas tree, wrap presents etc. When my daughter was younger, he often times could be found on her bed when she came home from school holding a pre- Christmas gift for her. He spoiled her a lot~ He is sooooooooo silly, sometimes he can be found hanging from one of our ceiling fans.... or way up high on a bookcase.

Boutiques~

I always buy super things when I go to the boutiques (thrift stores) most of the time I rush to put things away-- not today! Alright, I put away about half of it.... lol

Here are some photos of the things I got today~

8 yards of pink chenille fabric -12 bucks

an old pillow doll wearing a red velvet outfit -1 buck

Vintage lighted/musical church -6 bucks

3 brass horns -3bucks

huge bag of Christmas ornaments -4 bucks

2 angels with pink flocked capes -50cents

a small Christmas tree in a black pot -4 bucks

and finally the "best buy" of the day taaaaaaaaaadaaaaaaaaaaa an ostrich egg nativity/musical thingy-ma-jigger!!

Here is the egg with the doors open showing the nativity. The music box is inside the bottom of the egg...pretty cool. It cost 8 bucks~
(Several photos above is a photo of the back of it...)

Paper party!

Jen over at Sanctuary Arts at Home is hosting a "I made it with scrapbook paper party." How fun is that?

Here are some things I've recently made using scrapbook paper.

Firstly, my Christmas cards.Now, these are not your typical cards--- I've used 3 scrapbook paper sheets per "card" which I've glued together and folded to create a photo album of sorts. (photos are of my grandson, I'm a proud Nana! lol)Each one holds 10 photos-- next year I'm going to put some on the backside as well. (second grandchild is a'coming!) Instead of using actual photos, I photocopied the photos so everything folds nicely and is less bulky~ I used foam core which I covered with wrapping paper as the front and back covers. I'll just tuck in my Christmas card under the bow and taaaaaaaaa-daaaaaaaaa cute as a button!Paper pinwheels-- These were created with the leftovers from the papers I used to make my Christmas photo albums.

Lastly... A paper covered tray--I picked up this small "table top" for .95cents from a local thrift store... at one time I had it painted white and on top of a stool as a impromtu table. Now its pink with a paper glued onto the center of it... edges sanded of course *love that shabby chic look* I have this next to me on my sectional sofa to use as a table to hold things so nothing slips between the couch cushions lol. It is small, only 14 1/2 inches across-- perfect for the t.v. remote control & a soda! lol

Mixed Media Monday~

This weeks theme is: Ornamental Christmas. I've made 6 of these cones~ They were made using discolored pages from a 1920's newspaper. (don't you just love the color?) I cut the cone shape from a heavy cardstock and glued the newspaper on the inside as well as the outside. I didn't have to do the inside, but it was so white-- it just screamed "cover me!" Once they were dry, I shaped each one into a cone, you should always do this before glueing, just so you know it is going to work! I then used my hot glue and attached it quickly to hold the shape :-) *hugging glue-gun* I lovvvvvvvvve my glue gun! I then added vintage gold tinsel garland around the top and stuffed it with odds & ends. Nothing is glued in place, just stuffed-- just like the holidays! I also added a metal hole thingy on each side, what do you call those? Anywho, I just punched them into place and added a ribbon hanger. Soooooooooo easy-peasy! I'm going to hang these in my living room for some added Christmas decor~

Here is a neat "cone holder" that I picked up for $2 bucks at a thrift store--- it makes it so easy to stuff a cone with this little cutie holding it~

Front door~

Here is a little something that I whipped up for my front door for this winter/holiday season... I had seen something similar in a magazine and thought "I can make that!"I used a pair of small ice skates (originally black) I picked up for$5 bucks (which I painted pink) I added some textured paint to the blades for the appearance of snow then while still wet I sprinkled on some diamond glitter (Michaels $5 bucks) The snowballs were made using styrofoam balls (a box full for free!) and some joint compound which I had on hand in the garage. I poked a wooden skewer into each ball to use as a handle while I covered each ball with the joint compound-- this also made it easier to let each styrofoam ball dry completely because you can insert them into cups/vases etc to let them dry. After the snowballs were dry I put some glitter randomly onto each ball. I picked up this huge baby blue syrup bucket for $1 buck this past Saturday at a yard sale :-) The greenery was a wreath I had that I just smooshed together into a greenery blob. I then just stuffed it into the bucket, tied on the skates.... poked the skewers into the greenery...and added two white glittered bows. Taaaaaaa daaaaaaaaaa instant cute!Just a girl is hosting a craft party, be sure to go over and check it out! Also, The Inspired Room is hosting a "Holiday Linky Love" event... check it out as well!!

Show & Tell~

For this show and tell I'm sharing what I entered in our local fair...I had a fun time hunting for the 8 things I made to see if I won any ribbons. Happily I can report I did win some ribbons!! Out of the 8 things I entered, I won 6 ribbons! Two first place: this set of 3 crocheted Christmas ornaments:This set of 6 3d soldered Christmas ornaments not only won a first prize ribbon but also BEST IN SHOW!!Here is a better picture of them: two second place: a crocheted teddy bear...
A fabric covered box (dumb division, but I always get a ribbon in it lol)

and two third place ribbons: a pair of crocheted baby booties...
and an appliqued quilt(Mine is the Yo Gabba-Gabba baby blanket-- the one with the blue faced character on it~)
Two didn't win a thing. This crocheted baby blanket
and this mixed media necklace....big pout. I surely thought the bably blanket would win, but noooooooooooo not this year!! Still going to try next year though!!

You can find more people sharing Show & Tell's @ Kelli's.

W.I.P. Wednesday

I've been feverishly working on serveral projects at once. Ok, thats a fib, I'm not "feverish"...its just getting hot here in California! I am lucky enough to have access to a large cache of die-cuts :-) I'm talking hundreds.... Yesterday I spent over an hour cutting shapes. I took along some old books that have beautifully aged pages...that along with some cardstock and I was in die-cut heaven~ I cut out some letters to create the words...Comfort, Merry Christmas and Artsy Fartsy. I've glittered the bunch and now I've just got to string them up for some added room bling! Thats my first WIP....

A while back while browsing blogs, I came across a photo of one of those small take-a-long shopping carts that someone had made bag insert for to hold odds and ends that normally slip out. Well...needless to say, I HAD to have a bag for my cart as well. :-) I bought a vintage lightweight bedspread at a local thrift store, along with some textured white fabric (total $7 bucks) I think the color combination and texture of both fabrics are perfect together! I am putting two pockets inside and I am going to whip up a small plastic bag holder to match. (Sometimes at block sales and swap meets the vendors don't have any bags left... so I thought having a small bag full of plastic bags would be a fabulous idea!) Thats WIP number twooooooo~ Here is the pocket.... don't you just love the lime green fabric? Soooooooo cute~Numero three WIP..... Christmas stockings~ I've got the stockings

traced, the embroidery finished...now its just a matter of adding lace/buttons and then sewing it all together!

WIP number four.... Felt. Red & white felt. I love it! Nothing screams Christmas like the colors red and white (to me anyhoooo) I have finished one of the penny-rug doilies (one more to go...for me ;-P) and I made a red/white felt frame piece (made with a blanket stitched edge) to go atop a book for my daughter for her yearly Christmas family portrait and Christmas memories....

Okokok....one more WIP.... the Partea tea swap.... I've gotten everything, now its just a matter of wrapping it all...... and shipping it off!

Christmas~

On Saturday it hit me... its almost Christmas. With that looming in my mind I headed over to the fabric store to stock up on red & white felt and some red ticking fabric. I am trying my hand at making a couple"penny" rugs. Okokok... more like doilies. :-P So far they are coming out pretty darn cute. I deck out my dining area/den in the red and white colors for Christmas. This year I am fortunate in that my daughter wants a set of red/white for her house :-) Makes a mom happy/proud when her child wants what she crafts..... So, now I'm going all out. New set of stockings, pillows, table cloths.... felt cones...and whatever else catches my eye that I can make! I am not going to tell her exactly I'm making for her house. All she thinks I'm making her is a set of new Christmas stockings..... this way if I get overburdened with other things she won't be disappointed.... But on the other hand...I can razzle-dazzle her if I can get all this accomplished without her knowing about it and give her a fabulous surprise! Every year we usually set up for Christmas on Thanksgiving day. While the food is cooking the tree gets decorated....boxes upon boxes of Christmas treasures and bling gets opened and sorted through. It is a fun/tiring day..... and so it begins. The Christmas season~

I found this old wooden framed mirror at a yard sale for $2.00. The mirror has a few slight imperfections, but the frame is solid and all the wood is intact. It would loooooook so much cuter painted white :-P