Easy Embellished Gift Tags

So what happens when you take too much non-drowsy cold medicine? You end up wide-awake at 10:00 at night and decide you may as well start on a project! I know we all focus on finding the perfect gift but the wrapping and presentation can make that gift even more special.

When I was shopping at Michael's this weekend I came across this embellishment set in the clearance bin. I thought it would go well with the scrapbook pad I picked up from there a couple weeks ago, also on clearance. The pad and embellishment set combined were less than $6 making each tag just a few cents each! That's my kind of budget.

Easy Valentine Decorations

I'm getting close to the big reveal of my Valentine's Day Vignette. Today I'm sharing the "filler" pieces. These are not major projects I did but are just as important.

Love Birds
 

These started out as 2 ordinary Dollar Tree knick-knacks. I was needing something small to tie in with the white frame and buttons in the DIY Button Heart Collage; and the white in the DIY Love Sign so I decided to spray paint the birds white. Since there were so many nooks and crannies it took several coats (and a lot of patience) but I finally got them evenly covered.

Conversation Heart Votive

Can this even really be considered a project??!! I'm going to say yes. There are all levels of them right? I simply filled a large votive holder from Michael's with fun conversation heart candy to add some whimsy and color.



Gold-framed Peony Photo
 

This piece is pretty special!!! My friend, Jacki, gave me this gorgeous photo for Christmas. I love the quote and the romantic, ethereal quality it has. She is super-talented so make sure you stop by her shop on Etsy, Raising Mavericks, and stop by her Facebook page to say hi.

For the frame, I again pulled out the spray paint from Michael's (the same I used on the DIY Love Sign letters).



Jingle Bells, Candy Canes, and Inspectors

I am finally feeling somewhat back to normal so I wanted to share the little gifts I made for some of my coworkers.

I love jingle bells... Especially glittery pastel colored jingle bells!! I found these great colored jingle bells at Michael's.

I didn't have a plan for them but had to have them. Then I found the large snowflake jingle bells at the Dollar Tree. I had seen these jingle bell ornaments on Pinterest so I decided to create my own version. I simply threaded different combinations on the silver string that came with the large snowflake bells. I like the mix of the matte finish, shiny silver, glittery, and colored together.

Before I decided to make the jingle bell ornaments I bought these adorable snowman candy cane socks.

 I'm also a big snowman fanatic... I found the socks at Oriental Trading Company, one of my favorite sites to order Christmas crafts from. These ornaments couldn't have been easier. All I had to do was gently slide the sock onto the candy cane. I love how the hook of the cane made the floppy hat.

I had an inspector to make sure I was doing everything right :-) Sorry the photo is blurry but I had to snap it quick when he hopped up there. Meet Bentley!!

I got a little abstracted...

I am just now getting around to showing you my Black Friday purchases. I didn't really buy much for myself - just this abstract floral print dress from Target and a few necklaces from GroopDealz.

I ordered the dress using my new Target Red Card debit card. Do you have one yet? It works just like a debit card but you save 5% on every in-store and online purchase and shipping is always free. That's a win-win in my book!!

This outfit is perfect for the holidays. I can dress it up with some different shoes and a great clutch for a party or wear it as-is for our Christmas luncheon at work.

Dress: via Target - exact // Necklace: via GroopDealz // Bracelets: Local Boutique // Shoes: via Shoe Carnival

Isn't this necklace gorgeous??! Have you tried GroopDealz yet? They have fantastic accessories and clothing at amazing prices. I ordered 4 necklaces from there and I love every one of them. I can't wait to find ways to wear them all.

Liniking up with Mix & Match fashion for:



and

The Tiny Heart/Penniless Socialite for:



 

Apothecary Jar Snow Scene

It's Tried It Tuesday and I wanted to share this Apothecary Jar Snow Scene I did. This one is so simple! It requires no artistic talent which is good since mine is equal to a preschooler's. If you have a Christmas village you may already have everything you need.

Some years I go all out decorating my house for Christmas and others I just do little touches here and there. This is one of those years since Christmas is so close to Thanksgiving and it kind of snuck up on me. So far all I have up is my Snowman and Glittered Clothespin Garland I made, this snow scene, and my small tree.

 

Supplies:

Apothecary Jar  - Michaels Stores
Fake Snow - Michaels Stores
Christmas Village pieces - Michaels Stores and Dollar Tree

Step 1: Clean the jar so that's it's shiny and clear of any fingerprints

 

Step 2: Fill the jar partially with snow

 

 

 

Step 3: Arrange house and accent pieces then sprinkle more snow on top. I used a skewer to move the snow around after the pieces were in. (Tip: Turn off any overhead fans in the area...I had to vacuum after I was done!!)

 

 

 

 

 

For my jar I used a little village house that my sister painted and gave me for Christmas. And then I added the accent pieces. It's as easy as arranging the pieces to create a winter scene!

 

Ispiration Pin

Original Post

Holiday Sparkle

I recently attended a sweet friend's wedding. It was an evening wedding so it was semi-formal attire. I had an older dress that would have worked but I really wanted a dress that felt special. I definitely think this dress fit the bill.

I bought this one thinking it would carry over perfectly for the holidays if I need it. I love the flower and the fact that it helps camouflage my midsection. And the shimmery burgundy is perfect for the season.

Dress: Midnight Velvet // Wrap: Beall's Outlet // Clutch: Lane Bryant // Shoes: Ross //Jewelry: College graduation gift

 

The wedding was outside at dusk making the whole thing feel magical. The bride was gorgeous and just so happy!

Tried it Tuesday: Snowman & Glittered Clothespin Garland

Today I'm starting a new series called Tried it Tuesday where I will share recipes and DIY/Crafts I make. I love being crafty and the holidays are the perfect time to go a little wild with it.

 I was browsing Pinterest and found this Clothespin Snowman idea. They are so adorable! Before I clicked down to the source, I started to think of how I could use them and came up with stringing them on brown twine to hold Christmas cards. (Great minds think alike because she suggested the same thing!!) After seeing her example, I decided to also make some glittered clothespins for some added sparkle. I made a run to Michaels for supplies and... Voila! A super-cute garland for my house. I think it turned out great!!

 

Step 1: I spray-painted all the clothespins white, making sure I got the front, back and sides.

Step 2: I used a small brush to paint the grooved part of the clothespin black to make the hat.

Step 3: I used a cotton swab with the cotton removed on one end to stamp the eyes with black paint.

Step 4: I used a small brush to draw on the carrot nose with orange paint.

 

Step 5: I used the cotton swab again to stamp the mouth and buttons.

 

Step 6: I made red-ribbon scarves and glued them on using tacky glue.

 

Step 7: I covered another set of clothespins with tacky glue on one side and covered in glitter.

 

 

Step 8: After everything was dry, I clipped the pins onto twine and pinned the cards.

 

Supply List:

• Clothespins
• White spray paint
• Black & orange craft
• Red ribbon
• Glitter
• Tacky glue
• Twine

Linking up with: