Getting ready for CHA 2016~ Looking Back at Last Year!

Now that Christmas is over I can start planning my trip to THE 2016 CHA MEGA SHOW!!!  I feel very fortunate returning two years in a row!!!  I love the chance to see all the new products!  Meeting all my virtual friends and living a dream come true... I would like to share a few of the highlights from CHA last year!!!

My favorite display YARNIA!!

See my full post of Yania on an earlier post HERE!!!

Yarnspirations!!

Patons® Bernat® CARON®

NEW HOT product last year Amazing Remelt

Fun Paintable flowers from Petaloo!

AWESOME new pens from CHAMELEON!!!

More of my favorites are HERE! 

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another highlight was the BLOGGER EVENT!!!

Original post HERE!!!

The sponsors of the Blogger Event were very generous!  Below are some of the projects I created using the products received!

I entered three projects in the "favecrafts Best Blogger Craft Event"

I even knitted using my fingers!!!!  Check out my full post HERE

HERE

 Little B Pull Flowers used to create a dress!!!  See full post HERE!!

Find the dress on the Little B LLC blog http://www.littlebllc.com/blog/detail.php?Pull-Flowers-Roundup-20

MD Hobby Craft Birds Nest, see more HERE!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another goody in the box as this Martha Stewart Gift Box Tool.  It has been a life saver many a time when I didn't have a box for a small gift!!

Well that is a quick look at last year...

In a couple of weeks look for pictures from 2016 CHA MEGA SHOW!

Keep Calm

 

Ready to GLITTER ON another year!!!!

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS DAY!!!

Merry Christmas... our house is just starting to stir... the excitement of seeing what Santa stuffed in our stockings, opening presents, family and friends gathering for the day and our big dinner!

 

Here are several Santa postcards to celebrate the day! 

A glimpse at some of the postcards in my collection.

 

 

The three of these were sent to Miss Francis Cooper of Tacoma WA

 

 

This card was given by Ethel also of Tacoma (it is addressed with both hers and Francis's addresses on it.)  It was not mailed (no stamp or postmark), it is the earliest of the three as it does not have a divide back!

 

On the back: Dear little Francis, Santa Clause has comet o greet you with a most merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  May you have a joyous Christmas season. With Love from Ethel

 

Sent in 1909 by Auntie from Genesee, Idaho.

On the back:  I'm afraid we aren't going to have any sleighing for Christmas.  Guess Santa Claus will com in a "flying machine" this year.  With Christmas Love, Auntie

 

Sent 1910 from Tacoma, WA

 

On the back: Dear Francis, This is to wish you and all the household a Most Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.  With lots of Love from Ethel!

 

 

WISHING YOU AND YOURS A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Postcard Friendship Friday!

Santa Tin on the Unruly PaperArts Blog!

Merry Christmas!!

 

My last post over at Unruly PaperArts is this cute Christmas tin.  Creating little scenes in tins is one of my favorites!  This is a tin the size of an Altoid tin... you can alter a tin, if you don't have one you can purchase blank tins (hinged or not)!  What is so fun about making these is the surprise on a persons face when they open them! 

 

 

The front of the tin....

 

Supplies:

Tins at Altered Pages

Altered Pages Cyrillic Christmas collage sheet

Wink of Stella

Flower Soft

Small Tree

BoBunny Snow Flake

Tim Holtz Star

Pattern Paper

Enamel Dots

Trims

Tacky Glue

Glue Stick

 

If you use a tin that you have removed the paint from it is a good idea to give a quick coat of gesso. If you are using a brand new smooth finish tin use a little sand paper to create a few abrasions for the glue to stick to!  

 

 

 

Cut the image for the top and bottom ( pattern paper) of the outside of the tin a bit larger than the tin. Adhere to the tin with glue stick  Use an old emery board to sand the edges down.  This gives the outside a perfect fit!

 

 

Add little Wink of Stella to the candles, Enamel Dots for Christmas ornaments and a star to top off the tree!

 

Add trims to the outside using a Tacky Glue or E6000, find trims that will fit the sides to give the most coverage with out interfering with the opening and closing of the tin.

 

 

Cut the image for the inside of the tin as close as possible to the size of the inside, adhere with glue stick.  Add a few sparkling highlights to the images with the Wink of Stella.  Adhere white Flower Soft to image for the wonderful feeling of cold winter snow with Tacky Glue! 

 

Add a small tree and snowflake to embellish!

 

HO HO HO MERRY CHRISTMAS

to you and yours!!!!

Wishing a Wonderful Christmas Eve!

 

 

Mailed from Eugene OR to Camus Valley OR in 1909 

From my Vintage Postcard collection!

Postcard Friendship Friday!

2011 - 12 Tags of Christmas Viva Las VegaStamps!

In 2011 when I was on the Viva LasVegaStamps design team we each created tags for the 12 Days of Christmas!  I love creating tags... I decided to resurrect the pictures and links and share my tags from back then!

Day 01 - VLVS Sleeping Elf




Day 02 - VLVS! Shopping Cart Santa




Day 03 - VLVS! There's no Place Like Home

Day 04 - VLVS! Santa's Magic Key




Day 05 - VLVS! Have a Great Christmas!




Day 06 - VLVS! Santa's List




Day 07 - VLVS! Merry Christmas




Day 08 - Three Wise Cactus




Day 09 - VLVS! Santa's Coming




Day 10 - VLVS! Santa Teddy on Horse




 Day 11 - VLVS! Elf Ornament on Tree




Day 12 - VLVS! Santa on Stocking

Activa Christmas Trees!

One of my projects on the Altered Pages blog this month. using Activa products, our Fabulous December Partner!  for this project I am playing with Art Plaster.  I used Art Plaster and a chocolate tree mold to create trees for my table decorations.  Please be sure to use kitchen utensils that are designated for craft use only (like bowls, spoons and measuring cups).

 

 

LET's GET STARTED!!!!

 

Found this mold for trees and thought the trees would make a great center piece on my Christmas table.  Note: this mold will now be for craft use only!

 

 

I used plastic cups for measuring and a plastic spoon for mixing as they are throw away! Have everything at hand before you start. Using Art Plaster you have a few minutes to work with it, but don't take too long as it starts setting. 

 

You may need to drag the Art Plaster with a tooth pick as you pour it if there are corners to fill.

 

Have extra molds around when pouring incase you have extra Art Plaster!

 

Let the Art Plaster set!  If the mold is thin like the trees pictured, let them sit longer than the instructions. 

 

 It is important for  easy release that your Art Plaster has hardened.  I learned from experience and broke a couple!!!

 

 

Using emery boards while the Art Plaster is still damp sand the edges with an emery board.  Emery boards are great to use when sanding small spaces.

 

Here are some of the additional items I molded when pouring my trees... you see I made way too much!

 

Once the trees are dried paint them.  First apply a layer Gesso , Let dry.  I used  Art Anthology Paints, mixing a yellow and a blue to paint the trees.

 

Let the trees dry!!!

 

Add Tacky glue to the edges of the tree to add Flower Soft!

 

Roll the tree's glue edges in the Flower Soft.    

 

 

With Dew Drops make stars for the little trees. Let them dry. ( I made these the day before I was going to paint the trees!)

 

Adhere the star toppers on the trees with tacky glue!!

 

They are now ready to display!!!

 

Here the trees are pictured with a tree from the TREE KIT available HERE at Altered Pages!

Tree Reflection!

To get started supplies you will need:

Activa Art Plaster

Container for water

Cup for mixing

Spoon

Toothpicks

Paper towels

Craft mat - protect the table

Gesso

Dew Drops

Paint

Flower soft

Tacky glue

 

 

One more addition to my Christmas table

PLACE CARDS

 

Have you joined the Altered Pages Group on FB?  Jean has been generously giving a collage sheet a day for the 12 Days of Christmas, DAY 8 was the Santa Placecards!

 

 

To make them.  I adhered the whole collage sheet to a piece of red card stock, then cut them apart!

 

Add a few Dew Drops to each of them, for a little bling!

 

Let them dry!

 

 

 

 Add guests names to each of the cards and they are ready for the table.  I will share pictures of my table set on the 25th... watch my blog Dreaming of Castles!

 

Hope you are inspired to DIY your table decorations this year!

 

Wishing you the best as you celebrate the SEASON!