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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Sparkle, Shimmer & Twine with Tulip Shimmer Sheets



Burlap and twine are two of my favorite "go-to" [also known as "must-have"] embellishments.  I love their natural, earthy look and texture.  However, as we all know, opposites attract.  This became evident once again when a brown paper package recently arrived on my doorstep.  I quickly opened the package to find a goldmine of Tulip's Fashion Glitter and Shimmer Transfer Sheets.
As I am participating in Tulip's Shimmer Holiday 2012 campaign, Tulip sent me a great selection of their glittery and shimmery products to try.  I decided to combine my "go to" favorites with Tulip's Fashion Glitter Shimmer Transfer Sheets and their Glam-It-Up Iron-on Glass Crystals to create a set of glass candle holders that will literally make the holidays shine!  

Here's a tutorial on this holiday DIY project.  In addition to the Shimmer Transfer Sheets and Glass Crystals, gather the following materials:  burlap, three tall glass cylinders [hello, dollar store] and baker's twine.  You will also need circle punches, a paper cutter, an iron, double-sided tape, and a hot glue gun.
First, iron the burlap so it lays flat and wrinkle-free.
Cut out three pieces of burlap, each 4" wide x 12" long.  This was a good size for my glass cylinders allowing for a one-inch overlap. 

Punch several small and large circles from the red shimmer transfer sheet.  I was pleasantly surprised by how easy the punches worked with the shimmer sheets.
Carefully position the shimmer circles, smooth side down, on your first piece of burlap.  Place a clean dishtowel [or other lightweight cloth] on top of the burlap.  Using a hot iron, press your design for approximately 40 seconds. 
When I lifted the towel, I wondered how a few of the circles ended up on the towel.  When I looked closer, I realized I had placed a few of the circles wrong side up on the burlap, so they adhered to the towel instead.  I guess that is one way you can decorate two items at once! 
After a few additional punched circles and a little more ironing,
I ended up with this design, much better for the intended project.
For the second candle holder, cut long strips from the red and gold shimmer transfer sheets.  Since I cannot cut a straight line, I used a paper cutter, which worked out perfectly.   Then iron the strips onto the burlap in the same way as above. 
 
For the third candle holder, cut small triangles to create a banner.  Place them in a curvy line.
After ironing the triangles onto the burlap, adhere twine above the triangles to create a banner. [I found that a hot glue gun worked best for this step.]

Then, using Tulip's Glam-It-Up Heat Setting Tool, adhere red Glass Crystals to the top and bottom of each triangle.  The heat-setting tool made it so easy to adhere the crystals exactly where I wanted them. 
Is it just me, or do the triangles seem to resemble reindeer?
 
Adhere the burlap strips to the cylinders using double-sided sticky tape. 
 
Then add a few embellishments:
Perhaps a bow tie
[also made from the shimmer sheets]
Or use twine to tie cinnamon sticks and holly around the burlap.
Add pillar candles, and you have a beautiful centerpiece ready to be displayed on a table or mantel just in time for the holidays.
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There you have it!  Burlap and Sparkle!  Who knew? 

Thank you, Tulip, for inspiring me with your beautiful shimmer and glitter products.  For many more shimmery and glittery ideas, visit Tulip at: http://www.ilovetocreate.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lovetocreate
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ilovetocreate
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ilovetocreate
 
[All opinions expressed here are 100% my own. Find my full disclosure here.]

 You can find even more creative ideas here:



 
Attending these parties:
Winter Wonders & Holiday Happenings
Navy Wifey Peters, Love & Laundry, Katherine's Corner, I Gotta Create, House of Hepworth's, The 36th Avenue, Yesterday on Tuesday, Katie's Nesting Spot, A Glimpse Inside, Beyond the Picket Fence, 12 Days of Christmas, Someday Crafts, Sugar & Dots, Vintage Wanna Bee, Cowgirl Up Link Party, Bloom Designs, Craftionary, French Country Cottage, 52 Mantels, Momnivore's Dilemma, simply kierste, The CSI Project, From My Front Porch to Yours, Whipperberry, Answer is Chocolate, Doodles & Stitches, Primp Junktion, My Simple Homelife, It's a Hodgepodge Life, My Repurposed Life, The Chicken Chick, Serenity Now, Shaken Together Life, Create, Craft, Love, Twigg Studio, Maybe Mathilda, Two Twenty-One, Serendipity & Spice, Keeping It Simple, The Gunny Sack, Brassy Apple, Our Delightful Home, Practically Functional, Primp Junktion, Or So She SaysSewing Barefoot, ninth street notions, Skip to my Lou, The Dedicated House, Say Not Sweet Anne, A Bowl Full of Lemons, 733 Blog, Shanty 2 Chic, Inspired by Charm, No Minimalist Here, It's Overflowing with Creativity

Friday, November 23, 2012

Add Color to Your Chanukah Decor


                        Hanukkah coaster and tray decor
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Growing up in San Francisco, our winters didn't consist of "dashing through the snow" or making snow angels -- we tried, but there's not a lot one can make out of dense fog. Unless you count blowing fog rings out of the chilly night air.

We would count the Christmas trees we passed while riding here and there. The holiday trees were so colorful, especially the ones that stood on a spinning table, rotating beautiful colors around the window panes.

We celebrated the eight nights of Chanukah. Instead of colorful lights, we decorated our home in just two colors: blue & white.   Blue & white hanging dreidels, blue & white tablecloths, blue & white lights around the living room bookcase...you name it, our decor was simply blue & white.  

Chanukah gift wrap could only be found in shades of blue and white. Or maybe, silver, if you looked hard enough.
Chanukah decor
Chanukah decor has changed over the last few decades. Now Chanukah comes in every color imaginable. Gift wrap, menorahs, decorations, tableware, and spinning dreidels come in bright pinks, greens, yellows and more.
I decided to alter a mundane wooden serving tray in the new "Chanukah colors." I found bright fuchsia, lime green & turquoise gift wrap in my Chanukah stash.  It was perfect. 
I painted the tray with two coats of a dark pink/fuchsia color. I cut a piece of gift wrap to fit snugly inside the tray and adhered it with Mod Podge.  When dry to the touch, I covered it with another coat of MP. This got me thinking...so I altered a tile coaster to match.  Just need one more coaster
Decorataing a Hanukkah tray with gift wrap
and my tray is ready for company.
Hanukkah coaster and tray decor
 

Hanukkah crafts
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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Quick Thanksgiving Hostess Gift

You're so lucky that you've been invited to someone else's home for Thanksgiving.  It saves you the aggravation, effort and time basting the turkey!  Of course, I'm only kidding.  If you're entertaining on Thursday, kudos to you! 

However, if you are dining out, and need a hostess gift, here is a quick and easy project you and your children can create.

All you need is a small mason jar with a hinged lid, a package of autumn-hued candy [I used peanut m&m's], and a few embellishments such as twine, fringe, ribbons, flowers, labels and a tag.


The first step is actually the most difficult: filling the jar.  So be very careful.  Fill the jar to the top, avoiding the temptation to eat too much of the candy, or you'll end up with a half-empty (or half-full) jar.  Not such a good gift.  If you did this step correctly, you should have something that looks like this:

The rest is EASY.  Embellish! 
I first wrapped the jar with a piece of canvas fringe.

Then I tied twine around the fringe, using three colors of red, yellow and brown, which just happens to perfectly match the m&m's.

Topped the lid with a sunflower and a tag that I stamped with "thank you."

And you're ready to go! 
Cute mason jar idea
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Monday, November 12, 2012

Sunshine in a Box

Our younger daughter is in college on the east coast.  It's wonderful for her to experience the other side of the country.  The city she lives in is full of rich history, has beautiful architecture and open spaces, and has a bustling city center.  And she is in the middle of it. 
 
With this big adventure comes a completely different kind of winter than she is used to here in Southern California.  When it's cold outside, it's really cold.  Instead of "chillin', she's really chilly!  Carry an umbrella?  Maybe two!  Fashion boots?  Not even close.  Rain boots are the trend.
 
So what's a Mom to do?  Send her some Sunshine in a Box! 
 
tossed the contents out of re-purposed a yellow box, found yellow polka-dot tissue paper in our gift wrap drawer, and then scoured the stores for sunny-yellow items!  I scored with a bag of Lemonhead candy, a yellow tissue pack, yellow nail polish, a yellow bath sponge, soft yellow gloves (with special woven tips so you can text while wearing them), and a yellow squeezy squishy ball. 

Our daughter received it within a couple of days, and she said it was the best surprise ever.  I think it warmed her heart.  I know it certainly warmed mine.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

They say you can take the girl out of the country, but you cannot take the country out of the girl.  Well, in this case, the city.  You can take me out of San Francisco, but you can never take San Francisco out of this girl.  Or something like that.  Let me explain it better with an altered art project.

Recently, as you baseball fans all know, the San Francisco Giants won swept the 2012 World Series.  It was an exciting week, as long as you were rooting for the orange and black uniforms.  To celebrate their win, I created a keepsake using a recycled tin can and a few embellishments...and chocolate kisses. 
altered cans

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I used the same technique as my Pull Tab in Case of Chocolate Emergency altered can.  This project is easily adaptable to any sports team, holiday or event!  It's very easy.  Start with a can of pineapple chunks, soup, beans, or whatever canned food you have around the house.  Be sure the can's bottom has the sharp edge just like the top.  Turn the can UPSIDE DOWN, and using a can opener, remove the BOTTOM "lid."  Eat the contents, then wash the can really well and let air dry.

I used black cardstock paper and a Giants logo that I printed off  their website.  I decoupaged the paper and the logo onto the can, remembering to work UPSIDE DOWN.  I'm repeating this base on experience because it's easy to forget that the bottom will be the top when you are finished.

crafts for baseball
Since it's Autumn, I found a package of chocolate kisses that were orange, silver and red.  I knew the orange and silver ones would be great as they match the Giants colors.  What to do with the leftover red ones?  Save them for a later project!  [Who am I kidding?  Just eat them.]
recycled tin cans
I decided to make several of these Giants cans, so I only filled half of the can and used white shredded paper to fill the remaining space.
 
Then glue the "bottom" lid back on.  Last time I made these cans, I used hot glue, but the lid didn't lay flat.  This time, I used the decoupage medium, and held the lid in place for a few minutes.  It created a perfect seal.  No one will be the wiser.  That's the fun thing about this gift.  The recipient will not know how the chocolate got into the "un-opened" can.

Then I added embellishments including orange & white twine [found in the craft aisle for a dollar at WalMart], foam baseball, bat and cap [found an entire package at the grocery store in their dollar bin].  The decoupage worked great for adhering the embellishments as well as sealing the can.  I tied a large orange ribbon to the tab, but felt it needed one more embellishment.
San Francisco Giants crafts 
 I stamped "SF" onto a small white tag
twine & ribbon
and tied the tag onto the ribbon.
Sports Team Gift Idea
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My niece is a huge fan of the Giants, so I'm going to send this altered can to her.  Maybe in return she'll send me a 2012 Giants World Series baseball cap.  Let's see if she reads my blog!


Editor's Note: 
If you're reading this post in or after September 2013, it is safe to say our beloved San Francisco Giants [will] clinch the division title again...this time, for last place [sigh]. #toomuchpressure

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