Simply Scrumptious! Don't you think? Last week or so I have been using Tim Holtz and Sizzix dies for a whole new world of crafting joy. It's needle felting. You cut the wool with BigZ and other thicker dies. The Tim Holtz Alterations line is terrific for this. We all know they cut paper, light acrylic, vinyl, chip board, grunge board, and so on. And yes we may have heard they also cut fabric. But have you cut wool felt? And have you used the pieces to make a dimensional sewing project? Gifties! My two grown children --and their spouses-- needed some holiday decorations. As newly married pairs, neither couple had much for personalized Christmas decorations yet in their homes. How about some nice big Christmas stockings? What is needle felting? Needle felting is the craft of layering wool felt accents over wool felt base fabric and needle poking them with a special tool in order to integrate the fibers. Wool has this wonderful attribute of being able to bond with herself and make...

Just made 16 of these for a care package --and they are super delish. http://www.food.com/recipe/fan​tastic-double-chocolate-pecan-​biscotti-141395 also made 16 of these vanilla chai biscotti http://www.myrecipes.com/recip​e/chai-spice-biscotti-10000001​156062/ Biscottis are terrific for mailing! I know it is too soon for Christmas unless you freeze them, but keep it in mind around November! :) Very yummy with hot tea or coffee or cocoa! CHRISTMAS IN JULY Make a cookbook scrapbook in multiples for family gifts! http://www.ehow.com/how_506874​2_make-cookbook-scrapbook.html How to Make a Cookbook Scrapbook CHRISTMAS IN JULY Or even simpler, this style easel calender with your scrapbooking supplies and a mini cal from the dollar store! http://gottheartart.blogspot.c​om/2009/11/2010-easel-calendar​.html Gott Heart Art: 2010 Easel Calendar --was posted NOV 29, 2009 if you can't find the permalink from this url above. gottheartart.blogspot.com CHRISTMAS IN JULY easel chipboard calend...

If you have a QuickKutz Letterpress or a Sizzix set of Letter Press plates, you can make your own note cards for gifts. Break out those tools you rarely use and get your money's worth out of them! They yield such lovely results and are very worth the time it takes to learn to use them. Go for it! get inspired here http://papercrave.com/farmee-letterpress-cards/ watch tutorials here: Letterpress video on Quickutz or Sizzix Letter press Plate video

CHRISTMAS IN JULY -Holiday tags! Use that stash http://itsacreativeworld.typep ​ad.com/its_a_creative_world/20 ​11/01/twelve-tags-of-christmas ​.html

Reduce, reuse, recycle, refurbish, and re-ignite your creativity! Got fabric? Make a reusable lunch back or three for someone you love. If you give a set, it is easier to wash and dry the first one up while using the second one. A tutorial here on how to make these little treasures. And if you are using fabrics you already have, the more the better! No harm if junior loses one at school. or they get worn out from use and reuse! You will know how to make a few more for next year. http://www.purlbee.com/back-to-school-lunchbag/ and if you want to try another style, here are about 2 dozen more styles and how to's for them http://tipnut.com/lunch-combo/ It's kind of like sewing three sides of a pillowcase--so not too hard for beginners!

Personalize and card front for any friend or rellie with ease by using WORDLE.NET http://www.wordle.net/ On Thanksgiving I asked my family and each of our guests to write down THREE specific things they are grateful for in 2010. At Wordle.net you input a list of words and click on the “Submit” button. Wordle takes your list and magically turns it into a beautiful word collage. If you want one or two words to be larger than the others, simply put them on your list multiple times.

If you have a garden full of produce or fruit, consider making a gift of the heart for your family and friends. Consider how great these summer flavors will taste in the middle of winter! Mmmm! Jellies or Jams with a hint of herbs are delicious reminders of your affection and caring. http://gardening.about.com/od/craftsanddecor/ht/HerbJelly.htm and http://www.kiowacd.org/Tips_Links/recipes.htm Some great combos are apple and mint lemon balm and lemonaide berry and cinnamon all-herb savory cherry and clove Tuck a real sprig of mint or other herb into the boil just before canning. You want the herb sprig to be sterile (ie kill the bacteria) but not be too wimply. I have even made an all-fruit jam from combininig the following all together in a pan: strawberry, rhubarb, apple, pie cherry, marashino cherry, peach, raspberry, and blackberry and cinnamon. Hey, what can I say? I had a little dab of each! :) Turned out super tasting --a lot like triple berry. We have used the all-jam as a b...

I love paper! I know you do too. And I also love a bargain. So when I saw this fun way to wrap a gift, and use up newspapers as well as strips of colored cardstock, I was hooked! http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/paper_crafts/ 12 inch strips will cover a 4 inch or less square. To get larger dimensions, glue two or three of same color together before weaving. The contrast of the fonts in black and white against the woven colors has impact! You can choose to do this for any season and any color scheme---but you can certainly also use traditional colors during the holidays. Keep this one in mind year-round. Rock

Let's use up some of our lighter patterened and lighter colored lightweight cardstocks in a fun new way. It's not on a scrapbook page--oh no. It's as stationary. Trim your papers down to 8.5x11 and stack them into the printer. Make some personalized 8.5x11 letterhead with your gift recipient's name and address. Or choose some great clip art and some fun sayings like these: http://www.etsy.com/shop/creativitycards?ref=seller_info and print out a dozen sheets for each person. Let the paper colors be mixed and random. Of course you can print half sheets too in landscape mode. Leave a lot of open space in the center for them to write in. You can also run borders up the side with fonts and art too. Lots of ideas here. http://www.etsy.com/shop/sentimentalist Let the designs be simple and quick. Classic and fun. Tie the bundle up with some extra ribbon and you have a gift. Let's use up some paper! Rock

Now you probably need to know that I live in Minnesota. And while currently we have had some hot hot weather, I do know that the winter weather will be back....with a vengeance. In about 3.5 months, so will the sub-zero freeeze and the snow and the cold hands and snuffly noses and the chilly feet trying to warm up after snow-boots. This is why THIS idea is so darn great. And heck, I can pick out 3 sweaters right now from my husband or my son's closets that will up-cycle into hot water bottle covers just fine!! Here is how you go about it. http://tipnut.com/hot-water-bottle-covers/ Even if you live in Cali or Florida or Texas or Arizona, this would be a great item to snuggle up with when you feel chilled. Make one for an elderly relative or anyone who is prone to a back ache or a charlie horse. Make a few for your friends. Again it would be a great guy gift for the man who THINKS he has everything! Rock

Ohhh yeh! I just happened across this one from an Etsy blog posting. So glad I saw it so I can share with you. Wouldn't a set of these be fantastic for Dad or Grandpa or Grandma? Or just for your own self? How adorable. You choose any assorted pics that you have digitally with the instructions she shares. http://www.ambrosiagirl.com/blog/tiny-polaroid-magnets/ Start now! Make multiple sets in assembly line style and you will have many gifts taken care of at once in a day! My daughter gets back from Greece (honeymoon) tomorrow....hmmmm ideas are brewing here... Rock

Let's get a jump on the 2011 holidays NOW! Love to craft? Need a financial break from holiday shopping overload? Here is how I do it. Start with a list of all the people you hope to give gifts to for the holidays 2011. My list every year has pretty much the same people with just a couple additions of newcomers. For example, let's say you have 25 people you would like to give something to. But only 10 of them need 'bigger' gifts and the other 15 can be smaller tokens. Next assess what you have a LOT of to work with. What are your already available resources? Paper crafting? Beadmaking and jewelry findings? a large and bounteous garden? a lot of paint and canvas? Tons of basket-making materials? Or dried flowers? Or oodles of cotton fabric aka quilting supplies? How about unfinished kits for specific crafts? Make a list! Be specific ...Now count it up ... Which of your friends needs a travel album? How many dried wreaths do you have the grapevine for? Does Grandma need so...

And another variation on the pens-- if you have FIMO or that style of clay, you can make these! So beautiful! Wonderful for teacher gifts, religious ed teacher gifts, office mates, etc. If you have some pens and you have some FIMO style dough, you can do this! You can even use UGLY pens because the clay goes on the outer case. Just make sure the pens write smoothly before you begin! Be creative! http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/claypen.html

Make one for everyone on your holiday 2011 list! Start now! Use up some of those pens around the house as well as some of your papers! Personalize them for different people in sets of 4 pens per person too! Have fun! http://www.casasugar.com/DIY-Paper-Covered-Pens-2501764 and here is a visual step by step. Nice work! http://www.onepearlbutton.com/2008/11/paper-covered-pen-tutorial.html

Holiday countdown continues to keep me in line and this week Holiday Countdown: Here we are at Week 5 : DECORATION, SHOPPING, AND MAIL are the focal areas this week. Shipping: I made sure I got all my holiday cards out the door, decorated the living room and tree, as well as checked my gift inventory and started wrapping! I need to start mailing packages soon as I have a lot of family in other states. Did you know the US postal service will pick up packages at your door for you? Details here http://www.usps.com/ Quick Fix holiday decorating from the Pros : http://www.styleathome.com/homes/interiors/colin-and-justin-s-12-quick-fix-solutions-for-holiday-decorating/a/1137 an Eco-Friendly Winter/Christmas holiday: http://www.styleathome.com/decorating-and-design/green-living/an-eco-friendly-christmas/a/17377 If you are feeling overwhelmed already: Breathe, Relax. :) http://zines.webvalence.com/sites/Clutter_Challenge/current.html Happy Holidays! Keep going!!! :) :)

Here we are at week 4 in our Holiday Countdown! This week we are: 1. Making gifts like crazy! Inspiration is everywhere. Try idea sites like http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/other/0/-1.html Wrap and label packages as you go. Set aside needed shipping boxes and bubble wrap. 2. Write your Christmas letters! Complete package wrapping for gifts to be shipped out. Take advantage of in-home printing of postage and stamps at sites like Stamps.com and the USPS http://www.usps.com/onlinepostage/welcome.htm 3. Take that family photo and get it reproduced for your cards. Good deals online now at sites like Snapfish and Walmart.com are as low as 9 cents each for 4x6 if you have them delivered to your home by mail. 4. Put away Thanksgiving items and begin to decorate your home. 5. Complete as much shopping as possible. Shop online (even locally!) for bargains and to save time and travel. Keep on track. Shop with a list and a budget. Go home when done. Don't li...

Holiday Countdown Week 3 November 16-23 Sorry for the late posting this week. Shhh, I was super busy getting an 8x8 gift album done for my daughter and time slipped by as I submerged myself in that project. I can't share pics cause she might read this but suffice it to say it turned out super and I will share pics of it and other holiday gifts later on this week if I can. Week 3 is BAKING WEEK!! I inadvertently fulfilled that part of my holiday list today. My friend Deb asked me to come and bake cookies with her to freeze for the holiday. We made about 6 dozen assorted cookies for each of us in about 4 and a half hours. Her house smelled fabulous with the aromas of coconut-chocolate drizzle macaroons, molasses-gingerbread men, pecan turtles, classic sugar cookies, and adorable oreo snowmen. We sure had fun and talked and talked while we worked. :) Here are our recipes from today's baking adventure. Coconut Chocolate Macaroons: You can dip them half way as shown here or you can...

Week #2 "Gather your Supplies and start Making Gifts Week" Nov 8-15th After inventorying supplies on hand, purchase canned goods for holiday baking. Get any supplies needed for gift making. Don't forget the film, batteries, gift wrapping, and Christmas cards. After gathering all your Christmas gift wrap into one place, do you really need more? A friend of mine did this recently and found she didn't need to buy cards again for over ten years if she stuck to using her stash!! Wow. Gift wrap organizer ideas http://blog.kimvallee.com/archive/2007/09/13/magazines-take-on-how-to-set-up-a-gift-wrapping.aspx Focus your energies on completing simple, useful gifts to be made, setting aside gifts that aren't coming together, and writing your holiday letter. Find family photos suitable for inclusion with holiday cards.Walmart.com has 9 cent prints right onw if you have them sent to your home by mail. Make sure you allow enough time for duplication of photos d...

Week #1 "List and Browse Week" Nov 1-8th Quick get some Thanksgiving into it! Decorate your home for Thanksgiving asap because November flies by doesn't it? . Quick grab a sheet of paper. Make your lists of gift recipients, Christmas cards, menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's, goodies to share or to give, favorite meals to prepare ahead, decorations needed, and gifts to make. I reuse my main gift giving list from last year and consult it to make sure I am giving something different to each person than what I did the last two years. Develop and record ideas for gifts and decorations. PLAN and ask yourself the following questions: * Do we put any emphasis on the spiritual side of holiday/Christmas? Can we improve that? * What would our ideal holiday/Christmas be like? How can we make it so? * What ongoing events or activities are particularly important to our family at this holiday? Do we go to The Nutcracker every year? See Santa? Go on a ski trip?...