I wanted just one more little thing to give to my sister this year for Christmas, but I wasn't sure what. Then I remembered some photobooth pictures we took one year when we were Christmas shopping together, and thought that it would be fun to take some of those photos and make an ornament. I went rummaging around in my craft room for inspiration, and came up with the idea of using some of the old wooden blocks I've picked up at thrift stores.
 

It was pretty simple, really. The square block is from a set of puzzle blocks. I love these when the pictures are distressed and ripped. They make for a nice bright background. I copied the photos to size, and then gave them a slight hint of color with some Copic markers. I added the scrapbook paper hats and then glued an image onto each side of the block. The round part on top is an old wheel, covered with a ribbon and some ric rac. The wooden knobs are from Alpha Stamps, painted and distressed so they fit in with the vintage blocks.


A few sequin stars and rhinestones give it a little bling. I hope this will be a nice memory to hang on her tree. I think I'll have to make one of these for me!

Here are a few projects that caught our eye this last quarter of 2012. I can't wait to see what everyone makes in 2013! Keep up the good work, papercrafters!


Quiller elements!


Handbook For the Recently Deceased


Coffin Moon Shrines


Paper Wreath

Aw, yoopidou, what a fantastic tree skirt, and I love the little stuffed Santa. And nooo, those penguins are adorable! I agree with Homerof2, I would have thought the needlefelted was a large, too!

I couldn't wait any longer to show you the amazing Santa package that cinnamon teal sent me. I'm so excited about this that I felt I had to share immediately. Here are the packages, all beautifully wrapped and sitting alone under my tree:


First, a small HO: a beautiful handcarved stamp of one of Santa's reindeer. I know I'll be using this often. It would make great holiday tags and cards!


Then, another small HO, this adorable knit stocking ornament. There are even two tiny presents wrapped up and tucked inside. This is already on my tree.


And finally, what may be the biggest HO in the entire world. I love this so much I can't stand it. Even Mr. 'Coo was impressed, which is no small feat. It's a ceramic Santa! I have a collection of Santa figures, and this is definitely my new favorite. I mean, just look at him!!


Now look at him again!


And from the back!


I love him. Thank you so, so much, cinnamon teal! This is way more than I could have hoped for. You're the best! 

I already posted my this guy standing behind a tin gift holder here, but thought you might like to see what he can do on his own. This is a little Christmas elf on a spool, made from a collage sheet image colored with Copic markers (my new favorite toy!) Because of the serendipitous way his arms are posed, he can hold a variety of Christmas cheer.

Here he is with a countdown to Christmas card. The card has a chalkboard surface (cut from a chalkboard atc blank), so you can write in the number with chalk each day.


Need some cute placecards for your Christmas table?


Or how about a unique way to present a gift card?


Is there anything this guy can't do? I would only like him better if he could clean up after the holidays.

Alpha Stamps is doing a 12 Day of Christmas event this year, and as a design team member, I got to do lucky day number three. We had a little leeway with our theme, so I was not required to do three French hens. Here's my take on day three: three kids a'gifting! I made a gift tin with a sleeve, and a little elf on a spool. Here are all the kids together:


Here's how you can make your own!

Step One: Using Copic markers, color images of children. Mine came from the Little Darlings collage sheet. Add red rhinestones and paper hats made of scrapbook paper. Trim hats with contrasting paper, rick rack, or ribbon. Glue onto contrasting scrapbook paper, and cut out.


Step Two: Cover a blank tin with scrapbook paper. Click here for my tutorial on how to cover a tin.  


Then, make a template for a sleeve that will fit over the covered tin. Once you are comfortable with the size and fit of your template, use the measurements to create a sleeve using a thin piece of shirt cardboard covered with scrapbook paper. Using a bone folder, score the folds.


Step Three: Wrap the sleeve around the bottom of the tin. To make the feet, glue bead caps into place on the bottom of the tin with E6000 glue.


Step Four:  Glue bottle brush tree to the cardboard sleeve. Wrap miniature Christmas bulbs around the tree and glue into place with hot glue. Glue a little cotton around the base of the tree, and place a couple of tiny wrapped gifts where the children will stand.


Step Five: Glue the two children in place, attaching the backs of their legs to a package. Fill in the rest of the base with more tiny gifts. Glue some sequin stars to the tree, and put one in the hand of one of the children. Glue the end of the string of lights into the hands of the other child.


I put a little dimensional star on the bottom of the tin to make the card sit up at a jaunty angle.


These tins are the perfect size for a small gift or a gift card! Here's the open tin, with a gift card snug inside.


Most of the supplies for this project came from Alpha Stamps. If you'd like a complete list of supplies, including links, you can find them it my blog. Happy Christmas!

I'm always looking for a nice placecard holder/ornament for our family Christmas eve dinner. This year I was very excited to find a little basket of vintage candle clips at a local antique mall. These are the things that Christmas tree fires are made of! I don't want to be burning down my house, but I love the shape and patina of these clips.


Here's what I decided to do with them: I gently bent down all but one of the prongs intended to hold the candle, and attached a large metal snowflake that I embellished with some rhinestones. I then took some white garland I found at Ikea and wound it around the cup of the base. I gave a little plastic deer a quick spray with glitter mist, hung a jingle bell around his neck, and then glued him into place with some E6000.



For the table, I'll use the clip to hold everyone's name card, and then everyone can take the ornament home to use on their tree next year. This particular ornament was my prototype, and went to cinnamon_teal in the HO HO HO swap. I'll be whipping up the rest as soon as my order of tiny deer comes in the mail.

I received from audio today. She was making up for a smaller swap, and sent me these great things:
A great tiny skull canvas, and an ATC that I just looove:


And this really sweet little trick or treater frame:


Thanks so much, audio! I will love adding this to my Halloween collection!

HO HO HO! "What's that?", you ask.

It's another fun swap brought to you by rackle. HO = Holiday Object. HO HO HO = three of them.  

CHECK OUT OUR GALLERY!


Image From Lyric Financial


Do you have a favorite winter holiday icon, like Santa, ornaments, snowflakes, or a menorah? Will you commit to sending your partner a wonderful, thoughtfully made, beautifully crafted Holiday Object based on their theme, plus two small extras? Would you like someone to send you three lovely HOs based on your theme? If so, this may just be the swap for you! Be sure to read the details below.

Swap name: HO HO HO Swap
Craftster member who is organizing this swap: rackycoo, co-organizer: cackle
Sign-up date range: October 16- October 23 (or until full)
Date to send item by:  December 3

Limited to a certain number of people? (optional): 30

Restricted to people who all live in the same country? No

Additional Age requirement? Must be at least 18

Swap Organizer himself/herself meets these conditions:
- Has fully read the Swap Info Guide: YES
- Has successfully completed two swaps as a participant: YES
- Is not organizing more than three swaps right now: Correct
- Will recruit a co-organizer or give all details to a Swap Moderator if this swap has more than 25 participants: got one!
- Is at least 18 years old: Good grief, yes.

Swap Organizer will check each participant to make sure they meet these conditions:
- Has been a member for at least one month: YES
- Has posted at least 15 times: YES
- Has completed one swap successfully before signing up for multiple swaps at a time: YES
- Is not currently signed up for more than five swaps: YES
- Does not have any negative feedback: YES
- Participant has agreed that he/she is at least 18 years old: YES
- If within the US, understands that Delivery Confirmation number is required for this swap: YES
- If outside the US, understands that a mailing receipt copy is required for this swap: YES

Details of swap:
HO HO HO swap

HO HO HO is for anyone who celebrates a winter holiday of any sort. It doesn’t have to mean Santa or Christmas, but it certainly can. In this case, HO stands for “Holiday Object”. For this swap, each person with make three HOs for their partner, based on the questionnaire. One will be an incredible item, made with love and skill: the main Holiday Object. The other two HOs will be small items that relate to, or go with the first, most important HO.
 
Extras are not necessary in this swap. Your two small HOs will count as extras! There is PLENTY of time to craft, and you’re only making three items, so make sure you do something spectacular! We want a gorgeous gallery, full of beautiful and exciting HOs!

*We reserve the right to refuse anyone who has a history of poor communication and/or late sending.
*It is a requirement to post in the thread so everyone can keep up with announcements.
*Please check into the thread regularly and communicate with the organizers if problems occur or if you will be late sending. Not being a good communicator is naughty, and will be noted in your feedback.
 
If you want to participate, information to send to both rackycoo AND cackle:

QUESTIONNAIRE TO ANSWER:
Name of swap: HO HO HO Swap
Craftster username
Email address
Your real name
Mailing address including the country
Would you be willing to ship to an address outside your own country?
Confirm that are at least 18 years old or, if not, that you have moderator approval(YES/NO)

PLEASE ANSWER ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

My three holiday themes are:
   1.
   2.
   3.
.
I have listed these in order of preference (Yes/No)
I have participated in previous rackle swaps and have been already been partnered with the following awesome people:
___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _____
Participants: (*-needs to post in this thread)
1. rackycoo
2. cackle
3. BirdBones
4. Phizzychick
5. mlheran
6. jillybeans
7. noooitaremybirthday
8. kittykill
9. alwaysinmyroom
10. RougeRaven
11. HotBananaPepper
12. SMLounsbury
13. microjivvy
14. sloth003
15. tapestrymlp
16. Knickertwist
17. loves2experiment
18. Mountains and Clouds
19. adrienne_bowers
20. gotgrey
21. Leslieshappyheart
22. Homerof2
23. LimeRiot
24. amaryllisroze
25. alteredmommy
26. rubylynns
27. AuntieKar
28. yoopidou
29. cinnamon teal
30. pilarfarmer
31. fancybutch
32. gala_apples


PARTNERS!!
rackycoo<>cinnamon teal
cackle<>microjivvy
kittykill<>amaryllisroze
rubylynns<>mountains and clouds
rougeraven<>mlheran
LimeRiot<>yoopidou
BirdBones<>gala_apples
gotgrey<>pilarfarmer
loves2experiment<>jillybeans
SMLounsbury<>adrienne_bowers
Hotbananapepper<>AuntieKar
alwaysinmyroom<>LesliesHappyHeart
Phizzychick<>tapestrymlp
alteredmommy<>Knickertwist
fancybutch<>sloth003
noooitaremybirthday<>Homerof2

I have a feeling they're getting sick of me on the Halloween board, so since these bottles are mostly paper, with a few metal charms, I thought I'd post them over here for a change. These are chipboard bottle blanks from Alpha Stamps, all done up for Halloween. I love the background paper I used. The image on it is muted green flowers, but to me it looks like bubbly poison.


Here are some larger pics of the individual bottles. I think my favorite part of these bottles is the metal-looking flourishes I used as "fumes". I purchased these a while back, knowing they'd come in handy sometime. I never dreamed they'd be used for bottle art!






I also really love the labels. They were all cut from a piece of scrapbook paper. I have stocked up big time on it, because I love how old the labels look. I also used bits of this paper in the trick or treaters on spools I posted at the beginning of the month.
Man, I love October. Halloween crafting has to be my favorite!

Mine, mine, mine! I just love my new owl!

Look how great he looks in my dining room, next to his new friend, Mr. Crow.