Fuzzy Winter White Beaded Garland

In addition to setting up my sample trees to organize my ornaments for sale on my Etsy Christmas Shop by theme, I've been using the opportunity of all these trees around me to photograph my garland more 'in situ'.  I think it shows it off nicely, and the 2 1/2 foot trees make it relatively easy to prep for a photo shoot.

Sample Trees

Goodness gracious, can you believe the date?  I can't fathom how December has become so close all of a sudden, and I seem to have lost my Christmas production mojo at a rather peculiar time.  I blame the leaves - it's been a lot of raking. I heard my first Christmas Carol though yesterday, so no more messing about, it's time to get back into Christmas preparations.  Here we go.

Countdown

While we were busy raking leaves ...this happened!  Time to get back in crafting mode!

Square Card Snowflake with Candy Cane Glitter and Gems

I've been working on Christmas cards and gift tags lately - while the myriad paper crafting supplies are out - as it won't be long before they're needed.  I have so many things/possibilities that my sanity plan is to focus on one thing at a time and try my best not to get distracted. In this case the focus item is my supply of square cards, and the goal is to develop a few standard templates for different colour/theme variations.

Oh Christmas Tree Gift Tags

I recently treated myself to some new die cut punches in a Christmas theme like these lovely forest version Christmas trees.  They are a perfect embellishment for these lovely craft tags that I found.

Fabulous Festive Food - Winter Wonderland Trees, Snowmen and Candy Canes oh my!

I have seen so many cute ideas for holiday entertaining food that take themes OTT - which I'm all about, for sure when it comes to Christmas.  Themes are cool.  So many cute ideas, in fact, that when I try to find one that I have in mind I struggle to locate it, and then I become insanely distracted by more great ideas as I search through my Pinterest boards and etc. and then ... I have fallen down the rabbit hole, or Santa's chimney, as it were.  What is this organized thing of which they speak?  I try though, I do try.  So I thought, hey, while I'm trying to get organized, why don't I share.

Christmas Countdown

Want to see more Christmas pictures? Check out the ever expanding Christmas photo gallery at Christmasismagical.blogspot.ca  

Glitter Snowflake Embellishments

The leaves are just beginning to fall, but the days are still glorious here so I'm trying to get out and enjoy the lingering warm weather.  I know it won't be long until we're all thinking about Christmas though, and the shelves are beginning to include Christmas items, I noticed yesterday, so I can't keep thinking it's summer.

Seussical The Musical Diamond Dangles

We get our design inspiration from all over the place and today's assignment was a super fun one for me ... to create a potential small ornament momento for cast members performing Seussical the Musical.  Great fun! The starting point for the concept was the shorter version of my button style dangles.

Pretty Purple and Silver Sparkle Crochet Christmas Tree Skirt

I've started working on smaller tree skirts. They are just perfect for a 3' or abouts Christmas Tree, which I often use for testing when I'm working on my ornaments.  They're such a great size and so pretty on a table top.  I've sketched out a number of patterning styles and this is a great way to more quickly test the concept for a larger tree skirt.  This smaller size is based on 12 rows and measures approximately 19.5".

Any Aisle is Craft Aisle

Working on ... Beaded Diamond Dangles with Pretty Glass Beads

Most of us crafty types can be frequently found perusing pound shops, dollar stores and the various equivalents for bits and pieces that are essential and inspirational in our crafty pursuits.  If you can find components there, they'll be at fractions of the regular craft store prices,  The craft aisle regularly offers up new and interesting bits to get your creative juices flowing, becoming a fun challenge of "what could I do with this?".

Goodie Gum Drops ... these are ornaments

I just love a candy land theme to the Christmas decorating.  I'm not entirely sure why this is a great combination - other than the festive period is often a time of lots of lovely sweets and treats - but it puts me in mind of childhood and of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  Are you singing along with me to "toot sweets"?  Ah, I digress.  See what happens when I think of childhood christmas fantasies.

Gum Drop Ornaments at FakeCupcakeCreations

There are several popular styles for ornaments in a Candy Land Christmas concept; cupcakes, candies, etc. and of course loads of methods and materials of production.  I've just seen a new-for-me concept and I think it's utterly brilliant.  The gum drop ornament.  I love gum drops and think they'd look fab on a tree.  Sparkly and pretty colours, what more could you want?

Christmas Card Maker Gadget

How cool is this? Customize your message and share with friends and family on your blog and in various e-ways. This is a fun little Christmas Card Maker gadget from Satisfaction.com.

You can't currently edit the background or font attributes, but what you get is pretty!

Seussical and More Diamond Dangles

What a lovely week-end we're having.  Lovely blue skies and sunshine and just hot enough.  After last weeks deluge it is a lovely change.  This afternoon I took my beading out to the sunshine on the deck and added the beaded spiral hooks to some of my assembly line 'bases' .  Time to do some catch up.

Rainbow Bling Diamond Dangles

What an absolutely rubbish weekend it's been - weather wise that is.  I was meant to be doing a couple of craft tables at a local event, but as it was outdoors and as the heavens opened and drenched us for two days straight, along with high winds - that didn't materialize.  Since we've had so much rain, and the Pride Parade in Toronto this week-end (which the rain didn't seem to dampen), the subject is rainbows.

Buttons and Crimbo Crackers

This week I came across a new challenge site that I knew I'd love as soon as I saw the name - Crimbo Crackers - utterly brilliant.  To make things even better the themed challenges aren't just for cards, which is more up my alley, and the first challenge I'm seeing is of interest to me.  Buttons, hooray, I love buttons.  Although they make ideal embellishments in card making, I've yet to do that more than once but I have played with lots of things incorporating buttons and Christmas.

Ye Olde Silver Tree

I was looking for a photo to use on this blog today when I realized that the photo/post I was looking for wasn't here - but on one of several other blog sites that I had transitioned from.   The yin to my creative ideas seems to be the yang of creative chaos ;)  It's a shame I didn't keep one blog going, but I simply must show you here the transition that my little 50 year old Christmas tree - that's travelled the world - recently underwent.  Maybe you've got something like this kicking about that you thought was nearly ready for the bin - think again!

Upcycling Christmas Gift Tags

Getting back into the crafting groove, and trying more than anything to have a clear out of craft supplies, I've upcycled some festive gift tags for Christmas.  I found some super cute gift tags at the dollar store last season and thought that they would make wonderful embellishments.  Originally a mini-card with a little envelope, I've cut the backs off and adhered the bright graphic images to a 2" scalloped square which I've die cut in matching colours.

Tszuj it Up!

I, like many before me, have just had to google the spelling for a word that may not in fact exist.  I use it all the time - as I do it all the time - but I didn`t have a clue how to spell "juj?" it up.  I'm still not certain it is an actual word but I have certainly chosen my favourite spelling. Tszuj.  What a great word.  Scrabble, anyone?

Crocheted Garland: the Royal Collection

Well, gosh it's been a while. Spring is springing forth (finally, it seems this year!) and thoughts of Christmas may be nowhere near to mind for most, but around here it never truly stops.

Valentine's LOVE Earrings

I'm carrying on with the Valentine's Day projects, still with beads, still with earrings, but this time focusing on these fun "LOVE" charms.  For the first style I went with a double dangle pairing the LOVE charms with little heart charms.  The main beads are pink miracle beads (which are so much prettier than I seem to be able to photograph), faceted rondelles and tiny bi-cones.

Moving on ... Funky Hearts

After a deplorable lack of Christmas updates over the last few weeks (best laid plans and the usual chaos) I'm moving on and starting to work up some things for the next holiday theme - Valentine's Day.