Be Your Own Holiday Magic

Goodness, it's that weird week between Christmas and New Year...and somehow I get to sneak turning 44 in there too. Good thing we're taking the break week seriously around these parts. Pratt Inc. has been on maintenance mode for the past couple of days. That means we're doing the laundry, dishes and basically chilling!

The stockings were hung, filled slowly over the month of December, and then opened in about ten minutes after my parents left on Christmas Day. The 'Rents went home to massive amounts of snow and with a new Christmas kitty to play with. They live in the lake affect snow area. Here we live in the brown grass with a dusting of snow area. Needless to say, the new kitten will not be going outside. They'd lose him under all that snow!

I always wonder every year if I should bother with stockings, but then all the little stuff makes everyone laugh so I think they secretly like them. Even if I stuff my own and stay things like WOW, I love these petaloo flowers, how ever did you know what color I'd want?

Back on the topic of the new kitty, Hawkeye is already proving to be a big part of their family and I'm glad we played a roll in getting the little bugger. He has taken over my Dad's chair which is mightly ballsy of him, but I think that's how he rolls. Likely he did a quick assessment of sleeping on the floor in front of the wood stove or on a chair and came up with the best option. Added bonus is a human sitting down and then he gets a pet at the same time.

As far as the magic of Christmas goes, we're pretty terrible at the holiday here at Pratt Inc. I'm not sure why, but it's probably because we're supposed to do all these things. All these things aren't things we wanna do so we kinda rebel and do it our way. Our way meant the kids got a budget, researched computer components and built their own machines the week after Thanksgiving for their present. That whole thing really cut down on the wrapping. I also just sent the last Christmas card yesterday. I seriously have a low opinion of Christmas stress having spent many years having it.

Well, I'm off to brave the frigid temps and retrive my erosion bundle. It's time to see what all our rain did to the dye I added and the paper. Wish me luck. Hopefully it's not just a hot (cold?) mess of ick. I'll probably be back tomorrow with how it turned out!

Happy Thursday!

Pretty Purple Pie Slice for THE CUTTING CAFE

Ohhh I have been looking forward to making this box! It was super quick and turned out so pretty!

The actual file can be found over at THE CUTTING CAFE and is called the Pie Slice Box. It's one piece and goes together quick!

I added a snowflake boarder and some crystals! A little heart shows you where to open the box!

I'm working on a little gift to go in this box! I can't wait to send it!

We're rounding the corner to Christmas! I have a couple of cards left to send and a package to mail, but other than that I'm all ready! I have big plans of lots of fun crafting next week!

Happy Hump Day!

12 "Tags" of Christmas for the Funkie Junkie: Jar Twelve

Goodness gracious! The last tag for the Funkie Junkie Boutique challenge is done and dusted! I wrapped it up this morning by rolling three burlap roses and then added some gold paint. I'm a bit sad and in fact after a group shot I packed them up for their next journey in life. But first, let's talk about what I made here!

Linda over at the Funkie Junkie blog used a lot of traditional colors on her tag so that's what I used. She also pulled out some burlap which is why I have rolled some roses out of it. So much fun.
























Rolled burlap roses are rather addicting, but I only had one jar lid that needed to be decorated! Really love the little snow flakes that I also glued to the jar with gold pearl centers. They remind me a little of Linda's red pearls she used!

Are you ready for the group shot? Of course you are!
























So pretty and to think they are just little upcycled jars with all sorts of fancy additions! Well, I am sure I'll be back next year....just trying to come up with my next creation!

12 "Tags" of Christmas for the Funkie Junkie: Jar Eleven

Goodness, we're creeping down to the very last of these aren't we! I've got something fun up my sleeve when they are all done, so I'm a little anxious! I had quite a lot of fun with this one painting the base red with gold speckles and making that ribbon rose.

Linda's tag from the Funkie Junkie blog provided quite a lot of inspiration. I used the Christmas colors and grabbed a little of my own burlap to wrap around my jar. 

The whole thing was pretty simple when I got inspired to roll my own ribbon rose from my plaid ribbon. I wanted a rose or a flower, but was having trouble finding one in my stash I liked...plus I wanted to use plaid like Linda. When I made a bow with it, it wasn't making me happy. After rolling the rose, I added some vintage holly to mimic the little sprig she used at the top of the bow and then I was pleased. In fact, these are so flat I can see making some for a scrapbook page or two!

I'll be back very soon with Jar Twelve and a fond farewell to the Funkie Junkie Boutique who sponsored this challenge. She is drawing winners on my birthday so I'm hoping for a very special birthday surprise of a gift certificate to the store! If not, I'll content myself with a 10% off coupon!

Anyhow, happy Thursday to you! Friday is just around the corner....excuse me while I put on my mittens...that pesky white stuff has showed up here in NY....

Hugs!

Blue Eyes & Not Just a Paint Job

I got a phone call the other day from a really nice lady. Habitat had planned on paying for her house to be painted the previous summer and then the good weather got away from us. It nearly did this summer too. We did manage it though and she was so grateful. I am guessing her home is over 100 years old and another not for profit ahead of us had installed new windows. It was during that window install that I met Arlene. She was super sweet & running the show from her kitchen table. See, Arlene can't get around too well, but she is as sharp as a tack. She isn't quite as old as her house but I imagine kinda close.

Chris, her contractor was finishing up some pretty fancy trim around the outside of those windows & he popped in to sign some paper work. It was right about then that Arlene mentioned his pretty blue sexy eyes. I didn't disagree with her and I was super proud of her in that minute managing to embarrass a grown man contractor. You go girl!

Recently we stopped in to see her freshly painted house and she asked me if I could print the photo I had taken of it for her. The point of the photo was for some social media bragging but I could see her point. It's not like she can just wander out her door and look at her paint anytime she wants since she's in a wheel chair. It sounds like it's the talk of the neighborhood as the house has always been white. Quite glad to give this house a fresh coat of paint to help it last and give a nice old lady some bragging rights! She might have also fallen in love with the head painter too, but that's another story. Didn't disagree with her on that one either.

A Very Merry Christmas Shabby Card for THE CUTTING CAFE

I had an urge the other day to make a special Christmas card for a friend's Mom who is struggling. I mean, we are all struggling in one way shape or form, but some of us have a heavier burden to bear. It's always nice to get a fun hand made card and hopefully even just for a few minutes it helps.

I pulled out a couple of fun things to play with while making this card. My first step was to cut out this really pretty stocking from THE CHRISTMAS SHAKER CARD SET from THE CUTTING CAFE. I didn't want to make a shaker though, because I wanted to use a new embossing folder that had roses. I inked up the embossed part and added a gold strip & flower ribbon to the top.

I added a really pretty Mom die cut from Amy Delightful along with a `present. I have fussy cut a bunch more from the printable, so I can't want to make another card!

Happy Wednesday!

12 "Tags" of Christmas for the Funkie Junkie: Jar Ten

Goodness, I've crept into the double digits with these jars for the Funkie Junkie tag challenge! So exciting! It's a little sad too, which is probably why I have used a little blue on my project here!

Linda's tag at the Funkie Junkie Blog was very subtle this time 'round. She did use some silver and a color that I interpreted as gold and then there is that green blue color...SNOW FLAKES TOO! I was inspired by those as well.

Aside from the ones I used around the center of the jar, I decorated the top too. I used the leaves to make a kind of snowflake pattern and then actual flakes are the flowers with gold pearls centers. So much fun.

I used a snowflake under the jar too. Really love this jar! Such a fun little topper too!

So happy this challenge is sponsored by the Funkie Junkie Boutique. It's always a highlight of Christmas and I'm enjoying my growing collection! So fun!

Happy Tuesday!

A Very Shabby Gift Box & Ornament for Visions of Sugar Plums Day 3

Goodness this was rather simple to create. Mainly it was just a really sturdy box and then I put some pretty paper on it! Had some fun decorating it! Love pretty flowers and some vintage foliage! This box can be yours, just leave me a comment and let me know what you like about it!

The feet were rather easy to attach. I just poked a hole through the box and attached sparkly brads!

I'm including this sparkly snowflake ornament with some hand dyed seam binding too!

Alright, since you are here to hop, here are some other peeps that are playing along today too with Visions of Sugar Plums! Our host, Lori has some fabulous give aways and is also having a challenge!

How do you win?   

1.  Start by leaving a comment here that you would like to win. 

2.  Visit all the other blogs and leave comments.  

3.  Lori will pick up your name from here, check all the other blogs and put your name in the "hat"  as many times as you leave comments.  Example:  Leave 14 comments = your name 14 times in the "hat". And then her husband will draw a winner all old school! Happy Happy!

Here is the line up:

Lori

Greta

Mitra-you are here

Lisa

Debbie Dee

Bety

Debbie

Karen 

Tracey

For more fun, want to play along with Lori's Christmas Challenge? It's running from today until December 16th and the prize is a $20 gift certificate to Mama Elephant!

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Enjoy Hopping & linking up your challenge! 

A Very Vintage Box for Visions of Sugar Plums Day 2

A few weeks back I made this itty bitty gold box for THE CUTTING CAFE using the Tissue Box Cover (one of our sponsors here over at Sugar Plums) and I knew that I wanted to save it for my give away! So, leave me a comment here to win! 

Since you will likely tuck a gift into it & pass on, I am also sending you some goodies to decorate your own! Most of them are little vintage things that I've squirred away and now I'm sharing some!

Now back to our hop so you can enjoy all the give aways and cool ideas! Our hostest Lori

 is giving away the most yummy stuff!

How do you win?   

1.  Start by leaving a comment here that you would like to win. 

2.  Visit all the other blog's and leave comments.  

3.  Lori will pick up your name from here, check all the other blogs and put your name in the "hat"  as many times as you leave comments.  Example:  Leave 14 comments = your name 14 times in the "hat". And then her husband will draw a winner all old school! Happy Happy!

Here is the line up:

Lori

Bety

Debbie

Lisa

Mitra-you are here

DebbieDee

Greta

Tracey

Maria

Karen

Nancy

Jinny

Kathy

 Mackie

Larissa

For more fun, want to play along with Lori's Christmas Challenge? It's running from today until December 16th and the prize is a $20 gift certificate to Mama Elephant!

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Enjoy Hopping! See you back here tomorrow with my last fun giveaway! Hugs!

Very Shabby Victorian Christmas Wall Hanging for Visions of Sugar Plums Day 1

It's here! Happy Dance! Visions of Sugar Plums and my give away is upon us again! I've got a very Victorian Shabby frame up for grabs! It's my SEVENTH year participating and giving away things really put me in the spirit of Christmas!! A huge thanks to Lori at Choux Choux Paper Art for hosting and wrangling up a team of awesomeness for a hopping good time!

This wall hanging came with all this cool detail, but sadly was a icky shade of cream that I cleaned up with some white paint and brown accents. A cool detailed Victorian sticker stars at the center of the pieces with lots of vintage foliage and glitter. I love a fun upcycle project!

I even rubbed some gold paint along the edges to match the "JOY" banner at the top! So fun!

So, just leave me a comment that you'd like to win and I'll pick a winner soon and get it sent your way!

If you'd like to keep hopping here are the links for today:

Mitra-you are here

Tracey

Lisa

Greta

DebbieDee

Karen

Debbie

Annette

Bety

For more fun, want to play along with Lori's Christmas Challenge? It's running from today until December 16th and the prize is a $20 gift certificate to Mama Elephant! 

Happy First Day of Sugar Plums! I'm back with two more days of fun give aways!

On the Side Layout for Another Freaking Scrappy

This was a stash busting page but done with newly taken photos! Another Freaking Scrappy is back with a new challenge. This one is to use the word Merry or Happy and the color red or green! Now I have my first Christmas page done and dusted!

I used up a piece of super busy Christmas paper I had in the stash and cut circles out of it so the red paper behind would show through. Some of the little embellishments have been hanging out in the Christmas stash for ages! The photos however, are brand spanking new! Just this past weekend we were off to the Festival of Lights in Corning which we got to enjoy with both kids who were actually with us and not in the parade! Last year they were short a couple of people so I actually marched (eek!). 

Thankfully I got to enjoy the photography of a local that always takes epic photos and posts them! He gave me permission to use on my page! Loved the jeep with the grinch the most!

Hope you get a chance to play along and get a page (or two!) done! Happy Friday and First of the Month!