Christmas Jewelry..

For Christmas this year I made lots of jewelry.

I admit I am not a pro at this...but I'm pretty proud of myself

at how far I've come with making them look so much better then

a string of beads! (Who knew crimping beads were so awesome??!!)

This first necklace set is made for a friend of mine.

This is one of my favorite ones that I made.

It has lots of crystal beads, and the charm is a unique one.

When Dan and I were in Mount Pleasant I picked it up at an Indian

museum and all the beads there were made by the Indians that lived on the reservation

that ran this particular museum.

This set here I made for an older teen.

I'm not sure of her style so I'm hoping

she likes this.

If you look closely the "wild" design beads are actually

made from magazine pages. Yep paper beads baby!!

I use a really strong glue when I make these, so when

they dry they are rock hard.

(I'll be making a tutorial for those of you who don't

know how to make paper beads)

This set here is made for my sister in law.

She wears a lot of Harley clothes so I figured if

I went with black/white/clear she'd have some

sort of shirt to match it.

I had to get the wire to shape so now it lays flat

not all curved like the photo shows.

And look there is some more of those paper beads!

This set was made for my little cousin

who is also an older teen, but a HUGE

University of Michigan fan.

I'm sure she'll wear these with pride!

(Go Notre Dame!)

Here is a set I made for another friend of mine.

Her favorite color is purple so I'm really

hoping that she likes this set.

This photo shows more of the true color of the

beads. (wow jewelry is hard to photograph!)

She also is not a person that I've noticed wears

various earrings so instead of earrings I made her a

bracelet.

And lastly, this set is made for my Auntie.

It was very hard to get the real colors of this set.

The colors are more like turquoise stones.

This was just some of the necklaces I made

this year. I gave 4 away without photographing them.

I told ya I been busy :)

Thanks for stopping by!

I hope your Christmas was a great one and that Santa

brought YOU lots of good things!

Our Christmas Count Down

For the past couple years I've been trying to figure out how to make

a Christmas Countdown that would be simple but possiably reused...

FINALLY!!!

I don't know where I seen this idea...(Sorry I can't give credit where credit is due!!)

I thought this was a neat idea!! It's recycling, simple, cutesie/old fashioned "feel" to it...

WHo woulda ever thought to use toilet paper rolls!!

Isn't that a nifty idea!!

Now that I did a simple one, I'm thinking...hmm this could be done up really cool if you have any spare time on your hands to add great whimsy to them!! For me...well maybe another time..but for this year, these are perfect! :)

So does that mean I have officially "altered" toilet paper rolls??? LOL..

Don't it look cute!!!

All I did was tuck fold the bottoms of each end.

I stuffed candy and other goodies

in it, along with a small activity!

I was able to stuff 2 packs of funsize m&m packs into them!!

**** COUNT DOWN/HALLOWEEN TIP HERE!!! ****

On Halloween when you take your kids trick or treating,

once it's all over give them a freezer bag with their name on it.

Ask for 25 pieces of candy. When they are done seal them up and throw them in the

freezer!!

You now have your Christmas Countdown candies. They still get to eat "their"

candy...just not all at once!!! :)

Thanks Suzanne for this tip you shared with me years ago!!

P.S. Don't always expect your kids will be pleased to "hand it over" lol..

I've been wanting to find a website

that has the story of Mary and Joseph and the

birth of Jesus, where you would read a section of the

story each night but I've yet to find a website for that.

So next year I will just break the story down myself, plus have

family activites in there.

I had a hard time tho coming up with something everyday..so incase you need some ideas too I'm including our list.

Have a Merry Christmas..time is counting down..ha ha..

1 decorate the tree
2 watch rudolph
3 curl up with hot coco and read a christmas book
4 send postcards to your friends
5 say a prayer for the troops
6 Set your shoe by your bedroom door for tonite is the nite St Nick comes!
7 work on gifts you're making for family members
8 listen to christmas music and sing along
9 read a christmas book
10 watch a special christmas movie in mom's bed! (I bought the movie "8 crazy nights" and included 2 fun size m&m's)
11 have a cup of warm coco and tell us about your day!
12 say a special prayer for everyone
13 enjoy your treat (put suckers in this one)
14 make cookies
15 read a christmas book
16 say a prayer for the troops
17 read a story about Jesus
18 Take goodies to the neighbors
19 have fun at the school party today!
20 enjoy your treat while we read a christmas book (put a piece of candy inside)
21 play a game of "trouble"
22 help open and hang the christmas cards
23 have coco popcorn and watch and christmas movie
24 Hang your stockings. Read a book about Jesus and verse
25 Happy Birthday Jesus! Be sure to thank him for all he's done for you! Enjoy your day!

A Hartfelt Christmas Blog Party!!!

Everyone is invited! Would you like to join the celebration? Read on...

How to join:

Make a post in your blog with the big announcement to let people know you're attending! Big catches people's attention. *winks*

Post the button in your sidebar with a link back to this blog for those who missed your grand announcement! (Plus it will help you not to forget too!)

Have your post ready to go on the 12th.

Post a comment here after you have made the announcement, and leave a link to your blog so Kelly can add you to the guest list.

Once your post is up, make sure you make a comment on http://hartfeltchristmas.blogspot.com/ and link back to it from yours that day so everyone knows you have made your post and can also find the rest of the party posts.

*************************************************************************************

Not sure what to post? Here are some suggestions:

Your holiday decorations

A story about your favorite present of all time

Your family traditions

Recipes

Crafts

And don't forget to include some pictures that incorporate your work if you are an artist, everyone loves to see that!

You're only limited by your imagination!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CAwSdvUpI_s/SvxJO9TDV2I/AAAAAAAACFs/tURa_K6p0-w/s1600/Blog%2Bparty%2Bflyer.png

A few more cards.....

Well...I'm getting there..

slowly but surely adding to my

many Christmas cards that need to be made.

I got very lucky. When I was at a thrift store I found this

old tattered hymn book. Of course I had to snatch it up!

It was even already aged for me ...and I'm talking to the

point that the pages are so old that the page are brittle!!

I totally love it :)

I love this barn image stamp!

I tried to make it wintery by adding the blue sky and glitter.

I'm not crazy about the ribbon, i think it's too wide and I might add

some snowflake die cuts to this card. will make it again so I'm calling

this one a "rough draft" lol..

Bummer the embossed Christmas trees didn't show up on the green paper!


This card is growing on me. I do love that image tho!!

A couple Christmas Card Shares.

Well it's that time again...

You know, when you swore that you would have all your cards made and ready to be sent out December 1st?!!!! But that didn't happen so now it's Crunch Time in November lol..

I did actually get a few cards made but then I didn't keep on keepin on with making them..so here I am getting back into the swing of things!

Here are two of the cards I made this weekend.

Both from sketches, that I didn't save links to (sorry)

Monkey See...

I'm not real sure how I feel about this paper piecing.

He's not totally ugly, but his face don't look right to me.

Even after looking at the pattern tho, that is how the face is suppose to be.

Ole well He can be used on a card if anything (a kids card ha ha)

Mother's Day Cards

This is the card I made for my sister Stephanie.

I like how it turned out but I still feel like it's missing

something. It's kinda "plain". But I really adore that stamped

image!!

I made this card for my sister Samantha.

I LOVE the image but am not too fond of the card it's self.

It didn't go together well like I was hoping and

the flowers I wanted to use I couldn't find.

I think I'm going to add a gray shadow around her and the chickens feet.

It looks rather plain.

This card is for my MIL. I thought the little

boy stamp was cute and since I have two boys, plus her son..well..I

just thought it fitting.

Kinda reminds me of Alfalfa from "Little Rascals"

Ok so this isn't my favorite of my cards.

I think the coloring looks horriable.

But being pinched for time I'm still using it.

This one is for my stepmom. She enjoys just getting

"fun mail" and handmade cards.

BEE-YOURSELF

I made this for a challenge over

at Paper Piecing and Scrapbook Fun (yahoo group)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Paper-Piecing-And-Scrapbook-Fun/
The challenge was to make a paper piecing that represents spring.

I made this little bee from a rubber stamp image

(I belive the stamp is made by TAC)

Once I got the piece finished I thought he turned out really cute

and wanted to use him on a layout...

And this is the layout I done. I thought it came out so cute!

I love that photo of Carter!

Monster Truck Birthday Layout

Nothing Major really..the cover page for Carter's

6th birthday.

We had a monster truck come in as a surprise.

All the kids (and adults) loved it

Happy Birthday Jaidon

I really should not post this disgrace lol..

This is NOT a cake I am proud of!!

But I wanted to show you a cheap way of adding a photo to

your cake. It's not ediable but it's doable.

I took a 4x6 photo and wrapped it good and tight with saran wrap,

then place it on your cake and pipe frosting around it.

That's all there is too it!

I always add extra frosting to where the photo is going to lay so when you pull

it up that section of the cake isn't without frosting.

Altered Cd with a Unicorn Paper Piecing

My friends daughter is doing her room

in fairies and unicorns.

I made this paper piece and wasn't sure what

I was going to do with it.

Well I ended up mounting it onto a regular old

no good cd and making it into a wall hanging for her.

She will receive this for her birthday.

Hope she likes it!!

Blog Party Winner!!!

Long overdue...........

I finally got a winner from the Blog Party Giveaway!

I used Random.org in order to make the giveaway fair.

The winner will be receiving the lovely bracelet and earring set.

And she should know I love how it turned out and am having a hard time parting with it :)

So on to the winner......the winner is.....

*~*DRUM ROLL *~*

Sheryl1024

My doll is modeling these for you all to admire.

(We still need a name for her!!)

She's such a great model huh? rofl!!

I love it! It's very sparkly too! The pictures don't do this set justice!

Happy Belated Birthday Karen

I made this card for Karen on Scrapbook Lane.

I didn't get her card sent in time.

Shame on me :)

I'm fairly happy with how this card turned out..I wish I had different ribbon tho.

For the cherry on the dropped ice cream I glued a red bead.

I love that image!!!

card and bookmark

I guess I'm on a kick with these rainy day stamps lol..

I made this card and bookmark for my friend Barbee.

Her husband has been in the hospital and I wanted to send

a little something to lift her spirits.

When life gives you a rainy day.....remember to play in the puddles

This is a card I made for my Sister In Law.

She's going through a rough spot right now and

I thought maybe the card would cheer her up a bit.

I think it turned out cute.

It's hard to see on the front of the card but full

bodied duck is pop-dotted.

Triple the Sketch Challenge

Over at Triple The Sketch Blog http://triplethesketch.blogspot.com/2009/04/our-one-year-anniversary-blog-hop-raks.html they have a sketch for anyone who wants to try it. (Several sketches actually). It's too late to get in on the prize but it's still a great sketch for a card or layout.

My layout came out similar to the sketch but I had to change things up a little bit to make it work how I wanted it to. (But who says you have to follow sketches to a T!)

Angel Bookmark

For one of the online crops at

Scrapbook Lane (yahoo group)

The challenge was to make a bookmark.

I made this bookmark for a special friend of mine.

I LOVE that image!

I hope she likes it too!!

I think you're SEW sweet!!

This is a little card I made up for a friend who is going through a tough time right now.

Not one of my favorite cards but I do just LOVE the image of the little girl!!

This is a little Easter Ducky paper piecing I did for a challenge in a yahoo group called

Paper-Piecing-And-Scrapbook-Fun

I think she turned out rather cute if I do say so myself :)

I think I'm going to add some light pink cheeks tho!

WELCOME TO THE BLOG PARTY!!

Are you ready for a fun time of blogging?? I know I sure am!!

There are SO many blogs that are doing this blog party so be sure to check them out!

When I set this blog up my intentions were to set it up so that people could get craft ideas and maybe some ideas on cards and layouts.

It has become a great outlet for me when it comes to sharing my crafts and ideas. I hope you will take the time to look around my blog and maybe you'll find an idea or two.

And as always, come back, I'm always adding something new!!

Would you like to get in on my giveaway??

For the blog party I decided to have a surprise give away!! Whoever the winner is will receive a surprise piece of jewlery made by yours truely. (Psst...I bought special beads just for this piece)

Winner will be chosen March 27,2009

You can enter by doing the following-

1.) Everyone that wants in on it MUST tell me what your favorite craft, card or layout is that I have posted already on my blog and post it here.

2.) For an extra chance blog about my giveaway and then post here

Please be sure to have a way that I can contact you if you win. Winner will be chosen by random. org

I want to give a special THANK YOU to my friend Teresa who has TOTALLY helped me set this whole thing up!!!! She's such a gem!

She'd doing the blog party too and has a wonderful blog full of TONS of great stuff. Go check her out when you're done here! http://8thingsaboutme.blogspot.com/