ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS CORNER: DIY Craft Supplies

Homemade Christmas Supplies

Sometimes what we want and what we can afford are two very different things.  I often reach for an embellishment or basic crafting supply and come up empty!  That’s when it pays to know how to make your own materials.  Here are eight items that are easy to make and will save you money:

1- Christmas Butterflies – Who says butterflies aren’t for winter? Everyone

should maintain a bit of summer even in the depths of winter. I’ve made my own butterflies by taking some small red and/or green feathers, black chenille sticks, a bit of wire and a glue gun!  Find two sets of 2 feathers the same size. Arrange them like the wings of a butterfly, with the larger two one on each side on the top, and the smaller two one on each side below the.  Cut a short piece of chenille stick and adhere in the middle where the feathers touch. Cut a small piece of black wire and bend in half, then shape the ends in a flat spiral.  Attach with the glue gun at the top of your butterfly body. You can embellish the wings by using a black marker to make whatever designs you like. The photo shown is somewhat like the ones I make, but mine are solid colored and I use chenille sticks for the bodies. Photo credit:   http://www.makeiteasycrafts.com/2012/12/peacock-feather-butterfly-ornament.html


2- Buttons – Need a button to match your page?  All you need is cardstock, a

circle punch, a Crop-a-Dile, some Liquid/Glossy Glass, a glue stick and your choice of holiday patterned paper. Punch five circles from cardstock and one from your chosen patterned paper. Use a glue stick to adhere them in a stack, gluing the patterned paper on top. Use your Crop-a-Dile to punch 2 holes in the center.  Cover the top and sides with Liquid Glass and let dry on wax paper.  You can also paint or ink the top layer of cardstock for a solid colored button or use a shaped punch, like a heart, to make shaped buttons. Here's a tutorial to show you how this is done: https://www.inkingitupwithcathy.com/2011/10/technique-tuesday-buttons-from-stampin.html

   
3- Distressed flowers –

These flowers are simple.  Just tear (don’t cut) pieces of coordinating holiday papers into three or four circles, each one just a little smaller than the last. Distress the edges by rubbing them to curl them up.  Layer largest on the bottom to smallest on top.  Attach with a brad. This site has not only a tutorial for these flowers, but for 4 more paper flowers!   https://www.craftsy.com/paper-crafts/article/easy-paper-flowers/

  
4- Patterned Paper – Need a piece of patterned paper in a specific theme or color.  Make it yourself!  Get out your ink pads and holiday stamps. Starting with the largest images, stamp a few times in a random way.  Stamp from largest to smallest images.  Need shine? Use Stickles or metallic gel pens. Need texture? Use embossing powder, microbeads and fun fur. Too much white space? Spritz with Glimmer Mist!

5- Pinwheels – All you need is holiday-themed, double-sided paper, cut into

squares, a pair of scissors and a brad. The size of your paper squares is determined by how big you want your pinwheels. From each corner, cut toward the very center of your square, almost but not quite to the center (otherwise you would have four triangles!). Now bring each corner of your square toward the center, overlapping the ends.  When all four corners are gathered in the center, use a piercing needle to make a hole and then hold the pinwheel together with your brad. You can check out the tutorial at: http://itrydiy.me/2014/02/mini-pinwheel-bouquet/

6- Faux Snow –

I love to give my cards dimension and texture, but I don’t have the money all the time to go out and buy 14 different colors of FlowerSoft.  I found that if you rub a couple of Styrofoam balls together, the resulting “dust” can be used just like white Flower Soft, so your winter cards can really POP with the look and texture of snow! 


So, did I miss something?  Got a secret DIY project that will save us all money?  Tell us what YOU do to make your own supplies!

Challenge #41 AND #42 Winner Announcements

Hello to all our Christmas crafting friends!  With the help from one of my team members, Donna, I'm finally here to announce the winners and our top three Stocking Stuffers from Challenge #41 and also Challenge #42. So, are you one of those lucky peeps?! Let's find out!

 For Challenge #41:

***5. Carolline***

Caroline, you are the winner of a $12 gift certificate from A Day for Daisies, our guest sponsor for May (chosen by miniwebtool.com based on all eligible entries).

For Challenge #42:
***#23. pst***

pst, you are the winner of three images from Sheepski Designs, our guest sponsor for June (chosen by miniwebtool.com based on all eligible entries).

******

For both our winners, please send an email to the_12_moc_linkup {at} outlook {dot} com (or click HERE to bring the address up in your email program), with the subject, "12MoC Challenge #-- WINNER" (be sure to type in the number of the challenge that you won) to make arrangements to receive your prize. Please note that it may take me upwards of a couple of weeks to get back to you. Thank you for your patience. In the interim, please grab a copy of the winner badge below for your blog.

Next, it is time to get on with showcasing the top three. With so many wonderful entries to choose from, it is always such a difficult task for the design team. For Challenge #41, Granmargaret, Julie and Donna are scheduled to choose their favourite card. So, without further ado, here are the Stocking Stuffers for May:

***#5. Caroline***
 

***#31. Teresa***
 

***#11. Meg***

For Challenge #42, Susan, Suze and Helen G. are scheduled to choose their favourite card. Thus, here are the Stocking Stuffers for June:

***#40. KT Fit Kitty***
 

***#48. Marlene***
 

***#16. Meg***

Congrats to our top three Stocking Stuffers from each of these challenges! Caroline, Teresa, Meg, Kitty and Marlene please grab a copy of the badge below for your blog.

Everyone who links up two cards each month is eligible to receive a free digital paper. The individuals who linked up a minimum of two cards each during the month of MAY, qualifying them to receive the digital paper from that month, will receive the Dove Grey Frosty Swirls paper. Here is what it looks like...

Those people who earned the paper from JUNE will receive the Purple Leather Textured paper. Here is the preview for it...

 

To all of you who linked up during May and/or June, thanks ever so much! We are so happy to have all of you with us and hope that you'll continue to link up your holiday cards as you continue to work on your stash for 2018!!! We've just a couple of months to go so it is important to keep adding to your stash of holiday cards! I will send out these papers to those people who earned them as soon as I can find the time to do so.

As always, we are also going to have a random draw from all the entries and give out a set of six digital papers to one lucky individual from each of the challenges. Here is the preview for the full set for Challenge #41...

The winner of Frosty Swirls: The Pastel Collection Mini Kit from Challenge #41 is

AIMESLEE W.

(chosen by random.org)

 

Aimeslee, please send an email to the_12_moc_linkup {at} outlook {dot} com (or click HERE to bring the address up in your email program), with the subject, "12MoC Challenge #41 PAPER KIT WINNER" to make arrangements to receive your prize.

Below is the preview for the full set for Challenge #42...

 

The winner of the Texture Time: Leathers 1 Mini Kit from Challenge #42 is

AJ

(chosen by random.org)

 
AJ, please send an email to the_12_moc_linkup {at} outlook {dot} com (or click HERE to bring the address up in your email program), with the subject, "12MoC Challenge #42 PAPER KIT WINNER" to make arrangements to receive your prize.

Well folks, that is it for today. While you are here, please be sure to check out the details for our current challenge going on now (if you haven't already), with the Optional Theme this month of "Gear Up For Winter". You can find out all the details along with the link up, by clicking HERE.

Until next time,

Challenge #46 Midway: Optional Theme...Gear Up For Winter

Welcome back folks. It is the 15th of the month and time for our midway.

As we are halfway through the month of October already, it is time to see what the Merry Maidens have been up to with the the following awesome images from Pattie's Creations, our guest sponsor this month!

Winter Mittens

 

Holiday Reindeer

 

 

Penguin Igloo

 

Thank you so much to this month's generous sponsor for providing such amazing designs for the team to work with! Please pop over and pay Pattie's Creations a visit when you have the chance! You are sure to find something to add to your wish list while you are there!

Now check out what the Merry Maidens came up with to inspire you. Clicking on the names will take you to the individual blogs where you can check out the details for all these wonderful cards.

So if you haven't entered already, what are you waiting for? It is time to link up your Christmas and other holiday cards for October. Whether you choose to link up ANY type of Christmas or holiday card you've made for a chance to win this month's Paper Kit, or link up two of them simply to earn your free paper this month, or you choose to also follow the optional theme to have a chance at the sponsor's prize, it is completely up to you!  

Here is a refresher of the details for this challenge...

Please remember that this is a CARDS ONLY link up. While we've had some lovely tag entries in the past, we've sadly had to disqualify them.

Challenge #46

Optional Theme:
Gear Up For Winter

While we've officially just started fall, winter is just around the corner; so, it is time to expect cooler temperatures settling in for some parts of the world, particularly for those locations in the Northern Hemisphere! As such, it is time to start thinking about heading to the back of the closet and digging out all your warmer weather clothing and winter gear you might use in order to be prepared for when these colder temps hit. We've been know to have snow as early as October in the area I live and incredibly, there was a freak snow storm in parts of Alberta just a couple of weeks ago. The weather is about to change and with these colder temps comes opportunities for new sporting adventures such as skating, skiing and snowshoeing.

That is why this month, in order to have a chance to win the prize from our guest sponsor, we want you to create a card that has warm winter clothing and/or possibly other gear that one might adorn oneself with in the winter. Some examples of winter clothing include hats, mitts, muffs, scarves, warm sweaters, coats, boots, etc. When we are talking about winter gear, we are referring to items that MUST be attached to a person's body in order to use them; so, items such as skates, skis, snowshoes, snowboards, etc. The clothing or items can be an image on its own or it can be something that a character is wearing (whether a person, animal or other type of character). As long as some sort of winter clothing or other winter gear features prominently in your image, it is entirely up to you. If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize. 

Keep in mind though, that you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month or for a chance to win the featured paper set. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win THREE images from the Pattie's Creations store.

If you are new to this unique challenge, you can find out the impetus behind why I started it under the 'Introductions' tab.  As this is a different kind of link up where we have both an Anything Goes Christmas or other December Holiday option AND an optional theme to follow, be sure to read all the details and rules you need to know in order to participate, by checking out the 'Challenge Details' tab (both tabs located at the top of the blog).

You can find the Challenge Details Summary along with the link up for
Challenge #46 by clicking HERE.

Don't Forget, if everything goes according to plan...

• I plan to post two winner announcements as soon as I can manage. 
• Our new challenge will start on November 1st.
• Other special posts may be published throughout the month. Be sure to sign up to have our posts delivered by email or follow us through Bloglovin' so you don't miss a thing!

 

We look forward to seeing you participate!

Challenge #46: Optional Theme...Gear Up For Winter

Happy Monday Crafters! Amazingly, we have already arrived at the first day of October and that means it is time for our next challenge to get under way! Just 2 months and 24 days until the big day arrives. Whether you are just getting started or are well into your stack, with the cooler temps hitting us, it is a great time to continue with your quest to work on all those Christmas and other December Holiday cards you will need for year end! To provide you with some extra incentive to get your cards completed, we have some lovely prizes available! So, why not join us for your chance to win?!

It is now time to get down to the business of our latest challenge. Here is what you need to know...

The Basics

While you can find out ALL the information you need to know in order to participate in the challenge by checking out the 'Challenge Details' tab at the top of the page (or by clicking HERE), here is a refresher of the basics.

• Anyone can link up as many Christmas and/or December holiday themed cards (including Happy New Year's cards) throughout the month with an ANYTHING GOES theme.
• Every person who has linked up a MINIMUM of two (2) cards will be eligible to receive a specially designed Christmas themed digital paper.
• Each month there will be an OPTIONAL theme to follow. Anyone who submits a card adhering to the monthly theme, will have the chance to win a prize from that month's guest sponsor.
• ALL entries adhering to our basic rules also have the opportunity to win a mini pack of digi papers each month as well.

Now that the basics are out of the way, how about we get on with the details of Challenge #46.

Challenge #46

Optional Theme:
Gear Up For Winter

While we've officially just started fall, winter is just around the corner; so, it is time to expect cooler temperatures settling in for some parts of the world, particularly for those locations in the Northern Hemisphere! As such, it is time to start thinking about heading to the back of the closet and digging out all your warmer weather clothing and winter gear you might use in order to be prepared for when these colder temps hit. We've been know to have snow as early as October in the area I live and incredibly, there was a freak snow storm in parts of Alberta just a couple of weeks ago. The weather is about to change and with these colder temps comes opportunities for new sporting adventures such as skating, skiing and snowshoeing.

That is why this month, in order to have a chance to win the prize from our guest sponsor, we want you to create a card that has warm winter clothing and/or possibly other gear that one might adorn oneself with in the winter. Some examples of winter clothing include hats, mitts, muffs, scarves, warm sweaters, coats, boots, etc. When we are talking about winter gear, we are referring to items that MUST be attached to a person's body in order to use them; so, items such as skates, skis, snowshoes, snowboards, etc. The clothing or items can be an image on its own or it can be something that a character is wearing (whether a person, animal or other type of character). As long as some sort of winter clothing or other winter gear features prominently in your image, it is entirely up to you. If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize. 

Keep in mind though, that you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month or for a chance to win the featured paper set. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win THREE images from the Pattie's Creations store.


Talking about Pattie's Creations, it is time to refresh ourselves with the details of this returning sponsor…

I am an Internet Technology Professional and an Artist. I always dreamed of being an artist, but I found out quickly that I needed another field to support my family so I pursued a Degree in Information Technology. I love to use Adobe Photoshop and Fireworks to enhance my work. I just recently started selling my very own digital images and I am so excited to be here sponsoring this Challenge.
I created a character called Pattieboop and her cat named Allie. I have had so much fun coming up with different images so I also created a site to sell them. You can go to my store to find out more about Pattieboop & Allie. I know you will just love them when you see them.
Etsy Store:           http://www.etsy.com/shop/pattiescreations Challenge Blog:  http://pattiescreationschallenge.blogspot.ca/

Check out the wonderful images that the team worked with this month for the start of the challenge. Clicking on any of the image watermarks will take you to their page in the Pattie's Creations store where each of these images can be found.

Penguin

 

Pearl The Penguin

Penguin Igloo

 

You'll get to see more amazing projects using images from our sponsor during our midway so be sure to come back again at that time!

Sadly it has become the norm these past few months that having the paper set ready at the start of the challenge is a hit or miss. Given the latest series of events in my life, I haven't had a moment to even start this month's set. I'm not sure whether it will get done in time for a poll at the midway, but there will definitely be one ready for the prize. Thankfully at least, last month's set is almost ready--just one more paper to go and then I can get started on the Oct. set. If I do manage to get the set completed in time, I'll upload the preview and get the poll added to the midway post. Once again, this means that no one from the Sleigh Belles team will be using the new set and it is hard to say whether it will be done in time for anyone from the Merry Maidens to use. In case you're wondering, the set will be composed of  warm weather clothing and possibly some winter gear as well.

Now check out what the Sleigh Belles came up with to inspire you. Clicking on the names will take you to the individual blogs where you can check out the details for all these wonderful cards...

So what are you waiting for? It is time to link up your Christmas and other holiday cards for October!

If you are new to this unique challenge, you can find out the impetus behind why I started it under the 'Introductions' tab and all the details you need to know in order to participate, in the 'Challenge Details' tab (both tabs located at the top of the blog).

We have a packed month as usual; so, Pat and I and the rest of the gang hope to see you back with us soon!

• The winner announcement for Challenge #41 will posted as soon as I can manage.
• Then, be sure to join us again on October 15th, for our midway post where you'll get to see cards created by the Merry Maidens! 
• Pat will hopefully be here towards the end of the month with something special to share!
• Other special posts may be published throughout the month. Be sure to sign up to have our posts delivered by email or follow us through Bloglovin' so you don't miss a thing!

CHALLENGE DETAILS SUMMARY
Each month we'll include a summary of details for the particular challenge taking place. If you are new, please be sure to familiarize yourself with all the details and rules in the 'Challenge Details' tab at the top of the page. Please note that dates and times listed below are for this particular challenge only:

• Cards for this challenge will be accepted from 6:00 p.m. (18:00 hrs), October 1st until 11:59 p.m. (23:59 hrs), October 31st, 2018.  All times listed are in EDT (Eastern Daylight Savings Time).
  
• If you wish to receive the free digi paper being offered up for this month, you need to link up a minimum of two (2) Christmas or holiday themed cards. 
• If you receive a free digi paper, you are not obliged to use it in any future link up; though, if you do create something, be sure to let me know as I'd love to see it.
• This is NOT a progressive challenge. You can jump in at any time.
• You are allowed to enter as many Anything Goes cards as you'd like. HOWEVER, please note that if you follow the optional theme for the chance to win this month's prize of THREE images from the Pattie's Creations store, only a maximum of three (3) entries will qualify for the sponsored draw.
• If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize.
• Make sure when entering your project that you mention The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up in your post with a link back to this blog.
• Please remember to link directly to your blog post where we can see your creation, and not just the generic link to your blog.

We look forward to seeing you participate!

Link Up Below:
If you have any problems linking up, please be sure to leave a comment.

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up Challenge #46
Please link up your Anything Goes Christmas and/or December holiday themed CARDS with the optional theme of Gear Up For Winter below. Don't forget that if you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize. Please see above for all the rules and details.

Members of the EU Please Note: 

• By entering your Personal Information (i.e. name, blogpost address, email address) into any type of link up on this blog, you are giving your consent to having your name and blogpost link visible to everyone who visits this site. While we also request that you submit your email address when adding a card to any link up, this particular piece of Personal Information is kept private. It is only visible to me, Lisa Décosse, the owner of this blog or my designate (see more on how your email address is used below).
• By commenting on any post on this blog, you are also giving your consent to having your name and blogpost link visible to everyone who visits this site (unless of course, you have left a comment by remaining anonymous). 
• If you are a winner or top pick in an event that you have entered, a copy of your entry information will be published in a separate winners announcement post. This entry information may include the following: 
• your name and/or possibly your blog name
• the blogpost address of the card that you linked up
• a copy of the image that you originally linked up
• Should you qualify to receive a free digi paper by linking up two or more cards, or possibly win the full set of Digi Papers for any particular month and have linked up two or more cards, we will use the email address provided to send out your prize.

Your continued use of this blog and any services it may provide will constitute your acknowledgement and acceptance of this notice.A full Privacy Policy is being created and when completed will be added to a separate page on this blog.