Christmas in July Part 2

 

My cross stitchy neighbor, Kathy and I just uploaded our Christmas in July part @ video.  I was so excited to share Kathy's stunning Christmas samplers.  I even highlighted the one piece of Christmas cross stitch I have finished.  It's just missing the bow and miniature rolling pin on the top.  

This piece was made from 2 charts I printed from the Just Cross Stitching magazine DVD I bought that has all issues from 2001 to 2010, including the Christmas ornaments issues.  I just love how the Prairie Schooler Santa fit on top of the Good to Be Fat and Jolly Quote one.  Can't wait to finish off the top and put up in my kitchen this Christmas.  

Two of the other items I shared  were the Christmas Planner Notebook I made and the little booklet, covered with Graphic 45 papers to hold my "Christmas Chart Catalogue".  

For the Chart Catalogue folder, I used the same technique shown in our Floss Book Tutorial Video to make the book.  Then I cut some "library pockets" from craft paper with my Cricut and then printed and cut some "library cards" from a pdf I downloaded.    I am loving how easy it was to make and how easy it is to use to document all the facts about the Christmas cross stitch pieces I am working on.  I plan to add small pictures of the cross stitch pieces when they are complete.  It was so much fun using some of my older Christmas scrapbook papers and stickers and things to decorate the pages. 

The Christmas Planner notebook I made was inspired by a darling "free" chart from TangledThreads andThings 

I was so delighted to find this darling chart and had to stitch it right away.  It goes perfectly with the older  K and Company scrapbook papers I was hoarding.  Even found an avocado green binder at Office Depot that matched the papers perfectly.  Don't overlook the cute Noel Pillow chart that is on the Tangled Threads and Things site.  It is so charming!

And what's a Christmas celebration without something chocolate and made with a little holiday spirit?  Kathy and I are sharing some of our favorite holiday recipes and makes with each other.  My contribution to this week's celebration was a Bacardi Rum Cake.   You can find the recipe online at the Bacardi site, just be sure you are over legal drinking age to make this oh so rich cake!

Kathy shared her Marinated Grilled Shrimp Recipe.  They were great.  I just need to figure out how to keep Kathy bringing over the delicious goodies from now on when we tape our videos.  You can find the recipe on the Freebies page of this blog. 

It was such a thrill for me to get to see just some of Kathy's favorite Christmas samplers she has stitched throughout the years.  Each one was a masterpiece.  To see more just watch our video.  

Hope you enjoy and Merry Christmas in July to you!

Molly D

https://youtu.be/AjYqzgqByc8

Christmas in July with Linen and Scraps Flosstube

 
Kathy, my incredible, crafty neighbor, and I just finished filming our latest Flosstube.  It's the first of 3 episodes of Christmas in July cross stitching and crafting.   

 I was like a kid at Christmas, in absolute awe seeing all the Christmas cross stitch "smalls" Kathy had brought to showcase.  Her needlework is beyond amazing.   

The amount of love and details she stitches into each piece is just spectacular.   

Pictured here is a Gingerbread House she made a few years past.  Just image the joy and wonder these gorgeous pieces bring to her beautiful grandchildren when they see her home filled with this magic at Christmas!

The flosstube video we filmed is chock a block full of these creations, and so much more.

Be sure to watch the full video for our Christmas in July ideas.   I even showed some little project pouches I created with some "stitchy" sayings  and cute Vintage Santa "floss drops" I made.  

Yes, I am definitely loving my refound  craft of needle, thread and fabric crafting.  And am just thrilled to mix it with papercrafting ideas.  

We even had a recipe exchange between the two of us.  Kathy shared  her delicious Butter Pecan Fudge recipe and I made Aunt Mamie's Pecan Pie Mini Muffins.  

Between the two of us, just image how much butter and brown sugar was enjoyed!  

We shared the recipes for both on the Freebies page on this blog.  Just click the link to the Freebies page on the left and it will take you to that page. 

https://youtu.be/FISySd_qkGI

The video was filled to overflowing with cross stitch patterns, up close looks at all of Kathy's  smalls and so so so much more.  

Hope you enjoy!

Hugs, 

Molly D

Carols of Christmas Cards

 I know I say it too often, but this newest set from Stampin' Up! is one of my favorites!    I just love the vintage typography on the greetings  And their larger size helps add a pop of fun to a card in a hurry.

As an independent demonstrator for Stampin' Up! I was able to purchase the stamp and die set below it's official launch. 
And boy oh boy, am I glad I did.


Both of the over sized sentiments are just perfect for cards, but as a scrapbooker I love them.  They will both be perfect for page titles or embellishment pieces on any holiday layout.  

The two different stamped background papers you see on the cards were made using some great background stamps.  One is the Brushstrokes stamp and the other is the Diagonal Stripe.  

These two stamps are going to get a lot of mileage over the next few months.  I can just see  them in fall colors, copper embossing, done in dramatic ombre effects. 
I just can't wait to play more with these sets.

I will definitely be doing some more projects and videos using these fun new additions to my stash!  Please visit My Stampin' Up! store for any of your Stampin' Up! needs.  The Carols of Christmas sets won't be available for just a little while yet.  But that shouldn't stop you from getting ahead on making some easy and colorful backgrounds with these great background stamps.

Brushstroke Stamp

Diagonal Stripe

Just wanted to quickly share what I had fun creating today.  Hope you enjoy.

Have fun crafting!
Molly D

Simple Stories Santa & Co. Mini Album and Layouts

Made  a video of a quick tour thru my latest little mini album.  I used the happy Santa & Co. line from Simple Stories.  Have had these fun papers, stickers and embellishments in my stash for quite a while and was bound and determined to use them all up in projects this year.  Well, I got very close, just have 4 or 5 sheets of the paper left.  Whew!  

This style was not my original idea.  I was inspired by a mini album a very talented friend of mine did from a kit from a few years back from one of the best scrapbook stores in the universe.  Treasured Memories in Lafayette, La  Janet owns the store and she and her team create beautiful layouts and share their talents during crops and classes.  And if you are ever in the market for page kits for scrapbooking, you won't find any better styles or values than those at  Treasured Memories.   

Now, as I tell about in the video, I did change up the format just a little to allow from thicker embellishments and pictures, but the idea is basically the same.  And along with the book I did a four "pocket" pages and two single page layouts from the same line.  And yes, even after all that, I still have paper left....and yes, I know I have a paper problem.  But I can't imagine having a better addiction than that!

Happy crafting to you all and Happiest of Holidays and Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Huge Die Haul featuring Gina Marie Dies

Well, drat!  I stumbled upon another great online store.  And I mean great!  I linked my video below that shows you my whole huge die haul, but I wanted to share one particular new vendor I was so excited to find.

 It's Wholesale Crafting Supplies.  They showcase an incredible collection of dies, called Gina Marie Designs, that are not only well designed, but cut so smoothly and are at great prices! 

I feel so lucky to have found this great shop, run by a very very sweet young lady, named Gina!  A friend of mine, Belinda Keller, sent me a link to a fun youtube channel, she just knew I would love: PoetSpice.  And she was right.  It is a fun, funny channel.  

But, I felt I really hit gold when poetspice showed a haul she had done from this great online store.   And the very minute I starting browsing her dies...I was hooked.   




Below is one of my favorite dies, the 4 x 4" quilt block die.  What a wonderful way to use up some of those gorgeous designer paper scraps I couldn't bring myself to throw away. 

These flourish dies I bought are incredibly delicate and so intricate, but cut so well.   

And I already have had so much fun, cutting out snowflakes and wreaths, looking ahead to Christmas.  

Now I hear Gina is coming out with dozens of new designs for fall, Halloween and Christmas.   Oh for goodness sakes, I am in trouble!

And I love it!  

It is so wonderful to see a successful small business bringing us such great products at such great prices.  

I just wanted to share this link, so you too can fall in love with these dies, just like I did.  

No, I don't have any connection to this shop. Well, other than that I am a huge new fan. 

Well happy crafting everyone!

Molly D

New Christmas Tags for 2015

Well was that fun or what?  I just spent the morning creating nine new tags to celebrate this Christmas season.  

I am on a mission to use up as much of my bits and pieces of scrips  and scraps that I have been hoarding for the last several years and thought making tags would let me use some of the itty bitty pieces I couldn't use on layout.  


I started with a base of the Julie Nutting for Prima paper tags.  They have a wonderul vintage feel to them and I love the size.  I sprayed each one with different combinations of my Lindys Stamp Gang sprays in tones of creme brulee, golds and other metallics.

While I was in a bling it up type frame of mind, I tore into my flower stash, found several I thought might work for the holidays, and sprayed some of them and added glitter and gilding to the rest.  

Then it was just a matter of gluing on all the little treasure pieces I had laid out in front of me.  And while it should have been oh so easy, I found I spent hours laying each one out and agonizing over the placement of each piece. 

Even deciding on the ribbons to use was such fun.  And made me feel so justified in having spent a small fortune over time building up this hoard of scrappy happy supplies.


The happiness of making these little charmers was even made all the merrier when I realized I had actually made a small dent in the holiday stash and might now have a little room to put away some of the new things I got delivered today.  

Sigh.....  Oh well, back to stash busting for me!  

I am wishing each of you a very Merry Christmas and happiest of New Years.  Now I am off to make some 12 x 12 layouts.  

Here's the video of these cuties:

Hugs, 
Molly

Make It Merry Mini Album and Die Storage idea from Tim H

Just wanted to share this oh so merry little Christmas mini album I just finished. It features the October Afternoon collection, Make it Merry.  I love the sweet retro look of the collection and the cheery feel of it.  

The album is constructed using medium weight chipboard as the base for each page.  I cut the rop papers for each page  7.5" tall by 6" wide.   Then I cut the papers to cover the pages just about a half to 3/4 of an inch bigger to give me room to "wrap" the papers around the edges. 


Once I had wrapped those around, I cut the papers to cover the back of each page just  1/4" smaller in each direction to glue on the back.  Be sure to check out my video for closeups of each page.  

Plus, I share in this video how I am storing my dies now,  ( I have a picture below of how it came out in my craft room so far).

Borrowed the idea after watching a Tim Holtz video where he mentioned this idea. Couldn't wait to give it a try, and I love it. 

Once I was inspired by all the dies I had forgotten I owned, I played a little bit with cutting the edges of my pockets and a few decorative pieces to add to this little mini.  Some of the newest dies I have are the Heartfelt Creations Ornaet Borders and Regal Borders and Pockets sets.  So pretty!  Just love the intricate styles and versatility of them!

Well, I hope this inspires you to take a new look at all of your olders supplies and have fun crafting!  

Hugs,
Molly

Easy Christmas Shaker Ornament Tutorial Share

Wanted to share this oh so easy Christmas Shaker Ornament tutorial I found. The link to xannero1's wonderful tutorial is on my video where I showed the ornaments I made from the inspiration. 

Couldn't resist taking advantage of the great weekend sales and am just loving using some of the super buys I found.  Two of my favorite new items are the Sizzix Precision Base plate.  Was amazed at the detail cuts I got from even tiny, intricate dies!  

And the great buy on Stick it adhesive sheets I found on Blitsy!  (They had the best After Thanksgiving sale ever! While these might not still be available, it's always fun to check them out for great savings on crafting favorites!)  



Plus, I have a link to the Cricut Explore Cutting files I made...just remember you may have to pay a small fee if you don't have the monthly Cricut subscription or own the images I used to make these. 

I cut two pf each layer, to make matching fronts and backs. I used clear acrylic sheet to cut ovals to cover windows. Then I traced outline onto craft foam to cutout a spacer layer, cutting ithe a little smaller so it wouldn't  peek out of the sides.  Wished I had used a few more sequins, but will on next ones.  Can'the wait to make more.

Gold Ornament Cricut Cutting File ( this really is the one I used for the gold ornament, even though I picked silver colors for pic...sorry)



















Silver Ornament Cricut Cutting File (and this really is the file I used for the silver ornament, even though I picked yellow colors for this pic...jeesh...)


Well I hope you have fun crafting and again, Merry Christmas and happiest of holidays to you and yours!
Molly

Freebie December Happy Planner Stickers to Celebrate Sybil B

Sybil's challenge is closed, but still wanted to share these fun stickers!  Happy Holidays to everyone.

Sybil B is having a fun challenge to celebrate her reaching 2500 subscribers on YouTube.  If you are not already a subscriber, please head over there and check out her wonderful channel.  

In honor of her and her great milestone, I wanted to share these fun planner stickers, perfect for December.

Here's the link to Sybil's channnel:
Sybil B

I know you will love it!
Have fun crafting,
Molly D