Pine Drawer Advent Calendar

Shopping List

· Wood Advent Calendar (Cal/29)

· Simple Stories “Handmade Holiday” Paper pack

· Americana Deep burgundy & pebble acrylic paint

· Advent wood stars

· Scrabble tiles “LET IT SNOW”

· Tim Holtz Distressed stain “Bundled Sage”

· We R Memory Keepers Crop-a-dile w/ green handle

· Pioneer glue stick and E6000 glue

 

Instructions:

1. Paint your advent calendar with acrylic paint (this model has burgundy on the drawers & top.  Pebble all around the face of your calendar.)

2. Then cut your scrapbooking paper to fit the front of each box >2.25x2.25 square.

3. Once you have cut 25 squares punch a hole in the top of each square using the Crop-a-Dile. Measure about a .5 inch from the top of your square. This is were the knob on the front of the drawer will fit through.

4. Cut .25” of a slit in your punched hole. This allows the knob to fit through the paper.

5. Repeat for each square then glue to the front of the drawers using Pioneer glue stick.

6. Cut a strip of scrapbooking paper to fit the top of your roof & glue down using glue stick.

7. Place a small dot of glossy accents over the top of the numbers then place the glass gems over the top.

8. Stain your scrabble tiles and wood stars.

9. Glue stars on front of drawers and scrabble tiles to the top of the house.

Guest Designer Holly Gagnon

Today I have the pleasure of introducing Holly Gagnon, this week's guest designer. We love the unique ways she uses paper! She loves thinking outside the box! She is always using paper as a way to make her home decorative and welcoming.  We can all learn a tip or two from Holly.

 How long have you been crafting?

I've always been a crafty person but it wasn't until after my son was born, 8 years ago that I learned how to scrapbook. I absolutely fell in love with scrapbooking back then! I'd take photos of my son, print them off and scrap them pages! I could proudly say back then that I was totally caught up scrapping every little moment in my son's life.

Unfortunately, since my crafting skills have grown and flourished my scrapbooking has declined. Like seriously declined! My son is 8 now and he'll ask me "Mom, why are none of my birthday parties since I turned 5 scrapbooked in my birthday album?” I have a 5 year old daughter too, let's just say she's lucky she even has a baby book scrapped never mind a birthday book.

My crafting passion has turned more into making 3D projects, cards, home decor and decorations. Like all of us avid crafters, our styles change and grow, we learn more techniques and of course there are a lot more great products out there to play with.

What inspires you to be creative?

I've only had my blog, Ribbons & Glue for little over a year now so of course I get a lot of inspiration following other amazing blogs out there. I actively participate in craft blog challenges and link up parties which encourages me to try something different. When I make layouts, I look at the colors and shapes in the photos for inspiration. When I make cards, I might be inspired by a stamped sentiment. I like to keep a notebook with my doodles and ideas to for future inspirational needs.

I love when I can visualize something in my head and I can make it come to life in paper. I never get sick of that feeling like.. Hey-I made that!

How can you encourage others reading this column?

Try looking at things in a different perspective. Like, what else can I turn this into? I'm in love with dollar bin finds and I always keep a variety of empty containers, coffee cans, jars and small boxes handy just waiting for a up-cycled moment. I’ve learned that most crafting mistakes can turn into surprises so don’t give up and throw it away. Give it some time, maybe when you look at it again in a few days something can be done with it.

You can follow Holly and see more of her beautiful paper crafts at her blog, Facebook, and at Keep Memories Together on Etsy. Come back tomorrow to see Holly's Hoilday Paper Cone Wreath tutorial!

Easy Menu Chalkboard

 

Create a one of a kind Menu Chalkboard by taking one of our Open Back Frames, either black foam core or having a piece of thin plywood cut at your local hardware store, and add chalkboard paint.

 

Details and Photo by Marian Parsons from HGTV

 

* Italian Style Open Back Frames on sale 50% off regular prices until December 10, 2012

DecoColor Painted Mugs

 

 

DecoColor paint marker, with a fine point, is designed for writing and detail drawing on glass, paper, wood, clay, porcelain, stone, metal and mirrors. Light fast, pigmented paint is opaque, Xylene based, lead free, acid free, and weatherproof. Paint markers are great for crafting, home and office use. Paint is not recommended for certain types of plastics, leather, metals, finished wood, paper and fabric products. Acid-Free Ink/Weather Proof.

To see the details on the mug project above, visit 52 Weeks Project or visit our favorites from Pinterest!

* DecoColor, shown above, on sale for $2.99 (regular $3.99) until December 10th, 2012

Noel Coaster Decor

Create this clever simple stand-out gift with coasters! Take a look at just how easy it can be!

Step 1: Place permanent glue dots on to the back of the 4 coasters (I used 6 per coaster) and attach ribbon.

 

Step 2: Cut paper to fit the back of the coasters. Use zip dry paper glue to adhere paper to the back of each coaster

 

Step 3: Cut paper to fit the front of your coasters and glue using zip dry glue

 

Step 4: Add vinyl to each coaster

 

 

Instead of vinyl, place photos to get another look!

 

 

Simple Stories Snow Globe Card by Guest Designer Michelle Wofford

 

Hi, Michelle again with a fun festive card tutorial. When I received the Handmade Holiday Collection by Simple Stories and saw I received some of their 4" x 6" transparencies I knew I wanted to make a snow globe card.

 

Supplies:

Cardstock

Patterned Paper

Coordinating Transparency

Paper Trimmer

Scissors

Ruler

Pencil

Ribbon

Coordinating stickers

Adhesive

pop up adhesive (optional)

Stickles Glitter Glue

 

To start this card let's trim the card base and patterned paper we need.  Trim the following sizes...

1 piece of cardstock - 4" x 6"

1 piece of cardstock - 2" x 4"

1 piece of patterned paper - 2" x 4"

 

Next use a circle cutter or make a template using a lid to cut a circle about 3 3/4" in diameter from the transparency.  Make sure to include as much of the fun design on the transparency as you can.

 

 

 

 Next take your 2" x 4" pieces and use your pencil to mark them at 1/4" and 3 3/4" on the long side.  Use your paper trimmer to trim the pieces from the marked line to the bottom corner to create a taper.

 

 

 

Now you can attach your transparency circle to the back of the patterned paper piece.  Just put a bit of adhesive and attach, then adhere the tapered cardstock piece to the inside back, this hides the adhesive and helps secure the transparency. 

 

 

Now take your 4" x 6" piece of cardstock and score at 1/2" using the Martha Stewart score board.  Use the bone folder on score for a crisp fold line.

 

 

 

Next take the front of the card you created with the transparency and base, lay it on top of the 4" x 6" piece and use your pencil to trace the pattern onto the base.  Make sure to hold the 1/2" fold down and trace the top of the circle onto it.  Depending on how low you placed the circle on the front piece, your base may be a little long, make sure you line it up from the top and trim excess off the bottom.

 

 

Trim the traced outline with micro tip scissors.  Place a bit of adhesive on the flap and attach the two piece together.

 

 

Get a piece of scrap patterned paper or small piece of patterned paper from the collection and use your pencil to free hand a snow cap.  Trim with scissors and attach to front of card.

 

 

 

 

Use pop up adhesive to adhere the snowman sticker to the inside of the card. 

 

 

Add some snowflakes.

 

 

Add some ribbon / twine and a button sticker to the base.

 

 

 

Now add some Stickles Glitter Glue, I used the Platinum color here to compliment the beige tones.  Outline the snow cap on the top and add little specks to the center of each snow flake and in other random spots on the transparency. 

 

 

That's it, now you have a fun snow globe card anyone would love for the holidays.  I'd love to see any snow globe cards you create so feel free to share here or on the Craft Warehouse Facebook Page!

 

Thanks for looking, Michelle

 

Crate Paper's Acorn Avenue

 

This giveaway is now closed. Our winner has been picked via Random.org!

Celeste B.November 30, 2012 7:55 AM

This would be perfect for my fall photos.

Scrapbook your Thanksgiving and Fall layouts with Crate Paper's Acorn Avenue! We are giving away 11 double sided patterned papers, 1 Chipboard Sticker Sheet, 1 sheet of Macaw Thickers Alphabet Stickers, 1 sheet of Mini Alphas, 2 different packages of Stand Outs stickers, and 1 package of Tape Stickers to one lucky winner! Valued at about $40!

To enter to win, you can...

1. Comment here! We need to be able to contact you if you win! If your email is not attached to your profile, please add an email address in your comments making sure to add spaces as shown: email (at) address (dot) com. Thank you!

2. Share our giveaway via Facebook by clicking "share" on our Facebook post, then come back here and tell us that you did.

3. Share our giveaway via Twitter, then come back here and tell us that you did.

4. Pin our giveaway via Pinterest, then come back and tell us that you did.

The winner will be picked via Random.org on December 3rd, 2012!

*We ship in the US only thank you.