Past Blog Posts:



Hostess Gifts & Shabby Chic Sleighs

Filed under Art Projects, Collage Sheets, Featured Artwork, Gifts/Decorations, Giveaways, Laura Carson, Teri Calia

Note: most of the links on this post no longer work, as we moved to a new Web site in 2018. However, you can see the supply lists for both projects on the new site: Laura’s Round Bookmark and Oval Bookmark.

Design Team Member Laura Carson has a few ideas for you if you’re stumped for a gift for the holidays or a special occasion; with Altered Corks and Bookmarks.

The corks are great for decorating wine and champagne bottles, as an ornament on a tree or as part of your home décor; and they also make great hostess gifts. Another idea is to take a cork left over from a special occasion and alter it as a memento of the occasion. As décor they look lovely hanging from a lamp or a key in a clock or cabinet, and if nothing else, it gives you an excuse to drink a bottle of wine!

I don’t know about you, but I’m not wanting to have to fight crowds in stores or worse, be inside of a mall during the holidays and would much rather make small gifts at home. (And drinking wine so I have corks to alter… but I digress!)

Laura has created 5 corks and 2 bookmarks to cover the different seasons and special occasions. They’re so easy to make, you’ll be cranking them out in no time! My favorite cork is the Christmas Cork, it looks lovely on a wine bottle and would also make a beautiful tree ornament.

For this altered cork I’ve added a large piece of filigree to the top of the cork. This allowed me to hang several Christmas and seasonal charms from the filigree using clear, red and silver beads. At the top of the cork, I inserted one eye pin which allowed me to the beads. At the top I added a beaded chain which fits around the neck of the bottle. The final touch to the top was ribbon and a reindeer charm dangling from the bottom.

Supply Lists:
Christmas Cork
New Years Cork
Winter Cork
Valentine Cork
Fall Cork

The bronze bookmarks are fabulous and everyone can always use an extra one. The round one uses an image from Laura’s new Clock Faces Collage Sheet, Glossy Accents, creating a domed glassy appearance and she added large filigree behind the base of the bookmark. To finish it, Laura used rhinestones to add a little bling and a crepe ribbon bow.

Supply Lists:
Round Bookmark
Oval Bookmark

Visit Artfully Musing and Laura will tell you how she made the other items and you can see more pictures.
 

Design Team Emeritus Teri Calia has created two adorable sleighs. The larger sleigh is the Steampunk Mouse Sleigh (see wide photo below) complete with a mouse driving it, decorated in gorgeous new plaid paper with plenty of assorted gears. Also worth pointing out are the pulley wheels that Teri added to the bottom of the sleigh, so it really moves! Here’s the full Supply List.

The smaller Sweet Shabby Chic Mini Sleigh is so cute! It is made from the ornament- sized sleigh. Don’t you love the paper from the new Dear Santa 6×6 Paper Pad that Teri used — inside and outside the sleigh.

Visit Teri at Artistic Catnip to see more photos of both sleighs (plus more mice from her book box that was in last Thursday’s newsletter).


 

 

Hooray for the It’s a red plaid Christmas Giveaway!

I picked out goodies based on color today (and kept the choices narrowed down to new items announced today or things used in the featured artwork — still a lot of options!):
Red Czech Glass 4mm Smooth Rondelles
Clock Faces Collage Sheet
Large Bronze Fancy Filigree Set
Mini Champagne Glasses
Large Silver Reindeer Pendant
Holiday Stripes Pennant Pad
Dear Santa Cozy Up Plaid Scrapbook Paper
Red & Silver Christmas Bead Mix
Wide Brass Filigree Header

 
To enter the It’s a red plaid Christmas Giveaway drawing all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post TODAY or TOMORROW (the deadline is 11:59 pm PST, MONDAY NIGHT, December 7, 2015).

AND TO ENTER THE DRAWING, please tell me: What would you make from the items in this Giveaway? Bonus: do they fit into your Christmas gift-making plans you’ve already started?

Don’t forget to leave your (hello! correct) email address, too, so I can contact the winner; your email address does not need to be made public. Note: I’m offering free shipping, too, but only within the USA. International shipping will still apply.

Please be patient! Spammers try to post crap here a lot so comments are moderated. So if you don’t see your post in the comments section, be patient and check back in a few hours before re-posting it, please!

After midnight, I’ll randomly pick the winner (via Random.org). So make sure to check back to see who won! And check your mailbox on Thursday morning for the next Giveaway and Newsletter!

Hey, who won the Not a creature was stirring Giveaway? That would be Jen R!

And she replied to my query “How would you decorate your Book Box? Christmas themed like Teri’s artwork? Something with all those crazy mice in clothes? Cinderella and her mice-drawn pumpkin coach? Something else?”

Hickory dickory dock would be the theme I would try! (Good idea, Jen!)

AND we have a special winner to announce: We’ve redrawn the prize for one of the Santa’s Sleigh Giveaway Kits and the winner is Dorothy Mucha! Your prize will be shipped with your order. Congratulations!

  
Posted by Leslie, December 6th, 2015

43 responses to “Hostess Gifts & Shabby Chic Sleighs”

  1. Nichola says:

    Terri, that steampunk mouse sleigh is so stinkin’ cute!

  2. Gail S says:

    Not sure what I would make, but the Steampunk Mouse has given me ideas.

  3. Margaret D says:

    I would definitely make one of those wonderful wine jewels ( I love Apothic Dark!) I love the mouse and sleigh too! This blog post has given me some wonderful ideas for last minute gifts 🙂

  4. Jennie says:

    I would love to use some of the supplies to try making an altered cork to decorate a wine bottle!

  5. jean marmo says:

    Love the idea for corks. We have so many of them:) Always such clever projects!!

  6. carmen g says:

    I haven’t started any gift making and was panicking….Laura’s idea is BRILLIANT! A lot of ‘bang’ for a little time and material investment! Laura once again saves the day!

  7. Karen says:

    Well, as usual there is the champagne glass that a certain cloth doll that I have made really could use in her hand. I think the sleigh is wonderful and the little mouse (not stirring!)is adorable.

  8. Gail says:

    I love,love love Alpha Stamps! There is always a new fresh idea for the season.Halloween and Christmas with a Steampunk twist, my favorite.
    Bravo for this years’ ideas.
    Thank you!

  9. Leah Fein says:

    I would make ornaments and I can make it fit my gift-making plans!

  10. Traci says:

    Love the metal bookmarks I will have to purchase a few of those.>^..^<

  11. I LOVE these items I would make a nice centerpiece with them thank you

  12. MaggieM says:

    I think I’d make a Christmas banner if I won…especially since you included the banner paper! With dangling champagne glasses, I’d leave it up through New Years!

  13. Emily Ann says:

    I would make earrings with the red and silver bead mix. My friends would love them!

  14. Ina Good says:

    I love red plaid and the sleighs yum!

  15. Denise Bryant says:

    I am working on a Christmas theme shadowbox, so these would work right in! So many fun trinkets and treasures!

  16. barb m,acaskill says:

    Beautiful!! I would make even more ornaments than I usually do if I won this lovely assortment of goodies!!! I can already envision one made using one of the mini champagne glasses!! So cute!!

  17. Jen R says:

    These would make the best ornaments or even present tag decorations!

  18. Christi C says:

    Oh I would make a banner – sparkly and full of embellishments 🙂

  19. Lori D. says:

    I would use the items to make holiday jewelry and mini decorations.

  20. Kim Lucak says:

    I would make ornaments or a centerpiece!!!

  21. Karen Mallory says:

    I love the idea of the altered corks! Would make a fabulous gift for my Mother in Law!!

  22. Ginny Over says:

    I love red plaid for Christmas decorating.

  23. Lana says:

    this has steampunk jewelry written all over it!

  24. Barb J says:

    I love the silver reindeer!! They are outstanding.
    the little wine glass, all of if is so darn cute!

  25. Nadine says:

    I am making a Christmas kitchen that these would be great to use in.

  26. Gigi Jordan says:

    I would love to make a Christmas wedding themed altered cork as a keepsake. So many cute things [especially the mice!]

  27. I’m thinking tiny New Year’s Eve Champagne glasses.

  28. Mary Helene says:

    Would love to make a Christmas shadow box.

  29. Karen Wise says:

    I love the traditional red plaid paper for ornaments. Just add bling. You have a great selection of items for ornaments, jewelry, shadow boxes, whatever inspires you.
    Karen

  30. Linda Marie says:

    My mind is racing with ideas. I think a small outdoor scene might be nice!

  31. Thalia Kottke says:

    I love the bookmarks, maybe I should make one for my sis-in-law

  32. Charlotte Deerborn says:

    Love the clock face bookmark. That is one thing that I would make with these supplies. The bookmark would become a stocking stuff rather than a Christmas gift.

  33. Carolyn Bowlby says:

    I’ll get busy on a bottle wine. Love the cork ideas.

  34. Luanne Shoup says:

    Oh my, look at all the BLING!!!

  35. Frieda Evaskis says:

    Gonna try my hand at the bookmarks. I would also incorporate the goodies into some of my custom tree ornaments and also into some of my embossed foil box designs.

  36. Carol Slowik says:

    I would make a Christmas banner or use the plaid paper to make some ornaments for my tree! Love Alpha Stamps!

  37. Ginette says:

    Probably ornaments and I think the 2 mice would look great for a Easter project.

  38. Regina Salvador says:

    So elegant! I would incorporate some of these items into wrapping for very special gifts!

  39. Nelda Johnson says:

    I would decorate the sides and back of a wooden advent calendar.

  40. Nancy S says:

    I love the bookmarks and I’d create some mini ornaments that I’d fill in the sleigh to gift my soon to be daughter in law who has requested all things “mini”.

  41. Kat Cashwell says:

    What fun is Christmas plaid!! I would use these items to create a miniature Christmas mantel piece and to decorate a mini Christmas tree. Christmas plaid is great with plain brown wrapping paper and to incorporate the trinkets in the ribbon! thanks

  42. Marilyn H says:

    I thought about making hat pins, but that wouldn’t allow for the use of the paper, paper banners, and wine glasses.

  43. Jo says:

    I think I would make a mini dining room scene for a Christmas mouse.