LilyBean's Paperie

months and minutes and memories...

Here we are at 2011....there is so much to look forward to....I love the idea of reevaluating certain things, setting goals, re-prioritizing, focusing, growing, changing, understanding, learning....I am happy to be where I am though...I find it's just as important to acknowledge the good that I am doing now as it is to desire more out of myself...we girls are certainly very good at beating ourselves up and placing mounds of pressure on our shoulders, aren't we?

As we're saying goodbye to another year, I thought it might be the perfect time to share with  you my finished handmade 2011 calendar...that really isn't mine...I'll be popping it in the mail today, sending it home to its new owner.

This calendar book was created using Papertrey Ink's Calendar Basics stamp set and die, the LoveLives Here die set, the Peace Be Still stamps and dies, Vintage Cream buttons, Hibiscus Burst,  Fine Linen, and Blueberry Sky ribbon.  

 
The medium glassine bags hold a page from the notepads available also through Papertrey Ink.  

The rubons and paper on the front are from Melissa Frances and the sweet chipboard binder is from Maya Road.

I look forward to sharing more with you in 2011...thank you for every kind word you've sent my way throughout our time together in 2010.

Merry New Year.

Melis

 

more than days...

I'm enjoying the lazy days after Christmas...my little one home with me...snow flying outside...a warm coziness wrapping us up inside....I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  Our was filled with sweet, beautiful, little bitty details that I hope to never forget.  I'm so thankful to have had my parents here for the holiday...it meant so much to me...and Sierra, well...Christmas through her eyes is magical...she made our Christmas.

We're just about to venture out in the cold today, but I've been crafting away here and there and thought I'd share a card with you.  This card uses Melissa Frances paper, trim, and die cut, Crafty Secrets Double Sided Creative Scrap, and Papertrey Ink's Love Lives Here stamp set and dies.

I kinda just love this set....I save every little cut from scraps and use them up here and there...I can't help it.

Before I go, I wanted to introduce you to Clara....

Isn't she darling...I didn't even have to buy her myself...she was a sweet Christmas surprise given to me by my even sweeter husband...I do love him.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this book...

To the Rescue, the Autobiography of Thomas S. Monson....my parents gave it to my husband, and well...I cracked it open the other night and can't give it up just yet...it's  very special.

Happy Winter Holidays!
 

See you soon.

Melis

 

let earth receive her king...

Merry Eve before Christmas Eve, friends...

I'm filled with happiness and joy tonight...I hope you are too.

I feel like an elf in Santa's workshop...but have loved making some sweet things for my loved ones and friends....here are a few things I'm giving away this Christmas.

A shabby, winter-y pin cushion...

You'll notice I have a thing for zipper flowers lately....they are so much fun to make...

A shabby, sage pin cushion...for the crafty divas in my life...

 More tin ornaments...crazy little addictions...

Some Love Day ornaments....how I love Valentine's Day...

Speaking of....I have some fun, sparkly, shabby things in the works for my shop and blog...all things hug-y, kiss-y...we'll start here very soon.

I've been enjoying some time working with a beautiful new color palette from The Color Room...

This card uses some lovely stamps from the Vintage Postcard and Scallops sets are from Purple Onion Designs...I can't get enough of them.

The scrunched seam binding is from Memrie Mare and the gorgeous silhouette tag from This Good Day...sigh...I love getting crafty :)

 

I promised you a winner from my last post...forgive the wait...it's Christmas!  I have loved my Christmas holiday with my bean so much already....

The winner chosen randomly to receive a shabby tin ornament is....AMY G!

Amy, please send me a note with your address and I'll make you a sweet, little nothing...Christmas or Valentine style....

Thank you dear friends!

Joy to you this Christmas...

Melis

 

 

winter-y love notes...

Happy Day 12...thank you...Merry Christmas...and a just because giveaway...

This will be my last post for a while....my little one will be out of school for her winter break soon, it's time for baking, snuggling, hot cocoa, cozy fires, family, friends, and focus.  

Thank you all for tuning into the 12 Days of Christmas fun I've been having with my sweet friend Mish...I have so enjoyed it and am so thankful to have shared  the experience with her.

Today as we're wrapping things up, our focus is on holiday thank you cards.

I have a couple of ideas for you...both very easy and fun.

This card set was created for Emma's Paperie....all of the supplies I used can be found HERE.  They would make  perfect holiday thank yous to send out after Christmas has come and gone...little, winter-y, love notes.

This pocket full of merry thank you notes is plump and filled to the brim with tea-stained, scrunched, vintage, glittery, goodies.

The thank you  notes are folded tea-stained recipe cards that have been stamped and have a vintage image from the Pink Paislee Father Christmas line attached in the corner.  

Super quick little numbers...the perfect size to write a quick thank you on...one can never say thank you enough, yes?

My recipe today comes from Better Homes and Gardens...Candy Cane Bark....mmmm...did you know it's my favorite Christmas treat?

(Photo and recipe courtesy of bhg.com)

Candy Cane Bark

ingredients

• 6  ounces  chopped chocolate-flavor candy coating
• 3  ounces  chopped milk chocolate bar
• 6  ounces  chopped vanilla-flavor candy coating
• 3  ounces  chopped white chocolate baking squares
• 1/4  cup  crushed peppermint candy canes

directions

1. Line a large baking sheet with foil. In a small, heavy saucepan, melt chocolate-flavor candy coating and milk chocolate bar, stirring over low heat until smooth. Pour onto baking sheet and spread into a 10x8-inch rectangle; set aside.

2. In another small, heavy saucepan, melt vanilla-flavor candy coating and white chocolate baking squares, stirring over low heat until smooth.

3. Slowly pour white mixture over chocolate mixture on baking sheet. With a thin spatula, swirl white mixture into chocolate mixture. Shake baking sheet gently for even thickness.

4. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Chill 30 minutes or until firm. Use foil to lift candy from baking sheet; break candy into pieces. Makes 1-1/4 pounds.

To Store: Layer pieces between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature.

Be sure to visit Mish's blog for a sweet holiday treat and giveaway!

My giveaway gift for one of you today is a metal tin Christmas ornament I made with vintage goodness and sparkle...

But if you'd rather, I'll make it Valentine-y for you...as I'm beginning to collect some new lovey dovey goodies and will soon be creating with them...you choose.  All you have to do is leave a comment here on this post telling me what I can do for you in the year to come.  What have you wanted to see here on my blog, that I haven't shared yet?  Are you interested in classes, tutorials, mini workshops?  It's your time to tell me how I can inspire you and help you get creative in 2011.  I would love to hear and will do my best to meet your needs.  

I myself have wishes and dreams for 2011...I don't know if they will all come true, as some are out of my hands, but I continually remind myself that I have all I need...and I could never want for more.  I have been so overwhelmed with my experience in this industry...I have learned a lot and met so many wonderful individuals.  I have let people down, burned bridges, failed, and upset some....and those are things that I can't go back and change.  I turned to this hobby as a way to help support my little family, while still being able to stay at home and be a mama...to be at every crossroad...the comings and goings...to create a haven for my little girl and my husband...I will never change that desire...I only hope to do better at it and continue on this same path that brings me so much happiness and joy.  I ask for patience, forgiveness, a listening ear, and understanding as I try to do better.

Thanks for every one of you...every short, sweet, lengthy, kind, and thoughtful note.  For anyone who has ever given me a chance...who believed in me and pushed me...for those of  you who have trusted in me from the very beginning...You'll never know how much  you mean to me...all of you.

Melis

 

**I will choose a winner randomly on Wednesday, December 22nd**

Crafty Secrets December Design Team Challenge {Calendar theme}

It's a busy, December Monday around here...this will be one of two posts for the day, so come back in a while for day 12 of the 12 Days of Christmas post with Mish and myself.

The Crafty Secrets Design Team members are all posting projects for you today which incorporate Calendar themed products, as January is right around the corner and many of us have organization on our minds.

My project for you today is a Celebrate Every Day Album where I can keep birthdays, anniversaries, and other special days noted and organized...I vow to do a better job next year at remember all of the special people in my life.  

Please forgive the photos.....cruddy...we haven't seen the sun in days here and my finicky, old camera, needs the sun.

I used a 7Gypsies tag book for my album and created a page for each month, with room to write down all of the special dates happening throughout the month.

The backside of each tag is also stamped...not with anything that will take up too much room, but with some fun, sweet images that will add character.

This project comes together very easily with the Crafty Secrets products listed below:

Seasonal Calendar Double Sided Creative Scraps

Vintage Photo Double Sided Creative Scraps

Altered Fairy Double Sided Creative Scraps 

Calendar Clear Art Stamps

Artsy Banners Clear Art Stamps

Art Studio Clear Art Stamps

Off to see what the other designers have been working on:

 

• Vicki Chrisman Team Leader
• Pam Hooten
• Heidi Blankenship
• Michele Kovack
• Julie Campbell
• Mary Hamer

   
 
          Crafty Secrets
          Heartwarming Vintage Blog

I'll be back shortly...thanks for stopping by.

Melis

 

 

 

 

 

the happiest season of all...

It truly is the happiest, merriest, loving-est, sweetest, fill your belly-est, hug your family-est, and coziest season of all...I am so enjoying the holiday season and hope you are too...the little things are what matter the most to me.

 

Today for Day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas, Mish and I are focusing on die cuts and punches....they are such a fun way to dress things up in a hurry...are very inexpensive, versatile, and quick.

For my project today I dressed up a set of vintage postcards...they are the sweetest things on earth...you can find them HERE at Emma's Paperie.

They didn't need a thing to make them more beautiful, but I couldn't resist adding some die cuts and embellishments to make them extra special.

They are wrapped up in tea stained fabric and twill tape, and heart doily with a metal sentiment from Making Memories.

 

I used Spellbinders Nestabilites Labels Eight dies in two sizes and folded them over the edges of the postcards.  

Next I wrapped scrunched seam binding around the dies, tied it in a double bow and embellished with a felt snowflake cut from the Papertrey Ink Peace be Still die.  

I also used a border die cut down the side from My Mind's Eye Holly Jolly collection.  

Sierra and I want to make these this weekend...

Peppermint Candy Cookies with M&M's....

Come back Monday for our last day of the 12 Days of Christmas....with a giveaway!

Melis

 

 

don't open 'til Christmas...

Happy Day 10 of the 12 Days of Christmas blogging fun...today Mish and I are have included Dawn McVey and Heather Nichols in the grand celebration and we're focusing on stocking stuffers for girls....can't wait to see what they've dreamed up.

It should come as no surprise to you, that I kind of love spoiling my little one.  She finds such delight in the smallest, most unexpected things...so to fill her stocking with bitty gifts is one of my most favorite things to do.  Today I'll show you just a couple of things I have ready to tuck safely inside her stocking.

First up are these little bags I sewed to hold lip gloss....Hello Kitty holiday flavored lip gloss no less.

The bags are made using Papertrey Ink's Tag Sale 2 die, Vintage Cream felt, fabric, and a bit of vintage trim.  

I simply tied the lip gloss together with scrunched seam binding from Memrie Mare and embellished the center of the bow with a tag, satin angel wings, and a little raspberry to match.

I love making pretty things for her, but what excites me most about these little bags is that I have a feeling she'll be using them as sleeping bags for her Polly Pockets afterwards...she always finds creative uses for her treasures...I so enjoy her sweet imagination.

Next up is a metal tin all dressed up to hold some tiny fingernail polishes.

The tin was painted Celery and then I just attached a scrap of fabric, scrunched seam binding, a foil snowflake, bitty bottle brush wreath, foil wings, and another sweet raspberry.

Hmmmm....wonder what will become of the tin after she opens it??  I'll let you know.

Today's recipe will make your taste buds dance...I can't wait to try these next week.

(Photo and recipe from Stephanie's Kitchen)
These little devils look so innocent....I don't believe they are...but I am going to try some and find out for myself.  The recipe comes from Stephanie's Kitchen and is called Chocolate Dipped  Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites.

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites
makes about 45 sandwiches

1 cup of peanut butter (creamy works best)
2 Tbsp softened butter or margarine
1/2 cup powdered sugar (you may need more)
3/4 cup brown sugar (you may need more)
Pretzels (the waffle shaped ones)
1 bag good quality chocolate (I like milk)

Using a mixer, combine peanut butter and softened butter and beat until smooth. Add the sugars and stir to combine. At this point if the filling will roll easily into balls without sticking to your hands you’re ready to go. If not, add more sugar ( a little bit of each) until you reach a consistency that is easy to roll. Use a teaspoon measure to scoop the filling. Roll each portion into a small ball and set on a cookie sheet. I like to roll all the balls and then sandwich them between two whole pretzels. When all the balls are rolled and successfully sandwiched, stick the whole tray in the freezer for about half an hour.

Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and heat at 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally until completely melted. Remove the pretzel sandwiches from the freezer and quickly dip each half-way into the melted chocolate. When all are dipped, return the tray to the freezer to set up completely. Store the sandwiches in the refrigerator until serving time.

Thanks so much for stopping by once again.  Be sure to visit Mish's, Dawn's, and Heather's blogs for more fun ideas.

Melis

 

 

 

stars were gleaming...

 

Stars were gleaming, shepherds dreaming;
And the night was dark and chill.
Angels’ story rang with glory;
Shepherds heard it on the hill.
Ah, that singing! Hear it ringing,
Earthward winging, Christmas bringing!
Hearken! We can hear it still!

See the clearness and the nearness
Of the blessed Christmas star,
Leading, guiding; wise men riding
Through the desert dark and far.
Lovely showing, shining, growing,
Onward going, gleaming, glowing,
Leading still, our Christmas star!

Words: Nancy Byrd Turner, 1880–1971

Music: Polish carol; arr. by Darwin Wolford, b. 1936

This Sunday my Primary kids sang this song and my heart just about burst...I just love the words...so incredibly meaningful to me...but to hear their sweet voices as they sang with all of their hearts...it did me in...this is what Christmas is all about...can you feel it too?

Today I'll quickly share my Papertrey Ink projects with you.  This first creation uses the new Favor it Box 3 die, Year of Flowers:  Poinsettias, and Background Basics:  Sheet Music stamp sets.

This little number uses Dawn's new and oh, so sweet Love Birds stamp set and Betsy's Bloom Builders #1 die...holy cow...it's amazing!

This card uses Heather's new Little  Bitty Bird stamp set...I am soooo very smitten with it...it will be available very soon due to a little correction that needed to be made...I promise it will be worth the wait though.

Fillable Frames #11 is the stamp set used on this card along with the Bloom Builders #2 die.  

Lastly, these blingalicious tags use the new Make A Wish stamp set and dies...I love 'em...such a fun set.

I think that's it for me....so sorry to just drop in and run...I'm on pre-Christmas overload...will I ever get everything done?  I need a Santa Coke and some fudge...that will make everything better :)

 

Come back tomorrow for Day 10!

Melis

 

 

 

love tags....

I love me some love...love is yummy...and sweet...and essential...I really love Valentine's Day because we get to celebrate all of that good stuff and the special people that enter our life and need some spoilin'.  I was so excited to get started on some Valentine-y projects with the new 2010 Love Tags from Papertrey Ink...my goodness, they are irresistible...very hard to put down.  Our group post tonight showcases this new stamp set as we were asked to create a quick Valentine favor using the tags and then transition the set into a card for another occasion.

 
If you're here for Day 9 of Mish and my 12 Days of Christmas posts I hope you'll come away with some fun tag ideas that can be used for Christmas as well as Valentine's Day and all year round....treats and sweets are always in season :)

My Valentine favor is ultra quick and easy....after my little bug and I whipped up some Cowboy Cookies, I sewed two recipe cards together, wrong sides facing in, leaving the top open and forming a unique little pocket.  I slipped a cookie into a medium glassine bag from Papertrey Ink, tied it with ribbon, and embellished the front of the pocket with an image from the 2010 Love Tags, a doily, coordinating paper, and some buttons....the Vintage Cream felt border along the top edge of the pockets was cut using the Victorian Lace Border die also from Papetrey Ink.  

Any recipe card will do, but I am particularly fond of these sweet recipe cards from the Melissa Frances Kitschy Kitchen line.

I adore the scalloped eyelet border around the outer edge of this stamp.  It was stamped using Pure Poppy ink onto Linen Vellum Cardstock.

 A coordinating tag was made for the glassine bag using the Love Lives Here dies and some Vintage Cream felt.  The ribbon is Ocean Tides...such a perfect color with pinks and reds.

Since I can never stop at just one...here's another version of the same pocket...

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I attached the scallop circle and heart to a larger heart cut from Vintage Cream felt using the new Heart Prints die collection...so happy these are available now.

For the next part of my post tonight, I've created a wedding card using the same Love Tag just to show how easy it is to use the tags for more than just Valentine's Day.

This Love Tag is stamped in True Black ink as well as the sentiment.  I also used the new Mat Stack 2 Collection and die here.

A touch of Scarlet Jewel ink and cardstock help create an elegant color combination paired with True Black, Vintage Cream.  The Ripe Avocado paper is from the In Bloom paper collection.

A little touch of some Fine Linen Grosgrain across the top finishes it off.

The other Papertrey Ink designers have treats waiting for you as well...I'm just betting they're sweet as can be!

Betsy Veldman, Jessica Witty,  Erin Lincoln, Maile Belles, Nichole Heady, Lisa Johnson, Dawn McVey, Debbie Olson, Heather Nichols, Michelle Wooderson, and Niki Estes.

I'll be back in a while with my Cowboy Cookie recipe...tried and true...perfect for us country girls...tonight I'm bushed.

Don't forget Mishie's blog....can't wait to see what she's dreamed up!

Night.

Melis

hi...

just me...

with a little something to share....

from me to you...

More of the Love Live Here stamp set and dies from Papertrey Ink....available for purchase on December 15th...I love this sentiment which is actually a tidbit from a song my little one sings in Primary...what could be more important?
I also used Dawn's new Background Basics:  Sheet Music, Heart Prints die, and you can also spy a flourish from the new Mat Stack 2 Collection.. also available on the 15th.

It's a warm and brilliant December day...the frost and fog now gone, so I'm heading out for a run in the sunshine this afternoon.

See you soon friends....thank you, thank you for all of your sweet, supportive and encouraging words about Love Lives Here....

Much Love,

Melis

love lives here....

Tonight is like Christmas for me... our first Papertrey Ink group post this month focuses on a stamp set that is near and dear to my heart called, Love Lives Here.  I came up with some sketches and sentiments for the set and then passed them off to Nichole to add her sparkle, life, creativity, and inspiration to...and I am as smitten as can be....hope you will be as well.

The set is complete with houses, coordinating roofs, a butterfly, a heart in hand, scallop circle, hearts,  sweet sentiments celebrating home, love, life, and many other things.  A coordinating die set is also available...and I just can't seem to put any of these things down.

For this project I used the dies to cut fabric and felt for a wall  hanging.  I love hanging onto the hearts that are left from the dies and using them here and there as mini accents, such as below the house in the photo above, and on the tag just beneath the bow shown above.

The coordinating card uses the stamp sets showing just a bit of the patterns available and just one of the sentiments....love the little heart windows that are common throughout the set.

I can't wait to see what the girls have dreamed up using this set....off I go:
Betsy Veldman, Jessica Witty,  Erin Lincoln, Maile Belles, Nichole Heady, Lisa Johnson, Dawn McVey, Debbie Olson, Heather Nichols, Michelle Wooderson, and Niki Estes.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Night.

Melis

fa la la la fabric...

Welcome back for Day 8 of Mish and my 12 Days of Christmas....today we are letting the love flow for fabric or felt...or both!

I'm keeping the chatter short today due to lack of sleep and feeling the effects thereof....my little one up all night with ear aches and coughing....we'll both need a nap today....mama will need a Coke or two, some chocolate, a fire, some snuggles...we've got it all worked out...and I love being her mama...the one to get to comfort her in the night, feel her fevered forehead with my cheek, kiss her tired tears away...it's all worth it.

Today's project uses trim, fabric, a zipper, vintage sheet music, trinket pins, vintage buttons and leaves, scrunched seam binding, a silver glass glitter star, and glitter....glitter and fabric... my two loves.

I simply wrapped a Styrofoam tree form with wide trim and then a contrasting thin trim.  The zipper flower is large enough to create a focal point that doesn't need too much around it....I just decided to let it be and added vintage trims and buttons to the inside.

The tree is nestled inside a small paper mache box base embellished with vintage sheet music, buttons, fabric, and glitter.  

A super quick, easy, and shabby holiday addition.

I'm off to see what my friend Mish has created for us...she is the queen of all things fabric...it will be a treat.

These little devils are on the list today...they'll make us feel better around here...

(Photo courtesy of My Baking Addiction.com)

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies...oh my....I can smell them and taste them now...and strangely enough, have never tried such a brownie concoction...and I am a brownie connoisseur.

Thanks for visiting!

Melis

 

paint me a pink sky...

Our winter sky has been enchanting towards evening lately....layers and layers of clouds in all shades of pink...so beautiful that you can't help but stop and look, and then look again...and then share the sky with someone close by....as if a magnificent artist has taken His paintbrush and created a masterpiece for all to enjoy...if they'll just stop for a moment and look towards heaven...a winter gift.

Winter has been very gentle this year...I do hope for some snow soon though...I know it will come....and the dusting of snowflakes will transform what is already beautiful...into something even more beautiful....to enjoy in a whole new way for a short time.

I couldn't help but share with you a card I made with the new Love Lives Here stamp set that Nichole and I teamed up together on....very soon, the full reveal will be made known, and I hope so very much that you'll love it as much as I do.  I've been able to get a sneak peek of the projects my friends Debbie and Mish have created with the set....and for the craziest, most insane reason...I get choked up...I wish I could explain it...but what others will do with this stamp set will be a treat for me.

This card uses the new Love Lives Here stamp set and coordinating dies...I love 'em, love 'em.

I also used Dawn McVey's new Background Basics:  Sheet Music set...crazy beautiful!

The paper is Happy Spots from Papertrey Ink as well as the small square envelope, Spring Rain and Linen Vellum cardstock.  

Also...just in time for gift giving season...a little something created for Emma's Paperie this month.  

I used oodles of the new Jovial collection from Basic Grey on this...gosh, I love it...the colors are so juicy and vibrant and the patterns available are too much fun...

All of the supplies used and instructions to create your own can be found HERE on the Emma's Paperie blog.  

Next...created with the new color palette at The Color Room...

Purple Onion Designs is our sponsor this month...and I'm just loving the Vintage Postcard set....makes me happy.  

Lastly....such a fun mail day today as gifts I've ordered for loved ones are starting to arrive....and today...be  still my heart, a Lisa Leonard necklace I ordered for my sis-in-law who lives far, far away in Texas...has the most adorable little boys who I hope will have southern accents like their Georgia mama, is married to my wee little brother who pestered me to no end while we were growing up...teased me with by sticking his stinky feet in my face until I cried...who I punched a kid in the face for because he was picking on him at the bus stop...and who I love and miss very much.  I better not show you which necklace I'm giving her...just in case she's reading...but I do hope she loves it...now I want one with Miss Sierra's name on it....ooops, there I go again being greedy...darned beautiful necklaces...

Merry Winter.

Melis

 

P.S.  Come back tomorrow for another fun filled 12 Days of Christmas post with Mish and me.

 


 

 

candy for my sweets...

I've made something for you today, my Sweets!

Happy Day 7 of the 12 Days of Christmas blogging event....Mish and I are having so much fun and are so happy to have you joining us.

Today's theme is all about the sweet stuff...perhaps creating our own candy (you have to see Mish's adorable handmade, fabric peppermints), or using sweets in our crafting.  I love all of the sugary embellishments and things available this time of year...gum drops, gingerbread houses, candy canes, cookie cutters, gingerbread men...the list goes on and on....

I couldn't resist creating a hanging holiday pin cushion...it was so much fun to make...gonna make some more.

I simply turned the chenille candy canes inward to create a peppermint-y heart.  The pin cushion itself is made from some tea-stained fabric squares and the candy cane heart is matted with a coordinating fabric....with holly berries....sigh...I love fabric as much as I love candy.

Rusty bells on the corners, trinket pins from Maya Road, velvet flowers, buttons, scrunched seam binding and a hand stamped tag add a little holiday cheer.

The chenille candy canes can be found HERE at Old World Primitives.

The yummy scrunched seam binding can be found HERE at This Good Day.

I used the Holly Jolly stamp set from Papertrey Ink on my tag and also Simply Chartreuse and Pure Poppy Vintage buttons from Papertrey Ink.  

The rusty jingle bells can be found HERE at Frost it Pink.

A perfect, quick, thoughtful gift for a crafty friend.

Now for a favorite Christmas Eve recipe....

(Photo and recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman)

I have made my own version of this since I was a teenager...it was something my mom always invited me to make and made me feel special to contribute a bit...but this year, I will be trying The Pioneer Woman's recipe for Mexican Layer Dip...I'm wishing I had some here now, it looks so heavenly.

Merry, merry!

Melis

 

 

 

 

 

 

p.s.....

I have a secret....

I've been keeping it for sooooo long and now it's time to share a wee little bit with you...

You can read all about it HERE!  Yippee!  I love you Nichole Heady :)

See you tomorrow...I have my next 12 Days of Christmas project all ready...sittin' here beside me....just waiting to be shared.

Night.

Melis

 

 

button love...

Welcome to day 6 of Mish and my 12 Days of Christmas celebration.  I'm really happy to be here with  you today...I think today's theme is my very most favorite.  Today we're working the buttons...and I couldn't be happier as I love them and will until the day I die I tell you!  They're cute first and foremost, inexpensive, versatile, and a perfect finishing touch.

This first project is super simple.  I just took a heart shaped paper mache box, painted it cream, and then covered the lid with cream buttons.  I layered buttons on top of buttons and then coated them all with snow glitter.  I love the shabby, wintry feel.

My most favorite thing on earth right now are my celery colored jingle bells.  I sprayed some gold jingle bells with the Krylon Celery spray paint that has become my favorite color and then while the paint was dry, I sprinkled on mica flakes.  They are irresistible and I will be using them year round :)

The heart shaped mirror is the last of its kind here....it is an old Heidi Swapp product that I just love.  The tea stained tag is stamped with Crafty Secrets Christmas Mail stamp set.  

Next up are a couple of sweet treasures that I just love...

I took a couple of round metal tins, sprayed them with my Celery paint once again and then layered on the buttons and glitter.

It's so fun picking out centerpieces for them...so many beautiful holiday images available.  This is a glass magnet...I wish I had a hundred more of them.

The scrunched seam binding and German glass glitter star are from Memrie Mare.

The sentiments are stamps from Papertrey Ink's Mega Mixed Messages stamp set...always so perfect.

Merry, Merry Christmas friends!
Now...off to visit Mish's blog to enjoy her goodies.

 Today's recipe is a bit different....since it's gift giving season and I love gifts in a jar, I found us a scrumptious recipe or two to try.

(Photo and recipe from BHG.com)

The first is a mix for Toffee Blondies found HERE at Better Homes and Gardens.

(Photo from BHG.com)

This next mix is gorgeous....a mini masterpiece.  The mix is for Christmas Macaroons.  You can find the recipe HERE at Better Homes and Gardens.  

Happy December!

Thanks for your visit.

Melis

 

 

 

frosting and flower...

 
 

Hi friends...Merry Saturday...I bet you've been shopping...hmmm, am I right?

Just when I thought I was done....for the first time in history, I didn't procrastinate my gift-giving preparations....I was all done last week...and the little turkey, who shall remain nameless, came up with a new list....a list that didn't include a single thing I bought for her....so from now on, I'm procrastinating....why be prepared and on the ball and organized and ahead of schedule...

This week at Emma's Paperie, there is a fun, fun sketch provided by Jess Witty....the above card is based on that sketch and all of the supplies used can be found HERE at Emma's Paperie...I must admit to being a bit nervous when first presented with the sketch...it was out of the box for me...but I had the best time ever coming up with something...out of the box is good for me once in a while.

Also....a project for our challenge at Emma's last week...each designer was asked to come up with gift card ideas...

I used the beautiful Pink Paislee Sweetness collection, some Studio Calico, Jillibean Soup, and Webster's Pages on my gift card project.  All of the supplies for this can be found HERE at Emma's Paperie.

As for news here at home....we have another new addition to the family...some company for Flower, formerly known as Flour....my husband brought Sierra home a new kitten which she named Frosting...it's the sweetest little thing with a feisty personality.  The hens are taking great care of them both and Sierra can be found lost in the middle of the big, happy feathery, furry family...at times with a hen perched on her shoulder...other times, with a kitten snuggled on her lap....always with an egg in her pocket....dangerous, I know.  She's a wonderful egg gatherer....now if we could just get the eggs into the house in one piece, we'd be making progress.  She's a wonderful little nurturer.

See you Monday for Day 6 of the 12 Days of Christmas.

Melis

 

P.S.  I'm reading this in my spare time...which means I haven't started it yet...but I'm anxious to...

Have you read it?

 

 

 

pocket full of doilies...

**Edited to add:  Rebecca from The Ardent Sparrow is hosting a fun Christmas Gift Exchange on her blog.  It sounds like such a sweet idea...I'm pondering it....what about you?

 

It's day 5 of our 12 Days of Christmas blog-a-thon...so glad  you're back.  Mish and I are having so much fun with this and are  happy to have you along for the adventure.

Today's projects are all about DOILIES~~~~~and I don't think it comes as a surprise to anyone just how much I love them...they're inexpensive, completely beautiful and shabby, can be colored, die cut, punched, glittered, distressed, stitched on, etc...so, let's get going.

 
 I had so many ideas running through my mind....ways of showing you how to use these little items, that I thought the best way would be to just make a few tags using them in unique ways....of course, once I had the tags all ready, I decided to package them up as a gift...to temp, to love, to entice, to enjoy....a folded tea-stained book page wrapped around the tags and then topped with a doily is all it takes.

Forgive the lighting today...it's a cloudy day here and I can't wait for the sun or fuss with these photos anymore...there are things to do today..I hope you get the picture though.

For this project and most of the other samples, I dug out my die cuts....I have envisioned die cutting a banner from a doily for a long time, but haven't tried it until now...I love the sweet, soft, breezy look.  The banner die is from the Papertrey Ink Banner Builder Collection...I adore it.  I draped it across the painted and glittered coaster and then backed it with some tiny doilies I bought online many months ago...I love how you can see right through it.

This little tag uses snowflakes cut from doilies....they are so sweet and delicate.  I used Papertrey Ink's Peace Be Still die cut collection for these.  

The vintage image is from Melissa Frances, velvet flower, glass glitter star, and scrunched seam binding from Memrie Mare.

This tag uses a Martha Stewart die cut doily...one thing I love about doilies is how much fun they are to layer piles of embellishments on...with just their delicate edges showing.  I used Papertrey Ink's Limitless Layers die cut and cut several layers from a sewing pattern for the first layer, attached a Melissa Frances glitter chipboard star, and then a handmade yo-up on top.

I used the Papertrey Ink Banner Borders Die for the border along the bottom edge of the tag, and the Holly Jolly stamp set to embellish the envelope.

Stamping on doilies is another really fun and easy technique...they make such great focal point.  This tag uses another Martha Stewart die cut doily, the Rustic Branches, Background Basics:  Text Style, and Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers stamp sets.  

I had to try the Banner Builder die collection on the Stocking Prints die from Papertrey Ink...and I love the bitty border across the cuff of the stocking...it's an addiction I tell you.  

And...since I am a Coca-Cola lover and it happens to be Santa Coke season...I just had to use one of these...

This tag uses a doily very simply...just by folding it over the edge of the tag...then piling on the embellishments.  I love how the decorative edges peek out here and there.

Lastly....a sweet little banner cut from a doily and then layered on top of a banner cut from patterned paper...love how the green just peeks through a bit.

I used the Banner Builder die collection on this as well.  

Welll....I think that's it for me.....now let's go see what Mish has prepared.  I've been anxious since her post yesterday.

 

 

(Photo and recipe from Anna magazine)

I'm feeling a little gingerbread-ish today....can't wait to try this recipe from Anna magazine called Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies.

Thanks so much for your sweet comments and thoughtful notes....they make all of the work put into this event so worthwhile....I appreciate  you.

Mish and I will continue our 12 Days of Christmas on Monday, December 6th....stay tuned!

Melis

P.S.  Mish has oodles of her dainty doilies for sale in her etsy shop HERE.

 

fresh from the oven...

**Edited to add:  I'm so happy to hear how many of you love Celery as much as I do...it's really truly creamy, shabby, and delish.  The brand I used on this project is from Krylon.  It's a craft/hobby paint that comes in the perfect small aerosol can...I love this size as I won't have oodles of it going to waste.**

Welcome to Day 4 of the 12 Days of Christmas...Mish has the sweetest batch of lovelies waiting for you...I have to find myself some of those irresistible jello molds....they would fit in my stocking I think....Our projects for you today focus on baking tins...I have wanted to do something like this for so long, so I'm happy to have had a little nudge in that direction.  

Today....fresh from my oven here, I have a new project for you incorporating a mini muffin pan.  I found the most beautiful color of paint called Celery and knew instantly I wanted to use it for this project.

After spraying the muffin pan with  Celery spray paint and letting it dry for a few hours, I sanded off bits of paint around the edges and across the surface here and there...I wanted to shabby it up a bit.  Then I coated it with a spray adhesive and lightly sprinkled on snow glitter.

I filled each spot with paper, dimensional stickers, die cuts, resin, Bingo markers...

Glass magnets...

A mini cookie cutter...a favorite find from Melissa Frances.

A metal bookplate and die cut...

Silver glass glitter star, buttons, and gems...

All sorts of little bits and bobs that I have loved and held onto...such a fun project.

Lastly came the trim...across the top and bottom edges and around some of the muffin holes.

The center was dressed up with another die cut, embellished with Melissa Frances chenille candy canes and rusty jingle bells.

Hope you'll take some time to give this a try....use all of your favorite things and set it out to enjoy throughout the season.

Don't forget to pop on over to Mish's blog....you'll love what she's prepared for you.

Before I go...something tasty and festive for you...

(Photo and recipe from Belle of the Kitchen)

Orange Rolls are such a warm and cozy Christmas Eve treat.  In my husband's family, it is tradition to have Orange Rolls with Christmas Eve dinner...then to warm them up and munch on them throughout Christmas Day.  I haven't been able to perfect my mother-in-law's recipe for them...no one makes them like she does....I really should start taking pictures of her food for you....she makes masterpieces...as does my mom.

This recipe is one I would like to try this year....thank you to Belle of the Kitchen for sharing your beautiful photos and recipe!  Orange Rolls...most definitely a food for comfort.

Enjoy your December day!

Melis

 

whoooopie...it's december!

(Photo courtesy of Williams-Sonoma)

Bring on the chocolate, the cream, the sugar cookies with extra sprinkles, the gingerbread, the cinnamon rolls, the candied coated happiness....mmmm....Happy December!

Just a little something to trim the tree...or perhaps tuck something sweet and chocolaty inside...created with an image from the Crafty Secrets Christmas Image and Journal Notebook, the Birdies Clear Art Stamp set, snow glitter, vintage trim, a glass glitter star and seam binding from Memrie Mare, a Maya Road trinket pin, tinsel pipe cleaner, fabric....and a paper towel tube....not so glamorous, eh?  Coulda been a toilet paper tube, but that would have ruined the whole thing for sure....I girl has to get resourceful this time of year though, don't you think....so I can selfishly buy a little something to stuff inside my own stocking....something like this perhaps?

This little necklace reminds me of my little bean...my wee little girl....I can't help but smile....especially since I just enjoyed a delicious p-nut butter and jelly sandwich with her at school today...she wanted me to come join her for lunch so badly...she shared her crusts with me...we even played Red-Rover, Red-Rover a bit at recess...how could I have said no?  One day she will be so embarrassed to call me her mother...but for now, she loves me even when I am so un-cool.

I found it while shopping for some sweet people I love at my very most favorite jewelry shop called, The Ardent Sparrow....

My stocking would be so happy to be stuffed with this....

So....tell me, since we're being selfish today...if you could stuff your own stocking, what would you put in it?  

Melis

 

P.S.  Come back tomorrow for Day 4 of Mish and my 12 Days of Christmas smorgasbord :)