Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Christmas Printable FREE!



I created this darling little printable for you to enjoy this holiday season. I was inspired by my bottlebrush tree dioramas. I love the sweet little deer.


You are welcome to download these to your computer, and use them (for personal use only). Print as many as you like! Give them to your neighbors. Go nuts!

These are the 5 X 7 version.




Here is a blank, so you can make it into an invitation or whatever you want.


These are the 8 X 10 printables. I love them also <3 p="">







And… because I love you… Free cupcake toppers! This is my first time making cupcake toppers. Pretty cute, right?


Here they are close up.






Thanks for stopping by. I hope you are enjoying this holiday season.

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa








Monday, December 16, 2013

Christmas Neighbor Gift - Diffraction Glasses

This is the most favorite thing I have ever done for my neighbors for a neighbor Christmas gift!!! It is the time of year where driving around at night looking at the holiday lights is magical! These glasses make it even more memorable.

In each envelope are pairs of paper diffraction glasses. You know the kind of glasses you wear, and it turns all the light you look at into giant prisms?


I got the glasses in a set of 100 on ebay. I paid about $20 when I bid. (I think I got lucky.) You can buy-it-now for $39.99 including shipping, or make an offer. They ship very quickly. I only pass them out to the kids in each family, not the parents. It mades the glasses go farther.

I created a free printable for you if you choose to do the same thing. Download to your computer, and print as many as you like. (For personal use only.) I printed 4 per page on card stock. 


I slipped the glasses into cute little paper bags form Pick Your Plum. The neighbor kids have LOVED them. I thought it was a fun thing to pass out instead of treats.


I got this idea from Megan Pyrah at Brassy Apple. She buys diffraction glasses every year for her family to use when they go out to look at Christmas lights. I remember having plastic diffraction glasses when I was little, but didn't realize that they make paper glasses as well. Thanks for the idea Megan. We might be using them for the 4th of July as well!

Thanks for stopping by.

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Bottle Brush Tree Tutorial

I have admired bottlebrush trees for years, and decided this was the year to make some of my own. It was much easier than I thought it would be, and I want to share my method with you today!


The thing that is great about bottlebrush trees is that you take regular old green mini trees, and can dye them to any color you want, and whatever fits into the decor of your home. I love fuchsia and teal, so I went with those colors for my trees.


I love the way it sets off the cute little dollar store house I painted.

You will need:
Trees - from Michael's they work great. A whole bag of 21 is around $12 on sale.
Bleach
Rit Dye - from the craft store or the grocery store.
Tongs
Rubber Gloves to protect your hands from the bleach (not pictured).



Pour bleach in a bowl, and add hot tap water. Use about 80% bleach, and 20% water.


They will start to change immediately. Swish them around, and you will see the color fade. When they are mostly free of the green, remove them from the bleach mixture, and plunge into warm soapy water. Massage the bleach and the last of the color out with your hands. They will look like this.


Now for the dye. You will want your trees to be wet. I started with 90% water, and 10% dye, and added dye as I saw fit. You can add more if you want the color to darken. You can also leave the trees in longer to soak up more color. Use your tongs to remove them. Try to get as much of the excess dye off as you can, and set them right on paper towels. I started with a plastic bin, and moved to using a cookie sheet lined with paper towels. It was easier to set the trees up that way. 


You can see the color variation. Leave them to dry over night. Wipe down the bases after the branches are dry.


See that cute little house that is surrounded by the fun trees? 


It is from the dollar store. 


I spray painted it white. 


I felt like I wanted a little more variation, so I hit it with a little metallic craft paint, but left the snow sections white. I then painted mod podge on the snow sections, and poured glitter on them. I did the same to the base of each window. 


The sweet little deer are from Michael's. You can also pick them up at Hobby Lobby. I like the style of Michael's better. The fake snow is from Wal-mart. 

I LOVE how it turned out!

Come back to see more fun things I have done with my daring bottle brush trees! I also have a free printable for you!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa


Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Thanksgiving craft / Teepee tutorial

I shared this post in the spring originally, but thought it was a good one to bring back for the fall. I am hosting a cousin craft day this morning, and we are making these fun families and teepee's. I thought you might like to give it a shot as well.

Have you ever thought to yourself... "It would be so cute to make a teepee out of a doily."? These are the kinds of thoughts that go through my mind. So, this morning I decided to do it. I got 8" paper doilies from Hobby Lobby.

After I got the teepee's made, I decided they need a family to inhabit them! So, I got my blank peg dolls out, and started painting...

This is the result!!! I am crazy about it!


 I have two tutorials below. One for the tall teepee, and one for a shorter version. Picture them at a party, as a place setting. They are so feminine and darling.


TALL TEEPEE
Fold the bottom over.
Glue it into a cone, leaving a hole on top, and the fold in back.
Fold the top flaps out.
Put sticks in the top.

 Couldn't be any easier!


 Now for the short teepee. I was picturing this super feminine,  with Indians wearing only pastel pink feathers, but it evolved to this....


SHORT TEEPEE
Fold doily over.
Cut an elongated triangle out of the middle, by slightly folding the white part in half.
Make into a cone and staple the back.
Cut a straight line up the front, and fold the doors out.
Place sticks in the opening.


Here's a closer look at the family. I love them!


Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa

Monday, November 25, 2013

Christmas Teacher Gift with free printable!


My kids are on year round school. Tomorrow is their last day at school until January!!! It just dawned on me today, that I need to give their teachers a holiday gift. They each have two teachers, so I have to come up with 4 gifts.


Teaches gifts are always so hard for me to figure out. I found this cute holiday pasta at World Market today, and thought it was perfect! I created this cute little label, and hooked it on over the original packaging. You are welcome to download it to your computer and print your own.


I think it turned out so darling!!! Hopefully this helps if you are also looking for something to give your kids teachers this holiday season.


Thanks for stopping by.

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Holiday Card Packaging Ideas!

I love getting Christmas cards in the mail, and I love it even more when the envelopes are fun! Today, I am sharing some super fabulous ideas for packaging your holiday cards. The first idea is SO easy!

PAPER BAGS!!!

Paper bags are so popular. My favorite place to get them is


The thing that is awesome is that if you get your cards at Costco, they will fit perfectly into a large paper bag made envelope!

I shared all these ideas on Studio 5. Watch the clip here:




To see a clip of the packaging ideas, visit Studio 5. It wouldn't allow me to paste the code here for some reason...

There are so many fun patterns, and even sizes now days. I also like the idea of designing a smaller version of your holiday card using an app like Rhonna Designs, and putting a small square card in a small envelope.


The best ever life saver for a busy mom, is a personalized stamp. I also got this from

Makes the address job so easy!

If you are still looking to add more interest, get out your washi tape! Washi tape is sure to dress up any envelope! And… you guessed it… the washi tape came from PICK YOUR PLUM as well! Thanks Pick Your Plum!!!

This might be my favorite idea yet! Take your favorite picture of your family, and use the program PIC MONKEY to add your address. You can use different colors and fonts. It really is so fun.

Then, when it's time to print the label, tell the printer that you want to print 16 per page. Make sure you tell it to include the entire image, or you might lose some of it.



You can print it on sticker paper, and simply peel and stick, or print is on regular paper, and glue it to the envelope. More work, and less money… Here are some more pictures of other fun cards I will be sending out this year.



You can cut with a paper cutter, scissors, and even use a punch! Get creative! Go nuts! Have fun! You have my permission!


Thanks for stopping by. Tune into Studio 5 today at 1pm mst. I will be sharing all these ideas, as well as the customized family portraits I have been sharing all week.

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa

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