Quick Rustic Ribbon Christmas Card

When I spied this wide printed woven ribbon, I knew I had to get it for making cards and tags.  It was simple work to to apply Authentique Xmas card stock rectangles to a Kraft paper blank card.  I used thin strips of olive green textured card stock to separate printed card stock that was too similar in color tones.  The ribbon was cut and the edges of the rectangles frayed to add to the rustic look.  The cards are equally charming in a vertical or horizontal layout.  The wooden lazer cut star and bottle brush tree are both from HM BFC....great Xmas decorating stuff sold there!  Check us out! Happy Xmas Shopping and Decorating!

Local Style Cookies

 A few months ago I tasted some delicious furikake cookies and just knew that I needed to make local style cookies this Christmas.  There are so many local treats that can be added to a basic cookie base that it was hard to decide what to choose.  I finally settled on  crushed ginger senbei and mini yakko arare.  Although they sort of looked the same after baking, they definitely had tasty differences.

 After cooling the cookies, I packed them in( Great Lines Hawaii) stand-up zippered pouches purchased from HM Ben Franklin Crafts.  I used a Tepra label printer to make a professional looking label for each cookie pouch.  I hope you'll give the following recipe a try.

Ingredients

1-1/2 sticks salted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup toffee chips
1 cup crushed ginger senbei
1 cup mini Yakko arare

Procedure

Mix together sugars and butter.  Add in egg and vanilla.  Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Combine the dry ingredients and the egg mixture.  Mix in the toffee chips.  Separate the dough into two parts and add the senbei to one half and arare to the other.  Roll the dough into 1-1/2" balls about 15 per type.  Flatten each ball onto parchment lined cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.  Yield: 2-1/2 cookies  Enjoy!

Chocolate Dipped Treats

Looking for yummy, easy to make treats for Christmas gift giving?  For these chocolate dipped goodies all you need is a microwave oven, assorted dried items (coconut strips, pomelo slices, ika strips or li hing guava skins) and Ba Da Boom Ba Da Bing Dark Chocolate pieces. (I bought my chocolate from HM Ben Franklin Crafts.)

The chocolate can be easily melted in a coffee mug at about 7 power for 1 minute. Dip each piece and place it on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  If desired add decorative sprinkles before the chocolate dries.  A spoon will help you get the last bit of chocolate to drip over the fruit.  It will take about 1 hr. for the chocolate to harden enough for packing.  The Ba Da Boom Ba Da Bing chocolate tastes delicious and melts easily.  It also dries to a professional shiny finish.  My son's favorite dipped treat is the ika (sorry no photo) so I better get going and pack his gift box of homemade goodies so he gets it before Xmas. Yummy holidays to everyone working hard in blogland!

P.S. HM Ben Franklin Crafts has a new line of cellophane packaging that are really cute. Shown here are the clear mouth frog and clear stomach penguin. There are lots of other styles which are suitable for any occasion gift treats. I labeled the packs with The Tepra label maker which is sold at HM BFC.

Christmas Puppy Tree Tag

I bought the Mama Elephant stamp and die at the beginning of the holiday season (from HM BFC, I think). I thought it was so cute but a busy schedule made me not want to color the design with my favorite Copic pens.  Instead I stamped the image on watercolor paper with gold ink and heat embossed it with NUVO  'Gold Enchantment' powder.  My original plan was to use Ken Oliver pigment powders to add color to the tags. However, I didn't like the outcome so I was about to discard the tags.

However, I hate to waste time and supplies so I decided to try a different idea.  I thought the tags needed a soft pastel look so I tried my Gansai Tambi Pearl watercolors.  By just dabbing on some color here and there, I got the look I desired. Yay!

As you can see the opalescent colors look fabulous but are a bit hard to photograph.  I die cut a second tree from printed card stock so that the messy watercolored back could be  covered up and there would be a surface for writing.  I glued a specialty yarn between the two die cut trees so the tag can be attached to a special Christmas gift.  I hope you are wrapping up your Christmas gifts attractively, even if it's only to attach a pretty tag....I'm sure the recipient will be excited!

Lynn's Prune Mui

This is the time of the year that my husband is always willing to chop, mix, and serve as official taster. Prune mui is one treat that is often requested by friends and family.  The photo above is what it looks like after it is just made so it will be much juicier later.  Every year I change up the recipe depending upon what scrumptious ingredients I find.  This year Trader Joe's had candied lemon slices and Costco had giant bags of Sunsweet prunes and organic dried mangoes.  I also found some huge li hing mui seeds from Chinatown.  Here is this year's recipe for those of you who want to give it a try:

Mix sauce:
1-1lb bag of brown sugar
1 T. Chinese five spice powder
3 T. coarse Hawaiian salt
1-1/2 c. lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
3 T. white rum

Cut up 3.5 lbs. of pitted prunes, 2.5lbs. of dried mangoes, 2 pkgs. of candied lemon slices, and two bags of large li hing mui seeds and mix them with the sauce.  Let stand covered for days, mixing as needed. Pack the prune mui in zip loc bags and flip bags twice daily.  Pack in containers and wrap attractively.  Give with pride! Onolicious Holidays to All!

Yeti Tuck-In 2020 Calendar

I am quite pleased with how these calendars turned out and they were so easy to make!  I started by stamping the Yeti images (Lawn Fawn stamp set from HM Ben Franklin Crafts) in dark blue Memento ink onto white marker paper.  Next I applied crystal Scribbles onto the Yetis and sprinkled them with  Martha Stewart iridescent hair-like glitter. Once the Yeti were dry, I used the LF dies to cut them out.

While the Scribbles was drying, I cut out the calendar bases.  I picked double-sided card stock and cut out 3"x 8" strips.  Next I started on the left of the length and marked at 1/2", 1-1/4", 2", and 5" on both the top and bottom of the strip.  Using a bone folder, I scored the strip at the markings. Then the piece was folded and pleated. The 1/2" tab was adhered to the back with Heiko double sided adhesive tape (from HM BFC).

To make the back of the calendar more finished, I used the dies to cut out the Yeti shapes from the matching printed  card stock. (Be sure you die cut the Yeti on the right side as they are similar but not identical.)  Before attaching the Vippies calendars to the base, I stamped the words (from the LF stamp set) 'The Best Is Yeti To Come".  I thought this sentiment was perfect for this calendar.   

I used foam adhesive tabs to secure the Yetis to the calendars.  The Yetis remind me of my cute and cuddly twin grandsons who ARE identical.  This coming year will certainly be the 'best' with another Yeti to arrive in late May! (My second son's first child!).  I hope that you will try making this style of calendar which you can 'Tuck-In' to hostess gifts, give to co-workers or even attach as tags to Xmas gifts.  Be creative and stay happy all year long!

Thank You Hugs Card

 With all the festivities around the corner, I decided I should get a jump on my thank you cards before I get too busy.  I like to mail out my Xmas gift thank you cards before New Year's Day....a childhood habit encouraged by my mother.  The Mama Elephant stamp and die sets that I purchased from HM Ben Franklin Crafts seemed like a perfect choice.  I used my dependable Lawn Fawn 'Hugs' die to cut out the word from foil or pearlescent paper and used a small stamp to print 'Thank You' on a matching paper.

 I used double stick Heiko tape to adhere the front printed panel to the card and then used a small Sizzix circle die to cut out the circular opening.

Small squares of foam adhesive were added to the back of each  Copic colored die cut image so they would have some dimension.

 A colored pencil line was added to ground each pair of huggers.

 As you can see by changing up the pattern paper, image and colors many different cards can be created.

 I am happy that I will be able to send out my thank you notes before the start of 2020. Well, onward to  Yeti calendars to give out to friends. Check back to see what I am talking about.  Jolly Holiday Crafting!

Sky's The Limit Birthday Card

The holiday season has begun and my crafting is lagging behind.  Remembering that I needed a birthday card for a 1 year old and a wedding card made me hunt through my stash of handmade cards. Happily, I found a suitable wedding card so I just had to whip out a birthday card.  Because the party is being held at the Pacific Aviation Museum, I decided to hunt for the Dandelion Designs stamp set I purchased years ago.  My memory was accurate and the set was just right for this card and paired well with the Lawn Fawn stamp and die set that I acquired recently.  I stamped the images on marker paper and colored them in with Copic pens before fussy cutting them out.  I embossed the Lawn Fawn cloud images onto the pearlized card blank.  I wanted the clouds to show on the front of the card so I left a big border by die cutting the LF scalloped rectangle of printed card stock smaller than usual.

To make the child's name standout, I die cut the X-cut letters from blue foil paper.  They were then run through a Xyron sticker maker to apply adhesion.  On the inside of the card I used the images from the LF set and used the die set to cut them out....so much easier than fussy cutting!  I like that the clouds show on the inside and outside of the card.  I hope this card gave you some ideas of how to put together an easy birthday card. Okay, onward to Christmas crafting!

Snow Globe Tags

 As soon as I found the Lawn Fawn snow globe tag die set at HM Ben Franklin Crafts, I knew that I would have fun making Xmas tags with it.  Next to the die set I spied the cute Stampendous cling stamps.  They were only $3.49 so I grabbed a few designs.

 If you've made shaker elements before, you should have no problem assembling the snow globe. I die cut the inner layer from red sheet foam.  This gives a raised area for the sequins and 'snow' to move around.  Clear acetate was glued with 3 in 1 Beacon glue to the back of the die cut green circle of glitter paper.

 The birds and dogs were colored with Copic pens.  I like that the globe tag has its own hanging hole for the twine.  If I could make one change to the tags, I would color the Santa caps a different color so they would stand out more from the background.  Perhaps I could make the tags a light blue instead of red ....ah, next time.  I know I'll be using this snow globe tag die set for many other occasions.  There are other non-Xmas small inexpensive mice stamps available at HM BFC which would be adorable in the snow globe tags.  I have the perfect Valentine tag in m mind's eye....can't wait to show it to you IRL!

Autumn 2019 Family Newsletter Card

 Every autumn I try to create a card or calendar to go with my family newsletter.  This year we just returned from Japan so I have less time than usual to get everything together and in the mail.  To keep it simple, I decided to rely on the beauty of washi paper with leaves embedded in the fibers that I purchased from a Japanese craft store.  To tear the paper in a desired shape with wispy fibrous edges, I used a wet paint brush to draw the shape and used a straightedge plus fingers to gently pull.  I punched the leaf shape (EK Success) from a crinkled Japanese paper that had some sparkly foil bits. After rubbing some metallic paste to the surface of the leaf, I decided that there weren't enough foil bits so I added more with glue and NUVO gold leaf foil.  I'm not sure when or where I bought the stamp set which includes the Emily Bronte saying, but it is perfect for the newsletter that I am writing that will contain some leaf shaped photos. I am happy that the card is natural looking, autumnal, and easy to replicate. Well, onward to finish the rest of the cards.....each one will be a one-of-a- kind just like my friends and family!

Woodland Fox with Lemonade Tag/Card

 A dear friend of mine is enduring some major rehab due to a stroke so I wanted to make her a card and attach it to some edibles.  Since I was in an autumn state of mind, I decided to use my Lawn Fawn die set to make this cute fox tag/card.  This set can make three different animal cards with hugging arms.  The dies cut out all the parts even for the eyes and nose...so  easy to put together the animals with a little Beacon 3 in 1 glue (available at HM BFC)

 Rather than have the fox holding a heart, I made a glass of lemonade mini card using a Whimsy stamp set. I stamped the sentiment, "when life gives you lemons" on the outside of the card and  "make lemonade" inside the card.  I really feel this saying is appropriate for my friend who is courageously doing her best to return to normal.

 The inside of the card and the back of the fox provide lots of room for a message.  I added twine so that the tag could be attached to the get well goodies I am delivering.  For added cuteness, I used a Copic pen to make rosy cheeks and glued on a sweet flower.

I love the words that came with the Mama Elephant stamp set (see below), "Hand Crafted Hugs enclosed"and I thought that they paired well with this hugging fox card/tag. Of all the autumn dies I've invested in, I think this Lawn Fawn one is the cutest and most useful.  I like that it can make three different animals a fox, a raccoon and a reindeer. The folded arms add dimension and can 'hold' a calendar, photo or shaker element. Think of the possibilities! Come on, get crafty for the holidays!

Autumn Blessings Tree Card

 The IO (Impression Obsession) tree die is one of my favorites. I think I use it at least once every autumn.  This year I chose to make it more tree-like by cutting it out from a woodgrain paper that sort of looked like a wooden floor.  To hide the lines between each plank of wood, I smudged on some brownish-grey ink after the tree was cut out.  Somehow, the salmon colored paper with musical notes (from DCWV Autumn Melody pack) seemed just right for embossing with the leaf design (free from Papercraft Magazine).  The musical notes and raised leaf design are barely visible, but I think they really add to the overall look of the card.  To balance out the design, I added a die cut maple leaf (die also free from Papercraft  magazine) that was rubbed with copper metallic paste and flecked with gold ink.  The copper heat embossed words (TPC stamp) were made with Nuvo embossing powder (available at HM BFC). I am very happy with the quiet look of this card as it is sort of what I visually imagine falling leaves sound like in the early morning.  Gosh, I wish we had a real fall season, but I guess then I'd be grumbling about raking up leaves. LOL!

'Dream Big' Magnetic Coaster Calendars

My Vippies calendars just arrived so I started thinking about what I would do with them this year.  I had already purchased a large package (50 I think) of coasters from our Celebrations store (next to the HM BFC Mapunapuna store) so I decided to use them as the base for the calendars. 

Because I have so many calendars to make for an upcoming event, I decided that they had to be simple.  I decided to use the Penny Black 'Dream Big' die because I think everyone needs to set their goals beyond what they can possibly imagine achieving.  The words were cut out of a Tim Holtz gold foil paper from a pack.

For the base cover paper I used sheets from Me and My Big Ideas 'Mambi' 12x12 pack.  There are some great designs in this set, some with gold glitter.  I chose the marble sheets because then each calendar would be different.  Each 12x12 sheet yielded nine 3-5/8 squares which were glued onto the coasters (double sided tape could also be used).  Edges of the papers were trimmed close to the coasters before the gold sentiments, calendars and magnet sheets (on the back) were adhered.

Some of the covered coasters were not as sparkly as I desired, so I flicked on some gold Liquitex paint (before adding the words and calendars) and added a few adhesive backed acrylic gems.  I think by keeping these calendars simple, I won't get 'burnt out' while making multiples and will have more time to spend on other holiday creations.  Keep smiling while crafting throughout the 'jolly holly' season!

Up-cycled Autumn Gift Bag

Fall is the start of the holiday season during which there are lots of gatherings requiring hostess gifts.  I like giving baked goods in decorative gift bags.  The Hawaiian Airlines snack bag I received while on my last flight was a nice quality with great woven ribbon handles....perfect for up-cycling into an autumn gift bag. At HM Ben Franklin Crafts I purchased a really attractive hedgehog ribbon which I cut to size, removed the wire supports and glued to the bag on both sides. For the veined leaf (which is covering the HA logo), I used the dies that came with a recent Papercraft magazine.  I flicked (with a stencil brush) some gold Liquitex paint onto the solid paper leaf before gluing on the veined leaf.  I didn't spend a lot of time  decorating this bag because my baked goods are the real gift....right?  I truly believe that presentation makes the present even more delicious.

Going Batty Halloween Card

 I love the Penny Black cat and Whimsy Stamps bat images and thought they would look great together on a card.  However, I didn't want to fussy cut them out so I decided to try masking the images and laying Distress Oxide inks over them.  I started with a rectangle of watercolor paper and stamped the cat onto it before applying Nuvo black sparkle heat embossing powder. After setting the powder with a heat gun, I stamped the image on a piece of scrap paper and cut it out to form a mask.  While holding down the mask, I stamped the bat image to the side and heat embossed powder onto it too.  Keeping the masks in place, I blotted some Distress Oxide inks around the images and sparingly spritzed some water onto the inks until I was satisfied with the colors.  After the paper was dry, I used a stenciling brush (see photo below) (purchased from HM BFC) to flick on the Liquitex silver ink (also purchased at HM Ben Franklin Crafts) before moving the masks.  Next, I colored in the images with Copic pens. It was simple to put this card together with double stick tape and foam dots behind the K and Co. die cut sentiment.  Covering images with masks (not the bat one on the cat LOL!) is a good way to protect the images while working on the background and really cuts down on the intricate fussy cutting.  Give this technique a try on your upcoming holiday cards. Happy Holiday Crafting!