On the Fourth Day of Christmas

DECORATIVE PLATE

Supply List

• Plate (1.00)
• Regular Copy Paper
• Photo Editing Software
• --OR--
• 8x10 Matte Photo and protractor
• Decoupage
• Paints, Inks, Misc. Embellishments
• Circle Cutter or Scissors

There is truly no better gift for the holidays than the never-ending memories that are captured in a photo. Besides what better way to replace that outdated picture of you on your parents end table with the poofy hair and the acne that you are forced to remember every time you visit (I was talking about me…I am certain no one else here had poofy hair or acne at age 15...LOL)! I’ll be honest though…sometimes I feel a bit vein giving someone "just" a framed photo of myself as a gift (and a bit lazy as well)…maybe because I don't feel as though I've put enough thought into it? But if you consider the person you’re giving it to and take your photo a step further by presenting it in a way that compliments their home or their hobby then it becomes a well put-together and thoughtful gift!

Here are the steps I've taken to create my decorative plate:

1. First I’ve taken this photo of my son, done some editing to give it an aged and somewhat transparent look and cropped it in the perfect size to fit inside of my plate (that I got for a 1.00 mind you…never underestimate the dollar stores ladies!).

2. Now if you are printing off your own picture I suggested copy paper instead of photo paper because the printed image will saturate the paper instead of sitting on top (as it does with photo paper). This makes the image and ink less transferable--however, you must wait for the photo to dry COMPLETELY before applying the decoupage…otherwise you will simply be smearing your printer ink around on a plate!

3. Apply a thin layer of decoupage to the surface area of the plate and starting in the center, begin laying down your photo. Flatten the image onto the plate working the bubbles and wrinkles from the middle out to the edges.

4. Once your photo is flat and mostly dried, you can begin applying a top coat of decoupage taking care to make nice even strokes for the best finish possible. Once the decoupage has dried completely you can add details to the rim of your plate if you choose to further compliment your giftee’s style. My plate already had a very subtle design and since my grandfather is a very subtle guy I chose to let the image on the plate speak for itself…but don’t let this stop you…embellish away!

So long story short…a photo is the perfect gift to give on Christmas Day…your family loves you and enjoys seeing your sparkling smile on their end table…or your beautiful son staring back at them from a plate hanging on their wall, or even the beautiful photo of their favorite mountain scenery printed on canvas…the possibility of photo gifts are endless. Check back later in the week for many more photo gift ideas! And if you’re thinking of brushing up on your photography skills-- well Katrina Kennedy is waiting to help you do just that! Beginning next year join her for her NEW! online photography class at Get It Scrapped! Where she’ll be discussing the principles of Composition…trust me DON’T MISS THIS CLASS! In the mean time check out her ebook "Get Me Off of Auto" available at Designer Digitals

On the Third Day of Christmas...

WALL ART

Supply List

Canvas (1.00)
Spray Mist
Stamps
Clear/White Embossing Powder and Heat Gun
--OR--
White Stickers
Patterned Paper
White Paint or Gesso and Paint Brush
Decoupage


Make a personalized piece of wall art for a family member or friend this holiday season to show how much you truly care. Once you have your canvas , you’ll want to select your color scheme. Choose a patterned paper, or piece together several for a “blocked look.” Then choose paints, and mists that will compliment this scheme. Cover your canvas with a generous layer of decoupage and place (or piece) your paper over the canvas, taking care to smooth out any bubbles or wrinkles, then apply a generous layer over the top of the paper as well. After the decoupage has dried, use your white paint or gesso to blend the edges of the paper into the blank canvas edges. Then give your art some dimension by dry brushing over the paper with light strokes of a complimenting color--this gives it a somewhat distressed look and takes away some of the gloss from the decoupage. Next use your stamp(s) and embossing pad to stamp an image onto your canvas (try placing something under the canvas to give yourself a hard even surface to work with). Apply clear (or white if your paper is extremely dark)) embossing powder to the stamped image and use your heat tool to complete the embossing on your canvas(Note: be careful not to get too close…you don’t want to melt the canvas!) . Then use your misting spray, to spray over top of the canvas for an “ink resist” effect. Give the ink a minute to seep in and then blot it. And now you have a wonderful piece of art that you will be proud to sign your name in the corner of and give to that special someone!

If you don’t have embossing tools…no worries Dina Wakely has a fabulous alternative for you, which will achieve this very same effect! Find her tutorial at Get It Scrapped!, where there are tons of tutorials, project ideas, sketches and more…and best of all they’re FREE…all you have to do is become a registered member ! Leave a comment in today's thread to enter the drawing for a $30.00 gift certificate towards ANY Get It Scrapped class! And hopefully I'll see you tomorrow for yet another 1.00 gift idea!

On the Second Day of Christmas...

HOLIDAY HEADBAND

Supply List

Headband (3 for 1.00)
Fabric, Felt and Lace Scraps, Silk Flowers, and die cuts
--OR--
Bought Embellishments
Buttons
Needle and Thread
Hot Glue

Looking to dress your little princess for less this Holiday season…using your scrapbook embellishments (handmade or bought) you can do just that. And why stop at headbands, dress up their socks, necklaces and even handbags! Simply layer your embellishments, preferably fabric (as they hold up to the elements a little better) and sew or glue them together. Then hot glue (to plastics or metals, etc) or sew them to your article.
Ta-da! Easy as that!

If you’d like to learn to make your own Beautifully Handmade Embellishments for all of your layouts and projects, then join Tania Willis in learning to make yoyos, rosettes, posies and more--only at Get It Scrapped! Her class is available in self-paced format until the beginning of next year or join her early next year when her new and improved class goes live! And once again don't forget to leave a comment for today to be entered in the drawing for $30.00 towards ANY of the classes offered at Get It Scrapped!

On the First Day of Christmas...

HOLIDAY ADVENT CALENDAR

Supply List

Package of Magnetic Sheets (4 sheets) (1.00)
Non-Stick Mini Muffin Tin (24 count)
Ribbon to Hang (2 ft)
Bulldog Clips (2)
Acrylic Paint & Paint Brush
Patterned Paper
Misc. Embellishments
Misc. Ribbon for Pull Tabs (if needed)

This fun and simple Advent Calendar allows you to use what you have to make the perfect holiday gift for someone special. The one item you might not have is your magnetic sheets, but not to worry, they are available at Walmart, Target and most local discount stores for usually no more than a dollar! Simply cut 24 circles out of your magnetic sheets measuring roughly 1/8 of an inch larger than the opening of the muffin cups on your mini muffin tin. Cover the circles with patterned paper, number them 1-24 and decorate as you see fit, using up extra embellishments, alphas, chipboards, etc! You may want to create ribbon pull tabs for your circles so that they may be easily pulled off to reveal your treats. If you like the crackled paint effect featured in the photo above, then make sure you have a non-stick pan and paint over it with the acrylic paint color of your choice. You will notice shortly after coating it, that the paint will redistribute because of the non-stick coating…this is OK! Be careful not to brush against it and wait for it to dry. You will then want to coat the tin with a sealant so that the acrylic paint does not brush off (Note: make sure to use only wrapped treats inside your advent calendar if the sealant you have chosen is not food safe!) Hook your bull dog clips to the top, thread your ribbon through and its ready to fill with treats and hang!

Looking to learn more about utilizing your stash to put the perfect finishing touches on all of your projects and layouts, then check out one of Doris Sander’s Product Pizazz classes, at Get It Scrapped! Trust me, once you’ve started her first one, you’ll want to take all three! And don;t forget to enter your name in the drawing for $30.00 towards any Get It Scrapped class, by leaving a comment on this thread! You can leave one each day, so I look forward to seeing you over the next eleven days! The winner will be announced Dec. 10th! Good Luck!

2009 Holiday Blog Series:The Twelve Days of Christmas

Beginning Friday Nov. 27th I will present 12 fun gift ideas, over 12 days, that you can make for your loved ones and friends for just $12 ($1 ea)! Featuring great holiday bargains and dollar store finds and showcasing the techniques taught in a handful of online classes available at Get It Scrapped, all these gifts will allow you to utilize the things you have on hand, with the addition of one item and a whole lot of creativity! Join me each day for a new gift idea and a chance to win $30.00 towards a Get It Scrapped class of your choice! Just leave a comment in each day’s thread to be entered to win! The winner will be announced Dec. 10th! Have a Happy Thanksgiving and I’ll see you Friday!

Just Be YOU

There is just one life for each of us--our own.

--Euphrides

Bragging Rights!

I'm not usually one to brag, but I'm gonna, because it simply must be said...My kid is definitely grosser than your kid (I hear there is a bumper sticker in the works)! Allow me to illustrate:

1. He eats cat food...but let's face it...who hasn't?!

2. He gargles his milk and more often than not spits it out at you when he's through.

3. He loves to play with cob-webs and even gives them as gifts.

4. He loves to roll around in dirty clothes and usually goes out of his way to dump his hamper in preparation for the event.

5. He hunts for treasures in the pile that I am currently sweeping off of the floor (often redistributing that which I've just swept, back over the floor.)

6. I always find him munching on food that I have no idea where it could have come from and once he has swallowed it, I must try very hard not to think about it!

7. He is a streaker...every time I turn around I find his clothes in a pile and he's running around the house like a crazy person...every once in a while I catch him trying to take off his pants in public!

8.He used to love to chew on shoes...something I thought only dogs did!?

9. He is ALWAYS picking his nose...in fact I am certain that one nostril is now noticeably larger than the other!

10. And finally the absolutely grossest thing ever....he decided to let mommy know that he needed a diaper change by reaching inside of it and handing mommy a surprise...ugh ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING...enough said!

So you think your Kid is gross then BRING It! But until then, my kid reigns supreme as the Grossest of the Gross *gushing with pride*