An idea a day... #14

Quick and Cute Tree Ornaments

There were some gaps on our tree this year.

This was the year I went through all our ornaments and pulled out all the ornaments that were made or bought for my daughters... now with their own trees. Quite a walk down memory Lane!

I took a picture of each ornament so that I can put them in mini albums for the girls with the stories behind each ornament (after the holidays).

I made some quick... very quick... ornaments to fill in the gaps.

1. Cut a square or rectangle of colored cardstock for the background.

2. Cut the edges with a scalloping scissors or scissors of your choice.

3. Stick on a 3-D sticker or a die cut (from your stash, scrapbook or craft store).

4. Punch small holes in the upper corners.

5. Tie on a small piece of ribbon for hanging.

DONE!!

Here's the finished product on our tree.

I love the block of color.
These would also make great gift tags.
BE CREATIVE!!


"Think left and think right and think low and think high.
Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!
~Dr. Seuss

An idea a day... #13

A Year of Pictures

During the year I make lots of little mini books full of pictures about an occasion, an event, a vacation, or anything that I want to remember and document.

It's such fun to put these in a basket for friends and relatives to look through.

Often they'll find themselves in at least one of the small albums.

Quick and easy to put together... and such fun to read and reread.

"A good snapshot stops a moment from running away."
~Eudora Welty

Love you all!

An idea a day... #12

Christmas Card Holder

Through the years I have displayed our Christmas cards in a variety of ways.

This has proved successful the past few years.

1. As cards arrive, I punch a hole in the upper left corner.

2. I put a metal ring through the holes to hold them together.

3. I tied red and green ribbons on the metal ring to cover it and give it a festive touch.

4. A ribbon looped through the ring and tied in a bow provides a hanger for the card holder.

5. As cards arrive throughout the season, punch a hole in the card, open the ring in the back & slip it on.

6. Hang it anyplace!

After I took this picture, I saw a stack of cards I had forgotten.

It's so easy to add them to the ring.

This idea can be used with any type of cards.

These are cards from my daughters. So many of them are handmade.

I can't bear to throw them away and have kept them on a ring for years.

This ring hangs on a hook screwed into a shelf above my desk.

Every now and then I take them down and look at them or read the precious notes inside.

Metal rings come in a variety of sizes. As your collection grows... add a larger ring.

I know you well enough that someone is thinking, "I wish I could see what those dishes look like in the top picture. OK... here they are! Did I mention how much I love dishes and how many I have?

Most of them are changed seasonally... except the bottom dishes which I hand-carried home from Positano, Italy. My friend Lyn and I met 2 of our other girlfriends there and traveled the country side for a month. Of course I found the dishes during the first week and carried them for 3 more weeks.

Not a wise idea!!!

The book on the top is Susan Branch's Christmas book.

To those tired and stressed people working so hard to make Christmas sparkle for others...

"Oh bed! Oh bed! Delicious bed.

That heaven on earth to the weary head".

~Thomas Hood

Weekend off

I'll be back with my "an idea a day... #12" on Monday.

I'm taking the weekend off to finish this scarf for our niece, Annie.

And also to watch the football games today. Our Green Bay Packers are 11-2 and playing the Rams in St. Louis. They are having a GREAT year!! GO PACK!! Be safe!!See... I'm thinking of you all!

Hugs,~Joni

An idea a day... #11

~A Special Christmas Chair~

I always keep my eyes open for inexpensive wooden chairs at garage sales, etc.

I picked this chair up for $5.00, sanded it, and painted it with red spray paint.

I decorated it with paint pens, acrylic paints, and a black Sharpie marker.

The photo is a bit blurry but if you click on it you should be able to see some of the details.

Each Christmas the chair was brought up from the basement to find its place in some cozy corner of the house.

This year it has moved to my daughter's house in Phoenix.

It's so filled with memories.

This chair is only a few years old and is packed away with the Christmas decorations

until the house is transformed for the holiday season.

I added a sprig of holly and polka dot ribbon for a touch of color.

"Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles".

~Author Unknown

Love to you all!

~joni

An idea a day... #10

Fairy Bread

I'm sharing this because of a little girl named Katie.
For her birthday she asked for Fairy Bread and cupcakes.

You must read the cute story Helen, her mum, wrote about this on her blog.

I had never heard of Fairy Bread... I thought maybe it was just a name that a 3 year old had given to some food.

My curious husband was already Googling this on the Internet.

Alas... Wikipedia came through for us again (love it).

I think children all over the world should have the opportunity to taste something as enchanting as Fairy Bread and the wonderful mental images that it can create in their minds as they nibble on the sweet, sugary treat.

Fairy bread is sliced bread (usually white because it tastes best) spread with margarine or butter, and then sprinkled with Hundreds and Thousands (also known as sprinkles or nonpareils, a product consisting of small balls of coloured sugar intended to decorate cakes).
Fairy Bread is from Australia and is often served at a special occasion
Fairy bread is served at children's parties, almost exclusively in UK, Australia and New Zealand. Slices of the bread are often cut into triangles (or other shapes such as stars and people figures), the crusts removed (though not essential), and then stacked tastefully on the host's plate.
It was originally made using finely chopped rose petals for colour and scent instead of the sugary lollies that are used today.
The origin of the term is not widely known, but it may come from the poem 'Fairy Bread' in Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verse, published in 1885. (Wikipedia)



I can't wait to have a tea party for my friends' children
and serve Fairy Bread in fun shapes and pretty colors.

Hmmmmmm... maybe the little people who live behind the small door on my wall
made this delight for them???

Love, joni

An idea a day... #9

Quick Tree Garlands

1. Punch circles out of colored cardstock with a circle punch.

2. Use a very heavy thread to stick them on.

3. Attach circles to the thread with smaller gummed round stickers.

4. Just stick them on randomly... no pattern required.

5. Tie a loop at each end of the thread.

Quick, easy, and colorful!

Hang them from branch to branch.
Up and down and all around. No symmetry here!!

Sing: "Oh, Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree..."
and
do the Christmas tree dance!!

"Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree.

In the eyes of children, they are all

30 feet tall".

~Larry Wilde

The Merry Book of Christmas

An idea a day... #8

Red Twig Decoration

One of my favorite decorations... and probably the easiest to make.

I gathered twigs when the weather was still nice...

and sprayed them with quick dry red paint.

During the holidays they will stand in one of my favorite Polish pitchers on a shelf.

I love the wispy look against our cream walls.

I thought of hanging Scandinavian hearts in the branches,

but I'm enjoying them plain and simple right now.

We'll see what thoughts tomorrow brings.

"Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty,

never grows old."

~Frank Kafka

An idea a day... #7

Organizing Ideas and Inspiration

Through the years I have tried so many ways of organizing ideas that I see in magazines, catalogs, and online.

This is what is working for me right now... a large Rolodex.

1. I divided the Rolodex into sections by stapling a small piece of wide ribbon at the bottom of the card at the beginning of each section.

2. I glued a picture or small photo of the idea on the page and added thoughts I had about the item, etc.

3. I added comments on the card if I made the item and the date.

I can flip through the cards to get inspired to create something...

or look for a particular picture to remind me of the details.

Christmas ideas

Favorite quotes, scripture, etc.

Sewing ideas



Scrapbook Ideas

"Should you need a helping hand,

I'll gladly give you mine".

~anonymous

Afterthought... To get the small pictures for the Rolodex:

1. As I'm reading blogs and am inspired by an idea, I save the photo to a picture folder.

2. Using Photoshop, I organize the photos on a contact sheet to get them small enough to fit on a Rolodex card.

3 Print out (I do use photo paper with most as the colors and details are so clear).

4. Cut out, paste on card, and comment.

If I see something in a catalog, I usually go online and save the online picture to a folder.

Then... everything fits and is the right size.

An idea a day... #6

A Quick Picture

I needed a picture for above my Christmas polka dot towels in the guest bathroom.

I tried several pictures I had and nothing looked right.

I remembered a Christmas card with positive/negative trees on it that I had seen somewhere.

1. Cut a background piece of scrapbook paper to fit a frame (I have quite a stash of frames).

2. Cut a rectangle of white paper that will fit into one half of the frame.

3. Carefully cut an abstract tree from the white paper (I use small manicure scissors).

4. Glue the negative tree and the positive tree side-by-side.

5. Cut 2 circles and glue above tree tops.

6. Frame

DONE!!

I wanted to share how the finished product looks above the polka dot towels.

I may lower the picture a bit... or hang a small red heart

between the bottom of the frame and the towels.

Such fun!

"A merry heart doeth good like medicine".

~Proverbs 17:22

An idea a day... #5

Handmade Christmas Cards

I bought this cute cat and dog fabric just because it was cute.

Yesterday, as I was looking at my Christmas fabric stash I had an idea.

And it worked!!

Just cut, sew, and add a ribbon.

They're ready for a personalized Christmas greeting inside.

I have many more cut out... will sew them this morning.

I made these cards earlier.

They're just made from my scrapbook supplies.

I don't like repetition... so they're all different.

Actually, I have a whole basket full of them... as our card list seems to grow each year.

I hope you're all enjoying this Christmas prep time.

My feeling of panic is gone and I've slipped into an excitement mode.

When stressed remember...

"A good laugh is sunshine in a house".

~William M Thackery

An idea a day... #4

A FELT TREE

This was a 'quickie' that I made yesterday afternoon.

It's not perfect... I can see mistakes in the photo that don't seem to show up on the shelf.

But... it was fun to make.

This is what I did... you could do ANYTHING with the basic idea.

1. Cut 2 triangles or tree shapes from felt.

2. I sewed on scraps of green print ribbon... diagonally.

3. I sewed a variety of beads 'on and between' ribbon pieces.

4. Using a button hole stitch and embroidery thread, I stitched along the long sides.

5. Put a dowel into a wooden wheel and painted them... black.

6. I put the dowel into the tree until it hit the peak and stuffed the tree around the dowel.

7. Added a ribbon, tied to represent a star, to the tree top.

DONE!!!

I think it would look best in a group of 3 different heights, colors, and styles.

I'll have to get sewing today!

I flip flopped my scrapbook room with my sewing room. It was a lot of work but I love having the sewing machine table in front of this window... especially on a snowy day like yesterday.

A thought for the day...

~~((Choose joy! ))~~


Love you all!

An idea a day... #3

A quick and simple-to-make ornament!

As we wandered through Pottery Barn in Phoenix... I put on my breaks and pulled out my camera.

Oooooooooo... darling ornaments (see: tree below) that could be put together quickly and easily and made in any color and size.

I bought one for a friend... wanted to check it out close-up.

1. A Styrofoam ball

2. Grosgrain ribbon wrapped and pinned (small craft pins) at the top and the bottom.

3. Contrasting ribbon around 'the equator'.

4. Narrow rick rack above and below the center ribbon.

5. Bow and ribbon hanger on top to hang.

Look at how inviting the ornament looks at each persons place at the table... tied to a Christmas CD.

Here is a photo of the table in its entirety.

Only one runner.

Here are some ornaments hanging on their tree.
Kids could make them if the ribbon was pre-cut.
These don't have bows on the top... I'd want to have a bow.

A fun family project!



"Savor the moments that are warm and special and giggly."
~Sammy Davis Jr.

An idea a day... #2

LEDGES... narrow wall shelves

These are photos from my daughter Wendy's (the bride-to-be) house in Phoenix.

Her decorating is such FUN... with FUN colors.

But I was really fascinated with the narrow ledges she had in almost every room.

She ordered them from http://www.exposuresonline.com/ but they could easily be handmade.

Wendy's shelves are a variety of colors, sizes, and styles.

This shelf currently showcases her snowman collection and a snowman picture for height.

She put up her decorations while we were there and it was such fun anticipating what she'd unwrap from the box next. She'd collected them in her travels and some from her mom... ME!

Another clever use of a ledge was in the guest room.

She had photos enlarged and matted in colors to coordinate with the room colors.

I can't wait to 'lift' this idea after the holidays.

Here is a picture of her guest room. You can see how nice the colored mats look in this colorful room and help to tie the room together.

A bit of Trivia...
That was my bed and dresser growing up.
I slept on it.
My dad slept on it when he was in heart failure.
My mom slept on it when she moved to be nearer the girls and I.
I slept on it again after my divorce.
Wendy now has it in her guest room.

It's cherry wood and sturdy and will have an interesting history.


Love to you all,

A quick decoration

I have never used this little purse I made.

I think it's just too small for my 5' 7 " large frame.

Abracadabra...

a bit of wall candy for the season!!

A bit of holly and it's a quick decoration.

(And I am such a fan of Kaffe Fassett fabric)

Yes, this is a short post... but an idea maybe some of you can use.

Lots more ideas to come!

A GREAT magazine!

I found this GREAT magazine at Border's Books in Phoenix.

I love it!

Issue 20 - Scandinavian!

Shining a light on Nordic textile traditions Northern stars

Where good design comes naturally

Family record

Karin and the Larsson legend

Print run

Skating the surface of Scandinavian textile design

Cross purpose Fashion and interiors: Pia Wallen travels in all directions

MMF Swedish dream weavers

Let it shine

Only Asa Wettre saw old Swedish quilts in a new light

Plus: Louise Bourgeois, Eco Interiors, Kvadrat, The KA Almgren Mill, Sandra Backlund

Their website is www.selvedge.org.

They have a lovely shop that reflects the magazine.

Here are a few items that were for sale in their shop. I like to look at them for Inspiration.

I love pictures that inspire me... as these did.

Filled with lavender.


A wonderful apron.

Bags made from Kimono fabrics.

Lovely knits!

I love the linen, handknits, and the earthtones.

Yummy bags!!

I can envision branches of holly or evergreens tucked in a bag on the wall.

Mmmmmmm... all the delicious possibilities!!!!

What a wonderful season.

joni