Happy New Year!!!

I hope everyone had a happy, safe New Years eve. We just spent it watching a movie with Charlotte and I was in bed by 10:30. I am trying to get back into my work habits because over vacation I have gone to bed rather late and slept later then I usually do. Going back to work tomorrow will be interesting!!

Today I thought I would share some of my projects I did for the holidays. Yes, they are over but I wasn't organized enough to post them. I am going to try to do a Christmas Inspiration piece once a month, from tags to ornaments or gifts to get you inspired to create all year. Wouldn't it be nice to be organized for next year's holiday ahead of time?

My first projects are various cards I created. The one below was the EASIEST I have created in a long time. I used a piece of patterned paper over an ivory card stock base. I then layered fun embellishments from Pink Paislee over both. This is a card I did in about 15 minutes-a record for me!!

Supplies: Paper-Basic Grey Aspen Frost Woolen Mittens, Ivory Card Stock; Pink Paislee Parcel Tags, Pink Paislee Ephemera Pack, Pop Dots, Paper Trey Ink Stamp, Vintage Photo Ink; twine

My next card looks just as easy but it took a little more time. That funky star is a die cut that I glittered and then attached over all the layers. I love this card. The star really makes it!!

Supplies: Paper-green, red, ivory, and kraft card stock, Lily Bee Design Christmas Cheer patterned paper; Pink Paislee Parcel Tags; Ink-Red and Vintage Photo Ink; Tim Holtz Large 3-D Die; Red Rhinestones; Technique Tuesday "Be Jolly" stamps; Diamond Stickles

The next one is not my favorite but I am including it because not everything will turn out how you want, will it? The wreath is part of the Pink Paislee Parcel tags pack. I just doctored it up with glitter glue.

Supplies: Paper-Basic Grey Aspen Frost, red and ivory card stock, Pink Paislee Parcel Tags; Pop Dots; Stickles-Diamond and Turquoise; red buttons; ribbon

The next card is created by layering paper and then a stamped embellishment over a doily is the focal point. This stamp isn't meant to be a Christmas stamp but I used it on many cards this year.

Supplies: Paper-Lily Bee Design "Christmas Cheer" 6" by 6" paper pad, Red Card stock, Bazzill Basics-"Sheet Music"; Ink-Red, green and Vintage Photo Ink; Stamps-My Mind's Eye "Cutie Pie" Technique Tuesday "Be Jolly" stamps; Martha Stewart Doily.

The next two photos are a project that I saw on Pinterest and have wanted to try for over a year. I am not a wine drinker so I had to enlist some people to help me collect corks. I still need more so everyone I know, save them for me. It would be greatly appreciated!!

I used the Pinterest pin only as a jumping off point and made them my own as aI always do. I NEVER copy anything exactly. Charlotte made the deer on the right and I created the deer on the left. My reindeer is an ornament. Charlotte made fun of it because she thought it looked like it had too much to drink!!

Here is a side view of my deer with the little hook for where the hanger would go. I want to make more of these over the year because I have a ton of friends that I could see gifting one of these to. However, I have to figure out a better way to cut the corks. My husband was on a business trip and Charlotte was afraid I would cut my finger off. She had all the first aid supplies and a phone ready in case she had to call for help!!

This next photo is just a few chocolates wrapped with tulle. I stamped a tag, added a bow and a bauble and it is an instant gift. Easy peasy!!

I took A LOT of time with this ornament. I die cut the star, stamped it, glued trim around it, glittered it and added embellishments. It came out fantastic and this is another project I want to create more of for gifts next year. The fun thing about this was I dug through my box of Christmas findings I buy every year on clearance to decorate the front.

Supplies: Paper-white card stock; Tim Holtz 3D Star Die, Hero Arts Stamp, Stickles Diamond Glitter Glue, White Ribbon and trim; Christmas findings.

One of the things I try to do when I give a gift is to make my own tags. Often my wrapping is better then the gift inside!!

I created this tag for my niece. I adore this little gingerbread man! Instead of glitter glue I experimented using a glitter paint. It went on nicely however it made the paper curl a bit. I then layered the gingerbread man over a stamped tag.

Supplies: Paper-kraft and white cardstock, scraps of patterned paper; Ink-red and Vintage Photo Ink; glitter paint; pop dots; red Washi Tape; Sizzix Gingerbread Die and Silhouette Tag; Technique Tuesday "Be Jolly" Stamp; 

The next three photos are of a canning jar that I filled with truffles for a co-worker. I covered the top with patterned paper and ribbon to hide the top of the jar.

I then attached a tag I die cut and stamped over a tiny kraft bag. Inside the bag I placed a gift certificate. This woman does so much for the department that I thought she deserved more then the candy!!

I even decorated the inside of the tag. Sometimes it is the little "extras" that make the gift!!

Supplies: Paper-Lily Bee Design-Christmas Cheer; White card stock, Blue card stock, Ink-red and Vintage Photo Ink; Die Cuts: Paper Trey Ink and Silhouette Cameo; red ribbon; canning jar; Paper Trey Ink 2010 Holiday Tag Stamps

My last addition to this post are of a tag and star I created to top another co-workers gift. I love these little added touches. Presentation goes a long way!! Again, all I used was a die cut machine for the star and tag. I topped them off with bells and some curling ribbon. I LOVE how this came out!!

Supplies: White card stock; blue ink; Simple Stories grey polka dot paper; diamond glitter glue, Die Cuts-Tim Holtz Large 3D Star, Silhouette machine; Stamps-Paper Trey Ink and My Minds Eye.

I hope this inspires you to make some of your own tags and gifts for next year. Happy New Year!!

Nora