I can’t believe the 12th day is here…where did this time go? It’s not called the silly season for nothing!!! Now to today’s project. Another of Beate’s wonderful projects. This one is called a treat box. I just love this. I have made this one for our table on Christmas Day and have filled it with choccy’s. One less job to do *smile* I managed to fit a 600g box of Cadbury Favourites in there….Yummy!!!! I have already decided to make several more of these for gifts. Like many of the projects I have shared with you recently, these too would be adaptable for any occasion.

Treat Box

Treat Box filled with chocolates
This project did not even require any stamping. It was just scoring, cutting designer series paper and adhering it, punching holes, inserting eyelets and threading and tying a ribbon…can’t get much easier than that, yet it looks so impressive.
I hope you have enjoyed and been inspired over the last 12 days to create some handcrafted projects for yourself and the loved ones in your life. Until next time,
Keep Smiling & Stamping,

I am sitting here with a dripping nose and aches all over…not a good start to the festive season eh? Oh well, time to get over it before the big day comes around. Today I am presenting you with yet another gift box. This one is called an Origami Box which I cased from the incredibly talented Beate and I have topped it with a Paper Bow. I’m sorry but I don’t recall who first did this one. Let me know and I will give you the credit you deserve!!!

Origami Box & Paper Bow
The great thing is you only need minimal supplies to make these. There is no adhesive necessary for the box and the bow is held together with some adhesive, brads and glue dots. Very quick to whip these up and they look so gorgeous. Who wouldn’t like to get one of these under the tree with their name on it?
Til next time,
Keep Smiling & Stamping,

Hi everyone…another long work day and I am running late yet again. Even had to go shopping after work so I could have a cuppa as I ran out of milk. Finally got home a short time ago. So after photographing and editing the pictures, here I am ready to share my next project…a real Christmas staple…the humble Christmas Cracker!!!! Enjoy.


Supplies:
Stamp Set: Party Punch (level one hostess set)
Inks: Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi
Cardstock: Holiday Harmony DSP (retired), Wild Wasabi, Whisper White
Accessories: 1 3/8″ Circle Punch, Designer label Punch, Wild Wasabi & Purely Pomegranate DS Ribbon
Hope this inspires you to try your hand at making your own Christmas Crackers this year. After all, you can make your entire place setting match and you can fill the crackers with items to suit each person. Till tomorrow,
Keep Smiling & Stamping,

What do I have for you today do you ask? Let me see…ah yes, today it is all about a little Triangular Gift Box which Fleur and Michelle made and put gifts in for me at Convention earlier this year. Yet another simple little gift box you could make and it only uses 1/3 of a piece of A4 cardstock, so economical too. I decided to cut some triangular panels of designer series paper (wintergreen) to decorate the main outside areas. My earlier versions of this project I used the Stampin’ Around Wheels or stamps to make my own background decoration. Then you simply use the horizontal slot punch to punch through the 2 layers on each side and then thread through some ribbon to secure the box…no adhesive required!!! These would also look nice with a loop of ribbon and on a Christmas Tree. I plan of filling mine with some treats for the neighbours kids…shhhh…don’t tell them.

9th Day of Christmas - Triangular Gift Box
Ok, stay tuned for tomorrow’s project.
Keep Smiling & Stamping,

I’ll just be getting in before midnight tonight by the seat of my pants LOL. What a busy day!!! I decided in my infinite wisdom to go and do some Christmas Shopping in the city today. It was a beautiful day and I decided to take the bus so I could enjoy it even more and do my bit for the environment. Didn’t get very far with the Christmas Shopping, but it took hours!!! I know all the girls out there will know what I mean by that statement. Giggle. I hope you have all had more success than me. Oh well, I guess another trip will definitely be in order now. It would help of course if I had SOME idea of what I was after *rolling eyes*
Since getting home and having dinner I have been creating some more projects to share with you over the next few days. I have had to plan ahead this week as the next few work days are going to be VERY long. So here goes my next installment of the 12 days of Christmas….a decoration for your tree. I can’t believe it is day 8 already!!!

These are incredibly easy to make and I urge you to give these a go. I simply cut 6 pieces of double sided DSP to 4 1/2 x 1″ and put them all on top of each other. I used my crop-a-dile to punch the smaller sized hole in each end. I inserted a brad into one hole and then threaded my loop of ribbon through the other and secured it in place with a second brad. It was then a matter of just easing all the piece of paper into place and voila…you have a simple decoration for your tree. You can alternate the pattern as I did for several of mine, or have them all face the same way to get the same pattern on the outside with the alternate pattern on the inside. Have fun making some of these for yourself.
Till next time,
Keep Smiling & Stamping!

Here I am running in just in time to put this up on the right day again. Today I have made a gatefold card. I just love these. They always look great and yet are quite easy to make. I decided to stamp up an image and do some watercolouring. It has been while since I picked up my aquapainter and I love to sit and colour in images. Very relaxing. Hope you enjoy the pics and that they inspire you to have a play with your supplies.

Christmas Gatefold Card open

Christmas Gatefold
Supplies:
Stamp Set: Celebrate Everyday
Inks: Black Stazon, Ruby Red, Old Olive, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, Not Quite Navy, Basic Grey
DSP: Ginger Blossoms (Summer Mini)
Cardstock: Ruby Red, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Aqua painter, Water Color Paper, Dimensionals, Ruby Red Brads, Crafters Toolkit, Sponge Dauber
See you tomorrow!!!
Keep Smiling & Stamping,

Sorry I am so late again today. Work was super busy and I had to come home and finish off the card. Have now photographed them and now you will be able to see what I have been up to. It is a Christmas Basket based on one that Cambria Turnbow did. I have enjoyed learning how to make some new boxes and other 3D items recently. The card in the picture just kind of evolved. Hope you like them.

Christmas Box with dinner mints and Card

close up of Christmas Basket
Supplies:
Stamp Set: Merry Merry, Many Merry Messages, Party Punch (level one hostess set)
Inks: Real Red, Old Olive
Cardstock: Old Olive, Real Red, River Rock, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8″ Circle Punch, 1 1/4″ Circle Punch, Designer Label Punch, Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Red gingham ribbon, Jumbo Eyelets, Crop-a-dile, Dimensionals, SNAIL, and Crafter’s Tool Kit
Til next time….Keep Smiling & Stamping,

Hi everyone. I have had a busy busy day yet again and my mum to tea tonight and thus I am scrambling to have something to put up. Not my intention. I am sharing with you the simplest of projects. I bought a candle and a candle holder. I used rubons on the said candle. Finished. Simple but elegant. So many possibilities.

Christmas Candle
Ok, back tomorrow with another project. Better get back to being with my mum.
Keep Smiling & Stamping,

Hi everyone. I am late posting this tonight. Have had a very busy day doing laundry, cleaning my kitchen adn cleaning and rearranging my lounge room to make room for the Christmas Tree. Hope to put that up tonight after I show you all my latest creation. I planned on making lots of different ones and posting a pic, but alas, one will have to do right now.
I decided to do a mini calendar for the 4th day of my Christmas samples. After all, we all need them. I think they would make a great little gift.

2009 Mini Coaster Calendar
To colour the chipboard numbers, I simply pressed them onto my inkpads, adhered them to the coaster and then added the crystal effects on top. As you can see I didn’t wait for the Crystal Effects to dry and it has started to run to the bottom of the numbers. After taking the photo I quickly turned it up the other way for about 15-20 seconds to even it out and now have left it flat to dry.
Supplies:
Inks: Purely Pomegranate, Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise and Certainly Celery
DSP: Bali Breeze
Accessories: Crystal Effects, Lots of Letters chipboard numbers,
The calendar I used was a pdf file I obtained online. If you would like a copy, please email me.
Ok, I will be back tomorrow with another project you may wish to try.
Keep Smiling & Stamping,

Ok, today I have a CD Holder for you. I cased this from Tina. Directions are simple and easy to follow. This would be a handy gift at any time of the year. Who doesn’t like to receive a CD of favourite music, or perhaps family photos? I know I do.

CD Holder

CD Holder on the inside
Supplies:
Stamp Set: Circles of Friendship (Holiday Hello)
Inks: Real Red, Certainly Celery
Cardstock: Old Olive, Real Red, Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8″ Circle Punch, 1 1/4″ Circle Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Dimensionals
See you here tomorrow for another Christmas Project.
Keep Smiling & Stamping,
