Easy Teacher Gift~

My SIL Sarah told me about a fun idea she had a couple of years ago. She gave wrapping paper and bows to her neighborhood friends along with a note that said something like, "Have fun wrapping up the season!".  Along with being creative, she is also very thrifty!! She bought her rolls of wrapping paper the year before when all the stores were practically giving them away.

I'm not that great when it comes to thinking ahead, but I do LOVE the idea and thought it would make a perfect teacher gift this year.  After all, who couldn't use a little extra wrapping paper...especially a busy teacher that hasn't had much time to prepare for the holidays.

It's also a gift that works well with any budget. You can buy a roll at the dollar store, or you can deck out the gift with tape, ribbons, bows and gift tags.

Make up some cute tags of your own, or feel free to grab mine!

You can find the link to the free pdf print HERE

Meet me under the mistletoe~

Yep, that's all I want to do today.

Free print HERE

~Joy to the world~

Free print HERE

Printable Christmas Gift Tags

This is what the tags look like. You can print them from the Scribd attachments below.

Christmas Tags 1

Christmas Tags2

Winner of Craft Contest~

This was a hard one for me. There were so many that I liked for really different reasons.

The winner of Friday's Neighbor or Teacher Gift craft contest is~

Game Night in a Bag by

Today's Fabulous Finds!

Pop on over to Today's Fabulous Finds. Janet has all the printables for the game and the recipe cards for the microwave caramel popcorn. This gift is surprisingly inexpensive and so fun!

Congratulations Janet!

You are Queen for the day on Poppies at Play!

Pick out your favorite vinyl from The Market!

I also have to feature a few of my favorites!

Burlap tote and laptop case by 

It's Just Me

I really really love this one. I want a set for myself!

I would LOVE to receive this as a gift!

You're getting "Nut Thin" for Christmas 

by

The Junk Box

This just makes me laugh. Easy no hassle gift!

Personalized Soap by 

Smile Like You Mean It. 

This is a great gift! Very inexpensive and personal~

Shores of Galilee Ornament

by Misty

"When you see this ornament hanging upon your tree,

may you remember the One who walked the shores of Galilee."

This is a fantastic way to remember the true meaning of Christmas

Thanks again for all the fabulous entries!

Meet back here on Friday for our last craft contest of the month.

We'll be crafting off with trees or ornaments!

Split tree tutorial~

Take a scrap piece of wood. Draw a triangle shape with a straight edge.

Cute your triangle piece out with a Bandsaw, Jigsaw or Circular saw.

Using the straight edge, draw diagonal lines across the triangle.

Cut along the lines. You can use a Miter saw if your triangle isn't too wide.

It's more important that the inside lines of the tree are straight.  

Paint and decorate however you want! I wrapped my pieces in craft wire and then glued buttons on with E 6000. I tried to glue the pieces of the tree to my board, but they wouldn't lay straight with the craft wire, so I shot them a couple of times with a pneumatic nail gun.

You can use a painted board, a cupboard door or a piece of bead board for the back.

I used a a little wooden rectangle that I picked up at Hobby Lobby for the trunk.

Which reminds me, I saw a sign for a new HL in American Fork! Yay for us that live close by!!!

Try to ignore the sad little drawer pull on the shelf. 

 I don't ever think about fixing it, until I'm going through pics!

Christmas Craft Contest~Wreath and Signs

Welcome to our first Christmas Contest of December!! 

Today's contest is all about

Rules of Play~

1. One entry per person~pick your favorite!

2. Your entry must include a handmade Christmas sign or handmade Christmas wreath!

3. Link back to Poppies at Play and tell people to voice their opinion!

Winners of the craft contest will not be chosen by comments alone

Winner will be announced Monday morning and will receive their choice of vinyl from The Market.

They will also be crowned king or queen of cool wreaths or signs.  

Such an honor

Next Friday's contest:

Neighbor or Teacher Gifts

Christmas Craft Contest

1. White Xmas Wreath by Naturally Me Creations	2. Copper JOY - made from dish scrubber!	3. Woodsy Christmas wreath	4. Red Leaf Rosettes	5. Yarn Wreath with Fabric Bunting
6. Christmas Sign	7. Hot Cocoa Boxes w/FREE	8. Christmas Sign	9. Cozy Yarn Ball Wreath	10. Quick Change Wreath
11. Free Christmas Download	12. Snowflake Wreath	13. refurbished ornament wreath	14. Vintage like headband tutorial	15. Tree Farm Sign
16. Glitter Wreath	17. $5 Wreath	18. Christmas Plaque	19. Joy/Boo Sign	20. Beautiful Roman Shades
21. The Garden Gallery	22. Burlap Sign	23. PB Merry Christmas Banner	24. Christmas Subway	25. Printable Santa Subway Art
26. The {Holly Jolly} Wreath	27. Fabric Picture Frame	28. Deck the Halls	29. Cozy Sweater Wreath	30. Rustic Elegance Wreath and Mantle
31. Sherrie, DomesticDay, Fabric Wreath	32. Stockings were hung	33. Generations Wreath	34. Marisa de Jesus	35. Vintage Inspired Wreath
36. Ho...Ho...Ho	37. Sports Fan Wreath

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Easy Neighbor or Teacher gifts

Let's face it, there are a lot of people to remember around the holidays!

Just when you think you're done, up pops someone you're forgetting about!

Here's a fairly easy and inexpensive idea.

Make a trip to The Home Depot and buy an MDF board that is 6'' wide. 

If you can't find them, ask for help! 

Also buy a long piece of casing that is 2.5'' and already primed.  

Cut the mdf and casing into 7'' pieces

Glue the casing onto the mdf with wood glue.

Paint and then sand the casing so the white shows through.

Add vinyl. If you don't have access to a machine, you can buy them from me for $.50 each.

The casing adds a little decorative touch as well as stability.

Do you have a fun idea for a teacher or neighbor gift?
Don't miss the CCC on Dec. 10th

Christmas Plate Printables

Would you like to add a little MORE JOY to your holiday decor?

{{These are for you Lacy}}

Print these 7'' circles and use Mod Podge to adhere them to plates!

Joy

Christmas Printable

Fits in an 8'' X 10'' frame

Joy to the World

How To Make a Shadow Box Snowman

After I posted yesterday, I've had a few requests to do a snowman tutorial.

Frosty is made with 4 different sized shadow or nesting boxes.

Measure the insides of 3 of the largest boxes.  Cut bead board to match the space.  Glue them in place and paint the whole box white.  After the paint is dry, rub the entire thing with stain, gel stain or dark brown paint.

*If you don't have access to a saw to cut the bead board, you can leave it out!

Glue accessories! 

For the buttons I painted some wooden discs, but you can just as easily use real buttons.

Free hand a carrot shape with a scroll saw.

 Paint it orange and sand the edges.  You can use a brown pencil to add carrot lines.

*If you don't have access to a scroll saw, you can also create the carrot nose with fabric.

To make the hat, you will route a small rectangular piece of wood{it is just fine to leave it flat if you don't have a router} and then turn the smallest shadow box over and glue the two pieces together. Paint them black and distress.

*If you don't have a small shadow box, use a scrap of a 2x4. 

Glue all of the boxes together with wood glue, or E-6000. 

Angle each box a little differently as you piece him together.

And that's just about all there is to it!  

I thought about adding boots to the bottom box as well as wrapping a little scarf around his neck,

but I think I prefer a simpler snowman.

This project has been graciously featured on: