Handprint Keepsake

This was my daughter's Christmas gift to her grandmothers--a handprint keepsake. First, I gathered these supplies:

• 5x5 photo frame (preferably with a complementary mat)
• sturdy fabric on which to stitch handprint
• fabric marker one shade deeper than the fabric you've chosen
• contrasting thread (I used cross-stitching floss)

Then, I traced my daughter's hand with the fabric marker to give myself a template to stitch around. I didn't worry too much about getting every stitch perfect, and I was pleased by the casual and homemade results.

After finishing the border, I filled in the inside with the same fabric marker for a little more contrast. Then I mounted it in the photo frame (you could do a custom size if you wanted to), and the gift was complete! I also made sure to date the back of the frame with "Christmas 2009."

Because I used scrap fabric and thread, the only cost came from purchasing the photo frame, which was on sale for $5 at a local craft store. It was a simple project that took very little time and cash, but brought joyful tears to Nana's eyes and will be a keepsake for years to come. :)

A Practical Christmas

If you're mindful about your purchases and can see the possibilities in re-purposing existing decor, beautiful holiday decorating can be very affordable. Please step inside my home for this Christmas photo tour!

First, my simple entry transformation...a green wreath on the door with silver ball ornaments and berries has lasting appeal on the cheap. More silver berries are added to the shelf with candle lanterns, creating a new look with existing pieces.

In the living room, the tree is undoubtedly the focal point, setting the color scheme for the rest of the decor. This year, I went with traditional red and green with a bit of plum and peacock blue thrown into the mix. Simply switching out a few decorative pillows and adding a red fleece throw reveals new potential upon the canvas of neutral furniture. I filled a hurricane vase with flawed ornaments, hiding the chips or scratches by stacking them just so (no one would ever know!). I'm also a big fan of candles to warm up the room--choose vivid colors to tie them into the room.

I love berries; can you tell? An indoor wreath brightens up my kitchen as well as a bowl of seasonal fruit. I accented a regular vase of willows with red and gold berries to make it festive.

And last, this is probably the simplest and subtlest of all: miniature ornaments tied to ribbon and strung from the windows. They nearly fade into the background, but I think these little white ornaments and white ribbons evoke the feeling of falling snow.

What are your ideas for transitioning your existing decor to welcome the holidays?

Harvest Wreath

A few years back, my friend Amanda and I threw our own wreath-making party, just the two of us. Martha Stewart's crew should have come to the house and filmed these two amateurs cracking up over our projects, glue guns and floral wire in hand.

I still hang my wreath every year, and I think of Amanda who lives many miles away now. Crafting with a friend is twice the fun--and the end product bears memories of time spent together.

I hope you're inspired to grab a friend and make your own wreath this year. All the supplies can be picked up from your local craft store. For this project, I embellished a simple twig wreath with silk flowers, berries, gourds and feathers, all attached with floral wire. Raffia tied widely at the top serves as a holder and adds to the country harvest look. Since autumn is nearly over, you might try a winter-themed wreath, substituting ornament balls, berries, bells and ribbons on an evergreen wreath instead.

Fall Apple Stamp Stationery

This week, my toddler brought home a large sheet of apple stamp artwork from her Mother's Day Out program. Instead of hanging it on my fridge, I decided to share the artwork with our friends and family by creating these stationery cards for autumn greetings.

Cutting out the stamped paper, I used a brown permanent marker to trace around the "apples" and drew in the apple seeds and stems. Red gingham ribbon wrapped around a brown stationery card finishes off the country look. On the back of the card, use rubber cement to attach some white paper to make room for a personal note.

Silk Flower Arrangements

I'm usually not a big fan of silk flowers--the real thing is always preferable, in my opinion. However, with the luxury of fresh flowers in short supply at my place, I like the way this arrangement looks and making it is a snap!

1. Go on a nature walk and find a tree branch with a sturdy center and not too delicate branches for your base.
2. At your local craft store, pick out a few bunches of silk flowers in the same color scheme. The trick is to mimic a small tree in blossom, so choose flowers that have small buds on them and ones that are in full bloom.
3. Snip the silk flowers from their stems and use a hot glue gun to attach them to the tree branch you selected. Be mindful of your placement of blossoms on the "flowering tree" to achieve a natural look.
   

Fabric Decoupaged Photo Box

Do you have any scrap fabric lying around that you're looking to re-purpose? I recently took a pair of fabric scissors to a worn, floral bedspread I had back in college. Then, using a couple of coats of decoupage, I adhered the fabric cutouts to a plain white photo storage box. Layering most of the cutouts on top and intentionally overlapping some of the petals over the edge of the box achieved the casual look I wanted.

I often think of decoupaging only when there's paper involved, but fabric works well too! This project takes hardly any time at all to complete. Alternatively, try it on a hat box or any other similar surface.

Tequila Lime Tart

I never promised that my posts would be entirely original or even feature projects created by me personally. So, I have to take this opportunity to brag on my dear husband who baked a spectacular birthday treat for me. Craving the sweet-and-tart flavor of a summer lime dessert, I suggested this recipe (Family Circle, July 2009 issue) to him.

Does the photo not say it all!? I mean, the man even garnished the top with crust crumbs and lime slivers! It was delicious, and I highly recommend the recipe (but please note, the baker is already taken).