Our family loves celebrating the Christmas season with this crafty Advent calendar my friend made for us years ago. Decorate the matchboxes with scrapbook paper and other Christmas-y papers, then added little embellishments and numbers 1 to 24. Use a small cork board as a base and tack on grosgrain ribbon in four rows. To attach the matchboxes, cut two small slits in the bottom of each outside wrap of the boxes, and slide six on each ribbon. They can be in number order, or mixed up for fun. For the gifts inside, I add M&Ms to…
Fall is the best time of year when all the Christmas crafty fairs are in full swing. And my favorites are church bazaars! There is something special about a group of ladies getting together to make beautiful handmade items and baked goods to sell – not for their own profit – but to raise funds to help build the church and to donate to local outreach programs to help people in their communities. And there is something special about the love that goes into creating traditional crafts and baking with time-honored recipes. I love how they bring back nostalgic memories of…
Here’s a Thanksgiving table runner that uses a simple but fun leaf block as its focal point. The finished size is 60 x 17 inches, so it works best on a 42 inch wide table, but can also be a table topper for any size table. I also share 2 alternate layouts for a more narrow table runner or a square table topper. Supplies: 2/3 Yard Large Print Fabric (E) 1/4 Yard Each of 3 Leaf Fabrics (A,B,C) 1/3 Yard Leaf Background Fabric (D) Backing Fabric (I use inexpensive solid off-white cotton fabric…
Here’s a simple tutorial for a rice-filled heating pad, with lots of tips to make it neat and easy. I’ve made many of these for our church bazaar, and they are great sellers every time! And great for gift giving, especially for the chilly holidays. A funny note – I finally made one for myself after all these years! I bet some of you can relate. 🙂 This size is perfect for wrapping around your neck and shoulders, and stays on while sitting or standing. Or for laying across your stomach or both feet. Supplies Needed: 2…