XOXO Challenge #37: December Baby, project #2

So I'm a day late with this post...but I've been sick, so I know that all will be forgiven :)

We're showing you our favorite Christmas-y projects all month at True XOXO, and yesterday, an old favorite of mine was featured. You all know how much I love repurposing items, so the fact I turned a clementine box into a gift box should come as no surprise.

Check out the XOXO post here to see what I did and link up your own project, and for details on how I did it, head to this old post here. (It is the third project included in the post.)

I am off to clean up my craft area. It's going to snow this afternoon, so that's where I'll be found! I miss that desk of mine...I hate being sick!

xoxo

Khristen

Drowning in Holiday Chaos

Yes, I know it's been some time since my last post. If you recall, I have been making ornaments to sell, and they are a popular item! So much so, it's all I've been doing for the past few weeks! Here are some of the ornaments I've made so far (I am working on the last three right now!):

Glad these will be complete this afternoon. Then I can focus on prepping for Christmas!

Speaking of Christmas, I haven't been able to get all of my holiday cards done just yet, but I'm close! I have been operating on supersonic speed mode, so there aren't many pics of my cards. However, here's one I thought I'd share, it's one of my favorites! I made it yesterday, and it is made using the Scraptastic Club's Stocking Stuffer card kit. I love this kit, and even after making a ton of cards, I still have plenty left over for those holiday layouts that I dream of being able to complete. (I haven't done any scrapbooking in AGES! I miss it so much!)

I'd love to share more, but my homemade rub-on transfers for the last three ornaments are ready :) Back to work I go! If I am not able to post again prior to Christmas, I want to wish you all a merry Christmas! May the new year be the best year yet for you and your families!

xoxo
Khristen

Monday = Crafter's Companion Post Day!

I need to remind myself of this on my calendar I think...I almost completely forgot to post at Crafter's Companion this week! Monday is my day, and the stress of these ornaments I've been making has gotten the better of me. For those who don't know, I have a friend who wanted an ornament she saw on the internet but didn't know who made it or where to buy one. So, of course I had to chime in with my two cents: "Oh, that's easy to recreate." After offering to show her how, she just asked me to make one and come up with a price...which led to a couple of people also requesting I make them some (you know how Facebook works!) which then led to the flood of orders I almost drowned underneath!

So...after three days of trying to figure out the best way to get the sentiment recreated, I settled on having a shop that normally does vinyl create a digital file I could use anyway I saw fit. Because the ornaments were so small, the intricate fonts wouldn't cut well, and would end up costing me an arm and a leg. Here's the original ornament my friend had posted on her Facebook wall:

Isn't it pretty? She's a graphic designer and loved the sentiment exactly as-is. Something about a nice blend of fonts...so nice. Anywho, I took the digital file that was created (it doesn't look exactly like those pictured above, but it's close) and tried my hand at homemade rubons. I don't know if you've ever seen tutorials out there for this process, but let me share with you: the hairspray trick only works with decent hairspray (think Aqua Net). Of course, I'm fresh out of Aqua Net...and my hairspray just wasn't working. You're *supposed* to spray the transparency with hairspray, print the sentiment, let it dry, and spray it again...well, this just doesn't work on a circular glass ball. The hairspray seemed to just seal the sentiment to the ornament, and when I did get a bit of transfer, it would smear all over the place. Just when I thought I had to refund all of the orders I had taken, I had an epiphany: spray adhesive! I printed the sentiment on transparency WITHOUT any adhesive on it. After about 15 minutes of drying time, I sprayed a super-thin layer of adhesive over the sheet. I let that dry for another 20 minutes, and applied the sentiment to the surface of the ornament one line at a time. And what do you know, it WORKED! Here's the finished product, my first order out the door:

Do you like my knock-offs? Of course, it isn't exactly the same.. The flower is different (Recollections), and I used Liquid Pearls in the center of the flowers. Other than that, they're pretty much the same! I think the shop that did my sentiment, RightSide Stuff, did a wonderful job. Amy, the shop owner, is such a sweetie, and she was quick to whip one up (which was much appreciated!) Thanks, Amy!

Some have requested other ribbon colors, and I'll be getting to those later...first, I wanted to make sure you head over to Crafter's Companion Info Blog to see my post for the day. It is a Christmas card using the Love, Joy, Peace stamp (which is a holiday favorite, for sure!) I love stamps that are intricate and great for coloring, but I also love those stamps that don't require coloring every once in a while. Here's a sneak peek (but I'm going to make you go to the blog to see it all!) You'll want to, as the giveaway we're having ends tonight at 6PM EST...info is all in my post, so head over and see how to enter to win a Strawberry Kisses - Party Girl stamp set!

Sneak peek of my project:

I'm out of here for now, with articles to write and more ornaments to push out. I'm hoping to get all orders I have out there completed today! Ambitious? Yes, probably. But I think I can do it!

Have a great day,

xoxo
Khristen

XOXO December, Baby! Day 5 AND a GIVEAWAY!

We are having so much fun this month over at the True XOXO blog! Every day, we are featuring our favorite Christmas projects. Head over and check out the past 4 days of projects after feasting your eyes on my project, featured today!

You might remember this from last year if you are a follower of my blog. I have a hard time throwing away packaging, and my iPhone box was no different. I knew I could make a pretty gift box out of it, so I hit the craft room and got to work!

Bo Bunny papers, which I measured and cut to fit the top/sides/bottom/inside of the box. MM trim. Random red twine from my stash. Bo Bunny brad. Crafter's Companion Humphrey stamp and sentiment colored with my Spectrum Noir markers. Glitter for the snow and on the hat.

Isn't he just the cutest little baby elephant? One of my favorites.

I hope you love my project! See how easy it is to make a box your own? Don't forget to head over to the XOXO blog and see the other pretty things the rest of the team is making, and link up your own Christmas-y project!

And...in the spirit of Christmas, I'm giving some things away!! I will return to post the picture later, but I'm de-stashing (and there's an adorable Hello Kitty Sizzix die in the mix!) Leave a comment on this post and tell me which project is your favorite so far over at the XOXO blog. I will choose a winner on the Jan 1, 2013 (which I can't believe is around the corner!)