Hand-painted Ornaments

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is to admire the shop windows along New York City's 5th Avenue. They are always decked out and you don't need to purchase a thing to feel the holiday spirit. I'm not sure if I'll be able to see them this year because of Covid precautions but maybe we can take a look back.

A few years ago, the Dolce and Gabbana flagship store had these huge trees with larger-than-life bows.  

Hanging on the branches were these colorful ornaments. 

I made sure to take these photos as a reference for a future craft project:

Aren't they lovely? I thought these hand-painted ornaments brought a very homey touch to a commercial space. 

Well, I thought I'd try my hand making them.

I found these clear plastic balls from the craft store. I re-purposed an empty egg carton to hold them steady while I painted them. 

I used acrylic paint and a small brush.

via State Symbols USA

I love painting flowers and I couldn't help choosing flowers to paint on my ornament. The rose is the National Flower of the USA where I currently live. Aren't roses so regal?

Here is my interpretation of a rose. 

And I added a few rose buds.

I likewise added some details like leaves...TADA! 

via Choose Philippines

I also chose this flower, the Sampaguita, the National Flower of the Philippines where I was born. They are delicate and very fragrant. 

My version of the Sampaguita.

With a few buds painted, too.

With the addition of some leaves, a plain plastic ornament has been transformed from blah to TADA!  

I've always been drawn to ornaments with personal meanings. 

And I'm excited to add these to my collection...TADA!

Felt Gift Toppers

The holidays are here and as much as I think of thoughtful presents to give away, I also contemplate gift packaging. I'd like them to be pretty and ecologically responsible. I usually go for paper (gift wrap, bags and cards) with reusable elements.

I saw this gift embellishment at a shop. It's a gift topper made to look like holly (made of felt) and berries (made of jingle bells) with a card and an elastic belly band to fit any kind of gift box. It's adorable! 

Instead of buying it, I'm making my own. Why buy, when I can D.I.Y.?

Since I didn't have elastic on hand, I'm using these wooden clothespins.

I used felt remnants to make the berries and holly leaves, and attached everything on the clothespin using a hot glue gun. They're similar to these gift clips I made a few weeks ago.

Clip it on a gift as a festive accent.

Use it to hold a card in place instead of tape.

It's an alternative to ribbon and it can be used over and over again...TADA!

Little touches that turn packages from blah to TADA!

A LOVE-ly Birch Ornament

Hello! If you've been following my blog, you know that I fancy making my own Christmas ornaments. I've made some here, here, and here. 

A few years back, I came across these Scandinavian-inspired wooden tree decorations:

I love the simplicity and color-blocking, I decided to make something like it myself!

I used this piece of unfinished birch wood as my base. 

I traced around a cookie cutter to make a perfect heart.

Some strips of washi tape or painter's tape to segment the heart. 

Then I added different colors of paint in each segment:

 Peel off the tape.

Add a border detail to define the shape.

Another handmade ornament that I can add to my tree this year...TADA!

Have an awesome week!

Crafts for a Cause

Hello there! I hope you had a meaningful and restorative Thanksgiving break. 

Maybe you've also started to usher in the holidays with decorations and gift shopping. Why not consider supporting small businesses to keep them afloat? Like the shops on ETSY. They have these thoughtful TV ads that are all about making connections amidst social distancing, personalization, and inclusivity, and I think that's TADA! 

Today, I am happy to share a passion project.

 

I'm calling it "Crafts for a Cause." 

Crafting has always been a hobby for me and this time I want to use it to bring joy to strangers. Who knows, I might be able to cheer someone up especially during these times. Here'a a short video introducing "Crafts for a Cause":

For my first project, I picked up some rocks:

I cleaned them...

And with paint, I turned them from blah to TADA!

It's an easy activity for little kids or art-challenged grown-ups.

I decorated each rock with uplifting words and images. 

And I left them around my neighborhood like the park, the playground, the ball field, and on the path by the river. I hope that they will be like Easter eggs, a surprise for people while they are taking a walk or exercising. 

I made a video of the entire process. Here, take a look:

Those who find the painted rocks are welcome to take them home or leave them for others to find. If I am able to make them smile, that will make me very satisfied.

A few days after I left the rocks in the park, someone posted this on our community Facebook Group:

I don't know her (and I'm not sure if I should reply or remain anonymous) but this really turned my day from blah to TADA! 

In the coming months, I'll share more of my "Crafts for a Cause."

Stay safe and take care!

Thankful and Grateful

Let's all pause today and think about all we are thankful for, especially with all the curve balls that came this year.

One thing I am always grateful for are your visits to my little blog -- that you are out there reading my words and being supportive of my work. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

I wish you a memorable day with family and friends whether you are gathering in little groups or on-line. Look at each of them and be truly thankful!

A Scrapbooker's Gratitude Page

Do you keep a gratitude journal? Counting one's blessings is a habit that's enriching and wise. It helps you take stock of all the good things you already have.

May I suggest a way to keep track of your "thanks" less blah and more TADA!? 

Use paper tags!

You can buy ready made gift tags or you can make your own with cardstock/scrapbook paper, scissors or craft punchers, glue, and ribbon or yarn.  

Assign one tag for each day of the week.

Every day, write down what you are most grateful for.

Attach these tags to printed cardstock.

Write a title or jot down the dates when these blessings happened.

Instantly, you have a page that you can add to your scrapbook. At the end of the year it's easy to look back on everything that makes your life rich. TADA!