DIY Crafts

Sewing Season’s Greetings – A Book Review

December 22, 2016 By Maria Leave a Comment

The season of warmth, joy, and good cheer is here! And I love everything about it from decorating to gift giving to entertaining friends and family. I pulled a book from my library shelf to share with you this month. This one is so apropos – Sewing Season’s Greetings by Carol Zentgraf.

The book contains 32 projects designed for every sewing skill level. The photos are beautiful and the step-by-step instructions and lots of great of illustrations are perfect to help you complete each project.

I’ve had this book in my library for years and I have used it many times. (I usually try to select a book for Sew Book Inspired book reviews that is readily available on Amazon. Sewing Season’s Greetings is available but only as a used book.) I love this book and I think it is a great addition to anyone’s sewing library.

For this post I decided to make the Christmas Stocking Silverware Holders from the Polka Dots and Stripes Table Set on page 38. The template on page 41 is actual size so I didn’t need to go to the office store to enlarge anything and I had all the supplies in my stash. I used craft ribbon since I didn’t plan on washing these little holders. (I want to have these on hand for family dinners with the grandchildren. I have little ones who still believe in Santa Claus and his little elves. I can tell them they are real elves stockings and watch their eyes light up.) For the older grandchildren they are the perfect size for gift card holders. I can add a little hanger and hang them on the tree.

Whether creating a whimsical tree skirt, an elegant mantel cloth, a velvet purse, or a Santa coat for your favorite pet, this guide makes it easy to add a personal touch to Christmas decor.

Stitch yourself a sweet little Christmas!

It’s Beginning to Smell a Lot Like Christmas

November 19, 2016 By Maria 17 Comments

It is a tradition at our Family Thanksgiving each year to give “lovely departing gifts” to our guests. These are small, inexpensive stocking stuffer gifts. I’ve already blogged about the Magic Reindeer Food. That’s a constant year-to-year and is given to our youngest guests. But no one leaves empty-handed. For weeks leading up to Turkey Day I’m on the lookout for just the right thing. This year I finally stumbled across the perfect thing—the Scent of Christmas Air Fresheners.

I found the idea on the blog, Yesterday on Tuesday. The minute I saw them I knew it was perfect! I could make up several and not break the bank.

smells-like-christmas-air-freshener-682x1024

Malia from Yesterday on Tuesday made this one

Not only are these a sweet holiday gift or stocking stuffer for those special people on your gift but an added bonus is they are easy to craft. My 6 year-old granddaughter, Zare, has been helping me make the “lovely departing gifts” this year. (Yes, we really refer to them as “lovely departing gifts.”) I needed something that was easy enough for a 6 year-old to make and still be stickin’ cute. You’ll have to agree these met the challenge.

I had no trouble finding the salt and pepper shakers at my local Dollar Store.

I also picked up ribbon and foam stickers while I was there. I had a little trouble coming up with the container of air freshener beads. I finally found a pack of three Christmas-scented ones at my local Walmart. It was a little less cost effective them purchasing them at the Dollar Store but it also gave us a choice of spruce, apple cinnamon, and pumpkin scents.

One of the best things about this craft is that it takes so little time to put it together. We did 8 individual air fresheners and it took us less than an hour start-to-finish. The clean-up was minimal. And we ended up with a cute little gift.

One word of caution—the warning label on the air freshener beads says do not get it in your eyes. Before we began I cautioned Zare not to touch the little beads. I didn’t want her touching the beads then touch her face or rubbing her eyes. We used a funnel to fill the salt and pepper shakers and I constantly supervised the crafting. The crafting went without mishap.

We wrapped a ribbon around the shaker and attached the foam sticker. On the top of the shaker we used a little square of Press and Seal to cover the shaker’s holes. We didn’t want the air freshener to be all used up before we even gifted them. We put them inside little plastic bags, tied them up with curling ribbon, and attached the little tag to each of them. (It is so nice when the blogger includes a free print-out to go with their craft.)

While we were working on them, Zare asked if she could make one for her teacher. I thought it was a lovely idea. We had plenty of left-over air freshener beads. We just didn’t have any extra salt and pepper shakers. Back to the Dollar Store but instead of another set of salt and pepper shakers I purchased a sugar dispenser. It would freshen an entire room and make a great teacher gift!

This little air fresheners are going to be “lovely departing gifts” for Thanksgiving this year. It’s a great craft. Easy enough to do with children. Inexpensive and versatile. Change out the ribbons, stickers, and scents and you have favors for a wedding shower or a baby shower. They will also make a great hostess gift. I hope you all give it a try.

To see more great holiday and family ideas, like “Sew Travel Inspired” on Facebook! Click here.

[optin-cat id=”4559″]

Magic Reindeer Food

November 17, 2016 By Maria 5 Comments

Christmas is coming! Christmas is coming!

Thanksgiving Day is always the beginning of the Christmas holiday for me. No more Fall leaves, pumpkins, and turkeys. Peppermint is in the air, jingle bells are all around, and gingerbread houses are being built on every corner. Magically Christmas decorations appear, Nat King Cole start singing about chestnuts roasting, and we hear the jingling of bells as the Christmas Elf leaves treats. I’m so excited to celebrate the holiday season!

Yes, all this magical Christmas stuff is a lot of work but it’s worth it for me. I want my grandchildren to feel the magic—the warm, cozy ambiance of music and food, and love and tradition that builds memories.

One of my favorite Christmas Eve traditions is sprinkling Magic Reindeer Food on the lawn (or wherever the kids want to sprinkle it.) Magic Reindeer Food is sprinkled outside on Christmas Eve, leaving a twinkling trail and a tasty snack for Rudolph and his reindeer friends. The magical reindeer food will help Santa’s reindeer find their house and entice them to stop at.

Recently my 6 year-old granddaughter starting about Magic Reindeer Food. She wanted to know if we were still going to do it, had I purchased it yet and, if so, where do they sell it. I’m not sure she really believes with her whole heart in Santa and his reindeer but I think she still wants to believe. Anyway the tradition of sprinkling the Magic Reindeer Food on Christmas Eve is fun for kids of all ages.

I told Zare that Magic Reindeer Food is so special partly because it’s homemade and that this year she could help me make it.

The recipe is very simple.

Magic Reindeer Food

Ingredients

Makes 3 bags

1 ½ cup rolled oats

¼ cup red glitter (You can also substitute green glitter. The reindeer don’t mind.)

Instructions

Add the ingredients to a mixing bowl. Stir gently. Pour into small bags. (I use ½ cup per bag.) Make sure the bags are closed tightly. (I’m going to share a little secret: I don’t usually follow a recipe. I just dump in the oats and glitter until I think it looks right. But Zare seemed concerned that magic was an exact science, hence you now have a recipe.)

Now just add a tag, some curling ribbon and abracadabra—Magic Reindeer Food. The tag I used is a free printable I found on Pinterest. You’ll find it here.

Zare loved making the food, bagging it, and attaching the little tag. She chattered on about wanting to make one bag for each reindeer and wanting to put more glitter in just for Rudolph. She thought she might need 2 bags this year –one for the front yard and one for the back yard. (In past years she’s lived in an apartment. They would sprinkled it on the little grassy area right in front of their apartment door.)

I’ve always made the little bags of Magic Reindeer Food alone. I never realized having the kids help me would be so enjoyable. I will not able to be with all my grandchildren on Christmas Eve when they sprinkle the food so having Zare help me this year was so special.

In the end we made a bag of Magic Reindeer Food for her brother, 4 of her cousins, and three of her playmates. After Thanksgiving Dinner, each of my grandchildren will receive their little bag to take home with them. We’ll deliver the rest of the bags to the other children before Christmas.

Creating your own Magic Reindeer Food is an inexpensive classroom project or family activity. I hope you add Magic Reindeer Food to your holiday traditions.

Be sure to use edible glitter (the sort that you can decorate cakes with) as craft glitter can be harmful to wildlife.
If Christmas Eve is damp, sprinkle your Magic reindeer food on grass, not a pathway or paved area as the rain could turn your glittery oat mix into porridge!

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?

[optin-cat id=”4559″]

Thanksgiving DIY Centerpiece Ideas

November 10, 2016 By Maria 6 Comments

My daughter, Sela agreed to do the centerpieces for the women’s group’s, Harvest Gathering Potluck this year. She asked me to help out with ideas. I spent weeks surfing the web looking for low-cost Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas. It probably shouldn’t have taken me weeks but I kept going off on tangents looking at all the wonderful ideas for Fall/Christmas. (It’s safe to say I am easily distracted.)

Sela had a very limited budget so the emphasis was on low-cost and we wanted to use things we already had on hand. In the process I saved lots of posts and I created a DIY Thanksgiving Centerpiece board. I’m willing to share…

Here are some more of our favorite Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas. Check them out on Sew Travel Inspired’s Pinterest page.

Hand Painted Mason Jars

This doesn’t have to canning jars. You can recycle any jar and it will still look stickin’ cute!

And while we’re on the subject of Mason jars…

Mason Jar Lid Pumpkin

I will have to start stocking up on canning lid rings.

One of these is not enough…

Fall Candle Centerpiece

With candles and silk Fall leaves from the Dollar Stare and you’ll have a great centerpiece.

Even if you don’t light the candles they make a stunning centerpiece

Cinnamon Stick Candles

Here is another variation on the candle theme.

And this should smell wonderful also!

Thanksgiving Holiday Candle

You can do amazing centerpieces with floating candles.

Paper Bag Pumpkins

I love this idea and it is so simple. This is something even the kids can help make.

Thanksgiving Thankful Tree

And another idea for paper bags.

Thanksgiving Cornucopia

What a wonderful idea! I am going to try this for my own Thanksgiving table!

Whenever I surf Pinterest it makes my creative juices churn and I come up with lots of variations I see there. Here are a few of those ideas.

Thankful-Pumpkins Centerpiece Idea

Pick a few pumpkins and paint them brown, burgundy, and white. Then monogram each pumpkin to spell-out ‘THANKS’ or ‘THANKFUL’, arrange on your table and place candles and pine cones around them.

Pilgrim-Pots Centerpiece Idea

Gather some pots in different sizes. Paint them all black, then paint on a brown belt with a large, yellow buckle so they look like upside-down pilgrim hats. Fill some with fresh or artificial autumn flowers and some with candles.

Candle-holder Filler Centerpiece Idea

Arrange one large and a few medium/smaller sized clear-glass candle holders. Fill the bottom quarter with dried cranberries, acorns, nuts, or seeds. Nestle white or fall-colored candles into each holder. Surround with leafy garland or small pine cones.

For more centerpiece inspiration, check out Sew Travel Inspired’s DIY Thanksgiving Centerpieces board on Pinterest for even more wonderfully Autumn ideas!