Not going away anytime soon (Part II)

Ahhhh these patterns make me so happy!  I love that there are designs and colors that aren't too "girly" depending how you pair them- so I was able to use the decorative tape for both guys and gals.

These tapes were perfect for labeling gifts that were mailed this last Christmas, replacing tags/ribbons/bows that could be smashed or separated.  On the green cards above, the recipients peeled back the tape to reveal the gift certificates behind the white paper.

Not going away anytime soon (Part I)

Yes, I am still obsessed with washi and decorative tapes.  Here are a few of my favorites for Christmas, since most of them I just acquired lately.  Shoutout to my Twin for giving me the black and white polka dot tape from Target!

 Adding a bit of dazzle to cookie exchange baggies; font: Bebas Neue

This is also a good time to rave about two other current obsessions: porridge papers and OliveBox.  I have mentioned the former before here, but OliveBox is a bit newer.  OliveBox is a monthly subscription for paper lovers...I could describe it, but it would be best to visit the website and read about it for yourself.  And I'll be posting about it in the future, I'm sure.

For the sister-in-law (and maybe myself too)

Let's continue with homemade projects inspired by other blogs:

Source of inspiration: Pugly Pixel Glitter Magnets

I basically followed the same steps, but I finished with a clear nail polish coating to keep the glitter from getting everywhere.  Well, everywhere but the table I was working on...

I actually found most of the supplies (magnets, larger clip magnets, glitter) on a convenient stop at Wal-Mart on our way back into town the weekend before Christmas.  I already had good ol' Aleene's Original Tacky Glue and cupcake liners on hand.

2013 Kickoff, homemade gifts & Pinterest rant

Happy New Year!  I took some time this afternoon to upload some photos from over the last month or so.  I now have a gold mine of posts for the rest of January.  And you thought I had given up on this blog...

I have such an extensive RSS feed now- so I don't get the chance to keep up on all of them.  One that I consistently check on is Knock Off Decor.  When I found this inspiration, I immediately Pinned it.  I like that Pinterest now has "secret boards," because I can easily save gift ideas for later.  In fact, these boards are the only way I utilize the site. 

Side Rant: I get easily annoyed when people rave about Pinterest for the wrong reasons.  I think the site is a great place to search for ideas, but  I don't like it when people give the site credit for recipes, crafts, outfits, etc.  Pinterest did not create these ideas- bakers, cooks, artists, designers, etc. are the people who should receive credit!  End rant.  Whew.

Knock Off Decor featured Sheet Music Candles that Gail from "Can't Stop Making Things" created.  The tutorial can be found here.

 I found the shorter candle at Garden Ridge in Omaha and the multi-colored one at TJ Maxx.

I read through the tutorial and it seemed easy enough.  Can I just tell you that I had a heck of a time feeding the tissue paper through my printer?  But after struggling through that part- I used a heat embossing tool to melt the tissue paper in no time and I was absolutely thrilled with the results!

Since I do enjoy shopping and it's so easy to purchase unique gifts anymore via Etsy and other places, it was a bit of a personal triumph to make something homemade and purposeful.  I am going to make it a point in 2013 to make more handmade gifts.