happy monday, friends! i just can’t believe that this is the last week before Christmas, can you? i still have gifts to wrap (and make!), but we are home in north carolina with our family and it feels so wonderful. this week will be full of beautiful projects and downloads to inspire you, and today’s is no exception!

amy from thank you cards shop has kindly made several free printables for your Christmas season! thank you cards, gift tags, bookmarks and even recipe cards! they will make your gifts prettier and your wrapping easier. they would also make fabulous stocking stuffers!

head on over to the thank you cards shop blog for all the downloads!

wrap up: {bookmarks} {christmas} {download} {free} {holiday} {printable} {shop} {thank you cards}

art is such a beautiful gift to give during the holidays, don’t you think? it’s one of those gifts that just keep on giving, and something that the recipient can look at and enjoy every day (and think of you!). accompanied with a repurposed frame from the thrift store, you can make a very special gift without breaking the bank, and their easy to ship, too!

row 1: succulent plants – $10 – a grand discovery – $30 | blue owl – $10

row 2: believe – $27 | do something good today – $25 | put a pretty dress on – £4.00

row 3:  september fox – $35 | tear drop drawing – $48 | dot print – $40

wrap up: {2011} {art} {christmas} {etsy} {gift guide} {handmade} {holiday} {ideas} {photography}

happy cyber monday, folks! as i’m sure you’re getting bombarded with sales from every direction, here are a few more to consider! (you can never have too many sales, can you??)

- take 30% off any advertising spot or package (just e-mail me!)

- take 30% off handmade aprons and tea towels in my etsy shop, the kitchen roost.

- take 30% off handmade wool felt pillows in my (other) etsy shop, home to roost.

today only!

visit modernemotive for calendars, notepads and holiday tags reduced by 10%, 15% and 20%!

visit oh, buckets and use code XMAS2011 for 20% off all in-stock items AND all in-stock buckets will be only $10!

visit the dometic peacock for handmade hats and accessories and the domestic peacock photo for 20% off both stores!

visit suzi’s farmhouse for 20 percent off wine crates and chalkboards!

visit freshie and zero for 25% off everything plus free shipping!

visit the little moss house for 15% off all terrariums!

are you having a cyber monday sale that i missed? please feel free to share in the comments section, and happy shopping!

wrap up: {cyber} {holiday} {monday} {sales} {shopping}

If you’re looking for ways to upcycle or use materials you already have at home this holiday season, there are endless possibilities for gift ideas. Clothespins are versatile, and you may already have them around your home. Here are three sweet and simple gift ideas using clothespins – perfect for stocking stuffers or Secret Santa at the office.

Make Photo Gallery Clip Kit

example by SmoothPebble via sfgirlbybay

Wall photo galleries with wire and metal clips are quite popular, but you can make your own with clothespins and twine. Packaged neatly in a small drawstring bag, this gift is both useful and resourceful (see top photo).

Cut your twine to the length you would like – mine is about 1 yard. Tie the ends in a loop for hanging, and knot them tightly.

Air Plant Planter

This project is quite simple – all you need is an air plant, a plastic container, and clothespins. I suggest using a short container, such as a yogurt cup or any plastic container about two inches tall. This is a wonderful opportunity to reuse plastic. If you don’t have one short enough, you can always cut one down.

Pin the clothespins to the edges of the cup, all the way around. Place the air plant in the center of the pins. That’s it!

Decorative clothespins

Clothespins can also be used as desktop organizers, and are useful on calendars and cork boards. Use calligraphy to label clips for days of the week, tasks, and names.

Or, you could cover the clips with adhesive fabric, felt, or decoupaged paper. Hot glue flat thumbtacks to the backs of the clothespins to be used on cork boards as organizers. The possibilities are endless!

Out to find ways to make life simpler, Ashley is tackling life one DIY project at a time. Learning as she goes, she also spends her days writing Indie Pretty Projects and creating for her Etsy shop.

wrap up: {clothes pins} {crafts} {diy} {eco friendly} {holiday} {ideas} {recycle} {reuse}

every year i try to make the majority of my christmas gifts. there are really two reasons for this; the first is that i love to make things. i love everything about the process, from picking out a project-to-pouring myself into it-to-getting anxious about seeing the recipient open it. it’s just all good. the second reason is that it saves us money. christmas on a budget is tough, and when you can get crafty it can save you tons. i’ve been cataloging my favorite project ideas over on pinterest, and here are a few of my favorites. i still need more ideas though! do you have any crafty gift plans?

1. pretty poufs (discovered via itty bitty impact)
2. braided leather belt
3. drawstring bag (discovered via indie pretty projects)
4. tub teas (perfect for making your own tea)
5. handmade envelope tutorial
6. reversible journal covers

wrap up: {diy} {gift} {handmade} {holiday} {ideas} {make} {pretty} {projects}

i’m pretty sure you all know our fab contributor ashley pahl, but did you know she was an amazing paper craftster as well? over at her shop, you’ll find just the cutest handcrafted papercuts and block printed stationery sets. i especially love this one!

ashley pahl elsewhere: {blog} {etsy} {facebook} {twitter}

wrap up: {ashley pahl} {card} {goods} {holiday} {paper} {papercuts}

november? already?! where does the time go? to help get you and your shop or business ready for the holidays, ghtr is offering a special holiday ad discount, just for you! that’s right, get the busiest, most important and (traditionally) most pricey month for advertising- half off!

download the full press package with advertising info here then e-mail me or comment here if you’re interested or having any questions!

wrap up: {advertising} {christmas} {december} {holiday} {november} {special}

We just moved into a lovely new house in Michigan, and the pine trees are plentiful. There are fresh pine cones scattered all over our yard and on the side walks of every street on the block, and being a former student of physical geography, I can’t help but collect some of them! There are so many fun ideas for decorating with pine cones in the home during the autumn and winter months, and hopefully you won’t have to buy anything to do these projects.

materials

acrylic paint (any color)

spray paint (any color)

craft glue

glitter

place cards

small paint brushes

pine cones (found or store bought)

Painting pine cones is really easy, fun, and has a great end product. I’ve had this white pine cone for a couple of years, actually – it’s kept really well. All you need is a paint brush and your favorite color of acrylic paint.

After they’re painted and dried, I think they look great together in a large vase or bowl. This could even look great if you painted them different complimentary colors.

An even quicker way to dress up a pine cone is to spray paint it. Want to go a step further? Toss some glitter on it while the spray paint is still wet. Below I am demonstrating spraying the pine cones black and glittering with Martha Stewart’s Onyx black glitter – perfect for Halloween decor!

When the temperatures start to get cooler, give the pine cones a frosty look by painting glue or applying craft glue directly to the edges of the pine cone, and sprinkling immediately with white or clear glitter. Tie string to the stems and hang them in door ways, or place them in a dish together.

Finally, some people may prefer pine cones just the way they are (I know I do). Here I simply put a pine cone at a table setting, with a dinner guest’s place card lightly tucked into the pine cone itself. This is a thrifty, seasonal, and gorgeous way to dress up a table for a Fall meal and impress your guests.

Do you have any interesting ways you have used pine cones in your home? I’d love to know your ideas!

Out to find ways to make life simpler, Ashley is tackling life one DIY project at a time. Learning as she goes, she also spends her days writing Indie Pretty Projects and creating for her Etsy shop.

wrap up: {ashley pahl} {decorating} {fall} {holiday} {pine cones} {rustic} {seasonal}