Make a Shadow Box in your Window

My husband and I just got out our Christmas decorations for the first time today and boy do we have a lot to put up!  I love decorating for Christmas and I love the Christmas season and I suppose that starts to show when I own more Christmas decorations that I could possibly hold in my house!  That being said, my goal for Christmas crafting is to make items that don't just sit on another table top or mantle.

But... I LOVE those shadow boxes that are filled with ornaments or jingle bells (see some here, here, and here)  The problem is, making one would break my rule about taking up counter space.  So here is what I came up with instead...

It's a "shadow box" using a window in your house!

If you've got ornaments lying around for your Christmas tree you are ready to go- it's that easy!

Step One: Pick a window.

Step outside and find a window that is close enough to the ground that visitors will be able to see it when they walk up (no upstairs attic windows please!)  This window is about 4.5 feet off the ground and is easily spotted when pulling up to the house.

(Yes, there are still plant holders that I really should have taken inside a few months ago- oops!)

Step Two:  Clean the window!

It seems silly, but this is an important step.  This decoration will draw more attention to your window than ever before!  If you're anything like me, the window probably needed a good cleaning anyways. 

Open the front part of the window and clean both sides.  Keep it open for the next few steps.

Step Three: Build a base

Depending on how tall the sill on your window is, it probably doesn't matter what ornaments you put here.  Their purpose is to act as a base to stack the visible ornaments onto. 

Make sure to put a "stopper" at the end.  Nothing fancy, just something to keep them from rolling to the other side of the window.  I used a tiny Purdue anvil that my husband made years ago in one of his classes!

Step Four: Build your ornaments!

You may either try to stack them before shutting the window or (what I found was easiest) go about two layers up and then shut the window just enough to hold them into place.  Slide your arm inside and just drop the ornaments into place.  (caution!  I used plastic ornaments, if using glass, be careful when dropping!)  The window will allow them to fall into place, creating some dimension but without falling over.

Ernie tried to eat and play with my ornaments before I could even get stacking!  Those colored balls were just too temping for him.

 Step Five (optional): Add a message

 Just like the shadow boxes, a nice message written in vinyl is a beautiful finish to this project.  Make sure that you are using outdoor vinyl if you are sticking it to the outside window.

That's it!  It's a super easy craft and a fun new spin on those adorable shadow boxes!

If you like that wreath, check out the tutorial here.  It is one of my most pinned projects and is super easy to make as well!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from our family to yours.  Come back next week for another Christmas project that doesn't take up shelf space!

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

100th Post Giveaway! {Origami Owl}

Today is the day... this is Cut, Craft, Create's 100th post!  How exciting!  Some of you might have noticed that I did not post last Friday.  I had my first Origami Owl jewelry bar on Saturday and was driving myself crazy trying to get everything just right.  It went very well and I am more excited than ever to share these beautiful living lockets.  That why (drum roll please...)

We're having a GIVEAWAY!

 This giveaway is for (1) Plain Silver Mini Living Locket or (1) Plain Silver Medium Living Locket.  If the winner however, would prefer a different color, one with crystals, or a larger size, the giveaway prize is equal to the value of the listed lockets (US $20) to be used towards the purchase of different locket.

Did you know that Origami Owl was started by a fourteen year old?  With $350 of her own babysitting money and a matching fund from her parents, she started the small company in hopes of earning enough money to buy a car at age sixteen.  Are you impressed?  At fourteen I was doing much less impressive things (we won't get into that!)

Living lockets are a unique way to personalize jewelry for yourself or others (psst... they make GREAT Christmas gifts!)  The locket opens and the charms can be changed out as often as you like.

The quality of these lockets are also spectacular!  I had never seen one in person when I first decided to join the team (I loved the concept so much I just jumped right in) and when I got my started kit in the mail I was pleasantly surprised.  The lockets are dainty yet heavy duty and even the charms are a better quality than anything else I have found before.

Living Lockets are a perfect way to tell your story.  What are you passionate about?  Who is most important to you?  What makes your heart beat faster and your face light up each day?  Tell the world through your living locket!

There are so many different colors, styles and sizes to choose from and that's in the locket alone!  Add in a slew of charms (in about anything you could imagine!) plate options and beautiful chains and you've got yourself the perfect necklace.

Did I mention that we make bracelets now too?  Check them out on my Origami Owl page!  They are just like the necklaces in that they are completely 100% personalized by you!

Ignore my "spring" picture, I just wanted to show a few "made up" options for you to see!

Enough Talking!  Where do I enter the giveaway?
Please enter using the Rafflecopter gadget below.  Don't forget to enter under each category, earning yourself more entries!  You may also earn more entries for each new day you participate.  Good luck!  The contest ends November 27, 2013 at 12:00am EST.


  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann 

Easy Tips for Fall Decorating

Hello again.  I hope everyone has had a great week since you've been here last.  I have had a CRAZY week and I should probably be working on a hundred other things right now but oh well, right?  If you can't make time to craft then the week really isn't that good is it?

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I decided to make a Thanksgiving themed craft.  I don't usually decorate for Thanksgiving, so I needed something easy with crisp, clean lines.  You know... nothing too over the top since I'm not used to it!  What I came up with was a lovely printable (it's free, scroll down!) that reminds us to be thankful.

I also wanted to share the fall decoration that my mom made for her front steps.  I love the simpleness of it but find it absolutely stunning.  I think I actually gasped when I first saw it and compliment her on it every time I visit now.

I can sometimes be a little over-the-top on... everything, so I appreciate the opportunity to use simple designs in my decorating.  I think this holds particularly true in the month of Thanksgiving when we recognize how grateful we are for the simple things that we sometimes take for granted.

Simple and to the point.  For an extra touch, I included a little green on there.  I love random splashes of color!

For this printable (it's an 8x10) click here.

For the potted decor, my mom said that she spent around a dollar on the whole thing!

The flower pot was from my wedding, as was the burlap.  The gourds and corn she got on sale for around a dollar.  All you need to do is fill the bottom of the pot with whatever filler you desire (so that everything keeps from sinking to the bottom) and layer it up!

These simple pieces speak volumes when it comes to fall decorating.  Don't be afraid to keep it simple and enjoy!

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

4 New Ways to Make {Pointed!} Christmas Trees!

Before anyone starts yelling at me for posting a Christmas craft, please allow me to explain myself.  As I've mentioned before, I was very behind on my fall/Halloween crafts and now my house looks very un-festive.  It's likely that I will make one (maybe two) Thanksgiving crafts, but that's not really my holiday as far as decorations go.  As I contemplated whether or not starting a Christmas craft would start WWIII, I started to get notifications on my phone that this post from last year was being re-pinned a lot.  That proved to me that people are ready to at least start looking at Christmas crafts and I would be good to go.

What prompted this particular craft was when I was shopping with my mom and saw those beautiful glitter trees.  Saying to myself "I could make that" I went home to search ideas on Pinterest.  What I found was upsetting: several tutorials on how to make glitter trees from Styrofoam cones.  What's the matter with that you ask?  The tops aren't pointed!  I know, I know... I'm obviously crazy and a little picky but I wanted my trees to have points. 

I love the tall skinny trees but you could make them as wide (or yes even flat topped) as you wanted.

Since I couldn't use Styrofoam I opted for heavy paper.  I actually ended up using a thin poster board!  At first it takes a little bending but once you do one it's easy peasy.  Just start at a corner and roll! 

Don't worry about it being creased because it all gets covered.  As a matter of fact I found that creasing it as much as possible helped give this sturdy "paper" it's shape.

Make a few of these bare trees (I hot glued them at the ends) and decide which of the 4 styles you prefer: glitter, fabric, ribbon or paper.

{Glitter}
The classic glitter trees are always a winner. Although after making these my husband lifted the "no glitter in the house" test run and made it a rule instead. You win some you lose some.

They're easy to make.  Take your blank paper trees, add some mod podge, sprinkle on the glitter and seal with your choice of spray sealer.  For the silver and red I used some old (without labels) glitter that I probably picked up at the Dollar Store and for the green I used Martha Stewart Tinsel Glitter that I won during a craft giveaway!  The green has more of a "tree" look but I think I like the classic glitter better.

{Fabric/Burlap}
I love burlap and I love rustic Christmas decor... of course I made a burlap tree!

At first I cut a huge rectangle, thinking that I was going to somehow drape it over the top.  After realizing that was not going to work I simply rolled a "paper" tree into some burlap, hot gluing the ends.

Once it's set, trim the ends so that it can stand upright.

{Ribbon}
This came about by accident when I was trying to see how ribbon would look wound across a glitter tree. I didn't really like the look of that but I did love when it was covered in ribbon. Plus, glitter ribbon doesn't break the "no glitter in the house" rule!

It's easy to make as well.  Dab some hot glue on the end and starting at the top, wrap the ribbon all the way down the "paper" tree.  Add another dab of hot glue on the end and it's stuck!

This ribbon is thin and easy to work with but just lovely.  I have it in multiple colors and use it for gift wrapping.  Best part?  You can get it for about a dollar!

I think what I like so much about the ribbon versus the regular glitter is the texture that it has from wrapping it up!

{Paper}
You might be thinking "we've been using paper this whole time, how can you make a new category for it?" If you were thinking that, you are very clever. However... it's a different kind of paper! Scrapbook paper.

I wanted something with more of a design on it.  As I flipped through my giant stack(s) of scrapbooking paper I found some that were the classic red and green but in more muted shades.  Perfect for that rustic feel.  I made new cones out of this paper but if you wanted them to be a little more sturdy, just wrap the scrapbook paper around the poster board trees.

If you are really loving this paper, it came from this pad pictured below.  I bought it at Michaels' on sale for around $11!  I was so excited to say the least.

{That's it!}
I started out trying to re-make some glitter trees I found at the store and ended up with several new styles that I love! I'm not sure that I have one favorite, I think I like them best when they are mixed. What about you?

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

Rustic Wedding & Old Friends

Last weekend my husband and I had the privilege of attending a wedding for one of my dearest friends.  This guy not only is one of the best people I know, but was responsible for me staying at my college (I had a rough time freshman year) and possibly from gaining the freshman 15 (he rarely let me skip our racquetball sessions!)  All joking aside, he was one of my first real friends on campus and will forever be one of my best friends.  Watching him get married to his beautiful bride was the perfect end to my week.

 

His name is Dustin and he's a total dork, but so am I... that's why we're friends!

I knew that his wedding was going to be rustic themed but I was blown away with how darling it all was!  The venue was a mix of outdoor and barn, there were mason jars hanging from shepherd hooks as you walked between the two, there were signs pointing to the different areas (like "restroom" "barn", etc.)  It was so lovely.

Although I did not take pictures of everything, I wanted to share their favors with you (there were two!)...

After the ceremony, while the happy couple took pictures the rest of the guests had time to catch up with each other, snack on some food and drink from... you guessed it- mason jars!

If you've been following this blog long, you know that I am addicted to mason jars.  I use them for everything and almost every day.  Each jar had some twine wrapped around it with a blank tag on it to write our names.  What a darling way to keep track of our drinks.  I wrote out K. Saus and T. Saus (our last name is Sausaman) for myself and my husband.  I am pretty proud to be his wife as is, but there is something about weddings that makes me want to shout from the hilltops "this one's mine!"  Boy, would that embarrass him.

At the end of the night, we got to take home our mason jars!

Our other favor was sitting at the table when we arrived.  Adorable small burlap sacks tied with twine and finished with a personalized tag.  Think it can't get any better?  They were filled with candy!  Chocolate is a girl's best friend they say...

When they get back from the honeymoon I will have to ask if they made the tags or ordered them from somewhere.  I love the font used in the "Thank You" and love that it is personalized with their names and wedding date.

Although I can never get enough burlap or have too many mason jars, the best part of the night was being able to catch up with old friends.  Two of these guys I haven't seen since my wedding and the other since we graduated!  It's funny to think that we are all grown up now (each of us is married except for one who just proposed to his girlfriend a few days ago... she said yes!) and not just a bunch of college kids.  Anyone else with me on this?

It was a beautiful day and a beautiful wedding.  I still feel enormously blessed to have been a part of it and hope that it's not so long until we can all catch up again.

 {That's me and my husband with Dustin and his beautiful wife Brittani}

What is your favorite thing about rustic weddings?  I've mentioned that I am a sucker for burlap and mason jars (both in our wedding as well.) Or... are you not quite convinced that rustic is the way to go?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

Burlap Halloween Signs {Plus Halloween Party Ideas}

Can you believe Halloween is only 13 days away?  As I mentioned in my last post, I am running a tad behind on my decorating for the fall.  I LOVE Halloween and am a little disappointed in myself for not having my decorations up yet.  Since I needed to get on this and because a girl can never have too many decorations, I thought I would make a few new ones!  Check out these easy burlap signs:

One is cute and pun-ey, one is scary and one is traditional... a style for everyone and all situations! Each one uses different tools/materials as well, so there is something for everyone to make.

The wolf one was made using paint, the Silhouette (cutting machine) and heat transfer vinyl.

The shape is called "Howling Wolf" (ID #4085) and was made by Nathan Jenne.  This shape can be purchased in the Silhouette store.

Using the freezer paper method of stenciling (there are several tutorials online), I painted the yellow moon and then (once it was dried), painted the wolf on top of it.

I finished it up by cutting out my words from heat transfer vinyl and ironing it on.

For a crisper look and long life (burlap will unravel!) make sure to stitch along each edge.  Try to stay with the grain as best you can.  I also folded over the tops and stitched a "loop" into it, so that it cold be hung by a dowel rod.

Easy enough, right?

Next, I made a scary one for when we are not having little ones at the house!  I am a huge fan of horror and gore (who would have guessed it, right?) and had to include something like that into this craft!

The only materials I used on this one were paint and a paintbrush.  I thought that having the message written out in handwriting, instead of in a perfect stencil would look spookier.  For the hand print, I did what every child (and adult)  loves to do... stuck my hand in red paint and smeared it across the burlap!

This was also the only sign that I left without stitching (except to loop it at the top.)  This is because I wanted more of that torn "horror" look to it.  To achieve this, grab a hold of the threads and just pull it out as far as you like.

Are you brave enough to enter?  If not... let's move on to the next one.

I might love horror, but I am also a sucker for the classics.  Every house needs something pumpkin at it around Halloween and when I saw this design I was in love!

The shape is called "Stacked Pumpkins" (ID #21902) and was designed by Loni Stevens.  This can also be found in the Silhouette store.

Using the freezer paper stenciling method, I cut out my shape and then painted it!  Simple as that.

One of the many things I love about burlap is how painted designs look on it.  Crisp enough that the design is visible but broken enough that it has that rustic feel.

{Are you new around here?}
If you weren't a follower of Cut, Craft, Create last Halloween, check out this post for (over) FIVE fun and easy Halloween party ideas , including games, prizes and food ideas.  Don't be fooled by the picture, there are even more ideas on the post.  It also includes free printables, so check it out if you're having a party.

Click here to check it out!

{That's it for today}
I hope you enjoyed the new Halloween signs and are excited to make your own.  Which do you prefer?  Pun-ey, Scary or Traditional?  Although I thought I would like the scary one best, I can't help but love that adorable wolf!

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

Painted Acorns {Fall Decor}

I am a little behind on my fall decorations and now I am running the risk of being behind on the Halloween ones too!  Where does the time go?  To help catch me up a little, I made a quick and easy (but totally cute) fall craft:

These are easy to make and only take a few minutes (plus dry time.)

1. Pick out a few of your favorite colors and an accent color for the tops.
2. Paint!

You can either paint it all together or pop the top of the acorn off and glue it back on when everything is dried.  The latter option makes for a crisper line between the colors but the former option is a little faster.

I love these colors together!  The tops are all painted with metallic gold.

You can display these acorns in a variety of ways.  I chose to put them inside of a glass goblet filled with thick jute twine.  I love the mix of detailed glass with rustic jute!

 

What colors would you choose? I hope that this has helped you get started on that fall decorating if you are anything like me!

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

{Tutorial} I upcycled my shoes into a bracelet!

This weekend I am finally getting around to having a garage sale at my house.  I have way too much stuff and absolutely no reason to keep it.  Anyone else like that?  It was hard to let a few things go (like my Beatles Posters) but I have decided that it is time to move forward with my life and get rid of everything I don't use.  One thing that I was planning on selling were these darling shoes that sort of looked like moccasins... with heels!  They hurt my feet anymore to wear them but I just couldn't let go of the fabric that was on them.

I had a choice to make: sell these shoes for 50 cents or...

Make a bracelet out of them!

I know, I know... but I love jewelry and I couldn't bear the thought of getting rid of these shoes entirely.

Here's what they looked like before:

They were super easy to make and took just a few minutes...

 The shape of the fabric was perfect for this project.

First, I cut all the brown straps off of the shoe and pulled them out of the eyelets.  Then I cut the two pieces on each shoe apart from each other.

To make the fabric piece fit comfortable around my wrist, I got it wet and placed it around a gift wrapping tube that was roughly the size of my wrist. To hold it down, use a rubber band or a piece of ribbon.  Let dry before removing.

Next, I took the wider piece and hot glued (that's right, you don't have to sew it if you don't want to!) Braiding Cord onto each end.  I chose to put two cords on each side, but that is personal preference.  Make sure to allow room to go around your wrist and to tie.

I finished it with a small piece of spandex fabric so that it was smooth against my wrist and was less likely to come apart.

To tie the ends, I made a slip knot.  I don't think I have ever made them the proper way, but it seems to always work out!  

Trim off any excess cording and voila!  I can't believe how cute this bracelet turned out.  I am so happy that I did not sell these shoes at the garage sale.

 

Your Turn!

Is there anything lying around your house that could use a new look?  Consider turning it into a new piece of jewelry in just a few minutes.  What do you think about this sort of upcycling?

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann