Blog Swap - Its So Very Cheri

I made my own candy garland

What a thrill!
What an honor it is to be here today.

Michelle will be at my blog

Its So Very Cheri

today so be sure to head over there after you see some of the things I have done for you.

Let me tell you a little about myself before we craft. I am a stay at home Mom to 4 kiddos. I home school the 2 oldest boys and try to keep up with the 2 little ones.

I don't sit much--constantly moving.

I am a TYPE A person.

I love crafts, decorating, DIY projects and I love to do it in a thrifty way but I don't want it to look home made or cheap.

I have my own personal, eclectic style which is a combination of cottage, country, shabby chic and classic--it IS my own style and that is why I called my blog Its So Very Cheri. Still want to know more? about Cheri
Prince Charming is thrilled that I have my own set of tools (because I won't get into his--or maybe I still will).
All of my girlfriends call me "the nice version of Martha".

I love getting to know new people and learn about their lives.
I have a Monday blog party,
"Its So Very Creative"

and a Wednesday blog party,
"Celebrate the Holidays"

on Fridays we do a home tour of someones home, "Its So Very Cottagey". Starting Friday, Nov. 17 through the end of the year that tour will be a "party", that people can post their Holiday decor to, rather than just touring one home. We are calling it "It's So Very Christmas
I hope you will come by my blog, and follow along on this new, fun and exciting adventure. I hope you will get out your craft tools, post to the parties, have a lot of fun, be inspired and try some things you've never done before and leave lots of comments because that is how I get to know you better. I try to respond to as many people as I can each day.

I was born on Christmas Day and just love this time of year. I can not wait to start decorating and that begins this weekend. I will be doing 6 trees this year so I need to get going on it.

I'd like to give you a peak at a few projects I've done recently, that I think you might enjoy.

Lots of gals loved the my Tassel Tutorial.

I have a tassel MckLinky party going on this week, that started on Tuesday (Nov 17). It will be open all week, so come post some tassels, if you have made any, want to go get stuff to make one, or need ideas on how to make one.

Today I will go over 2 tutorials.

The 1st one is for
Christmas.

The concept of this popped in my head the other day and I had everything on hand to throw it together without even having to go pick up 1 item to make it.

I made a Frosty the Snowman Hat Centerpiece or Mantle Display.

I started with a Large can of pears, emptied the pears and cleaned it. Then I covered it in black felt

I picked these mittons up at a children's consignment store for a dollar. I covered the flowers up by adding Frosty's hat to the front of them.





I made my carrot out of felt and a plastic grocery sack. I hot glued the sack inside the orange felt, then tied string around it, leaving the knot and a little string so it looked like the little fibers coming off a real carrot. I highlighted the carrot with a little paint.


I made the snowball in the same way as I did the carrot--yeppers-with a few plastic sacks, then distressed it with my distress ink pad.

I then made the chenille candy canes and Frosty's pipe.

I tied the candy canes together with some burlap strips and added some berries to the center.





The pipe is out of a stick in my yard and a cork. I hot glued it together then went over it with my distress ink pad


I found a font I liked and printed off FROSTY THE SNOWMAN, then distressed it and added fairy dust glitter.


I had an old book, I was using the pages for another couple of projects (Librarians--I promise it was not a literary keepsake.)I took the hardback cover and made a NEW cover for it.



I even distressed the inside.


I would love to find a free down loadable site that has Christmas music (preferably-not just the lyrics)and have Frosty the Snowman and other favorites in it.
Frosty's arms are made from burlap strings.



I had this plaid wool piece and fringed the ends so it looked like a scarf.





I took a piece of black craft foam, using one of the kiddos little plates I drew and cut out a circle, then covered it in black felt. This would be the rim of my hat. I then glued my "can of pears" to the center of the rim.

I had the pretty stems of red berries, cut them apart and starting adding them to the can.
I began putting everything together
and adding fairy dust glitter.


I used the scarf as a "table runner" and placed everything on it. I think it looks like something you would purchase from a craft decorating shop.

I hope you enjoyed my 1st Tutorial and now I will show you a Thanksgiving Tutorial.


~~~~~~~

The 2nd Tutorial is

--The Lettered Pumpkin--
P is for:

PUMPKIN or


the PRINCESS' PUMPKIN (you know the one that turned into a carriage

and they lived happily ever after) OR in my case

PEOPLES, our last name. Thus... The Lettered Pumpkin. I love the way that sounds and I love

the way it came out. I wanted some classic pieces that were more muted tones for Thanksgiving.



So here's what I did--easy peasy

1. Buy a funkin punkin

2. Get an old book--librarians cover your ears and hum VERY LOUD--and start ripping the pages out. Then tear them in strips and then tear them into smaller pieces--we're working on a small funkin after all. I got an old book from Goodwill for a buck and I promise I double checked to make sure this was not a great piece of literature that I was destroying. (Wait till you see what I do with the cover -- in another post.)

3. I used Modge podge but you could mix up some flour and water to make a paste--does this bring back memories of 1st grade?

4. Dip your pages in the paste or if you use the Modge Podge spread it on the pages and start laying it on the funkin. I used a cheap sponge applicator. I didn't care if it got on the top part. Once it was covered, I let it dry and then added another layer, let it dry.

5. I thin watered down some brown umber and did a wash over the funkin punkin. I wanted to add a hint of green in some place so I did the same thing, then I did a lil bit of a copper wash in some places.



6. I found a font I liked and printed it off. I then cut it out with an exacto knife. I left a little extra around the edges--didn't want that delicate of lines to rip apart. I carefully applied Modge Podge to the back and laid it on the funkin punkin.

7. Once it was dry I then used a tiny paint brush and painted over it in a dark umber brown color

8. Then I applied one more coat of Modge Podge and for just pennies on the dollar I have

THE LETTERED PUMPKIN. (I would not add the flour paste over the letter unless you want it to look more washed out.)

I thought these would make excellent place markers for the Thanksgiving table
each person would get
their own
Lettered Pumpkin
with their initial.
I love these as much as the
my chocolate pumpkins,
Click on

Chocolate Pumpkins
to see them.

I made my own cloche and vase. Too see the finished product click on cloche and pedastal vase.

PLAID is all the rage this year and so is burlap so I decided to combine the 2 and make some stocking ornaments.


Here are a few pictures of things I am working on for a project that I will be posting VERY soon.





Here are a few other things I am working on--

What do you think I am up to?

These are not going to be wood ornaments, if that is what you were thinking.


What could I possibly make from toilet paper, paper towel and gift wrap tubes for a frugile, fun and very festive project?
CHECK IT OUT HERE


Thank you so much Michelle for being a great blog friend. It is always fun chatting with you and thank you to Michelle's loyal followers for allowing me to come into your homes today. I hope you had fun today. Now be sure to go over to my blog Its So Very Cheri to visit Michelle and see what she has for us.