October 14, 2010

Candy Cane Christmas

Edit:  I just had to paste this comment from Renee in here.  I totally agree with your thoughts on  Christmas.  The materialistic part of Christmas stresses me out....the family part, I love.


From Renee:  I, too, remember my Daddy talking about being a child during those times and how if there was an orange or candy cane and a new pair of pants or shoes, it was a good Christmas. And now our children...well, lets just say they would report us to CPS for being bad parents if that were to happen!:) And though I love the Holidays, and am by far not a Scrooge, sometimes I really want to go back to those simpler times, where it was about the spirit of Christmas, the togetherness and not the gifts. So I love this idea and can't wait for more! 


Hello friends.  I hope you Papertrey fans got plenty of goodies at tonight's release.  I know after creating projects with this month's holiday products, I am definitely getting into the holiday spirit.  I'm really looking forward to getting a head start on my holiday cards and gifts.

With that said, I am happy to announce a new Papertrey feature here on my blog.  It's called Make + Save.  The concept for Make + Save is that I will be blogging posts all about creating inexpensive and fun gift and packaging ideas, complete with supply lists and instructions.  You can read more about it here.  A link will be provided to a special section at the Papertrey Ink website that will contain a main photo of my project along with the supply list and how to instructions.  All of my projects will be grouped together and easily accessible at the Papertrey website here.

If you're familiar with my blog and stamping style, you know that I create from the heart, usually with specific people or events in mind.  I love to make cards and gifts that are practical, easily mass produced, easy on the pocket book and creative.  So without further delay, I'd like to show you my first  Make + Save project.

As a child, I loved to wrap all the presents at our house.  It think it was all that fun paper, tape and sticky bows and trying to make gifts look pretty.  But as an adult, wrapping gifts can sometimes seem more like a task than a treat simply because it's such a busy time of year and we've added two reds into the mix.  So why not get a head start on your gift wrapping and create a Candy Cane Christmas Gift Wrap Station?
Red and white is always a favorite color combination for me during the holidays.  And what better represents those two colors more than candy canes?  By grouping together a few supplies, you can start creating fun tags and gift wrap as you get a few extra minutes here and there.  For my gift wrap station, I like to take over a table in the basement and keep it clean and organized for wrapping presents.  This year, I'm going to use a silver tray that has all my smaller gift wrapping supplies in one handy place.  Plus it looks just delightful so it's almost like a centerpiece of sorts on my table.  
My first project is these embellished candy canes which will become gift topper tags.  Or they can be given out all by themselves as little candy favors...or hung on the tree or a garland.  I created them by stamping small candy canes from Tiny Treats: Christmas and the candy cane sentiment from Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers onto a Vintage Ornament Die.  The smallest of the ornament dies makes a great little tag for smaller stamped images and sentiments.  
Simply tie Fine Linen ribbon to candy canes, then tie the tags around the ribbon with Pure Poppy Baker's Twine.  Display the embellished candy canes in a cute jar or holiday themed mug or basket until it's time to use them.  These make for a cute display just sitting in my little pink drinking cup.
When it's time to wrap some gifts, simply grab a candy can and adhere it to the present with a large sticky dot.  To make the ribbon that wraps around the box, take a strip of Fine Linen Topnotch Twill and draw a line down the middle with a red Copic marker.  I used R29 for the perfect candy cane color. Wrap this around a gift box or sack and secure on the bottom side with clear tape.  So cute and so easy.  By having the candy cane embellishments done in advance, you'll be able to wrap presents with flying reindeer speed.  I plan to fill my little boxes with truffles topped with crushed candy canes.  When I find the perfect recipe, I'll be sure to share.
Next up, I have a candy cane card to match...just in case you want to get all matchy-matchy with your gift and card.  I saw in the forums that a few of you were getting worried that the Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers did not have a big candy cane image.  People, people, have we let you down before?  Of course there has to be candy canes to fit into the cute jar image.  

Insert Mishie story here:  My dad was born in the 30's during the Depression.  His family was poor and he remembers lots of times going to bed hungry with a growly tummy as a child.  He said that many times all you got for a Christmas gift was a single candy cane and maybe a small toy if times were good.  A single candy cane.  So now every holiday season, I always have candy canes around the house as a reminder to appreciate the simple things in life.  

And now look at us in this day and age.  We have candy canes galore...even on stamps!  Oh how I love this big candy cane image from the Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers collection.  The image looks great in the jar but also as a stand alone image.  To make the prettiest of candy canes, stamp the image onto cardstock and color with the R29 Copic Sketch marker.  Outline with the E43 marker to make the candy canes pop off the page.
Here comes some holiday twinklage.  Using a glue pen, color over the Copic colored candy canes then sprinkle on Papertrey glitter.  Ohhhh how shimmery and sparkly the candy canes become.  
Assemble the card as shown below...remember all the instructions are at the Make + Save link at Papertrey Ink. 
Sooo...with all this candy cane goodness, you're sure to have some visions of gift giving dancing in your head.  I hope you're inspired to get an early start on your holiday wrappings this year.  Have fun!

Stay tuned for more Make + Save posts here on the blogaroonie.  There won't be specific scheduled times for these posts....they'll just pop up from time to time.  I hope you enjoy and be sure to let me know what type of gifty ideas you'd like to see.  I'll start a list.  :)

35 comments:

Lorus! said...

Since I can't shop yet, I came to see what you posted. I love this idea! I really enjoyed the Tiny Treats group post this month and this will keep the inspiration going!
Can't wait to see what else you have up your sleeves!

♥Wendi said...

Love your cute candy cane ideas. I am always looking for sweet, simple little gift ideas for my class, teacher friends, coaches, scout leaders, secretaries, etc. Not so much for just holidays, but just to say that random, out of the blue, surprise "thanks" for all you do for me, my hubby or my kids. Can't wait to see what you have to share!

Anonymous said...

So generous of you to share!!! I just love your stamping style and handy dandy tips and tricks. Ordered the Oct Release Jar Fillers set and can't wait to play! LOVE the candy canes and snowmen especially!

Nadine said...

I always love your creations for gifts, especially since you make them so easy for me to do! I don't have any ideas yet for your list but when I do, I'll pop back on here!

vicki B. said...

I really love the look of the candy cane - awsome job with the glitter! Went over to Cosmo Cricket and made my nomination for you - hope you win the GDT spot!

Ann said...

Mish you are the best! What an excellent series this will be - I just love making little gifts and you always come up with gorgeous projects. Really can't wait to get my Jar Holiday set now - but it will be at least 3 weeks by the time it gets to me in the UK! :o(

I always have trouble thinking up small gifts for the males in my family - you know, those who don't really have any interests/hobbies I can latch on to. What can you come up with - I know I'll love it whatever it is!

bonnie said...

Firstly your sweet story about your Dad brought a tear to my eye thinking of a sweet little boy going to bed hungry....heart-breaking as they had so little and these days those things are taken for granted. Thank you for sharing :). I absolutely love candy canes because they have been around for so long and we too have them all around for Christmas and on the tree...I love the traditional things the most and my favourite colors too are red and white for Christmas....so pretty. Sweet hugs, Bonnie xx

Isabel Z said...

What a wonderful idea--make and save. I always look forward to your postings because I love your unique style, creativity, and artistry. But most of all I love your spirit. I can't wait to be inspired by you.

Cammie said...

I love the idea of the Make and Save projects. I love to remember my friends at the school where I taught for 30 years with little treats during the year. Your inspiration is invaluable. And my first "commisioned" work is to make some notebooks for my SIL to give to her co-workers. Visiting your blog is always a treat!

kinderdi said...

What a neat idea! Thanks for sharing! I love seeing your little "creative stations" all set up with coordinated supplies! It encourages me to use what I already have.

Mariah said...

Oooh, I can't wait for more. I am always so inspired by your blog posts and now to have a sort-of-tutorial with a direct link to all the PTI goodies...you've made it way to easy! Keep them coming, and the recipes too...I have gotten some really great ones from your blog. Just made the pumpkin blondies-they were a HUGE hit!! Yeah Mish!

Marci said...

How fun is this!!! Love your post today!! Such fun ideas!! Your creativity never ceases to amaze me! Looking forward to more
Make + Save posts in the future. Although, I have a funny feeling I won't "saving" much!!! :)

Anonymous said...

Make and save-how fun is that. I always love your ideas. It never fails I can not rember exactly which month your design caught my eye. Now I will be able to find all of your great ideas readily.
THANK YOU
The candy canes are sweet!

Diane Jaquay said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE this idea Mish!!! I can't wait to see what you come up with next :)

Renee said...

I, too, remember my Daddy talking about being a child during those times and how if there was an orange or candy cane and a new pair of pants or shoes, it was a good Christmas. And now our children...well, lets just say they would report us to CPS for being bad parents if that were to happen!:) And though I love the Holidays, and am by far not a Scrooge, sometimes I really want to go back to those simpler times, where it was about the spirit of Christmas, the togetherness and not the gifts. So I love this idea and can't wait for more! I have so many "small" gifts each year, I sometimes become overwhelmed with them more than shopping for the kiddies and trying to solve the national debt all by myself with their lists! So keep them coming,looking forward to them!:)
LOVED the candy canes. There was so much happening last night w/ server issues and I was sooo tired, I grabbed what I could and got out! But FJF-Holiday is already in my cart for my next order in a couple of weeks when hubby isn't watching! I've been waiting for this one and now I have to have it even more!!! Maybe next week won't be too early, he won't be expecting it...

pattylt said...

Mish, you come up with bestest ideas! I love the simple look of the candy canes (the real ones) sitting in a jar with some tags on them. How easy and cuttttie! Love this new "series" and look forward to many more.

Ayana Posadas said...

These projects look fantastic!!!

Ally said...

Love this idea! You always show us such cute ideas for gift giving from the heart. I can't wait to see more of these projects!

Carol's Ink Spot said...

What a fabulous idea this Make & Save post is! I love your projects and getting help especially during the busy holiday season with ideas for cards, tags and wrapping will be a GREAT help. I can hardly wait to receive my Friendship Jar Holiday set to get started on Christmas projects.

Katie Skiff said...

These are wonderful. And this will be a great addition to your blog. Thank you for taking the time to do it.
I too, love the time together and being able to be with family at the holidays. We have gone to make homemade items for Christmas which means much more. Esp. since no one NEEDS anything.

Stephanie said...

Michelle.......You have no idea how much I'll be looking forward to this new addition to the PTI website. I absolutely adore your new candy cane box and card. So adorable. Thanks for being so generous in sharing this idea with all of your followers both here and at PTI. You truly are such a creative, beautiful person.

Elizabeth S. said...

What a wonderful idea! I love to save money but of course like to spend it on PTI goodies so this is going to be a great addition. You are so inspiring and wait to see what else you have in mind. I agree I would love to go back to the simplier times of Christmas.

Flor said...

Hi Mish!

Love this! I will be following your Make and Save projects religously! I also love the fact the gifts should come from the heart. Thank you for always sharing!

Gloria Stengel said...

My folks grew up during the Depression and my mom said getting an orange, some nuts, a candy cane, and a pencil was a GREAT gift. She always gave us oranges in our stockings. We could not convince her that in the 1970s oranges were cheap and at the grocery store all year round so she should STOP putting them in our stockings! She still thought that having one in our stockings was a treat.

Audrey Pettit said...

Gorgeous! Love the whole idea of this new project venture, and adore the first set of candy cane goodies. Can't wait to see more.

Karen said...

As always, you have the best ideas. That candy cane card is the cutest. I would love to see small gifts geared toward the guys in our life. Especially the 18-30 year olds. Thanks for sharing.

Lisa and Penny said...

You are so great Mish! Thanks for all your fabulous ideas.

Diana said...

I am absolutely beside myself with this concept you are doing! You are so good to us.
I love the idea's you pass along. They are creative and easy to do.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Karey said...

There are still children who go to bed hungry at Christmas time. A couple years ago I was sitting in a casual get together on a Sunday night at church. The man sitting across from said something about a girl in one of his classes at school not getting anything for Christmas. Since he wasn't talking to me, I asked what he said. So he told me about a Jr High girl that he asked how her Chirstmas was (this was after the Christmas break) she told him she didn't have Christmas. She started crying and told him that her mother left her and her younger brother alone during the break because she couldn't buy them presents. Let me tell you I was heart broken. For about 15 yrs we couldn't afford much, but I would buy the boys things throughout the year on clearance and put the things back for Christmas. They definitely were not the best things but what we could afford. So to hear that a mother would leave her children to fend for themselves was horrible. I asked him if I went and bought some things for her and her brother could he get them in her locker. He said he would be able to. I went and bought some things at the mall for her and her brother. He said she later asked him if he had anything to do with it and he said he didn't know what she was talking about.
I tried to find out from him if she was still at the school the next year, but he couldn't remember who she was.

Kim H. said...

I love the make and save idea! I have saved your blog pages to my computer for ever - thank you so much for creating a one stop location for all your createive beautiful inspirations!!!

Vicki Dutcher said...

These are going to be a fun projects to follow. You are starting out wonderful with the candy canes! Thanks for taking the time and sharing with us!

Judy in Indiana said...

consinYou know what I really want? The ornament die cuts that PTI released, but in a larger size. I would love a whole tree full of home made ornaments. I could add flowers to the ornaments, and use the ric rac die, too. I would love a gingerbread man die, too. Add some button eyes and ric rac and he is good to go!

Kari D said...

You are so right....as much fun as wrapping gifts is, it is NOT when you have so many other things that HAVE to be done. I LOVE the concept of having half of the work done for you and, best of all, decorating your work space all week long just waiting for an opportunity to jump into action! THANKS so much for sharing your ideas, telling us some of your special holiday memories, and promising that there will be more!

Peachy Wessels said...

I really love this idea. So cute, simple and practical and very, very Christmas like!

Anonymous said...

M - Ree over at Pioneer Woman has an incredibly easy chocolate truffle recipe with sea salt on top that you can probably adapt to use with crushed candy cane instead. I used it last year for Christmas and all my friends loved it.
Zanne

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