December 3, 2010

12 Days of Christmas..Day 5

Hello Friday Friends. Welcome to Day 5 of of Melissa's and Mishie's 12 Days of Christmas. Melissa and I are so happy that you're enjoying our holiday blogging event. We'll be taking a break over the weekend but we'll be back Monday for Day 6.
Today's them is so fun...doilies. Doilies are such pretty little things. I always love to pick through the real doilies at the thrift store and think about the teeny tiny little handiwork that some wonderful woman did. To me doilies make me think of Victorian settings...tables covered with a doilies and lavish silver tea groupings. Fancy little things. Today, doilies are making a come back in the sewing and paper crafting world. They're fun to add to purses and handmade items to give a vintage and feminine feel. For paper crafting, the paper doilies are nifty little embellishments.

Today, I'm showing you some gift tags I made using Medium Parcel Tags, holiday patterned paper and a Dainty Doily. Cut patterned paper to fit onto the tag fronts. Cut a Dainty Doily into fourths.
Adhere patterned paper and doily pieces to tags using just a small strip of adhesive. Using your sewing machine, stitch around the patterned paper rectangle. Sewing with the Dainty Doilies always lends a home spun feel to projects.
Using red baker's twine, adhere some felt snowflakes to the tags. I layered Papertrey snowflake dies, punched circles of paper and a wood button. These tags coordinate very well with the wrapping paper I chose for this year. You can see that in yesterday's post.
Now for some gift wrapping. I have loved to gift wrap since I was a kid. And now so does Jordan. Many times I have a larger gift to wrap and I often give away cards or some smaller gift along with the bigger wrapped packages. How about creating some matching paper sacks to match your gift wrap?!! I know. Get out, right!? Using my Brown Paper Sacks (which will be back in stock next week), I stitched on a piece of my snowflake wrapping paper. Love. To finish up the pretty wrapping, I folded a Dainty Doily over the top of the folded sack. I wrapped several layers of brown string around the sack, tying a bow. To that I tied one of my completed tags and a Tad Bit Bigger Tag so that I can write the recipient's name. Oh how I love this! I can see doing this with other wrapping papers like baby papers, guy themed papers, birthday papers, etc. And wait til you see what I do with some fabric that I just purchased. Note: If you take care to stitch close to the edges of the sack, regular A2 cards will still fit into the Brown Paper Sacks.
Next up, I wrapped up some Christmas presents with my matching snowflake paper. I added a Dainty Doily to each package simply by wrapping my brown string around the package several times then securing a bow. Gold foil bows finish off the packages. Eek, so cute.
And look at the little matchy-matchy gift ensemble. How cute will these be under the tree? Heck, they're so cute I might just leave them on the kitchen table as a centerpiece! I hope you try this out, it gives gift wrapping a whole new meaning.
And speaking of kitchen table centerpieces, how about a little peek into some of my holiday decor this year?

A story: I was recently at my favorite antique shop and made my way around the entire shop while the store owner worked diligently at a table. By the time I got all the way around to where she was working, she said *All done*. This two tiered , vintage letter tray was sitting in the middle of a beautifully decorated table setting, completely filled with silver and fancy glasses. I gasped at how beautiful it was and said *I'll take the letter tray*. She smirked and said *I just finished this display*. I replied *And you did a wonderful job*......and then thought *Now wrap me up that letter tray Sista*. And to my house it came to live happily ever after. The End.

At Thanksgiving I used it to hold soup bowls and small plates for a family soup night. Eric thought it was rather cool. I think the dark wood is kinda manly like. For the holidays, I've added some of my favorite holiday dishes and mugs that I have collected. My mom and I would shop Dillard's after the holidays and seek out any of these holly pieces I could find. Very special memories.
To create a darling but very useful hot cocoa tray, I lined the top tray with three doilies that I purchased at the thrift shop or auctions. I nestled in a few mugs along with some old silver spoons and candy canes for stirring. Giant marshmallows are nestled in vintage jello molds. A tea light candle sits nicely in a zinc jar lid while vintage ornaments sit all pretty like. Oh how fun this will be to have hot cocoa on a cold winter's night....sitting by the crackling fire....watching the pretty tree lights......as the girls shake and rattle their presents. A thought: This would make a fun soup bowl tray too. Life is so good for us here in the country. We are blessed. I hope you have a blessed holiday season too.
And these sweet little morslets might just end up in my hot cocoa tray too. So simple...but sweet and crunchy and marshmallow-y. One of my favorite holiday snacks.

Crunchy Peanut Bark

2 pounds white chocolate coating (also called almond bark)
1 cup peanut butter
3 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups dry roasted peanuts
2 cups miniature marshmallows

Melt chocolate. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper or divide between two greased 9" square pans. Makes 10 dozen.

Now don't forget to visit Melissa's blog for her sweet doily post. I'm on the edge of my seat just waiting!! Happy Weekend Friends!

28 comments:

{Chrissie} said...

Thank you so much (again) for inspiring me. Every year, I plan to get all crafty when wrapping gifts, but I never do because I don't really know where to start... Those doilies have inspired me and my brain is already off and running with other ideas! Thank you for all you do and Happy Holidays!

Becky Dunham said...

Wow Mish! I love all these projects! I am so glad I found your blog - so much inspiration! Never would have thought to use a letter tray in this way - now I have to go find one! I love doilies and buy them at estate sales all the time, though have not quite figured out a creative way to use them every day! Thanks for sharing!

Rhonda Z said...

I love your Hot Cocoa tray idea! I'm going antiquing this weekend and add items to my list each time I visit your blog.

cowboydutrem said...

Wowowow! Love your use of the doilies, especially on the present wrapping. Beautiful!!!

Mandy said...

The best part of Christmas is wrapping the gifts...I love it, especially using brown parcel paper adding lovely pieces of ribbon and bells etc. Your gift wrap and gift cards are so beautiful. I bought some doilies from the pound shop yesterday and can't wait to start creating with them.

Thank you for sharing your wonderful gift wrap ideas !

Deb Zaremba said...

Hi Mish,
I just wanted to say thank you so much for such fantastic holiday inspiration. I have been enjoying looking at all of the beautiful creations that you and Melissa have been sharing with us.
You have been so generous with sharing your talent, wonderful recipes and a part of your heart with us. Thank you and I wish you and your family a very Happy Holiday.

sarahw said...

Your tags are super cute, love the wrapping BUT I love, love,love the letter tray! How perfectly Martha of you to set it up the way you did. :) I am in awe of how crafty you are. Did I mention I love the letter tray.

Candy Bello said...

what a great idea with the doilies! I'm going to try a few tags!

:)
Candy

Sandy said...

I love the way you used the dollies. I am going to be coming back to these 12 Days of Christmas all year long to get inspiration. Thank you and Melissa for all the ideas and hard work that go into doing these posts! Love what you did with your new purchase. I have some of the gingerbread men plates like that.

LMcBurney said...

I so enjoy reading your blog. I have said it many times...you inspire me to craft!

Renee said...

Ok, visit you (almost)daily, even when there's not a post (just getting caught up on older ones) and love all your creativity. Don't always leave a comment but had to today...You are KILLING me! I loved your antique muffin tins from a Halloween post, have my Mom hunting for those for me and I'm always checking my favorite antique stores... Love vintage linens, especially doilies, can't help myself, thanks! Saw the antique jello molds yesterday, have added those to my hunt list and now! You show the letter tray! LOVE it! I love the way you have used it, just so festive. But I'm hosting book club in January and the author is coming and all I can think now is how cool one of those letter trays would be for the coffee table for dessert or coffee... You are adding to my want list at an alarming pace and I am going to be in serious trouble...:)
LOVE all you do! And look forward to more posts, but I don't know about hubs...

Noreen said...

I don't know what to love most! I think it would be your red wrapped gifts. I can see why you liked the wood tray. The gingerbread set is perfect on it.

Susan Hurley-Luke said...

Gorgeous use of the doileys and I thought you may like to know I am making your Crunchy Peanut Bark in Australia today!!

Thank you for publishing almost every day. That takes a lot of effort and determination. I do read your blog every day and will try to post more after your comments yesterday to show my appreciation :) Have a wonderful Christmas season.

Tina said...

Can I come live at your house? :) I would love to be served Hot Cocoa from those lovely dishes on that wonderful tray. As always, your creations are wonderful and inspiring. Thanks for sharing!

Elizabeth S. said...

Thank you for all of your wonderful ideas.

Kathy Kinnier said...

I just love these posts you're doing with Melissa! The ideas are so great and the recipes are such a sweet ending to the posts. Thanks for the time you put into this.

Kerry Crockett said...

I LOVE the ideas for the doilies. I just bought my first pack two weeks ago because I kept seeing them used to make the cutest crafts and promptly forgot everything I wanted to make with them once I got them home! Thanks for some much needed inspiration. Also, I was so excited to see the Almond Bark recipe! We make it every year at Christmas and it is one of my absolute favorite things to eat, and soooo easy to make!

Dawn F. said...

I said at the beginning of your 12 days series and I say it again. Thank you for your beautiful posts. Yesterday was such a challenging day but what kept me steaming ahead was the thought of checking your blog when I got home from work. I even print your posts to look at while on my breaks and plan my next crafing session. Thank you - as another poster said it must take so much time to organize these posts and there are many of us out here that appreciate you so much. Have a great weekend. PS I also check the blog even when I know there isn't anything new. Sometimes just to look at the pics!

lindylou50 said...

Thanks for sharing some lovely ideas and how cute are those tags

Crafting Katie said...

Your hot cocoa tray is the sweetest thing ever! You never cease to amaze me with how you can put together ordinary things and create such beauty!

Tracie said...

I have become a real fan of your blog. I would love to have just a bit of your creativity. Thanks for inspiring all or us.

Anne Tussing said...

Oh, you have such a beautiful way of creating a scene, whether it is through your cards, your words, or your decorations! Thanks so much for sharing!!

Pattie said...

Hi Michelle! I am loving the 12 days of Christmas - great tags! I have a question...I would like to use one of your inspiration station pics from Feb '10 as an inspiration photo for a future challenge blog for which I am on the DT and would like your permission to do so. Please let me know if it is ok at rpgoldman (at) comcast (dot) net.
Thanks,
Pattie

Mary Hamer said...

Hi Michelle! I know you are super busy, but I just wanted you to know that I nominated you for the "Sylish Blogger Award" on my blog! Hop on by and check it out!
xoxo
mary
http://www.piecesofhomedesigns.blogspot.com

Davi said...

Been looking but not commenting. Just wanted to say fabulous creations with the doilies!! And a great recipe! Looking forward to the rest. ;)

Pearl said...

Hi Michelle !

love your 12 days of Christmas idea !

I was inspired to try out your tags of Day 5 here :

http://maisymary.blogspot.com/2010/12/family-of-tags-tis-season-still.html

thanks much !

Priscilla Heistad said...

OMG, I love the letter tray! Awesome find.

Alice said...

these are so fun! thanks for the inspirations on new ways to use doilies!

Related Posts with Thumbnails