Hey y'all, Let the crafting (& blogging) begin! With the launch of the new Holiday Decorating Webisodes on RealSimple.com, I feel that now is as good a time as any to start my blog. I've been wanting to fulfill my destiny by way of a blog for quite some time, but I just never felt that I had anything that was earth shattering enough to share. And being a performer at heart, EVERTYHING I do MUST...be...earth shattering (cue fog machine)! But, I’ve come to understand through much encouragement from friends (some who blog, others who wish they did), that blogs don’t have to be, and often aren’t, earth shattering and sadly, often NEVER involve fog! They can be whatever you want them to be. So, above anything, I want mine to be purposeful to those who read it… I want you to be inspired, informed, maybe a little jarred, and most of all ENTERTAINED…
Speaking of entertaining, there's very few things in life that provide more joy, more sense of place and purpose, than crafting! That's right folks! And fortunately, it just so happens that I have some pretty cool webisodes that I'd like to share with y'all, right here, right now. Oh, I know, you're thinking this is just some shameless self-promotional thing, some PR stunt, orchestrated to convince good people to use glue guns! WRONG AGAIN! This is pure, unadulterated HOLIDAZZLE, the likes of which y'all have never seen! Click on the links below and allow me to take y'all there:
- Decorating ideas from a craft store
- Decorating ideas from a garden center
- Decorating ideas from a grocery store
- Decorating ideas from an office supply store
- Decorating ideas from a party supply store
But wait, There's more! The crafting goodness from the Office Supply Store they didn’t want you to see, completely raw and uncensored, can be seen below! Ooohh!
Coin-Roll Garland: YES! Use coin rolls (pennies have festive red print, dimes have green) to create an unexpected garland! Thread the same type of empty rolls onto ribbon, yarn or twine in your preferred color. Tie on your favorite holiday decorations sporadically. You have a graphic garland that decorates AND afterwards can corral all the loose change you've been collecting for months! This project is a great family activity AND actually has the potential to MAKE YOU MONEY when finished! Awesome!
Packing material Centerpiece: What?! Uh-huh! Get glass containers in
various sizes and fill with brown recycled packing material (recycled means it's
eco-friendly y'all - love it!). The packing material is made up of tiny cardboard shreds that take on an unexpected, textural quality and look terrific when repeated in multiple vessels. You could even use larger jars taken out of the recycling bin for an eco double whammy! Combine these with some holiday ornaments and embellish with twine or ribbon for a fun centerpiece. Added bonus: you can re-use the packing material after the holidays are over to ship any late gifts or returns!
Coffee filter bells: Yummy! Coffee filters can do more than help you brew that perfect cup! When threaded on colored yarn or twine and hung, they take on a cool sculptural quality. Start with your desired length of string, knotted at one end. Next, make a small cut into center of coffee filter and thread onto string, upside down. Be sure cut isn’t larger than size of knot. Then, tie another knot a few inches or more above first coffee filter. Cut another hole in the next filter and thread. Rinse and Repeat.
Okay, y'all, now go fulfill your dreams through crafts and check back here often! You never know what I'll be serving up.