Handmade for the Holidays

There's music in the air and sales in the stores, lights are going up and that magical cheer is spreading. Yep, that's right, it's Christmas time. And since my birthday has finally come and gone, it's time to start the celebration!

Now, I am a Christmas lover to my core. Fun, food, family; it's pretty much the only thing that makes winter bearable. But it can also be pretty pricey, which is not ideal for this cash-strapped crafter. Luckily, you won't have to break your (piggy) bank to get into the holiday spirit this year! I'm celebrating the season with a month of homemade Christmas craftiness: decorations, cards, gifts... I'm doing it all, with a little help from Klutz.

Gifts tend to be the biggest budget buster, but not with this handy little book. Create personalized art pieces for all of your friends with Paper Stained Glass. These semi-transparent pages are begging to be infused with colour, whether you colour by numbers or go crazy with your own combinations.

Creating these pretty window pieces can be as easy or as detailed as you like. You can start off simple by taping your art to a window, or take it one step further by making a card stock frame (to keep your design sturdy) and attaching a ribbon for hanging.

For a more polished look, put your pieces in a picture frame that can be leaned against a windowsill or hung from a hook. That pretty heron will look great in my mom’s kitchen window! And my friend Rachel is sure to get a kick out of my quirky clothesline picture.

An old lamp gets a new lease on life with a quick wrap of this paper stained glass. I bet this indigo-hued creation will look great in my purple-loving sister's new apartment!

If you're feeling extra fancy, make this pretty paper lantern by folding a piece of cardstock to create a three-sided frame. Tape in your stained glass and finish it off with a battery-operated tea light to make it glow. It's the perfect gift for any little (or big) people who like a little light in the night.

Four great gifts from one simple book! How cool is that? Take a peek through a copy and see which designs inspire you to create some customized art for the ones you love.

And if you’re looking for more ways to decorate your windows, be sure to check back next week. I'm decking my halls with Christmas Window Art. Here’s a sneak peak…

Story Book Horses

I think we’ve known each other long enough that I can share with you a truth that I sometimes keep hidden. It is a very polarizing opinion of mine, and one that has changed more than one person’s perception of me…

I am not an animal person.

I get why people swoon over cute and cuddly creatures, share an affinity for slithery reptiles, and fawn over our fine feathered friends. I’m just not one of them!

Luckily, this feeling doesn’t necessarily apply to animals of the paper persuasion. Couple that with my overpowering love of fashion, and I was actually kind of excited to delve into The Marvelous Book of Magical Horses. And if that wasn’t enough to carry me through, not long after cracking open that first page, I found inspiration in another love of mine.

I mean, come on, could this dark and fiery beauty be any other than The Hunger Games heroine Katniss Everdeen in horse form? All dark and moody, with a flaming mane and Mockingjay pin... Okay, I added that last one in myself, but that's the fun of these magical horses. There are tons of beautiful outfits to choose from, but you can also add your own embellishment and flair. And with peel and stick tabs, once you’ve had your fun, you can take it all off and start over and over again.

After dressing up Katniss Horse to do Cinna proud, I began to search for other literary characters on each punch-out page. Can you guess which story book horses I've created? Share your answers and your own awesome equine creations in the comments.

It’s My Party and I’ll Klutz If I Want To!

It’s finally November, my favourite month of the year!

Why, you ask? 

Because it’s my birthday month!

Yes, one cold mid-November morning I burst forth into the world, butt first and a month earlier than expected, and began a journey that has taken me all sorts of places. It hasn’t always been easy, but just look at me now! All grown up and blogging like a big girl (but still crafting like a little one, to be sure!). Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.

To celebrate the awesome year gone by, and another one just ahead, it’s time to get busy planning my party!

First stop, stationery! I had a pack of standard blank cards on hand, so I decided to have some fun with Stamp Art. Can we talk Stamp Art for a second? Because it is, like, the coolest thing ever! Basically, it’s a clear acrylic block and a ton of cool gel decals that you can peel and stick to your heart’s content. Mix and match and layer them, then start all over again. It’s amazing! I transformed those blank cards into too-cute cupcake invites, then used the envelopes to make these pretty little place cards (both below).

As for décor, I’m shouting out to my younger self with some good old-fashioned Cootie Catchers. Remember them? These folded fortune tellers were the height of elementary school fun! A bowl full of colourful cootie catchers (below) ought to spark some fun table conversation. The little ones are perfect for candle cupcake toppers (as seen below). And the blank cootie catchers do double duty as loot bags and thank you cards, with kind words and fun fortunes written inside.

Alright, I am officially excited! Only 15 days left and I’ve still got a lot of planning to do. Have you got a great Klutz birthday idea? Share it in the comments. To make this birthday bash top notch, I’m gonna need all the help I can get!