Better than Bows: Cupcake Paper Gift Toppers

So, I was up until 2 am last night wrapping gifts, when inspiration struck to stick cupcake papers all over each present. This sounds ugly in theory, but the result (above) ended up looking lovely. I used these old holly-covered cupcake wrappers that I bought on super-sale after the holidays last year (the original idea was to use them FOR cupcakes, but then it occurred to me that it doesn't seem right to use holly-print things beyond Christmas).

What you do is: Cover the area of the gift you want to decorate with double-stick tape. Then, take a wrapper, bunch it up at the bottom and stick it to the tape. Keep doing this until you end up with the giftwrap equivalent of a glamorous boa. Ta-da!

-Brie

Holiday Messes...

In the middle of organizing gifts, sending out packages, wrapping presents, finding the ornaments, finding my tree (a lovely little white faux tree that is only just now going up today!), fulfilling apron orders, ordering even more gifts for people I forgot, working on articles (on-deadline!), working ahead on articles, planning menus for parties and somewhere, somehow, sleeping, the above mess happened in my studio.

I'm totally into the holiday spirit and all, but I always have trouble keeping things neat and tidy during this time of year. I thought I was alone in this, some sort of yuletide failure, and got tremendously hard on myself...and then I read Pip's inspiring post on how she has the same trouble during the holidays. If Pip, blogging and crafting superstar has trouble keeping her sanity during Christmastime, then I can give myself permission to let myself go a little bit to the messier side of life, albeit temporarily. Everything will be okay, I keep saying...

P.s. That ghostly halo in the corner isn't a spirit, but the light from my laptop. I used my new smartphone, which has the unfortunate tendency to make me feel not-so-smart, to take the photo.

Christmas Favor Idea: Tiny House Boxes

Even though these town house gift boxes (from Martha Stewart, of course) are too charming for words, I will attempt to write about them anyway. The illustration-inspired containers are meant for cookies and such, but with a ribbon they also are keepsake ornaments. The free template is pre-illustrated, but if you'd like to do custom, just trace the box parts onto cardstock and take it from there. I was seriously thinking of doing this with houses inspired from my illustrations, but then discovered that I have absolutely no time during this pre-holiday crunch. Between making aprons for orders, doing the whole "email everyone before they go on vacation" thing and trying to wrap up my gifts, I think I'm getting all of five minutes' sleep each night. It'll be worth it, I keep telling myself...

Hang in there!
-Brie

Image via Martha Stewart

Another freebie: Desktop Wallpaper

It's a wallpaper and a desktop, featured by my Etsy friend Shrimp Salad Circus and designed by Katie of LemonJitters...and it's available to download for free here. Enjoy!

Free downloadable gift tags

Etsy friend Irina posted these vintage-cute gift tags, free for you to download here. Enjoy!

DIY Gift Bags

Okay, okay, I know these adorable DIY gift boxes were originally intended for Father's Day...but they would be so much fun to use for the holidays! There's a template involved so you can make it completely custom...but I think you could also make these from a store-bought gift bag, right? Just cut off the handle, snip a "V" shape into the top on either side and fold over to create the shirt part. Then add a bowtie. Ta-da!

Found via PaperCrave

Cute winter craft: Felt pinecones!

I found this pretty little project in the pages of Family Circle's December issue. I originally wasn't going to post it, because I thought that each individual bract was cut out--way too time consuming! But actually, the pinecone is made from little felt flowers, threaded onto a cut skewer. So much easier than I thought! I love the aqua/brown combo...Instructions (and template) are here.

Image via Family Circle

A new twist on leaf votives

I had an idea to do a few votive candle cups wrapped in pretty autumn leaves (like this idea from Better Homes & Gardens, via CasaSugar) for my Thanksgiving table, but a glance outside tells me that I missed the boat on that whole "pretty autumn leaves" thing. The trees have nothing to offer up by pathetic little wisps of what used to be leaves. So, I pretty much forgot about that idea...until I saw this neat take on candle and leaf centerpieces, from Sunset Magazine. Though they used skeleton leaves (available here), I could see this working with the "exhausted" leaves that are currently available from the aforementioned trees.

Now, how to get them to stand up? You could secure each leaf to a skewer using a tiny bit of tape, then insert into a piece of Styrofoam. But then you'd have a big hunk of Styrofoam on your table. To cover that up, you can either paint it and cover the exposed sides with ribbon. Or, you can cover the foam (before you insert the leaves with something else), like artificial moss.

Image via Sunset Magazine

For your Thanksgiving table: Leaf Placemats

Watching Martha Stewart's show always makes me feel a bit nervous (I think it's because of the newish format, with her trying to "learn" crafts from bloggers, or teach stars how to craft, too much tension there!) but occasionally she has a really simple idea that wins me over. Like these free-form leaf placemats. She simply cuts them from ultrasuede, which won't fray on you (so you won't have to fuss with hemming), but I'd use felt instead. It's also no-fray and much cheaper, so I wouldn't feel as bad throwing them out if they get stained. Expanded directions are here.

Image via Martha Stewart

DIY Sweet (ha-ha) Candy Dishes

These generously-sized candy dishes featured on CraftStylish make perfect little favors. (Not to mention another good way to use up scrap fabric.) I'd do these in a rustic linen with a velvety orange ribbon tie for Halloween/autumn parties. It's very easy--just snip fabric, apply fabric stiffener and wait for it to dry. The name tag picks are made from paper, glue and skewers. Directions are here.

P.s. The creator of this craft is none other than Diane Gilleland of the fab CraftyPod podcast, a must-listen for crafty business owners.

Image via CraftStylish.

Cute Halloween Craft: Hanging Ghosts

Spotted in Country Living magazine. These sweet-not-spooky ghosts strike just the right note for a grown-up Halloween party...like the one I'm having this weekend. Directions, which are easier than you think (it's just like grade school papier-mache crafts), are here.

Image via Country Living.

P.s. Regarding my Halloween party: This weekend I picked up a bottle of a garishly-colored Pumpkin Spice Liqueur, because I got sucked into a sale. Unfortunately, the bright orange color should have been my tip-off: It's really boozy corn syrup with the tiniest hint of spice flavor. I have no idea how to rescue it, except by throwing it down the garbage chute (but if I figure out another way, I'll let you know). Lesson: Don't cheap out on liqueurs. The end.

Easy Halloween Ribbon Wreath

This fab ribbon wreath, found on The Long Thread blog, is so so easy--just tie lengths of black grosgrain ribbon around a wreath form. Of course it's great for Halloween, but how nice would it look against a pale gray wall anytime of the year?

Instructions are here.

Image via The Long Thread

Easy Halloween Centerpiece: A Witch's Cauldron

Courtesy of the lovely Calli at Make It Do comes a fun little Halloween party idea...basically, you take a wreath base, pile orange string lights in the middle, top with orange/yellow tissue paper, and prop a drink basin on top of it. Dry ice in the middle is optional...I probably wouldn't go with it only because I'm a little bit afraid of dry ice. Here's the DIY instructions. I might use this to serve drinks out of for my upcoming Halloween party!

-Brie

Image via Make It Do.