Visions of Sugarplums Day Two

So glad you're here for Day Two of Visions of Sugarplums!  I've got a few Christmas goodies to share with you.

First off, I want to share a couple of things I made with images from Moonlighting by Mary.  Mary has been so generous over the years to offer Visions of Sugarplums readers the chance to win one of her digital sets every day!  

My good friend, Jean,  asked me to make her sister a set of Christmas cards  and I'm calling them the Red, White and Gold collection.  I used one of Mary's images to create the first one of the set.  Hard to see in the photo, but I started by embossing the background.

This beautiful image is a vintage postcard.  You can find her HERE in Mary's store. I cut out the pretty little girl and cut out the sentiment to use separately.

Next up is a banner.  Mary has done all the hard work. 

Look at the gorgeous pennants!  All you have to do is print them out.  You can find it HERE. The set also comes with very pretty angels.

I added some glitter around the letters and die cut vellum into a scallop for the tops.   Hard to see the glitter in these photos, but I love this!  I have to say pink and aqua is one of my favorite combinations.

Someone who is new to Visions of Sugarplums is Heather from Vintage Bella.  She has some cute and sweet vintage images. I especially love her art deco images.  It's always fun to visit her store!

I used one of her Santa images to create a Christmas countdown.  Now, I've done some complicated countdowns.  I wanted this one to be EASY!  I wanted it to be able to hold a small treat or note, but I did not want to  make 24 different boxes.  So I came up with one fun box and changing out the numbers on the box.  And I've made it even easier by creating the countdown numbers for you.

First, print out the free countdown downloads:     HERE, HERE and HERE.   Cut them into 2" squares.  Make them look even more chalkboard-y by smudging white ink on them.  I just use my fingers!

Next print out your image.  This Santa is part of the 1940s Santas set.  I made him a little more fun with a little Snow-Tex and glitter.  Let the Snow-Tex dry awhile before covering with glue and glitter. 

The box is called Cutesy Cover and it's a free download right HERE.  It's available for handcutting in a PDF or electronic cut files.

Now you need a way to store the numbers, so they're not just loose floating around.  Tie a bow around the box.  Pop the numbers in a bag and clip them to the ribbon.

Change the numbers on the front the same way:  with a clothespin!   Isn't that great?  A countdown and only one box!  (Or am I just being lazy!?)

Moonlighting by Mary - one digital set of your choice
Vintage Bella - two digital sets of your choice
Kitty Bee Designs - one digital image of your choice
Studio Shine Vintage - one digital image of your choice
Cameo Shoppe - Christmas Cherub Tags

These are some of my favorite shops!  A big thank you to them for all the goodies!

In your comment, please let me know that you would like to win.  Comment here and then comment on all the participating blogs listed below.  Your name will go in a hat (or basket or bowl) for your comment here.  You will also get your name put in additional times for each comment left on the other blogs.  When the prizes for one day are won, those names are taken out, but all the other names stay in the hat.  

Be sure to check back daily to see if you have won!

The Mega Giveaway grows every day and the winner will be announced Saturday, December 6th.  Everything shown in this section every day will be a part of the Mega Giveaway.  Here is the second picture:

Debbie Fisher:  Kitty Bee and my Mini GiveAway

Tanya:  Cameo Shoppe

Karon:  The Cutting Cafe

KT Fit Kitty:  Studio ShineVintage

Carol Froelich:  Moonlighting by Mary

If you've won a Vision of Sugarplums giveaway, please email me at lhairston@cox.net. I'll get back with you and let you know how to claim your prize. Thank you!

Even if you won today, you can still win again!  Debbie has won two prizes already!  (I had a couple of people email me that they couldn't leave a comment, I added their names to the hat.  If you have that problem, feel free to email me and I'll add you to the drawing.)

  Char

 Regina

  Mitra

  Maria

  May

Can't wait to see what awesomeness they have in store for us!  Did you see yesterday's inspiration?  WOW!  

Come back tomorrow for Day Three of Visions of Sugarplums!

Visions of Sugar Plums Day Two + Paper Haus

So glad you are visiting today!  We've got lots of Christmas goodies, so let's get right to it!

First let's announce Day 1 winners!

Christine Kiehl - $10 to Paper Sweeties

Karon - $20 to Nicecrane Designs

Misteejay - Set of choice from Spring Hill Graphics

Creative M - set of choice from Moonlighting by Mary

Leslie - Christmas pin-back Buttons

Winners:  Be sure to email me (email in side bar) and I'll forward your info to our wonderful companies providing such awesome gifts!  And Leslie, I'll need your address so I can put your buttons in the mail.  Thank you!

The Cutting Cafe has gillions of cut files.  You could get lost for a day or two just looking at all the fun stuff!  I think this Trio Butterfly box is just wonderful - can't you see a gillion possibilities just for it?

I also used the butterfly cut files to make some butterfly+snowflake ornaments.  Everything goes together super easy.

I started with a long lead and sewed right down the middle of the largest butterfly on each ornament.  It worked perfectly for the hanger!  

Giveaway #1

Regina from The Cutting Cafe is offering one lucky commenter 3 sets of your choice!  Just say you want to win in your comment!

You  may have seen a couple of the Hershey Kiss Countdowns I did earlier.  This one is topped by a darling vintage image Santa from Vintage Bella.  You can find all the directions for the Hershey Kiss Countdown here.  

The only changes I made were:  set it up horizontal and use a petal envelope cut file from Silhouette sized down to 1" for the doors.  Tip:  Use sturdy paper.  I used 110 lb and printed patterned paper on both sides.  These are a big hit!

Giveaway #2

Vintage Bella is giving one commenter one digital set of your choice!  Just say you want to win in your comment.

Today is the also the second day of the Paper Sweeties December Release!  I've made a fun pop card with the darling snowgirl and snowflakes from Thanks Snow Much stamp set.  There are tiny dies for the snowflakes - isn't that cool?

You don't have to have a fancy die to make a pop up card.  I should know!  When I taught first grade we made Oklahoma books and each book had 10 pop up pages.  10 X 28 students - you can bet I was tired of cutting pop ups!  (Of course, I have to thank my mom she made many of them for me over the years!)    

This popup stands about 1 1/4"  and is about 1 1/2" inches wide.  That seems about right for most things.  I  make a little cheat rectangle.  Just to make sure I don't make any mistakes!

  

Match the center dots on the cheat and on the card base. Draw two lines - one on each side of the cheat rectangle.Then make just two cuts through both thicknesses at the fold.

Pull it forward until it folds inside.

That is it!  Super easy.  Here's the finished card from the side and back.

It looks kind of bad to have an open hole, so wrap the back side of the card base with decorative paper.  Visit the Paper Sweeties blog to see more ideas for the December stamps!

Giveaway #3

Debbie from Paper Sweeties of giving away a $10 certificate!  Just say you want to win in your comment!

Giveaway #4
Nicecrane Designs has a $20 certificate just waiting for one lucky reader!

Giveaway #5
Moonlighting by Mary is giving away a set of her gorgeous images!

Welcome to Paper Haus Magazine Winter Frolic!

The new Paper Haus Magazine has been released!  It is filled with beautiful holiday projects.

Click here to see the Winter edition of Paper Haus.  I have a card in the Card Haus section featuring vintage Christmas seals.  Do you remember those?  Here is another card made with 1963 (the year I was born!) seals:

and a folded bag gift card holder with 1969 seals:

Aren't they fun?  Check out my third Christmas seals card in the magazine above.  The Paper Haus blog hop continues through the week and there are giveaways there as well.   Your next stop for the Wnter Frolic is Viva Las VegaStamps.

Lori's Big All-Week-Long Giveaway

My Big All-Week-Long Giveaway will grow each day.  One lucky reader will get everything in all five of the photos I will post over the week.  Winner will be announced on Saturday.  Picture #2:

Vintage Christmas Seals, 20 mini Christmas bags, red buttons, kraft circle tags, and two muslin drawstring bags - all added to yesterday's items!

Important:  You get your name entered for the day's giveaways every time you leave a comment.  So visit each blog and leave a comment on each one.  I'll check out the comments every day, so if you comment on 5 blogs, you have your name put in the drawing five times for that day.  I keep a record over the whole week so if you comment each day on 5 blogs, you have your name in my BIG All-Week-Long giveaway 25 times.  

Have fun visiting these blogs (and don't forget to comment):

Debbie 

Maria 

Regina 

Ignacio

Mitra 

Ira 

Visions of Sugarplums - Day One

Hi and welcome to Day One of Visions of Sugarplums!  Join us all week long for fun projects, recipes, traditions  and giveaways!   More about that in a moment...

We've been decorating the house off and on for the last week and it's like seeing old friends.  I love opening the boxes and even though I already know what's inside, I still feel so happy holding the old ornaments in my hands.   And every year, I just have to add new decorations, too!  A favorite around our house has always been "The Night Before Christmas."  So, I created a Night Before Christmas Puzzle Tin.  

The idea is to place puzzle pieces in the tin and beginning on Dec. 13th, remove a piece.  Two puzzles are complete on Christmas Eve.  Then, the poem can be read.  This is when I wish Lauren was still small enough to snuggle with me drinking hot chocolate, reading together with the twinkle of the tree and light of the fireplace! 

Maybe I can talk her into snuggling with me anyway!  How about it Lauren?

The puzzles are the front and back cover of the book.   If you're interested in making something similar, you can download my magnet squares here. 

Just right click on the image above and save.  I really like a heavy duty magnet.  I buy mine in rolls that are 60 mil thick.  I think 30 mil would work, too.

The book pages are available here.

 I printed the book pages at about 4 1/2" x 6".  The cover is 7 1/4" x 11 folded in half.  Then I sewed right down the middle to bind it together.  The puzzle pictures were printed a little larger than 3" x 3".  Then I used a free puzzle svg to cut the puzzles to 3" x 3".  At that size each piece will fit in the mini muffin tin.   I made this in July and have made four more since then.  It seems like a lot of pieces, but it goes pretty fast. 

Now a little info about the giveaways.  There will be a giveaway here each day Tuesday - Friday.  I'll pick a random winner for my giveaways on Friday.  Every comment you make here between now and Friday night and every comment made on every participating blog will be an entry for you into the drawing for my giveaways.   For the sponsoring giveaways, your comments will count for that particular day.  For example, your Tuesday comments will be an entry for the Tuesday giveaway.   Your Tuesday comments also count for my giveaways.  I will give away two packages that are identical.  So, everything you see in the following pictures (and all the items I'll add throughout the week) will be given to two people.  

I must say I love the vintage viewmaster pockets.  I've been using them like crazy as cute pockets in hodgepodge books and I'll show you another use on Wednesday.  This picture shows 3 vintage bingo cards, wooden buttons, 2 viewmaster pockets,  5 vintage red Dennison labels and an assortment of vintage Dennison Christmas labels. 

This picture shows 28 recipe cards, Martha Stewart label assortment, frame, 5 vintage postage stamps, vintage ice coupon book, star cookie cutter, sweet elf, peppermint candy cards, 2 Christmas tags and a box of 5 vintage Dennison Christmas tags.  I'll be adding to this collection, so keep watch! 

I have some other wonderful people blogging with me today.  Visit Mika's Pantry for a wonderful recipe to spice up your Christmas Eve dinner.  I can always count on Mika to have great recipes, especially breakfast and dinner.  Lauren (my daughter) from The Past on a Plate is sharing an old-fashioned (what's old is new) way of involving your husband in some Christmas fun:  Baking Kris Kringle Cookies with your Husband.  When I talked to her this weekend, the dough was chilling, so I can't wait to see how they turned out.   Jennifer from Just Wedeminute will be sharing a family tradition.  Be sure to visit and leave a comment for them, too! 

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow for more Visions of Sugarplums fun!