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!

Pixie Dust Paperie Mini Album

Hi, everybody.  I'm a little late getting this post up for today's reveal at Pixie Dust Paperie.  I was in the emergency room with my husband all night and then went to fill prescriptions this morning.  I was a little afraid he was having a stroke, but they checked everything out and think he's having vertigo.  Not fun, but way better than it could have been!

This mini album from Maya Road is so cute with all its different pages and is an add-on this month at Pixie Dust.  That gorgeous lace on the front and all those pretty papers are a part of this month's kit.

  I'm into vintage images so I couldn't resist adding a few.  You can find vintage images many places...two of my favorites are:  The Graphics Fairy and The Vintage Workshop.  I also collect vintage buttons, which can be found at garage sales, antique stores, online...  I used manila tags for the images which can be found at any office supply.  The sheet of Webster Pages stickers that comes in the kit are gorgeous - I used them throughout the mini album.  Look at the cute mini tags I made with the smallest stickers.

  This cute little puppy is also a part of the stickers. 

 I also wanted to show you a closeup of this crown - you get a whole package of these darling Maya Road crowns!  I love them painted and glittered! 

   I  painted the album vanilla and then aged it with Distressing Inks in fire brick and tea dye.  This album was so fun to make!

  Select it as an add-on and when you have a wonderful creation send me a link.   I would love to see your creations!  Remember, the special offer is still on through tomorrow.  The details are on the Pixie blog.  Check it out!

I love advent calendars!

Here is my version of the advent calendar. I kept thinking the weather would clear up and I'd get a sunny day to take pictures of it. I did get a sunny day, but it was very windy outside and I couldn't find a great place inside to take pictures. So...this was the best I could do. You can see most of it, but I really didn't capture all the sparkle.
I love the idea of a muffin tin transformed into an advent calendar. After all, is has the treat box built in for each day!
I spray painted the muffin tin and then covered that with a pearl paint. I also rubbed it lightly with distress ink.
I used heavy duty magnets (the shipping cost more than the product!) to create each square.
It makes me smile everytime I see it. And that's saying quite a lot, since I sold several and got rather tired by time I had made them all! Are you ready for Christmas? I've still got some gifts to make...gotta go get busy!