Late one night before the craft show, I was looking for something to use the Christmas Countdown Decor Element on.  My frames I had around the house were too small, so I was getting frustrated.  I was in the furnace room where I store some extra craft supplies and I looked on the floor and there was a stack of extra floor tiles from our bathroom floor.  Jackpot!  The Christmas Countdown fit!  woo hoo!  So I quickly cleaned the floor tile, let it dry and adhered the Christmas Countdown.  [Please note:  IT'S STRAIGHT!!!!!]  Now I had all these numbers that I needed to somehow adhere to it.  I’m not panicking yet, but digging in my cupboards thinking..what can I use, I have to have something in these cupboards.   I found a stack of blank coasters.  Pull out my Sizzix Scallop Circle #2 die and put a coaster through the Big Shot.  I’m thinking..maybe, just maybe the numbers will fit.  Viola!  I’m doing the happy dance now because they fit! 

I took my Crop-a-dile and punched a hole in every other scallop.  Then I took a Real Red Marker and made a dot in every other scallop.  Dug into the cupboard because I swear I had some velcro strips somewhere.  There they were in the back on the top shelf!

Slapped one side of the velcro on the tile and the other on the back of the coaster.  I’m a happy gal now!  There was too much white space on the tile and I unfortunately didn’t have enough ribbon to put around the tile.  So I found some leftover dots from the Sticky Cuts Letters, put them on the tile and pressed Chunky Red Glitter on them.  The glitter dots aren’t my fav, but they are better than having blank tile space.  I will put the 1 1/4" Riding Hood Red/Very Vanilla Striped Grosgrain Ribbon on over the glitter dots when my next order comes in.

This project is proof that you can use whatever stuff you have laying around your house.  Another example of my Depression-era parents who taught me to "make use of what you have".

Tags: Big Shot, Decor Elements, Holidays

Next, Sunday, November 23, is my downline meeting.  My DIVA’s select a different swap each month to share with each other.  They selected Decor Elements or Rub-on’s.  I decided to make my project late one night.  First, I’m going to show you what NOT to do with your Decor Elements.   Don’t get so freakin’ excited to get the project done, that you put the Decor Elements on c-r-o-o-k-e-d!  Ugh!  I found this antique bottle at a junk store and thought it would be perfect with the "jingle all the way".  Put some 1/2" Striped Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon around the neck.  I attached a retired chipboard snowflake covered with Real Red ink and Clear Embossing Powder.  You only get one chance with Decor Elements.  Take my advice:  slow down and take a deep breath before attaching it to a smooth surface. 

So now as it is getting closer to the downline meeting, I have to find something else in this house to use.  I found this cute jar in the back of my cupboard that I must have found garage saleing.  No extra Decor Elements laying around, so I decided to use the small flowers from the Chateau Bella rub-on’s.   Tied some 1/2" Striped Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon and 5/8" Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon to the top.   I must have color coordinating candy and found these Starbursts.  Super simple to make.  The little flowers look like snowflakes right now.  All I need to do is change the ribbon colors and different candy and the jar will work all year round!

Tags: Decor Elements, Rub-ons

The new catalog of Phase 2 of the Decor Elements is available now.  Contact me if you want a copy mailed to you.  This is the Season of Thanks in the small size (12" x 7 5/8") in black lettering.  I bought a shadow box, lined it with 12"x12" Designer Series Paper.  I took some silk leaves and used giant glue dots to adhere them.  I put the Decor Elements words towards the left side of the glass, so the words are more legible and it looks more balanced.  This was a project shown at Convention.  They put autumn looking potpourri in their shadow box.  I decided I didn’t want the mess and smell of potpourri, hence the silk leaves.  A simple twist on this project would be to cut the three phrases apart and make three separate frames. 

Tags: Decor Elements, Decorating

My daughter-in-law, Jade, put the Manhattan flower decor elements on the living room wall.  She did a great job!  No surprise, but my son isn’t sure about having flowers on their walls.  I just laughed when I heard that because I don’t think these flowers look too feminine at all!

One of my downline, Sandy, demo’d this project at my manager’s Stamp Share last week.  Much to my surprise, after the meeting she gave it to me!  She used a dark brown frame with riding hood red cardstock, Bella Rose designer series paper (die cut), chocolate chip cardstock and photo corners punch, chocolate chip taffeta ribbon and the pretties kit.  She used a chocolate colored Classic "S" Decor Elements on the glass.

Sandy used a hat pin and clutch, round pearls, clear round bead, spacer bead and white flower.  All these supplies are included in the pretties kit.  She colored the white flower using riding hood red ink and a blender pen.  Don’t you just love the attention to detail?  Thanks Sandy!

Tags: Decor Elements