Easy Christmas Manicure Inspiration

Because sometimes all you need is a little inspiration!

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Pin away, but pin from original sources when at all possible. :) I wasn't able to find sources for some of these pictures. if you happen to know please pass the info along to me so I can credit accordingly!

Magic Reindeer Dust Recipe with Printable Tag

This is such a fun Christmas craft that is easy to put together - using things you probably have at home. My grandma used to make this for us when we were kids. Now my mom & I have been making it for several years, selling it at various stores / craft shows... people just love it!

Magic Reindeer Dust Recipe:
-1/2 cup Old Fashioned Oats
-1 tbsp Glitter (you can also use sugar or sprinkles)

Mix together & pour into container. Top with our printable tag! (You really don't even need to measure. Surprise, surprise, I like to make mine extra glittery.)

Here's the link to download your very own tags:
Reindeer Dust Tags
Hope you enjoy! Leave a quick note to let me know if you enjoyed the tags. :)

How to make the perfect mini bow

Did you see the adorable mini bows on the Christmas packages I shared yesterday? They are SO easy to make! And because they have no knot they are flatter than a traditional bow which also makes them perfect for cards or invitations. You can make these in any size & they use less ribbon than a regular bow!

All you need to get started is some ribbon, a pair of scissors & adhesive. I used glue dots you can use tape, hot glue, bubblegum...anything sticky.

1. Cut a strip of ribbon, I wanted a tiny bow so I used a 6 inch strip. Find the center of your strip & place your adhesive there. Fold one tail over & stick to half of the adhesive.
2. Repeat with the other tail.
3. Cut another small piece of ribbon (you will need 2x the width of your ribbon). Affix a second piece of adhesive over the seam you made on the bow's back. Stick your tiny piece of ribbon vertically to the adhesive, wrap around the front & around the back.
4. You are left with an adorable, festive bow!

I original saw these bows in a pinterest pic but when I followed the link the post wasn't in English. This may not be the "correct" way but it works for me! Hopefully this will help inspire some beautifully wrapped presents under your tree. :)
Oh! And P.S. my ribbon is from Michael's.

Pretty Packages & Free Printable Christmas Gift Tags

I *love* wrapping presents! In my opinion there is nothing better than a beautifully wrapped package, whether you are giving or getting. This is definitely genetic. I am a wrapping paper hoarder, my sister buys special paper every year that no one else is allowed to touch, and my mom is the reason we use real ribbon on our packages.

I am always a little stumped on how to make a package both beautiful & manly. This year I cut names out of old book pages and attached them to a package wrapped in kraft paper. I used my silhouette to cut these but depending on your printer you can also print directly on the book page, set the text to "border" and just cut along the lines. I wrapped the box with some twine & brown ribbon, tied them in a simple knot & finished it off with a "naughty or nice" tag.

This is one of my favorites this year. Do you have favorite packages each year? I do, haha. I found some polka dot paper and wrapped thin glitter ribbon around then made a mini bow in the middle! I mean, polka dots, gold glitter & a bow - does it get any cuter?

I also created some printable tags to match my décor!

Now for the best part - here is a link where you can download the tags seen above... for free!

You can access them here, just print them out and cut along the lines. If you decide to use them leave a quick note in the comments! :)

Merry Christmas!!



I'm linking up with these fab link parties: Inspire Me Please & All Things Thursday

A Christmas Bedroom

Since you already know I decorate my bathroom for Christmas it should come as no surprise that I also decorate the bedrooms.

Like this skinny little woodland tree decorated with snowmen... the tree fills an awkward empty space & the snowmen match our color scheme. Plus I had them already so it didn't cost a thing! I also wrapped a cable knit throw around to cover the base (kind of reminds me of how Linus wraps his blanket around the tree in A Charlie Brown Christmas).

I tied a long satin ribbon around this bunch of mistletoe & hung it over the frames above our bed. I have always loved having mistletoe in the house! :)

I found the perfect spot for last year's twine wrapped cone trees on our dresser. And isn't that vintage Santa cute? I love how chippy his paint is.

Even my dressing table got a few festive touches! I filled a mercury glass vase with cream Chinese Lanterns & red berries. A happy little elf is the finishing touch. I also have a few Christmas themed novels on my dressing table. They are my guilty pleasure this time of year!

Our Nativity

Our Christmas Tree - 2013

This year I decided to try something a little different with our Christmas Tree. I saw a tree banner in my Pottery Barn catalog and figured why not - I make banners, I like banners, let's put one on the tree. We went back & forth on what it should say and finally decided on...

Merry & Bright! With a little trial & error I came up with the right size (each letter is about 4" tall) and the right color (FYI gold didn't show up). I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the letters out of white glitter paper. I strung the letters on some oversized bakers twine I picked up an Ikea last Christmas.

Here are a few of my favorite ornaments this year...

And of course, a night shot :) After all that is when the tree is at its finest!

This is the first year I haven't used ribbon to wrap my tree... one second I miss the ribbon & feel like the tree is naked. Then the next minute I love the change! Here's a little look back at pictures of our trees in past years... and living rooms of past years. :)