Merry Christmas to All

Anyone for a snowball fight?



Click on photo to enlarge










Well it's supposed to snow tomorrow, on Christmas Day!!!!  Wanted to add a couple of last minute vintage images showing some "snow fun".  And couldn't resist the Santa babies.

                      

My Wish for You....

May your home be filled with family and friends,

your table topped with food from end to end.

May you live Christmas all through the year,

remembering to spread love, kindness and cheer.

If this we do, it'll be a better world for all,

no matter how old, nor how tiny and small.

Merry Christmas!  from Linda

COMING SOON:

In the next week or so I'll have information on a special all-you-can-make-and-take workshop in January.  I'm calling it the Amore-A-Palooza, or Love Extravagana.  It will be like the special make and take at Christmas two years back that was sooo much fun and was well attended.  I've already gotten some signed up...details coming soon.  Hint: it will be just in time for Valentine's Day and the projects will be a combination of V-Day and Country French designs, your choice.  $15 workshop fee....with proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Club of Bryant.   

Season of Lights

Christmas is the season of lights so it's the perfect outing to go to Garvan Botannical Gardens in Hot Springs.  We went last night and it was the perfect night....clear skies with stars adding to the ambience and just a tad bit of crispness in the air.  Perfect!!!

Photographs just don't do the lighting displays justice.  But just imagine walking along lit paths with just about every bush and tree covered in some type of lighting...white, blue, red, multi.  There are also hundreds of different figures and characters and some reflected in the water near the displays.  Oh, and it was soooo much fun to see all the families with children who were staring in amazement with their ooohs and aaaahs.  The kids were all bundled up, with hats and gloves and you could remember back to your own experiences as a child going to special Christmas programs and outings.  You just couldn't help but feel the Christmas spirit.  Christmas is all about lights, children and love and good will.  You could feel the good will in the air as even strangers would stop and talk to you.  

One of my favorites was the VERY TALL tree which had a light show combined with music that was similar to Trans Siberian Orchestra music.  The tree changed colors and the lights danced around on it to the music.   It seemed to be the place where everyone wanted to congregate because it was mesmerizing to watch.

At the end of the walk there was a massive display with about six different trains running throughout villages and lit bushes.  My pics of the train village just didn't pick up all the detail so I didn't post of any them.  There was so much to see that it's really hard to describe it all....but it was one of my alltime favorite holiday outings. 

 Take a look at the pictures...but be sure to try to find time to make a visit to see the Garvan Gardens Christmas lights.    On the way back to our parked car aboard the Elf Express we were told by one of the volunteers that this show was voted the second best light show in the country (I think he meant Botannical shows).  This year they changed out all the lights to LED so the lights are brighter and there are fewer cords and he said they started putting all the lights up the beginning of September and barely got finished in time this year.  It's spectactular....hope you go see!


Be Good, Be Kind



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Like everyone else, I'm so busy right now in getting everything ready for Christmas. 

I'm pulling out a project from a year or two ago that I had painted and given to a couple who are friends.   I saw it hanging there, next to their fireplace when attending a party at their home last week.  This is a project I would like to paint again, but I did keep a picture for myself as a reminder to do so.

Santa's reminding everyone to Be Good, Be Kind.  That's something we can all think about during the year also. 

Today I opened up some mail from a financial institution, with the usual inserts...usually pretty boring stuff such as actuarials, etc.  But instead it had a good article about how we can all give back to others simply by having Youmanity each day.  The article specifically mentioned that you can (1) share a journey, (2) share a lesson, and/or (3) share kindness.  When I started my blog back up after a one year break, I wanted to change the format to include some inspirational thoughts, along with projects that you can give to others.  I've received some good feedback from some of you and I do appreciate that. 

Anyway, because I'm short on time right now, Santa is filling in with his slogan "Be Good, Be Kind".  Have a nice day today!

Victorian Christmas Projects



The Victorians loved layers upon layers - notice all the layers!



I needed a few more decorated gable boxes to use for food gift containers.  I like to make each box a little different from the others.  For these two boxes I used a mix of botannical holiday printed papers, along with some vintage images.

Remembering that the Victorians made their own cards and gifts, and that they liked to layer and layer and layer things they had on hand or that they had treasured and saved, I decided to play around with lots of layers and a mixture of items. 

Some people might not like all the mixtures and assortment of papers, but I find it is quite visually appealing.  Your eye can see so many different items on a card, or in this case a food container (gable box).  My photography skills being not so good, the Dashing Through the Snow box does not show that the sled is embossed with copper embossing powder, nor that some of the embellishments are covered with copper colored glitter. 



"Warm Holiday Wishes" greeting is perfect to pair with icicle border!

 My "can't do without" tool for holiday projects is the Martha Stewart icicle border punch!  I use it so much that I'm now on my second one....and I cannot find it in the stores any longer.

My favorite of the two boxes is the one with the little Victorian child.  I am drawn to the unusual mix of soft green, along with Christmas red and of course the image of the child.   Again, the Victorians layered and pieced their cards and projects together to make little individual statements, or expressions of themselves.  While making projects to give to others be sure to take that time to think about the intended recipient and how they add to your life.  It's like a little secret ounce of heartfelt good wishes....kind of like pixie dust.  You cannot see it, but you can sense it.

My food goodies (homemade candies, cocoa mix, jellies and beer bread mixes) are waiting to be put into their decorative containers and given out.  But in the meantime, visions of more gable boxes are dancing in my head so I'll be making a few more.

Have a nice day today.  May you layer your holiday with tidings of good cheer, love and handmade items from your heart and home. 

Victorian means old which means distressing your paper is a good look.  Papers on both boxes are distressed with sponging for that old look. The Victorians liked a lot of sparkle so add glitter or metallic embossing to your vintage projects!


Some distressed sheet music could have been used on the Dashing Through the Snow project...so many options!




If you don't have a source for sheet music, just go to the left hand column of my blog and go to the Graphics Fairy website to find some sheet music.  Then distress it, tear it or tatter it...just have fun with it.  My workshop ladies always laughed when I said "it's only paper"!!!!  So play around with it and experiment.





The Little Shepherd Boy



 Today was one of the most meaningful Sundays for me.  Our choir was amazing...just amazing!   Of course there were some of the older Christmas carols that we all know and love.  But sometimes a new carol or hymn can nudge you because you pay a little closer attention to the words because they are unfamiliar to you.  Our last carol was just that, unfamiliar, to me at least.  The words spoke of what the Star might have been seeing and thinking, as it was shining down brightly, leading the wise men to the baby Jesus.  Or what the star might have been seeing in the amazement and wonder of people out in their fields or stepping outside of their dwellings to see this very bright star.   

When I got home I remembered an old, dusty wooden plaque or banner that I had painted years ago (1997 according to when I signed it).  I went down to the basement and pulled it out and dusted it off a bit.  There was that Little Shepherd Boy, with his sheep.  I had painted a star and the words from St. Luke 2:11.  His face reminds me of a boy who is looking at baby Jesus with reverence, deep in thought of the wondrous gift to the world.

I often give away painted items to others.  I would much rather give them to those who would enjoy them.  But this Little Shepherd Boy was one that I kept, and just put down in the basement to gather dust.   Some of my favorite things are old and dusty....items and people too!!!  In fact, when I think about getting old and dusty myself, I have to remember that, hey, I like old and dusty things, so it's really okay to get old and dusty!

As I dusted off the Little Shepherd Boy banner I also looked up and one of my other favorite old and dusty things in my basement workshop is my Sugarbaker and Associates sign.  Yep, it's THE sign from the show Designing Women.  Harry Thomasson, the show's producer used to teach with my husband, as well as some of his other friends.  One "friend in common" was another teacher, Vernon, who remainded one of my hubby's friends until his death a few years back.  Vernon's sisters had invited my husband to come over and go through Vernon's belongings to pick out some items to remember him by.  Vernon had done filming for Harry Thomasson, and in fact had taken the picture of the Villa Marre at the opening scene of Designing Women, which included the Sugarbaker and Associates sign that Vernon hand made himself.  Vernon was a genius....he built his own camera equipment, his own canoe (which we now own), his own airplane, etc. etc. etc. 

Naturally I mentioned to Danny that I would love to have some of his photographs, and particularly the one of the Villa Marre in downtown Little Rock.  Danny and his sisters searched and searched and could not find any of the pictures, but what Danny brought home was the Sugarbaker and Associates sign that Vernon had hand made and painted for the filming of the show.  WOW!  It was covered in dust, because it was hanging from the rafters in Vernon's workshop, collecting dust and grime.  I dusted it off, but some dust just remained there.  I kind of like the dust and it reminds me that it was handmade by Vernon and had been just hanging from the rafters in his workshop.  Oh, and we also inherited Vernon's cat that he so loved.  He had named her Ginger, and I'm not sure why, except she has a little bit of an orange tint on her belly and she loves getting her tummy rubbed!  And Ginger....well she is now pretty old or as I say, "old and dusty".  Some of my favorite things are old and dusty!

Hope you have a lovely day today! 

Who's That In My Bed?

Oh, wait a minute....that's from Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  But Santa, "what big feet you have!"....oh that may be from Little Red Riding Hood!

I'm posting a few pictures today to emphasize two things:  Have fun and don't be afraid to add  a little whimsey to your home and your life.  It makes life fun and brings out the child in us.  This Santa (Jolly Old Elf) turns up somewhere different just about each year.  One year he may be on the porch, holding a greeting sign.  One year he sat atop a stack of presents near the tree, as if he were on guard over them....no peeking!  This year he's adding a little whimsey to my bedroom.


My bathroom mirror....love using garlands!





I wanted to show two areas in your home that you may overlook in holiday decorating (your bedroom and bathrooms).  And I'm talking different holidays....maybe Valentine's Day or Halloween. 



The bed is an old English headboard and footboard.

It lends itself to decorate and takes a little of the "stuffy" out of it when you add something fun or decorative to it.  And the bathroom mirror....well, it needs a little magical touch also.  I find decorating mirrors adds so much POW and sparkle to the room. 





Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!















Plaid for the Holidays!



click on photo to enlarge



I really like giving food gifts during the holidays.  These medium sized gable boxes are the perfect size to fit a group of three or four items.  Some combinations could be beer bread mix, small jars of jellies, herbed butter spread and little spreader.  For those with cihldren a gift of cookies (or cookie mix), homemade candies, fudge or brownies, holiday napkins and maybe some cocoa mix.  Or, for families who have movie night or game night, you could put some salty snacks, a few boxed candies (like at the movie theater), packages of popcorn, popcorn boxes and napkins.  Hobby Lobby carries packages of popcorn boxes and bags with matching napkins that are so cute (red striped just like at the movie theater). 

I used the new Hallmark gift wraps to cover around the box.  I'm CRAZY for these handsome, masculine plaids!!!  And the plaids are versatile because the print is great for men or women.  You could cover only the front of the box if you wish, but I covered all four sides.  Their paper is thicker than most others, but it is still a bit fragile, compared to scrapbooking paper and cardstock.  I recommend you use a really good glue stick to adhere the paper to the box.  I used a Stampin Up glue stick (the best around) after wasting time using a cheapie glue stick that made a mess and left bumps, etc.  Also, for those who have a brayer, I recommend you use the brayer to push the paper flat when gluing it to the box.  I mostly use my brayer to apply ink to paper or labels in order to change their color, but it really works great to force a good seal between paper and a box, or card front to card base.



click on photo to enlarge


One gable box was decorated using different stamps (rustic plaid box) but I also wanted to show that you could instead use store bought die cuts and stickers to really make the project quick and easy so two of the boxes used packaged die cuts.  I'm also showing different ways you could decorate the handle....but you could leave the handle bare if you wish. 

You can't tell from the photos, but two of the gable boxes are covered with rustic wood print on the top portion....drats, a really cute look in person but doesn't show in the photos so well).

In the County -- click on photo to enlarge



 

I like that plaid paper so much (that cabin look again) so I made a couple of rosettes, just to see how I would like the plaid.  I am a plaid kinda girl so I don't think there's any way to mess up when it comes to plaid.  Oh, and don't be afraid when working with plaid or a masculine print, to add some feminine touches just to add a little interest!  Poinsettias and plaid are a good look.  Also, although you cannot see it, there is a lot of glitter on the rustic post card box, which adds that little bit of feminine touch to the project.

Hope you have a Glad Plaid Day today!!!!

The Cowgirl Moves to Arkansas

Something about all things western nudges me a little.  Oh yea, it could be that I was born and raised in California and Arizona, or that I spent most of my young life in the part of Arizona where old western movies were made, or that my school was located in Jerome, a ghost town.  Also, back in the day we spent a lot of time watching Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Big Valley and such. But I really think there is just a little part of me that remembers one side of my family.  I was raised by my father since age two and there was no cowboy blood in him.  But during holidays and summers I was often around my mother's family which included several who owned ranchs.  

"What's up, Partner?"



Where's that Devil Donkey?

But this story is not about my closet desire for cowgirl stuff, it is about a blind cowboy, his blind horse and his wonderful cowgirl mother.  I worked my entire career in Arkansas at a rehabilitation center for the blind.  I knew my career path would not lead me to wealth and material things, but I loved meeting and getting to know thousands of blind people from around the world...that is my wealth and reward.  One young man came to the center from Colorado and told many of us to just call him cowboy.   It was apparent a perfect fit would be the training program to repair small engines, lawnmowers, weedeaters, chain saws, etc. because he had repaired all the equipment on his family's 6,000 acre ranch.  He whizzed through the course in no time.  Due to intolerance of cold temperatures since his brain tumor, he made the decision to stay in Arkansas after completon of his training.  He is now working for a local tractor/lawnmower dealer and it seems to be a great match.

A couple of years ago Todd heard about a blind horse that was being kept by someone for the Humane Society.  It seems after three years no one wanted to adopt the blind horse.  Todd couldn't stop thinking about that blind horse.  What better person to own, love and understand a blind horse....than a blind cowboy!  The match was made in heaven and Roscoe is now Todd's faithful friend. Todd also owns three donkeys, Bonnie and Clyde, and their baby donkey, Daisy, several dogs and an outside cat.  I have this little feud going on with Clyde, the stubborn donkey.  We have been locked together, eye to eye, fist in jaw, with equal determination...me trying to get my clenched hand out of his mouth and he was determined to almost break my hand as he clamped down like a tight vise, refusing to let go.  Last time visiting there, Clyde sought me out and followed me around the fence.  He was hoping I would again foolishly lay my hand on the fence top!   It's now our little game...that stubborn donkey and this stubborn gal.

Todd's morning feed ritual is a sight to be seen.  He said when he gets the feed bucket down, Daisy (baby donkey) comes to him and he puts his arm around her neck.  Then Roscoe, the blind horse, comes to Todd and places his head on Todd's shoulder and then they mosy on over to the feeding area.  He says he did not train them to do that, but they instinctively worked out a mobility system that works for them.

My cowgirl work boots.

 Todd's mother is a "ring tail tooter" of a woman.  She rode a motorcycle to school, worked as a nurse, and met and fell in love with Todd's father, Daryl who is no longer with them.  I am spell bound when I listen to her stories of living in the west.  Daryl and Pat downsized when they moved from the 6,000 acre ranch in Colorado to a 2,400 acre ranch in Wyoming.  Now that her #1 cowboy, Daryl, is no longer with her, she has sold the Wyoming ranch and is moving to Arkansas and specifically our area.  Yep, the cowgirl is going to be close to her other cowboy, Todd, who although is blind himself, owns and loves a blind horse, and has a menagerie of other animal characters to surround him.  Now how much richer can it get than that!  Yippee, the cow girl is moving to Arkansas.  I plan to spend some time in my cowgirl work boots there at Todd's place, listening to Pat and Todd and going eye to eye against Clyde, the Devil Donkey.  

NOTE:  A few years back I discovered a great site, The Pioneer Woman.  Her blog has become quite commercial, but it is still fun to visit.  She was a city gal who fell in love, married a cowboy and moved to a ranch.  She calls her cowboy The Marlboro Man.  I have her two cookbooks which are GREAT!  Visit her blog by clicking here: http://thepioneerwoman.com 

Dreamin' of a Cabin Christmas



Repurpose an old feather duster



Some dream of a white Christmas, but my dream would be a Cabin Christmas.  It's been my dream for years to have a little cabin in the woods.  Knowing that dream may never come true, I can still get that feeling by decorating one room as my "cabin".  My bedroom is usually the last room to get decorated and the cabin decor will stay through January.  I wanted to share some ideas on how you can make some of your own natural ornaments for a tree or to decorate over a mirror, attach onto bed posts, etc.  The colors I use are not 100% Christmas because I use a plaid that includes citrus-y colors....oranges, lime, gold and a touch of red.  Lots of fruit and berries adorn the tree as well as natural touches such as woodsy "branch huggers" (floral/leaf boughs and picks). 



Dried Pumpkin Seeds (save your fall pumpkin!)



"Later on
We'll Conspire as We Sit by the Fire"





Fruit, berries and bows make great "branch huggers" 





Citrus-y colors are an unexpected touch

 Two things that make for a woodsy feel are using dried cones and nuts.  Here I've cleaned and roasted pumpkin seeds and covered papier mache eggs and shapes.  Don't be afraid to try other natural items such as feathers, dried tree moss, etc.

                                     

Branch huggers (fillers) with lots of moss sit on many of the branches

When I first began making and collecting my "'Cabin Christmas" ornaments I gathered twigs and then cut them into pices, tied them into bundles with raffia, added some greenery and then added the note that says "Later on We'll Conspire As We Sit By the Fire".  That says it all for me!  Sitting by a fire in a cabin in the woods is what I'm dreaming about.

Winter Wonderland in the Meadow

The Papertrey In the Meadow stamps and dies are a perfect fit to make a stair step card.   There are other sets that would be good to use to make stair step cards....let your imagination be your guide.   I've used many SU sets in the past...perfectly sized to coordinate with each other, etc.



Click on photo to enlarge for details



Again I'm using some of my favorite holiday colors: Handsome Hunter Green, Pool Party (sponging) and Poppy Parade for the wording Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.  I find I keep going back to that same saying a lot this year.

To make the stair step card cut a piece of cardstock 5 1/2" x 10 1/2"; score on the long side at 1 1/4", 2 1/2", 4 1/4", 6" and 8 1/4".  Fold so the card forms peaks and valleys.  Decorate as you wish.  The stair step card is a great shape for any occasion....birthday, Valentine's Day, or even just thinking of you card.



Middle and Top Sections of card



I would love to post a copy of your stair step cards...don't be shy!  Right now everyone is busy readying for the holidays so when and if you do make this type of card just send me a photo for the blog.  I'll feature some different folds for cards this coming year so you card makers stay tuned. 



Side view of stair step card


HO HO HO....Christmas is coming! Bring out the stockings, mistletoe, garlands and get ready for the fun and fellowship.   While enjoying the festivities, remember the reason for Christmas...the birth of Christ, the most important gift to the world.  Enjoy your day!

Frosty and His Flaky Friends

Here's a fun Frosty project that would be a good little favor for the holidays to take to meetings, add into a basket of other goodies, or use for a stocking stuffer.  Frosty and his flaky friends are cut from dies from Papertrey Ink.   Frosty is mounted onto a Little Debbie Nutty Bar.  TIP:  Look for treats and items that are individually wrapped and then build a project around them.

I like to use somewhat unexpected colors to add some whimsey.  Here I've mixed Poppy Parade with Blushing Bride, Pool Party and other colors.  The project would have been cute with the traditional Christmas colors, but I wanted Frosty and Friends to look as if some children just randomly pulled out garments from their closets in different fun colors to dress up Frosty.

The scarf is not from a die, but rather I used the "SU owl punch" and the SU large oval punch.  Yep, the owl's vest/chest was cut into two pieces to form the scarf ends.  I often turn to punches to create a shape.

Note that the little sign on Frosty is sending "warm wishes" (tee hee).

Have a great day today and keep the holiday spirit alive with friendship and love for family and friends.

Christmas is Love

The Little Drummer Boy carol touches my heart because he had nothing to give, but his gift was about love, not monetary items.  We all have something we can give to one another this Christmas, even if it is something we have on hand that we can share.  I'm reminded of something from a few years back, that I'll forever hold as a memory and reminder.

While driving home from work I was stopped at a traffic light and looked to my right and noticed a bag lady.  She did not have bags of "stuff" as you would think of a bag lady.  Rather, her coat was a large black garbage bag with a hole cut for her arms and to slide over her head.  Brrrrr.....it was one of those COLD, RAINY afternoons and as I sat there wishing my car would hurry and warm up, I felt very selfish at that moment.  I knew what I had to do, which was make my turn and return back to talk with the "bag lady". 

It was difficult to understand her as she mumbled.  I discovered later that she mumbled because she had no teeth, or at least very few of them.  I did make out that she lived at Our Way Apartments, and that she was waiting for the bus to stop and take her to them.  When I arrived home I went through my coat closet and found two or three coats that I had not worn in years and I mentioned the lady at work the next day and then ended up with about 14 coats.  I called Our Way Apartments and the manager knew who I was talking about when I mentioned the black garbage bag which she wore for a coat.  I asked the manager to arrange a time for me to take the coats to the apartment and/or their office. 

When I arrived at the bag lady's apartment and stepped inside I felt so humble and embarassed that I had so much and she had so little.  She mumbled something and left the apartment and I didn't know where she was going.  But she returned with several of the others who lived in Our Way and they all came into the apartment.  She put about three of the coats on (one on top of another) and I had to chuckle because she looked somewhat like the Michelin Tire Boy at that point.  But, then she twirled and twirled with glee wearing those coats and she looked like Miss America, wearing a big fur coat and big smile.  It didn't matter that she had few if any teeth....at that very moment she was Miss America!

Then she offered the other residents to pick out a coat or two and the fun began.  I was overwhelmed and it was time to leave.  But the greatest gift was the impression that the experience had on me.  It doesn't take expensive gifts, but the gift of love is the best gift of all.  And she definitely left an imprint on my heart that I'll carry forever. 

NOTE:  Our Way Apartments provides housing for those with disabilities and "challenges".  They are are on my list of people doing good things.

Now, please go look in your coat or clothes closet and see if there are items of clothing that you can share with an organization such as CJCOHN (Church's Joint Council on Human Needs), who distributes clothing free of charge to those in need. 

Been Naughty...or Nice?

Santa wants to know!  And remember, he knows if you've been bad or good....so be good for goodness sake!

This project is a matchbook that I measured and designed to fit the Ghiradelli Peppermint Bark squares that you can only find during the holidays.  The Santa image is one of my alltime favorites....I just love his rosy cheeks and that wink of his eye!  Afterall, he is the jolly old elf himself!

My photos are not the best, because there is glitter on Santa's fur hat band and the furry ball on his hat that do not show in the photo.  I heavily sponged Pool Party ink around Santa's beard and on the fur but they don't show up as well as I would like.  If you make this project, do not be afraid to add sponged shading in pool party or another soft greenish-blue tone.  My goal was to make this a vintage looking project so I stamped Santa Claus at a diagonal across his beard.  I love to look at old post cards and you will often find an ad or wording placed on top of an image. 

The matchbook is decorated inside and out.  The inside flap states "Santa's official Nice List Declaration from North Pole Documentation and then there are places to check off if you've been naughty, or nice.

The backside says Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Now.  As a little extra touch I stamped a miniature Santa and his sled and reindeer on the part of the flap that gets stapled and which holds the top flap down.  Just add a strip of dimensional tape or sticky strip to hold the candy treat in place.  For measurements and instructions, just send me an e-mail and I can answer it probably next week.

I am as busy as an elf right now in getting ready for the Mountainside Church's yearly holiday show on this coming Saturday in Hot Springs Village.  It's the only show I do and it has been a tradition that I put on the calendar so my friend, Lynda Boone and I can get caught up on our time together, chat about what's happened during the year, etc. etc.  Lynda is one of those wonderful women who is a friend to everyone and a mentor to all the young folks.  Lynda is a member of that church and has been involved in so many projects and programs in that church.

Closed match book, inside flap, backside of matchook

I know some of the ladies in HSV follow this blog and I hope to see some of you on Saturday.  Anyone else in the central Arkansas area would enjoy the drive down Hwy. 5 to HSV on Saturday so it would make for a nice outing.  For directions just send me an e-mail request and I'll share details and directions.

So back to the question.....Have you been naughty or nice????





Addie's Sugar Plum Fairy Theatre

Now's the time to pick up ornaments and other items that you won't find during the year, and especially if you find them on sale.  Hobby Lobby is great to have items on sale, before the season and I found this uber-cute ballerina among the ornaments.  Wow!  She looks just like a sweet little girl named Addie (Addison) who is the daughter of a good friend of ours.  Her daddy is probably the person who can make me laugh like no other.  In fact, our group movie nights or visits usually end up with my returning to a "giggle box" as my dad used to call me.  This little Sugar Plum Fairy box is another project made using a cigar box.  

The bon bons and other sugary treats are all stamped and heavily glittered.  Then they are placed in the box using dimensionals.  One of the pictures was taken at an angle to attempt to show there is depth to the elements.  My photography skills are not so good and the photos do not show some details. 

The background is a piece of cardstock which was sponged with shades of pink, soft green, and aqua to look "dreamy" and kind of like sherbet, but again the photos do not show that detail. 

Because our friend is a single dad I am making this little theatre box for Addie to keep at his home.  He has brought so much laughter and friendship to our lives.  His eyes light up every time he talks about Addie, his little Sugar Plum Fairy Princess!  And the little ballerina does look just like her!!!