Welcome December!
Naughty little month, comes rushing at you at top speed!
And, it's really not until you decide to plunge into it, that you really start to enjoy it.
When you're like, ah, what the heck.
You finally throw caution to the wind.
Give in.
Frantically search for the 24 hour Christmas radio station.
And then…
Magically find yourself in a corner covered in tinsel, sipping egg nog out of the carton.
With so much paper/ribbon/glitter madness on the floor, that you can't find a place to step.
🙂
And then you scream to yourself…
OH MY GOOODNESS!! I only have 23 days to make stuff!
I need to make more cotton ball cereal box trees and cardboard houses myself , asap.
I shared the making of cereal box Christmas trees in around 2010, but I need to revisit them today.
I want to make about 12.
A cotton ball tree forest.
And I need more lil' houses.
I have been meaning to make some more for a couple of years.
Miniature cardboard houses, love em!
I am obsessing on needing them.
I also love making cotton ball everythings.
Oh oh, and what about Paper Snowflakes?
(which shouldn't be capitalized, but, who's checking?)
Oh my!
I almost forgot.
Time time, we need more time.
Here's the thing to do…
Set a day, where you say, okay…
That day right there, is just for making things.
Then gather all your supplies the evening before.
And the next day, make all day.
I find I have to calm myself, and follow that tip.
Otherwise, I bounce off the walls with no focus.
So I have to be like, Vanessa, breathe.
Now, tomorrow, you make stuff all day.
And then, it all works out 😉
Ahem.
Sometimes.
Haha!
Let's get making!!
What are you making or baking special this year?
Looove, V
So festive! And I loved what you said about December coming at you top speed! I concur!!! Have a beautiful weekend dear V…
I have followed both your cotton ball Christmas tree and snowflake tutorials, and I’m pleased to say that they now decorate my room. So fun and festive! I love all of your wintery, seasonal madness! I have been plunging into the season head on with a miniature tree in my room, all decorated, and a much larger version in the parlor. My mom really likes the theme red and gold, so that’s what all of our decorations usually are 🙂 I find it interesting how some people are more oriented toward a certain color combination when it comes to Christmas. Like my mom’s friend, she goes more the pale-blue-silver-and-white route. Others go in different directions…haha not really sure where I was going with that. Anyway, keep crafting!
I always love your magical transformations for the seasons. My Hubby is making construction paper chains for my daughter’s room right now as they watch that old 1936 March of the Wooden Soldiers movie together.
I’m thinking I need some cereal box houses, too. I’d love to pretend the old witch from Hansel and Gretel lives there….but make it Christmasy….heehee!
Vanessa:
You are one of the few people that can actually squeeze a little bit of Christmas spirit out of my heart! I get all a-flutter when I see your decorations and all your fun, homemade wintery goodness.
I just yelled to my daughter in the next room: “Ava dear, let’s make paper snowflakes this year. We have tons of pretty scrapbook paper…let’s do it.” She said…”Yeah, okay.” Done. I’m making paper snowflakes this year.
Vanessa ~ you are so good for my heart. 🙂
xoxo
Kim
Gerushia’s New World
I almost got my old white chenille bedspread scraps out today to make some snowballs to throw around, hehehe and some little ones to make for snowballs in a jar with glitter and cottons balls pulled to look like snow!I LOVE those trees Vanessa soOOOoo I have to put cotton balls on my list and I may try a little house! I’ve got a big box to make a bigger house someday! Have FUN sweetie!! Thanks for the inspiration!!
Oh Cinda, cheers to cotton balls!! ;))))
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 12/1/2012 2:33:27 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Thats wonderful Jessica, so glad you made them 😉
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 12/1/2012 12:10:49 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Love love love! I had SO much fun making cotton ball Christmas trees. I hope that everyone tries them! So easy and cute! 🙂 We’re putting up our decorations tomorrow! Exciting!!!! 🙂 I cleared all the fall decorations and put them in storage – so we have our clean slate ready for winter magic. xoxo
Well mIzZ V I am happbee to say that just having a computer to type this to you is magical to me right now… as for the decorating I’m going to sent my mind & focus on making snowflakes sprinkle with fairy & elf magic and a mini snow village under glass… will definitely take a photo or two of the MAGIC that will appear once its up & display for all to see… once the magic of the year melts the heaviness of their heart and brings cheer & fun to them…I hope that they may have a little magic brought into their home too…well I’m off to finish some ,things before I make the flakes & mini village… till then, have a jolly holly & merry magical day ;O) Marlene mIzZ bEe
OH YAY!!! Happy Decorating!!!
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 12/1/2012 4:51:17 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Gotta get making. I work the same way. It’s an all-day affair. Hapless Hubbie comes home, but alas, there are no yummy smells of dinner in the air.
I love the trees & house. I have the little cardboard houses like that from when I was a kid.
I’d like to try making some new ones too.
Oh! I must take out my cotton ball Christmas trees I made with my daughters in 2010 when you posted that tutorial! This year, we’ll be making the snowflakes. Thanks for reminding us to enjoy the magic!
I wanna make a glittered cotton ball string!
what are you baking, Curiosa? There is always such a gorgeous,
colorful spread at your parents’ house…I can’t wait to see.
Oh! You should float some snowflake candles in their pool for a
surprise when you go 🙂
I want to tell you about my fav stream of music…you will like it
…Boston Pete.com Piano playing right now!
Happy sunday!
I so enjoy the journeys you take us on throughout the year.
Come celebrate December with my Countdown to Kitschmas
http://thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com/2012/12/countdown-to-kitschmas-day-1-let.html
I like your idea of a ‘make all day’ day.
Don’t you have a make-all-day-LIFE, though????
You must be part elf.
Or an elf in a former life.
Vanessa,
I love the magic you bring to any season!!!! You are always quite an inspiration to me and so many others!!! I have been a busy girl too…making a lot of gifts this year. So much fun creating and giving!!! The Christmas Season is truly spectacular!!!
Oh, glittery – I love it! I remember the cotton ball garland…so pretty. Always reminds me of the movie, “Elf” when he starts eating cotton balls thinking they are fluffy marshmallow treats, hahaha!
Like someone mentioned before, I’ve been wanting to make paper chains with Sean & *Little Man* in my household. I think it’s a great tradition. Maybe I’ll go out and get colorful construction paper and use it to cut out snowflakes as well? The house is already fully decorated, but I’ll hang them in my Gazebo tent with the glass bulbs and paper lanterns. Year-round magic!
As far as treats go, this year I’ve made an “Apple-Cinnamon Crumb Cake” and next week I’m baking “Espresso Cowboy Cookies” for an exchange, and “Mississippi Mud Turtle Brownies” for Christmas. 🙂
Wow ! All these holiday goodies to make and glitter too. I hope that you have time for yourself. You share so much, and I thank you..I think that I will make some snowflakes.I will add glitter too. Here in Michigan we have no snow yet, infact it was 65 degrees yesterday. The weather is so very strange. Oh well I don’t want to complain.
Thank you for sharing it all with us.
Haha…”bouncing off the walls”…yup…that’s me!
Hah! I have also finally found the only 24 hour Christmas song radio station nearby (which happens to be in the next COUNTRY over, Denmark). Though I have a Christmas playlist with 10 hours on Spotify, so I’m always set 🙂
Ooo Misha, you are baking serious treats!!! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 12/3/2012 4:17:55 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Miss Linda, it is warmer here too this year. Last year I was driving
to deliver parcels around the 18th, and it was snowing. Not sticking snow,
but snow nonetheless 😉
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 12/3/2012 6:06:41 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Hahahaa! Yes you are!! Do you get American Christmas songs
too?
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 12/3/2012 6:46:05 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Miss Marlene!!! You lovely, have a jolly, holly Merry Monday!!
😉
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 12/1/2012 4:59:59 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Boy, does this post express my Christmas frenzy!!! I really did start early, but it never fails that something ends up making me go into a Christmas “there is not enough tiiiiiiiiimmmmeeeeee” panic. Not to mention that my house has deteriorated. SIGH. OK, I need to put on some Christmas music and hop to it. Clean. Create. Just relish the season whether I am making art or scrubbing dishes. Ha! A little Christmas music in the background can make even sweeping floors seem festive, can’t it???? I love your Christmas spirit, Vanessa, and I thank you so much for all the beautiful things you shared with us here.
Oh, and to answer your question, one thing I am enjoying doing is making little melt-and-pour Christmas soaps, shrink wrapping them, then decorating them with fabric and glitter and such to make them look like cookies and cakes. I have also fashioned wash cloths to look like cupcakes. I decorate a band to place around the washcloth to look like an ultra fancy cupcake paper. I place them on a plate, and gift them!
Ooooooooooooooo, those are the bestest most heartfelt gifts you are
making!! I want to make soaps, how wonderful!!!!
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 12/3/2012 10:37:12 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Wowza, I barely feel like I’ve gotten off the speeding Thanksgiving bullet train and here we are plumeting toward Christmas. I pretty much have gifts in check just the wrapping to do. Decorating on the other hand … In that area Queenie is whoafully behind. Honey Man and I were out of town for the big TurkeyDay holiday and last weekend was all about laundry and restocking the pantry for alas I will be out of commission for a week recovering from some minor surgery happening tomorrow. *yuck* Soooo much to be done … so little time … and me full to the brim with docorating ideas -lol- Perhaps the fur babes will lend a hand :o) As it does every year I’m sure it will all come together just fine.
Have a great day.
Always, Queenie
Queenie, lots of good thoughts for your surgery!!! Hugs a
plenty!!
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 12/3/2012 4:36:45 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
I am making a Black Walnut cake for the FoodBank this year (again) — yes, baking is an artform, isn’t it? A science, too. (Two great tastes that really do taste great together to paraphrase that old commercial. If you can do one, often you can do the other, has been my experience.)
What great tips and tutorials and fun here, Vanessa. Thanks so much again.
Still in Athens.
Candace still in Athens!! I love seeing that ;)))) Still in
Athens!!
Bake your art away, woo hooo!! Oooo, Black Walnut??? Miam
miam!!!!
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 12/3/2012 6:40:00 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Ahhh your Christmas creations make me so happy! I think I’m going to bake and create some of your little houses tonight 😉
Love it ! i’ll do it with my students. Thanks a lot for this great idea.
(beautiful blog)
Excellent crafts and Christmas decoration ideas. I am really looking home decoration ideas and finally i got such a nice idea to decorate my home for Christmas festival.