New Year's Inspiration Jar

I like the hopeful feeling I get when I start something new. Although I haven't been to school in years, I still get an anything-is-possible, back-to-school feeling each September. I even like Mondays because they give me a chance to make a new start each week. When it comes to fresh starts, New Year's is the biggest day of the year. I try not to ruin it by making a bunch of resolutions that I know I won't keep. Instead, I like to think of ways I can be a better person (ok, and maybe exercise more).

I am a collector of quotes, prayers, and poems that I find inspiring, and I think I've finally found a way to make them part of my daily life. I printed 52 of these sentiments from my computer, cut them out, folded them, and put them in a jar. My plan is to pull one out each Monday and use it for guidance that week. There are some scripture verses in the mix, but also Irish proverbs, Beatles lyrics, and quotes from Confucius and Francis of Assisi. I originally planned to make this a quote-a-day project, but I quickly realized that 365 is a lot of quotes. If your own quote collection is shy of 52, you can visit these websites for inspiration: Brainy Quote, Quote Garden, Goodreads.

As craft projects go, my New Year Inspiration Jar is pretty basic, but I did dress it up a bit so it doesn't get lost on my shelves by February. I made a label by cutting leaf shapes from three different neutral papers and layering them. I attached a metal eyelet to each end and tied the label to the jar with twine. I was going to write "Quote of the Week" on the label, but I decided to use a line from the Rule of St. Benedict instead: "Always we begin again." A good way to start off the New Year, don't you think?

Stamped Christmas Gift Tags

My favorite rubber stamps represent images from nature--like the gorgeous snowflake stamp from PSX that inspired these holiday gift tags. And since heat-embossing is pretty much my favorite rubber-stamping technique, I used metallic embossing powder to show off the stamp's details and give the project a rich look.

Like so many of my projects, this one uses craft materials I have on hand--card stock, snowflake-print decorative paper, ribbon, tulle, beads, and other trims. Each design starts with a tag cut from white card stock. I glued a piece of decorative paper to the front; on the back I stamped small snowflakes (with another stamp from PSX) and "To" and "From" with stamps from Serendipity Stamps. 

Now comes the fun part. I stamped a large snowflake over the decorative paper with an embossing pad, sprinkled it with embossing powder, and then shook away the excess. To make the embossing powder work its magic, I applied a heat tool to the powder until it melted and turned shiny. If you're new to heat-embossing, follow the manufacturer's directions carefully and remember that the heat tool gets really hot. When the embossing powder is cool, which only takes a minute, it's time to put the finishing touches on the tag.

I added an eyelet to the top of each tag and then chose embellishments that complemented the decorative paper I had used. For the pretty tags shown here I used purple and pink satin ribbon, pastel blue tulle, faux crystal beads, and paillettes. If you prefer a more traditional palette, trim your tag with red and green ribbon and tiny jingle bells.

My Poinsettia Cross-Stitch in Craft Ideas Magazine

My Poinsettia Cross-Stitch Picture was featured in the Holiday issue of Craft Ideas. It's a great magazine that features all kinds of crafts--jewelry, painting, paper crafts, crochet, knitting, crafts for kids, and, of course, cross-stitch. 

Crocheted Icicle Garland

Aside from early adventures with crayons and construction paper, crochet was the first craft I learned. I think I was seven when my grandmother patiently guided me through a pot holder made from gray Aunt Lydia's Rug Yarn. This sparkly crocheted garland is even easier to make than a pot holder--and, I think, a lot prettier. If you can chain stitch and count, you have all the skills you need.

You can find plastic "crystal" teardrop beads like the ones shown here at a craft store. I used purple embroidery floss and a size 10 steel crochet hook, but you can use crochet thread and a hook of your choice. Just make sure the point of the hook fits through the hole in the beads. 

To make the garland, chain 50 stitches and add a bead: push the point of the hook through the bead's hole, wrap the crochet thread around the hook, and then pull it back through the hole and through the stitch on the hook. Chain 30 and add another bead. That's all there is to it. Keep chain-stitching and adding beads until the garland is the length you want (or, like me, you run out of beads). End the garland with 50 chain stitches. Hang your finished "icicle" garland on your Christmas tree or drape it around a mirror or window.

Tip: To keep the garland from tangling, wrap it around a cardboard tube for storage.