Okio B Designs: November 2012

I have to admit, I'm a bit addicted to making these mason jar snow globes. First batch, I used some faux snow and bottle brush trees. This time, I used this pretty boy angel image from The Graphics Fairy:

I printed the image onto cardstock. Then I added some German glass glitter. I wanted it to be able to stand so I cut a slit on the bottom of the picture and then used an extra piece of cardstock - kind of like how paper dolls used to stand.

I added some faux snow to the bottom of the jar and some tea-stained seam binding. Playing on the angel theme, I also made some of these sweet holiday tags.

Again, The Graphics Fairy had this wonderful angel image. First, I hand-stamped my coffee tag with the Christmas greetings. Then I Mod Podged my angel image onto it. Once that was dry, I added the rhinestones and lace on the bottom. I made a few of these to hang on our holiday gifts.

Linking to The Graphics Fairy: Brag Monday.

Jeanine

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I finally got around to finishing up this wood tote I bought at Goodwill over the summer. I had painted it red, but then it just sat and sat in the garage. I asked my boys what they thought I should add to it. Santa won hands down.

First I gave it like a gazillion coats of red paint. It was originally white with silver snowflakes on it. Try as I might, those darn snowflakes are still showing through. Sigh! You probably can't see them but I do.

I used some vintage Santa images to put on the front using Mod Podge. Again, not sure if you can tell, but there is some German glass glitter on them. It's so dreary here today that even putting it on the window sill, you still can't see the glitter.

I filled the inside with shredded sheet music and these big, round balls, ur, ornaments. The boys love it. I'm just glad I finally finished it.

Jeanine

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Have you been to Save on Crafts? They have these sweet little Joyeux Noel metal tags that are so perfect for a Frenchy Christmas touch.

I ordered them a few weeks ago and put them out over the weekend.

A few here and a few there.

And look at this adorable tea towel from my sister Kathy's Etsy shop. I love the little boy on the sled and of course the Joyeux Noel.

Jeanine

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Look at these cuties from the Dollar Store. A pair of glittered reindeers - what's not to love?

I picked up a few this morning to add around the house. Look how adorable the little bells are too! And as we're decorating for Xmas, nothing like the smell of...

Warm cinnamon! We break up cinnamon sticks, add water and boil until the house smells wonderful! And speaking of wonderful, I've started my Etsy Cyber Monday code today. Use CYBERMON for 35 percent off in my shop: Okio B Designs.

Jeanine

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Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Wanted to share some cute feather angel wings I came across on Pinterest. I wanted to add wings to each chair for our diningroom this year. These were a little smaller than expected but still cute to display for the holidays.

I love how they look over a mirror. This is in our bedroom. But see how small the wings are?

I bought four of them and I'm adding them randomly throughout the house. Still on the hunt for bigger ones for the diningroom chairs. Wish me luck!

Jeanine

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Do you have a favorite spot in your house where everything you display seems to fall right into place? For me, it's a vintage desk that I snagged at a garage sale a couple of years ago. It's in the corner between our livingroom and kitchen, and I love dressing it up.

This is the top of it in all of its holiday glory.

This snow globe was a summer garage sale find. It plays a lovely song that I can't quite name yet. Not sure if you can tell but it has a nativity scene inside.

The Santas are from Home Goods. Found them last year.

Couldn't we all use a little JOY? I picked up two of these from Kohl's. The bird candleholder is from the Dollar Store. I had painted it white and added some German glass glitter. The little crown was a gift from my sister, Kathy (Creative Home Expressions).

And I finally broke out my little cloche. I filled it up with some pine cones I painted white over the summer.

By far my favorite corner in the house!

Jeanine

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Yes, I have already starting decorating for Xmas. I don't know if it's because of the recent storm but I'm feeling very nostalgic and still relishing everything home and family. Santa always puts a smile on my face so I'm paying a bit of homage to him:

Trio of frames with various Santa images - one from The Graphics Fairy, one from Etsy and one from my own stock. These are replacing the sea creatures I had in our bathroom.

Santa travel candle.

Santa sacks.

Santa candleholders.

And tags.

Yes, indeed, I love Santa.

Jeanine

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My mom gave me a cute holiday book over the weekend: Deck the Halls from Country Living magazine. It has a ton of adorable holiday ideas and pages that you can rip out, cut and use for decorations. I spied a Santa and reindeer silhouette, and thought they'd look great in some of the glass ornament bulbs I got over the summer at a garage sale.

First, I scanned the tag images so I wouldn't have to cut the originals. I printed them out on regular white paper. Then I used my Cricut to cut them into an oval shape - to make them easier to add to each bulb.

I rolled them into a scroll to get them in, and then used splinter tweezers to un-curl them. Next, I added some faux snow to the bottom of each bulb. Tie on some tea-stained seam binding for a cute bow and then some baker's twine in red/white so they can be hung from the tree.

While I was at it, I used some miniature bottle brush trees for some simple ornaments too. I used Glue Dots to secure them to the bottoms of each bulb, the splinter tweezers to get them in, and then added some faux snow. I decided to skip the seam binding for these, and just added the baker's twine so we could hang them.

Super duper easy to make each of these!

Linking to Between Naps on the Porch: Met Monday.

Jeanine

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I finally got around to painting an old globe I picked up at a garage sale. I'm embarassed to say I bought it last summer and it got "lost" in the garage. I wanted to do a Pottery Barn knock-off with it for my 7 year old's room.

At first I was going to take it apart to paint just the globe part but I admit it, I was lazy. Instead, I painted it from top to bottom with spray chalk paint.

I couldn't think of anything clever to say other than: the world is your oyster. I'm sure he'll add his own personal touches in a few days.

Jeanine

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I whipped up this quick holiday banner the other night. It's super simple. All you need is some sheet music, paper, glue, twine and clothes pins.

Using the same NOEL template I used on my Ikea stars (carnival style from Dafont.com), I printed out each letter onto white paper. I cut each letter a bit smaller than my sheet music. Glue them onto each piece of your sheet music.

Once they are dry, you might want to flatten under a book. Mine curled a little. I used a zigzag scissor to cut the bottoms just to give a bit of a pattern but you can leave them straight or cut however you might like them. I used some of my Christmas clothes pins to attach them to the twine. I was not in the mood for hot glue and the pins hold them just fine.

Two thumb tacks are ready and waiting to hang it up over the next couple of weeks. See, told you - see easy!

Jeanine

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I've been wanting to make these Anthropologie knock-off mason jars since last year! You've probably seen them all around Pinterest. While we were without power, I decided to make some - by flashlight. =)

They are super easy to make. You just need some mason jars, faux snow and mini bottle brush trees. I fixed my trees to the bottoms of the jar lids using Glue Dots.

I added my faux snow to the jar itself. Then I turned it upside down and screwed in the top (the trees will be upside down). Then turn it rightside up for the snow to fall and done! Can't wait to put these out for Xmas.

Meanwhile, this is the tree that narrowly missed our house during the storm. It was a mere 8 feet from the house. It brought the utility pole down with it which was terrifying. The wires were in front of our house for almost 2 weeks. My father-in-law's house sadly got flooded. I salvaged some of my husband's mom's religious statues.

I knew she'd want them to be saved. Hard to believe we are back to normal - thankfully!

Jeanine

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Woo hoo! Guess who got their internet back last night? I'm so happy as I've missed the blogosphere and keeping up with all of your projects. Here's some that I did while we were without power and climbing the walls:

I took two mason jars and spray painted one red and one green. Once they were dry, I printed these sweet holiday images from the Graphics Fairy and Mod Podged them on. Then I added a thin layer of Mod Podge over the images and sprinkled on some German glass glitter.

I finished each off with some white tea-stained seam binding. I'm going to use these as candleholders during the holidays.

My boys destroyed our Scrabble game so I'm left with some random letters. Lucky enough, I had the ones I needed to spell out "noel." And they fit perfectly in this little Goodwill frame that I painted black months ago.

I added a burlap backdrop. Loving the rustic look!

Two super simple projects to keep my mind occupied post-hurricane. It feels good to be back and I can't wait to pop on over to see all of your posts that I've missed.

Linking to The Graphics Fairy: Brag Monday and Between Naps on the Porch: Met Monday.

Jeanine

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Still no internet/phone/tv which means NO real blogging. I'm dying over here! Lots of projects to post but I have to schlep to the library for internet access. Thankfully, the power came back on yesterday. No cable though.

Anywho, the winner of the FragranceNet.com candle as picked by Random.org is Patti from Pandora's Box! Patti, you lucky lady you, I think you won my very first giveaway a couple of years ago! =)

Email me your info but it'll probably be another week before I can send. Hope everyone is doing well. Miss you ALL!

Jeanine

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As expected, we're without power since Monday. I'm at my Mom's soaking up as much internet as possible. The current giveaway will be extended through next week. I hope everyone is safe! I'm still here - thankfully!

Jeanine