Tis the Season to be Crafty With Graphic 45!
Hello G45ers!
Happy Monday to you all and thank you for joining us today! We have some big treats in store for you! We have gorgeous holiday crafts from Robin Shakoor and Gloria Stengel. Plus we have a new blog contest to announce! Yes, there are lots of reasons to smile today. Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, everywhere you look people are gearing up for the winter holiday season. Lights are going up, store windows are adorn with decorations, and every 5th car on the road has a Christmas tree strapped to the hood. Yes, it's a beautiful time of year! Here at Graphic 45 we are big on holiday decorating and handmade gifs. Today you will see some fantastic examples of what you can create using some fun techniques and gorgeous Graphic 45 papers and embellishments. This bring us to this week's blog contest. Now that the holidays are upon us, we want to know your favorite part of the holiday season. Do you enjoy getting together with family? Do you have a favorite holiday ritual like baking cookies, singing carols, card-making, tree trimming, or other fun activities? Share your feedback with us in a blog or Facebook comment any time this week and you could win this awesome Christmas Emporium prize pack! A Christmas Emporium 12x12 paper pad, Christmas Emporium Cling Stamp set, Trim Staples and Metal Film Canister With Mini Album! A random winner will be chosen from the comments and announced on our blog this Friday, December 2nd! We can't wait to read your comments!
This first amazing bit of craft inspiration comes from Robin Shakoor. She's created this amazing holiday mini album that is both heart-warming and absolutely beautiful. Mini albums are so much fun for the holiday season. They are a great way to capture your memories year after year and they help enhance the wonder and nostalgia of the season. We all have photos from holidays past. Just imagine creating a stunning mini like Robin's to immortalize your most cherished moments! It's a lot of fun! Here is what Robin had to say about this joyful creation. She's even included some great tips on how you can create one of your very own!
"I am the Martha Stewart of Christmas at my house. My maiden name is actually "Stewart" so I get teased quite a bit. I made this mini album to display during the holiday season and for many years to come. I chose this album because of the unique design of the cover. The open design allows for lots of Graphic 45 goodness to shine through." -Robin Shakoor
The cover of my album features Santa surrounded by flowers and chipboard tags. The album cover has diamond cut outs so I traced the shape on Core'dinations color core cardstock and cut out the diamonds. Once I adhered the black cardstock to the base, I measured each square on the top of the cover. I used "Merry and Bright" to create each of the squares then I adhered them on top of the black cardstock base.
"For those of us who enjoy crafting and hand-made gifts, Christmas is a time to put all of our skills to good use! I am always looking for a way to present treats in pleasing ways. I love to decorate tins, then fill them with candy, cookies, or other treats. This makes a great gift for neighbors, or for those drop-in guests!" -Gloria Stengel
Supplies:
That's all for today, G45ers. Thank you all for joining us and big thanks to Robin Shakoor and Gloria Stengel for their fabulous creations. We look forward to reading all of your comments this week on our blog and Facebook page! We wish you all a warm and wonderful day!
These are both beautiful projects! Our Christmas tradition involves baking and my daughter's, mom and sister get together and do our Christmas cookies, candies and bars...then sadly, we have to divide them...LOL! LOVE G45 :)
Posted by: Jan Hennings | November 28, 2011 at 05:36 AM
thanks for sharing some wonderful projects.
my favorite thing about the holiday season is I get to use all my rubber stamps, papers, ribbons and more to create cards, cards and more cards!
stamping sue
http://stampingsueinconnecticut.blogspot.com/
Posted by: sue wisniewski | November 28, 2011 at 05:47 AM
More beautiful projects! One of my favorite Christmas traditions begins the day after Thanksgiving when we pull out all the holiday decorations and start decorating the house.
JamieH
Posted by: Jamie Hensley | November 28, 2011 at 07:07 AM
Lovely. Thank you for sharing your talent.
Posted by: Heidi Mireles | November 28, 2011 at 07:22 AM
Stunning projects! Fabulous giveaway too. . . would love to get my hands on it! Our traditions include baking, homemade cards and Christmas movies with hot chocolate! And no holiday season is complete without helping the kids create homemade gifts for grandma & papa!
Posted by: Nikki Brown | November 28, 2011 at 07:37 AM
i love decorating my home and baking lots of goodies :)
Posted by: Heather H. | November 28, 2011 at 07:58 AM
Graphic 45 sure knows how to pull out the stops for Christmas decor and gifts! My favorite tradition of the season is the walk in the first snowfall.
Posted by: SusanK | November 28, 2011 at 08:03 AM
baking cookies for santa is one of my favorite activities to do each year
Posted by: {vicki} | November 28, 2011 at 08:14 AM
My favorite tradition is baking cookies for all of my family and packing up boxes for them to enjoy when we can't be together.
Posted by: Emily | November 28, 2011 at 08:42 AM
I love both these pieces. Now that our new grandson is here. I can relax and get soemthing creative done.
My kids.. who are now all grown adults, favorite tradition was having to make sure thier laundry was done before Christmas Eve. Then they got to open the Christmas PJ present. Wear their new PJs and Christmas Morning they brought their empty laundry baskets down with them. It's what they put their gifts in as they were opening them(this is how I sneakily taught them organization skills).
Posted by: jocelyn | November 28, 2011 at 08:50 AM
I like to smell the pine scent as it takes me back to the days of my childhood where Christmas was so magical. Getting dressed up for Christmas Eve at my Grandmother's. Myself and two younger sisters all had matching dresses every Christmas Eve. We don't do that anymore but it would be funny to show up all dressed the same! Enjoy your products very much.
Posted by: Angie H. | November 28, 2011 at 08:55 AM
my favorite tradition goes back to when i was a little girl and we got to open 1 present on christmas eve. we were always so excited and it was just enough to hold us over till morning.
Posted by: sara heisner | November 28, 2011 at 09:05 AM
I LOVE the Christmas Emporium collection! :)
My favorite Christmas tradition is the family all getting together on Christmas eve and doing our traditional gift exchange. It's always such excitement and joy to see who is your secret Santa every year!
Posted by: Nicole Doiron | November 28, 2011 at 09:05 AM
I love the lights and decorations put up in the city main street. And of course the music on the radio! Thanks for the chance to win your awesome products!
Posted by: DH | November 28, 2011 at 09:06 AM
We try to do it all for the Holidays, lights and decorations, cards, parades holiday concerts, but my favorite tradition is when my daughter and I go cut our own Christmas Tree, Friday after Thanksgiving.
Posted by: BrianK | November 28, 2011 at 09:16 AM
Most definitely holiday baking, but also Christmas cards (handmade more recently) and most importantly decorating my house. I worked at a Christmas Shop in university and I am addicted to ornaments! Would love a chance to win these great prizes!
Posted by: Charmaine | November 28, 2011 at 09:28 AM
Gorgeous projects- love the variety! I'm known for making a lot of cookies at Christmas that we then give out to neighbors and such.
Posted by: jengd | November 28, 2011 at 09:35 AM
What lovely projects and such talented artists! These are most definitely family heirloom pieces!
Elaine Allen
Posted by: Elaine Allen | November 28, 2011 at 09:51 AM
Great Christmas projects! I enjoy making cards and mini albums for Christmas. I have the cards done already but need to work on the minis!
Posted by: Patti Swartz | November 28, 2011 at 09:52 AM
Christmas lights are an enduring joy. As a child, I would go with my grandparents on Christmas eve to see all the decorated houses around Los Angeles. Now I find the glow of tree lights and some garlands around the house bring on a sense of peace and quiet appreciation. And I have always loved wrapping presents and making cards or tags.
Posted by: Marylinn Kelly | November 28, 2011 at 10:01 AM
Beautiful projects!! Thanks for helpin g me get into the christmas spirit Graphic 45!!
Posted by: Melissa*H | November 28, 2011 at 10:19 AM
Love the projects, Kudos to the artists. One of our family Christmas traditions is that everyone gets to open one gift on Christmas Eve, and it is always a new pair of pajamas. Another tradition we have is to hide a pickle ornament somewhere in the tree and the first peson to find it gets a special gift. all the kids and adults love this tradition.
Posted by: linda williamson | November 28, 2011 at 10:44 AM
Hmmm, I'm wondering if I can use a cookie tin that I already have......NICE job.
Posted by: Natasha G.P. | November 28, 2011 at 10:58 AM
I love the metal display thingee that you used. Fancy and pretty.
Posted by: sharon gullikson | November 28, 2011 at 10:58 AM
How beautiful. I am going to have to try to find one of those stands so I can make one for myself.
Posted by: b. poteraj | November 28, 2011 at 10:59 AM
I was out of state for Thanksgiving and arrived last night to see that the rest of my street's homes are decorated with lights and deers and bows. I have only two weeks to get it all done before the kids are on vacation and we leave again to join family elsewhere. There are other stresses for the holidays, but CRAFTING is not one of them, and keeps me from losing it. I anxiously anticipate posts from my favorite blogs with paper projects and altering gift items, and 12 tags of Christmas etc. I love the projects you've posted here! Thanks for sharing beautiful new projects to try out and inspire us.
Posted by: Cheryl Powers | November 28, 2011 at 11:03 AM
I forgot to say what my tradition is. I make lots of cookies for friends, neighbors, family, etc.
Posted by: sharon gullikson | November 28, 2011 at 11:06 AM
I just love you paper, I am trying to come up with wonderful ideas for your new paper!!
Posted by: loren | November 28, 2011 at 11:16 AM
fabulous projects !
Posted by: cat lacigale | November 28, 2011 at 11:29 AM
Very creative pieces, Graphic 45 papers always lend themselves to "warm" holiday projects. Gloria's tin reminds me of my grandmother. She loved to decorate for christmas, and she would play christmas carols while she baked ( she made homemade fruit cakes ).
Posted by: Rosann | November 28, 2011 at 12:07 PM
These projects are fabulous! But it is not hard creating something fabulous with products like yours!
Posted by: Johnna Moore | November 28, 2011 at 12:09 PM
I love just the getting together of family and friends its so rewarding
Posted by: Kim K | November 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM
We have many traditions in our family but the longest running is new jammies on Christmas Eve, this began on my 1st Christmas when my mom wanted to make sure I would look "cute" in the pictures every year since then we have received new Christmas Eve Jammies as well as our spouses. My brothers and I continued this tradition with our children (and their spouses) and my grandchildren get new jam's from their parents.. We've even circled back around and my parents now get new jammies from their grown children on Christmas Eve.. We have a lot of fun with this and the whole family gathers together after church to open the jammies..
Posted by: Lisa A Davis | November 28, 2011 at 01:50 PM
Both projects are very pretty. Funny about Robin's maiden name!
Posted by: Cindy Gay | November 28, 2011 at 01:53 PM
Such amazing projects! This is such a great vintage Christmas collection! What I love about Christmas is the fact that we get together as a family and just spend an entire day chattering and enjoying:)
Posted by: Romy | November 28, 2011 at 02:39 PM
My tradition is wrapping all of my gifts at the last minute. Not a good tradition, but a tradition nonetheless.
Posted by: b.poteraj | November 28, 2011 at 02:43 PM
I like to make cookies every year. I give them out to all of the people I appreciate.
Posted by: natasha g.p. | November 28, 2011 at 02:45 PM
Beautiful projects ladies. Yes, we have some Christmas traditions. I love to bake and make a lot of cookies and treats before Christmas. I also love to participate in cookie exchanges. Of course, we love the celebrating and family dinners. On Christmas morning we always read the True Christmas Story from the Bible for the children.
Blessings,
Peggy
Posted by: Peggy Allen | November 28, 2011 at 03:01 PM
Amazing projects! I love family get together the best- as well as Christmas
eve church.
Posted by: debb | November 28, 2011 at 03:34 PM
I love the project on the stand. I love the idea of shopping for the my daughter's stocking stuffer ideas. Some usual stuff, but then usually one great surprise. this year the start of their very own Pandora bracelet with one bead. Easy to add to for the future. Thank you for the great giveaway! ksh
Posted by: Kristy Hansen | November 28, 2011 at 04:04 PM