Peppermint Candy Garland...

Easy peasy peppermint candy garland...

I had this bag of peppermint candy from last Christmas. I placed it in a big vase as a centerpiece. This year I'm thinking garland.

Just take 2 pieces and a dab of hot glue and pinch them together on the ends of the wrapper.

I use low temp hot glue so I can pinch it together without burning myself.

Keep adding to the length you desire. I am making several shorter lengths for easier handling.

Here it is in the almost finished tree. I'll show the whole tree later this week.

Have fun making your peppermint garland. They also have the candy in green and white, so it would be cute to alternate.

Take care,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Personalized Cool Whip Container Upcycle

Another Tuesday for Tool Time is here and I can't help but think of something for Christmas. I have saved a Cool Whip container for a long time, knowing there was the perfect craft some where in there. It's the cover that intrigued me!

Here's what I came up with. The perfect little container you can "whip" together to send cookies or holiday treats to that special someone.

A Cool Whip container has the design printed on the container part and a paper insert in the lid with recipes on the back.

To cover up the print, just paint it with craft paint.

The lid has that lip that keeps the paper label in place.

Just pop out the label and save it for tracing.

You can personalize your container in 2 ways...

1. print your own label on the computer and then just trace the original label over it, then cut it out or...
2. use Microsoft Word to make your own circle to print in

Here's the finished label done either way.

To do it with Microsoft Word...first measure your label across the middle

Open up Word...

Click "INSERT" then click "SHAPES"...

You will Click on the picture of an oval...I know we want circle, but oval is the beginning shape for Word.

Now move your cursor and drag to begin the shape...

Once you click on the shape, blue dots will appear around it. In the upper right corner, there will be a size selection chart.

this picture shows that I selected 5.2 inches x 5.2 inches, but that was a little small. My final circle was 5.4" x 5.4".

In the same screen, to the far left is a little box with the letter A in it. Click on that for putting text in the circle.

Go back to the "HOME" button to choose fonts and font size.

Type in the center or...

Scroll down and leave a space at the top for when you add a bow...

Print out and cut along the line of the circle.

Pop it into the lid and the lip will hold it in place!!

For something a little different..."INSERT" another circle inside the first circle. Mine is a 3.2" x 3.2" inside the 5.4" circle.

I cut a piece of scrap book paper to fit my printer.

and I printed the circle on the plain back side of the decorative paper.

Cut out the circles to make a donut.

pick a fun picture to place inside. (my girls are not going to be happy with this photo selection, but I think it's cute. They were fooling around posing because I was pestering them for another picture)

trim to fit and secure with tape on the back.

Fill with treats and it's a double gift with the picture included.

Maybe you still have some Cool Whip containers around from Thanksgiving. I love real cream on my pies, but Cool Whip is so good mixed with pudding!

Have a great day,
~Karen~

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 42

Hello Everyone!! I have definitely been blogless since Tuesday. Here in the states, Thursday was Thanksgiving. The girls were home from college, friends and family visiting from out of state and we had Thanksgiving here at our home. Wonderful week, but crazy busy.

I'm sure you've been busy too, but hopefully you had time for some fun projects, crafts or recipes. So let's start off this week with another wonderful Sew Darn Crafty Party. Can't wait to see what you've been up to.

Starting in December the linking parties will have Christmas / Holiday Themes. See the list below or on the upper right side bar.

Here are the weeks and the theme for the weeks to come...so start putting all your great posts together!

December 4th...Christmas/Holiday Decor
December 11th...Cookie Recipes
December 18th...Last Minute gift ideas

If you want to add the button to your blog...Click HERE for a tutorial for adding a button


If you're NEW to Sew Darn Crafty, then grab a cup of something tasty, sit back and join in on the fun (starts Sunday and lasts all week long at Sew Many Ways).

WHAT IS SEW DARN CRAFTY...

• "Sew" for anything to do with sewing,
• "Darn" for anything to do with knitting. I always think of darning to do with knitting, but in my case "darn" usually is similar to the word I say when I mess up crafting!!
• Let's not forget the word "crafty"...that can mean just about anything we do to create.

WHAT IS A LINKING PARTY...

So now we all know what Sew Darn Crafty means, let's explain a linking party again. I subscribe to a linking service, which provides the ability to link thumbnail pictures on my blog. The picture is a link that other bloggers provide to share their projects.

Two things can happen at a linking party...looking and/or linking

• you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
• you can share what you've been up to (linking)

If you want to be inspired by all the great ideas...just click on a picture and it will take you to that post from a wonderful blogger willing to share her thoughts and ideas.


HOW AND WHAT TO LINK TO THE PARTY...

Sew Darn Crafty is all about YOU!! Show off your projects, share a tutorial, show us your vacation pictures, share a family favorite recipe...share anything. Not only does linking inspire us all, it also brings lots of new people to your blog for a visit. Click here for past parties and lots of inspiration

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

• link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not  search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post.
• link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
• anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
• visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
• grab a Sew Darn Crafty button for your blog (on my right side bar) or just link to the party in your post.
• the more we share, the more people will join and then there's more inspiration to look at!
• linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
• just click the "click here to enter" button and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week,

~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Toilet Paper Roll Gift Box or Advent Calendar

I know...long title, but I wanted to get it all in!!

This is a great recycling project to use up all the cardboard tubes from rolls of toilet paper, paper towels or the tubes from gift wrap paper!! Those are long, so you can cut a lot out of one tube...so start saving!

You will need

• decorative paper or fabric
• glue or hot glue
• cardboard tube...toilet paper, paper towel or gift wrap paper cut into pieces
• ribbon

Just an FYI...those little scrapbook paper sampler books are the perfect size for this.

However, who can resist a good red and white polka dot!!

Cut a piece of paper or fabric wide and long enough to fit your tube.

Glue or hot glue the long seam and the round outer edge.

Go all the way around and seal the end piece.

Done!

Now, here is the first fold. Make sure the seam of the paper is centered and is under your thumb. Squeeze to crease.

I hot glued this because it dries fast. Hold til sealed. If you use regular glue...clamp it until dry.

All sealed shut.

At this point, it will look like an open tube of toothpaste.

For the second squeeze, make sure the first crease is in the opposite direction of the second. Meaning, one should be running north to south and the second runs east to west. Does that make sense?

Here it is in this picture. The first crease is on the table...north to south. The one I am pinching is east to west.

After that second pinch, you can add your little trinkets or gift...great for

• candy
• mini toys
• money
• jewelry
• gift certificates
• coupons you write out for free babysitting, dinner, chores etc

Just hot glue to seal and add a little bow and gift tag. This is a good picture of how the seams are running in the opposite direction.

If you don't want to hot glue the last seam shut so it's easy to get into and reusable, punch two holes on the top edge...run your ribbon through there and tie.

That hole on the left looks a little sketchy, lol...don't try punching a hole through dried hot glue!!

Here is the box used for gift giving.

If you want to make 25 of these in the same paper or all different papers, you can add numbers and make an advent calendar out of them.

Just number them 1-25 with a marker or scrap booking stickers.

I have one of these little decorative hangers...I think it's to display a special ornament.

Just hang each day's advent packet from this.

Or you can string them together like a banner and your children or grand children can take one down each day.

This is a great project for any age...young or old. It's quick, easy and practically free! Have fun making them.

Have a great Tuesday,
~Karen~