2nd Annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop

For the Graphic 45/Petaloo Blog Hop, click HERE.

For the Hampton Art Stamps/Scor-Pal Feature Week, click HERE.

For the Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop, click HERE.

 

Welcome to the 2nd Annual

Handmade Holidays Blog Hop!!!

Calling all crafters! We’ve gathered designers from some of our favorite manufacturers to show you ways to create something from the heart this holiday season. This 3-day Hop includes over 60 stops with inspiration brimming from every corner. Explore all of the thoughtful and frugal handmade gifts you could create for the holidays, all in one place, during our second annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop!

Here are your stops for today. For a full list, see the end of the post.

 

Clearsnap

Hampton Art Stamps
Graphic 45

Fiskateers

Donna Salazar Designs

Tombow USA

Authentique Paper

The Twinery

Eileen Hull for Sizzix

Globecraft Memories

Diana Gonzalez – Clearsnap

Monika Wright – The Twinery

Gretchen McElveen - Hampton Art Stamps

Megan Aaron – Clearsnap

Tania Willis – Fiskateers

Gloria Stengel – Graphic 45 - YOU ARE HERE!

Suzanne Austin – Clearsnap

Shellye McDaniel – Authentique Paper

Natasha Naranjo Aguirre – Donna Salazar Designs

Jen Carter – The Twinery

Laura Denison – Graphic 45

Candy Spiegel – Globecraft Memories

 

Cheers to creating gifts from the heart this holiday season!

Happy Hopping!

Here is my handmade project. I altered one of the Graphic 45 Matchbook Boxes. This is the 8x8 box, perfect for giving cookies or other treats for neighbors, or the perfect size for small gifts such as music CD's, books, and more.

I used the Graphic 45 Nutcracker Sweet paper collection, pulling out the holiday reds and greens. I lined the box with the Clara's Dream since it has "foody" words on it and I wanted this box to hold baked treats.

A frosted panel keeps the gift a secret! I used a sheet of frosted plastic to cover the opening. I used Scor-Tape to adhere the plastic to the inside of the box.

Before attaching my paper, I painted the entire box with white gesso. That way all the edges that show will be white.

 
I painted all of my Graphic 45 metal staples with white paint and allowed them to dry before attaching them. I used one of the Antique Metal Door Pulls for the front of my box. This makes it easy to pull the "drawer" out.

Once I had all of my surfaces of the box covered with paper, I began to glue flowers and other embellishments to the front of the box.

 
I found many of the tiny embellishments in the Christmas ornament aisle of the craft store. I also found some great things in the floral department. The fantastic flowers are from Petaloo.

I love the little silver bells! Another trick that I use is buying floral picks and small wreaths when they go on sale, then I cut them apart and use the bits for my projects. I glue everything into place with a strong white glue. Currently I am in love with Heidi Swapp Scrappy Glue!

I hope you enjoyed my project! Keep hopping! Make sure to leave me a comment!

To sweeten the Hop, we’re offering a gift for you! For every comment you leave on the blogs in the Hop, you’ll be entered to win a prize pack from one of the participating manufacturer sponsors! Use the Rafflecopter widget on the Clearsnap Blog to gain extra entries each day.

Here is the huge prize pack that Graphic 45 will be giving away for this incredible Handmade Holiday Hop! To enter to win this fantastic prize pack be sure to leave comments on the Graphic 45 blog today along with today's featured blogs.

Visit the list of blogs below and leave a comment on each by Nov 27, 2012 at 11:59 PM PST. Each day we will be sharing a brand new list of blogs with brand new projects for you to explore, be inspired by, and create from!

Full Hop List:

Nov 16

Clearsnap – http://clearsnap.blogspot.com

Hampton Art - http://blog.hamptonart.com/
Graphic45 – http://g45papers.typepad.com/

Fiskateers - www.fiskateers.com/blog

Donna Salazar Designs – http://donnasalazar.typepad.com/

Tombow USA – http://blog.tombowusa.com/

Authentique Paper http://blog.authentiquepaper.com/

The Twinery - http://www.thetwineryblog.com/

Eileen Hull for Sizzix http://eileenhull.blogspot.com/

Globecraft Memories – http://globecraftmemories.blogspot.com

Kristin Wilson – Graphic 45 - http://www.kristinwilsonhandmade.com/

Jennie Garcia - Tombow - earthyscrap.blogspot.com

Gini Williams Cagle - Hampton Art - http://ginicagle.blogspot.com/

Sabrina Alery – Clearsnap – http://Sabrinaalery.blogspot.com

DeeDee Catron - Globecraft Memories - http://umwowstudio.blogspot.com/

Michelle Grant – Donna Salazar Designs - http://michellejbg.blogspot.com

Emily Lanham – Authentique Paper -http://www.createserendipity.net

Emma Jeffery – Fiskateers - http://hellobeautifulblog.blogspot.com

Natalie Clause – The Twinery - http://www.southernbellescharm.com/

Alberto L Juarez – Graphic 45 http://vintageodyssey.blogspot.com/

Vivian Keh - Hampton Art - http://contadinak.wordpress.com/

Jennifer Priest – Clearsnap – http://hydrangeahippo.blogspot.com

Heather Conklin – Authentique Paper - http://goldiecar.blogspot.com/

 

Nov 17

Clearsnap – http://clearsnap.blogspot.com

Hampton Art - http://blog.hamptonart.com/
Graphic45 – http://g45papers.typepad.com/

Fiskateers - www.fiskateers.com/blog

Donna Salazar Designs – http://donnasalazar.typepad.com/

Tombow USA – http://blog.tombowusa.com/

Authentique Paper http://blog.authentiquepaper.com/

The Twinery - http://www.thetwineryblog.com/

Eileen Hull for Sizzix http://eileenhull.blogspot.com/

Globecraft Memories – http://globecraftmemories.blogspot.com

Diana Gonzalez – Clearsnap – http:// www.arteypoemas.com

Monika Wright – The Twinery - http://www.iloveitallwithmonikawright.com/

Gretchen McElveen - Hampton Art - http://gretchenmac.blogspot.com/

Megan Aaron – Clearsnap- http://thoughtsoftraveling.blogspot.com/

Tania Willis – Fiskateers- http://throughtrialsiambeingpurified.blogspot.com/

Gloria Stengel – Graphic 45 - YOU ARE HERE

Suzanne Austin – Clearsnap - http://whatsinalousyananut.blogspot.com/

Shellye McDaniel – Authentique Paper - http://paperedcottage.blogspot.com/

Natasha Naranjo Aguirre – Donna Salazar Designs - http://www.moments-of-tranquility.com

Jen Carter – The Twinery - http://jensinkspot.blogspot.com/

Laura Denison – Graphic 45 - www.lauradenisondesigns.com
Candy Spiegel – Globecraft Memories - http://candyspiegel.wordpress.com/

Nov 18

Clearsnap – http://clearsnap.blogspot.com

Hampton Art - http://blog.hamptonart.com/
Graphic45 – http://g45papers.typepad.com/

Fiskateers - www.fiskateers.com/blog

Donna Salazar Designs – http://donnasalazar.typepad.com/

Tombow USA – http://blog.tombowusa.com/

Authentique Paper http://blog.authentiquepaper.com/

The Twinery - http://www.thetwineryblog.com/

Eileen Hull for Sizzix http://eileenhull.blogspot.com/

Globecraft Memories – http://globecraftmemories.blogspot.com

Dana Warren - Hampton Art - http://kraftpaperstamps.blogspot.com/

Steph Ackerman – Globecraft Memories - www.stephaniescraps.blogspot.com

Arlene Cuevas – Graphic 45 - http://butterflykisseswithlove.blogspot.com/

Susan Lui – Graphic 45 - http://luv2scrap-pages.blogspot.com/

Ashley Bores – The Twinery - http://www.heartmadelife.com/

Mistra Hoolahan – Donna Salazar Designs - http://mistrabutterfly.blogspot.com

Nina Yang - Hampton Art - http://waffleflower.com/

Angie Blom – Authentique Paper - http://angieblomdesigns.blogspot.com/

Denise Hahn – Clearsnap – http://inmyblueroom.blogspot.com

Stephenie Hamen – Fiskateers - www.mycraftyadventures.com

Guiseppa Gubler – Authentique Paper - http://guiseppagubler.blogspot.com/

Jessica Fick – The Twinery - http://iembellish.blogspot.com/

 

Graphic 45 papers:

Nutcracker Sweet: Land of Sweets, Clara's Dream, Endearing Sentiments

Place in Time: December Cut-Aparts

Christmas Past: Letters to Santa

Christmas Emporium: Special Delivery

 

Graphic 45 Staples:

8x8 Matchbook Box

Key

Keyhole

Antique Door Pull

 

Paint: Liquitex White Gesso; Martha Stewart Wedding Cake Acrylic Paint

Flowers: Petaloo

Pins: Petaloo

Mini brads: unknown

Christmas embellishments: craft store

Ink: Clearsnap Colorbox Chestnut Roan Chalk Ink

Frosted plastic: unknown

Adhesive: Heidi Swapp Scrappy Glue; Liquitex Gel Medium; Scotch 3M tape