Free Christmas and Reading Printables from Lauren McKinsey

Have you been following along with our FREE weekly printables from the sweet Lauren McKinsey?  Lauren McKinsey releases at least one new printable collection weekly, and as the new collection launches, she rewards her faithful followers!  We are so lucky to get to share the freebies with you too!

Here are a couple sneak peeks of some of her newest collections!  Be sure to follow the links to download your freebies!

Gingerbread Girl Collection:

Cookie Exchange Collection:

Bookworm Collection:

 

Click here to access the free printables.

Last Minute Christmas Gift Idea

If you're like most people, this Christmas season snuck up on you! Still struggling to come up with a quick & inexpensive last minute gift idea for teachers, neighbors or friends? We fell in love with these clever printable "Twiz the Season" labels by Lindi Haws of Love the Day! Grab some cellophane bags from Michaels, individual bags of Twizzlers from The Dollar Tree along with some favorite ribbon and trimmings (we got our little bells from The Dollar Tree too).  Print, cut out & attach the "Twiz the Season" tag to your bag and you can have a gift ready in minutes!

Here is the link to the printable for only $5: http://www.etsy.com/listing/114268844/christmas-neighbor-printable-twiz-the?ref=shop_home_active  (Check out the rest of Lindi's shop for dozens of adorable printable gift ideas! For best results, print on either cardstock or photo paper.

DIY Glitter Treat & Party Favor Cones

Recently, I was chosen to participate in a fun project for Michaels that required playing with their Recollections glitter collection. I may have audibly squealed like a little girl (now we know where my daughter gets it).  I'm already a huge fan of Michaels, the Recollections brand and glitter, and although they sent me free product to try and compensation for my time, all of the opinions I share are true and authentic and 100% my own.  I only recommend brands & products I truly love and feel strongly you will love too!  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Glitter is in, my friends.  And, it's a trend that's here to stay for a long, long time.  Who doesn't love a little bling-bling? It's such an easy, quick and inexpensive way to dress up a project & add that special"wow" factor that says, "look at me!"  I love that it comes in so many colors and textures (very fine, chunky & tinsel...oh my!), which makes the uses endless.  DIY craft addicts, be sure this is in your go-to stash.  You can add just a touch for some understated sparkle, or literally coat your item for full-on glam like I did! I love that the Michaels Recollections glitter can be purchased in individual containers and in large sets (perfect for those of us who may *occasionally* need a glitter intervention. Really, is there even such a thing as too much glitter?)  And with a starting price tag of only $3.99, what's not to love?  Keep in mind, Recollections glitter is sold exclusively at Michaels Stores.  I'll be sure to leave some for the rest of ya!

So, let's get to the fun glitter tutorial at hand-- a beautiful treat cone, perfect for holiday treat and gift giving.  The idea for this project came from some family traditions with German origin/influence but with a modern twist.

Supplies needed:

Recollections glitter from Michaels (color & texture of your choice)
cardboard party hats (or cones created from cardstock)
Mod Podge
Mod Podge Clear Acrylic Sealer
Foam paintbrush
Scissors
Glue gun
Misc. scraps of ribbon, embellishments

Directions:

Step 1: Brush a thin layer of Mod Podge over the paper party hat in sections and glitter. Continue until the entire outside of the cone is covered in glitter of choice.  Let dry. (Repeat coats if necessary.)

 

Step 2: Spray the glittered hat with Mod Podge Clear Acrylic Sealer to help seal the glitter to the hat. One to two coats is sufficient.  Allow plenty of time to dry.

 

Step 3: Embellish with miscellaneous lace, ribbon & accents.  (We used Recollections brand flowers and lace ribbon from Michaels.)  Attach lace or ribbon handles to each side of the cone with hot glue. (I did this on the inside of the cone, but you could also punch holes and tie ribbon to the outside if you wish.)

Step 4: Fill your treat/favor cone with treats and/or trinkets and make someone's day by attaching it to their doorknob!

Voilà! Beautiful treat cones in 4 easy steps! 

Christmas Pajamas

Some traditions last from generation to generation because they are just too great to let go of.  When I was a little girl, we looked forward to Christmas Eve because we were allowed to open one special present.  It was no surprise what would be inside.  It was always the same, year after year, but we loved the tradition anyway.  We'd carefully peel back the Christmas wrap & squeal with excitement over the new pair of Christmas pjs held within the box.  Now that I am a mother, with 4 children to call my own, I've carried this tradition into my own home.  My kids look forward to seeing the fun new pajamas that they will get to wear Christmas Eve.

This last year, I fell in love with Brenda of Great Stitch.  She made these adorable polka dot & chevron pjs for my kids with "Magic Elf" inspired pajama tops customized with their names.  They are still a treasured pj set!

 
Brenda even sews matching clothes & pjs for dolls!  How cute, right?

Be sure to get your holiday orders in soon!  Today is the last day for regular (non-rush) holiday shipping!