Christmas Treats for Your “Sweets”

Hi everyone.  I'm here today sharing a Christmas surprise idea with you.  I made some Christmas treats for my “sweets”. My sweet girls that is and it was so fun to make these and to watch the delight my girls had wondering and discovering what was inside.

I’ll step you through how I made these but I’ll be back next week with the process video I created so you can see it come together in action!

It might be a little hard to tell but these treat bags are bursting at the seams with Christmas chocolates!  These can be used as party favors, advent or just fun little treats for your friends, family and even co-workers. The great thing is that they are really easy to make if you have a pair of scissors or die cutting machine, glue and a few embellishments.

Let’s take a look at how I assembled the Christmas tree. I used my Silhouette CAMEO but you could easily hand cut these.  Either way, you need two identical cut trees. Easy, right?

Next, add brads from the embellished brads set. Alternatively, you can use die cuts, glitter, enamel dots but these brads are just so awesome.  I love the color variations and the gold rim around them.

Next, Starting at the widest part of the tree, which is the bottom, glue the bottom and the edges together until you have a large pocket.  Once dry, fill it with candies. Repeat until you are at the top and your tree is completely filled.

Here’s an example of a treat bag embellished with die cuts.  Simply adhere the die cut with strong liquid adhesive and set aside to dry.

Set them out as a surprise treat for the special people in your life.  They have no idea what’s inside and it’s so fun to watch them open their surprise.

Beware, they will want to open them all!  You could also add in different candies or other small items you think your friends and family will enjoy!

Check back next week for the process video I filmed while creating these Christmas treats for my sweets!

Supplies:

COZY & BRIGHT DOUBLE-SIDED CARDSTOCK 12″X12″MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMASCOZY & BRIGHT DOUBLE-SIDED CARDSTOCK 12″X12″ SANTA LANDCOZY & BRIGHT DOUBLE-SIDED CARDSTOCK 12″X12″ WINTER GREEN
COZY & BRIGHT DOUBLE-SIDED CARDSTOCK 12″X12″ MERRY & BRIGHTCOZY & BRIGHT DOUBLE-SIDED CARDSTOCK 12″X12″ WARM & COZYCOZY & BRIGHT DOUBLE-SIDED CARDSTOCK 12″X12″ FA LA LA LACOZY & BRIGHT DECORATIVE BRADSCOZY & BRIGHT EPHEMERA CARDSTOCK DIE-CUTS ICONS W/WHITE GLITTER ACCENTSCOZY & BRIGHT EPHEMERA CARDSTOCK DIE-CUTS PHRASE W/WHITE GLITTER ACCENTS

We Believe Christmas Traditions Scrapbooking Layout

Merry Christmas, y'all!   I have to tell you about one of my family's Christmas traditions - train ride to see Santa via the Polar Express in our Christmas pajamas from our house elves.  The girls get super excited when they discover these gifts from their elves, who by the way end up covered in tape and wrapping paper. It's so funny and so cute to watch the girls.  I've documented this story on this scrapbooking layout.

We snapped these photos while waiting for the train to take us to the North Pole. The girls even received a golden ticket for the ride.

Gather your supplies

You'll need 5 - 9 patterned papers, scissors or die cut machine, the free cut file I designed, mist or other ink medium, die cuts and other embellishments as listed in supplies below.

Document your Christmas Traditions

Hand cut the pieces of your Christmas tree or download my free cut file HERE. Cut each piece and arrange on the page to make sure you like how it looks. Don't add adhesive yet.  You may choose to cut each piece using a different pattern like I did, the same pattern or a repeating pattern. Either way, it will look fantastic.  I chose to spread them out with a little space here and there but you might want to place them right next to each other without the space.
 

Next, spray gold mist lightly over your background paper. Once dry, splatter red, green and gold.  Let that dry as well. Add your tree pieces back to the page and add some random, creative stitching.  Don't worry about perfection. It was designed to have some irregularities.
  Add some puffy stickers as decorations for your trees to add a bit more dimension.  Try to pick out stickers that are the same color as or coordinate with the patterned paper.

Christmas Traditions Documented

Add your photos and other embellishments and don't forget your journaling.  While I am going to create a complimentary Christmas traditions pocket page with photos of the elves and extensive journaling, I left space at the top of the photos to add journal strips.




Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

Heather (@heatherleopard on social media)  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Twitter 

Supplies: Merry Merry Ho Ho Ho Patterned Paper (733547) Merry Merry Poinsettia Blossoms Patterned Paper (733548) Merry Merry Candy Cane Stripes Patterned Paper (733549) Merry Merry Merry Merry Patterned Paper (733550) Merry Merry Christmas Floral Patterned Paper (733551)  Merry Merry Holly Berries Patterned Paper (733552) Merry Merry Fresh Cut Pines Patterned Paper (733556) Merry Merry Peppermints Patterned Paper (733558) Merry Merry Gold Glitter on Kraft Paper (733725) Merry Merry Cardstock Stickers Icons & Accents (733559)  Merry Merry Ephemera Cardstock Die Cuts (733560) Merry Merry Puffy Stickers (733562)

DIY Christmas Gift Wrap Tags

Hi everyone.  Before I show you my Christmas Gift Wrap Tags, I want to say that I'm thrilled to be returning to the Pebbles design team for a 2nd year. 

My goal is to inspire you with scrapbooking layouts and all things crafty.  Please let me know what you like about me and would like to see more of from me - cut files, types of layouts, more photos, less photos on a layout, etc. etc.  Just leave me a comment and/or connect with me on social media, which are all listed at the bottom of this post.

 Now, let's get started with today's crafty project...

DIY Christmas Gift Wrap Tags

To get started, wrap your gifts in your favorite gift wrap  or if your package is small enough, using patterned paper that coordinates with your tags.

Gather your supplies

Gather your coordinating tags, die cuts, stickers, twine and anything else you's like to decorate your tags.

Create your tags

Washi Christmas Tree Tag Add strips of Washi on white cardstock, precut to slightly larger than your Christmas tree design that you will be cutting. Make sure to add enough rows and cover the majority of the paper. Cut your design using your favorite die cut, machine or by hand. For all tags, layer die cuts and embellishments. Make sure to write a personalized note to the back of the tags. Then, tie twine around the gifts, making sure to tie your gift tags into the twine. Now, you are set! These can be used as part of your home decor until you are ready to gift them to someone special. 

Thanks for stopping by today. I wish you all a very, merry Christmas!

Heather (@heatherleopard on social media)
Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Twitter 

Supplies: Merry Merry Ho Ho Ho Patterned Paper (733547) Merry Merry Christmas Floral Patterned Paper (733551)  Merry Merry Holly Berries Patterned Paper (733552)  Merry Merry Washi Tape (733561)  Merry Merry Gold Glitter on Kraft Paper (733725) Merry Merry Cardstock Stickers Icons & Accents (733559)  Merry Merry Ephemera Cardstock Die Cuts (733560) Merry Merry Puffy Stickers (733562)

DIY Mini Christmas Pinatas

Ho, ho, ho and Merry Christmas..  I'm so excited to show you these mini Christmas pinatas I whipped up.

 I created these for us to just have around the house as part of my Christmas decor but as I was making them, I couldn't resist the urge to fill them with candy.  I'm giving it only a few days before I break down and give them to the girls as a nice little treat.

Supplies:

• cardstock (I suggest matching to the main color of the patterned paper you choose) 
• patterned paper - NOTE: Please see the supply list at the bottom of this post for actual patterned papers used. I substituted 2 of the papers shown above. 
• paper trimmer (to cut the paper strips) 
• fringe scissors or regular scissors to make the fringe 
• shaped box cut files (I searched high and low for 3D pinata files with little success so my simple solution was to use Christmas shaped box files) 
• adhesive 
• sticky dots 

 Let's whip up a few DIY mini Christmas pinatas. First, the Christmas tree.....

1.  First, fold the cut out shape into the box form. Put them together to form the box.  You may chose to fill them with treat prior to putting them together.

2. Cut 1" strips of Christmas tree patterned paper.  Then cut small fringe from the bottom up leaving approximately 1/4" uncut at the top.

3. Wrap the fringe around the tree.  You may have to cut at the sides to keep your lines straight but you can't tell once you put it all together. Add sequin or enamel dots as decorations.

Next is the ornament...  

I used a circular box cut file and then modified it to create the topper for the ornament.

Create your box by adhering the ends of the paper strip together.  Adhere one side of the ornament to the circle. Next, fill the ornament with any treats or leave it empty if it's for home decor like me. Then adhere the other side of the ornament.

 
  Cut your paper strips into fringe as per step 2 above.

I added the fringe around the sides first and then I decided to add a circle underneath the fringe so that the red ornament would not show through the fringe.

I added fringe layers on top and then embellished with sequins. I added a coordinating pattern as the ornament topper.

 And last but not least, the candy cane...

I found a cute candy cane shaped box in the Silhouette store and made a couple of cuts.

Then it was just a matter of rolling the bottom portion into a tube and adhering it.  The top part was a bit tricky because you had to roll it while also adhering it at the right angle but it worked out good in the end, once it was covered in fringe.

Fill it with treats or leave empty like I did since it's part of my home decor.

So there you have it, folks. The most adorable DIY mini Christmas pinatas I've ever made and yes, these are the first mini Christmas pinatas I've ever made.

Supplies:
HOLLY JOLLY OH DEAR PATTERN PAPER 
HOLLY JOLLY HAPPY HOLIDAYS PATTERN PAPER 
HOLLY JOLLY GINGERBREAD PATTERN PAPER
HOLLY JOLLY EPHEMERA 
American Crafts Textured Cardstock 12"x12" - Leaf 
American Crafts Textured Cardstock 12"x12" - Crimson

Christmas Countdown Project

My kids love to count the days 'til Christmas, which we start doing right after Thanksgiving here in the States. The DIY Shop frames and the Be Merry collection were a perfect pairing for a Christmas Countdown DIY project. 

How to: Cut an 8.5"x8.5" block of wood and paint it black. Distress the edges. Cut your background paper to 8"x8" and adhere to the wood block using ModPodge or the adhesive of your choice.  Apply glitter tape around the border of the paper to serve as a frame.  Next, add a colored frame from the DIY Shop collection and embellish around the frame with die cuts.  Cut the words "Days 'til Christmas" in a bold color that will stand out against your background paper. I cut my words to fit into a 3"x6" space. Last but not least, start your daily countdown and enjoy!

Supplies: DIY Shop collection: 369012 Color Framed Boards, 369056 Gold Glitter Tape; Be Merry Collection: 368920 Candy Cane Lane Paper, 368931 Cardstock Die Cuts

Gossamer Blue December Memories Blog Hop

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog hop that's all about documenting your December Memories. I am especially excited about about it this year because Lori and her talented artists at Gossamer Blue did an amazing job with the kits, creating EXCLUSIVE papers and embellishments and an incredible album while mixing in the best of the best Christmas goodies from several other manufacturers.  Take a look at what's in this kit...

 Amazing, right? And it all comes packaged in with love and care.

Merry early Christmas to meeeeeeeeeee!  I did not see a "Do Not Open Until" date so I dove right in and created my album cover.

Doilies. Wood Veneer. Puffy Letters. Sequins. Enamel Dots. Acrylic Shapes. Vellum. Acrylic Words. Cardstock Shapes. Oh, I am in Heaven here.

Joy banner? Yes, please. Add sprinkle a cute little snowflake on top too!

Might as well remind my family what their last name is and add a year to it while I'm at it.

I'm off to Barcelona and Paris now. My parents will be watching our kids and our 2 ferocious dogs at our house while we are gone. Our police officer neighbors will be too so don't get any funny ideas. 

Anywho, I'll have lots of fun documenting to do of our trip but also the special time the girls will be spending with their grandparents so I'll update my album when I get back. 

If you care to follow along on our European Adventure, follow me on Instagram (@heatherleopard).

Now, head over to Jessica Lohof's blog. She is sure to amaze you! 

You can visit the Gossamer Blue blog to see the full list of bloggers participating in this blog hop.

Christmas Elves - Free Cutting File - Project Tutorial

Hi friends. I wanted to share these Christmas elves that were inspired by our elf on a shelf.  I made them this weekend using Heidi Swapp's Believe collection.  These little elves' hair happen to match my girls' hair and I am soo excited for them to find them today.

Supplies: Heidi Swapp Believe: Holly Jolly 12x12 paper and Countdown 12x12 paper; black cardstock, white cardstock, brown, yellow, black or red cardstock for the hair; Electronic die-cut machine; Elf by Heather Leopard Silhouette Studio cutting file or PDF pattern, styrofoam cone with 3.5” diameter at base of cone, Lawn Fawn mixed sequins, American Crafts red glitter ribbon, small bells, gold thread, double sided tape; scrap paper to make test cuts.

I just adore these little guys.  Actually, I may add some sequin earrings and turn them into girls come morning time.

A blonde for my youngest and a brunette for my oldest 'cause my kids defied all that I learned in biology. I'm a brunette brown-eyed girl and I was blessed with a brunette with green eyes and a blonde with blue eyes.

Would you like to know how I made these guys?  I've included a Christmas Elf Tutorial below that you can download for free HERE.

You can download the free Silhouette Studio cutting file HERE. I am working on a SVG file, which I will post here soon.

Don't have a Silhouette? Download the PDF template HERE to cut these out by hand. It's only a few easy cuts, anyway!

Well, these little elves are super duper busy helping Santa prepare to deliver lots of Christmas joy and toys to all the girls and boys in this house so I better get going.  Thanks for stopping by today.

Merry Christmas Eve!

Peppermint Cocoa DIY Neighbor / Teacher Gifts

I made these yummy peppermint cocoa gifts to give as neighbor gifts and/or teacher gifts (as well as some of the staff at my daughter's preschool). I gave these for Christmas but I was thinking about how great these would be as a "winter" gift because it certainly stays cold for several months and who doesn't love a bit of peppermint/chocolate in their tummies to warm them up when it's cold!?!  These are relatively inexpensive and very quick and easy to make.

The Peppermint Hot Cocoa Gifts have instant hot cocoa, chopped up peppermint candies or candy canes and marshmallows, layered over each other. Here's how you make them:

1. Buy medium Mason jars from my local craft store
2. Purchase a large 27 oz. canister of Nestle hot cocoa from Target. You could make your cocoa from scratch but I wanted to make this quicker and easier!
3. Buy 2 bags of peppermint candies. You can also use candy canes but the bag of candies were less expensive
4. Purchase 2 bags of mini marshmallows
5. Pull out your favorite Christmas or Winter ribbons and papers.

To assemble:

1. Scoop hot cocoa mix and fill the jars about 3/4 full
2. Add a layer of peppermint. I used more than I expected since they are heavier than the cocoa mix and the bottom layer kind of sunk into the cocoa.
3. Lastly, add a layer of marshmallows. I packed them in because I know how much kids love marshmallows!

To label them:

1. I created an instruction label document in Photoshop, which you can DOWNLOAD HERE. Just load it into Photoshop, if you have it and change the name! If you don'w have PS, I will try to create a PDF version and will post if soon.
2. I cut a larger tag out of red cardstock and then cut a smaller tag our of green and adhered it over the red.
3. I used my American Crafts Kringle & Co stamp to stamp the to/from frame over different kinds of pattern paper. I'm a variety, no two gifts the same type of gal. :) Plus, it's a great way to use up scraps.
4. I tied ribbon (also from American Crafts) through the tags and around the jars.

The kids and I really enjoyed delivering them to the neighbors and school staff. I only hope they enjoyed the cocoa as much as we loved making it for them!