DZ Doodles Thanksgiving & Christmas "Createables"!

Hi Doodlers!

With just a little over a month before Christmas, it's time to gather up ideas to start decorating your home! Here's a few holiday decor ideas that may interest you and know I'll be re-creating.

Pumpkin Pie Thanksgiving Cookies! Ok, they may not taste like pumpkin pie, but these Thanksgiving cookies sure look like it! For a portable version of the Fall dessert favorite… how about cookies? Decorated on circles with just two colors, these “pies” are cinch to make.

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It's snowman time!

If you are a sucker for a cute snowman face - here's several cute faces! This freebie snowman printable candy bar wrapper is from Laurie Furnell. 

 

Felt Christmas Snowman! This is a cute idea, especially as a door knob hanging greeter, and its easy to recreate too!

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Becca Feekan Honeycomb Ornament tutorial at SplitCoast Stampers transforms lightweight double sided paper into a beautiful holiday ornament! Although she uses Spellbinders 2011 Heirloom Ornament die I'm sure using your Xacto knife and #11 blade with a similar drawn image as a template will create the same outcome. You can easily "print out" the tutorial from the right side column of her tutorial page.

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Martha Stewart Decorative Paint Line is filled with 40+ Projects from stencil painted pillows, lamp shades to skirts, redo's, frosted mirror, table transformations, to plates, napkins and so much more! I've just got to stencil paint some snowflake glassware!! :0)

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 “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”  ~Anne Bradstreet

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They are gorgeous! Amanda over at The Ivy Cottage blog has Three Easy Candle Crafts for some simple yet elegant Christmas decorations to light up your holidays! Even for gift-giving!! 

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Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamines on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theater.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.

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Darlene from Darlene’s Designs shares a great video on how to get the blended look of Copic markers but she uses Stampin’ Up markers. There are easy way's to use what you already have! We don’t always need to run out and spend a bunch of money on the “latest and greatest”.

 

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This challenging acorn box, originally by Jessica Wolf of Paper Acorn, is a hexagonal slant-sided construction with lid. Carol at Extreme Cards and Papercrafting has a great "construction tutorial," including downloadable cutting files, that will help make sense in how to re-create this stunning project!

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I have so much more to tell you, and show, that I'll have to continue with another post as I get projects completed and come across more fun ideas for you to re-create!

Happy doodling!

Diane :0)

2011 (c) DZ Doodles Digital Stamps and DZ Doodles Doohikey Designs. All rights reserved. Any third party products, brands or trademarks listed above are the sole property of their respective owner. No affiliation or endorsement is intended or implied.