5 last minute crochet gifts! Be prepared!

With a little less than 2 weeks until Christmas we're getting into crunch time. That is... if you haven't finished your shopping list. My list.... done! :) No more shopping for me and I'm about to wrap up the last 2 gifts I'm making. So if you're ahead of schedule like me why not make a few gifts with your leftover yarn for those last minute gift-givers you're not prepared for.

I recently made this gift. Total time = Couple of hours. However, I did need 2 skeins. So hopefully you have a couple left over from another project. If not, mix it up. Use a couple of colors and see how you like the stripes.

Crochet Me has the right idea here. A free pattern for a fast, easy gift.

Have a friend that loves little totes? This one is perfect for them. Again, use a couple of your leftover colors.

Free Pattern from Lion Brand for this Market Bag

It's getting chilly out. Make an adorable headband to keep those ears warm.

Teresa Richardson created this Wide Head Band for the chilly days ahead of us.
Bonus: There's a video tutorial provided too.

Heading to a friends house for their Christmas party? Grab a bottle of wine on the way and dress it up with this cozy. Use your leftover reds and greens from your Christmas projects for a festive feel.

Off the Hook Astronomy shares their Wine Bottle Cozy pattern

Do you have a bag full of leftover yarn that's only 2-3 feet? What do you do with it? I can't convince myself to throw it out? Help keep your friends house warm this winter and create a draft stopper. Helps them and it helps you!

Free Pattern from Lion Brand for this Draft Stopper

BONUS:
Running out of wrapping paper? Get creative! Here are a few fun ways to wrap your last minute gifts without using traditional wrapping paper and gift tags.

Run out of paper? Just take a gift box and wrap it with some fun ribbon or yarn.
Lion Brand has a couple of other quick tips for the holidays.

Customize your own paper with a crossword search.
Highlight the recipients name.

Craft paper! Get out the glue, paint and twine!
Lowe's has a few cute ideas for wrapping up your gifts.

Add on your photos for a personal touch

Recycle your Sunday paper!

Run out of gift bags? Learn how to create your own from
How About Orange's blog.

Free printable tags from Sass & Peril

Press Down, Shaken Together gets creative with
making gift tags from index cards

Run out of bows too? Make your own with leftover ribbon.
Whipper Berry walks you through the steps

Sparkling Wine Bottles

As mentioned in my Happy Holidays blog, I saved up some bottles to follow Cleverly Inspired's Wine Bottle Christmas Display. The whole process took a few hours. Most of which was waiting for paint, glue, etc to dry. I used a few different and new items to create mine and received the same results. Below are my pictures and instructions.

Supplies:
3 bottles of different sizes (mine are all the same and I definitely think they would look better with varying sizes)
Spray Primer I used regular old white spray paint I had laying around
Epson Salt
Spray Glue
Clear Sealant (This was a step I added. The epson salt falls off fairly easily. Maybe it had to do with chilly temperature since I was working in the garage. I had some clear sealant laying around so I sprayed it on. It did seem to help)

Lay down some newspaper and get to spraying. Cover all three bottles
with the white or primer spray paint.

I gathered up the rest of my supplies

Spread out some Epsom salt and spray your bottles with the glue.
While the bottle is still tacky, roll it through the Epsom salt. I did
this step twice, waiting about 1/2 hour in between.

At this point I sprayed on the sealant

Tada!

It looks like snow!

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Christmas decor

After my last blog and showing all the Christmas decor, I thought I'd show a little of my own.

A few years ago I found some mini prelit trees. My
candy canes and wreath add to a warm welcoming.

Garland and lights up the stairs with some of my older stockings.

Love my little reindeer with his acorn necklace. Special shout out
to Bethany Bear for her creativeness!

My first stocking

This year I decided to go with all white and silver. I love how elegant it looks.

Unfortunately I created my gumball wreath before my blogging days.
To make one of your own is simple though. Send the kids out in the yard to grab
a bagful of gumballs. I grabbed a vine wreath from the craft store and started hot
gluing them on. Once I covered the entire wreath I sprayed with silver metallic
spray paint. Tack on a bow and you're done!

Love bells! I have to put them everywhere!

Another easy (and inexpensive) idea. Throw some pine cones and
potpourri in a basket.

Our stockings were hung with care. No mantel so I have to make do.

Even the little fur-babies, Nate and Nadia have their stockings.
And with gifts already inside!

Candles, candles, candles! Add fake snow to your votive for a wintery feel.
Now that I think about it, I'm not sure how flame retardant the snow is....
You may want to keep an eye on those candles.

Another easy project, create your own Christmas centerpiece. A tray,
a few candles, snow and whatever small Christmas decorations
you have laying around.

I threw in some leftover ornaments, a few bells and a couple of light bulbs.

Not sure what to do with those ornaments that lose their tops?

Throw them in a bowl! Here's my Bowl of Fun. How happy does this look?
Throw any leftover ornaments or those missing their tops together.

I found some leftover ribbon I had to do something with so I
wrapped up our sliding door. Definitely need to find a bigger
bow and maybe something else to spruce it up.

A friend gave me this pot with a mini Christmas tree a few years ago.
As you can see I've kept the pot... the tree didn't survive. :/

But it makes for another easy project. Grabbed a handful of acorns
from the backyard.

What do you get when 2 thirty-year-olds move in together?
Two of everything, including Christmas trees. That's ok though.
The more the merrier!

I love the sparkly ones!

 MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

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A Woodsy Christmas

 A friend recently approached me looking for some ideas. She's a catering director and needs some help with a wintery, woodsy holiday party. So I started perusing some of my favorite websites and blogs. You can check out my all my Christmas decor ideas on Pinterest under my Christmas Board. Otherwise most of them are below.

Check out Simple Solutions blog on centerpieces.

This sounds like my kind of blog. Lynn's Kitchen Adventures displays
Frugal Holiday Centerpieces like this one.

Another great centerpiece from Rustic Art

Martha Stewart gives instructions on using Pinecones

I featured this in Happy Holidays blog but I thought the Alternative Christmas Tree was fitting

A step ladder tree from Funky Junk Interiors is another
alternative to the traditional tree.

I love this bucket from Restoration House.

Little Glass Box's blog makes an affordable Christmas table setting.
The pinecone place cards are absolutely adorable.

And I will have to try using a mason jar and some wire for
a latern-like look.

Ritzy Bee has a cute idea for place cards too

Feather Trees. Elegant and yet still earthy.
From It's Overflowing

At Home with K walks you through creating this adorable artwork

Create Pinecone Garland using Twig & Thisle's instructions

Snowflakes and Dragonflies adds a little sparkle to their light bulbs.

Grab some twigs from the backyard to make a
few quick decorations.
From House of Philia

Babble gets creative with twigs in their blog 22 Fall Wood Crafts

Another Ladder Christmas Tree idea at Eclectically Vintage

Found on Anna K Originals' Seaside Christmas Mantle