Silver Nutcrackers

 I'm headed to Good Morning, Texas today.  It's all about the sparkle.  This is one of three projects.  I'll post the third one soon.  In the meantime, I'll post the video to my facebook page with today's segment.  In the meantime....here is a sneakpeak.  I blogged about this easy recipe for making cinnamon almonds in the crockpot a few weeks ago.  I decided this would be one of the gifts I give this year for Christmas because they are fab-u-lous and easy to make.  I put them inside little silver boxes and added these silver nutcrackers I made.
I found mini nutcrackers at Michael's for 1.50 and larger nutcrackers at the dollar tree.  I got some silver spray....

I yanked off the beards (like the guy on the right).  The guys I got for a dollar were easiest b/c they were just glued on the edges.  I sprayed them with a little silver spray and they are good to go.  I plan to put the larger guys with some crystal candles and clear glass ornaments on my buffet.  The little nutcrackers are hitching a ride on the nuts I'm giving away to friends this year.  Stay tuned, more glitter coming soon.

Glittered Champagne

 Last year I made these for a few of my friends.  I did the same thing the year before (the mini champagne), but year two I decided to add some glitter to make it even more sparkly!
I just took some mini champagnes...

 Removed the label.

 Painted my bottled with mod podge and then sprinkled with fine glitter.

 When that dried, I painted another coat of mod podge over the bottle.  It will dry clear, but this prevents the glitter from flaking off all over the place.

 See...dried with mod podge coating.

 I added some gold candies, and googled free New Year's Even printables which I printed in mini.

Reindeer Gift Pack

 I have been super obsessed with themed Christmas gifts for my friend's kiddos.  I mail them out, and with so many aunts and uncles present on Christmas day, I've been sending packages the kids can open in advance to enjoy throughout the holidays.  A few years ago I did the twelve days of Christmas, which was a hit.  Last year I did themes like the above gift-reindeers.  I included shirts, a few of my favorite books, movies, and lots of goodies like blinking noses, reindeer food, antlers, and make your own nose.

 I made reindeer food a few years ago and blogged about it here.  I found a free printable on Amanda's blog when I made it this year.
I blogged about the shirt and reindeer nose with free printables/sources etc a few days ago.

I've already mailed off this year's themed gifts I'll blog about in the future.  It may be more fun for me as the giver than the gift-ed.  

Reindeer Shirt

 I put together a whole reindeer games gift set for my friend's little boys last year.  More on that soon.  Here is the shirt I put together.  I googled a bunch of shirts and created some pieces.  You can download those for free here.  I used the double sided magic sizing.  The instructions are on the package.  Basically, you cut the same shapes out, pull one paper off the back, press it stick side to the back of the fabric.  Iron.

 Peel off the other side of the paper and press the sticky side to your shirt.  Iron again.

 I could only find one of the sizes in brown, so I bought some dye and dyed a white shirt.  In the future, I'd probably grab all white and dye them all so there wasn't so much variation, but the kiddos are still working on their alphabet, there are a few years yet before they are critical about the shades of brown in my projects.

Reindeer Noses

I put together a reindeer themed gift box last year for one of my friend's little boys.  I had a few glow bracelets left over from Halloween, and saw the idea for making a Rudolph nose on alittlelearnings blog.  I knew it was the perfect addition.  She had a printable that explains how to,  slip the glow stick into the balloon.  I used the original case the bracelet came in to slip the balloon and instructions in/on.  Super easy and fun.  :O)

Gingerbread Clothes Pins

I'm slightly (completely) obsessed with gingerbread men, so when I saw gingerbread clips at eyeballs I know I had to add this project to my gingerbread collection.  Really, a collection I house here on pinterest. Just a few dozen gingerbread themed crafts...because admitting you have a problem is the first step.  

The clips were super easy-I took wooden clothes pins and sprayed them brown with paint, then added some face-I put the black on with a permanent marker and the rest with a thin brush per the instructions.  I'm going to use these to clothes some cookie bags.