12 Tags of Christmas - Tag #2

As per my last post - I'm joining in on Ellen Hutson's 12 Tags of Christmas Challenge.

You'll find the challenge details and Mr. Linky here. There are prizes to be won!!

Here is my tag for the Dec 2nd challenge

The song inspiration: A Puppy for Hanukkah. (check out YouTube!)

I die cut the tag pieces out of blue, white and Holographic silver.  I stamped the sentiment and stars and dreidels on the white panel and adhered it to the tag.  I added Clear Glitter Wink of Stella to the stars.  I adhered the scalloped frame piece around the panel with foam dots.   I stamped and die cut the pups from Mama Elephant, colored them with Copics and adhered them to the sides of the frame.   I stamped and die cut the sentiment and adhered it below the frame with foam dots.  I looped a piece of bakers twine through the top of the tag.

 

Stamps: Yappy Birthday - Mama Elephant, Happy Hanukkah - Wordsworth, Simple Strips: Woof - Taylored Expressions, 8 Happy Nights - Cas-ual Friday.
Paper: White, Blueberry Sky - PTI, Holographic Silver paper pad - Park Lane (JoAnn)
Ink: Obsidian - Altenew
Accessories: Yappy Birthday dies - Mama Elephant, Tag Sale #10 die - PTI, Simple Strips die - Taylored Expression, Copics B45, N2, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella, foam dots.

Happy Hanukkah!

Happy Hanukkah for all those celebrating this holiday that starts tonight!  I work for 3 surgeons who celebrate and each year I look for blue baskets (I get them at my local The Christmas Tree Shop - I start looking in the summer!) and I fill them with home made goodies.  This year, I also found a fun gift to put inside - a Doctor Gnome!

I made a Hanukkah tag to wrap around the gnome 

(should have moved the glitter yarn off his mouth for the photo!)

There's a package of cranberry oatmeal, macadamia nut white chip and chocolate mint cookies, Pecan Rum cakes and fudge tucked inside the pretty blue basket.

 They were all very appreciative of their Hanukkah gifts - and they even liked the Doctor Gnomes!
If you'd like to see the things I've created for Hanukkah in the past - click here.

Celebrating Hanukkah

Today I'm wishing all those who celebrate - a most happy first night of the 8 days of Hanukkah!

 I work for 3 surgeons who celebrate  - so every year I make each of them a gift basket of some sort.  Here is what I filled their baskets with this year.

 I'm always on the lookout for blue containers to put their treats in.  I found these lovely baskets this past summer at The Christmas Tree Shop.  I always make the sweet little Pecan Rum Cakes for them -  their families tell me how much they love them every year!  I also made some homemade fudge and Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans (see the recipe for the coffee beans on this post)

I made the tags using a Waltzingmouse tag die,  the silver star around the hole at the top of the die is from another Waltzingmouse tag die, a sentiment strip die from MFT, and the Star of David die is from PTI.  The little star and dreidle stamps are from Casual Fridays Stamps.

 I found this Hanukkah information on the Web

Hanukkah Traditions

Hanukkah is the story of a great victory of the Jews over the Syrian-Greeks. In 165 BCE, led by the Hasmonean family of Mattathias the High Priest and his youngest son, Judah, the Jews succeeded in evicting the Syrian-Greeks from Israel and restored the Temple.

According to the Talmud, after the Temple had been cleaned and the Priests were ready to light the Temple menorah, they could find only one jug of oil that was fit to use. This was only enough for one day, but it lasted for eight. This is why Hanukkah is eight days long. For eight days beginning on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev we light the menorah to celebrate the victory and the miracle of Hanukkah.

Hanukkah comes from the Hebrew word "Khanu" meaning 'and they rested,' and from the Hebrew date Kaf Hey which equals 25. That is why we celebrate Hanukkah beginning on the 25th of the month of Kislev.

You will find other Hanukkah projects I've posted over the years here.

In case you are interested - here is the recipe for the Pecan Rum Cakes - I found it in a magazine many years ago!  They are SO easy to make - and SO delicious!  (they taste best if heated a bit in the microwave before eating!)

Bert's Rum Cake

Makes 1 large bundt cake or 12 Bundtlette cakes 

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 box yellow cake mix

1 box (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding mix

1/2 cup light rum

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

4 eggs

GLAZE

1 cup sugar

1 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup light rum

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 12 cup bundt pan or 2 - six bundtlette pans with cooking oil spray with flour.  Sprinkle chopped pecans over bottom.  Stir cake mix and pudding together in large mixing bowl.  Add rum,  water, oil and eggs.  Beat for 2 minutes with an electric mixer.  Pour cake batter over nuts and bake for 45-50 minutes.  If you are making the smaller cakes, spoon batter evenly into each mold (about 2/3 cup each) and bake for 20 minutes.

5 minutes before cake is done, prepare the glaze.  Place sugar, butter, 1/4 cup rum and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan and boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Remove cake(s) from oven and slowly drizzle the glaze over the top while cake is still hot.  It will take several applications to use all the glaze.  Cool cake in pan for 30 minutes before unmolding.  Finish cooling on a wire rack.

Creations by AR - Wrap Up the Holidays - Day 5

 

 Welcome to Day 5 of the Eight Days of Wrap Up the Holidays with Creations by AR.  From Dec 2nd to Dec 9th each of the Design Team has a day to show you their creations using the new templates.  Today is my day!

As a crafter - there's nothing better than to have a creative package to put that special little gift for someone in, don't you think? It makes even the simplest of gifts seem very special.  Well, today I have 4 terrific ideas for you using four new templates from Adela at Creations by AR.  I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut my templates.  Adela includes SVG files for cutting machines as well as PDF files to print and cut, with all her templates.  See how you could win one of these templates at the end of my post!

I made the first two templates as part of my packaging for the Hanukkah gifts I gave the doctors I work for last week.  You may have seen that post here.  This is the Triangle Compact -  designed like the lipstick cases for your purse.   Here's the front.

  

 Here it is opened up -  3 small pieces of fudge fit inside.  This box measures 3.75" wide x 1.63" high x 1.88" deep.

and here is the back.  I used stamps from Cas-ual Fridays and Waltzingmouse.

Here's the box I created using the Swirl Top template.  I put 4 Almond Lace cookies inside this box.  The menorah die is from Papertrey Ink.  The top of the box is 4 panels, each with a swirl that interlocks as you close them.

I added a tag to hang down the back of the box - punching a hole in one of the 'swirls' and tying the tag to it. Stamps from Casual Fridays.  This box measures 2.75" x 2.75" at the base - slightly larger at the top x 3.5" high
 

Next up is the Gift Box Tower Template - a set of two boxes that can stack onto each other if desired.  I had this lovely snowflake/music paper that I thought would be perfect for the covers.  I wanted the boxes to be coordinated but not the same colors so I used a rustic cream for one and a pale green for the other.  

I die cut snowflakes on the front panel of each and layered a piece of clear acetate behind it.  Adela designed these boxes with a liner inside to make them nice and sturdy - you can see the liner behind the acetate on the snowflake cut outs.  Using the snowflakes makes these boxes good for gifts or treats all winter long!

 The larger box measures 4.5" wide x 4.5" deep x 4.13" high.  The smaller box measures 3.63" wide x 3.63" deep x 3.38" high.  I sponged all the edges with Old Paper Distress Ink

And last, but not least - is the oh so fun Our House Gift Tag template.  I covered mine in glitter to look like the vintage miniature holiday houses.  I inked each piece with Versamark, then poured Heat and Stick Powder over one completed section at a time, heated it and sprinkled glitter over it.  Then I adhered the pieces onto the tag using Glue N Seal to be sure they would stick to the glitter.

I am so thrilled with how this tag came out using the glitter  -  I think I have to keep it for myself and hang it on my tree this year!!

Now for the fun!!!You could win one of these new templates simply by leaving a comment here on my blog today.  I will post the randomly chosen winner tomorrow morning along with a link to my fellow Design Team member Lyn's blog who will be posting her creations -  you'll have another chance to win a template by leaving a comment on Lyn's blog tomorrow! 

So be sure to check back here tomorrow to see if you won -  and GOOD LUCK!
If you haven’t already joined Creations by AR on Facebook you can do so here click the like button on the Facebook page so that you don’t miss any new releases.

If you missed them -  you can see Lori's Day 4 post here.
Lisa's post Day 3 post here.
Jak's post Day 2 post  here
Patti's post Day 1  here

Adela is offering a special December Bundle of all 4 template here.

Triangle Compact

Stamps:  Candy Jar Christmas - Waltzingmouse, 8 Happy Nights - Cas-ual Fridays Stamps

Paper:  Blue - Prismatics, white - PTI, Brushed Silver - SU

Ink:  Archival Jet Black.

Accessories:  Sentiment strip die - MFT, foam dots, silver pearls - Michaels, 1 1/2" circle punch - EK Success, Circles Pinking Nestabilities - Spellbinders. Triangle Compact Template - Creations by AR, Silhouette Cameo

Swirl Top Box

Stamps:  8 Happy Nights - Casual Friday's Stamps

Paper:  Snow Cap White - Coredinations, Blueberry Sky and Summer Sunrise - PTI, Brushed Silver - SU

Ink:  Archival Jet Black

Accessories:  Tag Die #8 and Menorah Die - PTI, Star Punch - Fiskars, silver cord - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop, foam dots, ScorTape, Cropadile, Swirl Top Box Template - Creations by AR, Silhouette Cameo

Gift Box Tower

Paper: tan and green - Coredinations, rustic cream - Michaels, clear acetate - SU, DP - Text Style Flourishes and Swirls - PTI

Ink:  Ranger Distress Old Paper

Accessories:  create a snowflake dies - Spellbinders, Vintage Cream and Ocean Tides Saddle Stitched Ribbon - PTI, ScorTape,  Gift Box TowerTemplate - Creations by AR, Silhouette Cameo

Our House Gift Tag

Stamps:  Alpine Christmas - Waltzingmouse

Paper:  pink and light blue - Coredinations, dark blue - Prismatics, Summer Sunrise - PTI

Ink:  Versamark, Archival Jet Black

Accessories:  Glue N Seal - Ranger, heat gun, Heat and Stick Powder - SU, ScorTape, glue pen, glitter - Blumchen and Company,  Our House Gift Tag Template - Creations by AR, Silhouette Cameo.

Hanukkah Gift Basket

Tonight at sundown is the beginning of the Festival of Lights - the 8 days of Hanukkah (or Chanukah if you prefer).  Every year I try to come up with a new creative idea for packaging home made goodies that I give at Hanukkah to the 3 trauma surgeons I work for.  The holiday came so early this year I really had to get going!   I found some wonderful woven newspaper baskets at my local  Christmas Tree Shop - so I had my container.

Now, my basket appears a little empty because two of the  packages I put in them (holding  fudge and  almond lace cookies) were made using some templates from Creations by AR that aren't coming out until next week - so I couldn't show them to you! (come by next Friday on 12/6and you'll see them!)  But I can show you this fun Star of David creation.

I found a wonderful tutorial for this on Brenda Quintana's blog.  Her instructions are very clear and it goes together perfectly.  After fitting the strips together, you slip a Hershey Kiss into each triangle, add a ribbon and tag.  Here's how it looks from the back - the kisses fit quite snugly into the spaces so they all hold together without a backing!

Here's the card I included in each basket.  Stamps are from Eight Happy Nights by Cas-ual Fridays Stamps.

And here are all the confections I made -  zuchini bread, yellow rum cakes with pecans, almond lace cookies and fudge! (plus the kisses that I bought of course!)

Here's wishing all of my Jewish friends a wonderful 8 days of Hanukkah!

Card

Stamps:  Eight Happy Nights - Cas-ual Fridays Stamps

Paper:  White - PTI

Ink:  Archival Jet Black

Accessories:  Copics -B21, B23, foam tape.

Star of David

Paper:  white, Blueberry sky - PTI, brushed silver - SU

Stamps:  Cas-ual Fridays Stamps - 8 Happy Nights

Ink:  Archival Jet Black

Accessories:  small and large oval punches - SU, glitter eyelash yarn - Martha Stewart, Hershey Kisses, ScorPal, tutorial - qbeesquest.blogspot.com

Sketch it with Eight

After working on a flurry of Design Team creations last week - I'm finally able to do some 'just because I want to' stamping for a couple of my favorite challenges! I make Hanukkah cards for the doctors I work for each year and this set called 8 Happy Nights by Cas-ual Fridays Stamps is just perfect for this holiday!

Cas-ual Fridays challenge - Create with 8

 Cas(e) This Sketch -

and just for good measure - here's another card I made using the same stamp set - I drew a frame around the edge using a silver pen.

 Well - I have to go check the pumpkin pie I'm baking for Thanksgiving -  we're all snuggled down in our house tonight - the wind is howling and it's about 22 degrees F.   We MAY get a little snow Wednesday night - hopefully nothing that will interfere with us driving to my sister's house on Thursday (1 hour away) for Thanksgiving dinner!

Happy Hanukkah
Stamps:  8 Happy Nights - Cas-ual Fridays stamps
Paper:  White - PTI
Ink:  Memento - Cantaloupe and Bahama Blue

8 Hapy Nights
Stamps:  8 Happy Nights - Cas-ual Friday Stamps
Paper:  white - PTI
Ink:  Memento - Cantaloupe and Bahama Blue
Accessories:  silver pen - UniBall Gel

A Little House for Hanukkah - Creations by AR Nov 15th release blog hop!

Welcome stamping and paper craft  friends!   Today I'm excited to be sharing my project made with Adela's cute new template release - House Box and Ornament.

I work for 3 trauma surgeons and they celebrate Hanukkah - so each year I make them gifts of hand made items and home baked goods. I'm always looking for something creative and fun to make for them - and this little house came just in time for my gifts this year! 

I used some glitter white paper (from Michaels) to make the snowy roof and window sills.(they really sparkle IRL but it doesn't show on the pic)  I used a drippy punch from Martha Stewart for the icicles.  I attached a square of silver paper inside the windows.

I silver embossed the Happy Hanukkah and the Star of David.  I tied a piece of Eyelash Glitter yarn through the chimney so the house could be hung up or tied to a package.

You can push out the inside piece of the house and place some treats inside if you like.  Hershey Kisses would be a perfect treat!

Here are the two separate pieces of the house

I also decorated a blue bag (purchased at the Dollar Store - 2 bags for $1.00!!)  I stamped on a wide piece of twill (Wishing you a Happy Hanukkah and a Menorah by Papertrey Ink)  and adhered it to the bag with Scor Tape to be sure it would stay on.  I found these beautifully colored Menorah Candles at TJ Maxx which I will put in the bag along with some home made goodies.  The little house will be hanging on the bag handle as shown.    

I think they will like their gifts!

Now here are the details on how you could win this sweet little template!

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

New Release

Begins Thursday, Nov.15 at 6:00am (EST) 

Ends Sunday at midnight

3 LUCKY WINNERS! 

How to Win: One random comment from each group listed below will be chosen to receive the new template. The more you comment, the greater your chances!

AR Design Team

Visit and comment at each blog - one winner chosen from the AR Team

AR FaceBook Page

One winner chosen from a comment on the AR FaceBook Page.

*** Here's the Link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Creations-by-AR/154314751303824

AR Paper Craft Planet Group

The third winner will be chosen from the comments left at Paper Crafts Planet

*** Here's the Link: http://www.papercraftplanet.com/group/creationsbyar/forum/topics/no...

WINNERS will be announced on AR Facebook page and AR Paper Craft Planets Group
on Monday, Nov. 19

Now let's go see what the other Design Team members did with this cute little house template!

Adela Rossol 

Amy Park  

Julia Aston:    Me!

Lisa Somerville
Lori Brown

Lyn Bernatovich

Magdalena Cortez
Patti Gilliam

Sue Kment  

Stamps: on the house - Star of David - unknown, happy hanukkah - Wordsworth,  on bag and candle package - Mazel Tov - Papertrey Ink..

Paper:  sparkly white - Michaels, Blueberry Sky and Spring Rain - PTI, silver paper - Joanne's.

Ink:  Versamark, Memento Nautical Blue

Accessories:  glitter eyelash yarn - Martha Stewart (Michaels), drip punch - Martha Stewart, xacto knife, Scor tape, silver embossing powder, hot gun, circle and scallop circle punches - SU, wide twill - SU, paper bag - the Dollar Store, candles - TJ Maxx.

Chanukah Baskets for the Bosses

Today I wanted to share the baskets I decorated and filled for the 3 doctors I work for.   They celebrate Chanukah and every year I like to create something special for them. I got the plain blue baskets at The Christmas Tree Shop for $2.99 each.  The basket is 9 1/2" tall and 8" wide.

I adhered the striped May Arts Ribbon around the top, tied the Glitter Eyelash yarn (Martha Stewart from Michaels) over the ribbon in a bow and added a paper flower I made out of sparkle tissue paper.  I just learned how to make these simple flowers on Tim Holtz blog when he made one on his12th Christmas Tag.

I strung the tag on the basket with the same glitter yarn.  The stamps I used on the tag are from the Mazel Tov set by Papertrey Ink.  I silver embossed the images and added Yellow Stickles to the flames.

I filled the baskets with home made goodies:    

Star of David Sugar Cookies wrapped in a flat bottom clear bag.

home made fudge wrapped in a clear acetate box.  (you can find my simple, delicious fudge recipe here)

and Pecan Rum Cake Bundtlettes with a label added to warn receivers they contain nuts!

Here's the basket filled to the brim with the goodies!

Amazing what a little ribbon, a flower and a tag can do to dress up a plain basket isn't it??!!

I have made these Rum Cakes every Christmas season since I found this recipe in a magazine several years ago.  They are super easy and 'out of this world' delicious!

Bert's Rum Cake

Makes 1 large bundt cake or 12 Bundtlette cakes 

 

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 box yellow cake mix

1 box (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding mix

1/2 cup light rum

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

4 eggs

 

GLAZE

1 cup sugar

1 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup light rum

1/4 cup water

 

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 12 cup bundt pan or 2 - 6 bundtlette pans with cooking oil spray with flour.  Sprinkle chopped pecans over bottom.  Stir cake mix and pudding together in large mixing bowl.  Add rum,  water, oil and eggs.  Beat for 2 minutes with an electric mixer.  Pour cake batter over nuts and bake for 45-50 minutes.  If you are making the smaller cakes, spoon batter evenly into each mold (about 2/3 cup each) and bake for 20 minutes.

 

5 minutes before cake is done, prepare the glaze.  Place sugar, butter, 1/4 cup rum and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan and boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

 

Remove cake(s) from oven and slowly drizzle the glaze over the top while cake is still hot.  It will take several applications to use all the glaze.  Cool cake in pan for 30 minutes before unmolding.  Finish cooling on a wire rack.

 

Yum!!

You can see the gifts I've made in past years for the doctors here and here.

Wishing a very happy Chanukah to all those who celebrate -  starting next Tuesday at sundown.

Celebrating Chanukah!

I wish everyone who celebrates the Festival of Lights starting Friday evening a very Happy Chanukah! I'd like to share with you gifts I made for the three doctors that I work with.

First I made this cute little house from Lauren's template I embossed all the stampings with Silver EP.

I kept it clean and simple using two Papertrey stamp sets, Home Made and Mazel Tov.

Inside the house I tucked 8 Star of David sugar cookies frosted and sprinkled with blue sugar crystals bundled up in a flatbottom bag and tied with a blue ribbon.

Next I made some spiced nuts (ETA: recipe by Denise (Peanutbee) I make them EVERY year since I found her recipe and they are just de-lish!!!) and poured them into sterilized Starbucks bottles that I decorated with a Spellbinders snowflake layered onto a large felt snowflake, and hung around the bottle with a ribbon. I added a few silver gemstones for shimmer! I wrapped a piece of cardstock around the jar that I had scored at half inch intervals over the whole piece so that it wrapped nicely. I embossed a symbol on a blue circle that I attached to the top of the cover.

To complete the project I made a little card using this cute little guy - Fred Frolic - from Poppy Stamps that I colored with Copics. The sentiment is from the Mazel Tov set.

Then I placed it all inside a little basket that I picked up last year at The Christmas Tree Shop and placed one on each doctor's desks.

They were gratifyingly pleased with their home made Chanukah gifts!

You can see the gifts I made them last year on this post.

Thanks so much for coming by today!

Stamps: Home Made, Mazel Tov - Papertrey Ink, Fred Frolic - Poppy Stamps
Paper: Pacific Point, Going Grey - SU, white - PTI, silver paper (unknown)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark Embossing pad

Accessories: Silver EP - PTI, silver and blue ribbons - PTI, hot gun, silver rhinestone stickers, Starbucks bottles, basket - Christmas Tree Shops, felt snowflake - Michaels, flat bottom bag - clearbags.com, Copics, Spellbinders snowflake, Cuttlebug, foam dimensionals.