Over and Out

Photo by johnhmai

We're loading up the car and heading off to spend time with family in Palm Springs and L.A. during the remaining days of 2008, so I wanted to bid you all adieu for now. I hope that everyone has a peaceful and restful holiday filled with good friends, loved ones, yummy food, and maybe a shiny new bauble or two.

And thank you so much for all of your comments, emails, tips, links, and support this past year. Being a part of this worldwide blogging community has truly been one of the highlights of the last twelve months for me.

Happy Holidays to you all! I'll see you back here in the New Year.

Etsy Finds of the Day: Tag It

Now that you've got the holiday cards sent, the ornaments hung, the garlands strung, and the gifts wrapped, it's time to tag them and slip them under the tree. Above: Santa Obama Gift Tags, $3.75 for twelve from time2cre8

Clockwise from top left: Letterpress Hang Tags, $3.50 for three from amyb13; Mittens Tags, $3 for three from Christina Williams Designs; Spirograph Gift Tag, $5 for six from Blackbird Letterpress; Letterpress Gift Tags, $8 for eight from Heather Smith Jones

Clockwise from top left: Jigsaw/Sky Gift Tags, $4 for four from RiffeRaff; Porcelain Gift Tag Stars, $3.75 for three from Summers Studio Etc.; Green and Brown Letterpress Gift Tags, $10 for nine from Sycamore Street Press

Clockwise from top left: Letterpress Hangtags, $12 for twelve from Lucky Bee Press; Snowflake Christmas Gift Tags, $6 for five from Little Glowing Lights; Christmas Berry Letterpress Gift Tags, $8 for six from Old Tom Foolery; Tag It and Box It Up Tags, $3 for five from B.B. Vintage

Clockwise from top left: Do Not Open Until December 25 Tags, $3 for five from The Hollister 25; Letterpress Gift Tags, $8 for twelve from With Love Designs; Holiday Wooden Gift Tags, $14 for six from Paloma's Nest; Naughty or Nice Gift Tags, $9 for six from Design des Troy

Clockwise from top left: Deer Holiday Gift Tag, $10 for six from Small Square Design; Bottle Brush Christmas Tree Tags, $3 for two from Petite Pear Paperie; Wallpaper Hex Gift Tags, $5 for five from Ladies & Gentlemen; Holiday Gift Tag Assortment, $12 for five from Astulabee

The clock's a-tickin', though -- so if you want any of these in time for Christmas, I'd order them pronto.

Etsy Finds of the Day: Wrap It Up

The holiday juggernaut continues, today with a selection of pretty handmade wrapping papers and other gift containers from those busy Etsy elves. (Note: I tried to choose several papers and vessels that weren't specifically holiday-themed, so that they'd be just as useful the rest of the year.) Above: XO Limited Edition Gift Wrap, $8 for two sheets from RiffeRaff

Push/Pull Gift Wrap Set, $4 from Sarah Marie

Pavilion Recycled Paper Gift Wrap, $16 for four sheets from Smock Letterpress

Original Gift Wrap, $9 for two sheets from Wolfie and the Sneak

Tori Gift Wrap Set, $4.50 from Erin Ruth

Grape Vendome Gift Wrap, $8 for two sheets from The Market by Feterie

Jigsaw Bead Gift Wrap $8 for two sheets from RiffeRaff

You're Nuts Paper, $6 for three sheets from Fact & Fancy

Merry Christmas Gift Bag, $6 from Paloma's Nest

Gift Bag Sets, $10 for four from Things by Bubbo-Tubbo

Tiny Gocco Gift Bags, $3.75 for six from Mothball Charlie

Origami Gift Boxes, $9 for three from Paper Red Shoes

Bianco e Rosso Twine, $16 per spool from Carta, Inc.

Etsy Finds of the Day: Garlands Galore

Whether you're in the market for holiday decorations or simply looking for pretty, wintry adornments for your home, these handmade garlands will look magical twined around the tree, draped over the mantle, or strung across a window or wall. Above: Dogwood Flower Garland, $32 from Middleburg Folk Art Studio

Starry White Sparkle Garland, $32 from Marilyn Healy

Snowflake Garland, $17 from The Looks

Let it Snow Garland, $20 from Sugar Britches Company

Extra Long Snowflake Garland made from vintage book pages, $8.50 from Geek Details

Silver Oak Garland, $16 from Royal Buffet

Antique Mercury Glass Christmas Garland, $70 from Ruby Fig Atelier

Winter Garland, $18 from Cat and Fiddle

Snow Flurries Banner, $22.50 from Cottage in the Sun

Blue Snowflake Garland, $7 from Little Glowing Lights

Icy Winter Garland, $15 from Miesmama

Snowflake Garland, $13 from Lemon Tree Studio

How To: Make a Holiday Wreath from Vintage Books

Blog reader Mary-Ellen Kelly (she of last week's snowflakes-and-pinecones window hanging) was kind enough to share another super-simple holiday craft project with us:

You’ll need:
• Wire hanger
• Old book pages in various sizes
• Stapler
• Hole punch
• Ribbon

Instructions:
• Unwind the handle of the wire hanger so that you have an opening, but be sure to leave the top of the hanger in a hook shape. Carefully bend the body of the hanger into a circle, rounding out the corners as best as possible.

• Tear 50 or 60 pages (total) from a variety of books; pages of slightly different shapes and sizes work best.

• Roll a single page in half from top to bottom (not left to right).

• Staple the edges together where the top and bottom of the page meet.

• Punch a hole through the center of the rolled-and-stapled page. Tip: Once you get going on the pages, try hole-punching purposefully left or right of center to slightly vary the pages’ position on the wreath.

• Thread the open end of the wire hanger through the hole you've punched in one of the rolled book pages. Repeat with a second rolled page.

• Secure the two pages by stapling them together. (Staple from the underside of the top page so the staple doesn't show.)

• Repeat until the wire circle is full.

• Bring the first page and last page together at the top of the circle with your last staple. Make sure that the hanger hook is hidden behind the rolled book pages.

• Re-twist the open end of the hanger around the base of the hook to close your circle.

* Hang the wreath on a small nail or tack. If you wish, you can mount a decorative ribbon above the wreath so it appears to be suspended from that.

Finis!

Thank you so much for sharing this fun project, Mary-Ellen!

(Readers: If you have a simple DIY project to share, send me photos and instructions and I'll be happy to feature it here.)

Etsy Finds of the Day: Hang It

More than ever, I'm craving a really simple Christmas. I'm drawn less to "traditional" holiday imagery and bright colors and much more to a limited, wintry color palette, naturalistic forms, and handcrafted adornments.

This year we'll be doing more paring down than stocking up, but if I was in the market for some new ornaments for the tree, these would be at the top of my list. Above: Birdcage Ornaments, $8 for three from Tabitha Emma

Snowflake No. 3, $2.50 from LJoker55

Falling Flurries 2, $4.60 for three from RiffRaff Designs

Handcut Black Paper Snowflakes, $9 for three from Joyeux Noel

Modern Snowflakes Origami Ornaments, $20 for two from Sweet Thoughts

Canvas Heart Ornament, $14 for two from Stiksel

Bilingual Clove-Scented Ornaments, $15 for six from La Pomme

Wooden Snowflake Ornaments, $2.50 for three from Maka Le Wakan

Wooden Ornaments Variety Pack, $28 for five from Sub-Studio

Glittered Pinecone Ornament, $6.50 for two from Birch Hill Crafts


Paper Mache Ornaments, $18 for four from Things by Bubbo-Tubbo

Oh, Christmas Tree No. 1, $5 from Windy Designs

Linen Christmas Trees, $16 for two from Strawberries and Cream

Holiday Bird Ornament 6, $8 from Astulabee

Twinkle Bird Ornaments, $16 for four from Royal Buffet

Peace Dove Ornaments, $27 for three from Ooshkapah

Hot Pink Bird, $10 from Stelabird

Birdcage Papercuts, $19 for two from Tamara Designs

Peace Ornament, $12 from Rae Dunn

Medallion Ornaments, $86 for six from Paloma's Nest

Porcelain Snowflake Ornament, $14 from Shoshona Snow Ceramics

Christmas Ornament, $15 from Leaping Lizards Designs (100 percent of the proceeds will benefit Living Water International)

Trumpet Christmas Bell, $15 from Jennifer Orme Ceramics