Cider and cocoa mugs

I am prepping and living on the hope that we will be able to have a fall/winter craft fair this year as COVID begins to slowly wind down.  I know we live in a different world but hope we can have back some fun holiday events.  Last year was really difficult to get into the spirit because everything was canceled. 

I buy the DCWV paper stacks when they go on sale, then cut the mugs on my Cricut in between projects, leaving them stacked in a box until I get around to assembly.  Often, I will fold them, then take them to the living room to glue while watching a show.  Then they go back to the box until I decide on the embellishments.  Since the fall craft fair was canceled, I was less than inspired, until they announced the vaccine had rolled out.  

This year, I used the MFT Hug in a Mug

stamps and coordinating dies.  The oval is from my Spellbinders basic ovals and stamped in Momento Tuxedo Black.  The mugs were cut in MFT Electric Red and Sour Apple.  The cider color is Stampin Up Cajun Craze and the cocoa is SU Early Espresso.  The whipped cream and marshmallows are SU Whisper White.  The leaves were cut from scraps of yellow and orange on my Cricut.  Thanks for looking!  April

Gnome gift card holders

I have been slowly working on inventory for the fall craft fair.  (Here's hoping they will continue to have craft fairs after COVID-19!)  These are simple to make and a huge seller last year when I used snowmen.  You get THREE holders from one sheet of cardstock so
they are very economical.
Along the 11 inch side, cut at 3.5 inches.  You will have a small strip left after you cut all three.  Along the long side of each strip, score at 2 on one end, the rotate and score at 2.5 at the opposite end.  I used a corner rounder on the edges to keep them tidy.  The matted pieces are a quarter inch smaller.  I used 1/8 inch adhesive tape to seal the edges of the larger flap to form a pocket.  The gnome is attached to the top flap and I used a mini velcro dot to seal the holder. The cardstock is MFT and the patterned paper is from DCWV. 
The gnomes were created on Cricut Design space.  I used a large oval for the body and sliced the bottom off with a square to create a flat bottom.  You can also create this with a punch and cut a flat bottom with scissors.  His beard is created from a leaf.  I used the small oval nose to slice out a place for the oval to rest.  Looking back now, I would have popped the nose up on a piece of foam tape.  The hat was from another cut file, but you can easily use a triangle.  I have also seen small circles for hands and small ovals for feet, but chose to keep these pretty minimal.  I made my gnomes around 2.5 inches tall and could fit close to 43 on a sheet of 12x12 paper on my Circut.  I used dark green for the body, cherry for the hats, white for the beards, and flesh for the noses.  I assembled them while watching a movie with my hubby in just about an hour.
In total, I made 45 holders in under 3 hours, with cutting papers, folding and assembly.  Thanks for looking!  April

Disney Castle color-change tumblers

I have been playing with ideas for my craft fair booth and wanted to try some samples of vinyl I received in the mail, so these new color-changing tumblers from Michael's were the perfect opportunity to play.  I used silver rain holographic vinyl for the fireworks and Minnie's bow, and glitter rainbow vinyl for the castles.  I love the effect of the holographic vinyl.  Now, I have to put these through their paces and see how it holds up to washing.  Thanks for looking!  April

Frosty's Hat treat holder

I had a ton of black cardstock scraps from making the penguin gift card envelopes and saw this idea on Pinterest.  The top of the hat used all my scraps.  The top is a piece of 3x8 inch paper, scored at 1/2" down the long side.  Snip the paper up to the half inch mark to give you tabs to glue to the hat base.  Use a bone folder to help curl the paper, then use some tear tape to join the two ends, push down the tabs and use a 2 1/2" circle to hold the shape.  I used the largest circle in the Nestabilities set for the brim.  The hat is finished with a 1/2"x8" scrap of Real Red cardstock, but you can use ribbon as well.  I found the felt leaves at Tuesday Morning in a package with poinsettias for $1.99 for 30 pieces.  The berries are extra large pearls, colored with a copic marker.  Be sure to leave some dry time or use a heat gun to set it.  I also dropped another 2 1/2" circle into the hat to hide the tabs and make it look more finished.  Last, I stuffed a bag in the tube and filled with Hershey's kisses and tied with an organza ribbon.  Thanks for looking!  April

Gift Card Bag

I found this cute gift card bag on Pinterest and thought it would be a cute craft fair idea.  Be sure to use double sided paper because you have to fold down a small part for the top of the bag.  I also used the scrap to make the bow using the Stampin Up bow builder punch.  I recommend using lighter weight paper, as cardstock is more likely to crack at the seams and becomes bulky with the folded down top.  I used the retired word window punch to make the handle.  Inside is a small baggie with Starlight mint disks and tied with a red satin ribbon.  It will serve to keep the gift card in place.  Thanks for looking!  April

Cider Mugs

After the cocoa mugs sold so well at last year's craft fair, I decided to add some apple cider mugs as well.  These were made with a template I found online and imported into Design Space.  The paper is from DCWV paper stack I found at JoAnn.  I used a stamp from a past My Paper Pumpkin kit from a few years ago, stamped in Chocolate Chip ink.  I added a small heart and a bow made from linen thread.  Thanks for looking!  April

Ugly Christmas Sweater Tags

 Sometimes, the best plans just fail big.  These were supposed to be gift card holders and the tab at the top was the way to pull it out.  Unfortunately, the sweaters are just a bit too small once glued together and making them bigger means only getting one out of a 12x12 sheet.  I can't justify the waste of paper.  Rather then toss them out, I turned them into tags.  They can go on a package or hang on a stocking or tree.  I also debated about making a garland of ugly sweaters.  As my teen says, "They are horrible and I love them!" 
These were based on a paper pattern I found and imported into Cricut Design Space.  I have several different papers but only took a picture of two as a sample.  I plan to play with the design to see of I can revise these but they won't go to waste for now.  Thanks for looking!  April

Mitten lip balm holders

I fell in love with My Favorite Things lip balm set.  They are very reasonable in price.  The stamps are $9, lip balm window die is $10.99, the rip strip die for $9.99, and the pouches are 10 for $3.99.  Many people were using the bookmark die to make the pouches, but I wanted something different.  I went hunting for a pattern to import into Cricut Design Space and found a pattern for a mitten.  I duplicated and flipped the image to make a front and back, then sized to fit four mitts on a page.
Once I had all the pieces cut, I glued the cuffs on, then decided where I wanted the lip balm window.  I opted not to use the little border piece this time.  Once the window was in place, I used it as a guide to place the rip strip die on the back mitten.  Just be sure when you glue the two halves together to avoid putting adhesive where the rip strip is.  Now, the recipient doesn't have to tear apart the mitten to get to the lip balm.  I found 3-packs of Chap-Stick in holiday flavors on special for $2.

Once it was glued together, I used a crop-a-dile to punch a hole in the corner and added a circle tag stamped with one of the sentiments and a small punched heart.  I left the string long enough to be tied to a gift, hung on the tree or added to a stocking.  Thanks for looking!  April

Santa & Penguin gift card envelopes

I am getting ready for a local craft fair.  This is the second year I am participating and am trying different things.  These Santa gift card holders sold really well last year, so I am adding the penguin ones to see how they do.  I got a lot of positive responses from them and sold out.
I used the envelope punch board to make the smallest envelope, then added a white liner where a greeting can be added.  I made the Santa belly band with Basic Black and punched the belt with champagne glimmer paper using a scalloped square punch.
The penguin's belly is a large oval punch on white glimmer paper, then trimmed even with the bottom of the envelope.  The eyes are punched from small circles and I used a gel pen to give a little sparkle.  A small heart punched from Pumpkin Pie cardstock is the beak.  I used a mini velcro dot for the closure.  (They are a bit pricey, but I found some on clearance and have used a 50 or 60% off coupon at Joann.)  Thanks for looking!  April

Warm Wishes cocoa mugs

These adorable paper mugs are based on a mug card I found on Pinterest.  I took the template and instead of printing it on cardstock and cutting it out, I transferred the image to Cricut Design Space and adjusted it for cutting.  I use double sided 12x12 and get 2 per sheet.  Once they are removed from the cutting mat, simply fold and glue along the two sides.  I embellished these with a print and cut design I created in Design Space, as well as cutting tags that are tied on the handle.  All I have to do is slip a hot cocoa packet into them.  These will be sold at the craft fair in November and these were big sellers last year.  They make great co-worker gifts or stocking stuffers and there is plenty of room to slip a gift card inside.  Thanks for looking!  April