Cute little gift box!

Hi friends! Many of us are in the countdown the Christmas and you might be in need of a last minute gift or a cute DIY packaging idea and I have got you covered with today’s project!

You can follow the steps in the video below or head over the the Ohuhu Blog for written instructions!

This video is sponsored by Ohuhu, they just released a brand new set of super-light pastel tone alcohol brush markers. See them here. Also available on Amazon.

Supplies:

• Cardstock in White, lavender, mint green, pastel blue and pastel pink
• Stamping ink in black and Turquoise
• Stamp (House Mouse Designs: Marshmallow Bounce)
• Ohuhu Pastel Alcohol Brush Markers
• Ribbon
• Double sided tape
• Paper Trimmer
• Scoring Board
• Snowflake punch or die-cut (optional)
• Rhinestones (optional)

You can use the cute gift box to wrap other things too such as a notecard set or baked goods. The sky’s the limit! I hope you found this project useful and til next time happy crafting!

Feeling Stressed? Paint a Zen Branch with Leaves & Berries!

Hi friends, Looking for some chill-out time? Here you go! An easy and relaxing branch with leaves and berries to paint in watercolor.

If you enjoy fun and relaxing projects you might like my Hand-Painted Holiday class and it’s on sale this month! Save $10 with coupon code JOY2020 if the discount doesn’t appear. Regular price $39, with discount $29. Offer good through December 31, 2020

In other news my signature sets are back in stock at Jerry’s Artarama. **I used paints from my Turner Signature set on today’s painting.

Colors used:

• Quin Magenta
• Perm. Scarlet Perm. Gamboge
• Pthalo Green
• Turquoise
• Burnt Umber
• Reference photo
• You only need 1 round brush, any size on the #8-#12 range with a good point.

I wasn’t sure if I like the painting better the way I painted it or turned on it’s side. What do you think?

Happy crafting!

Let’s Paint a Pinecone & Berries!

Howdy friends! Last week I created this marker illustration:

I shared it on Instagram and I had many people asking for a tutorial. I have to admit that it took quite a long time to create, this 8″x 8″ drawing took about 2 hours and marker work is very relaxing but can also be kinda repetitive and dull for a real time tutorial so I decided I would do a looser one in watercolor. Since I used my original drawing as my reference you can look at that as you work if you like:)

Supplies available at sponsor Jerry’s Artarama! Use coupon code: frugal20FS49 for 20% off $49 + Free Shipping (Excludes: Sale, Super Sale, Egift Cards, Buy It Try It’s and Vendor restricted items. Look for the green coupon eligible icon on the product listing.

• Turner watercolors
• Mimik watercolor brushes (faux squirrel)
• 100% cotton paper HP
• Colored pencils
• Gel pen

I hope you enjoy this relaxing project and til next time happy painting!

PS Want more Christmas Cards and Gift tags to paint? Try my Hand-painted Holiday class! Learn more here.

Whimsical Deer in Watercolor Real Time Tutorial

Hi freinds! Today we are going to paint this fun, colorful deer!

Watch the video and draw and paint along! You can do it!

Supplies (affiliate links used)

• Watercolors (Artsy folding watercolor set) Colors used: Cobalt teal, Opera, yellow ochre, burnt umber, sap green, ultramarine violet
• Paper: Paul Rubens hot press block 8″x10″ ish
• Brushes: Mimik
• Colerase pencils for sketching
• Reference photo 1, reference photo 2

If Christmas is your thing…

…check out my new class “Hand-painted Holiday” and save 50%! You can create hand-painted watercolor Christmas cards and gift tags sure to be saved as keepsakes by your family and friends!
*Use coupon code XMASTREAT if discount doesn’t appear automatically. Regular price $39, with coupon $19.50, offer ends 12/1/19

Happy painting!

Did you know you could make an ornament with this?

Hi friends! When I designed the Let it Snow stamp set for Rubber Stamp Tapestry I knew that I wanted to be able to more with it than just snow globes, that’s why I drew ornament hangers along with the other elements in the set. A viewer who purchased the stamp set asked me if I could show her how to make an ornament so today I’ll do just that!

Watch the video to see how easy it is! As always substitute stamps you have if you don’t have what I am using. I also have some fun tips for heat embossing!

This video is sponsored by Rubber Stamp Tapestry  Use coupon code: LINDSAY and receive 15% off your retail order of $10 or more of peg stamps, peg stamp sets, and unmounted stamps! Coupon expires a week from this video publication. Continue to receive great deals by becoming a PegStamp VIP here. As a PegStamp VIP you’ll get a weekly deal via email plus links to fabulous tutorials by me, Lindsay the Frugal Crafter and other designers.

Supplies:

• Let it Snow Stamp Set
• Trinkets and Wishes 
• Peg Stamp Sets (you can use berries, boughs and snowflakes from any sets you like but below are the ones I used) Shady Pine (large bough), Christmastime (small bough), Holly Border (Berries), Happy Holidays (stars)
• Versafine Clair ink
• Clear embossing powder
• Gold embossing powder
• Glitter gold embossing tinsel
• Embossing heat tool
• Metallic watercolors
• Viviva watercolors (or liquid ink)
• Embossing folder
• Black cardstock
• Watercolor paper
• Zip dry glue
• Dry Adhesive (ATG)
• Ribbon, scissors, paper trimmer

Another fun idea would be to use the globe as a frame and put a photo behind it for a photo card. I love stamps that do double duty and coming up with ideas to use with my older stuff. I hope you give some of these ideas a try and til next time happy crafting!

Inspired by Christmas Decorations!

Hi friends! I spent the morning teaching a workshop making DIY kissing balls, it was so fun! I wish I took a photo because you would not believe how lovely all of the Christmas kissing balls looked hanging in the greenhouse as my beginner students put the finishing touches on them. Now I am enjoying a hot cup of tea before climbing into the attic to fetch our Christmas decorations. We decorated the porch last weekend when the weather was nice and it has been so cheerful to come home to. I enjoyed the decorations on my porch so much that I thought it would be fun to create cards inspired by them!

We still have a few finishing touches to add like icicle lights at the roof and greenery in the ice skates but all in all I really like it! We have a small ranch style home so I think it is enough to look nice, classic and cozy.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Inspiration is all around you! If you feel a spark of creativity in your surroundings make a mental note and use it to fuel your next craft idea! Watch the video to see how I made my decor inspired cards!

This video is sponsored by Rubber Stamp Tapestry  Use coupon code: LINDSAY and receive 15% off your retail order of $10 or more of peg stamps, peg stamp sets, and unmounted stamps! Coupon expires a week from this video publication. Continue to receive great deals by becoming a PegStamp VIP here. As a PegStamp VIP
you’ll get a weekly deal via email plus links to fabulous tutorials by me, Lindsay the Frugal Crafter and other designers.

Supplies:

• (Peg stamp sets) Embellished Holiday Wreath, Shady Pine, Christmastime, Happy Holidays, Winter Night Sky, Holly Border *Feel free to use any evergreen foliage you like on these cards
• Flower pot stamp
• Lamp Post stamp
• Dye ink (Memento)
• Ink Blending brush
• White cardstock and patterned paper
• Die cut felt
• Ribbon
• Metal plates other embellishments
• Double sided tape

Tips!

• Have a look at other stamps you own and ask if that can be combined with peg stamps for new looks.
• Draw a line or circle if needed to help you placing your images. You can erase it later with a soft white eraser after your stamping ink is dry.
• Peg stamps are great for adding little touches to tags and envelopes so leave a few holiday themed stamps and ink pads out when you are addressing Christmas cards or wrapping gifts so you can make tags and envelopes extra special!

I hope you have something fun and crafty planned this weekend. I’d love to know what your favorite holiday decoration is, let me know in the comments below! My favorite decoration from my childhood was a scene of ice skaters on a pond from the 1970s. There were white plastic snowbanks surrounding a mylar mirror-like pond and the ice skaters were brightly colored clear plastic. I used to skate those around the plastic pond all season long. I wonder if my parents still have that old decoration in their basement LOL! I am sure it is worse for wear with all of the skating I made those figurines do! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

LIVE! Paints & Skates!

Edited to add the finished painting from the livestream. Have a great weekend!

Hi friends! Take a break from Black Friday shopping and relax with a fun painting tutorial. We will paint some ice skates today filled with winter foliage! I am hoping this will inspire me to get my front porch decorated this weekend because I have an old wooden sled that I like to lean up on the stacked firewood on my porch and drape ice skates over. Let me know if you would like a Christmas decorating video and that might push me into decorating sooner LOL! Here is the practise sketch I did to prepare for todays video:

We will have 2 ice skates in the live video, you can get the reference photo and traceable pattern in the supply list below. If you want to chat live be sure to tune in at 12:30pm ET on YouTube today or as always you can catch the replay in the player below:)

I will be using supplies from Arteza today, they have 25 % off their shop today only with coupon code: BLACK25  *This video is not sponsored but I am using affiliate links so I earn a small commission if you purchase something with no additional cost to you, in fact if you use the coupon code BLACK25 you will save 25%! Thank you for your support!

Supplies:

• Arteza real brush pens (I have the 48 pack)
• Arteza 36 pan watercolor set
• Arteza Gouache
• Other: 6″x9″ Bee watercolor paper (amazon)  *The Arteza art supplies can also be found on amazon but you can’t use the 25% off coupon there
• Reference photo
• Pattern to trace

I hope you are having a nice start to your weekend! I hope to see you at 12:30pm on YouTube for a fun skate painting party! Happy crafting!

Cookin’, Wrappin’, Relaxin’ & Preparing for Snow!

Merry Christmas friends! I have to say that this has been my favorite Christmas season in many years. What was different?  Why was I not a stressed out mess like I usually am this time of year? Well, there are a couple of reasons. For one, my house is less cluttered. Holiday decorations used to stress me out because we were always so rushed and I always meant to declutter before decorating but I would get busy and the kids would want the decorations up so I would go up to the attic and drag down the totes and let them have at it so there would be decorations on top of the everyday clutter. It was a mess. This year I took everything out of the attic. We went through everything, got rid of a lot of things that were shabby and did not hold any sentimental value and put out the stuff we loved. We had 14 totes of christmas decorations and we weeded it down to about 5. I have been enjoying my home decorated for Christmas instead of looking forward the the 26th when I can pack them all away. Why did I live like that?

I also I decided to get rid of expectations. I would not “panic shop” because I have found that gifts bought in that frame of mind seldom hit the mark. I did most of my gift shopping locally (I used to dread going out in public and shopping but this year I enjoyed it!) I took the time while waiting to pick up my kids from practise to stroll around local stores and choosing gifts that I really felt people could use and love. Let’s face it, four crappy panic gifts to not equal one good gift. I wrapped gifts as I went and never when I was tired or cranky. If I was tired I went to bed whereas in years past I would just brace myself and marathon wrap until it was done. Ironically I never felt done, if I had extra time after wrapping I would go into panic mode thinking I must not have bought enough if I am done wrapping already. This year seeing my kids discard several panic gifts that never got opened helped me see the error of my ways. The biggest change I made was allowing myself enough time to do something instead of cramming every little thing in that I could. Today I cooked some cranberry sauce and baked garlic rolls for Christmas Eve dinner. Old Lindsay would have squeezed in one more DIY gift project before starting to bake and left the house in a wreck to leave for the party only to come home to a stressful mess. I stopped the insanity! Oh, and I think my garlic rolls came out better than before, I can taste the calm! I’m not sure what I taste in the Cranberry sauce…the zesty tang of my new zesty approach to life? It’s a bit tart LOL:)

This Christmas will be a bit different from every other Christmas as we are getting a foot of snow tomorrow between 3am and 6pm so traveling to my folks for Christmas will be out. I called my mom and asked if we could get together on the 26th instead due to the storm and she said it was fine so for the first time in forever we will hang out at home and take our time opening gifts and lounging around enjoying each others company. I’ll miss spending Christmas Day with my folks but I am looking forward to hanging out with hubby and the kids all day and staying home too! And since we will visit on the 26th it’s like we get to extend the good times!

I think it is funny that something as simple as decluttering my home this year would make such an impact on my life as a whole. I think it helped be to be more present instead of rushing to the next thing. That is why I am enjoying this holiday season more, because I am in the moment. I am setting realistic expectations and pacing myself instead of cramming more in. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas (if you celebrate) and a safe and happy New Year! Take care of yourself and til next time happy crafting!

You know what? I am really excited for Christmas this year!

Hi friends! I have a confession to make, I usually approach Christmas with a bit of dread and anxiety. Don’t get me wrong, I love getting together and spending time with friends and family, watching Christmas specials with my hubby and kids and attending the kids Christmas concerts at school. But then I have the shopping/gift anxiety, the clutter of too many decorations added on top of an over cluttered house and cooking anxiety. I actually declined an invitation EVERY YEAR from a sweet friend to a fun cookie swap because I was embarrassed about my cooking ability, instead I would just lurk on Facebook the day of the event and feel sorry for myself as they shared pics of all the fun they were having. I was so lame. I would live in a state of overwhelm from November 1-December 25th. But this year I am looking forward to the holiday, why you might ask? Because of the decluttering process I started in February. I have room for decorations. I spend less time cleaning on a daily basis and if we are having people over I can have the house presentable in 1 hour (vs the 8 hour cleaning marathon two days before Christmas last year!) I finally feel like I can relax and enjoy the season.

I am also looking at my gift giving with new eyes, this is something I have been leaning towards for the past few years but now I am not going to feel badly about it. I have received gifts that I couldn’t use before but the guilt of getting rid of something I did not need make me keep the item. I don’t want others to feel that guilt either so I am changing some of my gift giving tactics. The following are my gift giving guidlines:

• Give a gift that is consumable: A bottle of wine, coffee, fine vanilla etc.
• Give a gift card to a restaurant, grocery store of the recipients favorite store
• Make it reusable: Craft cute handmade gift card packaging that can have a label removed and it can be reused.
• Make it handmade AND useful: Hand knit hats, mittens, cowls, socks, cutting boards etc.

I used to feel bad picking up a gift card and then I’d go into panic shopping mode. I didn’t want someone to think I didn’t care about them enough to select a perfect gift. Ironically that meant I would buy completely random stuff that did not hit the mark. How did a holiday of love and togetherness come to this? I say “no more!” We will have joy and abundance this Christmas, the question is will you be too stressed out to enjoy it?

I know some people gripe about my random konmari posts but I have to say for me The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo was life changing. I can’t guarantee results for everyone but I am looking forward to all aspects of the holidays and that makes me happy.  One thing I love is sending handmade cards, I will attack that with gusto and enjoy every minute of making them, addressing them and sending them off. And I will go to that cookie swap this year. If my cookies are a disaster I know of a few good bakeries. 🙂 I hope that regardless of what you celebrate that you enjoy the season without stress and anxiety. Happy crafting!