Hello, my crafty friends, and welcome back to Weekly Scrapper! It makes me smile knowing that you’ve found some time to enjoy a little holiday crafting. If you’re like me the holidays have snuck up you yet again but not to worry, we always pull it off, right?
In honor of Hanukkah beginning in just a few days, I thought you might enjoy the following projects. May you enjoy the eight magical days and nights during this Festival of Lights; what a perfect time to gather your family and friends for an afternoon filled with fun activities and crafting some of your own handmade treasures.
Paper Bag Chanukah Lanterns by Dena
These handmade paper bag lanterns are such a warm way to welcome guests up to your front door. Wouldn’t it be adorable to place them around the house for a festive and light-filled atmosphere?
If you would like to download the template for a Menorah, a Dreidel, or Shalom click here and I’ll take you over to Dena’s blog Chai & Home so you can spend some creative time with Dena.
A Gift For All Seasons
I discovered the perfect handmade gift idea on the Silhouette Blog and knew I had to share the inspiration. The gift could include one down pillow and six pillow covers that can be changed each season throughout the year. I love that it works for any occasion; it’s something they will use all year long. Who wouldn’t enjoy a fun down pillow customized by you?
You’ll be happy to know that there is no sewing involved which makes these project quick, easy, and did I mention very inexpensive? The blank pillow covers were purchased at Ikea for $4 and the linen one was purchased at Homegoods for a whopping $8. The designs were cut out with a Silhouette machine but you can use whatever die-cut machine that you have and design your own unique images to customize your pillowcases. Fun!
Dreidel Gift Card Holders
These sparkly dreidel-shaped gift card holders are a fun and festive way to present a gift card to someone special this holiday season. You are just a few basic supplies away from checking off a few gifts from your ever-growing list. I don’t think you’ll need it, but if you didn’t want to freehand the dreidel shape, click here.for the adjustable template. I highly recommend when choosing your glitter to go with the finest glitter you can find, if you go with a chunky glitter if won’t be nice and smooth and your pattern won’t be as crisp.
Click here and I’ll take you over to the Martha Stewart Blog so you can see just how easily these cute gift card holders come together. I know sometimes gift card holders get a bad rap for being impersonal, but when they are presented in a handmade card I think the recipient will feel the love?
The Unexpected Trick That Makes the Crispiest, Tastiest Latkes Ever
Latkes, which are wonderfully crisp potato pancakes, are a favorite food served throughout the Jewish holiday Hanukkah. You haven’t lived if you haven’t experienced a homemade potato latke. There are hundreds of different latke recipes but the traditional potato version makes my tummy sing. Creating the perfect latke is not to be taken lightly. It does take some guidance, but not to worry – with a little help and advice from the culinary genius over on the Kitchn blog you to can make perfect latkes at home.
Potato latkes are amazing served warm with a dollop of cool sour cream or chunky sweet applesauce under the warm glow of candlelight. With a little help from our friends over at the Kitchn food blog, your latkes will please all who gather at your holiday table.
Thanks for spending part of your weekend with me. I hope you have an amazing week ahead of you and I’ll see you next Sunday with more fun holiday projects.
Hugs to all!
Lorraine: I’m calling on your expertise — or at least you might have knowledge of who to go to for answers, I’m hoping. You had my purchase some mylar to make the sizes for cutting out perfect squares. Now I have some mylar left over and I’m hoping you might be able to provide an answer to this question: I have a professional photo that had been in a frame with glass. During the fires this summer I was in an advisory evacuation route and so I had time to pack up stuff I didn’t want to burn if the fires crossed the ridge into the valley where I lived. Unfortunately, when I was putting the photos back up on a wall, I missed putting the photo above into the picture hook and it fell. On it’s way down to the floor it caught the picture in question and the resulting crash called the glass to break. When I went to Michael’s to get a new piece of glass for the 3×4 picture, they wanted $18 to replace it — highway robbery!!!! So, I said no, naturally and now I’m wondering if I put a piece of mylar into the frame over the mat that holds the photo if there is risk of ruination of the photo later in time. Can you get the answer I need about the safety of mylar in connection with hold photos. I think the paper the photographer used 60 + years ago was Kodak, which I know by itself the old black and white photos are good for well over 100+ years — learned that from a photography professor at the University of Arizona — the same place all of Ansel Adam’s negatives ad prints are housed.
Mylar as a protective was never discussed – cause at that time glass was pretty cheap. Why a 4×6 pice should cost $18 is beyond my imagination as I’m sure it is of yours as well. Anyway, hopefully you can ascertain the answer I need and in the meantime, hope you and your family have a fantastic holiday season.
Hello Christie, I believe that you are referring to the templates I made out of thin acrylic (not mylar), they were clear and we inked the edges with a black sharpie – right. You could put that over a photo, but I like Pauline’s suggestion of just purchasing an inexpensive frame and replacing the glass. Since it’s such a common size I think it should be easy to find. Acrylic is clear but glass would look much better in a frame.
Now if you just want to use your leftover acrylic/acetate there are all kinds of ways to use it. You can design your own mini album using the acetate as the cover & the back – line the acetate with your favorite patterned paper, I use a nice size piece as a pallet when I’m watercoloring, you can even make clear acrylic cards & tags. You can even stamp on it, just remember to use a solvent based ink like Stazon since its a non-porous material. Have fun Christie & thanks for sharing. Sorry to hear that you were affected by the fires, I too live in California and its been a bad year for us. Have a wonderful holiday.
Just go to dollar store and buy a cheap frame and take out the glass for your frame.
Excellent idea Pauline, thanks for sharing. Happy Holidays.