Not just for cupcakes....

When I first got Sweet Treats at Michael's and brought it home to explore, I was a bit disappointed in the contents.  I was particularly bothered by the repetition of some of the shapes which make this "full" cartridge much less full than many others (such as A Child's Year which is packed with content!).  Here is a LINK to my review of the cartridge with photos of the complete handbook.

I have been working with the cartridge a bit more - first I started making alterations to the basic cupcake holder in Design Studio, as in this example (here is  a LINK to that post).  I have a few more ideas up my sleeve but I haven't had time to try them out just yet.

Tonight I had my book group meeting and I wanted to take a glitter ornament to everyone as a token holiday gift.  I made the ornaments last week but I needed to contain them somehow.  After driving all day to get home from New Jersey, I didn't have much time to get ready.  The heart cutout cupcake holder was sitting on my table and I discovered it was a good size to hold a small glass ornament.  So I cut some holders using one of the glossy papers from the DCWV Taj Mahal stack.  The design coordinated nicely with the flocked brocade ribbon I used on the ornaments.  I cut the holders at 5 1/2 inches - and I didn't even use Design Studio to do it!

I added some tissue paper to nestle the ornaments into the holders and they fit very nicely.  These were the small size ornaments (55 mm).  My book group friends could hardly believe it when I told them how the ornaments were made (if you missed it - here is a LINK to that post).

I didn't have time to do the video about the snowflakes - sorry to postpone that again but I will get to it soon.  I have a few more photos to share of the decorations I have been putting up - these went up before I left for New Jersey.  This little tree is in my kitchen.  For seven years I decorated Christmas trees for an annual event at our local museum.  Volunteers decorate Christmas trees inspired by children's books.  Some day I will share photos of all the trees I did over the years.

This little tree has some of the decorations from a large tree I did with a friend for a book about Fanny Farmer.  The eggs are real (emptied) and there are baking tools and a garland of candy molds and netting.  If you look behind the tree you can see the opening between our kitchen and family room,  My husband took down the wall and built these half walls and columns.  It really makes a difference when we have a lot of family and friends over.

When we lived in England, I used to go to an auction at Ascot - actually in one of the buildings at the famous racetrack.  They often had crystal pieces at very good estimated prices.  I was lucky enough to get one of these compotes and then a few months later there was another one up for auction so I have a pair.  (I think they were overstock from a crystal shop).  Now, every year I fill them with red and green glass balls - they sit on the two half walls between the side wall and the columns and add a lot of sparkle to the room!

I still have lots to do to finish decorating - but I enjoy the process of transforming each room.  I just need to stay home more to get it done!  I hope your holiday preparations are going well.

Don't miss the chance to enter the giveaway for the EZ View Desktop - the deadline is 11:59 p.m. tomorrow (Friday).  Here is a LINK to the post with all the details - you must leave your comments and contact information on that post to be included in the giveaway.  Please let your friends know about this and encourage them to visit The Original Scrapbox site to help generate enough visits to have an EZ View Desk donated to charity - Thanks and Good Luck!