Christmas in July! (Day One)

Welcome to Christmas in July! (Day One)

Get ready for some great ideas that you can start creating now for Christmas. Along the way today, you'll find card and gift ideas, a scrapbook layout page or two and even a couple great decorating ideas.

We hope this hop gets you in the holiday spirit a little early this year.

Theresa is giving away a $20 Stampin' Up Gift Certificate to one lucky winner AND take 10% off any order placed through her (not available on website) by July 30th. Email her at scrapsbygracie@gmail.com with your order.

All you have to do to win this fabulous prize is comment on each of the blogs. That's it! It really is easy. Of course, we would love it if you became a follower too.

Comment buttons can be found at the bottom of the post (on most of the blogs). (On a few blogs, the comment button is at the top, near the title.)

Now on with the hop!

If you came here from Alicia's blog (Golden Goddess Designs), then you're in the right spot. She sets the bar pretty high, doesn't she?

Do you remember... how I said I was going to get to organizing my craft room and use up what I've got and not purchase anything else? ever needing a food-safe goodie bag, but never finding the right size, color, or pattern? I sure do! So when HSN aired their 24-hour crafting event earlier this month, boy, was I in trouble! I saw the perfect solution! We R Memory Keepers has the most awesome tool to create custom bags. And it came with food-safe glassine paper, too! It came with mini clothespins and gold sticker/sealer-thingies, too... but I'll probably never use those...

And so... I played! And played! And played! I made several different sizes. Here's my notes:

• Be sure to keep the instructions just in case you have a "Duh!" moment and it comes super late, like I do so often
• Do not place the paper (and the tool) on a gripping surface. (The paper doesn't quite rip as easily - it grips to the mat/surface.) A self-sealing mat will suffice and work well. It goes so much better. I know this after making over 15 bags. It took a while for me to figure that part out.
• Do not cut the paper in the size you want, lengthwise... Only cut the width. Otherwise, you'll be "duh'ing" yourself every time you have to grip a teeny tiny edge to make your bag not "shrink" due to "waste". (like I did... many, many times!)

And so... after semi-perfecting my bag-making... I began my Christmas bags!

I got this perfect paper (on a roll) a while ago 2 years ago and was hoarding it! from Williams-Sonoma. I don't know why... but on a trip there less than a year ago, I tried to get more and they claimed they've never carried it. It is not currently available, I guess.

Adding to the notes:

• Be sure to cut the edge (sides) of your paper straight! If you don't, then your bag and measurements will be a total disaster... trust me...

The directions come with the tool... but just in case...

1. Cut the top and bottom to the size you want with the serrated edge of the tool. GO SLOWLY. unless you want to rip the paper... it's pretty easy to do.
2. Fold the paper along both sides according to the tool indents. Use the tool to fold it perfectly.
3. Fold the bottom up. Use the tool to fold it perfectly.
4. Add adhesive to the inside (wrong side) edge of one side, and the folded outside (right side) edge of the other side and press together. (I used my ATG gun for this. Worked perfectly!)
5. Add adhesive to the bottom flap and fold up. Voila!

See the inside? Isn't it WONDERFUL????

Yep! My need is for 100!!! I can do it!!!

Add a tag... change it up and add it several ways. Secure it, or don't. It'll look great either way. Now they are just waiting for some Christmas cookies! Yum! Thanks for visiting!

Miranda's up next, and I'm pretty positive she's got some holiday cheer to share with you.

Here is today's hop line-up in case you get lost along the way:

Theresa ~ http://scrapsbygracie.blogspot.com
Barbara ~ http://barbarab3.blogspot.com
Kim ~ www.katydidcards.com
Alicia ~ http://goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com
Lisa ~ http://lisaslittlerascals.blogspot.com/
Miranda ~ www.nanasscrapspot.com
Holli ~ Sunflowerholli.blogspot.com
Sharon ~ http://piece-ofheart.blogspot.com
Sarah ~ www.sarahbiswabic.blogspot.com
Amanda ~ http://salnclts76.blogspot.com
Jearise ~ http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com

Be sure to hop tomorrow too for even more great holiday projects and ideas. You can start tomorrow at Theresa's blog.