our-tree-2007.jpg We put up our Christmas tree!

I love watching the kids get so excited over it. The BEST part about our tree-MOST of the ornaments are ones made BY my kids! I love it!! Its like the TREE OF ART! I think they feel special seeing all their little creation’s hanging from the branches.

Popsicle stick reindeer, felt mouse candycane holder, plaster of paris BLOB with glitter, felt trees with sparkles and jewels, decoupage ornaments a plenty-Now those are real ornaments to me.

I also love that each child gets ONE special ornament each year. Some are nicely engraved, and others serve as reminders of their favorite interest-like Bob the Builder-Barney LOL! Stuff like that. Alexa got one last year that was a gorgoeus butterfly for support of Cancer Research. Noah got Sponge Bob, and Amber a cool Cat one.

You will not find glorious glass ornaments or victorian style fancy baubles. Just cardstock my kids decorated with glitter-or that have their handprints.

To think someday it iwll just be Jay and I at home. I am so trying to enjoy this time while they are little. I am really happy that I can stop and soak it all up!

OK I’m getting all mushy thinking about it, so anyway………

Now speaking of tree’s…………………………

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Is this not YUMMY?

These are chocolate peppermint candy canes by Hershy. YUM! LOVE the colors, and they taste awesome too.

But, I wasn’t talking about the candy canes, I was talking about the holder! 😀 Another SUPER SIMPLE idea to package those holiday goodies. Think homemade cookies, or other baked good. Maybe some stationary, or cards. Hey- add a top (or not), and you have a card holder!  Made in just minutes.

I used Holiday Cheer, for my tree’s and tag. It was seriously perfect. All sides of this holder are decorated. That is important too. Complete the job. A container has more than ONE side!

The rectangle layer of tree’s is embossed with my rectangle nestabilities die, so it adds more interest (not seen in photo). It really makes it possible to not need the addition of a mat of color when you do this. Its elegant and cleanly detailed all on its own.

I think its ALL about PRESENTATION-and just a box of the simplest candy canes can look amazing in the right container. This will go to work with Jason to liven up the office 😀

To make this I used my Scor-Pal –

8 1/2 X 11 Olive Cardstock

score along the 11 inch side at 5 and 16

score along the 8 1/2 inch side at 1, and 7 1/2.

Snip the edges of the 1 inch panel- to make your sides

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I got this AMAZING patterned paper at my LSS www.nhstampingmemories.com. Its by American Crafts. It not only matched my Candy Canes, but helped the flow of the color scheme I was after. It also continue’s the RETRO feel.

I also used Old Olive cardstock, SU! Wide grosgrain ribbon in red, and Choc. chip cardstock. I used co-ordinating SU! markers for this as well.

The shimmery shredded paper was a $1 Target find!

How cool is that?

Hope they enjoy it! If anything its at least FESTIVE! Nothing say’s Christmas like candy canes.

Till tomorrow 😀