I’m always looking for easy creative ways to display the Christmas cards that come to our home every season.  Last year, I used a white chain + jingle bells.   

This year, I decided to repurpose an ordinary corkboard I had sitting in the back of the closet.  It was the perfect size for hanging in the foyer, so I made a simple tree with ribbon, fabric, and nailhead trim.  It sits in the perfect spot in the entry where we can enjoy our cards all season long!

If you’d like to turn your corkboard into a similar card display, here’s what you’ll need:

Supplies:

Corkboard (mine is 2’ x 3’)

Fabric to cover your board

Scrap of fabric to form base

Decorative ribbon for both tree and trim

1 package of 20 nailheads (two more packages if you want to create the trim around the base)

Staple gun

Fabric glue

Mallet (or strong thumbs!)

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Greetings friends, happy Monday!  So much preparation for the holidays going on this week, ’tis the season for crafting too!   I like to add a few items to our holiday decor every year, both store bought and handmade.  Over the weekend, I made two of these ‘Peace’ dove ornaments.

Here’s the simple way I created it:

I found a dove illustration on the internet, then snagged the image and copied it on plywood, cutting it out with my jig saw.  You can make anything with a jig saw and some leftover plywood!  Letters, shapes, any kind of image you like!   If you don’t have a jig saw, consider it for a gift from Santa to you!  You’ll love what it can do.

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A few glamorous pumpkin displays have caught my eye lately.  Have you seen Heather’s velvet beauties?  They’re my new favorite.   Oh how I adore all three shades: the pear green, the watery blue and the deep rust velvet.  Aren’t they lovely?

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Greetings friends, I’m baaaaaaack from a whirlwind trip to Southern California.  Sadly, we drove south to pay our respects to my beloved uncle who passed earlier in the week.  Despite the circumstances, I reconnected with aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family – that was completely wonderful.  

I had a chance to meet up with fellow Californian and blog buddy JJ from The Blah Blah Blahger who I met at the Blissdom conference back in February.  

JJ is so much fun, it was great to get some gal time with her and chat all about blogging and life and our shared passion for great wine.  That’s what I love about this blogging adventure, the opportunity to mix and mingle with great people from across these fruited plains.  Big hugs JJ, can’t wait to meet up again in Sonoma !

I also spent two days in Carmel-by-the-Sea, oh me oh my, talk about gorgeousness all around in one charming town.  Will post pics later ! 

It’s party time peeps !

I’m not one to throw blog parties very often, but since I love the Fourth of July, and since we’re throwing a patriotic bash this year, and since YOU all are a fantastic source of inspiration, let’s have a party gang ! 

No doubt many of you are getting your craft on in anticipation of the upcoming Fourth, plus I know many of you love to bring out the red, white, and blue in July, plus I also know many of you can whip up some amazing summer recipes, so let’s celebrate, shall we ?  

Mark your calendars ! 

Anything decorative or DIY or delicious will do, as long as it has something to do with the red, white, and blue.   Just about anything related to the Fourth of July works for me, so link up with your decor related posts, or party planning tips, or scrumptious recipes!  I’ll be sure to work up something snazzy as well. 

And I’ll try to get some sort of button thingy in the sidebar. . . . HTML – it boggles my mind sometimes. 

Before I forget, the lucky winner of the Geezees giveaway is none other than lucky #102, Heather S. who won because of a Tweet, congratulations Heather !

Heather will choose these words for her personalized canvas, “I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love.”  

Oooooh, a fellow Beatles fan, I love it.  Heather, send me your contact info in an email so you can collect your lovely prize.

Finally, today I’m excited to bring you a giveaway from The Pleated Poppy !  

The Pleated Poppy offers all sorts of fun and feminine accessories, from zippered pouches to notebook covers to stylish aprons to pleated poppy pins !

I’m in love with these petal pusher ruffle pins – perfect for adding just that dash of panache to your lapel, your hairband, a purse or hat.  

Call me eccentric, but I do believe these would looks fantastic on a banded lampshade, wouldn’t that be so flirty ?  

There will be two lucky winners of this giveaway !  Each one will receive a $30 dollar shop credit to The Pleated Poppy. 

Eligibility to win one of two $30 dollar shop credits to The Pleated Poppy: 

1) Hop on over to The Pleated Poppy and pick your favorite item.  Come back and tell us all what you’d choose if you won in a comment, that’s it ! 

2) For a second chance to win, either post a link to this giveaway on Facebook, OR tweet about this giveaway on Twitter (with a link), then leave a second comment telling where you linked (either FB or Twitter). 

Giveaway ends Saturday June 5, 2010 at 8 p.m. PST.  Two winners chosen by Random.org.  

Good luck friends !

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