Hand Painted Christmas Tree Ornaments

Painted my friend's Australian Shepherds on glass Christmas ornaments

Hand painting glass Christmas ornaments

Candy Cane Cake Pops! DIY

I made these cake pops as a trial before Christmas (going to make fresh ones closer to Christmas) and they turned out great!

I used chocolate cake mix (easier), but then made my own icing for the inside. The icing recipe I got from here: http://www.52kitchenadventures.com/2011/12/05/peppermint-chocolate-cake-pops/ except I added an extra cup of icing sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract (I didn't have enough candy canes). I also found that this recipe made way too much icing- so I saved the leftover to make the cake pops again in 1 week.

finished festive cake pops

DIY candy cane hot chocolate gifts

I saw these candy cane hot chocolate gifts being sold for $10.00 at the mall last week and so decided to make them myself as small Christmas gifts for extended family and friends. They're so easy to make- you just layer the hot chocolate, chocolate chips, crushed candy canes, and marshmallows. I couldn't find any triangular shaped bags, so I rolled rectangular ones and glued them into the same shape :)

candy cane hot chocolate gift

DIY - Christmas "for your mistle toes"

CNND9HCG7M8X  -I got this idea from Pinterest and thought it was a cute gift for friends/ extended family.  On Pinterest the "for your mistle toes" note was attached to the nail polish, but I liked the idea of putting it in a little clear plastic bag and finishing it off with a bow.

for your mistle toes

for your mistle toes

DIY - Christmas Flower Arrangement

DIY - Made 4 of these flower arrangements as house warming presents for Christmas 2011. I used  small boxes from the dollar store that I lined with plastic so that the water doesn't leak through, oasis foam, red roses, white button mums, red spray carnations, spruce and cypress tree branches, pine cones that I spray painted gold, and red and gold small ornaments (found at the dollar store). I attached wire to the pine cones and hot glued wire to the ornaments so I could stick them into the oasis foam. The spruce and cypress branches and pine cones I found outside - why waste your money buying them when they're right outside ;)

Christmas flower arrangement