Christmas Craft: Christmas Card Holders

This year I am in need of new ideas for how to display my Christmas cards.  The standard resting place on the mantel just isn’t cutting it anymore.  If you are in the same boat, then here are three really great ideas that I found.

1) Christmas Card Shutters (pictured above) – This is fairly easy to make and shouldn’t take very long.

Supplies needed:

  • 2 wooden shutters (can be found at any home improvement store)
  • spray paint

To learn how to make it, check out Pearls, Handcuffs and Happy Hour.

 

2) Christmas Card Garland – This is still fairly simple, but will require a bit more time and supplies.

Supplies needed:

  • Small wooden clothespins
  • Acrylic paint & foam brush
  • Various patterned papers (in Christmas colors, of course!)
  • Coordinating buttons
  • Decoupage medium & foam brush
  • Coordinating buttons
  • Hot glue gun
  • 3 to 5 yards ribbon (depending on where you hang your garland)

To see the tutorial on how to make this, check out Little Birdie Secrets blog post on Make and Takes.

 

3) Christmas Tree Card Holder – This one requires sewing and quite a bit more of your time, but it is all so very worth it.

Supplies needed:

  • One Christmas Charm Pack ( I chose Fruitcake by Basic Grey)
  • 1/2 yard or one Fat Quarter solid fabric for tree trunk (I used Fruitcake – Grunge in Hot Cocoa)
  • One piece of 1/4″ plywood or hardwood that is at least 32″ x 48″ (Home  Depot & Lowes sell pre-cut plywood that is 4 ft x 4 ft. You can get  two trees out of it.)
  • Thin craft Batting
  • 7 yards 5/8″ coordinating ribbon
  • 20 Upholstery Tacks (sold at most home improvement and craft stores)
    Sawtooth picture hanger
  • Staple gun
  • Electric Saw

For a detailed tutorial with pictures on how to create this, check out Moda Bake Shop.

Thanks to all for such creative and wonderful ideas!

 

 

 

Tuesday Night Round-Up: The day’s best coupons, deals and freebies!

If you missed any of today’s posts, here are some of my favorites!  Make sure you check out the Big Fat Amazon Deals list!  I will update it throughout the day and there will be a NEW list each day!  Here’s the link to the current list–>Big Fat Amazon Deals list

COUPONS:

FREE KY Jelly + $.38 overage after coupons at Walmart!

Scrubbing Bubbles One Touch Toilet Cleaner only $.97 after coupon

Rockport Shoes:  Enter to win FREE shoes + get a 20% off coupon

Glade Candles moneymaker at Target using coupons

$1 off 2 Armour meatballs + holiday recipe

Lifesavers or Starburst storybook products only $1.91/each at Target!

Printable Coupon Alert:  $1 off Mountain Dew

Excedrin Extra Strength only $1.24 after coupon!

NEW Johnson & Johnson coupons = $6 in savings!

Excedrin Printables: $2/1 Excedrin Extra Strength and $1.50/1 Excedrin PM!

Printable Coupon Alert: Possible free Rayovac batteries!

Hallmark $5 off a $10 purchase printable coupon

Weight Watchers Smart Ones:  $1.78/each after coupons

DEALS:

Personalized stockings only $9 shipped (7 day shipping!)

Get 60 Rayovac batteries for $9.97

Hot Wheels Remote Control Stealth Rides Racing Cars as low a $7.49

Curious George DVDs as low as $3.25 each after coupon

Meijer deals for the week of 12/11-12/17

Aldi deals for the week of 12/11-12/17

Crocs BOGO free sale + FREE SHIPPING (ends tonight!)

Rayovac 48 count AA or AAA batteries only $10 shipped!

Stila Make-up up to 60% off on Hautelook (prices start at $7!)

Clinique: 3 free beauty items with any $25 purchase!

Playskool Weebles Turn n Tumble Home – $12.58 (50%+ off!)

Star Wars Deluxe Republic Attack Shuttle only $24.99 (72% off!)

Crayola Color Wonders Super Hero Gift set only $5.97 shipped ($15 value)

Roku XDS 1080p HD Streaming Video Player With Dual-Band WiFi ‘N’ + Remote Control With Instant Replay for $59.99!

Assassin’s Creed Revelations for $35.99 shipped (40% off)

Target Daily Deals: HOT deals on toys!

Leap Frog Tag Reading System for $24.99 (regularly $39.99) – 38% off!

The Green Lantern – $9.99 DVD and $14.99 Blu Ray

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 Blu Ray/DVD Combo pack $14.99 (58% off!)

Bop It Bounce only $6.99 (68% off!)

GIFTS FOR GUYS: Double Barrel Crossbow for $14.99 ($39.99)

Barbie Glam Vacation House only $32.99 shipped!

Fisher Price Rock Star Mickey only $29.99 (45% off!)

Two Ways to Earn More Swagbucks

Fisher Price Power Wheels Ride on Jeep for $79!

Get a $30 Totsy credit for as low as $8.50!

Matchbox Smokey the Fire Truck only $24.68 shipped!

Philips Sonicare Rechargeable Sonic Toothbrush Essence e5300 $20 shipped after coupon and rebate!

Monster High Dolls Bundle: 2 dolls of your choice for $30!

Victoria’s Secret:  $50 in merchandise for as low as $2.99 shipped

KitchenAid Artisan 5 Quart Stand Mixer for $197.95 after rebate

Ugg boots up to 40% off plus cash back!

Sony Playstation 3 160 GB Harry Potter bundle for $249.99 shipped + $50 Amazon gift card

Bath & Body Works – buy 2, get 4 free!

Cuisinart Round Wafflemaker for $29.95

Get a Cricut Cake Personal Electronic Cutter for just $84.83 shipped

GIFTS FOR GUYS: Philips Norelco 1150x/40 SensoTouch 2d Electric Shaver, Metallic Blue as low as $24.99 shipped!

Step2 LifeStyle Custom Kitchen and Play Food Set – $79 (31% off!)

Crayola Cars 2 Light Up Tracing Desk only $10!

Ginsu Kotta Series 04897 20-Piece 420J2 Stainless Steel Cutlery Set with Hardwood Block for $39.18 shipped (61% off!)

Presto 06852 16-Inch Electric Skillet with Glass Cover only $29 shipped!

HOT DEAL ALERT: Bendaroos Mega Pack (500 ct) only $6.99!

Harry Potter: The Complete Film Collection (1-8) 50% off!

Vtech Kidizoom Camera for $27.99 shipped!

Tinkertoy Classic Jumbo Set – $19.99 (33% off!)

Cars 2 Glow board only $14.99

The Muppets Take Manhattan only $5.49

FREEBIES:

All Bundled Up Leap Frog Leap Pad Giveaway

Get FREE Air Optix contacts!

Woman Freebies: Holiday iPad2 giveaway!

FREEBIE ALERT: FREE 8X10 photo collage!

Amazon:  25 days of FREE Holiday music

Win a FREE Leap Frog Learning Tablet!

Disney Movie rewards:  125 free points

Get 50 free photo prints from Shutterfly

Get your FREE credit score from Credit Sesame (no payment info required!)

Manilla: Free online bill organizer + enter to win $500 to pay your bills!

FREEBIE Alert: Baby Talk Magazine!

RECIPES:

Tasty Treat Tuesday: Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies

 

Meijer deals for the week of 12/11-12/17

Here are the best Meijer deals for the week thanks to Sarah’s Deals:

If you are new to shopping at Meijer, here’s their coupon policy: Meijer coupon policy

Maxwell House Coffee 34.5oz $7.99
**Buy 2, Get $5.00 Off Instantly**
**Buy 2, Get $3.00 Custom Coupon OYNSO** (Thanks, Bargains to Bounty!)
(There is a $1/1 Printable, BUT in order to register for it properly, you need to be in select states. None of which have a Meijer location.)
= Pay $10.98, get $3.00 OYNSO
Like paying $3.98 each!

Sara Lee Oven Fresh Pies (Frozen) $2.88
use $1/1 MQ from 10/23RP (regional)
= $1.88

Rice/Pasta Roni 5/$5.00
use $1/5 Meijer Mealbox SQ
= 5/$4.00

Velveeta Skillets Dinners 3/$5.00
**Buy 2, Get $1 OYNSO – Buy 3+, get $2 OYNSO – Buy 4, Get $3 OYNSO**
use $.50/1 Printable (Can print 2 times)
And use $.50/1 Meijer Mealbox SQ

Blue Bonnet Margarine Quarters 2/$1.00

Pillsbury Cookie Dough 3/$6.00
use $1/2 Printable
or use $1.50/3 Printable
= $1.50 ea WYB 2 or 3

Aldi deals for the week of 12/11-12/17

Thanks to Coupon Clippin Daddy for this week’s deals.

If you are new to shopping, at Aldi’s, here’s their coupon policy: or lack there-of since they don’t actually take coupons!

  • Aldi’s does not take coupons of any kind.
  • At Aldi’s, you will have to bag your own groceries and pay a quarter to get a cart. The quarter is reimbursed when the cart is returned.
  • You’ll need to bring in your own reusable grocery bags or you’ll have to purchase them in the store.

Here are some of the Aldi’s highlights for the week:  remember to check out Coupon Clippin’ Daddy for the rest of the deals!  It’s hard to judge what a “good deal” is since cost of living varies so much in various parts of the country, but these are all “good deals” by my standards in a low to moderate cost of living area!

Celery   $0.79 each

Del Monte Gold Pineapple   $1.99 each

Sweet Harvest Jellied Cranberry Sauce   $0.89

Friendly Farms Egg Nog     $1.89

Friendly Farms Low Fat Yogurt   $0.39

Bake House Creations Crescent Rolls   $0.99

Crofton Chocolate Fondue Fountain   $19.99

Choceur Milk or Dark Chocolate   $1.49
Red Poinsettia   $3.99

Tasty Treat Tuesday: Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies

I just got back from my baughter’s preschool Christmas party where one of the moms brought these cookies to share.  At first  I passed on them because they look just like the usual spritzer cookies that tend to be hard and dry, but once we saw how quickly the kids were eating them and going back for seconds, my husband and I finally decided to try one.  Wow, were we surprised.  They are so yummy.  The mom who made them said it was an old family recipe and that the trick was to add extra cream cheese.  I wasn’t able to get the actual recipe from her, but I instantly went online to see what recipes I could find.  It looks like most recipes call for 3 oz. of cream cheese, but this one recommends using an extra ounce.  I am so excited to make them… and eat them too!  Thanks to Michelle at Big Black Dog for the recipe.

Here’s what you need to make these cookies:

  • 1 c. Butter
  • 1 c. Sugar
  • 1-3oz pkg. of Cream Cheese (I always double the recipe and just add 1-8oz package of Cream Cheese. I think the extra Cream Cheese makes a better cookie dough.)
  • 1 Egg Yolk
  • 2 1/2 c. Flour
  • 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Here’s how to make it -> Cream Cheese Christmas Cookie Tutorial