Kiss and Tell: Craft Craze #4

Check Out The Most Current Party info HERE

Party Pinning Etiquette: Click on the Artist's Link First Before Pinning. Thank you.

It starts with a kiss at midnight New Year's Eve and the love keeps flowing right on through Valentine's Day. So that's what we're going to do! Six {and a half} weeks of Kiss and Tell: a party to show off your DIY, decor, art, crafts and other creative endeavors. We have 365 amazing projects to peruse in this collection.

     

Creative Hits of 2011

Creative juices were flowing in 2011, the inaugural year of 

I Gotta Create! 

The post that was a run-away, smash hit...

...this little Thanksgiving Gobbler! For a full anatomy lesson, check out *Guess What's in my Silverware Drawer.*


But one post surpassed the Silverware Turkey just in the last few days. Folks are digging my Tinfoil Rickrack Tutorial and all the gorgeous things you can create with the technique:

 Favorites shown are: Burlap & Tinfoil Rickrack Card Garland; Tinfoil Rickrack Tutorial; Simple Holiday Napkin Rings; and Paisley Santa Christmas cards.


Saucy Aprons

Aprons brought out the saucy, sassy side of housekeeping humor. Shown here: Cheeky Aprons; Snarky Thanksgiving Apron; and Saucy Western Apron.

Halloween Season:

 We had lots of fun for Halloween. My first foray into the Linky Party world: Bewitching Pillows {they received a few features!}. I also had fun making Burlap Halloween Ornaments and a Glow In The Dark Raven Lantern, among many other fall projects. October 2011 is also when I hosted my first linky party! And, I guest starred over at Nifty Thrifty!

Thanksgiving season:

We celebrated nature and humor. Gobbler Gourds were made from natural elements in my yard. You LOVED my Simple Napkin Rings made with raffia {they double-duty as place cards}. Thanksgiving Napkins went from plain to pretty with vintage images. And you LAUGHED at my "Pass the Denture Cream" Thanksgiving Card.


Christmas 2011:

Visits haven't slowed down for these Christmas goodies: Tinfoil Tannenbaum and her date {Mr. Cris Pringle}; Vintage Fabric Christmas Gift Bags; Burlap Star of Wonder Gift Bags; PAPERLESS Gift Wrap Tutorial.

       

I ventured into this "blogging thing" quietly and privately for several months, knowing zippo about it. I started putting myself out there in September 2011, and what an amazing four months it has been!!  YOU've made it so much fun to share the wellspring of ideas that constantly spur me to say, 

"I Gotta Create!"

I want to see YOUR fabulous creations! The linky party doors are open: Click the icon to enter!

Oh! And if you've made any resolutions, posted about your triumphs or challenges with blogging, or have blogging tips for us, click here to share them NOW at the Blog Tips & Resolutions party! 

Check out my eye masks {sleeping masks}!

As for me, I'll be sharing at these rockin' parties:
Monday:  Craftomaniac, Making The World Cuter, Marvelously Messy, Project Queen, The Girl Creative, Debbiedoo's Newbie Party, The Gunny Sack, Craft & Tell; Tuesday:  Sew Crafty, Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog,Uncommon Wednesday: the 36th Avenue, Blue Cricket Design, It's Overflowing, Nest of Posies, Savvy Southern Style, Someday Crafts, The Trendy Treehouse, Very Merry Vintage Style, What We Wore & Made Thursday:  Katie's Nesting Spot, Shabby Nest, The Artsy Girl Connection; Friday:  Finding Fabulous, My Simple Home Life, Romantic Home, Tatertots and Jello, The Shady Porch, Thirty Handmade Days, Saturday:  Be Different Act Normal, Funky Junk Interiors, French Country Cottage, I Can't Stop Crafting, Sew Country Chick  Sunday: Nifty Thrifty Things, Under The Table and Dreaming

Fresh New Year: Blogging Tips & Resolutions Cafe

We're sharing a wealth of insight, aspirations, and wisdom at this special linky party for the 2012 New Year!  
     Do you have a tip about: 
taking or editing photos, linking up to parties, comment etiquette, using google analytics, creating buttons or banners, and so forth? 
     Link up and let us visit you to learn your blogging tips and trade secrets. It doesn't have to be a new post - your wisdom will be new to many of us who are in different phases of the blogging life.
     Have you set a New Year's resolution for your blogging adventure? Share it here. This is also a place to inspire one another and keep things fresh. 
     Tell us what you love about blogging, or even what's difficult.

{If it's not a tip about blogging, link it up to my weekly party!}

Bloggy Tips 101

Share YOUR resolutions and tips at the linky party described below.

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Here are three simple basics for unlocking your blog and making it more accessible to readers, followers and party hosts.


1.) Put your name on your blog. 
Hi! My name is... It's surprising how many people forget to do this. You think it's on there--but are you sure? Examine your pages, sidebars, and posts. Is your name easy to spot? Put it in several places. Sign out of your blog and view it from the "outside." Make a contact page, or an "about this blog" page. Is your name there and are there ways to reach you? Try it. Make sure it works.

Christmas Parade STARS 2011

...Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland....

Your Blizzard of Creativity made the Winter Wonderland party successful! Thank you! With three rounds of features this month, many shout-outs on facebook, and some pins, it's now time for the grand finale...


Let The Christmas Parade begin ….!  And please, if you see projects you like, click on the link to visit the artist to pin. Thanks!

Shabby Apple Winner!

Someone's about to get some Happy Holiday news!!

And the gorgeous little black dress goes to....

Just Between You And Me

I want to take a quiet moment... 


          no projects, no fanfare...

Just a simple moment... 

                            to thank you.

Thank you for visiting, subscribing and following...
Thank you for your kind words and encouragement...
Thank you for sharing your creativity...

I wish you the Happiest of Holidays.

...and please, if there is anything I can do to make your time here ever more enjoyable, I welcome your feedback.


Bloggy Love To You,
Christina

Last-Minute No-Paper Gift Wrap {??!!}

We're getting down to crunch time! So here's a super-easy fabulous paperless {yes, paperless} giftwrap tip !!  

Gorgeous, eh? Let me share the secret!  Pin It

Win This Gorgeous Dress {from Shabby Apple}

This drawing has been completed. See Winner *HERE*

What a fantastic New Year's or Valentine date YOU will have in this comfortably elegant little black dress.  Vintage jazz inspired, the "Boogie Woogie" dress from Shabby Apple will make you {or someone you love} feel like a Star on any occasion!  

Wanna win it?  

I thought so !!!

Shabby Apple and I are teaming up to give away this amazing dress to one lucky winner.  It's my way of thanking you for your support...you've made my blogging journey wonderful!


Accessories, anyone? Oh yes, Shabby Apple has those. {Can't you just see these with that dress? ...or any of their women's dresses?}

Little girls dresses? Oh, yes... can you say "Adorable"?!

My blog is about creativity, so I want to mention Shabby Apple has an emerging designers program. And they give 5% of their net dress sales to help women worldwide. 

Makes me proud to team up with them!  

So click that Shabby Apple button on my sidebar and go get 10% off of your purchase by typing in this code:  Igottacreate10off.  That discount is good until January 19th as an added thank you. 

And...drumroll, please....

Here's all you have to do for a chance to WIN the Boogie Woogie little black dress...


Giveaway Rules: One Entry For Each Action


*Please leave me a separate comment right here for each thing you do so that you can get up to five "tickets" for the drawing, so to speak!! Do as many or as few as you like*


1. One entry for becoming a follower of I Gotta Create! {and just let me know if you already follow}
2. One entry for liking Shabby Apple's Facebook Page. {click 'like' at the top of their page}
3. One entry for liking the I Gotta Create! Facebook Page. {click 'like' at the top of my page}
4. One entry for telling me your favorite women's apparel at Shabby Apple.
5. One entry for sharing this giveaway on YOUR facebook page. {click the little 'f' at the bottom of this post}


The winner must be 18 or older and have a U.S. shipping address in order to win.

There will be NO exchanges on this dress - 

but who doesn't need a gorgeous little black dress, anyway?

The winner will be chosen by random.org and notified by email {please make sure when I click on your name in the comment, it takes me to a place where I can access your email address; or provide your facebook page}.


This giveaway is open until 8:00 a.m. CST on Christmas Eve, Friday, December 24th!

*Happy Holidays,* Thank You, and...Good luck to you all!!

<3 Christina

And here's a little extra fun for you:

Mr. Cris Pringle

In our previous episode of Tinfoil Tannenbaum, we were waiting breathlessly to meet "Tanny's" tall, bright and handsome mystery date...

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Everyone, meet Mr. Cris Pringle. Quite a debonair hairdo, wouldn't you say? The barber elf used that new crimper tool to create a Christmas tree pompadour that would knock Tanny's socks off...

And she'll never know underneath that super plush velvet-tinfoil-craftpaper-raffia suit he was once a simple Pringles can.

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Ah, but Tanny's not the only one with bling for the date. Cris Pringle is going GQ with his Christmas party accessory: a santa hat!  

Winter Wonderland Stars #3

Our Winter Wonderland is turning into a forest of splendor with more than 90 projects linked up. 

Sentimental Ornaments from Simcoe Street shows us how to commemorate weddings and engagements with Christmas ornaments {imagine the possibilities for births, graduations, and other milestones}!

Musings from Kim K caught your eye with these adorable little spool trees. Very sweet!

Tabletop Ribbon Trees and tutorial from Uncommon has also been a super holiday hit!

Lisa's Craft Blog submitted this frugal and beautiful ornament. Check out her other ornaments here and here. 

Jenni Can Knit submitted these fabulously sweet nesting doll ornaments. Don't miss the cutest little button wreaths, she made too!

Speaking of wreaths, check out this reversible peppermint clothespin wreath from The Shady Porch. Great thinking!

The Old Block House caught your eye especially with these sheet music ornaments.  I also LOVED her Joy & Peace blocks.

Finally, here's something yummy for the tummy and sweet for the eyes: Strawberry Cheesecake Santa Hats from Reading Confetti!


I will also be sharing these and other projects on my facebook page, too.

THANK you, artists, for sharing your talent and inspiring us this season!! You are definitely STARs here at I Gotta Create!  Please feel free to grab the feature button for your blog. 

<a href="http://igottacreate.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/igottacreate/imastar150.png"/></a>

Come browse the party right here.  For current party information, *look here.*

Previous Winter Wonderland features are *here* and *here*!

Tinfoil Tannenbaum

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I wasn't kidding when I said we were going to get crazy with tinfoil! I love playing and stretching a theme for the creative juice. How many times have you looked at something and said, "oh nice," and moved on without letting it stir your creative pot?

Well, since this is a blog about creativity, I want to take you on that playful journey. The one where you ask: hmmm...how can I take that a step further?

We've been using aluminum foil to create all sorts of unexpected bling. You can catch those posts by *clicking here*

Primitive Vintage Christmas Gift Bags

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I love the primitive collage look of these holiday gift bags: frayed edges, unfinished seams, rustic elements. Their charm rests in the vintage holiday photos and layers upon layers of fabrics, ribbon, yarn, and thread. 

Sneak Peek

Anyone else experiencing a time crunch lately?  I had planned a couple of posts and am particularly excited to show you some gift bags I created. 

But the available light before and after a day at work is getting so skimpy that my photos aren't to my satisfaction. So please come back Sunday, December 11th for the full post! {Edit: It's live right HERE!}

Winter Wonderland Stars #2

We have so many fabulous holiday projects linked up to the Winter Wonderland party that I simply cannot hold back from sharing FIVE SEVEN with you this round!


You KNOW from my posts that I Love NATURE.  Shabby Love hits it out of the ballpark with this fabulous wreath. Go see how Melissa does it.

Understated, simple and elegant, this paper ornament from Home Sweet Homemade almost makes me hear music. Lovely job, Diane.

Beautifully upcycled, these burlap stuffed ornaments from The Artsy Girl Connection are made with--can you believe it--toilet paper rolls!  I love them! See how Marilyn does it and what she puts inside.

This striking Poinsettia pillow is a Pottery Barn knock-off from Crafting in The Rain. Steph shows you how to do it, save money all while using colors that match your decor!

Finding Secret Treasures has another quirky and creative use for old bed springs: A rustic bell garland!! I love the imagination!

Shannon whips up a vintage Christmas display complete with a sheet music paper chain. Remember making those in school? Relive that magic in a grown up version: visit FoxHollow Cottage.

If you have little bits of felt, lace and trims to use up, why not make some sweet little ornaments like Caroline did? This is just one of six examples she shares in her post at Artfully Caroline.

Please go visit these artists and their wonderful creations for an up-close look at how they did it.


THANK you, artists, for sharing your talent and inspiring us this season!! You are definitely STARs here at I Gotta Create!  Please feel free to grab the feature button for your blog. 

<a href="http://igottacreate.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/igottacreate/imastar150.png"/></a>

Come browse the party right here.  For current party information, *look here.*


As for me, I'll be guest starring on December 8th over at Que Linda! Come on over and visit me and the project I'll be posting there. I met Janny when I came across her pumpkin lanterns for Halloween, and had to pin them and feature them in my Halloween parade. 

AND as part of the "Visions of Sugarplums" Group, your comments will gain you entry for a prize drawing being organized by Laurie over at Choux-Choux.*  Visit Laurie from Choux Choux, Lauren from The Past on a Plate, Mika from Mika's Pantry (she has some darling recipe cards to download), and Jennifer from Just Wedeminute.
*Drawing has been completed.