Crafts Direct Blog

New Products.

2012-02-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today I have a bunch of different NEW products from all around the store to share with you. We are all very excited about these new products here at the store and I hope you find something you love as well!

First up from our Beading Department - this new line of beads called Fire & Ice. (This is just a small sample of all that is offered in this line.) The come in a variety of sizes and colors - and are cut in a way that they really reflect light amazingly (think disco balls :). They sell for $3.99 each and you can find them in aisle 20.

We have a couple new things in our Gifts Department - including lots of new pieces from our Colorful Devotions line. From magnets, to signs, to vases, and frames there is a little of everything. You can find these items in our Willow Tree room by the Coffee Shop at the front of the store.

We also have this new line of Fashion Hats available from our Gifts Department. Perfect for the spring and summer months ahead, I have a feeling these are going to go fast. Again, lots of styles and colors to pick from and they are only $11.99. You can find these hats in the apparel room at the front of the store by aisle 13.

From our Seasonal Department we have some fun new "springy" products. I love these butterfly and firefly jars (and I know my kids would love them too)! They are so realistic looking and the butterflies and fireflies actually appear to be flying around in them. They are currently marked down to $29.99 (from $39.99) and you can find them in aisle 5.

Right next to the butterfly and firefly jars you can also find these lighted branches. They include acrylic lights and flowers and come in a variety of colors. The lights are LED lights and they are battery operated which makes them easy to use anywhere in your home or office.

From our Quilt Shop, we have these new Wonder Clips. When I saw these I knew they were something I need as well - the photo on the front of the packaging has me sold on the idea of using these instead of straight pins the next time I am binding a quilt! You can them in aisle 26.

And finally a peek at something we just got in yesterday. I'm sure we will have a sample to share using these pieces soon, but I was so excited about it I couldn't wait to share! This new vinyl is part of our new "House Rules" line. The sayings come individually so you can pick and choose the ones that you want to create your own House Rules. They would be perfect to add to a paint wood or canvas piece. You can find the full line in our Vinyl Room at the front of the store.

And of course there are new products almost daily in our Paper Crafts Department right now as well. I have been sharing those as they come in on our Facebook page, so be sure to be checking in there for updates on all the new items in Paper Crafts!

Stamp of the Month - February

2012-02-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

Below you will find the Great Impressions Stamp of the Month products for February. (You can find them on the middle endcap between aisles 9&10 in our Paper Crafts Department.) This month's stamps follow a spring/Easter theme.

The Stamp of the Month for February is this border stamp, and is available for only $5.75 (half off of the white tag price).

And the coordinating stamps available this month are:

More information about the Stamp of the Month can be found on the blog post HERE. Additionally, more information can also be found on the Great Impressions website HERE.

Happy Stamping!

More Valentines Projects.

2012-02-14T10:40:00.002-06:00

Even though they weren't included in the 'official' Valentine countdown series, today I also wanted to share with you a few additional Valentine projects. If you need any last minute ideas, or want to display some of your favorite Valentine photos these projects will be perfect:

I dig U Treat bags:

Love Clipboard:

True Love Frame:

Valentine Tags:

I Wheelie Like You Valentine:

Love Valentine Tumbler:

You and Me Photo Clothespin:

14 days of love - Valentine Layouts.

2012-02-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

For our final day on our countdown to Valentine's Day I wanted to share with you some layouts we have have created using the Valentine themed paper lines we have at Crafts Direct. Perfect to document the sweethearts in you life, your valentine day festivities, or to just have an excuse to use the adorable paper, here are some ideas for you:

Doodlebug: Sweet Cakes line

Fancy Pants: Love Story line

My Mind's Eye: Love Me line

Pebbles: With Love line

And We R Memory Keepers: Love Struck line

Thanks for joining me as we counted down to Valentine's Day! I wish you all a day filled with love (and some crafting time too:) !

14 days of love - Clothespin Shadow Box.

2012-02-13T08:00:00.000-06:00

Recently we started carrying these cute shadow boxes that come with the line and mini clothespins included. There are really so many cute ways to use this piece- but what better way than to start out with some Valentine's Love. All that I used to create this project was some paint, a piece of My Mind's Eye paper, and the accessory sheet to match the line. You could also easily swap out some of the embellishments on the line with a favorite photo or two to make it a bit more personalized!

A project sheet for this project can be found HERE.

Pin It

14 days of love - Heart Garland.

2012-02-12T08:00:00.001-06:00

Today I want to share with you this super simple Valentine Heart Garland. For this piece I painted a few wood hearts (from an assorted size pack), covered them with Basic Grey:Kissing Booth pattern paper and then linked them together by punching holes and adding some ribbon. I think this would be a great addition to a door or door way orwould look really cute added to a mantel or fireplace!

A project sheet for this project can be found HERE.

Quilt Time Event Registration Starts Today!

2012-02-11T08:43:00.003-06:00

Just a little reminder that our Quilt Time Registration starts today at 9am. Stop in or call, 320-654-0907, to register. We hope to see you there.Our second Quilt Time Event is now scheduled for April 27th & 28th! Hosted at the Moose Lodge, this is a great event for all quilters and sewers to get together to work on your projects. We will provide food, a goodie bag and chances to win prizes - and you also have the option to sign up for our Mystery Quilt project.

More information about the event can be found HERE.

14 days of love - Valentine Tree.

2012-02-11T08:00:00.001-06:00

Today's Valentine project is a fun way to show off some of your favorite valentine photos or valentine notes. To create this Valentine Tree I used one of our unfinished wood jewelry trees- painted it pink and then embellished it with a few simple pieces of pattern paper from the Fancy Pants Love Story line and chipboard pieces from the Crate Paper line.

A complete project sheet for this project can be found HERE.

14 days of love - Valentine Tubes.

2012-02-10T07:30:00.000-06:00

Instead of buying pre-made or prepackaged Valentine's this year - why not create your own using one of our clear tubes. They come in a variety of sizes and styles and can be customized to any type of valentine you want. For these particular samples we filled them with M&M's, Conversation hearts, Runts, and even the S'more goldfish crackers and then customized a tag or embellishment to fit the theme. Even though I love them all, I have to say the banana one might be my favorite (probably also has to do with the fact that Curious George is a favorite at our house :).

I think these would be great to make for your kids, have your kids make for their friends, or even to make or give as favors at a Valentine party!

14 days of love - I Love You Plaque.

2012-02-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today's valentine project is this cute "I Love You" wood plaque. This project only requires a few supplies and is a simple way to add a little handmade valentine decor to your home. I think it would also be cute to add a photo to this piece of the one you love (or you together) and display or give it as a valentine itself.

A project sheet with directions on how to make this project yourself can be found HERE.

14 days of love - Love Shadow Box.

2012-02-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today I want to share with you this 'Love' Shadow Box. Another really easy project to create, for this piece I just punched hearts from two pieces of pattern paper (Doodlebug Dots) and adhered them onto a piece of card stock in a grid formation. I then placed the piece into the shadow box and added the Love definition vinyl to the front of the glass.

This project would also be cute with a small photo added in place of one of the hearts, and could also be decorated a bit more by adding pattern paper to the outside of the frame or including some fill to the bottom of the box.

A complete project sheet for this project can be found HERE.

February Quilt Block.

2012-02-07T12:09:00.002-06:00

Our Quilt Block of the Month for February is now available! You can read more about the story of this months block above and you can find all the supplies for this block (as well as see the completed quilt top) on the front endcap between aisles 25 & 26.

*Also don't forget to bring in your completed January block for a discounted price on February's block.

Quilt Time Event.

2012-02-07T11:34:00.000-06:00

Our second Quilt Time Event is now scheduled for April 27th & 28th! Hosted at the Moose Lodge, this is a great event for all quilters and sewers to get together to work on your projects. We will provide food, a goodie bag and chances to win prizes - and you also have the option to sign up for our Mystery Quilt project.

Mark your calendars now - registration opens at 9am on February 11th. We would love to have you join us at this event!

More information about the event can be found HERE.

14 days of love - Scroll Frame.

2012-02-07T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today's project is this decorated wood scroll frame. We actually have lots of shape and size options (you can find them all in aisle 17) when it comes to our frames so you could create this same project in a variety of ways.

For this particular frame, I just painted the wood frame and then covered the front with a single sheet of pattern paper. I used the Pioneer Embellishment glue stick to adhere the paper to the frame and then used an Exacto knife to trim of the excess paper from the sides of the frame as well as the photo opening (you could also use a scissor for this step). The cute embellishment is actually just a layered sticker from an embellishment pack by Pebbles Inc that I adhered to the frame. Then all that was left was adding the photo - super easy!

Everyday Moments Card Chaos.

2012-02-06T12:36:00.001-06:00

Our next Card Chaos event is coming up at the end of March...and registration will be opening for the event on March 3rd!! Mark your calendars now and join us for this fun filled day of card making, friends, and food - and also a goodie bag for good measure. More information about the event and registration can be found HERE - we would love to see you there!

14 days of love - Hanging Coaster Set.

2012-02-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

I really love this project that Sarah created using one of our coaster sets and some alcohol inks! She simply applied the ink to the unfinished coasters and once they were dry added the vinyl words to the front. To add a little extra touch for hanging them she then glued them to a wide piece of ribbon as sets of two. You can find a project sheet for this project HERE.

14 days of love - Mason Jars.

2012-02-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today I have a set of similar projects to share. And really these two samples of what you could do with a Mason jar for Valentines Day are only a simple starting point. There are so many ways you could decorate the Jars to fit the theme - plus they are perfect for filling up with treats, or notes, or to use as a vase for those Valentine flowers you are delivering or are lucky enough to receive!

The first jar is this doily wrapped jar. For this sample I simply adhered white paper doilies around the jar and then glued a heart I had cut from pattern paper to the front. To give it a finished look I wrapped a piece of twine around the jar a few times and then tied it into a bow.

The second jar is this Mod Podge jar. This jar was created by using Mod Podge to adhere pieces of white tissue paper and a heart doily to the outside of jar. Then adhere a ribbon around the top of the jar. I think this would be perfect as a vase for a Valentine flower arrangement.

A project sheet for both of the jar projects can be found HERE.

14 days of love - Love Glass Block.

2012-02-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

The next project I want to share with you is this Love Glass Block that Megan created. Created with only a few simple supplies (cardstock, ribbon, jute, vinyl, and buttons), I think the end result is adorable!

**Another idea for this glass block is to fill it up with treats or even little love notes for your special valentine.

A project sheet for the Glass Block can be found HERE.

14 days of love - Be Mine Plate.

2012-02-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today I have a quick and easy project to share with you. This would be a perfect project to do with a group of people and kids could definitely help with creating this one too! All we did was start out with one of our plain white plates (which are only 50 cents each!) and using Mod Podge, glued down pieces of red tissue paper we had cut down into small square pieces. We then added the 'be mine' vinyl saying to a pink heart doily (which you can find with our valentine supplies) and used Mod Podge to adhere that onto the plate as well.

This would be super cute hanging on the wall or as a plate to give your valentine with treats on it!

14 days of love - Valentine Canvases.

2012-02-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Day 2 of Love :)

And actually today I have two projects to share with you. Sarah created these two Valentine themed canvases and I adore both of them!

First, using one of my favorite pieces of pattern paper ever (from Fancy Pants Love Story line) she created this Doily Heart Canvas. I especially like the pop of the red heart and flower on the black and white background. A project sheet with instructions for this canvas can be found HERE.

She also created this Heart Canvas by simply covering the canvas with a piece of paper and adhering heart cut-outs from a coordinating piece of pattern paper. A project sheet for this canvas can be found HERE.

I think either of these pieces would be a great way to add a little piece of Valentine decor to your home - and both are very easy and affordable to create on your own!

14 days of love - Tweet Hearts.

2012-02-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

Hi Everyone and Happy February!

I'm excited to kick off this month with a new blog series to share with you some of the fun Valentine themed projects we have created here at Crafts Direct. We have quite mix of items and all of them would be perfect to create for yourself or to create for that special someone as we count down to the 14th!

First up, this 'Tweet Hearts' Photo Holder. I love what Megan did with this simple wood block (it comes with the holes pre-drilled) and some wooden dowels and hearts. The Tweet Hearts image and words is actually a vinyl saying that comes as one piece so it is very easy to add to the block once you have it covered with the pattern paper. You could also easily add the same vinyl piece to any other decor piece that you wish - I had shared this particular sample with the same vinyl piece also.

A complete project sheet for this project can be found HERE.

CHA Winter.

2012-01-31T13:26:00.001-06:00

Right now in Anaheim California hundreds of crafters are coming together for the Craft and Hobby Association Winter show, and among them are our very own Sarah Lynn and Jodine from our Paper Crafts Department!

They are working hard with all of your favorite companies to place orders and check out all that will be coming to Crafts Direct in the coming months. Even though we all would love to be there checking it all out in person too, Sarah and Jodine have been sending us peeks of a few things that have caught their eye over the past few days - and of course we wanted to share them with you too!

A very cute tote bag created using burlap from Canvas Corp.:

A new size of the very popular Smash books by K&Company:

A photo tray embellished with the Simple Stories Fabulous line:

A few projects using the Fancy Pants Wave Searcher line:

A layout from October Afternoon's Cake Walk line:

Some fun projects from Doodlebug & their Hello Spring line:

My Mind's Eye gorgeous Miss Caroline line:

Frame using the Simple Stories Fabulous line:

Paradise line by Little Yellow Bicycle:

Splash Line by Little Yellow Bicycle:

Tea for Two line by Cosmo Cricket:

This and That line by Fancy Pants:

Washi Tape from We R Memory Keepers:

Sarah Lynn also send us this quick video of an album they saw at the Simple Stories booth:

So fun to see all the new products...and now we are all very anxious to see it start arriving at the store too!!

2012 Charity Program.

2012-01-30T11:47:00.000-06:00

Last week I shared where our totals ended up for our Charity of the Month program in 2011, and today I want to share with you the plans for the program in 2012.

Because of the huge success of the program and also the needs of many different charities throughout our community we have changed the program slightly going forward. For our customers nothing will change - with a donation of $1 to the charity you will still receive 40% off one item - but instead of having only one charity a month we are adding more charities to the line up for 2012. This will allow us to help even more charities and thus more people throughout the new year.

Below you will find the list of the charities that have been selected for 2012 as well as the dates that any donations will go to that particular charity. We are very excited for another great year of giving back to the local community through our Charity of the Week program!

2011 Charity of the Month.

2012-01-26T11:16:00.000-06:00

This week we had our last charity of 2011 come in to receive a check for the amount that was raised by the Crafts Direct customers during the month of December. So now the totals - and photos - are in!

Thanks to all of our WONDERFUL customers, our first year of implementing our Charity of the Month program we raised an astonishing $150,000 for charities local to the St. Cloud area. We are so proud of what our customers have allowed us to do with this program and so thankful for it's success in helping the charities that received the donations.

THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OF YOU WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROGRAM IN 2011!!

March Class Calendar.

2012-01-25T11:50:00.002-06:00

Our March class calendar is now available online! Check out some of the fun things we are offering- we would love to have you join us for some creative time or to learn something new. You can view the class calendar here. If you would like to register for a class please call us at 320.654.0907 or stop in and speak to someone at customer service.

Fragrance of the Month.

2012-01-23T12:07:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to pop in today and share with you our Yankee Candle Fragrance of the Month, which is Lemon Lavendar. Right now you can purchase the 22oz classic jar for only $14.98 (the regular price is $25.99).

We also have a few of the new Yankee spring fragrances available, including Lemonade and True Rose. They would be perfect to add a little spring time to your home or office!

You can find all of our candles in our Gifts Department at the front of the store by the Coffee Shop.

Valentine's Projects.

2012-01-19T13:08:00.002-06:00

On February 1st we are going to start our "14 Days of Love" blog series to share with you some of our favorite Valentine project ideas, but today I also wanted to share with you some of the fun projects and decor pieces our Seasonal Department has put together for Valentine's Day!

These projects only require a few supplies and can easily be put together by anyone (as most of them only require applying vinyl and filling them up with treats).

If you want to add a little pink or red to your home or office I'm sure you can find an idea you love out of this bunch:

Quilt Ventures Class: Frosty Fellow

2012-01-18T13:00:00.000-06:00

There are still openings in our Quilt Ventures Class: Frosty Fellow. It starts tomorrow evening at 6pm. The fee is $25 dollars plus supplies and is a 2 session class, with the second session being held Thursday, Jan. 26. If you are interested in signing up, stop in or give us a call at 320-654-0907. You will receive a coupon for 20% off your supplies, when you register. To see other classes we are offering check out our classes & events calendar here.

Hanging Frames.

2012-01-18T10:00:00.000-06:00

Do you have a small wall space that needs just a 'little something'? Or do you want to create a cute gift or valentine for someone that you know they will love?

Our hanging frames would be perfect!! They don't take up much room, they display a 4x6 photo (no photo resizing needed!), and they can easily be altered to match any decor colors or project theme.

Here are a few of the samples we have created recently:

I hope you find some inspiration in them or are inspired with an idea of your own!!

New in Fabrics.

2012-01-17T12:21:00.001-06:00

Today I am excited to share some new items from our Fabrics department with you!!

First up - new tweed stripe yarn from Vanna's collection. Love the colors available and the color combos of the stripes!! You can find these colors (and more!) in aisle 29.

We also just received in these four new Candlewicking Pillow kits. Apparently this is something we carried years ago - but just now got some new kits in. I love the designs and the neutral color palate of them!! You can find them in aisle 23.

Next, if you love the Lots to Love Dolls...we now have Lots to Love Bath Dolls. They are a bit smaller than the other dolls and come with cute outfits and ducks. We have these four styles/colors available and you can find them on a back endcap in our fabrics department.

And finally for any of you that sew or quilt, you can find some really cute Valentine and St. Patrick Day fabrics for your upcoming projects on a back endcap in our fabrics department as well.

New in Gifts.

2012-01-13T11:37:00.000-06:00

We have a few new items in our Gifts Department that I wanted to share with you today.

First up, we now have some new Primitives by Kathy box signs available. Lots of different options for both sayings and sizes of the box signs. Below are a couple of shots of some of the new ones we have:

The Gift Department also has a large selection of new scarves available. The scarf room is stocked full of new patterns, styles, and colors to choose from.

New Memo & Calendar Boards.

2012-01-11T11:20:00.003-06:00

Today I wanted to share with you a few new samples of our memo/calendar boards that Sarah Lynn created.

If you happen to have one that was decorated with a Christmas theme - now is the perfect time to simply swap out the paper and embellishments and create a new look for the upcoming season/month. And if you don't have one already - this is a really easy, fun way to get crafty and also a useful piece to add to your home!

New Fiskar Punches.

2012-01-09T12:47:00.001-06:00

Today just a quick share of something new I spotted in the store on Friday...and am very excited about! We now have these new Fiskars punches available in our Paper Crafts department.

We have the new punches for creating banners, pendants, and tabs:

And we also have a couple of the border punches and the small scallop rectangle too:

You can find all of them (plus the many other punches we carry) in aisle 11.

Towel of the Month-January.

2012-01-06T09:59:00.001-06:00

Welcome to another month of our Towel of the Month kit! We have some really great designs/kits lined up for 2012 and I'm so excited to share each of them with you. I love the idea of starting the new year with this monthly project and ending it with 12 unique embroidered towels.

For the month of January, we have the adorable Valentine themed towel shown above. As always, the kits include 1 towel, 1 instruction sheet, and floss in the color used for the sample. The only things you will have to supply (which you probably already have) is an embroidery hoop, tracing pens or Fabri-Solvy and a needle.

You can find the kits on the endcap of aisle 23 in the store and are available for only $6.99 each!

New Flowers.

2012-01-05T11:33:00.000-06:00

We just got this new line of very cute pin and clip flowers by Laliberi in! They are perfect to add to a headband or hair piece, and could also be used to add a little fun to a sweater, coat, purse or even your shoes! This is just a small sample of the pieces we got in - so be sure to stop in a check them out soon. You can find them with our other headband products in the back of the store by the Fabrics demo counter.

I'm loving the gray one with the silver edging...which one is your favorite?

Wine Cork Holders.

2012-01-04T13:01:00.002-06:00

Today I wanted to quickly share some samples I recently completed with these fun new Wire Wine Cork Holders we just got in. They come in a few different styles and with their neutral color could go with any decor style. What I really love about them is the ability to create them into different styles with just the addition of a few stickers, vinyl, paper, or ribbon.

Here is a closer view of the "Enjoy" Cork Holder - that I embellished by simply gluing on a some glass marbles to the outside of the piece. (A complete project sheet for this project can be found HERE.)

You can find the Wire Wine Cork Holders in our Wine Room in our Home Decor department at the front of the store.

Cheers!

Stamp of the Month - January

2012-01-03T11:32:00.002-06:00

Our Great Impressions Stamp of the Month products for January are now out! (You can find them on the middle endcap between aisles 9&10 in our Paper Crafts Department.) This months stamps follow a Valentine/love theme which is perfect for those Valentine cards and projects you will need during the month of February.

The Stamp of the Month for January is this background stamp, and is available for only $6.50 (half off of the white tag price).

And the coordinating stamps available this month are:

These range in price from $4.49-$11.49 each.
(**Also through January 20th, 2012 these stamps are an additional 30% off of the white tag price!)

More information about the Stamp of the Month can be found on the blog post HERE. Additionally, more information can also be found on the Great Impressions website HERE.

Happy Stamping!

January & February Classes

2012-01-02T09:12:00.004-06:00

Happy New Year! It is a great time to learn something new and we are offering many classes to teach you a new craft/hobby. Everything from cake decorating to card making. Check out our calendar of classes and events here. If you see a class you would like to take stop in to register or give us a call, (320)-654-0907, as many classes still have openings. We hope to see you soon.

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 25

2011-12-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 25: Rolled Paper Tree

And finally, today I wanted to share with you this rolled paper tree we created after seeing the idea posted on Pinterest (you can follow our Pinterest board here.) We used one of our 5x9" wood plaques (painted white) and paper from the We R Memory Keepers line. I love the look of the finished project and I really had fun making it too!

I hope you all have enjoyed seeing our 25 Days of Christmas projects as much as I've had sharing them with you! And I hope you were able to find some time to create some of them too.

Have a wonderful holiday from all of us here at Crafts Direct!!

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 24

2011-12-24T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 24: Magnetic Notepads

An inexpensive and quick project...these decorated magnetic notepads would be a perfect last minute stocking stuffer. The notepads have a magnetic flap and can easily be decorated with a single sheet of pattern paper and a few embellishments. And if you missed out on making them for Christmas you can always used different themed paper to make them for any season or holiday!

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 23

2011-12-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 23: Gift Tags

Today I wanted to share a few gift tag ideas we have created. First, using our unfinished wood tags, I made these gift tags by just adding some paint, pattern paper and a few embellishments.

Another favorite, that Megan created, are these monogram tags. Not only would they be cute added to the top of a gift - but they could be kept out for display all year long!

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 22

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 22: Wood Plaques

Today I wanted to share a few ideas on how to decorate our standard 5x5" wood plaques for the holiday and winter season. Perfect as a little scrapbook page or as a decor piece with a vinyl saying (or snowman face) - you definitely still have time to create one of these pieces for yourself or to give as a gift.

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 21

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 21: Snowman Hot Chocolate Jar

If you still need a quick and easy gift idea for a neighbor, teacher, or friend - today I have the perfect idea for you! Using our handled jars, some hot chocolate, mints and marshmallows we created this cute gift jar. It is also really easy to dress it up - using Wilton pens we added snowman faces to the marshmallows and then simply added a small whisk and tag using ribbon as a finishing touch. It was a very fun and easy project to create and I love the end result!

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 20

2011-12-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 20: Felt Ornaments

Today's project is two different styles of felt ornaments that would be a lovely addition to anyone's tree - or could be used as part of a gift wrapping or even a gift in itself!

The first version are the Felt Mitten Ornaments - a project sheet for them can be found HERE.

Or following the same general idea you can make the Felt Light Bulb Ornaments. A project sheet for the Light Bulb version can be found HERE.

January Quilt Block.

2011-12-19T10:46:00.001-06:00

At the end of November I shared the completed quilt top for the 2012 Quilt of the Month quilt here. Today I wanted to share a little more about the specific block for the month of January. You can see the completed block and read a little more about the background of the block above. Be sure to come in a pick up the supplies to start your January block soon! You can see the quilt top and find all the supplies on the front endcap between aisles 25 & 26.

ETA: Supplies for the January Quilt Block will be available on January 1st. Thanks!

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 19

2011-12-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 19: Snowman Kit

This project is definitely one of my favorites!! There are certainly some families that I know that would love to recieve this as a gift...and I'm sure you do too!

A project sheet with full instructions and supply list on how to make your very own Snowman Kit can be found HERE.

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 18

2011-12-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 18: Shadow Boxes

Another simple way to decorate for the holidays...shadow boxes. The great thing about using a shadow box is that you can decorate and fill it in anyway you like! We have them in a variety of sizes and come with black or white frames so you can match your decorations or home decor easily. For these samples we simply dressed up the shadow boxes with pattern paper, vinyl and some small items as filler in the frame. You could also add a favorite photo to any of these projects as well!

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 17

2011-12-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 17: Burlap Pillows

I love these burlap pillows that Megan created recently! The only supplies you need are a pillow form, some burlap and fabric paint. Such a lovely, rustic decoration to add to your home at Christmas! You can find a project sheet for the burlap pillows HERE.

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 16

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 16: Decorated Wood Pieces

Today's blog post contains a bunch of different projects - but what they all have in common is that they all started out as unfinished wood pieces. With just some paint, paper, and embellishments you can turn a plain piece of wood into such a cute Christmas decoration! Such as this wood sled that I used to display a favorite photo of my kids sledding last year:

Or a wood snowflake dressed up with some glitter paper and a Happy Holidays sentiment:

For this piece I covered the front of the wood piece with a glittery foam sheet and then added little photos to each of the O's:

To display some photos from our trip to pick out this years Christmas Tree I added photos directly to the hanging trees on this wood piece:

For this piece I simply painted the piece and then covered it with a piece of pattern paper that I love:

And this guy got dressed up by just using paint and some rhinestones:

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 15

2011-12-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 15: Joy Candlestick Jars

One of my favorite projects lately are these candlestick jars. We had created a set for Halloween- which I loved - but now I think the JOY candlestick jars might be my new favorite. All you need for this project is a few wood pieces (the snowflake for the base, the candlesticks, and dowels for the top), the jars and the vinyl letters. Filled up with some Christmas treats - they make a great addition to your Christmas decor or would be a fun gift idea as well! You can find the complete instructions and supply list for this project HERE.

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 14

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 14: Christmas Frames

Today I wanted to share with you some decorated Christmas and winter frames. All of these frames started out as unfinished frames, which I love because then I was able to paint and decorate them in any way I wanted. The possibilities are really endless with what you can do with them!

As you can see each one takes on a completely different look- and each of them only require a few supplies. (You can click on each image to be taken to a project sheet for that particular frame.)

Christmas is Best Frame

Family Frame

Jingle all the Way Frame

Let it Snow Frame

Peace Love Joy Frame

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 13

2011-12-13T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 13: Felt Ornament Frames

If you need a quick and easy Christmas decoration or gift, these felt ornament frames are the perfect project. They come in the shapes and sizes you see, with openings already cut for the photos and ribbon for hanging - all you need to do is add your favorite photo and embellish in any way you want. For these samples I just used a few pieces of pattern paper and some scrapbooking embellishments.

These would also be a great craft idea for the kids to work on themselves - some stickers or fun kid craft supplies would work great to decorate them up as well!

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 12

2011-12-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 12: Holiday Mache Cones

Today I want to share with you three ways that you could decorate basic paper mache cones for the holiday season. Fun as a group of a couple or an entire collection I think these are great pieces to add to your holiday decorations. (I'm going to pick up supplies for my kids to work on some of the felt trees over Christmas break and leave them out through the winter season!)

First, how cute are these Santa Hat Cones? A project sheet for this project can be found HERE.

I love these Felt Tree Cones. There are so many options with colors, sizes, and embellishments for this project. I am thinking an entire forest of these would be great! A project sheet for this project can be found HERE.

And finally, these Yarn Tree Cones are very easy to make and the whimsical look of them is wonderful! A project sheet for this project can be found HERE.

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 11

2011-12-11T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 11: Decorative Dishtowels

Dishtowels are always a useful gift and can easily add a festive touch to your home too. Today I wanted to share a few samples Erica has created that I think would be great gift ideas - and are all really easy and inexpensive to make!

The first towel is this Ribbon Tree Dishtowel. Super simple to make, the only supplies you need are ribbon, a button, some thread and the dishtowel. A project sheet for this dishtowel can be found HERE.

The next towel is the Snowman Dishtowel. For this towel we added fabric to a dishtowel using Heat-n-Bond and then stitched around the appliqued pieces. So easy yet so cute! A project sheet for this towel can be found HERE.

Finally, how about creating an entire set of Days of the Week Dishtowels. Use your favorite fabric to add a few letters to the corners of seven dishtowels...and you have a great (and useful!) gift. A project sheet for these towels can be found HERE.

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 10

2011-12-10T16:37:00.000-06:00

Day 10: Coaster Set

Today I have another great homemade gift idea to share with you! Or of course you could always make them for yourself too :)

Megan created these two adorable coaster sets by just using the unfinished sets we have available and some cute pattern paper. You could also always add photos to the coasters for a personalized touch as well. A general project sheet for the coaster project can be found HERE.

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 9

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 9: Clothespins

Today I wanted to share a few fun ideas of things you can create using our wood clothespin and doll pins for the holidays.

First, is this Clothespin Nativity Set. Such a quick and easy craft. It would be a perfect project idea for a group to work on! A project sheet for this project can be found HERE.

Sarah also created this adorable nativity ornament using Doll Pins. A project sheet for the ornament can be found HERE.

Another way to use the wood clothespin would be to decorate it and use it as a recipe card holder. For this sample all we did was paint the clothespin and then cover the sides with pattern paper and embellish it with a scallop circle and button. If you have a favorite holiday recipe to share or want to make a little gift for your cookie exchange this would be the perfect thing! A project sheet for the recipe holder can be found HERE.

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 8

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 8: Memo and Magnetic Boards

A fun way to add some practical holiday decor to your home or office is with one of our Memo or Magnetic boards. Decorated as a calendar or a holiday board they create a perfect place to keep track of your holiday events, hang Christmas cards, or display holiday photos. The best part is once you have the frame created you can easily change out the embellishments and paper to create a new look for the next month or season. Here are few that we created for December and January:

Stamp of the Month - December

2011-12-07T10:47:00.001-06:00

Our Great Impressions Stamp of the Month products for December are all set up and ready to go on the middle endcap between aisles 9&10 in our Paper Crafts Department. This months stamps follow a birthday/party theme - and are perfect for all those birthday cards throughout the year!

The Stamp of the Month for December is this scroll border stamp, and is available for only $6.50 (half off of the original price).

And the coordinating stamps available this month:

These range in price from $5.99-$11.49 each.

More information about the Stamp of the Month can be found on the blog post HERE. Additionally, more information can also be found on the Great Impressions website HERE.

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 7

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 7: Santa Jar & Clear Tube

Today I have two Santa themed projects to share with you. First up is this Santa Jar. For this project we just used Mod Podge to adhere squares of red tissue paper to the outside of a standard jar and then added the belt (which you can find in aisle 19). This would look really cute filled with flowers or a holiday arrangement or also just filled up with some Christmas treats.

The second project is one of our clear tubes decorated to look like a Santa belt with some simple felt and a chenille stem. Filled up with candy this is a perfect stocking stuffer or small gift for someone on your list! A project sheet for the Santa Belt tube can be found HERE.

25 Days of Christmas 2012: Day 6

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 6: 25 Days of Merry Recipe Box

If you want a fun way to document the month of December, today I have the perfect project for you! Using a few sheets of pattern paper, a wood recipe box, a vinyl title, and some fun embellishments I created this cute album project.

Each day of December has its own 4x6" card in the box, where you can add some journaling about the day and/or a photo. So at the end of the month you will end up with a box full of photos documenting all of your holiday events and activities. This would also be a great gift to make for someone too!

A project sheet for this project can be found HERE.

25 Days of Christmas 2011: Day 5

2011-12-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 5: Glitter Trees

How can you go wrong with glitter decorations at Christmas? We created these fun glitter trees by painting our standard glass candlesticks white and gluing on top foam cones that had been covered in glitter. You could create these using any color of glitter you would like and using all sorts of different combination's of candlesticks and foam cones to create many different sizes. I think an complete 'forest' of these trees would look awesome across an entire table or mantle! A project sheet for the glitter tree can be found HERE.

25 Days of Christmas 2011: Day 4

2011-12-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 4: Glass Blocks

One of the quickest and easiest projects to make are our glass blocks. By simply adding some vinyl or a napkin! to the front and a quick ribbon around the sides you have a wonderful addition to your holiday decor. Or a lovely handmade Christmas gift.

For the first two projects shown below we actually used Mod Podge to adhere and seal a holiday napkin to the front of the glass blocks and then just added a ribbon and embellishments. Another option (that could be used for any of our glass blocks) would be to add some lights to the inside of the block as well. A project sheet for these Decoupage Glass Blocks can be found HERE.

The following samples are just as easy and were created by adding vinyl to the front of each of the glass blocks and then filling them with various items to coordinate with the vinyl saying or decor theme. We have lots of different vinyl sayings available so the options are really endless with what you could add to your own glass block!

25 Days of Christmas 2011: Day 3

2011-12-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 3: Christmas Canvases

Today I have five projects to share with you- although they all have one thing in common...they all start with a simple blank canvas.

Sarah did an amazing job with these projects - they just go to show that with a blank canvas the project possibilities are endless!

The first canvas is a Countdown to Christmas. All that this project required was paint, a piece of paper, some ribbon and vinyl. Very easy but such a cute holiday decoration to add to your home. A project sheet for this project can be found HERE.

Next up, this Fabric and Button Tree. Sarah created the pieces of the tree by combining buttons and fabric and I love the natural touch that was added by backing the piece with corrugated cardboard! A project sheet for this canvas can be found HERE.

This next project actually uses two canvases. For this project we covered a larger canvas with a piece of pattern paper, and then adhered a smaller canvas, with a rub-on saying, to the piece. I really love the unique look of this project. A project sheet for this canvas can be found HERE.

The fourth canvas I wanted to share is this Santa Canvas, which was created by using a hand print and then painting in the features. I think this project works great using an adult hand (as shown) and would also be fun to do with the hand prints of your kids or grandkids - either on separate canvases or all in a row on one larger canvas! A project sheet for the Santa Canvas can be found HERE.

Finally, Sarah created this Christmas tree on a canvas by using pieces of pattern paper and a Vinyl Saying we have available. Another really easy project for anyone to do - and the finished product is adorable! A project sheet for this canvas can be found HERE.

25 Days of Christmas 2011: Day 2

2011-12-02T08:00:00.001-06:00

Day 2: 2012 Calendars

Today I wanted to share a couple ideas to get you ready for 2012. I realize that we are just at the start of December, but I wanted to share them because in addition to being great to make for yourself - I also think these would be a wonderful handmade gift idea!

For both samples I used the SRM Mini Calendar Stickers. For the Calendar Board we actually used a wood clock kit, added some paint and some patterned paper and turned it into a year at a glance calendar board. Of course you could create this same project with any theme or style of pattern paper you would like. A project sheet for the calendar board can be found HERE.

The second idea is to use the Mini Calendar Stickers to create a flip calendar/minibook. For this project I used one of the Calendar Stickers on each page and added a photo for the month as well. And by using a thicker cardboard cover it easily stands up all on its own. Obviously you could create this same idea with more photos, larger photos, or different themed paper too. A project sheet for the Calendar Mini can be found HERE.

25 Days of Christmas 2011: Day 1

2011-12-01T12:00:00.000-06:00

Hi Everyone!

Today I'm very excited to kick off our 25 Days of Christmas blog series!! I have a lot of great project ideas to share with you this month...from decor items to fun crafts to do with your family to perfect gift ideas. Every day until Christmas we will have a new project idea posted here - so be sure to check back everyday for some Holiday Inspiration.

Day 1: Advent Calendars

Since we are going to be counting down the days on the blog, we thought we would share some creative ways you could count down the days until Christmas too!!

The first advent calendar was created using a paper mache tree that comes unfinished in white. All we did was add a little paint, some pattern paper and number stickers and you have an adorable advent tree. Each drawer pulls out also so you have a perfect spot to add a little treat or write down an activity for that day. A project sheet for this project can be found HERE.

The second advent idea I wanted to share was this one I created using the Winter Wishes Advent kit from Little Yellow Bicycle. This project actually comes pre-packaged as a kit so all you have to do it put it together and add a photo - everything you see here is included! This would be a great one to use to write down a daily message or a holiday activity to do for each day. The kit for this advent can be found in our Paper Crafts department.

Quilt Block of the Month

2011-11-29T12:48:00.001-06:00

This beautiful "Granite City Quilt" was created for our Quilt of the Month program for 2012. You can take a peak at the finished quilt top in the store - it is hanging on a front endcap between aisles 25&26 - and get ready for the start of the program in January.

Here is a little more about the program:

This Quilt block of the Month program will be a 12 month Historical Journey through St. Cloud and the Surrounding areas. Each block is named after something in the area that has helped shape it into the great place to live that it is today.

The program will start on January 1, 2012 and will be run the same as 2011's program. The quilter will finsih January's block and bring it in anytime in February to get that month's block at the discounted price. This process will be repeated for the remaining months.

Again, we do not require the quilter to take valualble time out of their lives to attend monthly promotional meetings.

Putting this program together has been great fun, and we know you will really enjoy taking the journey with us!

After Thanksgiving Day Sales!!

2011-11-24T21:00:00.000-06:00

As you plan out your Black Friday shopping...I wanted to share with you the sale ads we will have available this weekend. In addition to the After Thanksgiving Sale below (which runs on Friday and Saturday) we also now have our Holiday Gift Guide online - these items are available while supplies last so if there is something you want don't delay!

(You can click on either image below to see the entire ad.)

Also a reminder of our extended hours this weekend:
Friday 6am-9pm
Saturday 8am-8pm
Sunday 10am-6pm

A Time to be Thankful.

2011-11-23T11:11:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you from all of us at Crafts Direct!!

We will be closed Thanksgiving Day, but will be opening at 6:00 am on Friday with some GREAT day after Thanksgiving sales and coupons!

You can view our After Thanksgiving Sale ad HERE.

Also we do have extended hours on both Friday and Saturday:

Friday we are open from 6am-9pm

and Saturday from 9am-9pm.

Have a wonderful Holiday...and we will see you on Friday!

Cotton Fleece Yarn.

2011-11-22T09:54:00.000-06:00

Any of you knitters or crocheters out there will be happy to know that our quilt shop now carries Cotton Fleece yarn in a variety of colors! I only photographed a few of the colors that we have available - but you can find the entire line and all the colors in aisle 27 of our store. It's perfect for any of those holiday gifts you still need to work on!

Sneak Peek: After Thanksgiving Ad!

2011-11-21T11:46:00.001-06:00

Today I'm excited to share with you a sneak peek at our After Thanksgiving Sale Ad!! We have some really great items on sale on both Friday and Saturday and coupons available for both days as well.

We also have extended hours for the sale - we will be open from 6am-9pm on Friday and 8am-8pm on Saturday.

You can view the entire ad by clicking on the photo above or clicking HERE.

Pictures with Santa!

2011-11-18T09:30:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow Santa Claus is coming to Crafts Direct!! From 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Santa will be in the store and with a dollar donation to the Charity of the Month you will be able to have your picture taken with him.
You will be able to find him at the end of aisle 7.

While you are here you can also make this adorable frame as a free make & take to display your photo with Santa.

We hope to see you there!

LifeStyle Crafts Make & Take.

2011-11-17T11:38:00.000-06:00

Join us tomorrow (Friday, November 18th) for a free Make & Take at our Paper Crafts demo counter from 4-7 pm. Spencer from LifeStyle Crafts will be here to make this Christmas card using the Letterpress & Nesting Dies by LifeStyle Crafts. We hope you can join us and make this gorgeous card!

Nano Blocks.

2011-11-17T09:52:00.000-06:00

Have you heard about Nano Blocks?

They are the micro-sized building blocks that you can use to create amazing *little* pieces of art. Developed in Tokyo, they have now come to the United States and are becoming quite a big hit.

We just received a large selection of the Nano Blocks and they are now available to purchase in the front of our store by the check out registers. Perfect for ages 8 and up, I think they would make a great addition to someones Christmas stocking this year!

Christmas Trees &Garlands.

2011-11-16T09:49:00.001-06:00

This year our Christmas trees and garlands have moved from their previous location in the Closeout Store to a new location in the main store...the classroom!

We have a great selection of wreaths, garlands, and trees set up and lots of room to check them all out. Below you can find a video that will give you a glimpse of what we have available and also a little tour on how to find them if you aren't sure where our classroom is.

Here are also a few photos of what is set up in the classroom. Lots of different tree options:

Many different styles of garlands:

Pre-lit "flat" trees - perfect for smaller spaces or on a porch:

Frosted trees:

And pre-lit garland too:

We hope you can make it in soon to check it all out!!

Holiday Open House, Tomorrow!

2011-11-11T13:29:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow, Saturday, November 12th, is our Holiday Open House, and we have some fun things planned. At our Coffee Shop from 9am to 11am there will be free cider and cookies. We will also be offering these free make & takes.
From 9am to noon, we will be offering the Alcohol Ink Snowflake Magnet at the Paper Crafts Demo Counter(end of aisle 11). At the Paints & Basics Demo Counter (end of aisle 18) we will be offering the Reindeer Notepad.

From 1pm to 4pm, we will be offering the Snowman Card at the Paper Crafts Demo Counter. At the Paints & Basics Demo Counter we will be offering the Glitter It Snowflake Ornament.

During these times our friend Teri will be available to personalize ornaments, at the front of aisle 7. We hope you, your family and/or friends will be able to join us for the day. See you then!

Studio Calico.

2011-11-10T12:54:00.003-06:00

I'm so excited to share that we now have Studio Calico products available at Crafts Direct!!

I've been waiting a while to see these products in person so it has been very fun to check them all out...(and to make a list of the things I will be buying :)

We have pattern paper, wood veneers, chipboard embellishments, Fabribs, and chipboard journal kits...

AND Huey Masks and Mister Huey color mists!!

You can find all the new Studio Calico products in our paper crafts department. They are in different areas of the department so be sure to ask if you need help finding any of the products.

Christmas has arrived!

2011-11-09T13:03:00.003-06:00

I know that Halloween was just here...and that we still have Thanksgiving to celebrate, but Crafts Direct is definitely getting prepared for Christmas!

This week I spotted some of my favorite Christmas items set up in our Wine Room in the front of the store. Ranging from mugs and cups, to serving platters and spreaders, they are all such cute items! A few I would love for myself (like that coffee mug!) and others I'm thinking would be great items to start my Christmas shopping with (I know someone that would love the snowman salt and pepper shakers). They are all selling fast though so if something catches your eye I would come and get them before they are gone.

Holly Day Card Chaos.

2011-11-07T13:20:00.002-06:00

Today I wanted to share a big Thank You to all of you that made our first Holly Day Card Chaos last weekend such a success. We hope you all had a wonderful time and enjoyed all the cards you were able to create during the event! I will be posting photos and instructions for all of the cards from the event on our Facebook page by the end of the week so keep your eyes out for that.

Here are a few photos from our day of Card Chaos:

Towel of the Month-November.

2011-11-03T10:33:00.003-05:00

Welcome to another month of our Towel of the Month kit! This month the kit includes supplies to create this really cute Santa themed towel...perfect to have ready for the holiday season and would be a lovely Christmas gift as well.

The kits include 1 towel, 1 instruction sheet, and floss in the color used for the sample. The only things you will have to supply (which you probably already have) is an embroidery hoop, tracing pens or Fabri-Solvy and a needle.

You can find the kits on the endcap of aisle 23 in the store and are available for only $6.99 each!

Stamp of the Month-November

2011-11-01T13:16:00.002-05:00

Our Great Impressions Stamp of the Month products for November are all set up and ready to go on the middle endcap between aisles 9&10 in our Paper Crafts Department. This months stamps follow a winter/Santa theme - and are all really great looking cards!

The Stamp of the Month for November is this winter/scroll stamp, and is available for only $6.00 (half off of the original price).

And the coordinating stamps available this month:

These range in price from $4.99-$11.49 each.

More information about the Stamp of the Month can be found on the blog post HERE. Additionally, more information can also be found on the Great Impressions website HERE.

Upcoming Events.

2011-10-31T10:36:00.002-05:00

First of all...Happy Halloween everyone!!

(If you are looking for any last minute Halloween decorations be sure to stop by our Closeout Store - and pick up some DISCOUNTED Halloween items.)

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Also today I wanted to tell you about three events that Crafts Direct is hosting/taking part in during the month of November.

First, our Quilt Time Event that we are hosting this upcoming weekend (November 4th & 5th) at the Moose Lodge. This event will provide a great opportunity to work on any projects you wish, while we provide meals and snacks, prizes, a goodie bag, a store discount, and a mini class (optional). You can find more information about our Quilt Time Event here.

The mini class at the Quilt Time Event will be creating this Ornament Placemat:

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Next, we are also taking part in the Taste of Home event at the St. Cloud Civic Center this Thursday (November 3rd). We will have a booth at the event, where we will be offering a free make and take recipe holder, and we are also selling advance tickets to the event here at customer service for $12!

More information about the Taste of Home event can be found here.

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Last, just a reminder about the St. Cloud Zonta's Christmas House. Crafts Direct is once again one of the decorators of a room in the house, and our decorations will be available to bid on during the event which is the 18th & 19th of November. You can also purchase your advanced tickets to the event (for the discounted price of $7) here at customer service. More information about the Zonta Christmas House can be found here.

And a peek at some of the items we created for the house are shown here:

Doodlebug Layouts & Treat Bag.

2011-10-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

And finally today, a few layout ideas for all those Halloween pictures you will have next week. Sarah Lynn created these projects using the very cute Doodlebug Monster Mania line. In addition to the scrapbooking layouts she also used the line to create the fun treat bag, which would be great for anyone that you wanted to share some Halloween treats with.

Thank you so much for joining me the past couple weeks as we counted down to Halloween. I hope we've inspired you to do some Halloween crafting of your own and hope you all have a wonderful Halloween!

Wiggly Eye Frame.

2011-10-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today I wanted to share with you another one of my new favorite Halloween projects. It doesn't require many supplies and is very easy to create! All you need to do is paint the wood frame and the wood word and then glue on a bunch of googly eyes - which is actually quite fun- and embellish with some ribbon. This is one of the projects that will definitely catch everyone's eye too :) A project sheet for this frame can be found here.

Paper Mache Cones.

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today I want to share with you a few fun new ways to decorate paper mache cones for Halloween. With some paint, glue, and tulle or yarn an ordinary cone and turn into a very cute holiday decoration. A project sheet for the Candy Corn Cones can be found here and the Witch Hat here.

Halloween Tree.

2011-10-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

The project I want to share with you today is this Halloween Wood Tree. The tree, leaves, and base all come together as a kit of unfinished wood so the options are really endless on how to decorate the tree. For this particular tree I only needed paint, two different pattern papers, and some embellishments. And it is a perfect way to show off some of those Halloween photos that you have.

A project sheet for the Halloween tree (and a Fall themed tree as well) can be found here.

Wood Plaques.

2011-10-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today I wanted to share another cute decorating idea for Halloween. Using our plain 5x5" wood plaques you can easily add a little bit of Halloween to even a small space. There are a lot of ways you could decorate these; we've created one using vinyl, one by simply utilizing scrapbooking paper and embellishments, or you can also add your favorite Halloween photo to them. This would also be a great little Halloween gift to make for a family member, a teacher, or a friend. And would also be another fun craft idea for a group to work on.

Spider Web Memo Board.

2011-10-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Want a fun way to display all those spooky notes and Halloween invites? We created this really fun Spider Web Memo Board, by just adding some pattern paper to a frame and embellishing it up a bit with some ribbon and a metal tag. You can also create the cute magnets by using clear marbles, pattern paper or stickers, and magnets.

Clear Tubes.

2011-10-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Our clear tubes are a perfect way to share some of those Halloween treats you will be handing out. They would be great to use at a Halloween party, or as party favors, or could even be given out to your favorite trick or treaters. This would also be a very fun project to do with a group of kids with a club or group before Halloween! There are a lot of options on how to dress them up - you can use paper, or stickers, or some of the fun general craft supplies we in aisle 19.

Ghost Footprint Plaque.

2011-10-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Next up, this adorable Ghost Footprint Plaque. Not only is it a really cute Halloween decoration for your home, but it is also a fun way to capture and document those little feet you might have running around your house. If you wanted to include more than one footprint, you could always start with a slightly larger plaque and then just do more footprints across the plaque. A project sheet for this project can be found here.

Halloween Glass Blocks.

2011-10-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today I wanted to share some Halloween themed projects using our glass blocks. There are definitely a lot of different ways you could use these glass blocks to decorate for Halloween, but here are a couple of ideas that I think are especially fun. First up is the Trick or Treat glass block. Created with lights, tissue paper, a vinyl saying and some tulle - this would be a fun decoration for either out on the porch or in the house. A project sheet for the Trick or Treat glass block can be found here.

The second glass block I wanted to share is this Mummy Glass Block. Again, really simple we just added lights inside the glass block, googly eyes and wrapped fabric around the block. A project sheet for this project can be found here.

Beware Tulle Wreath.

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today I wanted to share with you this really great Tulle Wreath. Another very simple project that you can easily create and have hanging on your door in no time. The only supplies needed for the project are a metal ring and tulle, and then whatever you would like to use to embellish the completed wreath. We added the "Beware" banner to the center of the wreath but you could embellish the plain wreath in any way and with other colors if you wish. A project sheet for the wreath can be found here.

Boo Candlestick Jars.

2011-10-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

The next project I would like to share with you are these "BOO" candy jars. For this project we painted three wooden candlesticks and three dowel caps with black paint, and then simply glued them onto the top and the bottom of standard mason jars. Then we added the vinyl letters to the jars, embellished with a few pieces of ribbon and filled them up with some candy corn. This has definitely become one of my favorite projects - it was so easy to make and the results are adorable! A project sheet for the jars can be found here.

Pumpkin Stepping Stone.

2011-10-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first day of our Countdown to Halloween blog series!! Each day I will be sharing with you some of the fun Halloween themed projects we have created here at Crafts Direct.

I will also be adding them to our Facebook page over the next few weeks and I invite you to also share with us (either by linking up in the comments below or by sharing with us on Facebook) the Halloween projects you have created!

Today I wanted to share this very cute Pumpkin Stepping Stone. We created this just using the standard stepping stone mix and mold that we carry and dressing it up a bit with some paint, tiles and a few wood pieces. The best part, with a couple of quick coats of glow in the dark paint, his eyes and teeth even glow in the dark. This would be a really fun addition to your outdoor Halloween decor!! A project sheet for this project can be found here.

Quilt Time Event.

2011-10-13T08:44:00.001-05:00

Registration is now open for our first ever Quilt Time Event!! If you are interested in attending please call or stop in to register. You can find our FAQ page about the event HERE, and a link to a map and directions to the event location HERE. We would love to see you there!

Card Chaos.

2011-10-12T12:53:00.003-05:00

We have just added a fourth session of our Card Chaos class for the month of October. The new session will be offered on Monday, October 24th from 6-9pm. If you are interested in attending please call or stop in to register. More information about the class can be found here.

Homemade for the Holidays- Santa's Sweet Shop.

2011-10-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

The next room on the list for our Homemade for the Holidays tour is definitely the "sweetest" - it is Santa's Sweet Shop created by our Seasonal Department.

This room features a bright and fun theme and uses decorations to highlight the sweeter side of the holiday season. In addition to the display tree this room also features many arrangements and decorations that will be displayed (and auctioned) at Zonta House. More information about Zonta House can be found here.

A few of the ornaments that were created for this room:

Chocolate Bar Ornament

Felt Cookie Ornament

Mini Cupcake Ornaments

Smarties Ornaments

For a listing of all of our Homemade for the Holidays projects and links to all the project sheets please check out our projects listings on our website.

Homemade for the Holidays- Jack Frost.

2011-10-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today's Homemade for the Holidays room is Jack Frost, which was created by our Beads & Basics Department.

This room showcases a more wintertime theme by utilizing a color scheme of blues and whites. It also features a lot of different types of products from our Beads & Basics department including wood pieces, glass ornaments, foam and glitter just to name a few.

A few of the ornaments that were created for this room:

3-D Foamie Snowflake

Snowflake Half Ornaments

For a listing of all of our Homemade for the Holidays projects and links to all the project sheets please check out our projects listings on our website.

Homemade for the Holidays- Trimming Traditions.

2011-10-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Next up on our tour of the Homemade for the Holidays rooms - Trimming Traditions created by our Paper Crafts Department.

This rooms features a more traditional color scheme for holiday decorating and focuses on all those little details that pull a room together. The ornaments that are featured in this room were created using paper from the Fancy Pants Saint Nick line.

A closer look at a few of the ornaments:

This one is definitely my favorite. Created by simply punching shapes out of vellum, dying them with alcohol inks and tacking them into a Styrofoam ball. Really love the look of the finish product.

Vellum Scallop Ornament

Paper Pinecone Ornament

Paper Snowflake Ornament

For a listing of all of our Homemade for the Holidays projects and links to all the project sheets please check out our projects listings on our website.

Homemade for the Holidays- Welcome to Whoville.

2011-10-06T10:45:00.000-05:00

We are definitely gearing up for the holidays here at Crafts Direct! Over the past few weeks each of our departments have taken on our Homemade for the Holidays project and created a themed room all their own.

I'm so excited to share them all with you here on the blog over the next few days and also show you all the creative ornament and decorating ideas that each room holds.

First up, Welcome To Whoville created by our Fabrics department. Obviously a play on the Grinch who stole Christmas, this room is full of whimsy, fun, and bright colors. This room also uses a few of the new flat trees that we have available this year. They are perfect for any small areas and ideal for putting next to a window as they take up a lot less space in your living areas.

Here are a few of the ornaments and projects that were created for the room:

For a listing of all of our Homemade for the Holidays projects and links to all the project sheets please check out our projects listings on our website.

Stamp of the Month-October

2011-10-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Our Great Impressions Stamp of the Month products for October are all set up and ready to go on the middle endcap between aisles 9&10 in our Paper Crafts Department. This months stamps follow a winter/snowman theme and are so cute!

The Stamp of the Month for October is this adorable snowman stamp, and is available for only $6.00 (half off of the original price).

And the coordinating stamps available this month:

These range in price from $4.49-$12.99 each.

More information about the Stamp of the Month can be found on the blog post HERE. Additionally, more information can also be found on the Great Impressions website HERE.