Follower Feature: Burlap Stocking, Clock Ornament, Holiday Hutch, Sheet Music Candles, Decoupage Gift Boxes

The holiday follower features continue! Here are 5 more outstanding holiday projects from much-appreciated WhisperWood Cottage followers!! It makes me so happy to put them in the spotlight today...

Handmade and fabulous!
Poor little Alex thinks he's getting twigs and pine cones for Christmas,
but I'm sure Santa will fill this amazing ruffled cuff burlap stocking with nothing but goodness!
{Designed by Sarah@Cozy.Cottage.Cute.}



The time for holiday cheer is here!
Vintage clock faces and junk embellishments make for stunning ornaments.
Amy is gifting you with a sheet of her vintage clock faces, too!
{Designed by Amy@four corners design}



Very Merry Vintage Style is right!
Vintage photos, baubles, and dishware are the centerpieces of Mary's hutch styling.
{Designed by Mary@Very Merry Vintage Style}

Music to my eyes!
Embossed sheet music allows these pillar candles to sing a holiday song all their own!
{Designed by Joy@Thrifty Parsonage Living}

Decoupaged and dreamy!
Check out the amazing transformation of these gift boxes by our fellow blogger from Croatia!
{Designed by Biljana@Biljana Shabby}

Thank you for linking up and being featured, girls! Please help yourself to a button...

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Check out these related posts...

• 10 Holiday Decorating Projects & Ideas
• Follower Feature: Jingle Bell Garland, Junk Snowmen, Tree #13, Woodland Ornaments, Faux Mercury Glass
• Follower Feature: Holiday Chalkboard, Car Part Snowflakes, Neutral Mantel, Time Capsule Ornament, Glitter Globe Stands

Follower Feature: Jingle Bell Garland, Junk Snowmen, Tree #13, Woodland Ornaments, Faux Mercury Glass

Oh, my goodness! I think I have to throw some more of these surprise Follower Feature parties! The projects you girls are linking up are amazing! Here are 5 more "just have to do this" ideas and projects from 5 more creative bloggers!! Y'all are the best!

Are you feeling this felt garland? I am!
Kate and her sister "got it goin' on" with this easy, peasy, and fabulous jingle bell garland!!
{Designed by Kate@The Starr Family} 

What mixes best with snowmen?

Ask this creative junker from Oklahoma: Old spools for the carrot noses. Vintage burlap webbing for scarves. License plates. Gear shift knobs. Cheese graters. Hinges. Keys. And more... {sigh}

{Designed by Tracey@Whimsical Cottage}

Lucky #13!

Yes, this is #13...of how many trees, Kara?
Check out this red, green, and gold stunner that captures the traditional colors of the season!!

{Designed by Kara@Elements Interiors)

Sugary sweet ornament flavor!

Michelle had me at "coordinating papers!" Love the creative mix of materials and textures!

{Designed by Michelle@Sweet Something Designs}

'Tis the season to be shimmery!

Can you believe these are rescued glassware from the thrift store?

Love their new transformation with Krylon Metallic paint.

{Designed by Tracey@Restoring Tracey}

Thank you for linking up and being featured, girls! Please help yourself to a button...

<center><a href="http://www.whisperwoodcottage.com/" target="_blank" title="WhisperWood Cottage"><img alt="WhisperWood Cottage" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_o0tPBHHK4UU/TPRW6y41DAI/AAAAAAAAFo8/SR6Lw1e4hlQ/s800/featured-at-wwc.png" height="125" width="125" /></a></center>

Check out these related posts...
10 Holiday Decorating Projects & Ideas
Follower Feature: 5 Holiday Ideas from WhisperWood Cottage Followers

Follower Feature: Holiday Chalkboard, Car Part Snowflakes, Neutral Mantel, Time Capsule Ornament, Glitter Globe Stands

Rock on, holiday lovers! Thanks for linking up to last week's 10 Holiday Decorating & Project Ideas surprise linky! Today, we're featuring 5 of the many creative holiday ideas from fabulous WhisperWood Cottage followers who linked up and commented...

Shine on!
A star effort turned a $5 mystery item into a perfect chalkboard.
{Designed by Michelle@Emerald Cove}



Rejoice for junker creativity!
Snowflake-shaped car parts provide the foundation for a great holiday centerpiece!
{Designed by Margo@Margo's Junkin Journal}

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas!
The mixed metals and neutrals in this fireplace design create the perfect wintry mix!

{Designed by A Fist Full of Weeds}

Time is on your side!
This time capsule ornament should be an annual tradition for every family!!

{Designed by Tracie@Cleverly Inspired}

Joy to the DIY world!
My fellow DIY Gal brings some sparkle to the season with these glitter globe stands.
{Designed by Roeshel@The DIY Showoff}

Thank you for being featured, girls! Help yourself to a button...

<center><a href="http://www.whisperwoodcottage.com/" target="_blank" title="WhisperWood Cottage"><img alt="WhisperWood Cottage" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_o0tPBHHK4UU/TPRW6y41DAI/AAAAAAAAFo8/SR6Lw1e4hlQ/s800/featured-at-wwc.png" height="125" width="125" /></a></center>

Stay tuned for more holiday-inspired follower features all this week! There were many more followers who linked up and commented. If you can't wait, check them all out here...

10 Holiday Decorating & Project Ideas (Link up and get featured!)

'Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la! If you are dreaming of a white Christmas, are singing Christmas carols, and are glued to the never-ending roll call of Christmas movies now showing on the Hallmark Channel, then you are in the right place!

I thought I'd kick off the season early with some past WhisperWood Cottage holiday ideas and a surprise week-long linky party! That way we can share the spirit of the season with each other. Inspiration is the perfect gift for any blogger!

How to Decorate for the Holidays with Minimal Holiday Decorations

4 Holiday Hostess Gifts with a Junk Twist

Hydrangea & Pine: A Wreath for All Seasons

Chandelier Transformation

A "Girls' Night In" Junky Holiday

Upcycling: Coaster into Holiday Ornament

An Elegant Junky Holiday

Weathered Wood Candy Cane Striped Frame

"Silence" Stenciled Wrapping Paper

Stenciled, Wrapped, & Tagged

Anyone else have holiday decorating or project ideas?

If you are in the holiday spirit, link up any holiday decorating idea or project (old or new) using the linky below. If you do the following by 5 pm on Sunday, November 28, I'll feature you in an upcoming post!:

1. Link up, 
2. AND leave a comment letting me know number your link is (hold the cursor over your linky image and it will tell you which number you are),
3. AND include in your comment that you are a follower.

If you feel like sharing the bloggy love, please add the WWC button to you post and link back here. Not mandatory but certainly appreciated! :)

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Canvas Art for Christmas?

I'm thinking of getting some photos printed as canvas art and maybe giving some as gifts over the holidays. Have any of you ever done that?

I guess I've always hesitated. I always worry the image quality isn't high enough or that I won't like how it turns out. I guess it's part of the risk you take when doing anything DIY...including photography. I need to follow my own advice and just go for it!

 

Canvas People is having a 50% off sale (+ FREE shipping) for Black Friday. I'm thinking this might be a great time to try it out. Eeeesh! I'm still nervous about it! I have until Dec. 3 to order, but I might need some encouragement!

What do you think?

Should I go for it? If so, which image should I get printed? Do you like any of the photos above? Or maybe I should do something with family members in it. Hmmm...

P.S. You can get the same Canvas People 50% off (+ FREE shipping) deal. Be sure to use the coupon code "blackfriday" when you checkout. 

P.P.S. Remember to check out my 10 Holiday Ideas and link up your holiday ideas on my "Follower Feature" linky party by Sunday, November 28, at 5:00 pm. If you follow all the steps, I'll feature you in an upcoming post!

WWC Wish List: Oh, Beautiful Cabinet in Elegant Robin's Egg Blue...

Oh, beautiful cabinet...

...in elegant Robin's egg blue...

...with oil rubbed bronze pulls,...

...unexpected angled corners,...

...and perfectly paired with lamps and butterfly artwork,...

...why, oh, why...

...don't you live at my house?

I guess I'll have to settle for adding you to my wish list.

Maybe Cassie will let me visit you some day. :)

Weathered Candy Cane Striped Frame and the Making of a DIYer

Wow. I must be getting crafty in my not-quite-middle age. (I can hear Cheri and my mother laughing hysterically.) While I wouldn't consider myself a "crafty" person, I've always liked art, design, and decorating. In fact, I remember winning a coloring contest in 3rd grade. It was Ms. Bran's class. We were using markers, and I was a stickler about staying in the lines. I took home the grand prize...a Strawberry Shortcake bulletin board. Awwww yeaaaah!

In high school, I traded in two math classes for two art classes my senior year. Such a great decision for me! I loved every second of them. From jewelry making and pottery to macramé, sketching, and water colors. I loved learning about architecture, too! I also designed my first logo for a local business and created a t-shirt design for a local health program that year. It was during that time that I learned I really love doing creative things.

Since then, my creative endeavors have included everything from photography, graphic design, home decorating, and DIY projects to attempts at sewing, blog development, calligraphy, and...{gulp}...even crafts. I would not consider myself an artist of any kind as I definitely have very little training in any of these areas. I guess I would say that I am a creative person and a DIYer who is always seeking out new forms of expression. I learn as I go and enjoy every step of the creative process.

This weathered wood candy cane striped frame (featuring my cutie patootie niece and nephew) is one of those project in which I had no idea what I was doing. I literally pulled out all my paints and related supplies without any specific direction. I just learned as I went and came up with what I think is a fun homage to the ever-favorite candy cane.

Do you learn as you go or 

do you stick to things that you know?

For the full tutorial of this project, visit Amy's Weathered Wood Candy Cane Striped Frame featuring DecoArt Crackle Medium & Rockler Painter's Pyramids over at The DIY Club.

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Holiday 2010 Edition of The DIY Life is Now Live!

Enlarge this document in a new window

The November/December 2010 edition of The DIY Life ezine is now live! It is packed with 90 pages of amazing DIY ideas from bloggers across the country! See page 4 for instructions on how to submit your ideas for the January/February 2011 edition.

View it full-size!

WhisperWood Cottage photos and projects are included in this edition. Check it out and tell me what you think! :)

Stenciled, Wrapped, & Tagged

I stenciled. 

(Amy's Stenciled Wrapping Paper)

I wrapped.

I ribboned & tagged.

(Amy's Gift Tags)

I guess I'm all ready for the holidays. That's all I have to do, right? Right?!

{crickets}

You mean I'm not done?

Hmmm.

How 'bout you?

Are you ready for gift-giving, egg nog drinking, and snow shoveling?

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"Silence" Stenciled Wrapping Paper and How WhisperWood Cottage Got Its Name

"How did WhisperWood Cottage get its name?"

That's a question that gets asked regularly here at WWC. So often, in fact, I've finally added the answer on our FAQ page. The answer is...

"Nestled away in the Northwoods of Minnesota, the trees at WhisperWood Cottage rustle and sway with the Lake Superior breeze. If you listen closely, you'll hear them whispering to each other. If you listen even more closely, you will discover they are whispering to you. What are they saying? Well, that depends on how well you listen." 

For me, the whispering trees represent the life whispers to which we need to listen. It's about trusting your own instincts, paying attention to what life is trying to teach us, and creating the life we want. They key is learning how to listen to those things.

When I saw this tree-motif wall pattern kit from Cutting Edge Stencils, aptly named "Silence," it reminded me that that the silence is just as important as the whispers. We need to learn to seek the peace, clarity, and rejuvenation that only silence can bring. With a roll of craft paper, a few tree stencils, and some soft shades of green from DecoArt, I was able to visually represent this aspect of WWC in the form of handcrafted wrapping paper. 

Each gift-giving moment will be extra special this year as I will be giving a little of myself and WWC. As the buzz of the holiday season comes upon us, this stenciled wrapping paper can help remind me to stay in touch with what is important, create meaningful experiences, express gratitude for sweet quiet moments, and reflect on what the season is all about. Throughout the holiday hubbub, I hope that you also seek the silence, listen to the whispers, and enjoy all the craziness in between!

If you'd like to learn how to make this tree-motif wrapping paper, visit me over at The DIY Club for:

Amy's Stenciled Wrapping Paper

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Featured at http://www.stencilsearch.com/ideas/crafts/stenciled-gift-wrap/.

Ballet Slippers & a Silver Tray...Totally Funful!

Do you ever have those things that catch your eye and you don't know why? You know...those things that let you know that they are special in some way...even if it's not apparent at the time. For some reason they speak to you, your heart, your spirit. 

My home seems to be filled with those things. Sometimes the love affair is short-lived and the items get passed on to people who can appreciate them. Other times it is a long-term relationship in which the special items and I have agreed that we cannot be parted. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not so attached to these things that I could not let them go if need be. With all the history, life, warmth, texture, and style they add to our home, why wouldn't I want them around as long as possible?

This vignette is in our dining room. It all started with my favorite beach cottage cabinet. Dare I tell you how much I paid for it? No, I won't do that to you. Let's just say it was a very, very, very good deal. {wink!} The second key piece is a salvaged chalkboard from a railroad station in Fessenden, ND. You've seen these two items before...and not too long ago...but I thought I'd show you some other fun things added to the space.

The solid silver tray is part of set that I pick up at an auction a couple years ago. Did I know anything about silver? Um...nope. The ballet slippers were found at a flea market not too long ago. Have I ever taken ballet? Again...no. So, why am I drawn to these two items that speak to me in some way? Is it the patina, the quality, the possible story behind them? Yes, yes, and yes...it is probably all three of these things...and more.

Last but not least...who would not be drawn to this great metal piece that conveys nothing but fun!? I finally googled to find out what was so special about "FUN-FUL." Any guesses what it is? I'll tell you! It is the step part of a playground ladder made by The FunFul Playground Equipment Line. You can see the 1920s catalog of their equipment on the Smithsonian site. You can also see an image of what a whole ladder full of these steps look like over on this Flickr site. Knowing the history of this piece makes it even more special than it was before.

Now, that truly is fun-ful!

A Blurry Photo & Adding Inspiration to the Home Gym

This is the kind of shenanigans that Mr. Whisperer likes to pull when I'm trying to get some DIY projects done! Who can get a crisp photo with such a pesky romantic guy around? I'm not complaining though...especially after I put him to work...

Good job, honey!

Check out the how-to of our new inspirational vinyl quote and door label over at The DIY Club...

Amy's Home Gym Inspiration

I feel so inspired that I'm immediately heading to dust off my gym shoes...

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