Keeping Christmas {Handmade Just For You}

It's the 25th and that means it's time for this month's Keeping Christmas Blog Hop! It's been fun to see all kinds of Christmas projects popping up on Instagram for "Christmas in July" so maybe today's projects won't seem so out of place! My daughter turned "Sweet 16" on Monday (as well as a few of her friends), so they got together for lunch on their special day. She wanted to take a small gift for each girl so I suggested some earrings. Once I had everything out, I thought how perfect it would be to get some made for Christmas gifts as well. I decided to share the ones I made for her friends at the bottom of this post if you are interested. Before I dive into the details of today's project, don't forget to hop along to the other designers' blogs to see what holiday inspiration they have to share!

Kelly Lunceford (you are here)

Anita Madden (off this month)

Broni Holcombe 

Claire Broadwater 

Julee Tilman 

Kim Heggins

Lori Tecler

Nance Salkeld

Nina Forsyth 

Vicki Finger 
Nancy Guse (Off this month}

It's no secret how much I love making these earrings. They are so fast and so easy, you'll have a jewelry box full in no time! I used the Designer Dangles-The Bigger The Better dies for today's projects, but I've used ALL  of the Designer Dangles Kits in the past to make lots of earrings!

My goal for today's earrings was to create holiday inspired earrings, but I didn't want "Christmas" earrings, if that make sense. I want the recipient to be able to wear them all Winter long, if not longer with some of the designs! 

These dies are Mixed Media dies and they are stronger and thicker than regular dies so they cut through the Faux Leather like butter! I have all of the Taylored Expression Leather but I also like to buy sheets of the faux leather HERE. 

This is one of those pairs that I would wear all year long! Each pair of earrings are on a die cut cardstock piece. This particular shape is from an old Nestabilities set that I've had for a million years. I'm sure we ALL have it! LOL!

I used the retired Vintage Labels stamp set from PTI to stamp the border around the cardstock. I used another old set to stamp the "handmade just for you" sentiment at the top. Once that was done, I just used my tiny hole punch to punch the holes to thread the earrings through. I purchased the clear earring backs from Hobby Lobby so that they won't fall off of the card.

For all of these earrings I used the largest sized die and then the next size down.I have used three at a time that you can see HERE.

I love this fun plaid; I have a shirt with this same plaid that gets a lot of use in the winter, so I think I may need to make myself a pair!

I'm super in love with this basket weave print paired with the Buffalo Plaid! These will be perfect to tuck into lots of the 3D projects I've already made this year!

These are the earrings that I made for my daughter's friends. I had so much fun working on these and matching them to the mini lotions.

These cute little gift bags were purchased at Hobby Lobby and were the perfect size to fit the earrings and the lotion. You could even add a treat in there as well.

I think this pair looks so cute with the gingham lotion.

This was probably my favorite pair in the end; I love the gold flecked cork paired with the light floral leather.

I'm planning on making more pairs like these last ones I have shared, to give as Christmas gifts as well. I have to get using up the large quantity of leather I just bought! LOL! Thanks for fluttering by and don't forget to hop to the other designers' blogs!