Ways With Washi: CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS + a Giveaway!

Hello there, DeNami Friends! It's time for my October edition of Ways With Washi.

I don't know about you, but every year I wish I had more time to make handmade gifts and decorations for Christmas. My problem is that I never start early enough, and once I start thinking, "Oh, maybe I should make something fun for Christmas," it's too late. All my other Christmas preparations are much too pressing, and I run out of time. So this year, I decided to start early. I know that we are still three days away from Halloween, but today I'm sharing a few ideas for jumpstarting your Christmas decorating with washi tape.

So, let's get to it!

For my first Christmas project today, I made a tabletop Christmas tree. This silver-and-aqua beauty stands about 7.5" tall. Can you spot the washi tape?

Starting with a Styrofoam cone, I covered the tree with overlapping circle punches. I chose two coordinating subtly patterned papers, dressing up some with overlapping strips of Musical Notes Washi tape and stamping others with DeNami's Teeny Star Background in silver ink before punching out the circles. I anchored each circle with a straight pin from my sewing supplies stash after glamming up the stock white pinheads with a bit of silver nail polish. 

I finished off my tree with a loopy baker's twine bow (from DeNami's Summer Twine 3-pack) fastened to the treetop with a decorative stick pin and a tiny tag stamped with the Noel sentiment from DeNami's Christmas Greetings stamp set.

My second project is a Christmas tree ornament. I started with a clear flat ornament that I picked up for cheap at a local big box crafts store. Then I cut out poinsettia petals from Red Stripes Washi Tape and leaves from Lime/White Dots Washi Tape and adhered them to the face of the clear ornament. Can you guess how I made the petals and leaves look so uniform? I stamped a petal from DeNami's Whimsical Garden cling set on cardstock to use as a pattern for trimming my washi tape flower parts. A cluster of amber rhinestones creates a realistic-looking center to my poinsettia. I finished my ornament by stuffing it with some multi-color DeNami Iridescent Shredds for a bit of sparkle.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here! I hope you picked up a few ideas to use in your own Christmas decorating this year

GIVEAWAY

How would you like to win a roll of washi tape of your very own? I have a brand-new roll of Black/White Dots Washi Tape from DeNami Design that I'd love to give away to a reader of this post. Want to be in the running? Just leave me a comment on this post using the word "DECORATE." There's no need to be a follower of my blog to enter, but if you are a follower (or become a new follower!), you can have a second entry in the drawing--just leave me a second comment telling me that you are a follower and how you follow. :)

I'll leave commenting open until 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, October 30, 2013, and will draw one commenter at random. The winner will be announced right here on my blog on Thursday, October 31, and if I'm able to find an email address, I'll be sure to contact the winner as well.

Thanks for joining me today for some more Ways With Washi!
Emily