Keepsake Ornaments

Each year I look for a special keepsake ornament to add to our tree. I was so in love with our Christmas card last year, (so simple and cheery) that I made it into an ornament.

Here's our 2010 Christmas card
by Harper Gray made into an ornament

Here are a few of my favorite other ideas I've pinned on my Merry, Merry Board on Pinterest
for making your own keepsake ornaments.

Christmas Tree Ornament

Cut off the bottom part of your Christmas tree & date it

Wishing Spool full of ideas for for Santa

Salt dough Thumbprint Tree Ornament

Reindeer Thumbprint Ornament

Baby's First Ornament from A Sorta Fairytale

Wedding Invitation Ornament

Cut an invitation into strips, curl, and tuck into a clear ornament. 

Origami Star Ornaments

I love this idea and have been looking for something special to do with the stars from our Super J party. 

Stars can be customized over at Origami Delights, there's even Christmas colors.

Are you making or buying any new ornaments this year?

Don't forget, there is still time to enter the PAPER STRAW GIVEAWAY!!!

Signs of Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at our house. 

I am trying hard not to get overwhelmed by the holidays, 

keeping my decor simple yet still festive. 

Elfie, our Elf on the Shelf has returned. 

The boys are enthralled with his magic and mischief. 

Don't forget to enter the great PAPER STRAW GIVEAWAY by Funpaperstraws.com!

How are you decorating for the Holidays? 

Fun Paper Straw Giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed.. the winner is lucky #57 Joanne!

T.G.I.P.S.F. everyone! 

{Thank Goodness It's Paper Straw Friday}

Why do I love paper straws so much? They are inexpensive, earth-friendly, totally craft worthy, and come in so many cute colors. Paper straws are completely bio-degradable and will compost in 3 months. They really are the friendliest straws on earth! 

Today I have a very fun giveaway from the fabulous Fun Paper Straw company. They carry a LARGE selection of paper straws in many patterns and colors. When you visit their store, you will also see that they carry many other products at CanDoChefs such as reusable bags, kitchenware, cutlery, and more! I've picked out a few of my favorite items to share with you.

Wooden Cutlery Utensils are great for parties and so eco-friendly

Waste Not Saks- Reusable Sandwich Bags

Big Dot Retro Apron

The great people at Fun Paper Straws saw my post on the Woman's Day Paper Straw wreath and want to help YOU make this wreath (or you can just throw a crazy straw themed party instead with all your winnings!). Are you ready for this?  They are giving away up to 500 paper straws to a lucky reader!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

The winner can choose a prize package from one of the following options:

1.    A 144-pack of straws from Kikkerland or Green Party Goods 
2.    4 (25-packs) of straws from the Sugar Diva  
3.    1 (500-pack) of straws unwrapped Red & White Stripe or White

TO ENTER: Hop over to Fun Paper Straws and leave a comment on this post telling me which paper straws are your favorite and how would use them.  Please, pretty please leave a visible email address on your entry. 

Additional Entries (Up to 3 extra):

-  Browse around CanDoChefs.com and tell me about another product you found on their site

- "Like" Crossing the Bugger-Dixon Line on Facebook

-  Share the giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or door to door if you think your neighbors   
    want in on this giveaway. Just spread the word and leave a comment here that you did. 

Rules: This giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on Thursday, December 8, 2011. Open to U.S. Residents only.  The winner will be selected by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  


Good luck and thanks for entering!

Barbie Pajama Glam Party Favors

The Pajama Glam Barbie Sleepover was full of fabulous Barbie party favors for the girls.  So many in fact, that they deserved a special post. First, the girls each received custom made beauty masks. I love the hot pink elastic, so glam!  The beauty masks helped the girls get some well needed beauty sleep and they also wore them when playing pin the beauty mask on the Barbie.

Beauty Masks by Created By Emma

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This party favor was SO fabulous that it doubled as a party decoration!
The Sweetest Affair created a custom Barbie inspired lamp for the party!

The lampshade was decorated with paper flowers. 

If you look closely you will see the birthday girl's name on the petals. 

The centers of the flowers were filled with delicious pina colada lolly pops. 

The Sweetest Affair

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The birthday girl received a special party favor of her own, a vintage Barbie silhouette t-shirt from Brown Bird Boutique

Custom Barbie T-Shirt by Brown Bird Boutique

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What fashionista wouldn't love a keepsake favor box like this?

Black and White Favor Boxes by Cakes and Kids Too

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Barbie Silhouette Confetti by Pinch My Cheeks

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Inside the favor boxes were matching I ♥ Barbie Bracelets

The birthday girl received a very special bracelet of her own
All Bracelets by Stargazinglily

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Ready for some great news?!!!  Stargazinglily is offering Crossing The Bugger-Dixon Line readers
10% off all orders with promo code:  BARBIE11


I have to confess, I have already used this promo code to order the matching "me and my American doll" bracelets for my favorite niece! 


A HUGE THANK YOU to The Sweetest Affair, Pinch My Cheeks, Brown Bird Boutique, Stargazinglily, and Created by Emma for the most unbelievable party favors ever!!!!!

Vintage Barbie Pajama Glam Party

Party Theme: Vintage Barbie Pajama Glam Sleepover for a sweet 7 year old fashionista
Colors: Hot pink, light pink, black, and lots of sparkles
Design: Gwynn Wasson Designs modified her fabulous Vintage Barbie party collection to include some pajama glam
Highlights: Barbie shoe fondant toppers, Barbie inspired lampshade made of paper flowers and lolly pops
Activities: Playing Dress up with shoes from "Izzy's Closet" (a hutch I transformed into a shoe closet), Pin the beauty mask on the Barbie, and topping the night off with a special Barbie movie viewing.

The dessert table featured glamorous fondant Barbie Shoe Cupcake Toppers, Pajama Glam Pillows, Dolled Up Candy Apples, Beauty Rest Sugar Cookies, Coconut Cake, and Get Your Sparkle On chocolate cupcakes.

The Invitation

Barbie Shoes Cupcake Toppers by Edible Details

Edible Sugar Jewels by Candied Cakes

Glam Pajam Pillows (pink and white striped strawberry marshmallows)

Dolled Up Barbie Inspired Candy Apples by Absolutely Apples

Beauty Sleep Cookies by Jenn Erickson, Rook No 17

Cake Flags by The Purple Pug

The girls played dress up with all the shoes (who knew I had so many heels!?)

Pink Heels + Donuts = Heaven!

The beverage station featured Strawberry Blond Lemonade, ruffled cups, and matching black and white striped paper straws. Even the pink and white candles matched the decor.

Custom Barbie Inspired Lampshade created by The Sweetest Affair

The lamp made by The Sweetest Affairs was gorgeous. The lamp shade was made of paper flowers with lolly pops in the center.
The girls were able to take home the paper flower and lollypop favors, genius!

Favor boxes by Cakes and Kids Too

Vintage Barbie confetti and confetti diamonds by Pinch My Cheeks

I ♥ Barbie Bracelets by Stargazinglily

The girls received Beauty Masks favors by Created by Emma

{free} Barbie Print by Sweet and Simple

Guests were greeted at the front door with this glam boa wreath that I made with materials from the Dollar Store

A very happy birthday girl wearing a Vintage Barbie T-shirt from Brown Bird Boutique 

I lucked out with a lot of great thrift store find for this party:  two pink bed canopies (I used one as a table cloth and one as the backdrop), pink and white striped candles, candle holders, white ruffled dishes, and glam candy bowl. I even found the hot pink metal basket on clearance at TJ Maxx.

The Ultra Amazing, Talented Party Vendors who made Operation Pajama Glam a success:

Barbie Printable Party Collection: Gwynn Wasson Designs

Lamp Centerpiece with Paper Flower Lollypop Favors: The Sweetest Affair

Fondant Barbie Shoe Toppers: Edible Details

Cookie Beauty Sleep Masks: Jenn Erickson, Rook No 17

Beauty Sleep Mask Party Favors: Created by Emma

Edible Sugar Jewels: Candied Cakes

Cake Flags: The Purple Pug

Vintage Barbie Confetti and Confetti Party Diamonds: Pinch My Cheeks

Barbie Silhouette T Shirt: Brown Bird Boutique

I ♥ Barbie Bracelets: Stargazinglily

Black and White Party Favor Boxes: Cakes and Kids Too

Candy Apples: Absolutely Apples
Styling, concept, and photos: Jenny Dixon (Crossing the Bugger-Dixon Line)

Linking to:
 
30 Handmade Days

{How to Make} Barbie's Shoe Closet

You know I love to show you the behind the scenes of my parties, right? Remember this post about my hutch? I am at it again transforming it in minutes. No paint required. To create Izzy's Shoe Closet, I lined my hutch with beautiful pink wrapping paper, added some of my heels and a cute sign, voila!

Here are a few pictures of my hutch used for other parties...

April Showers Party

He's Fast, He's Funny, He's FIVE Party

 Anything in your house can become party decor with some creativity.

Paper Straw Wreath {from Woman's Day}

I was so excited when I saw this paper straw wreath on the cover of the December Woman's Day Magazine.  It is so simple, yet stunning! Why didn't I think of that?

I can totally picture a Thanksgiving paper straw wreath in brown

or a New Years wreath in gray and white stripes

or pink wreath for Valentine's Day

So many possibilities! 

For more paper straw projects, see my paper straw garland

Update: Some of you are asking where to purchase paper straws, here are a few shops that carry them:

The Sugar Diva- tons of color/pattern choices
The Gray Goose - great price, in polka dots and stripes
Sweet Lulu - oh so sweet colors
Polka Dot Market - sells stripes and polka dot straws
Cakes and Kids Too - sells really cute color combination packs