Today we wrap up the latest and great samples for our November Release.

We always save the best for last.

Please take a moment and check out all our designers as they get together and make some NEW! projects using OLD(er) products! It’s a WIN! WIN! You truly can never, ever have enough ideas for the products you already own, or may have never noticed before.

Here is who you need to visit, for a surprise project:

We would all love for you to share your own creations on our Facebook Page, if and when you can, or share them on Pinterest, and link us up.

So, it’s my turn to share something new, with something old. I try to always combine the two because new products are exciting, and I think showing you how older items can be used in combination with them is fun and exciting 😀

You can save a ton of money MAKING gifts this holiday. So here is a FAVORITE project of mine!

My Deer Friend

Nothing like packaging up some homemade trail mix! AKA: Reindeer Snacks

The bag is tied closed with a snowflake from the It’s Snowing © cut file. It made a super simple closure.

This is great for everyone. I think the packaging will steal the show anyway 😀

I am in love with how this sweet project turned out.

I LOVE reindeer. LOVE! When we get them in our yard I just sit and quietly watch them. Reindeer are just so sweet and gentle to me. They also symbolize Christmas to me. I just cannot have Christmas without the iconic images in at least one project!

So here’s how it all came together….I cut my Crazy for Candy Template from Kraft cardstock.

I made the head of my reindeer using the Heart Stealer Raccoon © cut file, which was enlarged to suit my project. Instead of the heart shaped ears from the raccoon,  I used the ears from the My Deer Friend © cut file. I had enlarged them, and then welded them to the head of the “raccoon”, so it became a deer head instead 😀 I sponged on some white craft ink, onto the ears.

The face…I drew on the eyebrows. The eyes are from the Crazy Cat file that is contained in the Crazy for Candy Template. I just drew the blue iris onto the white layer, and cut an additional circle layer in Kraft, cut it half, and drew eyelashes on it, to create my eyelid.  The white layer for the nose, is from the Bouncing Bunny © cut file. You can really mix and match whatever you have to get a similar effect. The nose is also from the Crazy Cat file, in the Crazy for Candy Template. Sponged on the pink for the cheeks. I think she looks so sweet.

So I tired a red gingham ribbon around the “neck” (aka lid rim) of my deer, and tied it off with a button and 2 pretty festive silver bells. You have to have bells when making a reindeer!

I knew I wanted to package up the trail mix, so I then customized my tag.FYI we have a lot of images/sentiments that could suit may ideas for a reindeer gift, so check it all out.

The tag was made using the Homemade Holiday Labels © set, and it was cut out using the Homemade Holiday Labels © cut file. I used the reindeer silhouette image and the holly berry from the Homemade Holiday © set. On the deer I added a nose, eye and a bow around the neck, which was from the Homemade Holiday Labels  set, which I colored in red.

The Homemade Reindeer Snacks sentiment is from the Homemade Holiday Sentiments © set. The additional sentiment “Made with only the finest ingredients and lot’s of love” is from the Apothecary Labels ©set.

For the spots along the back I just punched some holes into a piece of scrap cardstock, and sponged on some white Kraft ink, so it looked more realistic.

 I have to say I was pretty successful with that 😀 It’s always the littlest of details that tend to matter.

The tail is the raccoon tail from the Heart Stealer Raccoon © cut file, sponged with white craft ink as well.

The idea was to make this little fawn look like is was sitting or had fallen down. My (4) legs/hooves were cut using the My Deer Friend © cut file, which were enlarged to be more proportionate to the completed template.

I think this turned out as good as I could’ve hoped! She came together really quick too for having NO IDEA what I was going to do! LOL! I think this is a perfect example that with just a little imagination you can do almost anything you want. The Crazy for Candy Template is pretty amazing, and as you can see definitely versatile. I’m big on making character’s, if you can’t tell, and when it is easy and the possibilities are endless I’m on happy girl!

The hardest part for creating this is WHO to give it to. I don’t want to part with it-EVER!

Well with that, it’s a wrap!

I really hope you’ve found some inspiring ideas that you will try for your next gift! The response you are sure to get from your HOMEMADE gift, will far outweigh that you’ve received from anything you’ve ever actually BOUGHT.

So, give it a try and let us know how it went.