For the upcoming Craft & Hobby Association Trade show coming up at the end of this month in Chicago I created a few gift ideas using Donna Salazar's new paper lines!

The “Summer CHA” show is where most of the crafting companies release their new Christmas products for the year. Since Donna came out with a Christmas line for CHA, it seemed only natural to share the projects I created using her lines in my Christmas In July Blog Series this month!

The two projects I'm sharing with you today take under an hour to make but look extra special.


These paper spools are a nice display item for Christmas, whether you're into crafts or not. They scream “vintage”! LOL I collected several large spools that used to have ribbon, lace, or twine on them. They are all from different companies and that's the best because they will have an eclectic look, adding to the “vintage collection” feel. If you don't want a Christmas theme, imagine how cute these could be on a shelf in a quilter's room or sewing room?!

Here's how to make them:

1. Gather several different sizes of empty spools, paint, coordinating paper, Distrezz-It-All tool, adhesive, a circle paper punch, and an assortment of themed embellishments.

2. Paint the spools all over to cover any labels and to match the paper. Allow to dry.

3. Measure the height of each spool and then cut a 12″ long strip of Donna's paper to fit each spool. Distress the edges of the paper so it can easily wrap around the spool and glue the end of the paper it to itself so it will not unravel. You can add stitching or strips of lace to the paper before adding it to the spool if you like.

4. Punch a circle slightly smaller than the diameter of the spool and attach to each end of the spool. Adorn with a tag or themed embellishment (like a snowflake) if desired.

5. For a really distressed look, spritz the spools with a spray ink and allow to dry.

Stack the spools under a rustic looking mini Christmas tree, pile them in an old suitcase, or scatter them among books on a bookshelf as an easy seasonal decoration. An added bonus is that this project uses items (spools) that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.

The next project is a treat can–I used to make these and sell them on eBay, wayy befoe etsy even existed. I made $1000 one Christmas by selling these during the holidays a few years back (I made TON of them!). All you need is some patterned paper, a scrap of chipboard, paper with printed tags (Donna's Memory Mosaics work great for this), twine to tie the tag on, an empty tin, lace and ribbon, yarn and a pom pom maker, and some white paint.

I got my tin at the Target $1 Spot a few years back but you can use any tin. Measure the height of the tin and cut a 12″ strip of paper to 12″ x the height of the tin. Glue the paper to the tin using glue dots, hot glue, or ATG tape by Scotch 3M. If the paper does not totally fit around the tin (tin is more than 12″ in circumference) then use a scrap of paper to cover that last little bit of tin.

Dry brush of all of the edges of the paper and the tin with white paint. Cut a sentiment from the Donna Salazar Memory Mosaics papers and add to the chipboard scrap. Cut out to form a tag. Dry brush the edges with white paint. Punch a hole in one corner and tie to the handle of the tin with baker's twine. Add a scrap of paper to the back of the chipboard tag to write a note to the person you're giving the tin to.


Wrap lace around the top of the tin, just under the lid line, and glue using hot glue or Wacky Tack 3 liquid glue.

Tie ribbon in a bow to the handle of the tin. Make 2 pom-poms using a pom-pom maker and some coordinating yarn. Tie to the handle on the lid as well. Fill with chocolates and give to your favorite friend during the holidays :)

Hope this gives you some ideas of easy things you can make for the holidays. If you don't have spools or tins, you've got a few months to be on the lookout for them before we get into the Christmas season. Ask your local scrapbook store or fabric shop for their empty ribbon spools if you don't buy ribbon by the spool yourself. And check thrift stores for easy to alter tins–it doesn'tmatter if the tin is ugly because you can beautify it with paper!

Happy Creating!

Author: Jennifer Priest

It started with jewelry, beading, sewing, home decor, painting, basket weaving, pottery, and cross-stitch. Marry that to an entrepreneurial spirit & at 9 years old a girl is selling her wares at craft fairs as far as her parents and grandparents would drive her. These days, Jennifer enjoys crafts of all genres from sewing to scrapbooking to jewelry with a little dabbling in the mixed media world. Her style is approachable and she wants everyone who sees her work to feel that they too can embrace creativity and make their home and life beautiful.

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