Ornament-y Fun

Things are getting crafty in this neck of the woods.  In October Katie kicked off our first craft night with clipboard crafty-ness.  November brought a wreath making marathon at Kmac's house, and last night we got creative and whipped us up some mighty fine ornaments on Goldnerod.

What we have discovered in our latest crafting adventures is that women are craving community and cannot get enough when it comes to crafts. And, lets face it, they can't say no to a couple of hours laughing with friends.

There is something so raw and rewarding about creating something with your own hands, adding personal creative touches, and ending up with a finished product that looks drastically different from what you started with.


And there is also something raw and rewarding about hosting craft night.  For the first time since I left the classroom, I was able to create something for others to enjoy.  And, with the help of Pinterest, I had a plethora of ideas I was dying to try out, all of which involved my favorite decorating medium: chalkboard paint.

My inspiration started here and led me to my basement, with the windows wide open, {chilling the house with crisp forty degree air},  a roll of contact paper, and my all time favorite: a can of chalkboard spray paint.  And, with one quick coat, that took a total of 5 minutes I ended up with this very rewarding chalkboard runner. As each guest arrived they described the dish they brought in chalk. {For the record, I HATE contact paper, and this was fool proof}

As an added bonus, after the girls had left, the boys got their turn to chalk it up on the chalkboard runner.  It was the highlight of their morning and evening and morning again and occupied them for quite some time.

After I realized how easy the runner was to make, I decided to try my luck and use even more spray paint for the Hot Chocolate Bar {inspiration found here}.  With the plastic planters I found at the dollars store for $0.50 a pop, I couldn't lose.  

When they were done, I added some fabric squares and voila we now had the option to add some mallows,

a hazelnut wafer {or two},

an extra shot of dark chocolate or a hint of mint,

some creamy caramel,

or a classic candy cane to our warm hot chocolate.

And, with a few last minute touches,

craft night #3 was a success thanks to these wonderful women,

and a few ornaments I never thought I was capable of making.

Give some women a night away, a cup of hot chocolate and some yarn and they can change the world.

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