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Popsicle Stick Christmas Ornaments

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It's November, which to many over-enthusiastic holiday lovers means CHRISTMAS! Yes, I love Thanksgiving as well—it's just one big holiday celebration for me from now to the end of the year. So far, I've refrained from putting up my Christmas tree, but that doesn't mean I can't prepare, right? This past weekend, I spent some time making some ornaments. I love to create handmade ornaments to add to my little tree each year. 
Lately I've been interested in popsicle stick crafts. I found some super cute ideas on Pinterest (see the links to my Holiday Crafts and Food board and specific posts below). I like that such a simple material can have so many possibilities. Just add paint and glue!
I was able to get my kids involved for part of my craft day. They are ages 2 and 3, so they didn't do much beyond just paint a few popsicle sticks. I turned these painted sticks into little Santa Claus ornaments—two for each daughter as they're bound to ruin some of them …
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More iPhone/iPad Apps

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So it's been a few more months since buying my iPad, and I'm still crazy about it. I use it just about every day. In fact, I'm hoping that if I can figure out how to create blog entries on my iPad, maybe I would post more often. So we'll see how that goes. This will be my first post created completely with my iPad.

Since we're speaking of the iPad, I thought I would highlight a few more apps that I've been using lately that I really like. I have included a variety of apps this time, and not just photography-related ones.

Magic Hour


Magic Hour is a photo editing app for iPhone that is similar it Instagram or Pixlromatic. Like these apps, Magic Hour uses filters to create retro-looking effects. What makes this app unique is the ability to tweak the settings to make your own custom filter. In addition, you can download filters that other users have created in the free filter market. I also like that you have the option to save higher resolution files.




TileDeck


I love patterns and prints, so I was super excited when I found this iPad app. It allows you to create your own pattern designs quickly and easily. First you choose a basic layout grid, and then you draw within a single tile of the grid. The app automatically repeats the tile to create the pattern, which you can then export as a wallpaper image or a repeatable tile.





ScrapPad


I've tried a few digital scrapbooking apps on my iPad, and this is the best one I've seen so far. It comes preloaded with a good selection of kits with themed backgrounds, borders, and embellishments. There are also additional kits available as in-app purchases. The interface is pretty intuitive and easy to figure out.





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**UPDATE - 2015** The miniature sweater knitting pattern has been revised.  View/Download the new pattern here:
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A gift tag template for creating a Christmas ornament from this sweater can be found on my Templates and Patterns page. Additional sweater patterns are available for sale in my Etsy shop.


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