{GUEST POST} samantha from crafty texas girls

****today i am so happy to introduce you to a fab crafter - you seriously HAVE to check out her blog! she has great tutorials and amazing taste! you will love her! introducing: samantha!****

Hi Ya'll! My name is Samantha and I am so excited to be the guest blogger on Creative Juice today.  I am an avid writer and crafter. I love to share my adventures in home decor and all things DIY on my blog- Crafty Texas Girls. When I am not working with a hot glue gun during nap time, I like to spend my time running around outside with my two spunky daughters or hanging out with my handy hubby. Thank you Mindy for inviting me over, I am so honored to be here!

When it comes to Christmas, there is nothing like handmade. Recently I ran across an idea on Pinterest that I just couldn't pass up. The craft is originally from "Sew to Speak" and their creative blog inspired me to create these "Shabby Chic Mod Podge Ornaments". I love this craft because they are the perfect gifts for friends/family, little hands can help too, and best of all- I bet you already have all the supplies needed!

Ready to get crafting? Here's what you need:
-Ball ornaments (glass or plastic)
-Fabric scraps
-Mod Podge
-Paint Brush
-Embellishments such as bling, sequins, felt, buttons, ric-rac, ribbon etc

First cut your fabric into small squares and strips. I found 1 inch wide by 2-3 inches long worked best. Use your paint brush and Mod Podge to 'glue' the fabric to the ornament. I did mine randomly, but you could also create a pattern or stripes. This part was simple enough that my two-year old could help. (She was boycotting nap that day, but it ended up being something fun for us to work on together!)

I even experimented with adding burlap to one of my ornaments. I am a bit obsessed with burlap these days, I actually used it for my girls' Christmas stockings . You need to apply a bit more Mod Podge to adhere the burlap, but trust me, it's worth it:)

Next wait for the Mod Podge to dry. I was impatient, so I "painted" the entire ornament in one sitting. This meant that I couldn't lay it down because it was wet on all sides. So I just used some jute twine to hang them from my chicken-wire inspiration board. They took about an hour to set.

Once they are dry, the fun part begins-- embellishments! I removed the hook and hot glued the twine on top. This made more room for the bow. I like to add natural material to my crafts when possible. Make sure you hot glue the 'cap' onto the ornament because once you remove the hook, there is nothing to hold it on.

Then I added buttons, ribbon, lace, felt, and jewels. I created three styles. 

Since I am using these as gifts, I wanted them to match the personalities and decor style of the sweet ladies who will be recieving them.

I love how they turned out! And there are so many options for this craft. For a baby's first Christmas ornament, you could use fabric from the nursery. Or use the ornament as part of a wedding gift using fabric that coordinates with the bride's colors. Celebrate school spirit with an ornament made in your team's colors. Scour your fabric piles- look for unusual combinations or go for traditional red/green. When it comes to these ornaments, you can't go wrong.

Thanks again Mindy for letting me share my craft with your readers today. If ya'll have a chance, stop by Crafty Texas Girls for more fun crafts and fabulous decor ideas too!