Last week as I prepared for Christmas Eve festivities at the in-law's, I stopped the holiday madness for a moment to have a conversation with Russell Hantz of Survivor: Samoa fame. Russell's pirate persona (complete with a missing tooth) dominated the latest Survivor season as he outplayed and outwitted like fans had never seen before.

His new website, RussellGotScrewed.com has since created a bit of online controversy as fans speculate as to whether the t-shirts sold there are really offering a portion of the proceeds to charity. The website claims that St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will be benefiting from sales.

Could the guy who lied about being in Hurricane Katrina on Survivor be pulling the wool over our eyes just to make a quick buck? I wanted to find out what kind of operation was behind the shirts at RussellGotScrewed.com and how much of the money was going to help St. Jude's. Read More...

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In the past few years, I've noticed a growing trend around the holidays. The bedazzled, glittered and otherwise embroidered sweaters and vests that only elementary school teachers would dare to wear in public have recently been exalted as corny tributes holiday humor.

Family gift exchanges and casual Fridays with a mandatory tacky sweater theme give us all a change to laugh at ourselves. Bust out your fabric paint and sequins to create your own hideous celebration of holiday cheer. Here are some Christmas Tree Stencils to get you started.

But wait...every tacky sweater needs a spotlight. Share a photo of your sweater bling and tell us where you'll be wearing it!

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Victorian Snow Day
Put together a mixed media portrait using crafting scraps and this tutorial from Margot Potter.

Cookies in a Jar
Fun article with recipes and gift tags for making cookies in a jar.

Christmas Crackers
Make your own Christmas crackers this year (don't forget to add your favorite terrible joke for an authentic touch)!

Striped Stocking
A stocking knit in tow colors on large needles is a quick and easy way to hold gifts for the holiday. Use traditional Christmas colors or make one with stripes of the colors of your favorite sports team.

Crocheted Wire Necklace
If you can string stone nuggets onto wire, and if you can crochet a simple chain stitch, then you can make this pretty necklace. Visit Beading Arts for the instructions!

Stained Glass Votives
Here's a great easy project that's perfect for kids and fun for adults! We spend lots of time making great votive candles, why not dress them up even more with hand made votive holders?

Skating Penguin Cartoon
Add a cute penguin to your holiday cards with this step-by-step drawing tutorial from Helen South.

Lampwork Snowman Earrings
Use a few wire techniques to turn two lampwork snowmen beads into some holiday jewelry. These literally take minutes to make.

Greeting Card Album
Recycle a greeting card and create a holiday album using materials you already have around the house.

Cut Paper Trees
These three dimensional stand up cut paper trees can be used for table decorations or winter scenes. They're cut just like snowflakes from regular paper.

Christmas Tree Seed Bead Earrings
If you're in a pinch for some holiday cheer upon your ears, then these simple seed bead earrings are just the holiday miracle you've been looking for. With just a little wire and a handful of beads, these can be made in just minutes.

Gingerbread Ornaments
When you don't have the fragrance of a real Christmas tree, fake scents just don't do it. Make a batch of these ornaments every few years and hang them from your tree, the scent will last for two or three years!

Want to Join Make it Merry to show off your holiday crafts? We will showcase your crafts and recipes of all holiday traditions. Learn more.

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Twitter brings me a lot of things on a daily basis... the latest articles from my associates, crafty ideas, and updates on what Brent Spiner had for lunch. Something that seems to have really taken off on Twitter are giveaways sponsored by indie sellers that do business on sites like 1000 Markets, Artfire and Etsy.

Everything from dresses to beaded necklaces are up for grabs everyday, and Twitter is a great way to get the dish on the latest giveaways or those that are ending soon. Try a search for 'giveaways' on Twitter to find the latest free stuff, or follow Rain for daily posts on soon-to-expire giveaways.

Have you ever won a giveaway on Twitter?