Christmas recap

For the first time in a long time...ok ever...I didn't want to take down my Christmas decorations. Usually I am antsy to do it on the evening of Dec 25. This year, I didn't get mine down until last night. I just really liked the look of my house being so festive. Here's a recap:
(sorry for the weird formatting, sometimes blogger and I just don't get along!)



Gingerbread houses that my kids made. (I premade the houses out of graham crackers that I hot glued together. Worked fantastically!)










Books (I got the idea on someones blog to wrap 24 books and open one each night. My kids LOVED it and it helped them to not ask to open presents every day)
Jars I filled with antique ornaments, red grapevine balls, spools and snow









Santa picture, red stars, wreaths and stockings



















The magnetic calendar that my son especially liked putting the numbers up



The candy canes, mints and greenery above my kitchen cabinets
And of course the Christmas tree. A mix of my kid's yearly ornaments, their hand made ornaments and the ones I chose.
This year I took a class from Big Picture Scrapbooking called Cut the Crazy out of Christmas. It was all about being prepared for the big day in hopes to have less stress. We made these binders with tabs for Christmas Preparations, Gift Lists, Recipes, Card list, Traditions, and a place to recap. I think it will really help me is next year. Yesterday I sat down and wrote down everything that did and didn't work this year. And that is what I would suggest to everyone. Take a moment to write down what did and didn't work for you this year. It helps to keep everything together, so maybe keep it with your Christmas card list and gift lists. And maybe next year, we can all be less stressed at this most wonderful time of the year!

Giveaway

I guess the posting 12 days in a row got to me and I needed to take a little break. Sorry about that.

As for the giveaway, I used a really scientific method of choosing- I had my daughter pick a number between 1-4. She chose 2. So Kelly from Refibered email me (atccandy@yahoo.com) so I can get your info and get this package mailed to you.

Day 12 favorite tip of all

Make Christmas Wrapping Central in your house!



Find a place to put up a card table, cover it with a Christmas table cloth and put all your gift wrap, tape, scissors, gift tags, ribbon in one place. I even stash gifts to be wrapped under the table.


I use cute little buckets from the dollar spot at Target to hold all of my paraphrenalia. Scissors, gift tags, tape and pens in one.


Decorative gift trims in another.


I used to have rolls of ribbon flung all over the table. Until I made out this ribbon holder.
I used a dowel that I cut down. Then I drilled a hole in a circle plaque and used strong glue (E6000) to attatch them together.



Super handy!
We made it! 12 days of Christmas projects! I'm not going to lie, it was tough coming up with projects and posting 12 days in a row! But I had the motivation to get most of my projects done! Now I would like to do a giveaway...

The Christmas frame! Just leave a comment and I'll draw a name to send this to! Yay! Merry Christmas!

Day 11 Glitter Ornaments

About 3-4 years ago I saw the cutest glitter ornaments in the Pottery Barn catalog. Rather then pay the $5-$6 a piece for them, I made some myself for about $1 a piece.

supplies:

  • wooden letters (can be purchased at any craft store)
  • spray paint
  • glitter
  • mod podge
  • drill to make hole for hanging
  • ribbon









Steps to making them
  • drill a hole in the top to hang it
  • spray paint in color of your choice (paint both the front and the back)
  • use modge to put a thick layer of glue onto front of letter
  • repeat if needed
  • thread ribbon through the hole and hang on tree

Tomorrow is the last day!

Day 10 Rice bags

Rice bags are really simple and easy gifts. They can be warmed in the microwave for 2 minutes and they hold the temperature really well. Last year a lady in my ward (church congregation) gave a class on gifts from your food storage and showed us these. I made a bunch and gave some as gifts. Everyone loved them! My kids fight over the ones I made for our house.

They are VERY simple to make.



I wanted certain colors, so I bought some fat quarters at Joann. But you could use any fabric you have on hand.



I wanted one big bag and two little ones for hand warmers so I just eye-balled it and cut some out. The little ones measure about 3 inches by 4 inches and the big one is about 6 inches by 8 inches.



Sew around the edges leaving a 2inch opening on one end.



Turn right side out. Using a funnel, add regular old rice. (The bag above was $3 at Walmart and I have enough left over to fill 1 more rice bag)




Hand stitch the opening closed.


And there you go. I added instructions that say to put large bag in microwave for 2 minutes. The small bags for about 1 minute.
10 days down, 2 more to go!

Day 9 calendar

I make calendars for our family members every year. One year I didn't make them and the person who usually receives one, wasn't very happy and I ended up sending her one in January.

This year I kept it pretty simple.



I used my word processing program to make a table- 6 rows by 7 columns. Then I added the month and the dates. The size for this calendar is 5x7.



I printed the entire calendar out on white cardstock, and trimmed each paper down to 8.5 inches by 7.5 inches. I also printed a front title page. When they are stacked together, the front page flips over and becomes the picture page for the month of January. The January calendar page becomes the picture page for February and so on. Confusing huh? It makes sense once you do it though.




I went through the folders on my computer and chose 1 photo for each month. After having them printed I adhered them to a piece of cardstock or patterned paper and adhered that to the calendar. Instead of or in addition to photos, you could use drawings your kids have done or use some of their school work. Grandparents eat that stuff up!



I kept the embellishments simple. Just cardstock or patterned paper and flower or sticker to go with it. After all, I want the focus to be on my cute kids.






I used an anywhere hole punch to make holes in the top of each page. I decided where I wanted the holes on the first page then used it as a template to punch the holes on the rest of the pages.



I used book rings to hold it all together. I have had these bound together at the office store before. But this works much better for me.


I then tied ribbons onto the book rings. I will probably go back and embellish the front a little bit.
Only 2 days left. Thanks for sticking with the 12 days of Christmas Projects !

Day 8 frame

This frame is similar to the one I did a few months ago as a baby gift



I started with a 5x7 from my stash. I left it the wood color. You could paint it any color you choose. Just pop the back off and take the glass out before painting it.


Decide what letter monogram you want (I used chipboard) trace it onto the back of patterned paper, cut it out and ...


glue it on with mod podge.



I used my computer to print off the word "Christmas" for my frame. You could use a first or last name or any other word. I held the glass from my frame up to the screen to position the word correctly on the paper.


I then tied some ribbons on the side of the frame, put the glass, the Christmas paper and the back into the frame and glued the C onto the top glass.


Underneath Christmas, I used glue dots to glue buttons directly to the glass.


And here it is.

I added a tag with the numbers 25 and some chipboard shapes.
We have 4 more days of Christmas crafts!

Day 7 personalized ornaments

Day 7! And today is ornament day!
I used a die cut machine, (in this case I'm using my $5 Cuttlebug) some vinyl...

and some unbreakable ornaments I got last year in the after Christmas clearance at Walmart.


All I did was cut some vinyl letters out, put them on the ornament, tie some ribbon to hang it from the tree and then I tied some around the ornament holder.



Easy Peasy! I love giving these as gifts personalized with the recipients last name. I made some last year and have made some again this year for others.

Day 6- Ornament wreath

Today's project is an ornament wreath. I have seen these here and here.


Start with a wire hanger and some unbreakable ornaments. (And don't forget the peanut M&M's to help any project go faster.) They are sold at the dollar store, in really cute colors. I got mine at Walmart because I was there and didn't want to take my grumpy, needs a nap toddler to another store.
Unwind the wire hanger and start feeding the ornaments onto it through the holder. Before you start the threading though, hot glue the holder onto the ornament. They seem like they are attached to the ornament really well, but once you start moving them around a little, they pop off. Keep adding ornaments until you get to the size you want. Then just wrap the hanger back together and use the rounded part of the hanger that you hand on the rod to hang your wreath with.

I covered the hanger with ribbon and let it trail down a little bit.

And here it is on my ugly, blue front door(it's on the perpetual list of things to be fixed and/or replaced). The prettiness fo the wreath almost makes one forget just how ugly that door is. Almost!
6 days of projects down, 6 more to go!