I'm a Freak: V-Day Already?!

I swear, I am worse than Hobby Lobby or Wal-Mart.
I don't think even they have Valentine's on their mind yet (although, I did see some Spring at the Hob Lob this week!)...

I am really wanting to be super organized this coming year... so I thought while I had some down time, I would get started on Isabel's V-Day cards. Her being almost 13 and all, we had to mature her cards up a little.

Here are Isabel's cards from last year {inspired by COM}... which was our first time ever making handmade cards.

And this is what we have as our first draft for this coming V-Day:

This may not what we end up with, but it sure has our creative juices flowing. Isa mentioned that she'd like to do a little gift for her close friends at school, so I am going to have to see what else I can come up with.

Off to check out Pinterest to see if I can find some additional ideas.

Happy Valentine's Day Holidays!

Linking up to {COM}

Fun Christmas Art

Inspired by Landee (of Landee See, Landee Do), I've decided to create some fun Christmas art.
And these babies are large.  20x30 to be exact.

With our Christmas party this Saturday, I am sending them over to Costco to get printed out and then I will add them to frames to hang up, just in time for our guests to marvel and ooh and aah!

Or, they can use them as a guide for when we pull out the Karaoke machine. =)

You will see I went for a different type of Christmas songs... considering our theme for our Christmas party. Very casual, over the top... totally fun.  If you prefer more traditional songs, then visit Landee - she has them available to download as well!




For my first time using PhotoShop for something like this, I think they turned out too cute.
If you agree, feel free to print them out and hang them around your house!
Don't you just ♥ the holidays?!

Our Christmas Card {2011}

With the last of our Christmas Cards finally in the mail...I can now share with you here. 

I've made (aka taken a picture and had it printed off at Costco) our Christmas Cards for the past couple of years. The difference this year is that I put a little more thought into it.

I think it came out wonderfully; however, I wish I would have thought about the printing portion of making the cards a little more.  I would have loved to have had it printed on card stock, rather than photo paper.

Eh, there's always next year.

But until then, here's what we have:

I insisted that our 16 year old niece, Abby, (who came to live with us back in October) be a part of the card. After a few hours of prodding, she finally gave in! ;) Love that girl.

That picture of Nic is so....... Nic. Had to include it! ;)

So, there you have it... our 2011 Christmas Card.

Speaking of Christmas Cards... I found one I thought was pretty darn adorable in blog land this week...

Michelle, of Michelle Paige, did a cute job of putting her cards together... in the CAR!
Here's a sneak peak, but please visit Michelle to see how she made it all possible.

Red is my friend, right? {4 & 5/12 Christmas Crafts}

Last Christmas, I avoided red. Like the plague.
I had golds and bronzes and burnt oranges... but no reds.

Then I got bit by the red bug {which may or may not be related to the bed bug} - and now I am in lurve.

 

See for yourself.

Eeks. I don't know what happened. And I guess it would be red and white and black, really. Let me share with you what I do know.

1) My zebra lampshade that normally sits in my very green office. Repurpose (Free!)
2) Framed Art. Yeah right. Try dollar store frames with dollar store gift bags. I just cut out the cuteness and added it to the frame. Easy peasy. $4 total (for the trees and the penguin)
3) Candle stick was a Goodwill find, bought it for Halloween. Repurpose (Free!)
4) More Styrofoam and pipe cleaner trees. All on hand. (Free!)
5) Berry branches - $1 each at Hobby Lobby $3
6) A red pot from years and years ago, turned upside down lengthen the lamp. Repurposed (Free!)
7) Glass jar from the dollar store filled with red Styrofoam berries from the dollar store. The twigs I got from Hobby Lobby. $4 total.
8) Walgreens trees $1 in a candle I already had.

  With so much going on, I am going to count this as Craft #'s 4 and 5. I am the Queen, after all.

Well, what do you think?! I know I am going to have a lot going on in the house, but I can't help it. I am having so much fun!!

Off to see where else I can add some red.

Linking to:
House of Hepworths

Home Stories A2Z

Super Simple Snowmen {3/12 Christmas Crafts}

I am starting to realize that I am slightly OCD.
I start working on one space - and can't leave it alone.

Take for example my mini*mantel that I shared with you a few days ago... Well, I've added a few good men to it. Snowmen, that is! =)

These guys were super simple and *CHEAP* {please don't tell them I called them that!}

I got the Styrofoam balls from dollar store - they came in different sizes 6 to a pack.
I bought the pipe cleaners from Hobby Lobby $0.87 each package. And I had the straight pins, thumb tacks and Sharpie.

I am so glad Isabel wanted to help out! We don't get to do crafts together that often. I ♥ her.

Besides the snowmen, I also made several more trees. I loved using the pipe cleaners {the more I type that, the more I wonder if that's their official craft name. lol}  Here are my bald snowmen next to some cool trees.

And... here is my mini*mantel space and the radio cabinet beneath it.
I've added the poinsettias, a vase filled with cranberry foam balls, the trees and snowmen, a lovely green candy dish (Goodwill $1 several months ago!) and a frame with a bow.

I realize it may be a bit much - all of it. So I have since moved the frame. But now that I look at the picture below, I am kinda digging it there.

So there we have our third craft (and a small repeat of craft #2)...

I am truly digging this holiday season!

Linking to:
House of Hepworths
Today's Creative Blog

Thrifty Decor Chick

Beads + Pipes = Trees {2/12 Christmas Crafts}

Since I am behind, I thought I might as well make an effort to catch up.
So, two posts in one day, you get. Yipee.

Here is the second of twelve crafts I am sharing with you this month... Christmas Trees for my other non-mantel.

How did I make them, you say?!

Well, they were pretty darn easy.

I used two different sized cones, some hot glue, Mardi Gras beads in the colors of my Christmas decor, and then also white pipe cleaners.

Then, I must apologize for the picture quality. I *still* cannot find my camera's battery charger. So I am using an old camera. SMH

I wrapped and hot glued the beaded tree, but for the pipe cleaner tree, I simply stuck the wire in, wrapped, and stuck the other end in. It was super easy. I did add some straight pins to bring some color to the tree; however, I am not sure how much I love them. I don't have a lot of red in the house, so I'd hate to add it there. We will see. ;)  But for now, I at least have gotten a head start on my non-mantel.

P.S. The third {middle} tree is from Walgreen's... $1.00.  Everything else I had on hand, so rank this under cheap! =)

Linking to:

Craft O Maniac
Mom It Monday

Mini*Mantel {1/12 Christmas Crafts}

Four days in and I am already behind... but what do you expect during the holiday season, really?
I need to get my Christmas cards out... I want to get some holiday baking done... and I want to complete my goal of twelve crafts for Christmas.

This morning, we packed up all of Nic's birthday decorations and cracked open the Christmas totes. I've put up garland and hung our stockings {with care}...

And I got one crafty thing done... My mini mantel.
As a reminder, here is what it looked like for Thanksgiving...

And here it is as of right.... NOW! ;)

This shelf hangs above my smaller radio cabinet, in the formal dining room. I had different plans for the "O" in JOY, but a certain now 5 year old decided that he wanted to crack those plans open. Literally. So, I used what I had on hand (which is not much since I haven't been to Hobby Lobby in over 5 days).  I used the bottom ring of a $1.00 light shade from Target. I had already taken the actual shade off of the rings, because I needed to use the top piece for a lamp (long story, but it involves an older style lamp shade and zip ties. Kinky. Okay, maybe not).

I wrapped the ring with ribbon. And I am in the middle of looking for two bronze-ish bells I found at the dollar store to tie at the top, where the "bow" is.

The owl I had from Thanksgiving, the star was bought for Nic's birthday, the cinnamon sticks in the mason jar, I had, the candle I had, the tinsel I had, and the little tree was $1 from Walgreens.  The J and the Y were $.99 from Hobby Lobby, and finally, the green spray paint I had from a different project.  So, less than $3 for this mini*mantel makeover.


Could I get anything else on that shelf? Really?!

Maybe not, but the bottom would be a great place to hang Christmas cards from {hint, hint!}...

So, we are still decking the halls over in my hood, but I will be sure to post pictures from Nic's party super soon and then of course, the other 11 crafts (that I have yet to do!)...

Happy Sunday!

Linking to: COM 
Everything Under the Moon 
Thrifty Decor Chick  
Home Stories - A2Z 
Uncommon Slice of Suburbia 

If I didn't think Bank of America would miss me too much...

I'd quit my job and become a wreath maker.

Seriously.

{unless someone from BofA is reading this, then please know that I *love* my job and I wouldn't abandon it for all of the tea in China}

I was a focused wreath maker yesterday.
I started Nic's birthday wreath and made two Christmas wreaths for outside... and worked on our front door Christmas wreath.

Nic's {going to be Cowboy themed} Birthday wreath:

Here are our outside wreaths:

You can see I put up my iron decor again! I figured if asked, I would tell them that it's part of my Christmas decorations! lol... they will come down when the rest of the decorations come down!

P.S. The green pillows will be swapped out for more festive ones. :)

Here is the one for the front door:

I thought it was done, but I am wondering if it's too plain?
I wanted it to match, but not match the other two. There is going to be a lot going on when the lights and other decor are introduced, so we will see if I end up adding to it later on.

I used a flat wood wreath for this one. Got it at Michael's (and probably spent way too much. i ♥ hobby lobby).


As usual, for the first three, I used the plastic covered straw wreaths from Hobby Lobby ($4.99) and some pretty ribbon. For the Christmas ones, I used blue and gold. We are incorporating the blue into our color scheme this year. All of our outside lights are blue!

I think I am getting pretty good at making bows!!

Anyway - that's the only thing I've worked on for Christmas so far. I need to get past Nic's birthday party this Saturday and then I will drag the rest of the Christmas decor out and get all jolly-like.

So exciting.

Maybe I can make more wreaths for the inside of the house?!
Become the weird wreath lady of the neighborhood?!
It's a thought.

Merry & Cheery & More {Announcement}

I am trying really hard to give Thanksgiving its time in the spotlight... but I have to admit, I am getting very excited for Christmas.

I've decided to do something new this holiday season...
As with Halloween and Thanksgiving, I am going to focus on hand-making our festive holiday decor. Some brainstorming today led me to this:

I am challenging myself to make at least 12 homemade decorations for around the house. I will be sharing them with you, every other day during the month of December.

Exciting right?!

It doesn't end there, though.

During the other days of the month, leading up to Christmas day, I will be doing what I do best...
visiting every blog I can to find amazing Christmas projects, decor and more.

I will be sharing {and linking back to} a few blogs during each post. I applaud all of the crafty and creative people - it takes time, patience and talent to come up with beautiful things!

So... there you have it! I hope you'll visit QOTC often during the month of December to take a gander at all projects; mine and theirs. I may even try my hand at a linky party... Oooo! Something to check back for, for sure!

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming Thanksgiving.

Um, where is November going?

Looking at the calendar today, we have a week and a half until Thanksgiving?!
What?!
I need more time.

I am about to show you the start of a lot.
But I am no where near done.

First up, though... A Thanksgiving theme plaque. I got the wooden plaque from Wal-Mart ($2.97) and the printables from Today's Fabulous Finds.

Here are some additional snapshots, providing proof that I am working my crafty tail off, trying to get ready to host only our second ever Thanksgiving in our house.  Our theme for this year is Owls & Acorns.
I found so much stuff. Now if only I had access to all of the acorns I had to pick up for punishment as a kid. Man, I'd love to have a bag of them for crafts.

The "mantel" nor the house are by any means completed, as far as decorating goes. Hopefully during the next few days I will be able to share a finished product.  For now, i do want to point out the two picture frames (above, left)... I took fabric from a cloth napkin (owls) and some sample material from my new pillow cases (they came in a fabric case), and created "pictures."  I added a new lampshade (different from the one I used for Halloween) - I love it! It's actually going to go in my room, with it's sister, once I find a new pair of lamps to repurpose.

Until then, it will give us T-Day joy!

Hope you are having a great day!

_________________________________________

Linking to:

 

Pipe Dreams

Are you sick of my Halloween decorations yet?

The only thing I am sorry about is the fact that Nic doesn't have a complete understanding of time.
If I hear "Is it Halloween yet?" one more time, I may end up cancelling the holiday.

I showed you these pictures in an earlier post, but wanted to share with you how I made them.

I took Halloween colored pipe-cleaners (I think that's what they are called. If not, then the title of this post makes no sense) and wrapped them around the back of the frame, alternating colors. I put the frame back together and then glued on a small Halloween decoration. I used super-glue because I was too lazy to get out the glue gun.

I got the frames at the dollar store, they came two to a pack. The little decorations I got at Michael's a few years back, just never did anything with them.  I just cut off the gold thread and glue them right on to the glass.

This last piece is a dollar store frame with a wooden cat (from a previous Halloween). I used purple glitter glue on a $1.00 gold frame. And had to add the googley eyes! 

Nothing fancy, but OH so much fun!