9 days!!! Christmas Layout!

Ugggh- I hate when my pics do this! Someone tell me what I'm doing wrong! HAHA Anyway- here is a layout I created last year. I remember wanting to try something a lil different. (although) i did take the pattern from one of the how to books) I wanted o see how Christmasy I could make it without actually using Christmas paper. I used the back side of some animal cookies and some 'tulip' color paper instead of my usual cranberry choice for Christmas.

These lil metal rimmed tags are a great 'tag' to use for 'to' & 'from' Christmas tags too for presents!

I love liquid glass!

10 days left until Christmas!!! ARE YOU READY!

• YOU BETTER BE! This is a picture of Will's FIRST Christmas parade. This was the first year (he's 2.5) that I thought he'd actually care about it... So we loaded up and drove to Gainesboro TN! My hometown! He was absolutely MESMERIZED! He said 'Shanna' when he saw Santa and pointed! SO SWEET to this mommas heart! I thought to myself- this is DEFINITELY going on the Christmas tradition list! In keeping with that thought I wanted to post some 'traditions' or tips or quips that maybe you can also try with your families! Some are unique and others are some you may already be doing, but here goes!

  One thing my husband and I have done for a couple years is have a small Christmas party with some couples from church! Eat good food and play silly games! this is always good for a laugh!

  Evey year we all get a new Hallmark ornament! this year Scott got "Christmas Vacation" and Will got "The Polar Express" and of course I got a "coffee" one!

  My sister will always make cookies with her boys from scratch, cut them out, bake them, and wrap them up and deliver to neighbors!'

  Of course our famous dessert off! Friendly competition is bound to make things more interesting! start one up with a sibling or cousin or aunt! You don't have to do dessert- you can do drinks, kids food, a craft for the hostess! ..or the funniest Christmas gag gift!

  Open one gift Christmas Eve! (not the 'big' one!)

  Have fancy appetizers that you might not normally have on Christmas Eve! Make shrimp cocktail and lobster tail.... Or do fancy cheese and fruit! You have the whole week of family Christmas's for traditional food!

  Make Thermoses of cider or chocolate- let everyone get into their pajamas and grab some blankets and go ride around looking at Christmas lights! you'll want the blankets for when you roll down the window to see better!

  Watch Christmas movies or listen to Christmas music while wrapping your gifts or writing out your Christmas cards.

  Set out a BUNCH of decorations!! Start a 'decoration' you can always add to every year so you never bore of your decor! Like Christmas villages, or candles on the mantel, ornaments from places you've vacationed, or this CRAZY "Elf on the Shelf" thing people are doing. Whew - I just know Will is gonna want one next year! Speaking of those things- here is #10. Places to put your elf on the shelf! Ceiling fan, bookcase, mailbox, refrigerator (nice Kelly!), in the bathroom, on top of curtains, in the dryer, in the trash, ahem... I mean in the living room.. LOL If you have one where have you put yours so far???

  Play 'elves' yourselves! Make up some cookie and candy tins or boxes and drive around and leave some on peoples doorsteps or in their mailboxes while they are working! When they get home they will have a nice surprise from you!

  One morning while eveyone is home - either on christmas break or the weekend, make a big ol pancake breakfast. Use metal Christmas cookie cutters to place on griddle or in the skillet - fill with pancake mix and you have yourself a small lil Christmas tree pancake!

  Let your kids go with you and take some goodies to the local fire dept or police stations.

  Open your Christmas cards each night together as a family.
• On a snowy day surprise someone with a snowman in their yard! Take the kids to the grandparents or a neighbors house while they are away working! Any grandparent would love this to come home too!
• Host a cookie or ornament exchange! I wanted to do this so bad this year, but just couldnt find a day to squeeze it in! Maybe next year! You could also host a scrapbook layout exchange with some wowie artwork!!!

Traditions cont..

If you have a child who loves getting his picture made with Santa- keep them all in one book! Sure- you want to scrapbook them too- but just print out an extra copy & find a cute lil book to slide them in. I always leave this out where guests can see it during Christmastime.

If you cant find a book like this then just get a small photo album and decorate it!

Traditions cont...

This is more of a tip than tradition... If you have the space- set up a 4 foot table and leave up all through December!!! Stow your wrapping paper, tape, scissors, tags, and bows all underneath in a basket or box. This will save you plenty of time! Here is another example of wrapping gifts in our Christmas paper...and my good old jute twine tie! :-)

A few more tags!

NOW- This is one of my favorite traditions we have around here. Scott & I found this book on a weekend getaway while I was pregnant. I was so excited about that Christmas b/c I knew it would be the last Christmas just the two of us! This was the perfect way to start a new tradition with our new addition!

This book makes it SO easy to keep EVERY Christmas's memories written down. Inside is a place for your family photo that year, things like visitors; gifts; holiday menu; special events, guests, etc... It takes me no time to go through and write in the highlights! I have only had it 2 years and I already enjoyed looking back over last years and the year before! So fun!

Stay tuned for goody bag gift ideas and Christmasy crafts! Countdown Continues! :-) Oh - and please SHARE some of your traditions!!!!

11 days...... WOW!

Every year it seems like we have a strand of lights go out- either outside or on the tree. I took the extra bulbs..... some twine..... and some command hooks and made a lil garland for my Christmas cards! Jute twine= $1.00 at dollar general store! i use it all the time!!!!

Recycle those burned out bulbs.. the big ones are so pretty just sitting in a Christmas bowl on the table or counter. you can also tie up in twine and use in a garland strand around a banister!

Creative centerpiece... i stole this idea form the gooseberry patch book. I have to say - it really isn't feasible for children at a table or adults who like to keep a cluttered table b/c that is just where things seem to end up... At any rate- it is very cute. I ended up cutting the long strands off shorter. its still just as cute and we can set our plates down too!

So as always during the holidays we have LOTS of extra 'stuff' to set around and use! Decorative plates, stockings hung, big ol tree in the living room! HA! here is a fun and neat way to keep it all together.. Get a big basket and keep all your Christmas books and Christmas DVD's in for a quick get and also a quick clean up... Our fav's include Christmas story, elf, and Christmas vacation... :-) Will's is "train" which means the polar express!

Stay tuned for more tidbits and ideas!

What a great DAY!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband! I had such a great day - i felt like it was MY birthday... LOL Breakfast was french toast (complete with a candle), lunch was homemade creamy tomato/potato/ cabbage soup. (it tasted much better than it sounds!) Then we ordered pizza for dinner and had cheesecake for dessert! We played outside in the snow with Will, played wii, watched TV... it was MY kinda snow/birthday! I love you Scott - happy birthday!

12 days until Christmas! SNOW!

Ok- so all you girls from the north close your eyes & ears for a minute.. We don't get a lot of snow here in middle TN so when we do we get excited!!!!!! This was 5:45 am this morning!!! Let it SNOW Let it SNOW! Ok- so as much as I LOVE snow it was bittersweet for me... We went shopping yesterday & then on to Nashville to see TSO in concert... Well we decided to turn around b/c it was getting SO bad.... Took us 3.5 hours to get home.... yuck... GOOD NEWS! I'm home with my baby on my hubbys birthday! ....and SNOW! MY KIND OF DAY! ENJOY!

13 days until Christmas!!

This is how it looks at my house today! We'll see how it looks tomorrow! Hopefully the meteorologist will be RIGHT this time!

14 days! yikes!

Geez! My pictures are backwards again- uggh.. (sorry- you think I would know by now) anyway below is a delicious cake my friend Nicki shared with me! I have made it every holiday season for 3-4 years now. If you are taking the cake (or any cake) to somewhere for a Christmas dinner or gathering then you can make it all pretty with clear crystal sugar sprinkles ( my fav) or red and green sprinkles. I left them off b/c it was just for us here at the house and we personally don't care for the 'crunch.'

okay the icing - this is Scott's favorite part.. I modified this recipe b/c we like it more cream cheesier (that's a word!) So here is my icing recipe for Nicki's cake: 2 softened packages of cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 regular sugar, lots of vanilla extract (if you really like it like we do), 1/2 butter, and 1 cup melted white chocolate (b/c i had some here!) mix with beaters until smooth.. You will have to add milk (or buttermilk) to make consistency. Original recipe is the cream cheese, sugars, and cool whip.. also quick and YUMMY! Cake- YUM- Swiss chocolate cake mix (or substitute any chocolate mix- devils food, fudge, etc..) , 4 eggs, 1cup of oil ( i used 1 cup butter flavored crisco), 1 small box of instant vanilla pudding DELICIOUS!

Oh yeah- it makes alot of frosting!! ;-)

15 days until Christmas!

Do you have this Mistletoe Paper packet yet?!?! ITS GORGEOUS!!!! I have done so many layouts with it already!! Ill share over the next few days! As always this layout below is my 'go to' layout. I love it - it is from our how to books- Cherish I think?? BUT I create this layout with my favorite paper pack (or two) out of each idea book. I cant help it - its so much fun! Sometimes I mix it up a bit with the lil squares and use photos. I almost always 'connect' them with ribbon though. Either with brads or glue dots or sparkles!

This paper is from the mistletoe creative basics kit! All that paper and ribbon for only $7.95! All I had to do was add some card stock and wah-lah! I actually created the above (1 two page layout, 2 cards, and 4 tags) as an additional Christmas workshop - but I honestly could not even find one day to teach it! whew- Why is Christmas so busy! LOL

I love these two sentiments on the above cards.. "What if Christmas doesn't come from a store, what if Christmas perhaps means a little bit more..." ~The Grinch ................and the other is "It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air." "Christmas in the Air" is MY ALL TIME favorite song by The Trans-Siberian Orchestra.. If I am ever not in the Christmas spirit - all I have to do is listen that!~ My favorite line in the song is "children stare in new found wonder, no one dares to break their trance..." LOVE IT! So here's hoping each of you have the Christmas Spirit!

Got paper?!?!?!

OF COURSE YOU DO! Use your extra 12 x 12 Patterned paper for wrapping up DVDS or Games! They fit PERFECT around that size!!! So easy!

Make your own wrapping paper!

Take 1 or 2 12 x 12 pieces of card stock and make your own wrapping paper! I would hold the paper over the edges and lightly score if needed.

Triangle boxes! i first saw these from Tina Sutton- They are adorable- just think about all the Christmas candy you could put inside and give away! Email me for directions!

16 days to Christmas! Gift idea for ya!

Okay - so I am QUEEN of cellophane gifts! hahahaha We recently had our church Christmas party and I always like to get the teachers I teach with a lil gifts and my sons bible class teachers.. Well- that was 8 this year! LOL We like to team teach - can ya tell! Sometimes buying these lil gifts can add up fast, but I LOVE doing it- so I wanted to come up with something CUTE! Here it is!

These little measuring scoops are darling! I ordered about 15 online just for this idea and stocking stuffers for family! I made these lil tags to go around them! these are specifically for my church friends so you could make up your own tags if you wanted to for teachers, hairdressers, neighbors, or just some 'cooking' phrase! get creative- these lil poems are a synch!

I made each teacher 3 handmade cards with envelopes tied up with twine! Throw in a Christmas ink pen, soft peppermints, vintage candy sticks from cracker barrel, and some chocolate and wah-lah! For festivity sake you can add some colored shredded paper to the bottom or colored tissue! FUN!

Cocoa Packets

I posted this last year as well... So easy and fun for those 'extra' lil gifts! Cellophane bags, plastic spoons, mini marshmallows, and cocoa packets!

Stamp up a cute tag and tie it up with some ribbon!

Optional with the spoons- Dip in white chocolate or milk chocolate and tie with sandwich bags and bread ties. (Cut away excess plastic) and stick down in bag for a stirrer!

17............Card kit- LOVING them!

CTMH had a new card kit this year and I love them! They are so much fun to create.. I always order a Christmas card (and still did!) But to alot of our aunts, uncles, and cousins, I always send extra 4x6s too anyway - these are perfect!!! I sat in the floor last night (watching Scrooge w/ bill Murray- LOVE IT!) and made about 36 in an hour! FULL sparkles and everything! It comes with the 12 card templates, 3 sticker sheets, & red & green sparkles. I did add a pack of my own bitty sparkles just to put them EVERYWHERE!

Christmas List Books

These are posts from last years count down but they are so cute and easy to make!

Another one......

This is using "HOliday Trinkets" stamp set (this is the one I coudlnt think of- thanks Kelly!) I have used this stamp so much it stays in teh FRONT of my box! ;-)

18..........

Christmas BOX for Christmas Cards!!! Love all the items in CTMH catalog for altering! I had never bought one of these but I thought it would be perfect for my Christmas cards this year! I ALWAYS keep my cards! I have them as far back as 2000!

Sorry this is sideways- these are some pages I did last year with "jingle" paper!