1st. I wanted to do mini paper stockings by scanning and printing Lauren Meader's Stocking Stuffer template down to 75%- I thought it would be cute and I could fill it with homemade candy canes. WELL- the candy cane syrup (you have to be so careful and this was my first time and the thermometer never did read past 200!!) - yeah, BURNT. So okay- no go to the candycanes. Then I was so overwhelmed with time constraints and such- plus being worried that I'd run out of adhesive- that I just nixed the whole idea. My thought was for pre-school and third grade children- they aren't going to save the cute little things I made them- they'll wind up in the trash all torn and crumpled and all that work would have been for waste. So I decided to make carmel corn instead. Turned out SO GOOD I didn't want to share with the kids- I did tho. And to make it a bit festive and put my papercrafting spin on it, I did make quick and cute paper tags!
So I just put them into the 2 dollar goodie bags that you use for birthday favours. Darned those things are handy! I made 30 bags of them- plus a few extra for home! Needless to say, they are gone now- and will be making some more for Christmas day!The second thing I wanted to do- and still plan on it, tho not for Christmas, was to make a train out of paper. I already made one. It's pretty cute- but not finished. My son's birthday was in October, and I wanted a cute and inventive way to have a centerpeice and party favours. He loves trains so I crafted a train out of paper and wanted to make the coal cars the party favours for the guests. Well- expenses and time got away from me (story of my life this past year) and he didn't have a big party with his friends (not to worry- he still had fun with mom and dad and grandparents). So I thought I'd make another one and use it as a Christmas decoration and use the coal cars to store candy in. Well- time got away from me again. Turns out doing 30 baby annoucnements flip card style is a lot more work than I thought. Thought I could get them done in an afternoon- try three. AIGH! So another project down and gone! Don't worry- I plan on doing another one and having a tutorial. I want to see what I can come up with for it and I think Christmas decor and birthday centerpeices can be just the begining.
Then there was my Christmas cards for the year. I wanted to make purse cards for my friends that held four cards and four envies so they could have their own cards to give away. Yea- that didn't work either. SO I wound up just quickly throwing together some cards in an afternoon using Ms. (Miss?) boo's idea off of SCS:
And of course- it's
blurry!!!! I is a bit plain on the outside- I'm not sure how to compensate for that. They were pretty quick- save the flowers. I had this BRILLIANT notion to ink up a bunch of red cardstock with red ink and then emboss flock all over it so it was textured. Then cut that out along with some vellum that I dyed red using alcohol ink. Then I used my flowers off of the Olivia cuttlebug alphabet set and stacked them together. Cute- very pointsetta like- then squeezed on some stickles and smudged it around. They are pretty in person- but alot of work for one tiny embellishement. THEN I ran outta supplies so I had to make a few 'extra' cards. Instead of red and pointsettas- I went back to good ol' blue and snowflakes (prepare youself for another blurry card):
blurry!!!! I is a bit plain on the outside- I'm not sure how to compensate for that. They were pretty quick- save the flowers. I had this BRILLIANT notion to ink up a bunch of red cardstock with red ink and then emboss flock all over it so it was textured. Then cut that out along with some vellum that I dyed red using alcohol ink. Then I used my flowers off of the Olivia cuttlebug alphabet set and stacked them together. Cute- very pointsetta like- then squeezed on some stickles and smudged it around. They are pretty in person- but alot of work for one tiny embellishement. THEN I ran outta supplies so I had to make a few 'extra' cards. Instead of red and pointsettas- I went back to good ol' blue and snowflakes (prepare youself for another blurry card):
Aigh- really a very not good picture. I wish I had known that BEFORE sending them out. Ah well- at least they look okay in person. So okay- kids' classes and friends cards. Mailed last week so they MAY arrive today for Christmas. I don't know. I hope so. So then I wanted to make a cute backpack for Lexie's teacher as she is from Austrailia and here on an exchange program. It was her last day on Friday and I wanted to send her something special. WELL- time constraints again- and so I was whipping up something on the morning of the last Friday! Well- that's a tad better than Gabe's teacher. I just used a box that I had lying around. The one that held cards that I had made for a friend of mine and never did get around to mailing to her. I did apologize- so no worries- but oh-my-goodness has this been a bad year for me this season!!!
So here's the goody box that I whipped up for Lexie's teacher:
It's okay. I thought the silver and red and green and gold would look good together- now looking at the picture, I think it may have been a bit much. I DO love the red and gold tho- here's a close up of them:
I DO like the red and gold- looks prettier in person. I do need a better camera.
So that's the it. I have more to post but it's practically midnite. I just can't believe how unorganized and lazy I've been this year. Oh my gosh! See folks this THIS is where procrastinating leads you- don't even GET me started on my diet- as any who've kept track with my other blog will tell you- it aint going so well. The fact that I haven't even written in it in a few weeks is a bad enough sign. To top it off, I'm still trying to maintain life as a wife and mother- laundry, supper, bathing, cleaning. I do this to myself every year- and every year I say the same thing. I am so tired of the last minute CRAP I put myself through. To top it off, I haven't made time for the Lord at all this season- and isn't HE what this season is all about? So it's no wonder I'm moody and tired. *sigh* No sense in beating myself up about it. It wont accomplish anything. To top everything off I FINALLY cleaned up my place today- and now I have the desire to make my parents and in-laws and siblings gifts. Just a small brandiecrate with some chocolates. So there will be baking and candymaking and papercrafting tomorrow. I just don't know how some people do it- I really don't. They have all these beautifully made projects and then their children and their homes- possibly a job on top of all that and then if the kids are older- running them around to extra ciricular activities. Oy- it makes my head swim. HA- to top it all off- what I WANTED to do for my folks for Christmas, I'm not going to have the time for either! *sigh* one step at a time. Breathe... right?
Sorry to vent all this to you in the cyber world. Maybe looks are decieving and I have no clue what is going on behind those closed doors. Maybe they are just as lost and confused and busy as I am- or maybe they have better organizational skills. Man I tell you- when it comes to setting up a desk or a room- organizing that way- I have nothing doing!!! But when it comes to time managment- I'm a complete loss!! I just want to sit back and relax and enjoy the season. So with all that being said- I'm going to try to relax tomorrow and do what I can instead of what I think I 'have' to do. Y'all have a very Merry Christmas full of love and laughter tho- and don't do too much if you don't have to either tomorrow :D
No comments:
Post a Comment