embracing the post office

The post office right about now.

Not so fun right?

For the most part.

Except when you have these little elves helping.

It was a party.

A stamping and watching the envelopes go down the shoot party.

I find if I put them to work, they're much more happy

and much more entertained.

And they even entertain the other poor people standing

in what looks like a never ending line.

A very nice postal worker saw me trying to photograph the moment

and offered to take one with me in it too.

Most of the cards are out of our hands and off to their destinations.

And it wasn't that bad.

spreading joy

Ok...so here is my top secret Christmas DIY this year.

Only one friend who I know reads this should not be reading it yet...
You know who you are dear sweet Kimberle...so please don't read on.

I wanted to share that I discovered these adorable cheese spreaders a good couple of months ago on etsy.

Thought they were adorable!!!

But the $45-$54 dollar price tag per set was a bit high.

I thought they'd make such adorable hostess and Christmas gifts.

And I kept thinking of different people I'd love to give them to.

But truly the first person who inspired my wanting to get them is my sweet husband.

You see he and I both have a weakness for cheese.

Particularly brie and blue.  He is the one who got me to like blue cheese.  It's an acquired taste.

Back after we had Jackson, when we realized going out on a date night couldn't always happen.

We'd make our own little wine and cheese parties right at home.

So the cheese spreaders seemed perfect for him.

I'm very into gifts that are meaningful and when they're handmade, even better.

I asked a friend if I could borrow her metal stamp set.

She informed me that they're really not that expensive and gave me links to a couple of resources.

I did some research and actually wound up buying from this shop on etsy.  She was super helpful.

Oh and where to find the knives?

Ebay of course.

I'm like a giddy school girl when I win an auction on ebay.

Of course my husband always reminds me, "You're BUYING...not winning."

But still when it's a great deal...it means giddiness for me.

And aren't all those different designs just gorgeous!

I scored a lot of thirteen vintage butter knives awhile back.

I should confess I was totally nervous when it came down to actually hitting the hammer to the
metal.  I didn't buy anything to practice with so my husband's set was my 'test' set.  I did make some errors.  Like that p that slipped there.

But it's ok.  By the second and third set I was figuring out what pressure worked best and how to align them better.

This set went to my sister and her sweet family.

And this as a hostess gift to my friend who was hosting the fabulous scarf exchange party on Saturday.

I know I'm digressing, but here are some pictures of the food and decorations.

So sweet & yummy!

Now back to the spreaders...
I took a free downloadable gift tag design (it's killing me I can't find the source at the moment...for all I know it could have been from tatertots and jello, when I do find it, I'll add a link here).  I altered the design a bit, had to make it bigger to fit my 5x7 bags, changed to my latest favorite font and added the dotted border.   The fact that the basic design was already done was perfect!

And now I'm hooked.

I just need to do some more hunting on ebay.

I love the idea of spreading a little more peace, love, and joy to friends and family.

I'm linking to tatertots and jello handmade gift party ... head over there for more DIY inspiration!


266. stamping success
267. giving gifts
268. stoves purchased for families in haiti...check out the adventure project - it's awesome!
269. a sickie at home which means laying low
270. making old school paper chains for the holidays
        with aforementioned sickie at home.
271. 6 1/2 days of school left before Christmas break
272. a visit from our new nephew/cousin
273. tears of sadness from my sensitive 6 year old seeing him leave
274. an afternoon out by myself
275. christmas shows this week and next

early christmas..cousin love

We're enjoying time with my sis, her hubby & son.
Had to share these cousin pics.  Mine are asking for another baby in the family.
Oh dear.
See how I've left the tree, decorated with all the sentimental ornaments by the kids.
Still haven't gotten around to adding garlands or anything.
It may or may not happen this year.
But I'm trying to be ok with that.
:)

christmas bliss

I have so much to say.

So much to show.

But so much to do.

So this will be brief.

We're celebrating early Christmas tomorrow with my family.

I still need to wrap

and finish up some things.

But this afternoon I have a fun scarf exchange party to go to.

A mommy day out.  I'm excited.

So quickly, here are highlights of posts I should have written.

But just haven't had the time.

We've taken the kids fishing.

(first time for the girls really catching something)

Ice skating.

(first time for all of them)

Antique shopping.

(love...love...love)

We're preparing for Christmas shows.

Blowing lots of bubbles.

Making lots of drawings. (love her paper dolls)

A fun preschool tradition of going on
their very own Polar Express.

And my most favorite tradition...

getting out the nativities.

I have a small collection of kid friendly ones.

The single most sentimental set is this precious moments one.

Purchased by the 12 year old me.

I saved my money and still remember it cost me 85 dollars
at a Christmas in July fair.  And it has remained so special to me.

I've always had a thing for nativities.  SO much so, I broke baby
Jesus as a child trying to kiss him goodnight.

I guess that's why I make sure to have kid friendly versions around
the house for our children.

OH..and soon, very soon I'll share what I've been working on.

It has something to do with this.

It was one of those, I think I can do that kind of things

that I then thought I may be in over my head.

But all in all I think I did ok.

Can't wait to gift them to friends and family this week!

new warrior girl

A customer asked me to make her with redder hair and to add a title.

As I started working, I was inspired to totally revamp my warrior girl.

She's in the shop now.

If you like this design, but want one of the other warrior girls with it,
just let me know and I can make it custom for you or the special person you want to
gift it to for Christmas.

And here she is with a straight haired bob too.

a million directions

Do you feel like you're moving in a million diretions?

Lately I do.

Christmas DIY gifts..very excited, but can't show you till they've been given.

Address labels, checking & fixing.

Etsy orders, printing & creating.

Dishes half unloaded.

Clean up from the day half done.

I start one thing, but don't manage to finish before I remember something else that needs attending.

I'm feeling pretty ADD bouncing from one project to the next without finishing any.

But I HAVE to share with you the song that inspired this drawing.

It's only partially done so I'm giving you a sneak peak.

For some reason when I upload it, it keeps turning the skin more harsh and yellow than it really is.

But I'm trying to hurry here and don't have time to mess with it anymore.

Our praise band will play a lot of original music.

And this past week they released their new 

FREE ep called HYMNS.

They've taken old hymns and re-worked them

to make them different, new.

When I first heard their version of this song months ago I fell in love with it.

I never heard the original hymn growing up.

So this was my first exposure to this song.

Love Lifted Me.

Click here to listen..it's the second song.

This part...

 "Jesus saves, 

Jesus saves, 

He will lift you from the crashing waves

crashing waves.

He will never leave you."

It gets me in so many ways.

The times in the past when He has carried me through 

the hardest things I've faced.

When I've literally felt him lift me from the crashing waves.

It gives me chills.

And in the little things.

As I find my mind spinning in a million directions.

It reminds me to just be still and give praise to the ONE

who lifts us all.

Praise God.

 Praise God.

I couldn't wait to share this song with you.

The print, inspired by it and a friend who asked me,

 to please make an illustration to go with 

Psalm 46:10 

"Be still and know that I am God."
I think the two are very fitting.

My 'be still-crashing waves' girl 

 and another print inspired by this song firefly...

by children's artist Frances England

are both slowly coming to life.

I couldn't be more all over the place with my

music, my inspiration, my to-do lists.

But that is life right?

And I know it's better than feeling un-inspired right?

And thankfully, the music actually helps keep me focused.

So back to work I go.

they're ordered...

Remember way back when I posted about our family photo shoot.
I thought I was being prepared and early.
And this year I wouldn't be ordering our cards in December.

But I didn't get the layout finished, and here we are, December 5th.

But it's finally done... here's a peak.

I'm trying a new to me company this year.

It's mpix.  I really liked their template guides
for the safe zone.  They were easy to figure out and totally made sense.

For some reason I always get a little nervous hitting that final return button on the order,
hoping I don't catch some mistake after the fact, once they've all been printed.

But it's done and I already have an email that they're on their way!

In other news for us, we went ice skating for the first time last night.  Hopefully I'll show you pictures soon.  But right now I must get orders out and get shopping for costumes for our kid's Christmas shows.

It never ceases to amaze me how little time we stay at home moms spend
at home.  I find my list full and our days packed with things to do, especially now that our
kids are getting older.

This Saturday is 'early Christmas' with my sister and her husband and baby coming from New York.
That meant I actually had to hit the mall this weekend and will probably be out again before the week is over.  I'm not a shopper.  Have I mentioned that here?  I just don't like malls very much.  I love to do as much as I can online.  But for this, I just didn't prepare ahead enough..so to the mall we went.

I tackled it on Saturday night with all three kids and I must say they were major troopers.  We got part of our list done.   I'm bound and determined to not get stressed by the season's mounting to do lists.

Oh..next on the list is cleaning up the half decorated house so we can put the stacks of boxes away.  We started decorating last weekend and there the boxes & ladder keep sitting awaiting my attention.  

Happy Monday everyone.

259.  finishing our card
260.  successful shopping
261.  ice skating fun
262.  our last preschool christmas show
263.  my sister is coming to visit!
264.  seeing & holding her baby!!!
265.  children's excitement over Christmas