DIY: Christmas Card Holder

Each year, we seem to get more and more holiday cards and I love it...you know my slightly odd obsession with getting mail.  I always feel bad because I haven't had a good way to display the cards without spending a lot of money.  I decided, this was the year! I'm displaying my holiday cards and I'm not going to break the bank to do it!  After some google searches of Christmas cards, I pieced together a few ideas and to the Dollar Store I went!    I came back with 3 items costing, you guessed, it $3!  All I bought was: festive ribbon, snowflake ornaments (3 for $1), and a box of paper clips.

I got out my trusty hot glue gun...

I cut the ribbon into 3 strips and folded one end which I then put a dot of glue on...

The snowflake was added..

Then I sorted out my paper clips to the ones that matched and slid them on the ribbon.

And...TAAADAAA!   I had an extra ribbon that I used to hang it with on the back of our front door, that way when ever anyone enters or exits our house, they are greeted not only by me, but all of our our family and friends!

Ok, so ...I have faith that these Christmas card holders won't be bare for long!

Sorry Mr. Postman...

It's that time of year...time to send out our annual Christmas cards! 

(This was just the first set of cards we sent out!  YIKES!)

Its beginning to SMELL alot like Christmas!

Big C and I (along with minimal help from Baby C)  made Christmas ornaments this year for our family and friends.  The ornaments are not only easy to make and kid friendly, but they smell amazing!    All you need is:


   3 cups of cinnamon                               and                     3 cups of applesauce

**Check out those eyelashes!**

Mix together into a dough-like-substance and roll out.  We used cookie cutters to create our ornaments into shapes of objects you would typically see during the holiday season: candy canes, gingerbread men (and women), stockings, bells, and stars.  We laid them out on  a cookie sheet and poked a hole in each.

Once they were mostly dried,  Big C choose a colored ribbon for each to be able to hang from their tree.

They did take a couple of day to dry all the way, but ever since making them out house smells like cinnamon...delicious!!

 Big C can't wait to pass out his ornaments to all of our family and friends...if only we can keep Baby C from wanting to eat them!

The Hunger Games Movie Trailer

Have you seen it?! Have you seen it?! Have you seen it?!  The Hunger Games movie trailer?!  Here it is!



*SIGH*....March is such a long time away!

Cutest Invite Ever!

I LOVE getting 'snail' mail!!  In the world of technology, when ever I get something in the mailbox, I just feel so special that sometime took time and some money to send something to me.  It is so bad, that my husband will not get the mail because he knows that it is something that I look forward to every day.  This week has been a great week for mail. Not only did we get our first Christmas card of the seasoon...Thanks Sis!...I also received the CUTEST invitation ever! 

The invite is for a cookie exchange and a holiday craft and I couldn't be more excited!   It came from my former partner teacher, Bethany.  Bethany and I taugt together for 3-4 years...when you take out maternity leaves that we both had.  Have you ever had the privilage to meet a total stranger and have your personalities instantly click?  You know that quote about best friends, how you don't have to talk to them every day, but when you do talk to them, even if it is after a long period of time, its like you just talked to them yesterday?  Bethany is not only an amazing teacher, but her parenting, creativity, and devotion to her faith is a constant inspiration.  She is someone who is a role model to me in so many ways and I feel very blessed to have her as a friend.  I am so excited to be able to spend some time with her and meet more of her family and friends!  I can't wait for our Holiday exchange and craft!  Now, its to the recipe book to find some amazing cookies to bake!

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas!

While most people were out shopping on Black Friday, I (along with Big C and Baby C) spent the day decorating! I just love the feel of the house when it is all decorated for Christmas...it feels warm, cozy, and so joyful!

This is my homemade yule log that I made for $1!  The wood came from my dad's cabin, I nailed three nails into the center and stuck 3 candles on top.  I love the simplicity of not only the assembly, but the look... A rustic Christmas feel!  

Cookies for Santa....along with a mug of milk..maybe a carrot or 2 for the reindeer.

Even the banister got spruced up for the holiday season.  Baby C isn't sure how to hold onto the railing with the garland, but she'll figure it out!

  
My refurbished buffet table from my grandparents' house is ready for the stockings to be filled with Christmas goodies.  I brought out the picture of Big C and Baby C from last year at Christmas time and my how they have grown and changed!

 Big C and Baby C were a huge help in decorating their own trees and our big family tree.  This was the first year that they both actually wanted to help and put the ornaments on the trees.  I will always remember this holiday season because of the family time we have spend just decorating and listening to Christmas music.

So warm and inviting...

 Ohh...the Christmas Tree....enough said...

The holiday season...just a magical time of year and it is just now getting started! YAY!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope you have all had a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving!

Hopefully, you gobbled gobbled until you wobbled wobbled!