Christmas Cards

We all get them every year.

Sometimes we don't know what to do with them.

Do you put them in a basket?

Hang them up around the doorframes?

Attach them to your Kitchen cupboards?

I've done ALL of the above.

A couple years ago, I made this embroidery frame card holder that I modeled after a Martha Stewart one.

I like it, and still use it, but I also created something else last year.

After Christmas was over, I used to scrapbook the cards we got every year, but that took up a lot of pages in my scrapbooks, so I decided to do something that was more compact, and that I could flip through every year if I wanted to.

I saw the idea on either Pinterest or in an Etsy shop, I can't even remember, but once I saw it, I was on a mission.

First, I needed a Christmas golden book.

You remember those golden books we had growing up...well, I needed one, so I headed to Goodwill where I knew they would be the cheapest if I could find one.

I did.

I took off the binding, and punched holes (with my crocodile punch) through both covers and all the pages.  I wanted to keep the pages intact as well, to mix in with the cards I would be getting.

I made a title page first...

Then interspersed the cards we got from friends and family.

It's not too bulky, and it is great to sit on the coffee table from year to year.

The kids like to go through it, and I like to see the changes in our friends and their families from year to year.

I even picked up another golden book for this year...

It serves my love of vintage books and my love of friends and family to a T.

Easy as pie.

A Dusting.

It's Nov. 14, and last night we got our first "dusting" of snow for the year.

(Neighbor's house)

It's pretty.  It looks serene, but it's chilly outside.  Obviously.

It's also Jake's FIRST snow.  Ever.  He's only 6 months old.

He's just like our last lab, Rudy.

He LOVES the snow. 
So far.

Notice the dusting of snow on his nose.  Crazy boy, wondering what all this white stuff is!

I'm glad he doesn't seem to mind the cold.  He's leaping around like he doesn't know what to make of it.

Of course, I feel bad about him possibly being cold, so at Goodwill, I buy him the fleece blankets for $3.  The ugly ones no one wants. 

And what does he do instead of snuggle with them in his house?

Drags them all around the yard like he's Linus from Charlie Brown!

And if you so much as try to remove it from his mouth and put it back inside his house, he leaps at you till he retrieves it!

Crazy, crazy dog.  Are you part human by the way?

He also struck both these poses when I told him to sit.  He'll be great for Christmas card pictures this year!

We love you Jake, you silly, silly dog!

Tuesday Shout Out #13 Plus Christmas Ideas!

6 more weekends till Christmas.

You heard me.

Better get a move on with your shopping if you haven't started already.  I'm happy to say I'm mostly finished, save for the Black Friday run Grace, her friend, Maddie, and I will make Thanksgiving night.

Soooo, considering there is limited time till Christmas, I thought this week's version of my etsy shout out will include some GREAT ideas for teens/adults.

#1.  Wifeysinger.

Hannah is my favorite.  I've given a shout out to her before, and she deserves it!  I've purchased some great earrings from her, and ordered two more pairs just today.
She makes colorful, beautiful jewelry for everyday.

She makes it EXTREMELY hard for me to choose because her prices are to die for, and her jewelry is all things I would wear all the time!

Very simple, but very pretty with the color combinations she has chosen to put together. 
Her shop is the best!

#2  UpTownGirl.

Kristy's shop is a new one I've giving a shout out to.
Right now Grace and I are very into the embellished boot socks, boot cuffs, and legwarmers.

But this shop has all of those, plus headwarmers and scarves.

Her colors are the best too.  What pretty, pretty products. 
One of everything please!

#3  EmilyBeauty.

Emily's shop has great pillows, but what I like about her, is that she also has some things for boys. 
It's VERY hard to buy for teenage boys if you want to get them something other than electronics or clothes.

Right now Evan is very into all the comic stuff like Iron Man, Captain America, Spiderman, etc.  He loves to draw them, and all around his room are large comic posters. 

These pillows would fit right in.

He's always lounging in his room, so any of these would be perfect.

But the shop also has great pillows that I like for me!

Very cute and one of a kind.

#4  Plum Paper

Because of our busy lifestyle, I NEED to keep our calendars current.  I have a large one at home in the kitchen where anyone can look, and I carry a planner in my purse.

I need to be able to physically write it down, and put it in my memory.

This store sells beautiful planners. 
I don't know how I would ever choose.

Monogrammed, personalized, etc. 
I would feel great pulling one of these out of my purse to write down my next appointment.

#5  My Geek Posters

 Marcus' store has got it goin' on.  Evan would love ALL of these.
But especially any of his favorite characters.

Are they not the coolest!

I will be visiting Marcus again, and I added him to my favorites.

And lastly...

This store doesn't necessarily sell gifts, but I guess they could be if you wanted.  Julie sells the most beautiful vintage favors, millinery items, and much, much more.  The colors and originality of all the products are wonderful.

#6  Vintage Handmade

Narrowing it down to which pictures I would choose to display was the hardest part.  I have never seen a more beautiful shop.

I'm pretty sure opening the package for your purchase would be almost as exciting as the purchase itself.

Just look at these beautiful things...

So vintage, and so pretty.

Well, I hope you've found something in my list you can buy for someone you love be it a friend, teacher, or loved one, OR maybe even something for yourself.

To check out my other favorite shops, just head over here and browse through them all.

Happy shopping!

Parenting.

Parenting. 

It's the hardest job you'll ever love..or so I've heard.

Being a parent IS great, don't get me wrong.  But just like any good marriage, it has it's ups and downs.

We all have our "roles" in the parenting game.  

Which brings me to this man.

No, NOT Iron Man, the one beside him.  The one I've shared the last 17 years with.

Brent.

He wants me to talk about him more in this blog.  He says the content lately has gotten boring since it's not about him.

Typical.

The center of attention is where he thrives.

Parenting has been a little rougher on him I think.  There are, or have been two other beings that have filled up my attention for the last almost 15 years.  Grace and Evan.

I worked until Grace was 6 months old, till I was already pregnant with Evan. Then we both decided I could stay home and be the care giver until they both were in school full time.

I relished that time, but unfortunately, it turned me into the default parent.  The parent that knows every bit of information, important and routine, about all their children.  Their shoe sizes, how much their lunches are every week, what kind of underwear they wear, etc. 

You'll catch my meaning after reading this.  A woman at church posted this link to her facebook wall, and all of us women in my Sunday School class are talking about it.  It's us.  Every. single. one. of. us. 

Which makes me happy, and yet a little bit sad. 

It makes me realize, because I have always been very involved in my kids lives, I never gave Brent the chance, the reason, to know these same bits of information I know. 

It's no wonder people who are the default parent (cause it could be the man or woman) are exhausted ALL THE TIME. 

I have information floating around in my head that isn't even my own. 

THEN, our youth paster posted this on facebook today.  HIS version, HIS response to the default parent article.  It's hilarious.  You must read both posts. 

You see, this WHOLE thing isn't about who is better, men or women, it's about the roles we all play.

Brent, he relishes being the fun parent.  The parent who takes the kids out for supper after a long day of work, because I am gone, and he doesn't know what to prepare. 

I am the homework parent, the parent who shops for needed things, the parent who knows when Grace has a student council meeting at school. 

Sometimes I don't enjoy being this parent, I want a break.  Maybe that will come when we're empty nesters. 

One can only hope.

Tuesday Shout Out #12

It's Tuesday. 

It's #12.  Evan's FAVORITE number of all time, so this WILL be a good one.

I love to shout out Etsy shops I come across, and would definately buy from myself. 

I've gotten so many good responses from the shops themselves, and from followers who say THEY have found new favorites, so I'm all about continuing the "tradition."

Here is the link from last week's shout out.  They were all lovely shops last week, and this week boasts just as many.

So, without further ado, #12.

#1  Vintage Rescue Squad

 This shop carries some of my favorite things...vintage.industrial.chippy paint.
I mean, really.

Everyone needs numbers and metal signs, and random objects that once had a life as something else, but could be so much more. 
Go visit.  You must.


#2  Printable Wisdom

Ashley outdoes herself with her great printable works.  She creates digital printables of Bible verses, quotes, artwork, portraits, silhouettes, monograms, and even invitations and cards.

Her work is brilliant.  Simple.  Elegant.  Wonderful.

And every woman needs one of these don't you think!?

 

Any of these works would make a fabulous Christmas gift.

#3 Twenty Eight 12

Kim and Leia's shop is a wonderful paperie and marketplace.  Grace liked it instantly because it was full of GLITTER.  I agreed.

Table runners and pillows, and beautiful stockings for Christmas.  Plus much, much more.

Shop here, right away.

#4  Eighty Six 56

At Kelsey's shop, she restores ALL the things I love...vintage items...chippy paint...old windows...chalkboards, and much more.  

Give me red, give me aqua, and you've got me hooked.

#5  30one

Jamie has done it.  She's taken all my loves, and displayed them just as I've always wanted to, but haven't yet.  She boasts that she sells vintage FUN, and she's right.

I adore everything she has.  You will too.

Since this is shout out #12, that means I've previously shared other wonderful etsy shops, so head on over to my etsy favs here, and favorite these shops yourself!