Monday, December 31, 2012

A glimpse of where I work...

I work at a law firm and during this Holiday season, every time I walked through the lobby, I just thought it was so pretty.
It looks like something that should be in a magazine.  

Sunday, December 30, 2012

A late posting of a first grade holiday party...


As you know, my daughter is a first grade teacher.  I always love helping out wherever I can when it comes to the party.  I take cookies from a cookie exchange I participate in...
I also make treat bags for each of the kids.  I have fun shopping for them - nothing extravagant, just something for fun.  This year I also made each of them a cupcake to take home.
And then I go to her class...
My other daughter, Kimmy, also enjoys going to the class room and helping.  We do have a lot of fun with the kids.  They are so very cute!
 
While there, I check out the classroom and projects the kids have been working on.  These are their Christmas stockings/ornaments.
and their "Elves Wanted" board.  The kids filled out applications as to why they would make a good elf.

I have been to my daughter's room multiple times.  Here's one thing I never put together before:
Kate's birthday is on the 19th of her birthday month...
Her classroom number is number "19," which is something I just noticed for the first time.
It was a fun afternoon and I appreciate Kate letting me participate in a small part of that day.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Geri's Book

Well, actually, it belongs to Dale, too.  I work with Geri and she shares stories with me of her and Dale, and happenings in their neighborhood.  So I thought this would be a good year to create a book titled "The world according to Dale & Geri."  It can be an anything book, something about everyday life.
 I fashioned it after the travel book that we made in Debby Schuh's class a few weeks ago.
 The cover is a piece of cardboard that was used in shipping something, not sure what.  It looked like a book, so I knew I had to make something out of it.
 Each page is a different size, with different edges and materials.
Again, you won't see this until after Geri does.  I am very excited to give it to her.
Merry Christmas, Geri!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Congrats to Kate!

My oldest, Katie, is a 1st grade teacher and graduated in December of 2008 with her undergrad degree.  She has been working hard and just graduated (in December of 2012) from NAU with her Master's Degree.  She made the decision not to walk in the graduation ceremony, but that doesn't mean she can't look the part.
CONGRATS, Kate, on finishing your Master's Degree!
(Thank you, Tiffany, for letting her model your cap and gown.)

P.S. Tiff also graduated with her Master's Degree and will be teaching 1st grade starting in January.  Congrats to you, too, Tiffany.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Altered Cigar Box - Turned Tea Box

My friend, Diana, and I share a love for tea.  I really think she loves it more than I do, but we both enjoy brewing tea - good tea.  For her Christmas gift, I took an empty cigar box, with a sliding lid, and altered it with a "tea" theme.
 I can show it to you because by the time you see this blog, I will have given it to her.
Stacks of teacups on the cover...
 ... and teapots on the inside.
I tried to keep it simple yet functional.  
Inside I have placed sample bags of different teas from Harney & Sons.
I can't wait to see her face!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Nativity Side-Step Card

My parents live in Florida and I really miss being able to see them during the holidays.  I also miss the big holiday dinners where everyone comes home for Christmas and crowds around the table, or house, to find a place to sit, visit and eat.  It was always crazy with people coming and going.  It has been many years since that happened in my family because my immediate family actually lives coast-to-coast.  I have four brothers and sisters and we are spread out... Susan (in Arizona), Ed (in California), Gail (in Florida), me (in Arizona), and Jeff (in Tennessee).  There was a time when all five lived in a different state with my parents in a sixth state - yeah, didn't I say spread out?
Okay - I got a little off track, now back to the side-step card.  My parents do not want many material things.  I try to make them special cards and this year I created the following:
 My parents - and especially my mother - love the story of the nativity.  
My mother has dementia, but she has already talked to me this year about the meaning of Christmas, so I think this card will please her.
 I saw this sticker pack by K&Company and knew I had to use it in a card for my parents.
 It stands up and can be displayed on a table.  My dad told me they were waiting to see what this year's card looks like because my cards are so "interesting."  (I thought that was an interesting choice of words.)
 With the "leftover" stickers, I made a smaller side-step card.
Do you make special cards, for special people?

Monday, December 17, 2012

So are you busy... shopping? crafting?

getting ready for Christmas?  Like most of you, I have been doing both.  And I can now share with you - over the next few days - some of the gifts I am giving to my friends.  I started off by making holiday banners for Diana, Pat, and Josie - three ladies that I work closely with.
The banners are made from chipboard kits cut by Grapevine Designs and they are a really good deal.  Ten banner pennants in one kit, so you can split them up and make 2 or 3 gifts.  I then covered them with Christmas paper, painted letters, and added embellishments.  I added bling by using glitter or Stickles on the letters.  My personal favorite were the glitter letters.
These are really versatile and can be hung over a fireplace, doorway, used as a wall hanging.  My intentions for my own would be to hang them on the tree.   Probably for next year, I want to make three separate ones for my tree - Peace, Hope, and Love.
I absolutely LOVE the "joy" banner and I think it is my favorite because I used traditional Christmas red and green colors and - of course - green glitter!
Here's what they look like from a distance.  I have a lot on my tree, and the lights seem really bright, but I think they look good.
I also gave these these great ladies handmade cards to use throughout the year.  What crafts have you been working on?

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Christmas Book...

Debby Schuh creates a Christmas holiday minibook and this year she used October Afternoon's
Christmas paper line.  This is the third class I took at Paper Vineyard a couple of weeks ago.
The pages will be "blinged" up a little more once photos are added, and you can see that the paper line has a very retro/nostalgic feel to them. 
 We also used plastic page protectors by Simple Stories.
 A lot of folded pages.
It really was a very nice class - nice size book.  
We were given a whole package of page protectors to allow for additional photos.


Friday, December 14, 2012

Gift Card idea...

I love pinterest - you can get such great ideas off of that website - just like this...
I am not crazy about the color scheme, but I love the idea.  Wouldn't that light up a kid's face?

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Anyone who knows me ... and has been to my house..


knows that I have a thing for buttons.  
No lie.  I love buttons.
They catch my eye and I always want to buy more.
But I have a hard time parting with my buttons.
I came across this picture on the internet and fell in love with this stocking.  

 The design is simple, but the buttons give it texture and dimension and 
I think they give it a "rich" feel.
Maybe when I have grandchildren 
I will be able to part with my buttons and create something amazing.

P.S. Today is a special day... 12-12-12

Monday, December 10, 2012

I love odd and unusual things...

in fact, I would have to say I am drawn to them.  My friend, Nicole, claims I like weird things because I am weird.  She may be right.  I went on an internet search for odd Christmas trees and here's what I found...
This could be one of the strangest - this Christmas tree is made out of potatoes.  Potatoes!
 This one is so pretty - all lit up - made of grocery carts.
 This multi-color tree is made up of bike wheels.
 This very tall tree is made of complete bicycles.  Who thinks of these things?
 Hub caps.
 I don't know what this one is made of, but I love the bright colors.
 Bottle tree.  Beautiful AND green is my favorite color.
 You have to look close at the one below.  At first glance, it looks like a regular tree,  
but it is actually made from pop cans - Mountain Dew to be exact.
 This next one is made of some sort of tubing/piping, something like colored PVC pipes maybe.
 Books.
 And last, but not least, a tree made of ties.
As much as I like the world of weird, when it comes to Christmas trees, I really like the old fashioned green ones with lights and ornaments.  I am, however, amazed at the creativity.