If you’re like me, you hold onto Christmas cards from prior years, either because they have meaning to you, or because they are too cute or beautiful to toss into the recycling. Or both. Below is an excerpt from my craft book, 12 Days of Christmas Projects, showing you how to recycle those Christmas cards into keepsake ornaments.
Continue reading “How to Make a Keepsake Ornament”Category: my favorite time of the year
the celebration of the holiday season
Perfect Timing
It’s never too early to get organized for the holidays, even in 2020. We’re all already stressed out enough, and we certainly shouldn’t let the holidays do us in. I came across this common sense article which had a lot of helpful tips and a lot of nice photos 🙂
Who knew snowmen could be so ding-dang cute?
I just found this crafter on YouTube. Who would have thought something so cute could be created using rice, socks and hot glue? And she does it in fifteen minutes or less! I love the backdrop in the lead-in. All those items on the shelves are simply wonderful. I’m a wee bit jealous, lol.
How-to: Gingerbread Man Paper Mache Ornament
This is an excerpt from my how-to Christmas craft book, 12 Days of Christmas Projects, which is available now at Barnes and Noble, Amazon and other on-line retailers, as well as for order from your local bookstore (support local!).
Gingerbread houses and gingerbread men are iconic when it comes to the holidays. This gingerbread man is made from paper mache and is meant to be hung on your tree as a jolly reminder of the season. I have made mine the thickness of my particular cookie cutter, making for a hefty (although fairly lightweight) decoration. You may make yours as thin as an actual cookie, or anywhere in between. Just remember that the thicker the paper mache, the longer the dry time. I also used strips of fabric for his scarf and as a hanger to add to the primitive style.
Continue reading “How-to: Gingerbread Man Paper Mache Ornament”10 Favorite Holiday Movies I’d Watch Any Time of the Year
This may seem a little late in the season, but as the title says–I’d watch them any time of the year. Does anyone care? Probably not. But I would highly recommend all of them. Here goes, and not necessarily in this particular order (and please remember, this is only my personal opinion, so no need to get testy if you don’t agree…:-)
Continue reading “10 Favorite Holiday Movies I’d Watch Any Time of the Year”Christmas Lighting – Don’t I Wish?
Check out the treehouse. My favorite of the bunch. Wish I lived there…
Here are some wonderful ways to light up your home for the holidays. Once again, I have borrowed a blog from another source and re-posted it here–just in time for holiday decorating. I must say, my favorite is the tree house! Enjoy and be inspired.
To You and Yours…
A Visit from St. Nicholas
A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore
(a little fun for the holidays with this great holiday classic)
with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
Merry Christmas, everyone!
You all know the poem, but I added a variety of my own illustrations to this blog for fun. One day I would like to illustrate the entire poem in the manner in which I had begun to do so, with “when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” (at the top)
Who knows? I may surprise myself one day. : )
Wish I was here…
What a beautiful and inspiring home this is, with it’s lovely and not overdone holiday dĂ©cor. I hope you enjoy this blog and the fabulous photos as much as I did.
Holiday mood-making (re-post)
In the spirit of the season, I thought I’d share. The very first suggestion about playing Scrabble or Harry Potter Clue on a Tuesday night inspired me right away, lol. Happy reading!
robin maderich - write-brained scribbler and crafter-on-the-loose 