Happy Holidays Everyone!
This post may come a little bit late (as always), but the past holiday sentiment is the same. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.
If you haven't already guessed, I'd rather make gifts for my family than buy them. I believe they mean much more than a store-bought gift. Not sure why because it increases my stress factor X a million.
This year I chose to make ornaments for my whole extended family. Do any of you remember Tom and Alice Horton's Christmas specials on the soap, "Day's of Our Lives"? I'm kind of embarrassed to say that I watched that; but yes, before my teaching position at SCSD, I did give into the soaps while my kids were napping.
I particularly was fond of the holiday episodes when the elder couple put ornaments for their entire family on the tree. (What a sap I am).
So here I was in Nov. 2017, trying to get the birthstones of all of my extended family from my sister. Her hobby is to check the genealogy of our family. She sent me what she could and I created ornaments for everyone with their name and the color of their birthstone.
These ornaments are for Mary, Peter, Val, Steve, Nick, (I can't make out the rest), except for Amanda and Eddie's grandbaby, Madalyn.
I gave this ornament to my Mom in remembrance of my brother, Frankie, who passed away, way to young.This post may come a little bit late (as always), but the past holiday sentiment is the same. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.
If you haven't already guessed, I'd rather make gifts for my family than buy them. I believe they mean much more than a store-bought gift. Not sure why because it increases my stress factor X a million.
This year I chose to make ornaments for my whole extended family. Do any of you remember Tom and Alice Horton's Christmas specials on the soap, "Day's of Our Lives"? I'm kind of embarrassed to say that I watched that; but yes, before my teaching position at SCSD, I did give into the soaps while my kids were napping.
I particularly was fond of the holiday episodes when the elder couple put ornaments for their entire family on the tree. (What a sap I am).
So here I was in Nov. 2017, trying to get the birthstones of all of my extended family from my sister. Her hobby is to check the genealogy of our family. She sent me what she could and I created ornaments for everyone with their name and the color of their birthstone.
These ornaments are for Mary, Peter, Val, Steve, Nick, (I can't make out the rest), except for Amanda and Eddie's grandbaby, Madalyn.
And these are for my fur babies of the past and present: our first pup: Spaarkee; our current pup, Charlie. Another current pup, Howie; and a special therapy pup at MPMS: Rose Merry. And yes, Beasley is in there somewhere.
Kim, Tom, Tommy, Kristina, Amanda, and Eddy each received ornaments.
They were packaged up and sent with my Sis to take on her way down to NC.
I was happy to see a special friend of mine did the same to honor her family.
And here are a few more additions to the 2017 holiday season:
I recently purchased a Cricut Maker and a Cricut Heat Press. Both are exceptional products meant to entice us "crafties" to make handmade projects, and a conspiracy to get us to purchase more items to make. :)
These are all the rage of heat press vinyl on Walmart bags. I couldn't help myself and wanted to try it out. One for my "sister in law" and one for my mother.
These are just a few of the creations for Christmas 2017.
Lessons learned:
1. Start your handmade Christmas gifts, very, very early.
2. Plan on how you will transport your gifts early as well. I don't
trust the post office. I sent the ornaments with my sister.
3. Do it the best you can, and plan accordingly.
Did you create any handmade Christmas gifts in 2017? Would love to hear what you made. Post them in the comments for this blog.
