December 2010 Advent – December 15th – Beautify an existing decoration

Our move this last year was rough on some of  my decorations. I had several wreaths in a big bag and they got crushed. Larry told me to just throw them away and start fresh… I am SO glad that I didn’t.

I picked up a few $1 sets of flowers (poinsettias and some snow covered pine) at the craft store (LOVE 50% off days!!!) And my mom brought me over a bow that she made – She is SO tricky and makes the most BEAUTIFUL bows with her bow maker contraption.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

December 2010 Advent – December 5th – Creating an Advent Calendar at home

There are so many things that are important to me – God, my family, my friends, my health, my happiness. When it comes to happiness, I always laugh at what other people deem in that category. To be rich does not make you happy.

Here are some FRUGAL ways to create your own advent calendar for the holidays.

For about $40 you can purchase one from a store like Costco or Target that you can use over and over and over again. We bought one about 5 years ago at Costco and it lasted until our move. One of the doors is off and I have to figure out a way to fix it.So we are doing the next best thing. We are making our own today.

T0 make your own Advent calendar, you are going to need the following:

• about 18 sheets of scrapbook paper (I used 16 sheets of Christmas printed cardstock and 4 sheets of plain Bazzil that matched)
• adhesive
• cutter or scissors
• To hang this you will need clothes pins, string and some of those 3M Command hooks that you can remove after the season is over.

I purchased a set of paper from my local craft store. It is a pack of 54 sheets of cardstock 12×12 patterned paper. I cut my patterned paper with my paper cutter into strips – 6 – 6×12, 22-4×12, 4 3×12 and 16 2×12 (these numbers can differ for your needs and you may have left over paper). I then glued a smaller strip on a larger one (see the photo)

Once you are done with the gluing on the patterned paper, it is time to fold. You are making a folded “card”. I actually made 2 folds on each card to have a closure. I used my score pal to score the cards, you do not need to use anything. I clipped together the cards, folded with clothes pins.

Once you have gotten each of the 24 cards folded,  you will need to cut out and glue numbers to the front of them. I am using my Cricut, but you can use rubber stamps or foam stamps and paint. I switched up the size of the font on them.

Next, you will want to add inside of them a daily activity or scripture. We have added BOTH. I used WackyTac to add removable notes so that I can use my advent next year as well.

GIVEAWAY!!! Add a comment for a chance to win a bottle of WackyTac removable adhesive (Drawing to be held on December 10, 2010) Tell me what you would use your WackyTac for.

Starting to make our new house into “Our House”

With kids school and my school, my work and Lar’s work, moving and unpacking, it has been quite a chore to get our house into the “Our House” feel. This week, however, the kids and I started putting their classroom together. We have converted the formal dining room into a classroom for the kids. Pictures on the finished classroom to come next week because I am not quite finished yet.

At the beginning of this week I started cutting vinyl for our walls – Here are what we have cut so far that are up already.

Above the piano in the classroom, is the alphabet for Berlyn. He is starting to learn in, so we needed that up.I promise that it is straight on the wall.

Above the calendar/assignment wall is a saying that we tell the kids all the time, especially if one of them are in trouble. – Tomorrow is a New Day!

On another wall we added something else that we tell the kids all of the time (haven’t added Albert Einstein to the bottom of this one yet)

Then, in our laundry room (I have always wanted to decorate a laundry room and now I have a HUGE one!!)

Going to miss my vinyl – so time to start planning my redecorating

One thing that makes me sad about moving is that I am going to miss my vinyl on my walls. I will have to re-cut everything because there is no way that I will be able to peel them all and keep them in good enough condition to put back up… so I will have to re-cut them. You can purchase vinyl at your local Home Depot or Lowes or Ace Hardware. I found Wall Pops in the wall paper department. It comes in rolls that your can cut that fit PERFECTLY with your cricut or wishblade cutters. http://wall-pops.com/ or you can see exactly where to buy in your area HERE: http://wall-pops.com/where-to-buy/

(a few of these I did purchase before I found vinyl to cut)

Located in my scrapbook classroom – Cut with my wishblade

Located in my scrappy classroom – Cut with my cricut

Located above my bay window – Bought when TLC was around

The Live – Laugh – Love is my FAVORITE one – Located above my front door – Cut with my wishblade

Boys door – Cut with my cricut

Girl’s Door – cut with my cricut

Girls’Room – Cut with my cricut

Be Mine Felt Sign

This is a SUPER EASY & FAST. (It takes about a hour to create.)

You will need

• 2 sheets of White Felt cut in half,
• 2 sheets of Red felt cut in half.
• Left over Red and/or white fabric
• Aleene’s hot stitch Fusible Web – If you don’t have this, you can stitch or hot glu your letter on the felt.
• Red or white embroidery floss and needle
• Buttons
• Ribbon and/or cord
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun

1. Cut your felt in half.
2. Cut letters to say BE MINE (I used my computer to print as a template.)
3. Hand cut hearts.
4. Glue the letters to the felt leaving 2 inches to at the top of each felt piece, alternating the red and white color.
5. Stitch on hearts and buttons randomly on each letter.
6. Fold over the top of the felt and hot glue it into a loop to allow you to run ribbon or cording through your banners letter.
7. String with cord and HANG!