Cheap-o gifts #2

I found another one, that is definitely on my to make list.  My kiddos teachers will probably getting these with a gift card attached.  I think they will really like them.

The girls over at Shanty 2 Chic created this adorable photo, recipe, menu holder.  I've used a few of their tutorials, which are very easy and have tons of photos, and they all turned out just as if the Shanty 2 Chic girls made them.

Check out the tutorial for this over at Ucreate...once again!  As always, awesome crafts are waiting there to be found.

Thanks for visiting.  Have a wonderfully Christmasy day!

Cheap-o gifts

I've been looking for some cheap-o presents to make for friends, mailman, garbage man, coaches, etc.  You know what I'm talking about.  All those people that you really appreciate what they do on a daily basis, want to let them know that you care about them and want to give them a little sumpin sumpin, but can't afford to buy everyone something.  And since I am crafty, I am looking for things that I could make fairly quickly and won't put me into bankruptcy.

I'm going to start sharing some gifts that I have found that I think are super cute and super original, or at least I think that they are original.

Anyway, this is my first display.  I found this idea over at Ucreate.  If you haven't heard of this wonderful blog, you are sincerely missing out!  Seriously, stop reading right now and click over.  Wait....finish reading me and then head over.  Okay...this is the first creation as I said before.  The talented Becki over at Infarrantly Creative made this cute little project for Ucreate.

..

Printable and Customizable Grocery List

Yes, it is a grocery list...but you can customize it!  And, it cost her less than $2 to make!  My kind of price tag! 

So head over to Ucreate right now and check out all the wonderful crafts Kari has put together for all of stalkers um, bloggers.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope to see you again soon! 



The growing advent calendar

I grew up with advent calendars and looked forward to it every morning in December.  They were from Germany, my Mim would have them sent over, and they were the prettiest things I can remember.  All glittery and beautiful pictures.  And there was never any candy or junk inside them, just really cool pictures.  I think the best part was finding that one little window to open everyday, because they were plopped all over the place.

Well, the ones that you find now are full of chocolate little bears or gummy things or what nots.  I wanted one that would be something my kids looked forward to besides a quick sugar rush first thing in the morning.  I was checking out my fave blogs that I stalk and of course found inspiration at I am Momma Hear Me Roar like normal.  I'm sure if you've read my blog before you know I stalk love her blog.  She was having a week of putting Christ back into Christmas last week and had some wonderful guest bloggers and great ideas.  This is the post that inspired me. 

I ran to the dollar tree in big town to pick up the little metal buckets and this is all that they had, of course.

I was so distraught but I went ahead and bought them anyway.  They came in packs of 8 so I only lost $3 if it didn't work.  And since it is for Christmas, I picked the green ones, but they had yellow, blue and pink.  But as I was driving home my mind was buzzing with ideas and I came up with this.

I got home and pulled out the pad of Christmas paper that I bought at Michael's the other day for 50% off plus another 20% off.  Hello....can we say bargain!

I took apart one of the boxes and starting tracing them onto the papers.  Since it was double sided I got to use only 13 pages, but got 26 different boxes....even though I only needed 24.

Before my destruction.

After my destruction.  And yes, it is green, promise.  Baby green!

Then I set out on my tracing....this didn't really take that long, but the cutting, wow...that was a whole nother adventure.  And since I want instant gratification I worked on it all night long.  And my mind was turning to mush and I needed to get these suckers done.  So, I grabbed my exacto and let me tell you what...what a difference that made.  I finished the last half in about 20 minutes...as opposed to 2 hours.  Then I slept.  Seriously, I think my brain was running out of my ears.

Bright and early the next day, after the kiddos were on the bus, I got to assembling the many boxes.  I used stick glue and started folding and gluing while watching my back log of "Glee" episodes.  After two hours of "Glee" I was caught up and had all these boxes.  Check them out.

Aren't they pretty?!

Now....how to display them....hmm.  I want to hang them so I took my trusty scissors and got to punching holes into the sides.  See...

After punching holes for 24 boxes I grabbed the roll of natural jute and to to hanging.

Then, I set out to printing things to put into the boxes that the kids could do everyday without my help, or as little as possible.  I wanted things that might bring them closer to understanding what is important at Christmas.  Yes, getting things are fun, but it is the birth of our Lord and Savior that is the real reason for this time of year.

Some of the things that are in the boxes are things that I picked off of I am Momma Hear Me Roar and then I came up with some of my own.  Sorry, I can't remember them all.

Then, I made some numbers.  Printed the numbers out on card stock and cut them out in circles.

After cutting them...I burned the edges and glued them on the boxes.  With the glue stick again!  Those things work better than I gave them credit for.  Its amazing the resources you can find when all your crafty stuff is boxed up.

And that's it. 

I seriously think I need a new camera.  These pics are awful!  Sorry.

The kids think it is awesome and they don't even care that there isn't any candy inside them.  They just think its cool to open it and find out there adventure that they get to participate in that day.  Like today...we made Christmas goodies to eat and it just so happened that we were going to my MIL to make cookies after church.  They thought that was awesome...and I didn't even plan it that way.  Crazy!

Another thing I like about them is that I can change the things to put inside them every year.  The older they get, the bigger the good deed or objective will be.  I love it!

Thanks for checking in today...hope to see you again soon!

I am linking to someday crafts.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Unless you don't have a fireplace...then what are you to do?



As long as I can remember, I have wanted to hang stockings by a fireplace for Santa to fill with goodies on Christmas eve.  The only problem...I grew up in an old farm house without a fireplace...but I did have a giant flue running straight thru my bedroom for the wood burning stove that we didn't have.  Like I said...it was an old farm house...over a hundred years old and apparently, if you as my kids that was like a hundred years ago...so that house is really old!

Well, my new casa doesn't have a fireplace and probably will not ever have one, since we are in the midst of remodeling and don't have any plans for one.  I had to come up with something, I have just been hanging them on a coat rack for years past and I want to actually hang them this year.

I got my creative juices flowing one day while I was fleasing and came up with this idea.  I'm sure I am not the first one to come up with such an idea, but I thought it was kind of cool and wanted to share if anyone else was in the same boat as me.

I found a bucket full of old railing spindles and what nots and thought what if.....hmm.

So, I whipped out my moolah and bought one spindle.  And then I ran drove to Michael's and picked up a wooden plaque.  Then I got home and once I found all of my tools...again, they seem to have a mind of their own and keep wandering off (must be from the renovation or something, huh?), I took a lovely picture for all of my loyal readers and got to work.

Materials needed:

Drill gun with drill bit and Phillips head bit

Wooden plaque

Wooden spindle

Hook of some sort w/screws

and

a wood screw, just one.

First thing I did, was line up my spindle on the wood plaque with the majority of the plaque in the front.  Have to even out the weight of the filled stocking once it is all together.  I drew a little line for my own reassurances and then grabbed my drill gun and drilled two little holes.  One in the plaque and one in the bottom of the spindle.

Then I lined up my holes and took my one screw and screwed into the bottom of the plaque up into the bottom of the spindle.  It then looked like this...

Now....what to do about the color...well, it has to go with my house, but I don't really want to just pigeon hole it for Christmas time.  You never know what else this might be used for.  I only had almond spray paint at the time, so I took it outside and gave it a good covering.

I'm not really digging the almond...doesn't really look much different, even if I do put a glazing of black on it, I'm still not liking it.  So, off to Walmart i skipped to get me a few white cans of spray paint.

Oh yeah....much better!

Then I brought it into the house to give it a good layer of black glaze and screwed the hook onto the top.

I think it turned out pretty good.  I am thinking I want it a little bit taller for the others, but if I have them all different sizes it will look more whimsical and I'm totally about that.



Yes, I do have a white Christmas tree...it is mine from way before there was a CX or Lil' Sis, or even Sir for that matter.  My kiddos told me that that isn't a Christmas tree, so last year I bought a green one, pre-lit and let me tell you...how I wish my white one was pre-lit!  It takes a matter of minutes to put that pre-lit sucker up!

I like my stocking hangers and now, I have to hope that there are still a bunch of them left at the flea store.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Thanks for visiting today.  Let me know if you make one, I would love to see pictures!  And, please, if you do make one, please give credit where credit is due.  That's what makes this blog world so much fun...we can all share our creativity and spark something in someone else!

I'm linking up to whatever goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts.  Go check it out...there are a ton of talented bloggers out in this world.  Visit them and give them some love.  It makes me so excited when I get comments and I know others feel the same.

Borders

My kiddos came home from school today with this wonderful flyer in their folders and i just had to share it with all of you that read my little old blog.

Apparently, Borders Bookstores are giving schools gift cards worth $15.

How you may ask?!?!?!

Well....here is what the flyer says...and if you don't believe me, check out the Associated Press link here!

"The much discussed documentary "Waiting for Superman," which offers a harsh portrait of the country's public schools, has inspired a promotional collaboration among the Borders Group superstore chain, an education fundraiser and the publisher of the movie's companion book.

On Dec. 4 and Dec. 5, any Borders customer making an in-store purchase, whether of a book or a bagel or a latter, will receive a $15 gift card to donate to a public school of choice through DonorsChoose.org, an Internet-based charity.

Anyone purchasing the book "Waiting for 'Superman': How We Can Save America's Failing Public Schools" will receive a second $15 card.  The companion text was published by PublicAffairs, part of the Perseus Books Group, which along with Borders and DonorsChoose.org announced the campaign Sunday."

How amazing is that?!!?!  Pull into a Borders Bookstore, run in to grab a chai tea latte and get $15 for the school of your choice.  Seriously!  That is wonderful!  I am so there...and there are actually two stores in big town, so I may be making two stops!

So, if you have kiddos in school, or grand kids (momma!) or great grand kids (hint hint mims!), run into town on Dec. 4 or Dec. 5 and buy yourself a little sumpin sumpin!  It will change a child's life!

Thanks for checking out my blog today.  So glad you did...and don't forget to go get a magazine or something at Borders this weekend!