Christmas tags, gift card holders

I have been making labels and tags for our family's Christmas gifts for years. But this year when I went to grab some to put on our presents and we didn't have any? Really? I think that the girls actually got into them and used them as stickers. But its not a big deal, and it gave me a chance to play a little with some new ideas. I couldn't play that much because I needed to whip up 32 tags the night before Christmas to put on the gifts that needed to be under the tree. So I made some fun ones and wrote down some ideas of others that I wanted to try a little later.

And of course I didn't take a photo of the ones that I made. In my defense, it was Christmas eve, I had some people coming over for dinner the next day and we were planning to be out walking the loop of lights in our neighborhood so I really needed to be getting the food prepared and the house cleaned.

I've always made little labels (pretty much the same size as an Avery address label) but I decided that I didn't want to do that anymore.  I also decided that I am going to need something to store them in as well. I still haven't figured that but they need to be able to stay neat until the next Christmas.

Here is one of the three that I did today. I really like them. I wish I had maybe printed the To/From on the computer but I do love that they look nice and neat.

 I do plan on using diecuts on some that I will stamp a polar bear on and some diecuts of snowflakes.  I also am planning on making some giftcard holders. I don't currently have a die or anything for them (which I know that I could convert 2 dies that I have into something simular) but I decided to make a tag that I made 2 yrs ago into a giftcard holder instead of tossing it. It actually turned out pretty cute I would say.

 

I really didn't like putting giftcards into premade little boxes from Walmart or Target (not sure which one I got them from) but now that I think of it, I know that I have access to one or two designs with a LD set of svgs that I bought a year or two ago. Oh well. But I am going to save this one for next year, most likely for someone at church or work.

I also ran them through my Xyron 250(??) so that they would already be sticky and then I just stapled them all together.  The other labels are too big to use that Xyron. But I am glad to say that I plan on getting my other two way before Christmas next year so I will be able to use those for the bigger labels. But until next time. Smiles, Tracy

Christmas recap...

Well I haven't been posting on the blog in awhile and there is much to report and share. I am honestly jam packing alot of projects and things into my weekend before the start of the 2013 first because I would really love to get some crafty things done and start off the new year with a somewhat smaller to be done list, and secondly I have a job that starts in 3 days.  And honestly I am so excited and can't really focus so crafting really does help me to get it together.

Well the first thing to share is that I changed the wall mantel before Christmas and here is a photo of that. I love the new style.

And then there is the Christmas ornaments that the I had to do over for the girls. Their baby ones where destroyed by them last year or maybe it was the year before? I honestly am not sure at all. But I have redone those. I just realized that I honestly forgot to take a photo of daughter #1's ornament. But here is what I created

Everything was made using old stash. I honestly haven't purchased anything new or scrapbook related since June or July of this year and that was a few things for projects for my job and then some things to help son#2 get a project completed for school. So nothing else at this time, but I am sure that that will change real soon.

But here is the supplies. I just wanted to say that there are some that I honestly don't remember who made them so I have just put a ?? for that information.
Clear acylic sheet (??) I believe it may be Creative Impressions?
Diecuts- MFT snowflake (cut using Quickutz metal adhesive sheets/paper), Quickutz label die
Embellishments- Metal glitter brad, Happy Holidays metal label are both Making Memories old products, Glitter Christmas vine-Micheal's, Twine and ribbons??
Patterned Patters:??
White Acyrlic paint- Anita's


 I have decided that I am honestly going to try to take more pictures no matter what in 2013 and since the app that I had for blogger hasn't worked since the first time that I used it, I have got to find another way to blog and post things on here. I am working on it though. I think it will be much easier to post and blog since I will be away from the house and kids. And although I am not scrapbooking all that much I am still 100% invested in some sort of crafty thing. Most of them lately have been decorating but still busy using the supplies that I have and love.

Oh and of course I have to add another picture of the cuties in my life from Christmas morning...

My oldest said for me to say that he didn't get all the gifts that were in front of  him. LOL I didn't realize it until now but the "community" gifts (which are the gifts that we buy for all the kids to play with because no one specifically asked for it, but we thought it would be nice to get) are in front of him and his gifts. But I hope that eveyone had and is still having a safe, and fun holiday season. Smiles, Tracy

Jewelry Mess No More

I have been really wondering what to do about my jewelry for over a year and I tried several different storage options for it but honestly none of them really allowed me to see the collection when I was searching for something to wear with an outfit. And so many times I would just grab the first thing that I came across because alot of it was all tangled up together from the girls playing with it while I was at work.

So I decided that since I am planning on having our bedroom finished for my birthday month that it wouldn't be a bad idea to work on projects that have been bothering me. So I went shopping in our house and found 2 pieces of scrap wood and a half used package of hooks. I knew that this option was going to be more permanent and also it would have to be something that I could expand on.



This is what I came up with. It is the middle section of our closet. When you look to the left of this section it is my side of the closet and when you look to the right it is my hubby's side. The closet isn't small at all. In fact, this is why I am able to use this whole section for my jewelry. And if I hang my weekly clothes out for work (which I usually do), I won't knock down any of my jewelry.

 

 

It is perfect for me right now but I am hoping to honestly purchase 2 long boards that span the entire wall and that use the scraps that I have here cut to fit each side of the top row of boards. I will also purchase more hooks but these will easily be able to be unscrewed and added to the new boards.


It took me 40 mins to actually get the jewelry I had organized and I decided to actually hang my pieces in color order of my most favorite outfits and work clothes. The good news is that in a couple of weeks there won't be a big difference in either one of those wardrobes. Meaning that my new job actually lets us wear whatever we want. There are some rules but basically if I wanted to wear jeans everyday of the week I actually could. I love love love that! Although now that I think of it I actually have only 3 pairs of jeans and I don't really wear them even on casual Fridays. LOL but if I do decide to wear I can whenever I want to. Speaking of jeans I was watching the news and they named some celebrity that doesn't wash his jeans but like 2xs a year or something. I seriously was disgusted by that. I wash my jeans after each wear. I know that some will say that nuts but that's how I roll.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas...

Or at least my house is! Our neighborhood is too. I am not as excited about all the Christmas light traffic that is coming but I can at least enjoy the fact that I am working on making our home look better each season/holiday that we share in it.

I really do have to admit that I am starting to really see our home change into a place that no longer is builder grade but is starting to have it's own character. I am working on it. It is a process, but it is moving along. And I haven't been posting much here because I have been busy doing little projects. They aren't huge or exciting things so I didn't take pictures but we have been working on updating our home. And enjoying our family. My father-in-law has recently moved back to the area from Prescott and so now I have been planning dinners and activities that we all can do together.

I am so excited about the things that are going on and really wish that I had tons of pictures to share but I don't, first of all my tripod broke, and then to add to the issue, my camera is taking really blurry pictures. But I have been learning to work with it while being on the look out for an affordable new point and shoot camera.

Well I do have one photo to share. This is a photo of our Christmas mantel.

 I have been wanting a mantel but not a fireplace (its to hot here to have one in our home) so after reading and researching shelves. I decided the raw wood shelf that I could stain was a great idea. And my hubby made it and I stained it and the brackets and it was done. I then pulled several items that I had gotten for really cheap at garage sales. I have to say it almost all fit together like a puzzle. And there are many things that I still plan on hanging our stockings with some really nice permanent hooks. Well until next time...Smiles, Tracy