A few months ago, I made some handmade tags for Julie’s handmade for the holidays series. There were six tags and one set of downloads. I will post all of them one at a time during this week.
For all my tags I used manila tags I bought at Office Depot. You can always cut your own tag from cardstock and punch a hole as well.
Here are the steps to this simple tag:
1. For this tag, I wanted to play with water-soluble crayons and sticky-back canvas. I stuck the canvas to my tag and then cut it out.
2. I colored the canvas using three different shades of green and then mixed them with water.
3. I then layered some trim to create a tree.
4. I separated one of my crepe paper embellishments to put the topper on the tree.
5. I cut the circle of the crepe paper down some to be in correct proportion with my tree. I used the cut piece to create the stump of my tree.
6. I added a star sticker on top of my tree topper.
7. I added the word stickers and stitched them down.
Supplies Used: The Girls’ Paperie Tinsel and Twig sticker market, trims, and crepe paper embellishments, Caran D’ache water soluble crayons, and sticky-back canvas. The little star sticker is an old one from Making Memories.
And here’s a movie where I demonstrate how I made the tag:
This was originally posted at Julie Fei-Fan Balzer‘s blog as part of handmade for the holidays series.
David made this ornament at school today. Isn’t it lovely? It was his last day of school until the new year. Since Jake was home today he took David to the bus, and then Nathaniel to his flu shot, and then went to David’s school party. It was nice for me to get to sit and do some of my todos and then read a little and just rest.
As soon as Nathaniel woke up from his nap, he noticed the new addition to the tree.
We then had to move it higher in the tree cause he wouldn’t stop reaching for it. He wouldn’t even let me take a photo until it was too high for him to reach.
And when I finally did put it out of his reach, this is the look I got.
And a similar look when David and Daddy wouldn’t let him touch the computer.
But then, later, when they were waiting for Jake, the touched each other’s feet on the couch.
and laughed.
and laughed.
and then they cuddled up with daddy.
my angel.
then David and Jake made some legos together while Nathaniel ate and I worked on a craft.
and they finished it. It was a motorcycle with a sidecar.
We had planned on going to Fairyland today but it’s been pouring buckets so, once again, we didn’t get to go. Let’s see if the rest of the weekend has some dry moments so we can go. Also, at least eight boxes of Christmas presents showed up today so tomorrow is going to be all about wrapping, it seems.
But not tonight. Tonight I plan to finish off some bits and pieces and read more and cuddle up with my hubby. I’ve been really really exhausted so rest will do me good. I hope you’re resting, cuddling, and safe and sound wherever you are.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that we had such a perfectly ordinary day today. A lot of rest, all of us together, hugging, laughing, and just being present.
2. I am grateful that David doesn’t have school for two weeks. No more having to set the alarm.
3. I am grateful that I am still exercising. It’s been hard and tiring and painful but I’m at it. Day after day. Let’s just hope this works.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. grateful that daddy came to the school party today {* his pick for the journal}
2. sitting with mommy and playing on the computer
3. making legos with daddy
Something simple and crafty today. I used a canvas piece by Maya Road. Used watercolor crayons to color it and then added some Maya Road flowers and some words.
another look:
The back also has some Maya Road flowers and some more words.
another look:
i like the mix of crafty pages with stories. it makes me happy (though it also makes my album fatter.)
A few months ago, I made some handmade tags for Julie’s handmade for the holidays series. There were six tags and one set of downloads. I will post all of them one at a time during this week.
For all my tags I used manila tags I bought at Office Depot. You can always cut your own tag from cardstock and punch a hole as well.
Here are the steps to this simple tag:
1. For this tag, I wanted to play with copic markers. I stamped three different ornament stamps on copic-friendly paper.
2. I colored the ornaments using blues, pinks, purples, and red.
3. I cut them out and attached baker’s twine to each.
4. I covered my tag with print paper.
5. I inked the edges of the tag to define the edges better.
6. I put the ornaments on the tag with dimensional tape so they stood out a little.
7. I then added the tiny alphabets and stitched through them to ensure they wouldn’t fall off.
8. Ta-da! Another tag done.
Supplies Used: My Mind’s Eye Holly Jolly stamps, My Mind’s Eye I Believe stamps, The Girls’ Paperie Tinsel and Twig sticker market, Making Memories Ledger Slice Paper Pack, Dusty Concord Distress ink, baker’s twine and copic markers.
And here’s a movie where I demonstrate how I made the tag:
This was originally posted at Julie Fei-Fan Balzer‘s blog as part of handmade for the holidays series.
Journaling Reads:
I was lucky enough to spend six months in Japan in 1999 for a business trip. Most of that time was in Tokyo but I made two trips away. One was for skiing and the other to Kamakura.
While I would have loved to have visited Kyoto, I didn’t get the opportunity and Kamakura was the closest I got to experiencing the magic of all the temples and the nature.
I remember most of my time in Japan with joy and gratitude. I loved every moment of it. The uniqueness, the foreignness and all the kindness of strangers have still stayed with me.
I loved the cherry blossoms and the fish market and all the parts of Tokyo I visited. Each unique, each more amazing than the other. But Kamakura was much more magical than any others. It was peaceful and quiet. Even though, at the time, I was really sad that our one occasion to visit was “ruined” by rain, I can now see that it only added to the mood and solitude of being there. Maybe next time I visit Japan I will get to visit Kyoto, but until then, I am grateful that I got to visit Kamakura and experience some of the beauty.
I went to bed last night promising myself that I would be calm, quiet and patient today. And I am happy to say that I think I was. I’ve had my moments and work was very stressful but I kept my cool. I talked to David a lot to explain the situation so all I had to do was remind and I didn’t yell one single time. Nathaniel had me stressed a bit because just when I was having manual production problems and had to do a lot of typing, he’d come over to the computer and type and I had to move his hand and he’d melt down. But he did eventually calm down and play.
I worked all through until the moment I had to leave to get David. Then I worked a bunch more while David did his gratitude journal, etc. And then I asked if could snap a photo and I got this gem.
Then since he was so great when I worked, we played some cards together. He won.
And then it was bed time. There was a little bit of a meltdown but it all happened with relatively low fanfare and I just kept reminding myself that I needed to breathe and relax. Then I got a bunch of crafty stuff done and now I have more todo list items to get through. But I feel good about the work, the exercise, the fun time, the craft time, and even a long wonderful conversation with my mother in law.
Having said that I am so so so tired. Please hope that my little one sleeps past 5am ok? Pretty please?
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I finished some of the loose ends on projects I wanted to completely finish.
2. I am grateful that I have tomorrow off. 3-day weekend, here I come.
3. I am grateful that I got a wonderfully kind recognition at work today. It was completely unexpected and I felt so surprised and grateful.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. making snowflakes in art class {* his pick for the journal}
2. playing cards with mommy
3. playing with my math toy
A few months ago, I made some handmade tags for Julie’s handmade for the holidays series. There were six tags and one set of downloads. I will post all of them one at a time during this week.
For all my tags I used manila tags I bought at Office Depot. You can always cut your own tag from cardstock and punch a hole as well.
Here are the steps to this simple tag:
1. For this tag, I wanted to play with fabric. I covered the background with polka-dot red fabric that I love. I glued it down and then stitched around the edges of the tag.
2. I then added the felt reindeer with the baker’s twine around his neck.
3. I put a bling on his eye and one on his nose.
4. I added the word stickers and stitched through them to make sure they stayed in place.
5. I added two border stickers on top and bottom and put the sentiment sticker in the middle of the two.
6. I stitched through the whole thing a few times to make sure the sticker would stay in place.
Supplies used: The Girls’ Paperie Tinsel and Twig sticker market, fabric, bling, felt reindeer, and baker’s twine.
This was originally posted at Julie Fei-Fan Balzer‘s blog as part of handmade for the holidays series.
I made this layout a long while ago but it looks like I never posted it.
Journaling Reads:
Dead David, you don’t know now but you’ve been so very lucky for the last three years. You’ve had the very best teachers. You started with teacher Lana and Mary (whom you loved so very much) and then the next year you had even more luck with teachers Melissa, Cody, and Kathleen. They cared for you so very much. And this year you finished your preschool with teacher Joel who’s known you for so long and loved you so much. As you start kindergarten this year, my biggest wish for you is that you get another amazing teacher. It makes all the difference. June 2010.
Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters was recommended to me by my friend Kathy. I generally trust her taste in books and the premise of this one seemed wonderful. Here’s the description from amazon:
Ella Minnow Pea is a girl living happily on the fictional island of Nollop off the coast of South Carolina. Nollop was named after Nevin Nollop, author of the immortal pangram,* “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” Now Ella finds herself acting to save her friends, family, and fellow citizens from the encroaching totalitarianism of the island’s Council, which has banned the use of certain letters of the alphabet as they fall from a memorial statue of Nevin Nollop. As the letters progressively drop from the statue they also disappear from the novel. The result is both a hilarious and moving story of one girl’s fight for freedom of expression, as well as a linguistic tour de force sure to delight word lovers everywhere.
And while the premise was cute, the book was so-so. I felt like it never really went beyond the premise and I just didn’t care for it even though I cannot exactly put my finger on exactly why. Now you know why I don’t write longer book reviews. I am clearly not good at them.
Today we went to David’s school for the Winter Sing. The photos are not good but I still love them. Here he’s dancing with his teacher’s son. They are good friends.
Nathaniel loves watching them.
And David was so happy.
i must be honest, I’ve been so grouchy that I dreaded going there and I am really glad I did. It was wonderful to be there with David and see all of K-2 sing. Tonight I get to go to book club and then I have a list of things I want to do when I come home but the chances are I will be way too tired. I spose that’s what tomorrow is for, right? Thank you for all your kind comments from yesterday. I feel so much better knowing I am not alone. Thank you, thank you.
Also thank you for signing up for my newsletter. I appreciate that, too! I promise you will be glad you did!
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I went to David’s school and watched him sing.
2. I am grateful that I have book club tonight. Even though I feel tired and worn out, I know I will enjoy it.
3. I am grateful that I get to have most of the next two days off. I need downtime. Mentally more than anything else but still, I need it.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. singing at school today {* his pick for the journal}
2. having mommy and nathaniel come to school
3. cleaning up for mommy
I know it’s not the end of the day yet but I knew what I wanted to do today so I just sat and made these pages that capture where my kids are at right now. Just a few things.
you are able to nod yes and no
you scream too often to express what you want
you give David many hugs each day
you are becoming a pickier eater
you are obsessed with having the TV on
you understand so much but say only a few words
you love playing and you are a happy happy boy
I am so thankful you are in our lives. We love you.
you are reading like a champ
you can write so well
you keep a daily gratitude journal
you still love to color
you are a super-picky eater
you are so loving and kind to everyone
you make all of us so very very proud
I am so thankful you are in our lives. We love you.
