Jan & Tom's Christmas Card Swap

I wanted to share with everyone all the gift cards and the goodies I received while doing Jan's Card swap. Oh what fun!!! And.... There is a Recycle Christmas Card Ornament Tut at the end.

BTW, the stack of cut up Christmas card strips with brads on each end is not a book marker. It is a Christmas Ornament. It has 8 pieces . If you spread those 8 pieces out, top one going to the left, the bottome going to the right, so on and so forth until it curves and opens into a round ball. A greata way to recycle Christmas cards. Then just hang by the ribbon from a branch on your tree. It stores easily as well.

Thank you Jan for hostessing the Christmas Card swap. It was much much fun.

Card and Tags and Goodies from Lolly@ Lolly's Nest Egg.


Card and Angel Bracelet from Lady Jane @ Lady Jane's Emporium.


Card, tags and pin from Our Bathroom Beauty Snapper Diva-Shelia - Note Songs


Card and tea from Brett @ Southern Hostess.


Card, ornament and tag from Cary @ A New Path


Lovely Card and ornament from The Hostess with the Mostest- Jan - Jan & Tom's Place


Card and Tags (Nikon cap is being used as a paper weight...) (Awtemnymf) The Faerie Wysperer


(Nikon cap being used as a paper weight) Recipe cards, book mark and tags from Card Designer and Artist Diane Knot@ Diane Musings


Greeting Cards, scrapbookking goodies, recipe cards from Designer and Artist Michelle Palmer.

Now ladies, some of you think that the stack of cut up Christmas cards with brads on each ends and a ribbon at the end is a weird book mark. I see you have not subbed to Martha Stewart Living or watched her shows as much as I have in the past. LOL! This is right off of one of her shows or mags in the past 2 or 3 years. I had to go buy a box of cards b/c I had used all my cards from the last two years. And I wanted to select something that would pack flat in an envelope.

Take a pretty card and cut it horrizonally into 8-13 strips. If it has rounded edges, as this one did, those will need to be trimmed off, as all the corners will need to be squared. You will need to measure your card and get out your calculator as the strips will need to be in even strips. ie: a 10 in card divided by 8 strips... so on and so forth.

Hole punch the top and bottom of each strip in the same spot. Make sure you keep each strip stacked on top of each other in the order that they are cut. It makes a nicer ornament when it is opened up.

Cup the bradded strips in your hand like a C then begin to fan it open. Since I stacked the left side of the card on top fan open the top strip to the left and continue to fan open the strips to the open. You will begin to see the art work of the card to take place and develop and the ornemant take on a round shape as in the photo above and below. If it does not make sense, ask for clarification. I will be glad to answer any questions.

Now your ornemant is ready to hang on the tree!

Y'all have a great weekend!

Christmas Survey

This looks like fun!

Is having a Mr. Linky Christmas Tag today. I thought it would be fun to participate. If you want to participate, click on the logo link and it will take you straight to her site.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping Paper. With real ribbon. I also like all my paper to be alike and ribbon alike, but my family messes me up by finding the hodgepodge of scraps of Christmas pass...

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial

3. When do you put up the tree? Day after Thanksgiving, but not this year.
4. When do you take the tree down? News Years Day or the 6th of Jan. Growing up, we always took our decorations down on the 6th of January. In DH's home they took them down on the 1st. So we go back and forth.
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but hot cocoa better!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? A Barbie in 1964 or 1965. I still have her. And a Chatty Cathy the year before. I no longer have her. She must have died...

8. Easiest person to buy for? My mom.

9. Do You have a nativity scene? Yes. Several and they are all different sizes.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? When I was an early teen, I wanted money. So I got a check in my stocking and that was all. That was a very disappointing Christmas.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Right now, Santa Clause I.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Any time. It is always different.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No. If I do not like something, I donate it.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Sweet Potato Casserole And Ginger snaps

16. Lights on the tree? White and lots of them.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Hark the Harold Angels Sing

18. Travel for Christmas or stay home? Stay home or very close.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? No.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One on Christmas Eve, the rest on Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? No time.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? The deep burgundy reds!
24. Favorite Christmas dinner? A broth soup, a light salad, Turkey breast roast, asparagus casserole, sweet potato casserole, some sort of dessert and coffee. ...

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? melrose silver dinner forks (long story how 4 are missing from my set) and lowes or home depot gift cards.

What I WON!

Last week I found a box at the door....
It was from Christie@ Somewhere in Time. I had just won her 100th post GiveAWay!

A lovely note and Christmas Card from her.

A Vintage Handmade Ornament


A Vintage Handstitched Wall Hanging


An Adorable Book Marker


A Sweet Vintage Elfin Ornament


A Vintage Cross Stitched Ornament


Cinnamon Sticks ummm they smell good!


Vintage Santa Cards




Mint condition Vintage Linen Dish Towel


Vintage Wall Hanging


Sweet Christmas book


Christmas Fridge Magnet


Vintage Christmas Apron

And there was a lovely silver angel pin that I could not get the camera to focus on so I did not photograph it. But is is pretty!

Thank you Christie!!! I love them!

Award Time!

Sally from Smiling Sally gave me this beautiful award. Thank you Sally!

A. Put the logo on your blog.
B. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
C. Nominate ten other blogs, add links to those blogs, and leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

Y'all it was so hard to just pick out ten blogs! There are 1oo's, no! Millions of cool blogs!!!
Now I need to go give notice that these fine ladies have been given these awards and pass them on! Congratulations!

1. Carolyn @ Cranberry Crossings
2. Cristie @ Somewhere in Time (Private Blog)
3. Valerie @ It's a Wonderful Life
   
4. Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality
5. Anya @ Hills Creek Quilter (Please go look at her quilts!)
6. Manuela @ The Pleasures of Homemaking
7. Strawberry Blond @ Shack on the Rocks (Another B'ham Metro Gal)
8. Deb @ Deb's Country Kisses (Another B'ham Metro Gal) Hey, I'm getting them all!
9. Karla @ Ramblin' Roads (and make sure you check out her other blog 'Another Road to Ramble' Book Review Blog)
10. Sandi @ Whistle Stop Cafe Cooking (Yum Yum! Check out her blogs! And another B'Ham Metro Gal!)
    

My next Award is the Kreativ Blogger Award. It is from Karla @ Ramblin' Roads and Anya @ Hills Creek Quilter. Thank you ladies!

The rules from Anya @ Hills Creek Quilter are:

1. The winner may put the logo on her/his blog.
2. Put a link to the person you got the award from in your blog.
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to the blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees.

The Rules From Karla @ Ramblin' Roads are:

• Mention the blog that gave it to you.
• Comment on her blog to let her know you have posted the award.
• Share 6 values that are important to you.
• Share 6 things you do not support.
• Share the love with six other wonderful blogging friends.

Thank you ladies for the award! :D

I am going to combine the requirements. The recipients may do the same.

My 6 Important Values:

1. My Salvation thru Jesus Christ and my Relationship with Him
2. The example I set for my daughter and child
3. I am Pro-Life
4. A strong marriage & family with Jesus Christ as the center
5. Honesty
6. Fitness and good health

6 Things I Do Not Support:

1. Dirty Politicians/Ministers (Ministries)
   
2. Abortion
3. Dishonesty
4. Alcohol/Drug Abuse
5. Disrespect
6. Parents Who do not discipline their Children or teach them respect
   

I will pass this award along to 6 other Bloggers and there are so many Kreativ Bloggers out there.......... I wish to give it to all of you!

1. Jan @ Jan & Tom's Place
2. Kim @ Home is Where the Heart Is
3. Rhonda @ Scooerblu's Whimsy
4. Kimba @ A Soft Place to Land (One of the most Kreativ Blogs)
5. Wendy @ Ivory Spring (Please check out her quilts, sewing, decorating and table scapes. They are beautiful!)
6. Deb @ Deb's Country Kisses

Congratulations ladies!

I WON!

I just found out that I won Jan and Tom's Give A Way! I will post pictures when I get it! Thank you Jan and Tom!!!

Christmas Decorating

It is Holiday Open House at Kimba's, BooMama is having Christmas Tour of Homes, Julia is having Hooked on Holiday Tours and our own Birmingham's Southern Hospitality Rhoda is having a Christmas Decorating Party too! Well, though I am still pulling things out of the attic and basement, just put the tree up, I still want to join the parties! (For Trash to Treasure, scroll down to the next post.)

My piano all decorated with some of my teapots and coffee pots. The ones on the left stay that way year around. From the center over has been changed. I borrowed an idea from Diane of A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words of taking a thrift store silver plate tray and displaying my bisque Nativity scene on it.

I love my pewter coffee pot lamp. I have had it for several years. The vintage brown teapot and Lenox coffeepot are gifts from IL's. The tea cup I found at Home Goods.

More pots and goodies.

This bisque Nativity Set is a gift from my late MIL.

Our tree is a hodge podge of ornaments. Homemade, gifts, souvenirs, many made with love by friends, children of friends and our precious little daughter.

My teapot fetish extends to ornaments as well. This photo is not very good as I was hand holding with no flash.

Hayward, DD's Magic Elf, is worn out. He had a busy day today. (To know more about Hayward, scroll down to see the my Trash to Treasures post.)

Hayward's bed and some other furnature is displayed under the tree for a time. He stays with us until Dec 23rd. Then he has to go back to the North Pole to help Santa.

This is my mantel decorated for the Christmas Holidays.

My SIL got me this teapot. It is a teapot for all seasons. It is also a usable teapot. And holds heat very well.

My Step MIL found this teapot in an Antique shop in New England. Heavy old stoneware. I have never used it, but I bet it makes a great pot of tea. And it looks great in my living/great room.

I made our Christmas stockings about 13 or 14 years ago. The one on the far left is mine. Every piece of fabric has some significance in it. Fabric from my after dinner rehearsal dress, fabric my late MIL brought back from IL's trip to Beging, some other fabrics in there as well. The stocking to the right is for pets or out of town guests. And this year that will be my mom! :D

DD's stocking and DH's stocking to the left.

My Christmas China displayed on the hutch in the kitchen.

We do not really do Santa (we pretend) in this house. We do have fun with it. We even have one of those silly little elves that wreaks havok and makes messes in our house this time of year. Do you realize how many people, children worship Santa as a god? I wonder how the Bishop of Myra would feel if he knew that? All he ever wanted to do was glorify God and the Lord Jesus Christ by making sure the orphans and widows had what they needed. We do have fun with it. DD knows the man we now call 'Santa' was a real person, who is in heaven now. He was one of the great Saints of God and God used him in a mighty way while he was living on earth. Somewhere in time, people lost perspective about him.

This has been fun sharing a little of my home with you! I will be posting some more in the next day or two.

Trash to Treasure Tuesday!

Welcome to Trash to Treasure Tuesday! Thank you Diane for Hosting!

Some people would take a sneaker box and throw it away.

Some people would give the sneaker box to their parrot to turn into total carnage.

Once upon a time, our grandmothers and mothers had a choice of throwing way these wooden thread spools. (See the 15 cents price on the top there! I never remember thread being 15 cents!) My grandma didn't throw hers away, and when she died, my mom kept them....

I have a nice collection of scraps .....

...and stash of fabric, left over batting from a quilt or two, felt and some lovely nordic ribbon Ed's Aunt bought in Europe many many years ago. When she died, her daughter gave me a good deal of her stash.

Using a ruler, pencil, scissors, I marked the box and began to cut. DD helped as well. Using fabric glue, we covered the bed in scrap cotton quilt batting. She helped with the head board and fabric selection.

We painted the thread spools red. They worked really well as legs for the bed. We added a few extra trims. The mattress was the only item that was sewn. Made out of an old linen curtain I have been keeping for when I need a bit of linen to make something like this. Everything else was put together with liquid stitch and elmers glue.

And a lovely Elfin bed it is! Fit for an Elfin Prince!

Hayward arrived from the North Pole late last night. He was hungry and tired. He ate his snack. Drank his apple juice. Read the note DD left for him. Wrote a note DD letting her know what he wanted for snacks tonight and left a really big mess!!!

Hayward is tired. Santa has had him working hard this year. These few days of vacation will help him out with a little rest.

But, I think Hayward is more interested in recreation!!! After a good nights sleep, he is about the house, up to mischief and hanging from the chandelier!

After a hard day of playing, he is tucked into his lovely Elfin Bed and under the Christmas Tree, ready for another night of rest... or is he????

And, with just a few things that most people would throw away like a shoe box, fabric scraps and trim, a pair of scissors and some glue, you too can make a beautiful Elfin Bed, or Barbie bed, American Doll, etc. Now it is not too sturdy, as it cannot be stepped on or treated roughly, but taken care of may last a good while and used year after year. :D

For more Trash to Treasure Posts or to participate in Trash to Treasure, go to Diane's blog A Picture is Worth a 1,000 Words.