Handmade Gifts ~ Calendar Journal

I made a few gifts for Christmas this year and I will admit that it was fun. I used to do handmade gifts
 a lot in years past, but somehow had gotten away from it. This year it was more out of necessity than
 anything else {remember hubby's factory closed}, but I thoroughly enjoyed it for the most part.

I found this idea on Pinterest and I decided that this looked fun and like something someone
actually might use.
{never dreaming how much date stamping I would actually have to do for several calendars}
lol

The original tutorial used vintage postcards, but I used regular greeting cards or note cards,
cut them down and it worked great! {except for the time that I cut FOUR cards in a row all
the wrong size!!}

It truly was a labor of love, but worth every minute of it...I think...*SMILE*

My sister is a shoe lover so I used cards with different shoes printed on them that I had in my stash.
WHO KNEW that I would find 12 different shoe cards...one for each month? Well...truthfully I didn't.
I think I found ten, but I did find two other cards that also fit in nicely with the shoes.

So....if you have nothing else to do today, may I suggest that you make one of these cute
calendar / journals?

All you need is index cards, {you have to cut each and every card in half...
so I needed 365 days x 5...that is a lot of cards! Oh yes, you also need about 100 more for the
mistakes you make. ha!}, some berry boxes {I purchased them on Etsy}, some type of cards
{greeting or vintage postcards} and cute twine. Oh , I almost forgot the most important part.
Go online and buy a date stamp also. They had one at Walmart for over $16 and I was having
 none of that, so I got on on ebay for about $5 including shipping!

You do have to admit...they are cute right?? The idea is to write the year such as 2014 on the
first line and just a little blip of your day. Then next year  you write 2015 on the next line
and a blip about that day...and on and on. So this way your little journal will encompass
several years in one cute little berry box.

Adorable idea, but I can't get much written on one line so I use two...or three. lol

Please share your pics if you decide to make one of these for yourself or for someone else. I would
love to see them.

For the original tutorial please click here.

I also found the free printable online for the "just for you"  gift tag.  Click here to get to
that page.

I think it is the cutest thing since sliced bread...maybe?
Hugs~

Printed burlap at JoAnn Fabric!

I feel rather icky today with another attack of vertigo, but I wanted to get this posted. Have you seen this printed burlap at JoAnn Fabric? They also have some with a skeleton key design. Cool stuff!! My bff told me about it so I had to check it out for myself.  Last time I was at the store they did not have this so it is relatively new.

I haven't done anything with mine yet, but I sure will when I figure out what! lol

You might also want to pick up some of these when you are at JoAnn's. I found them several weeks ago. They have many items in this theme. I will use them for tags or something along that line.

Several giveaways going on over at Fishtail Cottage and she is featuring items that I donated today so be sure and stop on over and tell her hello! You just might win some amazing goodies!

I actually created yesterday!

It has been so long since I created anything that

yesterday I just took the time , sat down and got started.

I made a few (Jeanne de Arc inspired) Christmas cards

and had fun doing so.

I didn't get as many made as I would have liked to

because I ran out of this gray paper with the script

writing. I haven't got a clue where I picked it up

either. It was in my *stash* and my brain just

can't remember everything these days.

I really should take the time to snap *pretty* pictures

for you. Seems that most of the time I am in a hurry so

I just take your basic photos!

{here's to the next year being unhurried

I will let you know how that works out.lol.}

Remember my two rosemary plants that I prayed

that I could keep alive? Well...one is doing great...

the other not so much, so I whacked on it and made

some greenery bunches to decorate with.

I just love the smell of fresh rosemary. Every time I walk past it I run my hands over it

and then inhale the wonderful fragrance.

I found this ribbon in my *stash*. I had bought a spool

of it at Home Goods sometime in the past and forgot all

about it. I think it works well with the rosemary.

Praying you all have a beautiful week.

I am anxiously waiting for the birth of a wee little

granddaughter...due date was Sunday.

Come on little gal...we want to meet you and shower

you with love!!

Blessings~

Paris,France,Italy...

I had an ah ha moment when I found

these cute small vintage cards.

They only measure approx. 1 and 5/8 inches

x 2 inches each and I love the small size!

So many of us dream of going to Paris,

France, Italy... These will take you there in spirit.

They are now listed in my Etsy store.

Enjoy and Happy Monday!

Blessings~

Sweet Images from Christmas Past ~

I have quite an extensive vintage Christmas card

collection and I pulled a few of the pinks and blues to

share with you today.

{You can click to enlarge them and see more detail}

the white on santa's beard and hat is covered in sparkly glitter~

these candles and the card below are awash in glitter too ~

I hope you enjoyed some of my lovely cards today.

Blessings~

Individuality ~

Oh my goodness...I don't know what I did but as soon as I got these pictures uploaded the page went away and it said "your post has published sucessfully"...before I even wrote anything! Thank God for edit programs! LOL

I am so tired right now from digging out and getting ready for a garage sale that I just wanted to take a break and share my childrens individuality.

I received the following cards for Mothers day and this first one is from my oldest son Jason(and family)...middle child and it fits him to a *T*. On the front it says, Mom , I know at times I'm difficult and stubborn...(and on the inside) ...Fortunately I am cute enough to make up for it". What a hoot and so true...this is my child who lives for a good debate! You better be up on what you are debating or forget about it. Sometimes I just don't bother. And we know he loves us , but he is just not one to go all ga ga and demonstrate it much. He is my "go to" guy when I need support and prayer... He is a steadfast rock when our family is in distress. Thank you Jason!

I received this next beautiful card from my youngest son Nathan (youngest child too) . He always picks out such thoughtful and caring cards and always gives hugs and kisses . He brought me a beautiful lavender/purple petunia hanging basket and spent the afternoon with us. Later when he went out to his truck he came back in with a handful of withered flowers and said, "oh mom I feel so bad"...he had stopped along a road somewhere and picked me some lilacs and other flowers and totally forgot he had them in his truck . I put them in water anyways and the smell is wonderful. Now Jason would never think of doing something like that , but it is what makes each one a true individual just as God made them and they are my wonderful boys~ I couldn't leave out my daughter and the card she sent along. On the inside it says, "...and the world should bloom in your honor". My only daughter...oldest child...child that gave us the most grief and heartache , but she got back on the right track with Gods help and is a loving Christian, mother and wife. She is so tenderhearted...she cries so easily and that is a wonderful thing. I remember a time when she was cold as ice. Looking into her eyes they were just blank. God works miracles and she is living proof. I could go on and on, but I just thank God every day for my children and how special they all are to me~ Okay...I think I am refreshed now so I can get on to digging out more things for the sale. I really am craving chocolate today too. I about tore the house apart looking for some and thankfully I did find a DOVE candy bar! LOL Enjoy your blessings today~

Pretty Paper and a Goodwill Find ~

I don't know if I have ever shared this before , but I ADORE beautiful paper...notecards, greeting cards, etc. I pick it up whenever I find some that is a good price whether it is vintage or new. I love purchasing notecards at Home Goods and TJ Maxx...they have very high quality *PRETTY* paper items and very good prices.

I found this little card rack at a Goodwill store last week. (one I have never been to before) In one part of the store nothing has a price on it. You just take what you want to the register and they give you a price. Usually I am very hesitant about that because I figure they will want a lot of money if there is no price. So I thought okay...I will see what they say....whispering to myself, "if they want $10 for this thing then they can keep it"....LOL...I asked "how much" and she said $1.00 !! I was thrilled! So now I have a card display for some of my pretty notecards. It spins around and has 12 different places for cards. I want to add a finial to the top along with some ribbon or something to *pretty* it up.

Blessings~

Simple Handmade Valentine Cards ~

I made a few simple Valentine cards yesterday, embellished them with swarovski crystals and listed them on my Etsy site so be sure and come on over and take a look. I love the scrolly stamps that I used. I can tell that I need a better camera to take nice close up pictures. I think cards are so hard to photograph anyways and with a simple point and shoot camera it doesn't capture the true beauty of many items. Until later ~

Sandi