Gift Giving Ideas With A Theme!

Hello to all and a big Thank you to my sister Amy for inviting me to guest blog. This is beyond exciting for me to share some of my favorite ideas. I hope they inspire you to do something creative today! I am a huge magazine junkie. Better Homes and Garden, Good Housekeeping, This Old House, Yankee Magazine, Southern Living......the list goes on. I read periodicals from front to back and back to front. I cut out pictures of projects I'd like to do(or have my husband do) and I love creative entertaining ideas and simple recipes to WOW guest. The November & December issues are my prized publications(& yes I do believe I still have a few dated 1980 something). Every year I look forward to the Holiday Gift Guide $5-$50. I can't wait to find out what unusual gift they have found from far and wide. I was thinking of a few different and unique gifts that I have either given or received. I realized they all had a theme. A themed gift bag or basket just seems to be so creative. This year's theme for me is "book". Any item that has the word book in the title. I started with the above pocketbook that serves as both present and wrapping. Then I enlisted help from my favorite on-line store, BrambleberryLane.com. I included an antique styled bookmark, personalized bookplates, adorable matchbook-notebook and a fabulous stickerbook. You could run with this idea. Add a Book store GC, wine, teabags, cookies etc... Here are a few other themed baskets that I Love. They're great to give to a whole family, the couple who has everything or the kid in everyone. Enjoy and have wonderful Holiday Season! I'd love to hear from you. Wendy

Banana Split Basket

Toppings: hot fudge, sprinkles, nuts/Ice cream scoop with a jazzy handle/fun colorful bowls/Gift Card to the corner ice cream store for that favorite gallon.

Date Night

Sparkly clutch purse/vibrant necktie/Gift Card to favorite restaurant/movie theater tickets/glittery lip gloss.

Movie Night In

Gift card for movie rentals/popcorn/flavored butter shakers/Jones Soda(I like the cool bottles)/Jr. Mints & M&M's/giant bowl to hold all the goodies.

The Tree Lot is Open!

Have you seen it popping up everywhere. You know, tree lots. Maybe a firehouse, or a church parking lot or even a regular nursery is changing over to a Christmas Tree Retailer. Isn't it incredible how quick they can get a bunch of trees up and ready to go, when just Tuesday they where all empty parking lots. So here is my contribution. I have been making a bunch of trees in many different greens and shipping them all over the world for people to create their own tree lot at home. How much fun!

So, like the tree lot with many different shapes and sizes, I have many ideas I would like to do with my blog. I am a big HOUSE freak. I love homes and decorating like many of you. Plus I love the little things that make our lives a little easier, a little better and hopefully cheaper. So I am bringing in a guest blogger once a week. Her name is Wendy and she is my big sis. She, like I, thrive on creating and making things pretty. From her FABULOUS parties and events to just living a creative everyday life, I am sure you all will love her as much as I do and find inspiration from her every week that she stops by to chat with us. You will all meet her this weekend when she posts her first blog entry about some GREAT gift giving ideas for this holiday season that aren't going to break you. So please welcome her and give some great comments to make her feel at home!

CREATE SOMETHING FABULOUS TODAY!

DO YOU KNOW A SINGLE MOM THIS HOLIDAY SEASON?

Picture from American Girl Catalog
As you all read my blog you see a mom of four married and happy. But at one point in my life, which seems like a lifetime ago, I was going from day to day in the middle of a divorce. My oldest was just diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. We had to leave our home because with the loss of my husbands wedding ring he also forgot how to pay the bills. So I, on top of it all, was having surgery on my back. Yup, when it rains it pours. I had to figure out how to feed us, buy insulin and make sure a lawyer could get something done so maybe we could start over. Not the best Christmas on record. Well that is until the knock on the door Christmas Eve night. You see we where truly living hand to mouth. I could fix pasta in some of the most incredible ways. There where days I would show up at dinner time at other peoples houses because I knew they would invite us to stay. It was so hard but I knew if I got better and we got up on our feet we could do this.
Back to the Christmas Eve part. You want to give your kids the moon and do anything you can for them. Like I said there was little to no money coming in and both of the kids knew this. We spent Christmas eve with my parents like we always did. Went to church and I took my kids back to out little flat and put them to bed. What happened next was amazing. Both kids where sound asleep when I heard someone knock on my front door. It was my parents. Or should I say Mr and Mrs. Clause. They had so many gifts in their arms. Everything from the doll pictured above from American Girl to Tony Hawk Remote control Skate Guy. There where garbage bags full of presents. They where all wrapped in the most beautiful paper. On top of it all they brought me my dog. I had the most beautiful and smart boxer there ever was. When I had to leave the cabin I had to give her to my parents because I couldn't have her in the flat. That broke my heart. But there she was.
The next morning they woke up to a pile of presents that only Santa could have dropped off. It was incredible. Plus, Santa picked up our beloved dog and dropped her off as well. I am crying right now writing this because it was the most incredible thing you had ever seen. They BELIEVED. After all the three of us had been through they had something to believe in and that was worth more then all of those presents.
The point of this? Well that is simple. We all know someone that is having a hard time. I was lucky, I have wonderful parents that gave me strength and never let me fall. Not everyone has that. And from this gesture that they did I learned how important FAITH is. How being able to believe can get you a little farther to making a better life for yourself and your family. I also learned first hand how hard it is to be a single mom. There is no one to fall back on to take that burden no matter how hard others try. The other half of your marriage is gone and you are the only one that can teach those kids to be strong and keep moving on. That is a lot to deal with on your own. Not to mention the addition of the Diabetes. So my challenge to you all is to take that ornament off the giving tree and purchase that toy. Maybe invite another family over for a big home cooked meal. But what ever you do, share your blessings. You have so many that you may not even see them all, but they are there. Just don't forget that giving the gift of Faith to someone who has lost theirs can turn a life around. And someday I would like to be remembered, not by a bunch of people, but by just one person, that I helped them Believe again!

CREATE SOMETHING FABULOUS TODAY!
~PS...THANKS MR & MRS CLAUS!

While You Where Sleeping!

I have four kids as you may all know. They are four fabulously different kids. They are alike in some things but different in most. Except this. When they sleep they each become my babies again. That peace is there from the first days of bringing a baby home from the hospital. No, not when they are screaming the hungry cry or the wet cry. I mean that moment when the house is totally peaceful and you are holding this brand new perfect little baby and you can't think of any moment in your life being better then this one. You realize you have it. You have the dream of total unconditional love that goes both ways. Well then they get bigger and those moments are very hard to find. So I say look for it. I love going into see them at night after they have fallen asleep. It makes you realize why you do all you do for them. Why you are so lucky to have these little pieces of heaven. The other night, my piece of Heaven was found on the couch. One minute they where looking at the book and the next this is the scene. Right after the photo Noah had to be removed before he kicked Logan in the head, but the faces to me are priceless. The faces of Peace, Love and Pure Joy that I feel every time I look at one of my 4 little friends. And isn't that what the upcoming season is all about!

CREATE SOMETHING FABULOUS TODAY....EVEN A MEMORY!

MATCHBOOK FEVER

I have been having so much fun making these. I have a great collection of paper that is dying to be made into something and these guys are the perfect fit. I have only been using card stock so far but I may add some of the really pretty lighter weight papers as well. What to do, what to do? I just can't stop making new ones!New paper has arrived as well. Some of the Basic Grey Wassail has arrived in our neck of the woods. Plus more trees and snowmen to add to our collection of stickers, trees, and stars. Have you all thought about what projects you are working on this holiday season? Have you ever done a 25 days of Christmas project. If in book form or like me, I am doing the 25 days in ATC form, you will really feel like you accomplished something with your scrapbooking. And isn't that every scrapers biggest complaint...not getting it done. I started by sketching some of the days out already. If I get a day with a little more time I may get a couple done at once so I finish before Christmas!

Many of you have asked if I am going to offer Gift Certificates. I am going to add some to my site. If there is a certain amount that you would like and don't see please just convo me so we can get you what you are lo0king for. Even if it is only 5.00 I am more then happy to do this for you. Plus If you would like me to send to the person you are buying it for I will do that or send in a email. In both cases I would just need yours and their info!

CREATE SOMETHING FABULOUS TODAY!

THEY ARE FREE!

Yes I know that I have 4 kids, a husband and a Lab but here are my latest addition. Guinea Hens. My oldest son Josh had gotten Lyme Disease this summer from a tick. And it is rising across the state. We live near the water so there is nothing we can put down to kill them and we are really trying to go green and be better to our earth so we got these 10 new friends. They love to eat ticks. They eat and eat and then my family stays health...we hope.

When Josh got sick it seemed to go on and on. first we couldn't figure out what was wrong with him and then once we did he still was not right for a while. How can a little bug make such a healthy kid sick? It makes no sense to me but we are trying to help this with our little friends. When you first get them you leave them in their house so they figure out that is their home. Then you let them out and they should come back tonight to roost...we hope. We have three acres so I am wondering if they can tell the difference in a boundary marker and not bother our neighbors. They really like to wonder and I hope they wonder their way to the hen house tonight.

CREATE SOMETHING FABULOUS TODAY!

What Does The Word "VINTAGE" Mean to You?

Yes I know that VINTAGE is used when talking about the new wave of old things or "used" coming back in style. But there are so many other ways it is used as well. So what is the true meaning. Heck I looked it up in the dictionary and then on an on-line dictionary and I was even more confused because now it is used a bit different then before. Am I making any sense? The reason I ask is because vintage to me is more a look or a feeling rather then a used dress. This child and snowman is fabulous and gives me that Vintage feeling. OK, if I am wrong and have not used this properly I am truly sorry...but I think Vintage is great!

So are we all out there scrapbooking? I know, I know, we are all very busy. But let me tell you I am finding a bit of relief in sitting and creating. I love to create and I know that you all do to. Have you thought of asking those little people running around your house to sit down and work with you? You can give them some of your old stuff to work with. They will love it and you will have spent time together that was not in the car, or them on the field and you freezing on the sidelines. I hear so many grown women say..."oh I'm not creative" or "my mom never did that kind of thing with me". Pull up a chair kids lets make something together. You will feel so good about the time spent, besides, isn't it that time of year to start a new tradition!

CREATE SOMETHING FABULOUS TODAY!

I Love These Matchbooks!

I know, I know, we are in the Christmas mood. But I just got finished making this order of these for this lovely customer and I thought I would share my great fun with you all. I really love to put together these matchbooks. But even more then that I love to find great papers to make them with. Yes, I am enjoying myself. I am adding the Christmas versions to all of my gifts this year. My daughter loves to have little things and this will be perfect in some great colors to add to her gifts.

So today we all went shop, shop, shopping. We took my mom and as always she spoiled us rotten. I love spending time with my kids and my mom together. It is great when we all get to interact and laugh together. I think it is so important to have a great relationship with as many of the family members as you can introduce to your kids. This is how they learn their history and where they came from. I just heard news that my sister and I can join the DAR because our family has proven the history and ties to the American Revolution. I think that is just fabulous. I love family history. So that is where scrapbooking falls into my life I guess. Aren't I lucky!

CREATE SOMETHING FABULOUS TODAY!

So Many New Things!

I am in love with these new papers. A bunch just arrived and are ready for everyone to create with. They are so great with rich colors and the gold foil on some of them. Plus they are double sided for double the fun. You will love this set. Next we are swimming in new ATC products. I have added great color combo pack of Christmas ATC's. They are proving to be just as popular. And a new shipment of Basic Grey products are on the way to add to all of our creative fun.

Over on the side look whats new, the bird tags that you may not have seen yet. They are fun and classic looks like they where taken from an old bird book. They are simple yet functional for so many gift giving events. You can add a beautiful plaid ribbon for a holiday tag or a pink ribbon for Easter. That is what I call multi tasking.

So lots of updates with Lollishops. It looks like we will be opening up in the next couple of weeks. They are going to start the Beta on the 15th and the rest of us will jump on shortly there after. When it first open there will be a limited amount of great sellers but once those flood gates open you will see all of the incredible sellers that Sadie Lou has hand picked to make a incredible shopping experience for all. I know I can't wait!

CREATE SOMETHING FABULOUS TODAY!