Vanilla for Christmas

This year I made vanilla for Christmas gifts. Since vanilla is super easy to make (just putting vanilla bean and vodka in a bottle), the packaging took the most time (and truthfully, I didn’t spend that much time doing it either). I kept it pretty simple. I just made a tag that said the ingredients and when it was bottled. And a label that said what it was—vanilla. I have yet to try it…so I hope it tastes okay.

Yarn Tassel Wrapping Decoration

Instead of using a bow, I used yarn to create tassels to wrap around a gift. I just looked up how to make a tassel online and followed the directions.

The main change I made was the yarn that is tied at the top of the tassel is quite long in order to wrap around the gift.

I also made two of these tassels. I wrapped these yarn tassels around the gift and then tied the ends together (and then tied the excess yarn in the back and cut any excess yarn).

I thought it was pretty cute and warm looking. And it’s a good way to use up leftover yarn.

How-to Avoid Christmas before Christmas

As I’ve said before, I like Christmas day just fine—it’s the weeks leading up to Christmas that I so dislike. I hate the hustle and bustle. I hate the noise. I hate the pressure. I hate the consumerism. [Pause.] Christmas does not bring out the best in me. So in order to minimize the reminders of Christmas that I’m surrounded by on a daily basis, I basically try to hibernate as much as possible. This is what I do (or rather don’t do).

Avoid going to nonessential stores
Is there any place that I need to go to besides the supermarket? The answer is almost always no. I admit, last week I went to a nonessential store because I had $10 free to spend there (so I got a peeler for a grand total of $0.19…score!). The store already had an array of utterly unnecessary Christmas paraphernalia that I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at. I just hate seeing Christmas crap that is two steps away from being in a landfill (yes, I’m talking to you ugly Christmas tree mug stuffed with hot chocolate for $14.99. No thank you.). 

Avoid going anywhere during peak hours
Too many people=unpleasant experience. I don’t want to be anywhere near a mall during the weekend because the traffic is particularly terrible. And I certainly don’t want to be inside a store when it’s busier and has longer checkout lines. I want to be in and out of a store as quickly as possible. And while I can’t control when everyone else shops, I can control when I go shopping.

Avoid watching TV
When I was a kid, people actually watched TV and commercials were unavoidable. Now with all of the streaming services available, it’s easier to avoid commercials altogether…which is nice. Or you could just watch less TV. Because watching TV commercials for Christmas anything is just awful. Show someone how much you love them by buying them THIS! Of course, once the shiny newness of that present wears off, it’s going in the closet (just like all the other stuff you don’t use) to be forgotten until you do a massive cleaning and donate it to a thrift store. [Sigh.]

So far this holiday season, I think I’ve done a fairly good job of avoiding being overloaded by Christmas. But things have only begun—Black Friday is just around the corner. And I still have another five weeks to go…

Sad Christmas Ornaments

I went to the pay by the pound Goodwill after Christmas and there was a good amount of Christmas stuff in the bins—Christmas lights, decorations and ornaments. My friend found this sad one-armed snowman ornament and I had to take a picture—it just felt fitting for the season.

There was also a headless drummer boy ornament.

And a creepy angel head. Maybe someone out there will want these broken Christmas tree ornaments; I imagine a Charlie Brown Christmas tree covered with these sad unwanted ornaments.

Sample Sale Cards: Holiday Letterpress

The next set of Egg Press’ sample sale cards are fun holiday cards. I love the metallic ink that helps to make everything feel so festive.

DIY: Tiered Paper Fan Flower Ornament

This tiered ornament is based upon the Paper Fan Flower Ornament and can be used as Christmas ornaments or as party decorations.

DIY: Paper Fan Flower Ornament

This ornament is based upon the Paper Fan Flower I created for packaging decoration. It’s simple and can add a pop of color as a Christmas tree ornament or as party decorations hung on the wall or hung from the ceiling.

DIY: Glitter Christmas Ornament

Used gift cards are made of a sturdy material so they’re a good base for glue and glitter. This is a simple and inexpensive Christmas ornament to make and I think the glitter helps make it feel quite festive.

DIY: Paper Circle Christmas Ornament

I realize that Christmas is still somewhat far off (and I know have complained before about how early Christmas paraphernalia starts showing up in stores), but I’ve decided to post a Christmas project anyway (because sometimes you can’t control when you have ideas).

This is a very simple flat circle paper ornament that’s easy to make and easy to personalize.

Vintage Stamp Catalogue – Part 2

Most of the stamps I showed last week from United States Stamp Catalogue Specialized were more serious in nature, so this time I thought I’d show some of the more “fun” stamps from the same book. I mostly picked out stamps that were more light and celebratory (e.g. Christmas, sports, fairs, bazaars and anniversaries).

Christmas Trumps Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving, but don’t you think you ought be getting ready for Christmas? Although Thanksgiving is one of the major holidays in the U.S., it’s nothing in comparison to the mammoth that is Christmas. Because an entire month of Christmas shopping just isn’t enough—apparently you ought to be chomping at the bit to be shopping for Christmas presents…today.

Black Friday used to start around 6 a.m. Friday, and then it got pushed back to 4 a.m., and then it got pushed back to midnight. And now, there’s no more Friday to push back on—so why not start on Thursday at 8 p.m.? Because how long does it take to eat Thanksgiving dinner? A few hours, and then what? Spend more time with family and friends? Try to cram another slice of pumpkin pie into your already bloated stomach? Go to sleep early because your family has exhausted you? Why do any of these things when you can shop?

Sure, you’re stuffed and sleepy, but perhaps after a power nap you can awake and find your way to stores to spend, spend, spend. Because why wait for tomorrow when you can shop today? And in your swollen and sluggish state you’re sure to be surrounded by shoppers in equally terrific moods, and while lethargic from the food coma you’re all in, that will in no way impact the wonderful purchasing decisions you’re all sure to make.

Can you sense how ridiculous I think shifting Black Friday to Thursday is? It’s bad enough that Black Friday exists; does it really need to infringe upon Thursday? I say no, it doesn’t. Once Thursday ends, the following three days is a hellish shopping nightmare—let Thursday remain to be the calm before the storm. Let Thursday just be Thanksgiving. [Pause.] Or perhaps it’s just easier to give Thursday up and let it transform into Black Thursday and just move Thanksgiving to Wednesday. That would solve everything…until they started pushing Black Thursday onto Black Wednesday.

Two Months of Christmas

It’s already begun: the countdown to Christmas. A smattering of Christmas ads have crept their way onto the TV and Christmas paraphernalia have started to infiltrate stores (such as Christmas trees and ornaments). Christmas is slowly ramping up until Thanksgiving hits, and then all hell will break loose with Christmas sales and shopping reminders that'll bombard us in full force. [Sigh.] I’m not really looking forward to the upcoming madness.

Don’t get me wrong, Christmas day is great. You get to eat good food, see family (that you hopefully like) and of course there’s presents. These are all good things. I just don’t really enjoy the pre-game—the two months of impending Christmas preparations that saturates the air. There’s just so much I would like to avoid: the shopping craziness with its never ending lines at stores; the terrible holiday music that stalks you wherever you go; and the saccharine-filled holiday TV specials that are overtly intended to pull at your heartstrings. [Pause.] None of this puts me in the Christmas spirit.

I just wish Christmas didn’t have the prolonged hullabaloo that seems to grow longer with each passing year. I don’t mean to sound Scrooge-like, but thinking about Christmas for two months is just exhausting. It makes Christmas less special to me because if feels like I have to deal with it for a sixth of the year (and that’s a long time). I’m almost glad when Christmas is over because then I won’t be accosted by Christmas reminders any longer. Yes, I’m bracing myself for two long months of Christmas.

DIY: Glitter Picture Frame Christmas Ornament

This is a Christmas ornament that has some movement to it as the center square can turn back and forth. It’s a nice ornament to create if you want a personalized ornament (as you can use whatever photos or pictures you want on the center square).

DIY: Paper Ball Christmas Ornament

The Christmas trees I had growing up never looked like the Christmas trees you see on TV that are perfectly decorated with their color coordination and shiny metallic ball ornaments. No, our Christmas trees were decorated with a mish-mash of ornaments that were both store bought and handmade—it made for a unique tree.

To create a simple Christmas ornament, I decided to use folded paper circles (not unlike what I did for my Lantern Tag). I think it’s a nice ornament to make if you don’t have quite enough ornaments for your tree (and don’t want to buy more) or if you want a disposable ornament.