Tag: family

Created Those Christmas Cards Yet?

Posted on November 20, 2017November 20, 2017 by Mama

So our Christmas cards arrived today. . . or so I think. I had them delivered to my husband’s work and he texted me mid-morning saying they had arrived, but when I asked how they looked this is the photo I received.

For all I know whatever’s in that envelope could belong to someone else, I might have misspelled our last name or I could have a boogie in my nose I didn’t notice before ordering. The suspense is killing me!!

But at least I “think” my holiday greetings have been printed and that’s a big check off my list. Through the years I have proven time and again that if I don’t order my cards before Thanksgiving, I might as well just wait for the happy Easter salutations because Christmas probably just won’t happen. So what about you? Have you purchased your festive photo greeting cards?

I found a cute card for a good price from Wal-Mart this year and chose the cardstock two-sided printing option so that I could customize the back with a recap of our year and add our return address on the envelope. I’ve never used Wal-Mart for my Christmas cards but hopefully I will be pleased.

If you’re still shopping for the perfect family photo cards here are a few places to try (some I’ve used, some I haven’t so I can’t vouch for quality and service), but I would love to know if you have a favorite that isn’t on the list. By the way, make sure you look for coupon codes and special deals right now, because they are certainly out there.

Wal-Mart
Walgreen’s
Shutterfly
Minted
York (there’s a coupon code and link in my sidebar)
Snapfish
Zazzle
Vistaprint

photo credit: HA! Designs – Artbyheather Vintage Christmas Card via photopin (license)

The Calm That Comes Between October and December

Posted on November 15, 2017 by Mama

What a crazy fall it has been! Hmm, that sounds familiar, because I believe I echo that same sentiment every year about this time. We ramp up around here in October for our son’s birthday and then barrel on through Halloween and into Thanksgiving before decking the halls for Christmas. If we add the end of daylight savings into the mix with all the seriously gray days here in the Midwest, it makes a mama feel like she is wading through really thick mud! Thankfully we woke up to the glorious, long absent sun shining on us today, which helps me tolerate the wind that blew in with it.

So with all the endless putting up and taking down of decorations that accompany our autumns at the Three Acre Wood, I have decided to claim my new favorite holiday as Thanksgiving. Now don’t get me wrong, I do love to decorate for Halloween, dress up our child and hit the houses for tricks or treats and I also love the hustle and bustle of Christmas with all its holly, lights and gift giving; but I have begun to seriously appreciate the calm that comes between October and December.

Thanksgiving is just one of those holidays that is a good return on investment. You get to visit family, eat loads of delicious food and maybe even take in a movie, do a bit of shopping or play a friendly football game in the cow pasture (okay, so not everyone has a cow pasture for playing, but any old yard or park will do). There are no presents to purchase and no packages to wrap; just bring a dish or two (yes, I’ll be making Nannie’s pecan pie), wear something with elastic, show up with a smile and plan to stay awhile. There’s no need to make multiple trips to the attic ahead of time, because decorations are minimal with a few hand turkeys here and some multi-colored leaves there. You might even get to eat on the fancy dishes and actually use that gravy boat that has been gathering dust since this time last year.

You just can’t beat a turkey coloring tablecloth and a huge jar of olives!

There’s always something for the kids (and grownups) to enjoy, like this turkey craft kit.

One never knows when the aunts might show up sporting all their craziness!

Thanksgiving, by design, is meant to give us a day to pause and reflect on all our blessings, to give thanks for our family and friends and for all that gives our lives some meaning. It is a time for remembrance and appreciation and a time for laughter and warmth. For me, Thanksgiving is the calm that comes between October and December and the restoration that comes before the scurry and hurry of the grand daddy of all holidays. It is a day to refocus on what really matters and a day to appreciate everyone in our lives.

So to all my family and friends, I thank the Lord for your presence in my life. I am truly blessed!

Back-to-School and Back to Scrapping

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Mama

Yippee! I finally finished a scrapbook spread for the current year in which I’m living. No, that doesn’t happen very often (I’m still trying to finish a December daily album from 2015). In fairness, I decided to give myself a fighting chance this year by going with pocket pages. . . with the option of a few 12×12 more creative designs.

So here’s my first go at this new approach and I think it might just work for an album that’s, well, “a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.” I’m going to use Simple Stories-ish papers to keep a cohesive feel throughout the months, and I started with the back-to-school Smarty Pants pack. I received inspiration from the Stuck?!Sketches early September challenge and the Scrap Our Stash Tic Tac Toe Challenge. It was pretty simple to combine the two challenges and the second pocket page gave me plenty of space for multiple photos; because let’s face it, it is really hard for me to wrap up a monumental day with just one pic. By the way, I’m not adding my pocket page to this post just because there is a lot of personal information on it and I try to keep my little guy’s privacy as under wraps as possible. Thanks for understanding. I can tell you that it’s a nine-pocket page with six photos and three decorative squares that complements my large design.

The layout for the main page came from the Stuck?! September sketch pictured below. I thought this was a great layout for my main back-to-school picture and I love all the textures and fun elements. I fulfilled the Scrap Our Stash Tic Tac Toe Challenge diagonally by using an arrow, ruler and dictionary paper. This challenge has become one of my favorites, because I get to decide which way I want to combine all these fun items.

Page 5 of 33

« 1 … 3 4 5 6 7 … 33 »