ListEn iN

Thankful Thoughts - Day Two...

Today I am thankful for a beautiful home where my family and I can grow and learn together. This is what I saw when I walked out of my bedroom this morning - it's the boys laying around in their pajamas watching morning cartoons. I quickly grabbed my camera because I knew I wanted to keep this moment.

 

 

And this is Dax flashing me his version of "I Love You". He can't quite figure out how to get all the fingers up at the same time, but when he does it I know exactly what he's saying... i love that!

Thankful Thoughts...

With Thanksgiving a few days away I have been trying to reflect on the things I am Thankful for. This morning as I was getting ready for the day I was Thankful for two little boys with active imaginations. Lately Boston has been really into dressing up into his Batman cape and he usually involves Daxton in some way. This morning he dressed Daxton up as Robin. I just love listening to them play - especially when it doesn't involve fighting.

This is a post that Lacie, one of our guest designers inspired us with last year so I thought I would share it again. I just think it is a lovely idea. You can read about it here.

Make It Merry Blog Hop: Decorations

 

It's the final day of our Make It Merry Christmas Blog Party, and we want to tell everyone who participated "THANK YOU!" We appreciate each of you - you have inspired us and...made us merry!

We want to announce our prize winners - chosen by random selection. Our winner for Day 1, which was our card day, is Keely Yowler! On Day 4 we showed our Gingerbread Wood Storybook and asked you to comment on your gingerbread memories. Janelle is our winner! Please email Georgana at [email protected] with your address, and we'll send you your prize. We'd also like to thank some of our blogging friends for offering prizes on their blogs during the Blog Hop.

Now we want to inspire you with some easy handcrafted Christmas decorations. Adornit specializes in unique and innovative WOOD and CHIPBOARD kits that complement our paper collections. Have fun decking your halls - and be sure to post your decoration photos on your blogs too so we can all share ideas with each other.

This is Debbie's favorite decoration for this year - a banner that says "MERRY" and is filled with ribbon, tags, cookie cutters, chipboard stars, favorite quotes, and lots of joy. Debbie started with the Christmas Chipboard Banner Kit and altered and added stuff to her heart's content. The chipboard flags can be left natural, painted or covered with paper.

It was easy to make the banner using Adornit's new Christmas Cardstock Stickers, Clear Stickers (see below), and Foam Alphabet letters.

 

You can decorate your mantle or shelf with ordinary glass jars OR you can kick them up a notch by adding our new easy-to-use Adornit Clear Stickers. The glass jars in the photo are fancied up with a design called Elegance (also available in red, brown and cream). For a more casual look, try the Refined range in aqua, black, brown or tan OR the Charmed range in black, brown, green or tan. You can use these stickers on layouts, cards, albums and home decorating projects. If you look closely at the banner above, you can see that Debbie used clear stickers on the 'M' and 'R' flags.

If you're a scrapper you SHOULD decorate with your scrapbook projects. Be sure to keep a favorite layout or album on display where everyone can enjoy it. This project is our Scallop Wood Album. The tag says, "Our Favorite Christmas Elf." Debbie Raymond made the album and plans to display it where everyone can see what a cute grandson she has. Below is another version of the Scallop Wood Album.

 

This album was made by Georgana with the theme of "Christmas Faves." It turned out to be a darling album filled with special memories. The album comes with four 8"x8" plastic page protectors so you can make eight layouts to go inside. It can be altered for any season or occasion - great for birthdays, anniversaries and new babies too!

Here is a fun twist on the traditional Christmas chain - made by Tami Anderson. This chain is made with a variety of patterned papers that are folded and embellished with buttons. It's a fun project for the whole family - and looks adorable on a Christmas tree or draped around the front door. These chains a great way to use leftover paper - if your stash has gotten out of control!

Make It Merry Blog Party: Gingerbread Book

We can’t wait to introduce our new Christmas Gingerbread WOOD STORYBOOK! Please notice how BIG this album is – nine by fifteen inches to be exact! The storybook includes four shaped pages cut out of 1/8” wood and four plastic sheet protectors for additional scrapbook pages. There are also matching paper die cuts –a darling gingerbread house and seven peppermints to fancy up your album. Georgana is using this as an “add-on album” which means she will add her family’s gingerbread house photos each year. Size: 9 x 15 inches.

 

 

 

Who wants to win one???? Leave a comment below telling me about your favorite memories making Gingerbread houses.

Make It Merry Blog Party: Day 5

Today on “Make it Merry” we’re featuring some fun ideas for advent. Kids love counting down the days until Christmas - so we’ve gathered some projects that you can make yourself and easily finish by December 1. What's best about these projects is that we MADE IT SIMPLE by using Adornit’s Holly Jolly Countdown  12x12 patterned paper. Just it cut apart and you’ll have 25 numbered squares that you can use on any countdown project. Be sure to come back tomorrow to see a wonderland of Christmas decorating ideas!

 

This Candy Countdown is extremely easy to make. A great idea is to make one for each member in the family. You can hang the garlands in the kitchen or bedrooms and then each child gets to snip off one piece of candy each day. To make your candy countdowns, roll out a long length of plastic wrap, evenly space 25 pieces of candy, roll it up, and tie ribbon in between each candy piece. Add decorative numbers - I mounted my countdown numbers on chipboard to give them stability. You can also make candy garlands in longer lengths and hang by your front door (with a pair of scissors) to welcome guests with a little sweet treat!

 

Debbie altered this Moleskine notebook (available at any bookstore in a wide variety of colors and sizes) for a mini Christmas Planner to keep in her purse. The flourish sticker on the front is one of Adornit's new Clear Stickers. Easy embellishment! In her "mini planner," Debbie keeps shopping lists, reminders, and a detailed schedule of each day in December so she doesn't forget what's going on. It's an extension of her big Cut the Crazy Out of Christmas planner and a valuable tool in reducing stress. No more "notes to self" scribbled on napkins or post it notes all over the house and car! She updates her notebook each evening no matter how long and tiring the day! Debbie says, "Everything we have ever read and learned about organization has to be put to use in December. That includes using some kind of notebook or planner."

This is a countdown Christmas tree that our graphic designer Tami makes for her kids' and grandkids' bedrooms. Quick and easy - just cut out the number squares and adhere to candy canes. As the kids take the candy canes off their tree, they replace them with ornaments to decorate the tree. The tree becomes more decorated as Christmas draws near.

What activities do you do for advent - or to count down the days until Christmas?

Make It Merry Blog Party: Day 4

Today we're Making It Merry with gift-giving ideas – especially gifts for neighbors, teachers, friends, and co-workers! There’s nothing merrier than giving gifts to those you love.

First – an assignment: MAKE A LIST. Right now – grab a piece of paper and start writing. You will be listing all the people you give “little” gifts to. Really – quit reading and get that paper and pencil :)

First, list your neighbors. Next, write down any special friends or co-workers. How about your kids’ teachers – either school or music or dance or coaches. Do you give gifts to your paper or mail carrier? Hair and nail professionals? Write them ALL down. Don’t forget a couple of “just in case you forgot someone” gifts. This list will help you in December!

After you’ve made your list, scroll through our gift ideas – they’ll give you the creative jumpstart you need to get the job done! Some are very simple, some more elaborate, but each gift will say a warm Merry Christmas because of your personal touch. For quick and easy embellishments, we love our Adornit Cardstock Stickers – be sure to try Merry and Bright Cardstock Stickers and Christmas Cheer Cardstock Stickers (at $1.50 per sheet, they’re a great choice).

Click on the link below to download a word document filled with great ideas for your gift giving. Decide what you want to give and get to work. The more you can get done before the holiday season arrives, the more you'll be able to enjoy yourself and your family.

Download Christmas blog hop neighbor gifts

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make It Merry Blog Party: Day 3

Click, click click. We’ve been excitedly waiting for today’s Blog Hop since we first planned our Christmas Blog Party. The idea of our Christmas theme blog hop came from our talented designer, Tammy. She thought it would be a great idea to be inspired for the upcoming holiday season from bloggers around the world in one central place – instantly we said YES! And starting planning.

 

CLICK HERE for our full list of participants.

 

We have about 60 blogs for you to hop to. You will click from one blog to the next, following the link at the end of each blog post. It’s like a Christmas progressive dinner – only there’s dessert at every house! And if you have any extra time, leave a little comment on each blog. And know that we appreciate each and every one of YOU!

 

*** IF YOU GET CAUGHT ON A BLOG THAT HASN'T POSTED YOU CAN SKIP TO THE NEXT BLOG BY COMING BACK TO THIS MAIN PAGE.

 

Each blogger has made a Christmas project to share with you. Sit back and enjoy fabulous ideas from some of the best scrappers you’ll ever meet!

 

START HERE: Carla from Canada, check out those great card ideas

After you're done looking at all the blogs, leave a comment below and tell me what project inspired you. I'll do a random drawing for some fun Adornit products.

Make It Merry Blog Party: Day 2

If you haven't tried Reindeer Dust with your kids/grandchildren, be sure to make it part of your holiday traditions this year!

Reindeer Dust Recipe:

1/4 cup Oats
1 tsp. glitter
Combine in a bag with poem attached.

We have a couple of versions to share with you. Hint: Little bags of Reindeer Dust make cute gifts for kids to give to their friends! 

Reindeer Dust Poem:

Sprinkle on the lawn at night,

The moon will make it sparkle bright!

As Santa's reindeer fly and roam,

This food will guide them to your home.

 

For you, our holiday blog readers, we created this special tag. Use it to attach to your Reindeer Dust baggie or as a poem on your layout (see above). Feel free to print it out for your personal use.

Santa Photos...

What is Holiday Season without going to sit on Santa's Lap? In my house growing up, going to the mall to sit on Santa's lap was something that we did not miss! Looking back I love the excitement that I remember feeling as we all piled into the Suburban. These are photos of my cute family at our family party last year. Santa made a special surprise visit, and the kids were really excited... well everyone but Daxton. Check out that picture of him screaming, makes me laugh every time. Is visiting with Santa a tradition at your house?? Do you go to the mall or does he come to you?

Adornit Christmas Supplies

Custom Printed Christmas Cards...

If handmade cards aren't something you want to do this year take some time to visit my sister's new website where she designs and prints high quality cards. She does everything from custom designed wedding announcements, baby announcements, and Christmas cards. Here's a link to her site.