A New Year Party Banner & a New Adventure

.........A New Year.........

A Party Banner & A New Adventure

I find myself too comfortable in the way I’ve always done things. I like routines, schedules, and familiar places. I like to know what I am getting into before I commit. I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions because I make little changes as I go rather than one big push for something new all at once.

This year I’m trying something different. I don’t have a specific resolution, just a challenge. I want to push myself to try new things. Jump into new projects and see what happens. Change is hard but how else do you grow?

I’ll start to step out of my comfort zone by learning something new. There are so many things I want to learn, photography, design on the computer, home improvement, business, painting, repairs, publishing…lots of stuff. If I get a chance, I’d like to share what I learn with all of you throughout the next year.

I’d like to challenge you to try this little adventure too by doing something outside of your comfort zone. Maybe we can try something new and learn together. What do you want to try?

P.S. Here is some inspiration for a New Years Party. Enjoy!

Have a Happy New Year!

A Merry Christmas to All

..........A Merry Christmas to All..........
Wishing you and yours a Merry & Bright Holiday!

A Simple Snowflake Card

....A Simple Snowflake ....
Last Minute Christmas Card Idea

Sometimes simple is better. This is especially true when Christmas is just around the corner. If you need a quick card idea, this simple card is for you. You can make it like this:

A Merry Little Christmas Hot Cocoa Gift

..A Merry Little Christmas..
Easy to Make Hot Cocoa Neighbor Gift

I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays.  I’m trying to make all my Christmas preparations a bit simpler so I don’t stress out so much. A sweet little Christmas with my family sounds much better than an exhausted mom missing out on the family time. This year I just want a merry little Christmas with cozy comforts like hot cocoa and fuzzy socks. What a fun thing to share with the people I care about! 

This is an easy to make hot cocoa gift if you want to share the warm cozy feeling with your neighbors too. I used the Home for Christmas Paper Stack from DCWV to decorate the can of hot cocoa. 
Have yourself a very Merry Christmas!

A Warm Welcome Yarn Wreath

........A Warm Welcome........
A Yarn-Wrapped Christmas Wreath 

Welcome to winter! It has arrived in a furious winter snow storm but inside is warm and wonderful. My family all snuggled together to watch our favorite shows. There is nothing like cozy evenings with the family all around.

With the weather so cold outside I thought a cozy wreath welcoming guests would warm us all up. The colors remind me of peppermint candy canes with hot chocolate...yummy.

Here are the directions for you to make one too:

Bless You Tissues

..God Bless You Tissues..
A Practical & Cute Neighbor Gift

There are so many sweets passed around at Christmas I think something practical may be a fun change. This is a little package of tissues that you could give to a co-worker or a friend at school. You could use the same idea for neighbor gifts with full size tissue boxes. This is how you make them:

May God bless you with peace, love, and joy this holiday season and always!

Remember the Reason Scripture Booklet

..Remember the Reason..
A Scripture a Day Booklet

This next craft is really simple and easy to make but takes some thought to find which scriptures to include. The craft is a cute little booklet of scriptures for each day leading up to Christmas. It doesn't necessarily have to start on December first. It could be just for the last week or two. Each page opens up to reveal a scripture about what Christmas is about, the story of Christ's birth, or something Jesus taught.

One of Christ's teachings that I thought was perfect for the season was "Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" [Matthew 25:40]. This is a great opportunity to talk about when we give gifts to each other and do nice things for each other, it is like a birthday presents for Jesus. This is one of my favorites but you could use any scriptures that are meaningful to you.

Here are the instructions if you would like to make this craft for your family, a close friend, or a missionary:

I have another Christmas craft to share with you soon. Until then have a wonderful day!

The Reason for the Season Christmas Card

...........The Reason for the Season............
Christmas Crafts Celebrating Christ's Birthday

This holiday season is the perfect time to remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas...not the presents or the fun get-togethers, but that Christ was born. I certainly don't want to get rid of the wonderful traditions we all enjoy, but maybe we could fit more of Christ back into Christmas.

When my children were very young it was so easy to teach them why we have Christmas. I would tell them that Christmas was to celebrate how excited we are that Christ was born. It represents his birthday. They insisted we must have balloons and cake for Jesus. So we did. Now that they are older we don't talk about it so much. I think we may just have to have cake and balloons again this Christmas. I should have made it a tradition a long time ago.

Christmas Swivel Card

This swivel card is a great handmade reminder of the reason for the season. 

Here is how you make it:

I have a few more Christmas crafts celebrating the reason for this wonderful season. I want to share them with you soon. So come back to visit again.

Celebrate all Month Advent Calendar

...Celebrate all Month....
Mitten Advent Calendar

Holidays are meant for celebrating. Why not celebrate all month long? This advent calendar is made with simple mitten shapes strung on yarn that already comes with mini pompoms sewn into it. The numbers are cut straight out of the paper stack making it super simple to create. {I used the Christmas Creations Paper Stack by DCWV.} You can write a fun activity on the back of each mitten or glue two mittens back to back to make a pocket for a special treat.

If you run a bit late with all the holiday projects on your list, you can make a mitten a day to add to the garland until you have them all. Then they will be ready to use again next year. Your advent calendar will make every day something to celebrate.

I've made the mitten template below for you. Scale it to whatever size you like best. 
Happy holiday crafting!