Hear that Debra Anne--NO PRESSURE. You are hereby ordered to be yourself, in all your boring glory!
Awww...I really like this feeling. :D
*****
So, what's on the agenda for today?
*getting at least 10 more Christmas cards made and ready to mail (I really need to learn the art of mass production, instead of trying to make so many "different" cards)
Here's the first one of the day.
*wrap gifts for final two boxes that need mailed, and get boxes ready to mail (I'm somewhat mortified that I don't have all boxes mailed already, but hopefully there's still plenty of time)
*wrap at least ten gifts for under our tree (I love wrapping presents!)
Here's the first one of the day. I love simple raffia ribbon. And using photo corners to paste on simple gift tags.
*finish Subject To Debate, an awesome collection of essays by Katha Pollitt (I can't thank Ana enough for introducing her to me!)
*make list of what I'm baking this year (usually I have several things baked and in the freezer by now *sigh*)
*enjoy the beautiful snow falling
Okay, off to conquer...
Yay for Debi-blogs! :)
ReplyDeleteCan I tell you a secret, Debi? I used to make a lot of homemade cards. I used to do a lot with rubber stamping and scrapbooking. I had so much fun with it. But then I came to realize I was using it as a way of avoiding life. I would become obsessed with it and think of nothing else for months at a time, getting irritated when anyone or anything took me away from it. When I realized that, I painfully decided I needed to get rid of all of it. In 2007, I sold my entire collection of stamps and supplies. I had enough to fund myself on two trips to NYC and one to Chicago - that'll show you how much I'd amassed over the years. Sometimes I really miss it, but I know that if I start again, I'll start ignoring my kids and I'll stop writing/reading/everything else. Yeah. So it's good to see you do these things. It gives me a little taste of vicarious living. :)
OK...I found you. Whew! I actually stumbled across this yesterday when looking for your other blog and wondered what you were up to here. I hope it is OK if I follow you here!
ReplyDeleteVery cool! I make homemade cards every once in a while, and I love it! It's been a while, though. I really enjoy wrapping presets as well. It's very calming for me.
ReplyDeleteIt's all I can do to address and sign cards I buy; I so admire you for doing the beautiful ones you do. Just don't let it become something you HAVE to do as opposed to WANT to do. That said, I can't wait to see the one you send us!
ReplyDeleteTo wrap a present (Martha Stewart) - Purchase 3 yards of cerulean dyed linen, preferably Egyptian cotton. Cut box from silver-gloss cardstock, and fold, reinforcing with stainless steel silverware handles in the corners, welded together into a quick frame. Wrap, in linen, following diagram on page 77. Cut a straight ribbon of vintage green silk velvet, and wrap, using a whimsical half-windsor for the knot.
ReplyDeleteTo wrap a present (Ms Debi) - Find a large sheet of nice paper around the house. Custom stamp a design on paper. Wrap carefully, making sure to properly fold the corners. Finish with a raffia ribbon, and a name tag with photo corners.
To wrap a present (Jason) - Find wrapping paper. This may take some time, so make sure and leave a good evening for it. Find scissors, tape, etc (see above for time constraints). Wrap present, trying to remember how you saw your mom do the corners when you were a kid. End up taping present to left hand. Unwrap present, and rewrap, serviceably, but agonize over the soggy corners. Unwrap, accidentally dropping and breaking present. Go to store. Buy new present. Come home, wrap a third time, only to realize you now have approximately 1/2 inch too short a piece of paper remaining. Using advanced math skills, wrap in way that somehow covers the present. Place under tree. Immediately pick up present and stuff under shirt, as tape gives way and entire wrap job falls to the floor. Run back to room. Look through bag of present bags salvaged from previous years Christmas. Find one, put present in. USe stapler to close bag. OPTIONAL: Check that bag doesn't have someone else's name on it from last year.
Mwahahahahha, FOUND YOU *stalks*
ReplyDeleteI LOVE rafia ribbons as well! And wrapping presents, even though I always do a pathetic job, and my method is more like Jason's :P And since we're listing things we love - YOU!
I haz a Debi again!!!! I love the new place Debi :) It be a u ti ful! As are your cards and your gorgeous wrapping job there!! I really love wrapping gifts too. It's something about it that just puts me in a fantastic mood. I love watching people unwrap their gifts even more! I just wish I could watch you unwrap yours :( I love Jason's way of wrapping :p
ReplyDeleteSee? Told you I would find you. Duh. You are not very secretive!! Besides, I can stalk with the best of them!!
ReplyDeleteI love the cards. I SO wish I had the time to be creative. There are so many crafts and stuff I would love to be able to do. I'm still working hard on finishing my friends baby blanket before he's born. Hell, at this rate, I hope I finish before the little bugger starts high school!!
Now that you are shiny and new, don't forget about me....all old and dented!
Thanks for the address Debi.. i would have found you some way or another! I admit I don't always leave comments but you are one of the blogs I read everyday (well, everyday that you write a post..heh) I don't know exactly what happened but I am glad you are still around!!!
ReplyDeleteI raise my coffee mug to finding home made stuff in the freezer!! here, here! :o)
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteHoly sugar monkeys!!! And I thought I had a lot of scrapbooking supplies. :D But I can definitely understand why you gave it up. When something becomes that much of an obsession, it fails to be fun anymore. I wish I had more time for it. It's pretty much my creative outlet. I'm not much of a writer, but it's sort of the way I tell our stories. Or at least those are my favorite kind of layouts anyway.
Kara,
I can't believe you even said that, woman! You better KNOW that it's okay for you to read this blog! Just be prepared for even more of my boring drivel. ;)
Melanie,
Calming...yes! That's exactly how I find wrapping presents, too! (Well, except when I have 50 left to go and 3 minutes left to do it, that is.)
Jean,
I do love making cards, but I have to admit it would be a hell of a lot less stressful if I would start earlier. Of course, knowing this and following through are two entirely different matters.
Jason,
Okay, so it's probably totally uncool to admit this, but I literally peed my pants a little from laughing so hard. I kid you not. Glad I was at home.
Ana,
You better KNOW I wasn't hiding!!! Certainly not from you!!!!!!!!!!
Rich pretty much follows the Jason-method as well. Which, believe it or not, is a huge improvement over the way his mother wraps (she simply leaves things in the bag they came home from the store in and ties some string around the top of the bag...okay, she doesn't always do that, but sometimes she does...hey, it works, right?).
Chris,
Thank you, you sweet thing you!
I'm with you...getting to see someone open their present is like the very bestest part of all!!! Especially when you really nailed the gift. It's like one of the very few reasons I can think of that I'd like to be rich...so I could people more presents. (And I don't say that because I'm nice, I say that because I'm selfish, as it makes ME so happy!)
Stephanie,
I swear I wasn't trying to hide! I just didn't want people to follow me here because they thought they "should" for some reason or another. Know what I mean? Anyway, you better know that I'm sooooooo glad you "found" me. Besides, it's not like I was ever going to stop reading your blog anyway. That will NEVER happen. :D
Pat,
I know just what you mean. You are an everyday delight for me! (Even when I don't comment, I'm always there reading.) And really, nothing happened...it was just more of wanting a fresh start. I'm just goofy sometimes (or more than sometimes, if you ask Rich).
I'm sooooo glad to read your new blog, Debi!!! Did I ever tell you you're a talented mom?! I love homemade cards! Here I'm thinking...if I've some extra time (and without any interruption from my little girls!) I'll probably be able to make some homemade cards but of course it's impossible, haha (besides, I'm lazy!). :P
ReplyDeleteMelody,
ReplyDeleteDid I ever tell you that you're an absolute sweetheart?!! :D
I loved your homemade card. So much so that I think I'll copy it for next year!!!!! My wrapping skills are pretty bad....but I'm learning how to get a bit better every year and how to use less tape!! LOL!! Loving the raffia look!
ReplyDeleteStaci,
ReplyDeleteWell, my wrapping skills aren't all that great either, but I do enjoy doing it. :)