Sending holiday cheer

It's December and I'm ready for all the Christmas cards to start appearing in my mailbox. If you have sent me a card in the last 10 years, I have it. Heck, if you have EVER written me anything, I have it. That includes notes passed in 7th grade and the first ever e-mails I received in college. With us moving, I am slowly trying to get rid of such things because no one wants to see my high school angst in print. But looking through past Christmas cards, I just can't toss them. And I really don't want my friends and family to toss mine. I want my card to get Oooos and Ahhhhs.

Lucky for me I work at Night Owl Paper Goods, a local stationery studio which means I am surrounded by pretty. Now, by local I mean we are a small business hidden away in an industrial part of town but we ship worldwide and can count Paper Source and Papyrus as clients. And by pretty I mean I want everything we make. We make a lot too — cards for every occasion, calendars, journals, bookmarks, custom wedding invitations and more.

Note cards and journals featuring the art of Dolan Geiman.

These critters are so cute! I've already got one.

I am biased* but here the best reasons you should order your Christmas cards, like me, from Night Owl Paper Goods:

1. COMPLIMENTS. Last year, I had several folks go out of their way to tell me how much they liked our Christmas card. That had never happened to me before. If it's a competition to send the best card, I won. I plan to win again this year.

2. SERVICE. Our custom card team of Megan and Josh are crazy quick. I work with these folks and was amazed how fast they got me a proof and then worked with me to get the best resolution on my photos. They are working hard right now to make every customer happy.

3. CHOICES. Close to 180 designs to personalize. Flip your card over, 12 choices of backgrounds. Choose your envelope color. You can design it to look exactly how you want.

4. QUALITY. Once your card is printed — either on pretty wood or nice, thick paper  — we check for any errors/blemishes and then check again. I can tell you, we only let the best ship out. I don't think it will surprise my friends that as a perfectionist, quality control is an area I really shine. All our products are made in the USA using eco-friendly processes. And you should see how much we recycle.

The only problem I have with ordering my Christmas cards from Night Owl is choosing which card. I have a tough time deciding. Below are some of the contenders … friends and family will just have to check their mailboxes soon to see what I decided.

* Just like last year, I receive an employee discount. Opinions expressed are my own. Oh, you want a discount too? Use Merry2014 to get 15% off!

Santa vs. Joseph

Oh my Will, always so happy to see Santa and tell him what to bring for Christmas. 

Joseph on the other hand ...

He wants nothing to do with the big guy in red. 

This year I suggested Joseph try standing next to Santa. But no, I was not even 

going to get that. Tears people, tears! I may or may not have yelled, "Stop crying. This is 

suppose to be fun!" I had backed down by the time we got to Bass Pro (yep, because

they have games and activities and 4-wheelers). But Santa didn't give up as easily ...

Santa waved a candy cane. Joseph looked up at me. I told him if he wanted the candy cane

he'd have to get it himself. So slowly, slowly Joseph inched closer. He got the candy cane 

but let his guard down for just a second because Santa reached both hands out and plopped 

Joseph on his lap. So fast I didn't have time to say that's okay Santa, no need to push. 

But there Joseph sat. I waited for the screaming and wailing. But Joseph just ... pouted. 

There were a few chuckles from fellow parents as the photographer clicked away. Not sure if Joseph even talked to Santa. He says he did but I did not see an exchange. 

And the candy cane is mine! 

(For non-locals, Joseph is posing here like Vulcan.) 

Happy to forget all the drama and get back to playing.

And you can't go to Bass Pro and not

sit on a 4-wheeler. Heck, I even sat on one.

Halloween 2013

What's that you say? Halloween was two weeks ago? It ain't over until I document it. Which means Halloween 2012 is still going strong. I sure thought I had posted pictures. There is at least one photo of Will.

Halloween this year was ... interesting. The four-year-old took full control of his costume. While Will always picks his costume, Nana or Mommy are the ones that make it appear. Not so with Joseph. He had an idea and told me what he needed to be an American Striped Fox.

You may ask, what is an American Striped Fox? It's a fox with stripes. It eats wild chicken, wild pigs, wild cows, pretty much anything wild. It can come in several color combinations — red and black, orange and black, orange and yellow and black. They are friends with bunnies and kittens. If you want to know anything at all about American Striped Foxes, just ask Joseph. 

No, it's not a real animal. See Joseph got a stuffed tiger for his birthday back in May. Striper immediately joined Baby Bunny and Joseph on all their adventures. About a month ago, Joseph declared Striper to be an American Striped Fox. (And no, he had not seen "What Does the Fox Say?"). Forget the Batman PJs already picked out, Joseph was going to be an American Striped Fox too. So basically, Joseph dressed up as his favorite stuffed friend. Sweet, I know.

Blurry but American Striped Foxes are very hard
to photograph in the wild! Good view of the tail.

But Halloween was coming fast. How could we pull this off? I told Joseph I would be happy to make his mask (I'm thinking felt, thread and a couple of nights in front of the TV) but Joseph ran to his room bringing out the mask he decorated at Art at Avondale Park the week before. I got red sweatpants and a turtleneck at the big consignment sale. Joseph helped paint stripes of yellow, orange and black. The tail — oh, I love the tail — was sewn in five seconds by a willing friend who knows her way around a sewing machine. It is a red T-shirt stuffed with polyfill. She sewed the tail to another strip of T-shirt so it was easy to tie around Joseph's waist. He decided not to paint it. Again, he knew what he wanted. 

Joseph asked for a costume for Striper  — 5 seconds
before trick-or-treating!

Will's costume was a little easier. Nana got him some skeleton PJs (PJs are the best for costumes —you're already dressed for bed!). But to make it a little more his style, Will wanted to be a Minecraft skeleton. Not familiar with the computer game? Just ask any little boy ages 8-12 within 30 feet of you (and probably their dads too) and they can tell you all about it. (If you are curious, Will only plays the creative mode, no mindless destroying of things/animals is allowed, and a majority of the time Will is playing next to a parent with a watchful eye. We like Mindcraft for the building aspect. Dad and son are working on an elaborate town — it even has an art museum.)

I got the bow printout here but made the grayscale pattern for the
head myself using InDesign when I couldn't find a ready-made one.

Like Halloweens past, we hit the school Harvest Festival the day before and then on actual Halloween night we walked our street with our neighbor pals and then headed two streets over to walk a few more streets with a longtime friend that has a street as nice as ours. Meaning the neighbors know the kids are coming and have goodie bags or full-sized candy bars waiting. Both boys got plenty of candy! The night ends back on our street at Mavis and Shea's annual Harvest party complete with apple bobbing and hot funnel cakes. After inhaling a bunch of sugar and maybe two bites of apple, the boys go to bed and then mommy does the importing job of "sorting" the candy. One of the best nights of the year!

Trick-or-treaters on our street always know to stop at Mr. Ed's house.
He's got the full-size candy bars!

This mini Stig and Mindcraft skeleton have been
trick-or-treating together since 2006.  

The candy is not even all gone and Joseph is already thinking ahead to next Halloween ... 

He's going as a Beetle Slug!*

*I'm told they wear yellow pants and like to use their amour 

to defend themselves from big brother attacks.

Happy 4th of July!

Multiplying rabbits!

You know all the old jokes about rabbits and their reproductive habits? 

Here's one: How are bunnies like calculators? They can multiply real fast! 

Well, bunnies tend to multiply around my house too. I'm not just talking about the dust bunnies either. At the moment, Joseph has nine stuffed bunnies in play — there's Baby Bunny, Momma Bunny, Grey Bunny, Snow Bunny, New Bunny ('cause he was new duh), Blue Bunny, another Blue Bunny and several waiting for names. (Let's not even count the secondary puppy dogs, dinos and bears that cover his bed.)

Time to make more bunnies for Easter!

So clever! So easy to make! Oh Happy Day

From my favorite folks at Mr. Printables. They also
 have a giant egg for coloring and an egg hunt
 board game. Hope you asked the Easter Bunny
 to bring you more ink.

Clever Martha folks. Pompom noses (and tails) always please me.

These cuties are going to multiply all over my house. Besides
using it as a garland, I love the idea from Printable Paper Craft by Happy Thought
to attach them to sticks and decorating the yard.

I couldn't find an original source for this picture.
What a cute prop for Easter pictures with the kids.

On the tree 2012

What? You say it's January 2013? I'm still catching up on my December posts ...

Here are the ornaments the boys received from Aunt Catherine this last year. Still one of the traditions of Christmas that I look forward to the most. Past ornaments here and here.

By far, this was my favorite ornament on the tree this year! Will made this nativity at school with his "seventh grade buddies." (I remember making fun crafts with my "eighth grade buddy" when I was Will's age.) So the big bean at the bottom is Joseph, the middle bean is Mary and that teeny-tiny black-eyed pea is the baby Jesus. So adorable! I love just about everything the boys create and will be hanging this one on the tree for years to come.

(Free) Thanksgiving activities for the kiddos

Activity Place Mat

Whatever DeeDee Wants

Turkey Feathers Game

The Idea Room

Sticker Activity Book

Our Wonderfilled Life

Roll a Turkey Game (two versions)

Be Different Act Normal

Turkey Leg Placecard (fill with goodies)

Beurrista

Decorate the Whole Table

Paper Glitter

Halloween paper bag pumpkins

I had the pleasure of being the substitute teacher for 8 (EIGHT!) two-year-olds yesterday. Being the day before Halloween, we read books about pumpkins and made pumpkins to take home.

Super easy folks, especially for the age group I had. I drew the faces, let the kids have fun coloring then stuffed the bags with newspaper (3 sheets was a good number for fullness). Twist the top, add a green pipe cleaner and leaves if you want. You're done. 

This would also be a cute way to send lunch to school.

Happy Halloween!

For the love of all things considered

I love NPR. I love these NPR valentines.

Reporters really do love cake, as do photographers and page designers, the night security guard, etc. It's a big compliment. Find more journalistic humor here, here, here and here. If you need to ask who, what, when, where and why, no need to click : )

Valentines for everyone else

Want to pass out valentines just like the kiddos? Here's some grown-up options ...

I know Will would have loved to hand these army men to his classmates but the song lyrics would totally be lost on them. However, my peers would chuckle. From Jac o' lyn Murphy.

I think the whole country is falling for Mr. Bates. And if you don't know who I'm talking about, get thee Season 1 of Downton Abbey straight away! A big thanks to Chad Thomas for designing four valentines for the Abbey obsessed. Get them here.

I'm a fan of Hallmark. Worked there for several years and loved it. Valentine's Day was always fun because we'd stay open late for those guys (yes, it was mostly guys) needing last-minute presents. But if you are no where near a store, here's some options to print at home ...

Card and coupons from How About Orange

Five pretty options from Sweet Muffin Suite

I think anyone would love to receive this sweet sentiment from The Letter 4.

If you're on Pinterest as much as I am (come on, admit it) then you have probably seen these felt arrows from Homework. About to make a half dozen myself to decorate with. Would also make cute gift toppers or individual valentines for friends. 

Find more inspiration on my Valentine's ideas Pinterest board.

Felt Christmas trees

Two years ago, I spied beautiful felt Christmas trees on Creature Comforts. Last year, I made some. This year, I'm sharing them with you. 

I don't have decent photos or a full-blown tutorial, but the process is pretty simple:

I made a cardboard template to trace lots and lots of "leaves." Not sure what to call them. I curved the top to help the pieces lay flat when pinned with straight pins to the styrofoam cone.

Start pinning ...

Keep pinning ... and cutting because even if you cut out a hundred, it won't be enough ...

And finished. Decorate your mantle or wherever. Christmas robot candle optional.

For the two trees on the left, I used several variations of green to give them a natural look. I experimented with easy-to-cut squares for the smallest (and not surprisingly, the last to be made tree). The tree on the right I used just one color green and added pops of color for "ornaments."

Yes, you still have time to put this on your to-do list! If you make one, I'd love to see pictures.

Linking to Creative Me Monday and Made by You Monday.

Happy Lego-ween!