Reflections This Christmas 2023
There are just a few more days until Christmas. Nobody panic! I suspect that if you’re not panicking it is either because you’re got everything under control or you don’t but you’re just too tired to panic at this point. My kids are still in school, so I think that makes it easier navigate this lead up to Christmas when we’re still operating with our normal school and work schedules. I have spent some time this month, while the energy of Christmas swirls around me, reflecting on our year. Our life this year has been, I’m sure, similar to other people’s lives. The horrors persist, but so do we. Hahaha!…
How The Royals Made The Christmas Tree Popular
Buckle up because we are taking a very quick romp through history to learn the fascinating reason why society is obsessed with Christmas trees today. Because it hasn’t always been that way. Not even close. When you think of a Christmas tree your mind probably conjures up the image of an evergreen tree of some sort. Evergreen trees have long held symbolic meaning for ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Druids. Evergreen trees were believed to be able to keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness. Evergreens also symbolized life during the winter months when the various sun gods or agriculture gods were believed to be sick. (source) No pressure or…
Happy List: #326
Hello! Welcome to today’s Happy List. I’m thrilled to have you join this party. And by party I mean a brief respite from the demands of the world. We all need that from time to time, don’t we? This week on the blog I shared 10 handmade gift ideas that I’ve made in the past. If I love something, I figure someone else will too! I also shared how Christmas in our music room looks this year. I’m extra thankful this time of year that my parents always found a way to pay for my piano lessons and endured my whining about practicing. As always, thank you for reading this…
Christmas In Our Music Room
Music is an integral part of our lives. I, alone, listened to 47,000 minutes of music on Spotify last year. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that there’s a touch of Christmas in our music room this holiday season. And I don’t mean from the holiday carols being played at the piano. Although, you can bet your holly jolly that’s happening regularly too. When I say there’s a “touch” of Christmas in our music room, that’s code for “I got carried away folding origami trees and they needed a place to go.” Do you know how many origami trees you can fold while watching a movie? Since this is…
10 Handmade Gifts You Still Have Time To Make This Christmas
Unless you’re reading this five minutes before gifts will be opened, I assure you, there is still time to make handmade gifts this Christmas. I’m not talking about a handmade gift that is so involved that you have to shear the sheep in order to make your own yarn so you can knit something scratchy no one wants to wear. No, no, no. Heaven forbid. How about some sentimental gift ideas or semi-handmade gift ideas instead? Those are right up my alley and yours too, I’m sure. Here are 10 handmade gifts you still have time to make this Christmas that will actually be used and enjoyed by their intended…
Happy List: #325
Hello! Welcome to this week’s Happy List. I am thrilled that you’ve joined us. Also, happy first day of Hanukkah for those celebrating! This week on the blog was all about the Christmas reveals. I showed how I decorated our dining room fireplace using origami trees. That’s my favorite one to decorate. I also shared how I decorated our Christmas tree this year using ornaments that I made. I love how it turned out. As always, thank you for reading this blog. It makes us so happy to share this space on the internet with you. If you want to share the blog or an idea we post on social…
Pink and Navy Christmas Tree With Handmade Ornaments
Nothing says Christmas like pink and blue, right? Ha! It might not be traditional, but my pink and navy Christmas tree is certainly making our home feel festive this Christmas season. The best part, to me, is that other than the ribbon, every single ornament on the tree is handmade by yours truly. I’m the only elf in this workshop and I’ve been busy. I painted the mini wood trees. I cut the paper snowflakes. I folded the origami trees. Tis the season to be crafty! If it isn’t abundantly clear by now, let me lay it out very plainly. I really just like to make things – all different…
Origami Trees Christmas Mantel Decor
A forest of origami trees has sprung up on my Christmas mantel. Teach me how to fold paper into origami trees and I won’t stop until I run out of paper or my mantel is all decorated for Christmas. I’m not even exaggerating. What else does one do with an ever-growing collection of origami trees besides decorate a Christmas mantel? Was there any other choice? I suppose… I know this might sound far out there but hear me out. I suppose I could have learned how to fold something other than trees. Nah. That’s crazy talk! I’m content to be the one hit wonder of origami. While I may only…
Happy List: #324
Hello! Welcome to the Happy List. I’m so glad you’re here. I don’t want to alarm you if you haven’t checked the date but it is December 1. Finally! It’s actually felt like December for a few weeks now. I’ve been checking the calendar for days now thinking it’s already December since the internet seems to have moved on to the Christmas but I was wrong every time. This week was all about ornaments on the blog. It’s the best time of year to be crafty! I shared my origami tree ornaments with the cutest wood star topper. I also shared the mini wood tree ornaments that I customized with…
The Cutest Painted Wood Tree Ornaments
No matter if you’ve been naughty or nice, I have tree-t for you today: painted wood tree ornaments made from mini unfinished wood trees. These are so satisfying to paint and customize. Without a doubt, the craftspeople who made these mini wood trees on their wood lathes so you and I could turn them into ornaments are on Santa’s nice list. No coal for them! Like all of my best crafty ideas, this one is quick, easy, and completely customizable to your color scheme. Let’s get started. Supplies needed to make these painted wood tree ornaments: mini wood trees (comes in a 30-pack) paint (craft paint or house paint works)…
