Mugshot Monday: Ornaments

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Today’s prompt is “Mistletoe or humbug?”

It’s never really humbug around here. Today I’m sharing a couple of cherished ornaments. My favorite ornament is still at my parents’ home, and I look for it every year: a toy soldier girl with a wooden body and white cord limbs. She’s so cute, and actually it was my aunt and uncle’s. I loved it so much when I was little, my aunt let me take it home. It’s amazing I haven’t snagged it for my own home yet.

Mugshot Monday: 12/16/2013

This little crystal snowman came from a lovely family… I used to be their babysitter on Saturday nights. (So glad to say we’re all still in touch.) I look forward to seeing my snowman on the tree every year. The way it looks like pure ice; it’s like magic, and I’m giddy, young all over again.

Mugshot Monday: 12/16/2013

My husband and I bought this Swarovski star together in Seattle… I think the Christmas before our daughter was born. I suppose I could look at the year tag hanging on it. I love how the lights bounce off the points. This one always gets placed high up on the tree and in the front.

Mugshot Monday: 12/16/2013

I bought this teacup ornament just a few years ago… thought it was appropriate for today.

Just two more Mugshot Mondays left!

12 Days of Gift Wrapping: Tinsel

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12 Days of Gift Wrapping: Tinsel as a gift topper

Tinsel doesn’t have to stay on your Christmas tree, or hang from the mantel or pine garland. Snip off sections of fluffy, fuzzy tinsel and use it to top off your packages. Cut several pieces and tie in the center to make a puff if the tinsel isn’t as puffy as you’d like it to be.

I bought this particular garland at a local drugstore/convenient store for $2.00… for several yards! It’ll last me years. I’m never running out of toppers, hee hee.

12 Days of Gift Wrapping: Basic supplies, tools and how to pack a gift box

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12 Days of Gift Wrapping, Julie Tiu, Basic supplies

How much fun is it to hang out with people who love to wrap gifts as much as you do? Last week I headed up a gift wrapping workshop, craft class… gathering. Lots. Of. Fun! I prepared way more than the two hours would allow, but that’s okay for my first time teaching gift wrapping (HA, a teacher. Me.)! I definitely have learned some lessons now that I have taught two “craft” classes on my own.

12 Days of Gift Wrapping, Julie Tiu, Basic supplies

So, here we are beyond “Beyond the Bow”. Sort of like Oprah’s “After the Show”. We could call this “Beyond the Bow: After Class”, and I am going to share what we talked about in class, and more.

12 Days of Gift Wrapping, Julie Tiu, Basic supplies

Let’s start with the basic supplies and tools of the trade. Gather your paper, ribbons and trim. (I’ll share some gift tag ideas around Day 11 or 12.) Maybe sooner.

12 Days of Gift Wrapping, Julie Tiu, Basic supplies

I wore a craft apron during the workshop – SO handy. And, no I did not sew it myself (just because you can, doesn’t mean you have to) but I’ll probably put that on the projects-to-do list.

Think of all the things you might use when you’re wrapping gifts: Sharp scissor for paper only, scissors for fabric only, tape measure, fancy-edge scissors, craft blade, hole punch.

12 Days of Gift Wrapping, Julie Tiu, Basic supplies

Other things you should have on hand: tape (Scotch brand, double-sided and regular), glue gun (for embellishments, later in the week). Note: Do not put the glue gun in your apron.

And here is my pair of multi-blade scissors (I made these crepe paper flowers with them last year.).

12 Days of Gift Wrapping, Julie Tiu, Basic supplies

One of the things that I didn’t think of for the class is – how do you pack a gift box with fragile items? Here’s how I do it. Prepare your gifts and your gift box with plenty of tissue paper (see the following pictures). Continue reading, there’s more!

Mugshot Monday: Fall, Change, December

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Mugshot Monday: December

Happy December. And here we are kicking it off with some Joe-Joe’s.
The shame of it is, I should’ve bought more.

And a bonus mugshot taken the other morning. No snow on the ground… yet.

Mugshot Monday: Fall and Change

Having Thanksgiving late last month is messing with me… we’re closing in on Christmas and I need to accept that the 50,000 projects I have swirling in my head aren’t going to happen in three weeks. I’ll be busy with:

  • Prepping for our cookie party (next weekend),
  • Decorating and decluttering (tidying up, I try to do every day and fail),
  • Teaching a gift wrapping class this week (which I’m really looking forward to).

Then there was my idea of handcrafting all my Christmas gifts this year. Yeah. And I wonder why I get so “cray, cray” at myself this time of the year, every year. I used to really, really, love Christmas. I do still love Christmas. It is my favorite holiday. But it’s different, or I’ve changed.

I find myself doing things that need attention do versus the things I want to do – and that’s because in years past, oh I’d forgotten some bills in the piles of mail on my desk. Oh, there’s loads of neglected laundry to do because I’d been out and about enjoying the sights, shopping, etc.

Gotta say, not big into shopping so much – at least on weekends, and that’s when my husband can go out. I’m finding it harder and harder to go to the malls, the big box places. I would much rather go to art and craft fairs, small stores, or even make things myself (of course, that’s what I really want to do). But, realistically, it’ll be another, “I’m gonna do that next year…”

It has been a good year, losses and all. Wrote more postings, made friends along the way. I did submit my first article to GeekMom (yay!)… link to my pillow tutorial here!

Starting next week, I’ll share some gift wrapping lessons from my class prep, and then after about 10-12 tips, we’ll call it a day. I’m “closing up shop” from the website to focus energy on family, home, holiday activities. I’ll still be active on the Facebook page, and I would soooo love it if you joined me there.

See you all back here next week!

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