Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Organizational Tip

Take some time each day this week to clear out your email in-box before the new year. This week I deleted thousands of emails to clear my in-boxes for the new year. Email can be just as annoying as junk mail when you just ignore it and leave it in your in-box unread. Sometimes I tell myself, I'm not interested but maybe another day I will be interested in checking out the sale or whatever it is. The truth of the matter is if I don't read emails when I get them it's usually too late by the time I do get around to them.

So a new year's resolution of mine is to stay on top of emails. I plan to make it a priority to keep my in-box clean and uncluttered. Care to join me?

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Photo Ornaments for less than $1.00 each

Last year a good friend of mine, (Helen) showed me an ornament that a family member had made and gifted to different members of her family. This year I gave it a try and loved the outcome. It was so easy and inexpensive I figured I would share in case anyone wants to give it a try next year (sorry I am just getting around to it but December is such a busy month!). Total cost was less than $1 an ornament.

First I purchased clear bulbs (50% off at Hobby Lobby for course).

Then I made a pdf with different size round photos. I had to guess on the size that would fit in the different size ornaments I purchased. You can practice but printing on regular paper and cutting and inserting into the glass ornament (use tweezers if you get it stuck).

After that I had the pdf's printed at Office Max on transparency paper. This is a clear paper that usually people use on a projector that displays on the screen when light shines through it. I could get about 6 circle photos on one 8.5x11 sheet and it cost me $0.70 for black and white or $1.40 or so for color. Much better in my opinion than buying the pack of 50 sheets for $50 only to print out home using my ink.. My gosh, that would be 300 ornaments worth and a lot of ink!

When you pick them up after they are printed there is white paper behind them. This makes it easy to see that they printed correctly and in my opinion easier to cut into circles.

After you cut them out you roll them up and insert them into the glass ornaments, they just pop open. You only need one per ornament. Note if you cut too small they will rotate in your ornament, this could be a good thing or a bothersome thing. 

Then comes the fun part where you get to tie ribbon on them or put fake snow inside them. Next year I might try some colorful beads at the bottom. This year I just used glitter on a few and fake snow on the rest.

As you can see, when the light shine through the photo is visible from both directions.

Good luck!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Flowers

Have a mentioned lately what a wonderful husband I have? I came home the other night to these beautiful flowers. No occasion or real reason... just a little note that he loves me. December is a busy month for most everyone, how sweet he was to go out of his way to do something special for me when there is so much stuff going on. I'm so blessed!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Our 2010 Christmas Card- Finally ordered!

Here is the general idea of our Christmas card photo for our cards this year... I ordered the cards on snapfish for 30%off plus free shipping (1208MERRY, expires today). The card has the decorative border around it and says, "Have a Merry Christmas and a GRAND new year!"

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Snapfish- Photobooks 50% off

Snapfish photobooks are 50% off until December 17th with the coupon code 1211MERRY.

What a steal!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Our 2010 Christmas Card

I've been thinking really hard for months now about what to do for our Christmas card. I really liked how last year's turned out and I'm running out of time to get this years done and mailed.

Here is 2009 card (children names omitted)...
 Today I finally decided what to do for our card! I think it may even top last years. ;) Stay tuned...