This years cards turned out absolutely gorgeous!
I didn't include seeds this year because I don't think anyone is planting them and with D losing his job money is squeaky tight for seed purchases. I'll be down to having only what I've saved in flower seed and not buying much for veg :( But, I think they look pretty awesome with the other additives in the paper.
Now, if I could just remember to start pressing the flowers in the spring . . .
Did you know that the poinsettia has a special day all its own?
By an Act of Congress, December 12 was set aside as National Poinsettia Day. The date marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who is credited with introducing the native Mexican plant to the United States. The purpose of the day is to enjoy the beauty of this popular holiday plant.
Mexican folktale tells how a poor Mexican girl, with no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas Eve services, gathered some plants (poinsettias) into a bouquet on her way to church. She approached the altar with love and reverence and the bouquet turned into brilliant red blossoms. The flowers are known as the Flores de la Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, and bloom each year during the Christmas season.
Another version says:
It is said that a poor young peasant girl in Mexico on her way to celebrate Christmas at church followed scores of people carrying brilliant gifts to honor baby Jesus, but suddenly felt embarrassed because she had no gift to give.The little girl so desperately wanted to give something of great value and when she could think of nothing, she began to cry.Some people say that a friend of the little girl saw her crying and went over to console her. The little girl confessed that she had nothing to give and her friend told her that any gift from the heart would surely be appreciated.Others say that an angel appeared and told the young girl to pick a bouquet of weeds from the roadside.Either way, the girl picked a handful of weeds from the roadside and continued to church. At church people lined up to place extravagant gifts at the foot of the nativity scene. People looked at the little girl in disbelief as she placed her weeds near the manger.Suddenly the weeds transformed into beautiful red flowers, and everyone who witnessed the gift swore they had witnessed none other than a Christmas miracle.
And still another version says that the petals turned brilliant red as each of her tears landed on them.
Any way it's told, it is still a good story.
:)
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Pictures removed because they're being stolen by Polyvore!
I got such wonderful responses to last years Seed Paper - Pressed Flower - Rubber Stamped - Christmas Cards , I thought I'd go ahead and do them again this year.
Oh, man! Talk about a deal. Almost as good as the sale I got way back when.
4 Poinsettias (pots of 3 - red, white, salmon) = .50 cents each.
My grandmother had one she kept coming back for years and years, so for 2 bucks, what the hay, I'll give it a shot! Besides, the large pots themselves were worth the 50 cents. And the hubs makes cardboard boxes, so shouldn't be hard to get some for their 'dark' phase. lol.
5 Cyclamens = .50 cents each. And with pretty, hot pink and gold, woven pot covers! Yeah, another you have to diddle with to come back, but I'm game for the try. My problem is going to be letting them go dormant, I can see it now.
4 Christmas Cactus = .25 cents each. Can you believe I've never had one? Yes, I am hanging my head in shame. What kind of a gardener am I, anyway? Gave one to the oldest daughter to try.
$5.50 for $215.00 worth of plants! Yeah, us geeks actually figured out what they would have been at normal price. Ha! I'm ecstatic!
So, then we hit Kmart's 50% off sale. And . . . I am almost done with my parents for next Christmas! Unreal! I've never been this far ahead. Ever. I've found things here and there sometimes at after Christmas sales, but this was a wicked hit when they still had good stuff left. And I only spent 40 bucks. 40 bucks! I'll still have to get them a few more things, like some Charlie for my step-mom, but dang!
Ran into AC Moore's quick to see if I could find some Christmas stamps for the seedcards next year, and lo and behold - a whole stamp set, ink and all, for 4 bucks! And the hubs actually found it! Good thing he did because some guy came up behind him about twenty seconds later and took ever single one that was still on the shelf!
Oh, and cute little ornament kits for the kids to make as a gift for step-mom for .40 cents. The youngest and I try to find something cool and 'crafty' to do for her every year, so this was perfect.
What a great weekend.
:)
Christmas was cool.
All the children showed up for Christmas Eve din-din. OK, so it was under the threat of penalty of death, but that's besides the point. After Church service with the grandparents, I stuffed their faces and plied them with wine, then watched as they all sprawled across the couch groaning with swollen bellies. It doesn't matter that they couldn't move for 3 hours cause I was happy, and when the Mom is happy, all is well, you know!
But, come Christmas morning there was much head-shaking and eye-rolling in my direction.
What?! So I got some bulbs to force as a gift. So? So - All unwrapping (at least mine) must cease and dirt be immediately strewn across the kitchen counters. Yes, now.
Right. Freaking. Now.
I do not care what is in the next box with the perfect red paper and glorious white bow. These bulbs must meet soil and water post-haste!
Oh, and this afternoon, since it's above freezing and not snowing, you can all help me finish shoveling compost onto the new flowerbed. Yes, on Christmas day.
:)
Yes!
Done!
And they look maar-vel-oos, darling. Simply maar-vel-oos.
The youngest suddenly wanted to help (yeah, I felt her forehead to be sure she wasn't sick) so I let her go at-it finishing a couple. She done good! Well, she was much more careful after I showed her the burn hole in my finger. Damn, that hot glue gun is friggin' HOT. (Hmmm, wonder if that's why they call it hot glue gun? Duh!) Of course, it is a big industrial one ( read: about 1000 degrees!) of the hubby's.
Annnnyway, they really did come out beautiful. The colors seemed to preserve really well using the kitty litter. It took me a few minutes to remember how to make the tassel - I haven't done one in years, but after a couple tries I got it and I did a good job.
Oh! And I've gotten tons of great feedback from the seed cards. People are loving them! The only problem is that they're refusing to plant them because they're too pretty. Sigh. Plant the dang things people...that was the point!
Ok, so I guess I'm stuck making them again next year. I was thinking about it before, but that clinches it. All right, I'm really not 'stuck'. I loved doing them. They were mucho fun! And I'm extremely happy with people enjoying something different for a change. I just have to remember to grab some fern fronds next time. Those Cosmos leaves for filler were a real PITA! Never again.
Tis the season of stress- (sung to the tune of 'Oh, Christmas tree')
Oh, the time is here
should be lots of cheer
what do I buy
for everyone?
And now the snoooow
is thick and deep
I couldn't get oooout
even with a jeep
Oh, Christmas cheer
stress time is here
please hand me
aaaaaanother valium!
I like Christmas. Really, I do. Ok, sorta.
I start with a list, but it never quite pans out.
Damn people everywhere. Move the cart OUT of the middle of the aisle, will ya? Do you not even have a shred of consciousness about cart etiquette, woman?! Sheesh. Ohhh, a sale! Clearance even. But are the sleeves the right length? Hmmm, maybe it shows too much cleavage. What about the color? A little too 'bright'? And I wonder about the hem length. But it's so expensive looking...and on clearance! I should stop worrying and just get it already. Put it in the cart, damnnit, and move on.
But what if it fits wrong? What if they don't like the fabric? OMG - what if they want to return it? They'll know how cheap I am! They'll think I didn't put any thought into their gift at all, but am some cheap, Scroogey, penny-pinching miser. Ok, so I am, but they don't have to know that.
Lady, will you stop crowding me? And again - move your damn cart! Can you not see eighteen people trying to get around that thing with the screeching wheel? Ut-oh, feeling a bit light-headed. What is that smell? Ahhh, the old lady wearing the whole bottle of perfume. And not even a nice perfume.
Where did all these people suddenly come from? Oh. My. God. They are after my clearance finds! No, no, no!
Buddy, I feel for ya. I can see the fear in your eyes. Careful with that elbow, a few of these women look like they may actually bite. Here, I'll make room. Lady, for the tenth time, move that friggin cart or my ass is literally going to move it for you! I will not be pleased when I get home and look in the mirror at the stamped impression of 'cart' on my derriere.
Put the shirt in the cart. Maybe keep one hand on it while it's actually IN the cart because people have been known to snatch-n-grab. There is no politeness in the clearance section, you know.
OK, keep skimming the rack before everything but that gawd-awful hot pink paisley is gone.
Ummm, girly, get your hand off mine. My fingers touched that hanger first. You snooze, you lose, babe. Don't you even dare give me that look! I touched it first, you can't deny it. Curl that lip all you want. I have 4 kids, 2 in their teens- nothing scares me!
Crap! Wrong size. What is with people putting a size twenty-two in the size twelves? They are not interchangeable, you know. Start moving the hanger back to the rack, only to have it snatched outta the hand before it can get within inches of it's previous hanging space. Well, snarling girl is now smiling with triumph with wrong-size shirt in ring-covered hand. Subconsciously, I hope she trips over it on the way to the register, but I give her my brightest toothpaste-whitened smile.
Lordy, the crowd just doubled in size! I swallow the whine in my throat as I hurriedly finger-walk the hangers. I feel the lady to my left tense up. Yeah, honey, I'm moving into your territory. Don't you even try to stop those hanger-flippin' fingers of mine. You're moving to the right - my fingers are flicking left, why not swap my square foot of floor space for yours? Then you can be next to the no-etiquette-won't-move-her-damn-blocking-the-aisle-screechy-cart-lady.
My goodness! A flicker of hope in all the madness. She smiles, nods and gets my drift, as with a wag of my finger we squeeze by each other.
Crap! My cart. It has been left unattended on the opposite side of swap-lady. Well, there's nothing I can do about it now, I must rely on the generosity of fellower pusher-shovers not to five-finger it out of my small square of metal mesh on wheels. I am so trusting!
I'm feeling so much more cheery. I glance at scared-guy, now directly to my left. It's still there: That look of feral-cat-trapped-up-a-tree-by-twenty-ankle-biting-yapping-snarling-pull-you-apart-with-my-teeth christmas shopping women. I feel a little generosity swelling in my tense gut and I give him my brightest grin. "Looking for a certain size?"
He nods, tentatively. "Zero."
Zero? Size freaking zero? Who the hell wears a zero? OK, I don't like him anymore. He's somehow attached to a woman who wears a zero. All right, re-sheath the claws. Maybe it's his poor, shrunken, malnourished mother.
Sadly, I point to the opposite side of the rack. "The smaller sizes are over there," I tell him.
His body falls as a look of devastation washes over his face.
"Sorry," I mumble as he begins to squeeze his way through the pushing, growling throng of women. Hey, he'll be all right - there aren't nearly as many shopping-zombies groping the zero side.
Shoot. There's nothing good at this side of the rack. Reluctant, I distance myself from the beautiful clearance rack and begin to back out of the malay. Yes, my finger tips are no longer within range of the drooping fabrics. It is over. Squeaky-cart-lady finally moves the damn thing as she budges into my vacated space.
I move on, sideswiping three or four don't-know-the-rules-of-the-aisle-cart-drivers. What IS it with people? Is this how they drive their cars too? Maybe I should wander to the camping section and plan on spending the night in a borrowed tent because I certainly don't want to be on the same roads as these uncouth cart drivers. Hey, if a girl can live for weeks in a Wally-world, I can get through one night here.
I must destress and suppress the angst building slowly up from my toes. So, of course, off to the the garden section!
Why has it become so compressed? Do they think people don't garden in winter? For shame! I shake my head sadly, but rejoice in the glow of the few items that do remain on the shelves.
And then my unbelieving eyes spy something much too good to be true. OMG! Paper Whites. A beautifully packaged trio with wonderful, colorful, hand-blown glass vases.
I can't help it, my hands suddenly have a mind of their own as they snatch a box from the shelf.
PERFECT GIFT!
My eyes narrow as they slide from clearance shirt still folded neatly in cold-mesh-on-wheels to glowing vases pressed against my chest. The Paper Whites cost more.
Clearance shirt - glorious vases.
Clearance shirt - fabulous Paper Whites.
The decision making process inside my head takes but mere milliseconds, though my left brain tells me I'm blocking the aisle to the garden center, so hurry the silent argument up.
Ok, the shirt is a prize. An award. Something I won fair and square. There was much more thought put into it than simply plucking a box with alluring hand-blown vases off the shelf. What to do, what to do?
Stop debating! Flowers are much more fun than a shirt, any day. But I fought so hard for the shirt. And if anyone thinks I'm fighting my way back to the clearance rack to replace that shirt, they are nutballs! Nutballs, I tell you!
Casually, I place the shirt in the recently vacated box spot.
I feel a tingle of Christmas cheer. The perfect gift for the person it will be given to. I can wheel my way through the throngs of people buying things for people who don't need them and don't want them to begin with, with money they don't have to spare, cradling my perfect gift.
And plants save Christmas - again.
The kissing ball ornaments.
I can't decide whether to just paint the styro balls or dye the corn husks and cover them that way. Maybe I should just leave the husks as are to cover the styro? Hmmm...
I have lots of flowers dried and ready, including goldenrod for filler.
I still haven't decided on ribbon color yet, for pete sake!
Maybe I'll start with the bottom tassles and go from there on ribbon colors. I don't know. Red is probably out as it would clash with the dried flower colors. I have a nice earthy green. I love a nice navy I have, but not so good for Christmas?
Honestly, I've never been this indecisive on a craft project before! Anyone done these and have any tips?
Inside card
I ended up gluing a 4-leaf clover inside each card, too. I had to do something with that mountain! Maybe they'll bring everyone else some Christmas luck. :)
Below are a few examples of the finished cards. I did 20. Maybe I should do a few more...just in case.
And here are the cute little hedgehog envelopes they'll make the mail trip in. I hope the delicate flowers survive! The postal system can be brutal.
I am so darn glad I gave this a try this year. I hope the recipients enjoy getting something other than the normal Christmas card! If I'm lucky, They'll actually plant them and enjoy the flowers, but I'm not holding my breath. lol.
Hmmm, I had so much fun doing these, maybe I'll make this a yearly tradition! Ooooo, must grow new, interesting flowers to press! Wow, could I enable myself a little more?
(EDIT: They looked much neater - flatter, smoother - after I pressed them and cleaned up the edges! I wonder how those patterned edging scissors would make them look. hmmm...)
Yup, yup. I got an amaryllis. Yay!
I was kind of shocked considering my SM has never really acknowledged the fact that I like plants and flowers.
Of course, it had to be planted immediately, which was a good thing since it already had nice plump buds and had sprouted a foot in the box. It's ghostly white from lack of light (getting a touch of greeness now) and bent in a curve from being in the box, but it should be fine if it can manage the cool temps a bit.
The kids were good and followed directions as far as not buying us anything. I thought for sure they'd try to sneak something. Although, I'm disappointed they didn't make me the cards. Boogers!
Hopefully the weather will cooperate and I'll be able to start WSing this weekend. I'm toying with the idea of waiting a while since the temps have been so wacky, but I may explode with impatience before then! I must have handled the seed packs fifty times in the last week, grinning like a fool all the while. What IS it about seeds? Maybe I have some weird seed-obsessive disorder. Not a bad thing to have and I know I'm not alone in this as-yet-to-be-medically-proven disease. They should research what physical effect gardening has on people. I can imagine being hooked up to tons of wires and machines and someone sticking a packet of seeds or a beautiful plant in front of my nose - the machines would explode. lol.
I imagine I'll give in and do a few containers and hold off on the majority. I can't help it! :) It's awful - like being a kid that opened the toy they wanted most for Christmas, but not being able to touch it!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Here's looking forward to 2007 arriving and praying it will be much better than 2006 was. Hey, how could it not be? Thanks to Kim, I have seeds to play with! I'm making progress on coming to terms with what my mother did to me, and D and our kids are happy and healthy, so what more could I ask for?
Ho, Ho, Ho!
Click it and go have a jolly chuckle at my expense!
Enjoy!
One Month of Free Club Pogo
Happy Holidays!
With the corn therapy bags done, (and all those corn husks for the compost bin) I'm on to a cross-stitched stocking for my Dad. I certainly don't have time to do a complete stocking in cross-stitch, but I found some really cute patterns in some old magazine to do just a cuff with, and I'll make the rest from fabric.
I plan on filling it with cookies, and I have a really, really good sugar cookie recipe, but just one kind is sort of boring. Does anyone happen to have a good cookie recipe, or can point me to a good one? It has to be simple ingredients though, nothing extravagant that I'll have to buy. (ok, sorry, like you know what's in my cupboards!) Just no nuts, cream cheese, fruits or fancy extracts and stuff.
I know, I know...hard to make anything but sugar cookies with basic flour, sugar and eggs, but I'm hoping someone has something simple they've always made that's awesome.
Tall order. Why do men have to be so difficult when it comes to gifts?
The corn therapy bags turned out awesome! They really, really work. And work great!
I can't believe I didn't try making some before. I'll make some for the kids since you can use them as ice packs also. Maybe I'll have a chat with the school nurse and see if they could put some to use. It certainly would give me something to do this winter and use up some scrap.
I guess I'll give in and try some of those 'cool ties' for gardening come spring. Well, if I'm not too busy with the actual garden itself to sew, and if I can find polymer crystals cheap enough.
So far so good on the rose cuttings, too. They've put out lots of leaves, which is a good thing, but not so good. I'd rather they put their energy into making roots instead of leaves, but at least I know they're still alive.
It just got light enough to see outside - snow. Figures.
Syracuse has been voted, by Dave Gilmartin, as one of the worst places in America to live in his new book.
Well, color me shocked...
I found some great deals at the coalition this month!
8 whole roasting chickens for $20 - they're the garlic butter flavor though, which makes them-not-so-great for chicken pot pies with the leftovers. Oh, well.
4 of the big bags of Dole salad - .25 each
4 12" cheese pizzas - $1 each
2 cabbages for .25 a pound
4lbs of cheese tortellini for $3.99
12lb roast for $23
5lbs of ground beef - $7.69
Of course, I had to stop at the 'bad store' for odds and ends (mostly stuff to do things with the leftovers, like barbequed beef sandwiches), but I can manage 3 weeks of meals out of what we got for $102. It'll be so good to have beef again! Boiled beef and cabbage sounds so great right now, but it'll have to wait until after I cook the roast. What kills me every time I walk in there is that you can get some things cheaper at the 'bad store'. For instance; mac & cheese - 3 for $1 there, .33 at the 'bad store'. Granted, it's only a penny, but still. Small bag of egg noodles - $1, big bag at 'bad store' is .89.
I dug through my older stash of scrap fabric and yarns and found enough to make my Dad and SM some more things for Christmas, so that makes me feel much better. They'll get mostly homemade things, but it's the best we can do this year. It's a catch-22 with them. I think one of those rice and herb filled heating pads would be cool for Dad, and I can make a matching eye one for SM. EDIT: Oooo! I just read that corn as filler is better: http://www.diamondthreadworks.com/microwave_heating_bags.htm . (hmmm, my link button is missing, along with all my other buttons! Ut-oh!) I can sneak across the road and get some from the field they never bothered to cut and I won't have to use what rice I have in the cupboard. Shhhhh! ;)
D hasn't said a word about putting up any Christmas lights this year, which for him is a very, very strange thing. He has this 'beat the neighbors' compulsion. Our house simply must be seen from the moon. Is it no wonder one of his favorite movies has always been National Lampoons Christmas Vacation?? Maybe it's as simple as that when he was a kid they were lucky to have a tree some years, much less any lights hung.
I'm debating on how soon to put up the tree. I'm not really in the mood this year. Actually, no one I know is. My SIL is usually so cheery and full of Christmas spirit, oh, about Halloween time, but this year she's as down in the dumps as I am. Her husband lost his job in September and there isn't another to be found anywhere, so I can't blame her, and I know how he feels. She was hinting last week that they might skip Christmas all together, except for their grand-daughter.
My children have already been threatened that I'll never speak to them again if they buy us anything for Christmas. I'm not sure that the instructions of "Make me a card" got through their little heads. I'd rather they had money for things they need than spend it on me. Besides, what's better than a card from your child made with their own hands? I don't think they know that really WOULD be the first thing on my Christmas list. At 22, 20, 16 and 14, they think it's just dumb, but they'll always be my 'babies'. I might have to jot a note to Santa about it...
Ohhh! I got the old scanner to work!
