BLOGIDAYS WEEK 2

Today I am going to revisit my Christmas planner. You can read all about it here. I had been working on this project since last summer. Finally last Christmas I put my planner to use and let me tell you I don't know how I got along without it. It has helped me stay organized and on budget. Right now I am in the process of updating our planner.. putting in new addresses, adding new people to lists, etc... I'm waiting on a few addresses I requested and hopefully be able to print my newly updated pages by tomorrow. I also want to add a new tab since this year we are hosting Christmas dinner. I have a party planning binder, where I keep a section for holiday parties, but I feel that this should be together with all the other Christmas plans. Do You have a Christmas planner?? What do you include in your planner?

HAPPY CHRISTMAS PLANNING!!

LOVE<3  M

Michelle

BLOGIDAYS WEEK 1

Hello!!! Hope you all had a very blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving!!  I am rested, very full, and extremely BLESSED!! I am thankful for my family, my home, my job, my health, and especially my wonderful hubby!

I am going to attempt to do a daily blog of my holiday prep and ideas. So far we have taken out the Christmas Decor, put up the tree, which I have yet to decorate. I still have some things I plan to do/make/buy. Plus this year, we are planning Christmas dinner at our house. I have so many plans and ideas I want to share, so stay tuned!! 

Seasons Greetings....

Michelle

Christmas Organization

Now that the holidays are over, it's time to put everything away.... :(
I know.... sad, sad day! But it has to be done.
Throughout the years I have been updating my totes and plastic boxes. Some of the purchases this year was the red Christmas tree bad and the smaller red and green totes. The tree bag is pretty awesome and we were able to fit our 7 foot tree and all the attachments.

This box, I bought it at Lowes, it had cardboard compartments to separate all the ornaments, but for some
 reason it didn't work for me. I bought these shoe boxes that came in a set of 3, there I store all my unbreakable ornaments, I can fit 4 shoe boxes and still have enough room on the side to store tree toppers and other decorations. I put the table place mats on top before closing the lid.

The biggest box we have holds 2 What I call "egg carton" boxes that holds breakable ornaments. Marc's tree and decorations, the nativity scene, and other small decorations.

The next box holds the Christmas bathroom accessories, tree skirt, and 2 more shoe boxes holding Marc's tree ornaments and other decor.

 The last box holds the pillows we use on the couches, Christmas hats, and and stockings.

All our boxes are stored in our barn/ storage room- a God send!!  All I need to make are the labels, but I'm still thinking about how to make them. How do you store your Christmas decor??

Have a great week,
Michelle

Wrapping/ Christmas Card Station

The holidays can be daunting, especially if you are like me and take on more than you can chew.....That's another post, for another day. I want to talk about how I store my wrapping and Christmas card supplies. First off here is how I created my Christmas card station. I put my cards in a sturdy basket, where I also keep envelopes, stamps,  pens and is large enough to where I can put my Christmas planner, where I have keep my Christmas card list and addresses. The basket usually stays in the office, but it's small enough to take to my kitchen table or living room, while we watch TV.

My next station is where I keep all my  gift wrapping supplies. My dad gave me this cool wood tool box he found at a garage sale. My plans were to paint it a nice christmasy red, but that will have to be put into my next year list. I loaded it up with gift tags, tape, pens, scissors and other stuff I would need to wrap and decorate my gifts. I hang all my gift bags behind the room door, for easy access.

Yes I have GREEN CARPET.... YUCK, lol!!! 

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!

Michelle

Easy Christmas Card Display

I really wanted a very clever way to display my Christmas cards this year, something that I wouldn't need to spend a single cent on!!! I decided to use these two cute clotheslines I ordered through Avon a few years ago. They have miniature clothes belonging to Santa and Mrs. Claus!! It's Cute!! The item is not available anymore but can easily be replicated with twine, string, or ribbon, and decorated with homemade ornaments, felt shapes, or colorful snowflakes. OR if you are really crafty you can make the clothes yourself with fabric or felt. The clothes are hung by these cute mini clothespins. Since I didn't want to spend any mula, I used regular clothespins I had on hand. I decided to pretty them up with left over Christmas scrapbook paper.

And since I haven't sent any of my cards ( BAD!!) I only have my sister's cards, but hopefully the rest will be coming soon! 

Here's a closer look- Isn't my sister's family ADORABLE!!

OH AND THE BEST PART!!!!! My brand new personalized velvet stockings from Pottery Barn- I love stockings and have wanted them for so long !!!  It was an early Christmas present and maybe one day we will expand our family and add more stockings! I think they are so elegant..

How are you displaying your Christmas cards????

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Y'ALL

Michelle

Christmas Planner

 Hi there!! I'm finally coming around to posting about the infamous Christmas planner I've been putting together since summer. I made my pages, labels, and cover on Microsoft  Word and the binder is a plain red binder I found at Target. The Only tools I used was a 3-hole punch, regular hole punch, red cardstock and glue zots. My first thing was durability. I plan on using this planner for years to come! I laminated the cover, the label tabs, and the red cardstock separating the sections.

I also added a cute Martha Stewart label holder on the spine. Just to add a nice clean look, as well as keep in uniform with all my other home binders.

 The planner is divided into five sections. First is GIFTS- this includes lists of people we are giving gifts to divided into lists such as family, friends, and co-workers, also neighbor gifts. Next Year I want to tweak the list into a great list idea I saw here. Second is LISTS- This includes my Christmas card list with addresses, master to-do list, to-buy list, and a for next year list.   Because every year I think of new decoration, or a new idea I have for Christmas decor, or anything I want to buy for the following year. Things I didn't have time to get for the holiday, but want to remember for the following year. The third tab is SCHOOL STUFF- Because I'm a teacher, there is a whole lot of things I need to remember to buy and things to do. The Last two sections are for IDEAS and RECIPES

I also added a calender in the front, as well as our Christmas tree directions in the back.

Here is my Christmas Planner- I LOVE IT!!! I'm sure as the years go by and our family and needs change, the planner will change to.

HAPPY PLANNING AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Michelle