First and foremost I AM a child of God, Daughter to the King! Recently married to a wonderful man, Michael. Mother of 3 (2 adult sons, 1 teen age daughter) Step mom to 3 (2 adult daughters, 1 adult son) Love all things simple. My home is where my heart it! Create in me a clean heart, O God;and renew a right spirit within me. Psalms 51:10
Wow, this year has zoomed by and so I know Christmas will be here before we know it!
What are you doing to get ready?
Lots of people are talking about getting organized and planners, so with us all on board to get ourselves organized so that we can have a joyous, carefree season, thought I would share some budget friendly decorating/crafting ideas.
Dress Up your child’s toy barn
Turn even the most prosaic scene into a winter wonderland. A couple of smart touches — mini wreaths, coconut-flake "snow" — bring Christmas cheer to a nostalgic toy barnyard.
Spin yarn into a wreath with pop appeal. {I think this is so adorable}
To craft this door wreath, wrap Styrofoam balls (in various sizes) and a Styrofoam wreath form with colored yarn. Then use a glue gun to affix the balls onto the form. I also think this would be pretty as a table centerpiece with a hurricane lantern in the center nestled around a big chunky candle.
Create your own Winter Wonderland
Transform a ready-made, unadorned card-stock village by customizing the buildings with wrapping paper. Finish off the scene with tinsel wreaths, tabletop trees, and toy deer, sprinkled under a soft blanket of snow.
Cindy
♫♪That's the jingle bell,♫♪ ♫♫♪That's the jingle bell,♫♪ ♫♪That's the jingle bell rock.♫♪
This week our preparations for Christmas is a bit easier. We are going to declutter and clean the kids room, or maybe a bonus room if you have one. One thing you want to consider is cleaning out the toys, as new ones will be coming in.
Seasonal Spruce-Up exercise. Complete the seasonal spruce-up exercise to plan any pre-holiday home improvements. Make a realistic list of home improvement chores to complete before the holiday season.
Declutter children's toys. Work with your child to reduce clutter in the toy closet. Assessing the remaining toys will help you make a good gift list.
Begin collecting stocking stuffers. Use a Stocking Stuffers inventory (get it here) form to remind you about stocking gifts on hand.
Hit the back-to-school clearance sales. After-season sales are a great source for stocking stuffers and crafts supplies. Don't forget to load up on tape and scissors at bargain prices!
Consult the kids and decide on Halloween costumes. Schedule any sewing sessions in good time to be completed by October 10.
Plan family Advent celebrations. Look for creative ways to make the season come alive at the library or on the Web. Order any day-by-day materials or Advent calendars now.
Divide the Christmas card list (get your list form here) into five sections. Complete one section this week. Goal: to be finished writing, signing and addressing cards by November 1.
You can find other great internet inspiration by visiting.
This week we are concentrating on our bedroom. Making it a retreat for the long days of holiday preparations.
Declutter, clean and decorate the Master Bedroom. It's a place for rest and renewal ... if you can find the space!
Tackle clutter in the master bedroom this week Use the STOP clutter method to sort the stacks and piles. Once you've cleared the items that don't belong, clean your newly-reclaimed private space. Use the "dry room" cleaning method to deep-clean the master bedroom in record time!
Finally, add decorative touches--candles, scent diffusers, flowers--to make the master bedroom a pleasant place to recharge your batteries.
Tackle the clothes closet. With cooler weather on the way, a seasonal clothes closet declutter is in order. Make room for holiday finery as you sort and toss summer's stained garments. Dare to dump it!
Our Prep list consist of:
Inventory holiday cards, gift wrap, and mailing supplies. Make sure you know what you have before you buy--and shop at home first!
Make a Christmas card list. Pull out the address book or database, and make a Christmas card list. Give thought to simplifying and reducing cards sent.
Use a computer address book for Christmas card envelopes or labels. Harness the power of computer technology. If your card lists is still kept on paper, convert it to a computerized form. You'll thank yourself in years to come!
Print address labels for Christmas cards. If using address labels for your cards or letters, print them now. You'll be ready to write, sign and seal!
Order, buy or print Christmas cards or letters. If you'll be buying cards this year, order them now--particularly if you'll be using the popular photo cards.
Plan personal pampering sessions, and add them to December's calendar. "If Mama's not happy, nobody's happy"; your mood affects the whole family. If you find the season stressful, plan now for some personal pampering sessions. A massage, a retreat, or even a gathering with girlfriends can be a welcome break in a busy month.
Set aside a gift closet or create a gift box; inventory any previously-purchased gifts. The secret of organized (and frugal) gift-givers? A gift closet or gift box. If you haven't already, set aside a specific place in your home to hold all bought-ahead gifts. A printable gift closet inventory form will let you know what you have while shopping or making out a gift list, so print one for your Christmas planner today.
In week 2 we are focusing on getting our “craft area or space” decluttered and cleaned. There is nothing more frustrating that not knowing where something is when you go and try to work on a project.
Declutter and clean creative spaces. Whether it's a corner of the kitchen table or a dedicated crafts room, what's the state of your creative space? Is it efficient and easy to use, or bulging and bloated? This week, take the STOP clutter method to areas where you wrap gifts, sew, work on scrapbooks or make crafts. When the clutter's conquered, clean your space for happy seasonal crafting.
Assess stored crafts materials. Time to head to the stash--fabric, paper or crafts--to take a look at household supplies. Will you need to replace crafts basics like tape, glue, paper or scissors? This week's school supply sales are a great time to stock up in the crafts close.
Some of the things we will be working on in Week 2 are:
Create a seasonal calendar. Take control of your time with a simple family calendar for the holiday months ... or beyond!
Plan holiday travel.
Hold a scheduling session. Little things mean a lot--and never more than during the holidays--so schedule furnace checks, carpet cleaning, a family photo session and chimney inspection now.
Start a set of tear files. As you read holiday magazines or browse gift catalogs, tear our articles with recipes, decor ideas, gift suggestions or holiday traditions. Staple article pages together and place in labeled file folders ("Decor", "Holiday Recipes", "Gift Ideas") or page protectors in the Christmas planner.
Start--and use--a shopping list. Tracking "to-buy" items in one place saves time all year, but is crucial during the busy run-up to the holidays. Get the list habit now!
Inventory unfinished crafts projects. Remember the Rule of Four: if you have more than four unfinished crafts projects, or if any single project is more than four years old, don't schedule any new crafts! Finish the old ones this year--you've already got a head start on the process. Rout out projects you've begun, and take advantage of the time already invested in them for happy crafting.
Begin a "Gifts to Make" list. Christmas crafters benefit by starting early. Begin working on holiday gifts, decor items and crafts now, for a stress-free season.
Hi and welcome back to “Country Christmas”. I can’t believe that the holidays will be here before we know it. Christmas is my favorite holiday. It has been ever since I was a small child. I have always tried to make Christmas special for my family, I like going the extra mile and making them feel special, but first things first. In order for everything to come together, you have to have a plan .…
One of the first places I start any major project, is with a list, and over the years the one I run too to help me out is at Organized Christmas. This week, is the kick off the Houseworks Holiday Plan. And I almost forgot to share it with you all.
This week we are concentrating on just the planning and all the paperwork we will need to help us through this process. Planning and Paperwork Week Assignments Also TipJunkie has some great resources for you to check out. How to remain Organized this Christmas Grab a Binder Cover for your Holiday Planner here.
Below are a few holiday message boards that you can join to discuss the Christmas planner. Magical Holiday Home HHP Forum Our Home for the Holidays HHP Forum
You’ll feel so much better now that you have started planning your fabulous holiday.
Hugs,
Ephesians 2:19“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,”
Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.
I do, but unfortunately it is packed away this year due to a upcoming move. But never the less, I have a great place for you to check out one. I wish I had mine to show you, but Jill over at Controlling my Clutter has a awesome tutorial on making your own. You can also find another one at My Sisters Jar. It’s a great way to keep yourself organized during this hectic time of year. Because I am a list maker, this really comes in handy.
I am really in the mood to get started on decorating for the holidays. I don’t have as much time this year with all the family and traveling that we are doing, so I am going to break my own tradition of decorating the weekend after Thanksgiving.
I hope to get lots of pictures to post to share with you, but until then I will share some that I got inspiration from, and I hope they inspire you to. Courtesy from Country Living. (you will note the country flair) I always do a primitive tree at Christmas.
This picture (below) is my favorite, something about the glow of the tree and the stocking hung….Love it!! Just the simplicity of it.
Aren’t these packages fun. They look to good to open. This is something I do every year on my front porch.
What are some of your decorating styles, tips, etc. I would love to hear them.
Don’t forget to follow me this holiday season, look for the follow button on the sidebar.
whether I am ready or not, right now my head is reeling from all the things that need to get done for this much anticipated
holiday. We love Christmas at my house. Everything about it. The time spent with family, old movies, smells, food, pretty lights, and packages around the tree. So for me, that means breaking out the pencil and paper and organizing my thoughts. Everything from what we will have for Christmas Dinner, to our Christmas Eve treats.
But before we get knee deep in all that, I thought I would share with you a TV listings for your viewing pleasure this holiday season. Mark you calendar or set you recorder.
All times are Central.
Saturday, November 28
• The Thin Man (1934). TCM, 11:00 a.m.
Sunday, November 29
• The Dog Who Saved Christmas (2009). ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
• The Shop Around the Corner (1940). TCM, 8:45 p.m.
Thursday, December 3
• A Christmas Carol (1938). TCM, 7:00 p.m.
• Little Women (1949). TCM, 8:15 p.m.
• Tenth Avenue Angel (1948). TCM, 10:30 p.m.
Friday, December 4
• 3 Godfathers (1948). TCM, 12:00 midnight.
• Hell's Heroes (1930). TCM, 2:00 a.m.
• Bush Christmas (1947). TCM, 3:30 a.m.
Sunday, December 6
• Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (1940). TCM, 5:00 a.m.
• Christmas in Connecticut (1945). TCM, 11:00 a.m.
• Remember the Night (1940). TCM, 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 9
• Dead of Night (1945). TCM, 3:00 a.m.Thursday, December 10
• It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947). TCM, 5:00 p.m.
• Fitzwilly (1967). TCM, 9:00 p.m.
• Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938). TCM, 11:00 p.m.
Friday, December 11
• Susan Slept Here (1954). TCM, 1:00 a.m.
• Little Women (1933). TCM, 3:00 a.m.Saturday, December 12
• The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962). TCM, 5:00 a.m.
• A Christmas Carol (1938). TCM, 11:00 a.m.
• 3 Godfathers (1948). TCM, 12:15 p.m.
• The Lion in Winter (1968). TCM, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 13
• Penny Serenade (1941). TCM, 5:00 a.m.
• In the Good Old Summertime (1949). TCM, 11:00 a.m.
• Susan Slept Here (1954). TCM, 1:00 p.m.
• Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (1945). TCM, 7:00 p.m.
• Johnny Got His Gun (1971). TCM, 9:00 p.m.
• Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925). TCM, 11:00 p.m.
Tuesday, December 15
• Swiss Family Robinson. TCM, 10:15 a.m.
• Gone With the Wind. TCM, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 17
• Christmas in Connecticut. TCM, 7:00 p.m.
• Holiday Affair. TCM, 9:00 p.m.
• This Man Is Mine. TCM, 10:30 p.m.
Friday, December 18
• Period of Adjustment (1962). TCM, 12:30 a.m.
• The Shop Around the Corner (1940). TCM, 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 19
• Meet Me in St. Louis (1944). TCM, 11:00 a.m.
• Little Women (1949). TCM, 1:00 p.m.
• The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942). TCM, 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 20
• Ben-Hur (1959). TCM, 3:00 p.m.
• King of Kings (1961). TCM, 8:00 p.m.
• The King of Kings (1927). TCM, 11:00 p.m.
Monday, December 21
• Meet John Doe (1941). TCM, 11:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 24
• Blossoms in the Dust (1941). TCM, 5:30 a.m.
• 3 Godfathers (1948). TCM, 7:15 a.m.
• The Great Rupert (1950). TCM, 9:15 a.m.
• Bundle of Joy (1956). TCM, 10:45 a.m.
• All Mine to Give (1957). TCM, 12:30 p.m.
• Pocketful of Miracles (1961). TCM, 2:30 p.m.
• Period of Adjustment (1962). TCM, 5:00 p.m.
• Remember the Night (1940). TCM, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, December 25
• Meet Me in St. Louis (1944). TCM, 12:00 midnight
• In the Good Old Summertime (1949). TCM, 2:00 a.m.
• The Shop Around the Corner (1940). TCM, 4:00 a.m.
• Little Women (1933). TCM, 6:00 a.m.
• A Christmas Carol (1938). TCM, 8:00 a.m.
• The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942). TCM, 9:15 a.m.
• Christmas in Connecticut (1945). TCM, 11:15 a.m.
• Little Women (1949). TCM, 1:15 p.m.
• Holiday Affair (1950). TCM, 3:30 p.m.
• Susan Slept Here (1954). TCM, 5:00 p.m.
Monday, December 28
• Lady for a Day (1933). TCM, 11:00 p.m.
Tuesday, December 29
• Pocketful of Miracles (1961). TCM, 12:45 a.m.
• Battleground (1949). TCM, 11:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 31
• The Thin Man (1934). TCM, 7:00 p.m.
My favorite Christmas movie of all-time
Don’t forget to subscribe to my site or become a follower so you don’t miss out on anything. K.
Until next time, Happy Holidays and Christmas hugs, CindyPin It
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winter wonderland. 
To craft this door wreath, wrap Styrofoam balls (in various sizes) and a Styrofoam wreath form with colored yarn. Then use a glue gun to affix the balls onto the form. I also think this would be pretty as a table centerpiece with a hurricane lantern in the center nestled around a big chunky candle. 
