A New Year - Tips and Ideas For Setting Goals
December 31, 2008 by Cassie · 8 Comments
The start of a new year is very empowering to me. I feel as though each January 1st is a fresh start and a time to start over and be better. I am sure many of you, as I do, use the beginning of a new year to set new goals and make a list of things you would like to accomplish in the coming year.
Here are some neat tips and ideas about setting goals for your New Year:
Goals:
Set a reasonable amount of goals. Having an endless list will usually leave you feeling like you have too much to do. Try focusing on 2-4 main areas and include subgoals within those areas. This year I have chosen 3 main areas of my life to better myself: Family, Spiritual, and Self.
One Word:
I love the idea of having one word to focus your goals and year on. A wonderful blogger, Tanja, wrote a neat post about her Word of the Year and why she chooses this method of goal setting. If you decide this route, why not have your word put on a charm to be a constant reminder? You can buy a Word of the Year Charm like this at Lisa Leonard Designs (pictured above).
Quote or Saying:
If you have a favorite quote or saying, you can center your goals around your quote. You can use the quote to guide you in making decisions, setting other goals or when transitioning through life changes (i.e. taking a new job, etc).
Hopes:
Use the things you are looking forward to this year as a way of goal setting. If one of your goals this year is to lose weight write on your list “weighing X lbs” rather than “lose X lbs”. Seeing that goal accomplished on paper sends positive messages to your brain.
What do you do when it comes to New Year’s Goals and Resolutions? Share your ideas with us!
Written by Cassie of Madison Envy
Merry Christmas and 10 Free Gift Tag Downloads Too
December 19, 2008 by Emily · 13 Comments
We hope you have the best Holiday. We’ll be out-and-about over the next week, but don’t worry, we’ll be back with more sizzling hot posts for the new year. And meanwhile - just in time for gift-giving, here are 10 links to FREE supa-chic printable gift tags ~ simply click, download and print as much as you want!
*Sweet, Pretty, Simple - Made by Yours Truly - Emily (pdf) (So Proud! They look really cute printed out on White Cardstock) 
*Free Martha Stewart Holiday Clip Art Tags (pdf) (traditional)
*Mod Mom Shops - Christmas Birdie Gift Tags (can they get any more adorable?!)
*Holiday Gift Tags by Sew Mama Sew (pdf) (A little modern flair)
*Four Seasons by Fog and Thistle (LOVE these)
*SERIOUSLY FUNNY Gift Cards by Angry Chicken (Warning, you may laugh your head off)
*Seussville Gift Tags ~ (for fun) ”If you’d like to have some fun, Just print these tags, cut out each one, Color them and add some string. For Christmas gifts, they’re just the thing!”
Holiday Gift Tags by Amy Butler (for the handmade diva at heart!)
For the Stylish People In Your Life Gift Tags by Bucklette (pretty hilarious)
*Penguin Printable Gift Tags by Tricia-Rennea (brace yourself for even more cuteness)
Make Your Own Cinnamon Stick Candle Holder
December 18, 2008 by Emily · 3 Comments
Time to shine! When you want to brighten a room with a little bit of ”handmade-holiday”, this festive candle holder ought to do the trick. This easy-to-make Cinnamon Stick Candle Holder is a crafty project idea courtesy of Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores.
And really, what would I do without Jo-Ann? This craft and fabric store is a place I can lose myself for hours. Oh the craft possibilities.
SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
• 1 Glass container (you can go with any size or shape - round, small, large, square)
• 2 pkgs Cinnamon sticks (may be less if you are making a smaller size)
• 1 spool Green wire-edged green ribbon, 1 1/2″ wide
• 1 Pine sprig
• 1 Small pinecone
• Glue gun and glue sticks
• Wire cutters
• Scissors
• Glass cleaner and paper towels
DIRECTIONS:
1. Clean glass container.
2. Using wire cutters, cut all cinnamon sticks to a length 1/2″ below top of glass container.
3. Refer to photo in placing all materials.
4. Glue cinnamon sticks to sides of container. Let glue dry thoroughly before proceeding.
5. Wrap ribbon around container and tie a knot. Trim ends at an angle.
6. Glue pine sprig on knot. Glue pine cone in center of pine sprig.
Optional design: Add small berries or holiday-themed picks if desired.
Easy-to-Make Pop Up Cards
December 16, 2008 by Emily · 8 Comments
Pop Up Cards are so much fun (and EASY) to make. I actually love to make these all year round for birthdays and parties too (with a different theme of course). I made this Christmas Tree card last night by the light of my desk lamp and it took me just about 5 minutes.
Supplies:
-
Two colors of cardstock paper
-
Scissors
-
A Paper Punch (stars, snowflakes) or brads (for extra embellishments)
-
Paper Glue (or even tape works well)
As you can see, steps 1 and 2 are really easy, simply fold one of your cardstock papers in half and make two cuts in the fold of your paper. Fold the flap in (push it in the opposite direction) so that it pops out.
Next, design your shape - you may want test it to be sure that it fits when you close your card. Then glue or tape it onto your card and embellish it with brads or paper-punched shapes. And finally, to make a cover for your card, simply glue an extra layer of cardstock over your folded paper.
Handmade cards and gifts are some of my very favorite to give and receive, which is why I love to make these cards. How about you?
A Very Green Christmas
December 12, 2008 by Lauren · 6 Comments
Going eco-friendly this holiday season is not only smart and savvy, it’s totally hip! These next shoppes have everything you’ll need to celebrate a very Green Christmas:
Adorn your gifts with these beautiful Upcycled Gift Bows made, from hand-crafted with high quality matte catalog paper, and found at Pretty Little Things.
Let Santa stuff one of these Tiny Upcycled Stockings, sewn by Wonders in a funky patchwork pattern from t-shirt pieces.
Send out a little love to Mother Earth with these Plantable Mini Tags and Notecards from Claudia’s Creations. They’re made with recycled paper, embedded with wildflower seeds and – the Christmas card that keeps on giving!
Lauren’s blog: Supermom Central - tips, tricks and tidbits for the aspiring Supermom.
Handmade Holiday: Juice Can Lid Ornament
December 9, 2008 by Emily · 6 Comments
This awesome post and handmade holiday idea comes straight from Kathleen over at Katydid And Kid - she has awesome crafty holiday ideas and tutorials on her blog and we think that her limeade lid ornament tutorial rocks! (shared with permission).
Handmade Holiday: Juice Can Lid Ornament - by Kathleen
I love recycling nearly as much as crafting (kinda sad, huh?) so when I was making limeade for some unexpected guests the other weekend, I had an “aha!” moment. I keep a few of those frozen concentrated mixes on hand in the freezer for when I’m in a pinch and want to offer visitors something more than the customary water and iced tea we drink around here. As I was opening the can, I remembered a craft my mom used to do with us when I was little…
She would save the metal lids throughout the year (we had tons, since I have 4 brothers who were sugar addicts) and around Christmas we’d make ornaments for our tree and as tags for presents for teachers, grandparents, and others. These lids are perfect because they don’t have sharp edges like ones you get from steel cans.
This craft requires a hammer, so you may want to do it with more mature kids. It doesn’t require heavy pounding, just a few little taps so you could try it with younger kids. I remember loving the chance to use a hammer as a child. I felt so grown up, and hey, who doesn’t like to pound things every once in a while.
What You’ll Need:
- juice can lid(s)
- hammer
- long nail or awl (if you’re fancy!)
- stack of newspaper (for padding)
- pretty ribbon
- tape
- paper
- pencil/pen
(Optional): Shoe polish or brown acrylic paint and a paper towel and a clothespin for helping hold the nail.
What You’ll Do:
1. Trace the lid from the can so you have a circle to draw your design in. You could draw it right on the metal lid if you wish, but then you have to wipe it off in the end.
2. Cut it out and draw your design. I chose “S” for my son’s name. You could also print letters or images from the computer or take a design from a coloring book. The simpler the image, the better it will turn out.
3. Tape the paper to the metal lid. You don’t have to use red electrical tape like I did! It was the closest thing available.
4. Here’s the fun part. Take your hammer and nail and begin tapping holes in the tin, following the lines of your design. It may be easier to pinch the nail with a clothespin that has some tape on the inside (to hold the nail in place better). This would prevent little fingers from being smacked. Do this on top of a stack of newspaper so that you don’t puncture your table.
5. If you peek under the paper, it will start to look like this:
6. When you’re done, your design will be seen as a series of tiny dots. Be sure to poke a bigger hole at the top for threading the ribbon into. Caregivers might want to do this step.
7. Here’s the finished result with a pretty ribbon for hanging.
8. (OPTIONAL): If you’d like to “antique” your ornament, put a dot of brown paint or brown shoe polish on a paper towel and rub it into the dots. It’ll make your image “pop” a little bit. Do this on top of the newspaper because it might bleed through the back. Rub off any excess paint. And of course, do this before you put the ribbon on so you don’t get paint on it.
9. There you have it! You can cut out a piece of felt to glue onto the back, since you might have some sharp pieces of metal poking through. It’ll save little hands and walls from getting scraped. I’ve chosen to hang mine on a doorknob, as I think it looks quite charming.
If I find some more time, I’ll finish all the letters of my son’s name and string them together to make a little banner for over his window.
Enjoy and happy crafting!
Kathleen’s blog: Katydid And Kid - Adventures in making and doing.
Holiday Cards
December 8, 2008 by Michelle · 3 Comments
These Gorgeous Holiday Cards are by Sweet Mady’s Paper
Have you sent out your holiday cards yet? Well, if not, don’t worry. This week is the perfect time to get them done and sent out to your family and friends. If you are like me, you look forward to this time of year and all the great cards that flood your mailbox. I enjoy opening them up to see the annual family photos and read letters from some family and friends that live far away. Holiday cards are such a great way to keep those special people in your life that are not close by involved with your family.
Here are a few simple steps to help you get your cards out the door.
- First, decide on a classic greeting card or a more modern photocard. Next, choose your card and add a simple wording to it. On a sidenote, signing your family’s name or writing a short note on the card, adds a special touch.
- Next, place your order and get yourself organized while you wait for your cards to be completed. You can be organized by purchasing all your stamps in advance and checking your address list to make sure all addresses are correct.
- If you are newly married and this is your first holiday sending out cards together, use your wedding guest list as a starting point for you address list. Once you have received your cards, you will be ready to send them on their way.
Now all you have to think about is how to display those fabulous cards you will be receiving!
Michelle’s shoppe: Sweet Mady’s Paper, blog: Sweet Mady’s Notes - stationery, invitations and notes.
A Chance to Give
December 8, 2008 by Emily · Leave a Comment
It’s always a treat to find meaningful opportunities to give to others - especially during the holidays. This holiday season, Macy’s wants everyone - to believe in and embrace the holiday spirit of love and charity. Writing letters to Santa Claus is an age-old tradition for children all over the world and Macy’s is collecting these letters in a special Santa letterbox at all Macy’s stores.
For each letter received, Macy’s will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Believe Meter will measure America’s belief, based on our collective spirit – including the amount of letters received and other current events that reflect the season’s generosity.
Homemade Ribbon Ornaments
December 5, 2008 by Lauren · 4 Comments
These ribbon ornaments were inspired by some lovely Christmas ornaments I saw in a catalog. I knew I could either afford to buy two, or make ten! And the fun part is, you can decide what colors and patterns to use, tailoring them perfectly to your decorating style.
The supply list is super simple:
- Medium sized Styrofoam balls
- 3 ½ yards of your favorite ribbon (1/2 inch width works best for me), preferably in 3-4 prints
- 10 inches of ricrac
- Hot glue gun
Cut your ribbon in 10 inch strips – you’ll need 12 strips. For the ornament picture I chose to use 4 strips of 3 different prints. Place a small dot of glue on the end of the ribbon and press it on to the ball. Wrap it around so you form a tight loop around the ball, then glue the other end on. Trim the edges as necessary.
Take a ribbon of the same print and do the same glue-wrap-glue process, criss-crossing the first ribbon (see the picture). Always glue your ends to the top of the ball at the same spot.
Attach the ricrac as a loop at the top of your ball so you can easily adorn your tree with these charming, homemade Christmas ornaments!
Lauren’s blog: Supermom Central - tips, tricks and tidbits for the aspiring Supermom.
Win It: Secret Santa Package
December 4, 2008 by Emily · 164 Comments
Contest Update:
*We have two winners!! The randomly chosen winners for this contest are: Rebecca T. and Suzanne B. Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who participated, please stop by again as there are new contests each week.*
Make your child’s Christmas magical by sending them a personalized letter or package from Santa Claus. Secret Santa Mail can help you create a Christmas memory to last for years to come.
Win It:
Two lucky Window Shoppe readers will win the Deluxe Santa Package, worth $30, which includes: A personalized letter from Santa, a “make-a-Snowman sticker” set, a Santa teddy bear, a Belgian milk chocolate bar and it all arrives packaged in a festive red tube. To enter, stop by Secret Santa Mail and then leave a comment letting us know that you stopped by and why you would like to win this Santa Package.
This giveaway ends on Thursday, December 11th at midnight PST. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be announced here Friday, December 12th. Good luck, everyone!
(Please feel free to read our contest rules for additional details)
