Sunday, November 17, 2013

December Daily (aka the Gettin' Jiggy with Ziggy album)

I learned after 4 failed attempts at a DD that I wasn't cut out for it.  For the past 2 years I've completed a mini album with photographic evidence of the escapades our Elf on the Shelf gets into.  Our Elf is named Ziggy.

My son looks forward to Ziggy's visit and the album that follows.  It always goes to school on share day so his friends can see what his Elf was up too.

I also enjoy scouring the interwebz looking for fun, new 'activities' Ziggy can entertain himself with while he visits us.  We have some recurring favorites like the underwear hanging from the tree or mantle, marshmallow fights and other fun stuff.

Ziggy also brings back *small* gifts for N during the month.  *Small* meaning an advent calendar or a treat.  Its kind of a way to tide the kid over until Santa comes on Christmas Eve.  This year, I stole an idea I read about on someone's blog.  Ziggy will be bringing N the Lego Advent Calendar on his first night (Thanksgiving night).  He has that small thing to look forward too each day.  In addition, I purchased a larger Lego set and am breaking it down into pieces for N to complete.  It will take him a month to put it together.  Each night, Ziggy will bring one sheet of instructions and a few pieces of the set for him to build.  By Christmas, he will have a completed Lego set.

N loves the whole elf thing.  Mom loves documenting it for him.  Each year, I put together my own kit. Sometimes its a kit I purchase from a club with a bunch of my own things mixed in, or sometimes its stuff I've pulled together.  This year, I ordered 2 of everything from Veronica at Chic Tags.  LOVE love LOVE the holiday line.  Good Tidings.  LOVE.

 October Afternoon washi tape.
 Simple Stories SN@P album.

 An assortment of goodies from Crate Paper, Websters Pages, Studio Calico and October Afternoon.
 A closeup of the goodies from October Afternoon, Studio Calico and Chic Tags.
 Hello cutables!  Cute-ables is more like it.
 GOLD rubons.  I don't know why, but I'm hooked on gold this year.  I'm totally a silver girl.


 More gold.  These are from the Good Tidings line from Chic Tags.
 American Crafts Thickers.  GOLD Thickers.  Hello!
 Chic Tags, Studio Calico, October Afternoon, Pink Paislee, American Crafts.........
 Some of the awesome papers from Chic Tags.   Some of them have gold foil details.
 Transparencies.  Hambly transparencies.  Yes, I've been hoarding these but I've made a resolution to use them this year.  My new space will be smaller and that means use it or lose it!

 Even a little KI Memories vintage in there.

I cannot wait to see how this one turns out.  I've been making a list of things Ziggy will be doing from 11/28-12/24.  Its easier when you have a plan.  When you're exhausted from work and being a mom, you just look at your list and pick something.

This project is the *perfect* thing to keep out during the move.  I can keep a few supplies with me while I unpack and set up the new scrap space.  I never pressure myself to get this completed in December either.  This is totally a January project.  I start it in December and finish it after the holidays.

ETA:  Since I wrote this, I added a few more things to the kit.

First, the December Limited Edition kit from Chic Tags.

And some flair from a {flair} for buttons Etsy shop.





Tuesday, November 5, 2013

I have a good reason....

for not posting more lately.  The job is still weighing me down but we've also been looking at places to buy.  Its just the right time for us.  We owned up until a few years ago and then between job changes and my parents moving to Canada for a couple of years - we've been renting.  Its an odd situation but it worked for all of us.

And now its time to move on and buy again.

We found the cutest place just perfect for our little family of 3.  (Our last house was 3000 sq ft.  I had plans on filling it with 2-3 kids but life had other plans for us.) We found the community just a few miles south of where we are now so we're still close to my parents and grandparents.

We're officially in escrow and it feels good to know our belongings will  be out of storage soon.  The place is perfect.  The colors go perfectly with what we already own.  I'm just going to throw in some accent colors here and there.

Of course, I've been looking at Pinterest and pinning things I want to do.

The most important part?  I still have a hidey-hole to craft in.  I have the perfect plan for my new space but I need to downsize some.  Since I don't craft as often, I'm perfectly okay with that.  I sold off all of my punches and half of my washi tape last week.  I'm going through paper now and trying to decide what I can and cannot live without.

I'm also deciding which furniture will make the move into the space as well.  Its going to be interesting but I'm excited to finally get a permanent space.

Here are some pictures of the place:

The entry.  Stairs head up to main living area.

 At the top of the stairs you go straight for the living room/kitchen or turn around to get into my scrap area.  Its about 10x10.  Nothing fancy.
 Looking back at the entry and the scrap space.

 The kitchen.


And this is the scrap space.  Its a lot bigger than the pictures make it out to be.  Once I get the furniture in there its going to be cozy and perfect.

And some of the furniture for my room:

I have one of these:


And a Alex/Linmonn desk from Ikea (I currently have one set of drawers.  I will be purchasing a second set for the opposite side).  I have the white desktop and the longest one which is I think 72 inches.

And a 2x2 Expedite

Along the long wall will be a 2x4 Expedite and a white kitchen hutch that I don't want to get rid of but have no other place to put it.

I am very excited to get escrow over with and move in.  Since I have some time I'm buying slowly.  A rug here.  A pillow there.  The floors are a grey color and the walls are a grey/brown color.  I love the neutrals.  The kitchen is white/black granite so I'm sticking with our greys/whites and throwing in teal as the accent color.

Ikea is my new best friend right now and I've made several trips just to price and size things.