Christmas around the World

One of the MANY things I super love about Epcot in the winter is the appearances in the streets of the traditions in the different countries around the World Showcase.

They tell stories about their cultures celebrations.

here are a few pictures of a few story tellers.

It has ben crazy! but I have goodies to share!

So it has been CRAZY at my house the last week, we had relatives in town for a quick Christmas  celebration, then a Christmas Party for some teen moms in my area.

I did find this, and wanted to share!

Bakerella is super awesome and has made some amazing iconic things. Take a look at her website! She is super cool! There is even a post about a Christmas Candy party!

Check out Bakerella's post here. She is so amazingly talented!

*photo belongs to Bakerella (you saw my cake balls, ~Smiles)

FREE Printables are awesome!

                                       

Ok so I am supposed to be getting all prettied up for our family photo shoot,

(so my family can be immortalized in the church directory. I think goofy faces would be too fun... what do you think?) and be packin' up for my training trip to Disney World next week! (while you are reading this I will be trotting from resort to resort learning, and experiencing what I sell, so that I can help guide you as you make choices of where to stay and what to do while you are there.)

but I found this awesome website that offers a few free printables.

 (and I am sooo ADD it is not funny! ask my husband ~Smiles)

 So I am photo shopping some words to personalize them for a few treats to give to my fellow trainees that work for 3D Travel Company. I posted the picture above. I wrapped the image around snack size candy bars and they are CUTE! I also plan to punch a small hole in the sealed end and tie a thin ribbon to them and hang them as ornaments! How fun!

Here is another small project I am making.

I stamped initials of my coworkers on the notepads from Dollar tree to personalize them.

Then I added single serving Hot Chocolate, Christmas tea, Hawaiian punch, Starbucks VIA, and a pack of gum. Just a little something to get them through the week. and then I Disney-ified it! I added Mickey and a bow! I will be adding a personal message in the red squares on the front.

Who says that anyone is "too old" for treats at Disney?!

 click here to go to the blog with these printables!

Of course I am writing this before I leave, and showing you what i make, but I cannot post it until they actually get these little treats.

What a great idea this would be to personalize a teacher gift?

There is a Santa letter too, I will be giving to the kids to fill out and mount on scrapbook paper and maybe frame and hang up.

And there is also a matching Christmas list that I plan to fill out and hang up.

My list...

No fighting children

laughter abounding from my home

fun family moments

Love and admiration

generosity to others

Enjoy! and hope I sparked a few ideas for you to run wild with your creativity!

Get creative and go create!

I would Love to see what you create with these printables or these ideas!

Chewing the days away until Christmas!

Christmas is Fast approaching!

 Wooah It always sneaks up on me!

I am going to be posting different craft projects, and activities that I am making in preparation for this festive day. Small gifts and crafts to make with my children for others, and some to be given to my children in their stockings right next to the lumps of coal!

No I am not that mean. No coal, but some days coal sounds so good!

I am going to start with an countdown calendar. And well I guess I would call it a countdown activity. There is no real meaning to it, just fun. My children are always asking for gum.  ALWAYS!  I saw  this idea a few weeks ago, I believe it was on the Angel Company Christmas Blog Hop. There is one piece of gum for each day until Christmas! What a fabulous idea. (Well that is of course if your children know where the gum goes when they are done chewing it)  ~Smiles

Here are a few pictures of how I put these together.

So this is a pretty simple project and there's not too much stuff required.

a bag to put the gum in

Paper/ card stock

Stamps/ print outs/ patterned paper to decorate

(I put the opening to the gum bags on the bottom so the cute top wouldn't be ripped off.

I also did not staple the topper (which is just paper folded over to fit the top of the bag) because loose staples being accidentally ingested would not be a good thing. (can never be too careful!) 

Now this would work superbly for a countdown of days  before a trip to Disney, or why not give it to the kids when you get to Disney World so they can keep track of how many days of magical parks they have left on their trip.

  Happy crafting!

I'll be back Friday with an awesome treat for any time of year,

not just Christmas!

Holiday Magic card

I am participating in The Angel Company's Deck The Halls Blog Hop!

I have to admit I was a slight bit stumped, I have so many Christmas stamps, but when I moved last year I left them at my mothers house 5 hours away. I had to go through my stash, I had just ordered this set it aactually a Halloween set, but I loved this little girl. So here is to versatility!

I am so excited, This card is a Christmas card, Yet it is pink and green!

I wanted to bring the fun of pixie dust and magic into my card.

I started with a blank card and sponged the edges with a Palette pad in chartreuse.

I stamped the princess on white cardstock, and the Holiday magic stamp

on a More Mimi (TAC paper) Tag. 

I inked the edges of the tag with Palette Claret pad.

I colored the princess with Prismacolor pencils.

filled a test tube with glitter/ pixie dust.

I tied on a wand and the pixie dust to the card with a green bow!

I think that my little princess may find this magical card in her stocking this year.

Let me know what you think!

I love the idea of taking stamps and using them for new things!

(I know this was not much of a stretch, but I love the versatility of a "Halloween set".