Happy New Year!

I hope everyone has a safe and fabulous New Year!

New Year - New You!

I love the start of a new year.

I know there are a lot of these floating around, but I just had to make one that would pop!  And one that would be cute enough to frame and put in your bedroom or bathroom maybe?  So that you don't ever forget what your goals are for 2014.

And I also threw in a frame filler just for fun :)  ENJOY!

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Smells of the Holiday.....neighbor gift idea!

The countdown is on for Christmas and with a son with a birthday on the 21st and my husbands on the 28th I need to be more than on top of it for Christmas! Ahhhhhhhh!

I am good to have a handle on gifts, but when it comes to the "little things" I can loose track!

*Christmas cards

*Dance team gifts

*Neighbor gifts

*Teacher gifts

*Yummy treats and baking

*Etc....etc....etc

Here is what I whipped up this year for my neighbors.  I got this great idea off of Pinterest (of course)

Her blog can be found here.

It is a bag filled with sweet Christmas yumness!

*One whole orange
*1/2 cup cranberries
*1 Tbsp. whole cloves
*Cinnamon sticks
*A bit of nutmeg if desired

Put all of the ingredients together in a cute bag and add a little instructions and a cute tag and you are good to go!

This little bag of goodness will last ALL season long.  I have had mine for a week now and it's still going strong :)

Here are some other ideas for cute, simple and creative gifts to gift...click on image to go to source.

Happy gifting :)

The Kindness Elf

I have a love, hate relationship with a certain little elf that might wear all red.....he really stresses me out!

I feel like in the past I have threatened my kids with him like "Charlie is going back to Santa and telling him you've been naughty so BE GOOD!"

Please tell me I am not the only mother that does this?

I am in no way judging if you do do the other elf!  It's just in my own personal life our "Charlie" has become somewhat of a negative thing and it makes me sad :(

A wonderful friend of mine told me about The Kindness Elf.  A awesome alternative to "the other thing".

I have searched high and low to find the perfect little elf to be our kindness elf.  Here is what I have found.

Isn't he the cutest?!  And only $4.99 at Ikea :)

He will come on the thirteenth day before Christmas and leave this little note.

This is a poem I made up to read to the kids so that they can better understand the awesomeness behind this cute little guy!

And guess what.....you can copy and print one for yourself too!!!

Here are a TON of ideas for you to do in your 12 days.

1. Play a board game with your family
2. Write a letter to a far-away family member
3. Open door for those behind you all day long
4. Leave 3 kind notes for your sibling in places they'll find them
5. Take extra dog food or treats to a local animal shelter
6. Box up 5 toys in good condition for donation
7. Write a letter to a soldier
8. Choose a gift off the school/grocery/church giving tree and use your own saved money to purchase it
9. Write a letter to a friend you don't play with everyday and mail it
10. Bake cookies and a homemade card to take to a senior center
11. Watch a Christmas movie together as a family
12. At the school or town library, turn as many books as you can to spine side out on the shelves
13. Give a hug to someone who looks sad or upset today
14. Make your teacher a thank you card just for being great
15. Sit with someone new at lunch today
16. Make popcorn balls for your class/troop/club/church group
17. Donate 3 of your favorite books to the library
18. Write 5 holiday cards to deliver to a local nursing home or hospital
19. Send thank you cards to the police and fire stations
20. Give flowers to someone you don't know very well today
21. Sort and deliver bags of gently used clothes and shoes for donation today
22. Cash in all your pennies and donate them today (collection jars in stores/charities/animal shelters, etc)
23. Give the best-decorated house in your neighborhood a thank you card and treat
24. Smile and say hello to every single person you pass by today
25. Leave out birdseed and peanut butter sticks/balls for the birds and squirrels
26. Make a snowman together
27. Leave coupons on product at the store
28. Write a note of appreciation to your mailman
29. Draw a picture for your school principal
30. Send a small gift to your teacher

Helpful sources found here and a ton of ideas here!

What a wonderful way to incorporation the true meaning of Christmas don't ya think?!

Let me know if you do this is your family!  I would love more random acts of kindness ideas so please share!

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Color Crushes - Take 2

I think one of my favorite things to pin on Pinterest are color swatches. Probably has to do with my deep love for designing cards.  Here are some more of my color crushes that I have made up! 

I hope you enjoy!

Gift packaging ideas and a gift from me! :)

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is the wrapping.....I know many people dread it, but I find this a way to be extremely creative and that makes me happy!!!

Below are some ideas on way to make your presents POP!  Which is your favorite?

***Click on photo to be taken to source***

I adore these vintage style wrapping ideas.

  

Can you believe these are shopping bags from Trader Joe's?  I only wish the closest one to me wasn't more than an hour away :(

 

Letters like these can be found at any local craft store.  These one specifically...Michaels.

Simple, but oh so cute!  I'm sure we all have LOADS of scrapbooking paper lying around the house.
Put it to good use!

Classic.  Simple.  So Pretty.  Use any color of bows!

I am definitely one that has hopped on the chalkboard bandwagon.  I just can't get enough!


Staying on the same page as chalkboard, here are some free gift tags for you to use in your wrapping!
I hope you get some good use out of them :)
To save click on the picture, then right click and save.

Happy Wrapping!

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