Wrap it Up With Simple Gift Tags

Holiday Craft Mini Candy Cane Holders

Cookies Call My Name

Hi everyone! We are less than two weeks til Christmas!  Hope you're not stressing too much about all of things you may have to do yet! I heard a woman on her cell phone at a store yesterday complaining or stressing to someone that she still had so much shopping to do, buying food for a party, organizing and decorating her house etc. She kept going on about all she had to do and she looked a bit frazzled too I might add. Ugh, I like to be be finished most of my shopping by December to avoid crowds and grumpy people! Lol 

On the home front the baking or shall I say eating it has begun! Why do cookies call my name, especially when I make the gingersnaps, they are so soft and chewy and hard to stay away from. Even when they're in the freezer they still call my name!  My husband has a big sweet tooth and he can put cookies away pretty quickly too!  I have made a couple of batches of sugar cookies and iced them with royal icing and decorations.  I enjoy doing them if I'm not rushed or pressured.  How about you, is cookie baking and decorating them one of your favorite things to do at this time of year or do you prefer someone else to do that?  Here are a couple of pictures of some of mine! I made these adorable mini sugar cookies using tiny cookie cutters they package up really nicely in cellophane bags too! Great for gifting! 

Classy Christmas Charger Plate DIY

Get creative and up-style a simple charger plate for your home. An easy Christmas home decor idea.

Andes Mints Treat Packages

Need a quick little gift for friends and family. These don't take long to put together.  Who doesn't like a little bit of chocolate in a pretty package!

Gift Wrap or Gift Bags

Here we are nearing the end of November.  How's your Christmas list of things to do coming along? Are you getting things done?  It seems this year so many people around us have started decorating extra early this year.  I'm not quite there yet!  I have prepped a couple of decor pieces and chosen my color theme for the banister and the Christmas tree but that's as far as I've taken it.  I hope to get into it all this weekend and have the tree up and decorated on Dec. 1st as that is my traditional day to get everything done.  

So my question for you is if you are the one that does the shopping and the gift wrapping for your family and friends what is your preferred method of wrapping up your presents?  Do you like to keep it clean and simple by using Christmas gift bags or do you like the thought and creation of using traditional wrapping papers? I'm sure you have a preference!  

For my family I've been spending more time wrapping the packages with gift wrap the last couple of years. I will still use a few gift bags just to mix it up a little but somehow everyone likes the fun of ripping off the paper and perhaps it seems slightly more festive and takes a little longer than just pulling something out of a bag. The wrapped presents can be decorated with gift toppers or fun tags to embellish them too! 

December is always a busy month with a variety of activities and festive events to take in.  I hope you make time for some of those experiences and share them with your family as well! Time goes so fast... enjoy the moments as you make memories! Blessings to all! A big thank you to you all who have been reading and following my blog for a number of years.  You know who you are.... 

                                         Designs by Shell

Edible DIY Holiday Gift Ideas

Altered Hot Chocolate Boxes

Chocolate Treat Packages For Giving

Treat Holders Using A Gift Tag Die

Love Turtles, a fun and easy little treat holder to delight your friends with.

See how I make them here!

Pay it Forward

It's hard to believe we are well into the month of November.  This is a busy month for crafter's and designers that are working hard to share new products, designs and ideas in time for the Christmas season.  The malls and brick and mortar shops have had holiday items in view for several weeks now.  

I find for myself setting small goals really helps me stay focused and on top of my creative endeavors.  I'm always marketing my Zazzle Shop a little more at this time of year. It is my highest volume of sales that happen in November and December.  

I also have really been excited to share and grow my Youtube channel. It seems to be growing every day! This is the time of year when my love of crafting really comes to life and Youtube is a great outlet to share, chat and create with others who do the same. I hope you will come and check out my videos and think about subscribing to my channel. I totally appreciate all of those who support me with kind comments and subscribing. Crafter's gotta stick together! lol

Today I want to spread some love and pay it forward by sharing another designer's products. She often share's and promotes my products on her blog. So her turn today. Thank you Bebop! Here are a couple of her products.  

                            Chicadee Bird in Christmas Tree 

                                Snow Bunny Greeting Card

Up Styled Hot Cocoa Mug Gift Toppers

Easy DIY Hot Cocoa Ornament Gift Topper

#diy #Christmas #ornament #crafting #decor

Envelope Punch Board Note Card Pockets

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Just recently back from a short vacay in Hawaii.  You can see a quick clip from there in this crafting video. Getting back into the swing of things again! Time to get moving on the Christmas projects! Loads of fun ahead!

Create Snowman Cards Without A Stamp

How to make simple and clean cards. Whimsical snowmen card ideas without using any stamps.



#snowmencards #diy #papercrafting #cardmaking #drawing

Make Simple Gift Card Holders

Do you like to give gift cards to your friends and family at Christmas. You can create these pretty quickly and embellish them as you like!  #diy #Christmascraft #giftcardholder

Don't Be Pressured By 10,000 Steps

Too much sitting is said to cause more harm than good to our bodies. I'm sure most of us realize this especially if you've ever been on a super long flight or in an office or class with no breaks.  It definitely reeks havoc on your posture and can restrict blood flow.  Of course we all know that we need exercise to stay healthy but is 10,000 steps the goal? 

I'm sure you've heard that walking 10,000 steps a day is the latest goal you should be striving for to stay healthy.  Well this may or may not be the truth. So maybe you're curious were the notion of 10,000 steps a day came from like I was. I recently was doing some reading and found this information.  

In 1965 a Japanese company introduced a new pedometer which they named Manpo-Kei which translated means '10,000 steps meter' and this became their marketing slogan for this device.  These were made popular with Japanese walking clubs as they were intrigued with the 10,000 step a day program and so on and on it went.  There is no real science behind the notion that walking 10,000 steps a day is the right number.  We do know that increasing our physical activity is going to benefit our health and is always going to be good for us. 

A moderate brisk walk for around 30 minutes is going to burn calories and add close to 4000 steps to your daily activity depending of course upon your pace.  You want to get your heart rate up and feel slightly out of breath for best health results.  Don't compare yourself to others just do what works for you.  If you've been a couch potato then just train yourself to walk every other day at first then increase to every day if you can.  20 to 30 mins. each day and you'll soon notice changes in your energy, mood and physical fitness.  

I love to walk and I don't go by how many steps I've taken but just try to walk regularly and stay fit and healthy.  Sometimes we get fed marketing ideas that pressure us and make us feel guilty if we don't measure up, like the 10,000 step notion.  Just walk and breath in fresh air and you'll be doing a great thing for your body and health. 

Take a Walk Daily

Mini Altered Christmas Gift Boxes

A fun little project to get you in the holiday crafting mood!

#Christmascraft #diy #alteredgiftboxes

Creating Coffee Packet Envelope Style Holders

Pink Christmas Gift Tags DIY

Whimsical Snowmen Gift Tags

Make the Switch I Did

It's been 5 days and I can say I like it.  I'm talking about my coffee. Yes, I can officially say I am now a black coffee drinker and yes, I really am enjoying it.  I never thought I'd be able to give up cream (real 10% cream) in my coffee. I generally drink 3 - 4 cups of coffee a day and for years upon years I have added cream to every cup and loved it.  

My husband recently kicked the cream habit several months ago and never looked back but I really didn't even consider giving it up as it is a small but extra amount of calcium that I thought I needed besides loving the way my coffee tasted.  

Five days ago after I went to the grocery store to shop for my list of items I came home without the cream. Of course it was on my list but as often happens I overlook one or two items and come home without it. This time I didn't feel like returning to the store to buy the cream so I decided to drink my coffee black.  

Not gonna lie, the first few sips well actually the first cup tasted slightly bitter and I cringed a few times while swallowing it down.  Then a couple hours later I tried again and eventually having another cup after dinner.  By the third cup I actually started thinking okay it's not that bad. I think I can do this.  So I carried on the next day and the next day and as I said now it's been 5 full days and I've made the switch.  I am a black coffee drinker.   

Now I know that many people love their fancy coffees like macchiatos and frappuccinos and of course lattes and that's okay but once you get started on real pure coffee made from a lovely berry growing plant from an exotic location you might find you don't need all that extra 'stuff'' in your drink.   

Sugary and sweet can mask the true taste of the coffee but then maybe that's how many people feel they can tolerate drinking it.  When you find the perfect blend or roast you should be able to drink it black and enjoy the true essence of the beans.  Coffee roasters spend hours developing the roast profiles. Growing, harvesting and processing coffee beans is a real art that takes a great deal of time.  Coffee can taste very different when it comes from different areas of the world.  

Black coffee has virtually no calories.  Yup, pretty much zero.  Added cream and sugar or even just one can add several calories to your diet depending on how many cups you consume in a day.  Just food for thought but maybe switching to black coffee is something you might consider.   Otherwise, Life's short, Enjoy the Coffee! 

 

Step Into Fall and Routines

September is here and with that begins many routines and getting back into the groove of things for most of us.  Kids head back to school, parents head back to work and we find the lazy days of summer have come and gone.  

Personally, I love the fall season. There are so many great things about this time of year.  The air just seems fresher and the beginnings of change can be seen in the trees and surroundings.  I can hardly wait to see all of the bright cheerful colors of the leaves.  

Today I got back into the routine of the gym.  My first indoor workout has begun.  Most of my fitness I prefer to do outdoors like cycling and walking but to keep my body in shape also requires some weight lifting and stretching too.  My husband and I just changed gyms as we had been going to the same one for about 14 years but found during the late spring and summer months we didn't utilize it properly as that is when we got on our bikes and I began outdoor walking again.  

The new gym worked out well, has everything we need to stay fit and healthy.  Along with working out I love to create healthy meals.  So I thought I'd share this dinner recipe with you. A simple easy 'wrap' for tonight's meal. 

Roasted yams and black bean wrap. I cubed 2 yams and roasted with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt at 400 degrees for about 35 mins. 

Lay out your tortillia wrap and layer it with some romaine lettuce, add a handful of roasted yams, rinsed and drained black beans, thinly sliced tomato, some thinly sliced peppers and red onion. Drizzle with a homemade dressing or just with olive oil.   Roll up and enjoy.  

Make Simple Cards and Tags From Supplies You Have

#crafting #cardmaking #creativebits

Nautical Posters

Porthole

Anchor

Swab the Deck

I enjoy using my travel photos to create items like these posters that can be framed or used as is to dress up a home or office. The messages you see on the posters can be changed to anything that you like.  These images can also be transferred to other available products. 

Take Advantage of Summer's Bounty

Summer time is the best time to enjoy the local produce. Wherever you live you should definitely take advantage of the fruits and vegetables that abound in your area. 

This morning I stopped at a corner fruit stand near my home and picked up some delicious fresh blueberries and some local corn on the cob.  My mouth is watering just thinking about them.  The price is also a little lower than what you'll pay in a super market for them too.  Where I live at this time of year wild blackberries are growing plump and juicy in easily accessed areas. My husband and I picked a big bucket full last week. I washed them and flash froze them on a cookie sheet and then put them in freezer bags. They are fabulous to have on hand in the fall and winter months to add to smoothies, or sprinkle on your yogurt. I made a blackberry &  blueberry crumble for dessert last night for my family.  So good! 

The cost of fruits and vegetables can be expensive especially when buying them out of there normal season so one should definitely take advantage of free wild berries when you can. After all they are organic and come with lots of health benefits. 

Fruit Theme Apron

Blackberry Jam Labels

Square Blackberry Label

Tourist Attractions in London and Edinburgh

Sharing some of the scenic tourist attractions I did on my recent vacation! Amazing views! 

London Eye is a popular paid tourist attraction. A little pricey but well worth it. Situated on the South bank of the River Thames in London is where you'll find it. This is Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel. It takes about 30 minutes to complete the round. Tourist's enter into air conditioned passenger capsules that hold up to 25 people. There is lots of room to stand and move around as well as some seating for those who are more comfortable sitting. Amazing views from every angle.  

Arthur's Seat is a tourist attraction in Edinburgh, Scotland. A must do on your list! This is an extinct volcano site located in Holyrood Park. Hike to the top of hill where you'll be at 251 meters above sea level.  Here you will find amazing views of the city.  This is a free tourist stop. Although you'll likely pay for parking.  It was really busy when we where there with a steady stream of people hiking to the top.  Very cool! 

City View of Edinburgh, Scotland

Summer Days

Summer days drifting away.... 

Bring the beautiful outdoor landscape into 

your home

 with unique and 

professional images seen here on stylish products.

          Decorate your walls with amazing nature canvas art.


Decor Pillows can give your rooms a quick change and update.

Pack Right Stress Less

There are lots of details that have to come together when you are going on a big trip. There's of course the trip planning and booking of flights and maybe other transportation you'll need. There is the hotels or Airbnb's to book, Many tours and excursions need to be scheduled ahead of time or you may risk not being able to get into many of the places that you wish to see. Booking ahead will also save you from being in those nasty long lineups and wondering if you'll actually make it in. By being organized you can also save money as many sites offer deals for signing up to things in advance.  Getting everything together can be stressful. 

Taking a nice vacation or trip to another country especially one that you've never been to before can be exciting and overwhelming.  I don't know what it is but I still get a little stressed or anxious about packing the right things.  Packing your clothing, shoes, accessories and toiletries can be challenging when the trip is a little longer and you want to be sure you've packed well.  If the weather changes suddenly you want to be covered for that too!  

However that said, I do try to have a system that usually works and if anything,  I usually over pack rather than under pack. Last year before we traveled I purchased some packing cubes in a variety of sizes and found these to be amazing at keeping suitcases organized. I think I will buy a few more for this trip as well.  

When you use packing cubes or compartment bags you can fit a lot more into your luggage.  Rolling up clothing such as t-shirts and tops, even capri's or jeans will fit nicely into packing cubes. Also great for under garments and socks. This keeps like things together and you won't have things loose in your suitcase. Especially great if your suitcase pops open or you happen to get searched. 

I've learned that as far as choosing what clothing to bring, (of course depends on your destination) each item should be able to be worn with at least 2 or 3 others.  So yes, it takes a little planning and coordinating but it's worth it to lay your wardrobe out a week or so before your trip to be sure most of your items can be worn together.   I find I usually take lots of white, black and neutral colors that easily go together. Then you can just add one or two bright color accessories like maybe a jacket or scarf or a bold pair of sandals.  

Here is a check list from another post I wrote: 

1) Passport – keep a spare copy of your passport and birth certificate with you and leave a copy at home with someone in your family.
2) Shoulder Bag – (ladies) a good bag that has an adjustable sturdy shoulder strap, allows your hands to be free and is safer. For the (guys) maybe a money belt or a ‘man’ bag…
3)Currency and Credit Cards – take enough of the correct currency with you for the first couple of days, and a back up credit card to be safe.
4) Pack light, once you’ve decided on your clothes, leave one outfit behind, you’ve probably packed more than you’ll need. (I know this one is hard)
5) Pack vitamins, ibuprofen and any stomach or nausea medication you think you might need.
6) A few random things I’m throwing in… band-aids, large zip lock bags, safety pins, neck pillow, hand sanitizer

Hope you found this helpful...

Peony Luggage Tag

Sun Rise Luggage Tag

Summer Reading For The Soul

Every person likely enjoys or is drawn to reading a different type of novel. I really enjoy reading historical fiction. I have read several books by a variety of authors. I just finished reading The Daughter's Tale and before that The German Girl both written by Armando Lucas Correa. 

Historical novels like these are so fascinating and interesting to me as they shed light on the past and historical events.that happened before my time. They also give a greater sense of the tragedies and triumphs people lived through and endured as well as the struggles of day to day survival and how they sacrificed and found hope in extremely difficult times.  

The Daughter's Tale is about one of the most harrowing events in history committed by the Nazis on a civilian population. A good author like 'Correa' really pulls you into the lives of the characters and exposes the compassion and cruelty of the human heart. This historical novel is about family bonds and staying strong through the toughest of circumstances that no one on earth should be faced with. This novel brought me to tears many times and by the end I was literally sobbing. (just ask my husband) It definitely took a few days for my mind to stop churning over the things that I read about in this book. 

When I think back to high school classes of history I wish we had been able to read historical fiction like this.  I'm sure many students like myself would have been educated better and motivated to learn about history from people and characters that we could relate too. I remember my history class being extremely boring and uninteresting.  

If you enjoy historical fiction about the Holocaust or WWII  I'm sure you will want to add these two books to your reading list.  I always like to take a good book with me when traveling. Especially great to have when waiting in airports or when you're on a flight.  

Easter Cookies and Gift Tags

Will it be Coffee or Tea

Likely you are either a person who loves coffee or one who enjoys tea!  Generally individuals seem to be in one camp! That's not to say you can't enjoy a cup of the other occasionally!  Where do you fit in, is it coffee for you or tea?  

There may be many factors that come into play as to why you prefer one of these drinks over the other.  Your genes can be one of the reasons that you choose the drink you do.  According to scientists we may be genetically predisposed to perceiving a bitter substance and this can tip us toward choosing one beverage over another. Interesting right!  

Here are a some of the reasons people reach for coffee...

- they need that morning eye opener (big caffeine jolt) 
- many find themselves addicted to coffee
- it's a social thing
- it is said to be an antioxidant
- love the taste

and others reach for tea...

- health benefits (some teas contain antioxidants)
- they were raised on it (British, time for high tea)
- weight loss remedy
- find it more palatable than coffee
- more varieties ( green tea, white tea, black tea and every herbal tea you can think of) 

In our home my husband and I are big coffee drinkers. We like to buy the large bags of beans and grind them every couple of days. So good!  Our sons love their herbal tea. We have a drawer full of different types and brands of tea for them as they usually have a few cups in the evenings after their work day! They like a fresh tea bag for every cup!  All in all it doesn't matter what your preference is as long as you enjoy it.   

Spring Time Grapevine Wreath

Patience is a Key Ingredient for Life

So here we are in March and the snowflakes came down again yesterday.  So weird to see snow this late but the temperatures are still very cold and people are still dressing for winter.  However, yesterday I felt like baking some spring theme sugar cookies.  Why not bring a little sunshine into the house!   

I like to bake but sometimes I'm not sure why I choose to do baking that takes a lot of patience like sugar cookies that you have to roll and cut out and then decorate with pretty icing colors.  I guess it is nice to see them finished and know that I hung in there til the end. 

I made butterflies and cupcakes.  Royal icing is not one that I make often and can be a little finicky as you have to get the perfect consistency to outline your cookies and then another called a flooding consistency to fill in the cookie.  Of course you need to separate your icing into small bowls and add gel paste or food coloring to have a variety of colors to use.  Then it definitely takes some practice and lots of patience to outline with a steady hand and fill in your cookie so that it looks appealing.  Although I'm sure in my house my hubby or sons would gobble them up no matter what they looked like.  I enjoyed making them to some degree but did find I got a little tired and impatient after decorating a dozen or so! 

Patience is something we get better at through time, trials, and experiences in life. I believe it builds character.  There are so many instances and circumstances in life where we need a great deal of patience. Whether it is at work, while driving, in relationships, with a friend or in your family we all can be challenged. Patience takes practice and we can all find little ways to practice our patience that can help us with the times we really need to call on those skills.  Perhaps we can learn to listen more, not react so quickly, not interrupt as much and over all be a little more empathetic.  

Ahhh, I think it's time for a cookie! 

Valleys and Mountain Tops

In life we can all expect to find ourselves in a despairing valley at sometime. We are all human and things are going to happen to us and around us that are out of our control!  It might be a different type of valley that you experience. For some it may be a physical health issue, mental health issue, financial stresses, business disappointments, relational difficulties or one of many other circumstances that you find yourself in.  

When you are in the valley it may feel like things are never going to change and you are never getting out of there. You can't will the problem away or demand it leave because life just doesn't work that way.  

Mountain tops are high and lofty and seem like a great place to remain. We can see amazing scenic views from the top of mountains. Unfortunately living on a mountain top will not allow us to grow. What I mean by that is growth takes place in hard places, like down in the valleys, where trials come. Yup, as hard as it is to lose the view from the mountain top we all have our turns in  the valley and we all need to find the strength and resilience to climb out once again.  

Everyone will experience trials and difficulties in this life. For me, I am so glad of my relationship with Jesus because I know he is always working for my good even when it feels like I'm being swallowed up by a valley experience.  I can trust that he is with me and I'm not on the journey alone.  The valley is where we learn and can truly appreciate God's grace in our lives.  Even through the most difficult times we are not alone.  

Spending time reading, praying and listening to inspirational devotionals can help you relax and know that God's grace, comfort and peace will never fail.  His promises are true.  I hope you find this encouraging if today you find yourself in a valley of despair and discouragement.  Good days are coming! 

Eat Well Live a Healthy Life

The new Canada Food Guide has been released this week and there are visible and valuable changes to be seen from the old Canada food guide of 1977.  Now promoting only three categories rather than four. Promoting a healthier way to eat based on a high consumption of plant based foods and less emphasis on meat and dairy.  Finally we are being told the truth, plant based eating I believe is the way to go. 

For many years we have been told that we need to eat a variety from all four food groups to live a healthy life.  This new food guide reduces the food groups to three. The new groups are made up of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and proteins and meat and dairy combined. There are no longer serving size recommendations or suggested numbers of servings. The new guide recommends eating plant based foods more often and de-emphasizes the meat and dairy saying that eating this way can have positive effects on our health and help fight disease. 

The new food guide is also telling Canadians to make 'water' their drink of choice.  Adding emphasis on staying hydrated through out the day and choosing alcoholic and soft drinks less often. Fruit juices which are high in sugar are also not recommended. 

The Canadian guide also promotes 'mindful eating', cooking at home as often as possible, enjoy your meals and they suggest this will encourage a healthier way of eating. 

I have been a vegetarian for many years so this is confirming the approach that I take to eating and maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle.  Many people have food intolerance and don't even realize it.  Making some plant based choices more often you may find that you can improve your gut and help fight many diseases. 

Time to cut up some fresh veggies! Enjoy your week! :-)

Coffee and Hearts Address Labels

Slumber Party & Pancake Breakfast Invite

Paper Plates great for a Pancake Breakfast

Valentines Day Stickers

(sheets of 20) 

Just Plan It

Wow, here we are already in the second week of 2019!  I can't believe how quickly time is going by, how about you?  Are you jumping in with both feet and making a good start or are you feeling a little unmotivated and overwhelmed as to how to get yourself on a good track?!  

I have not been one to keep a journal or planner in the past but it has been on my mind for some time and so this week is going to be the week I prepare a planner and set some goals for myself in regards to maintaining a healthy eating plan, drinking enough fluids throughout the days and keeping my fitness and devotionals on track.  Anyone with me... 

I have a pretty floral notebook that I purchased months ago and I just need to set it up like a planner. Create some calendar pages and simple set ups where I can write down what I eat and drink in a day as well as track my gym workouts and walking schedule, I am a big walker and it helps me stay motivated when I see good progress here. So today and tomorrow I will be setting my book up. I have been told it helps to add pretty stickers, colored sticky notes, inspirational quotes and little reminders to help motivate and inspire you to fill out the pages.  You can also add other pages in your journal like meal plans, cleaning your home, organizing rooms, reading/spending time on your devotions, you can track your sleep patterns, organize your business, etc. 

This brings to mind a quote from Stephen R. Covey "A fail to plan is a plan to fail"  

Planning is key...  wherever you are on your journey I hope you are making some great plans for 2019 and maybe this year will be your year to start a journal as well. Great habits don't just happen they are made. 

                                         Planner Stickers

Daily Planner

Journal