Friday Tutorial: Christmas So Soon

This is a for fun post. I'm a list person, if I haven't mentioned that before, and I thought let's show'em how Christmas lists work in my family. It is a very basic concept, one I'm claiming to have invented, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been done before. (insert smile)

Several years ago I was tired of the same ole' same ole' boring Christmas lists. I decided it was time to jazz things up a bit and organize. Lists after all are the epitome of organization (wink, wink) and Santa doesn't just need organization . . . he demands it! I didn't realize my 'new' concept would go over so well with my family, but it did and we still use this method every year.

What you need:

- 1 piece of 8 1/2 x 11 paper, any color (I'm using white this year, though I typically like to have colored paper to be festive. In the past I have even used lined notebook paper.)
- Markers, Colored Pencils, or crayons, etc.


Paper of choice . . .

My camera did not like the idea of focusing on a blank white space.

 Fold paper in half, landscape wise . . .

Camera did like focusing on my woven bracelet. (insert grin)

Unfold paper and take each side (landscape wise) and fold to the creased middle . . .

End result should be three creases/folds equaling four vertical columns . . .

The next part you can get super creative (markers, colored pencils, etc) with or just use your printer. I did both, but I will probably keep the one that I colored with my Zebra gel pens from Staples.

The colored one I left folded accordion style and doodled 'Maddie's Christmas List' using the graphite transfer method. I'm a typography nut and while I have nice printed handwriting, the nut in me likes the use of a font . . . hence the graphite transfer method.

My transfer is a bit wobbled as I have caffeine in my system and didn't pick the easiest font to transfer with shaking hands. (insert grin)

On the printed one I eyeballed where the text would appear on the paper verses the computer screen. You want the font to appear on the outside of your list in the second column. Make sure you load your paper correctly! This one will open like a brochure, but you can print on it so that it will open accordion style as well (in that case you print in the first outer column, instead of the second). I prefer this fold over the accordion style, but I wasn't thinking and began transferring before I realized how it would turn out.

I used the font Broadway.

Now for the inside! 

This next/final step is based largely on personal preference. If you are a list junky, this method can be contained even better within the columns! I like to categorize my Christmas items based on where my passions lie in life and I use that with the columns. Of course Books is one and always the first! (insert grin) You can utilize all of the columns, even the outside ones (which would be seven in total). However, I only use the inside four and it does limit you on space. In the past my Book column has overflowed onto the back and once I even stapled an additional piece of paper to that section (guilty bibliophile here!).

My other columns:

- Music
- Movies
- Misc. - My fourth column is always miscellaneous. This can and does encompass a VERY wide spectrum of items. In the past it has included a bookshelf, a new pillow case, a husband (still waiting Santa), a baby (yeah still waiting for that too) and other odds and ends. (insert big grin)

Your list is finished!

I like to keep my lists from year to year, that way I can add what I didn't get from the previous year onto the new list. I can also see how my tastes changed or stayed the same. There is one thing I've been asking for, for at least 3 years . . . maybe this is finally the year!

You may think it is early for a Christmas list and I do agree with you . . . just a little bit. However, I have siblings and parents who have been demanding a list since October. They are early shoppers. Me? I'm more the last minute shopper . . . I know bad.

This was my first tutorial. If you have suggestions or 'kind' criticism be my guest and comment! Okay if your criticism isn't kind, you can still comment. (insert smile)

Merry Christmas (My Christmas Letter)

The Front of my Christmas Card

Dear Friends,

I can't believe that it is Christmas and soon to be New Years! It seems like I was just making my New Year's resolution list and putting lots of pleases, hopes, and prayers into what this year could bring. I'd like to say I got them all accomplished and then some, but well I won't tell if you won't.

If there is one thing I've learned this year it is boy howdy am I am stubborn person. It has been a rough year, emotionally, spiritually, "relationally", you name it. I read a verse the other day that made me scratch my head and think "Gee God, I think I'm as gold as I'm going to get." In 1 Peter it says "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." As my dad reminded me, and now that I think of it more I'm truly grateful for this, He is never finished refining me. Of course maybe it would be nice if He didn't polish so hard. :)

This year my mum watched in horror (ha ha!) as I purchased my first of several (I'm addicted, shhh don't tell) pairs of skinny jeans. Added to my growing taste for music, I can't stop listening to screamo or there are other names for it, but most commonly in my house that scary stuff Maddie listens to (shout out to the guys who introduced me to it :)!) In March I traveled to Long Beach for my fifth year!

I watched as my baby sister, Elyza, turned 21. Hello drinking buddy! Don't tell my mum I said that. A. David turned 20 and baby Reece 18. Man I'm feeling old. . . I turned 23, blah, but hey another year wiser. Don't worry if you question that, I do too. I still live at home (if you thought that had changed) and these 3 are some of my favorite people. Between making me laugh with their quick wit and sarcasm and playing SingStar, we are the karaoke champs; it is never a dull moment.

I took horseback riding lessons during the summer and hope to continue next year. Knitting became a thorn in my side. I always seem to take on the hardest projects. Hopefully with snow coming (I'm praying for it, are you?), I can have a chance to indulge in some winter activities as well.

2012 may be considered the year the world ends, but I'm hoping it is a big year for me. Win the lottery. Marry prince charming. Vacation in the Bahamas. Yes big year, indeed. On a serious note, I'm looking forward to what the Lord has in store, crossing my fingers for some growth, adventure, and joy.

Happy Birthday Jesus! Merry Christmas!

2011 Favorites:
Movie: Drive
Book: Blackveil by Kristen Britain
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:6-8
Song: Blame it on the Rain by He is We
Screamo: Safe to Say by Vanna
Documentary: The Art of Flight

Mundane Mondays: Christmas Secrets, Dragons and Wrapping with style

Did you think you'd lost me? That somehow I had drifted off into space, never to be seen or heard from again? Don't worry! I'm here. Life has been . . . well busy.

Christmas is 6 days away! I'm ready, just about. I got the last of my gifts, courtesy of Etsy today. Okay people! I'm going to steal these last gifts. Shhh . . . no one has to know and you don't have to tell. I am very pleased with myself. Could you tell? I will have to post pictures after Christmas.

This year I'm trying a different wrapping technique, well labeling is the only difference. Otherwise they are still wrapped the same. I can't tell you though, some people read this blog who will be getting gifts from me. You thought I would share the secret before Christmas. . . wrong!

You may be reading this and finding it a bit rushed. That's because it is. I have things to do, people to see, guys to kiss. . . wait what? Oh yeah that's just in my imagination. Hmm I'm tempted to stay there for a bit. :)

I will be doing something this week, or perhaps I will have to wait for things to calm down a bit, that I have never done before. I'm going to see a movie . . . all by my lonesome. Do you want to come with me? I make for a good date. No one I know has read the books or watched the Swedish versions, nor has any interest whatsoever in seeing this movie. I on the other hand have read the books and watched the Swedish versions and Daniel Craig aside (he is handsome, just not my type) I want to see this movie. By some chance though, if you stranger, live in my town, know where I live, and want to see this movie, well be my guest. Give me a call, you'll need my number first and therefore you need to know me. I know I'm making it rough, aren't I? I am, of course, talking about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (that needs to be in lights, flashing, cue LIGHTS people). You can read my review for the book here. This will be a new and weird experience for me. I mean don't people stare at people who come to theaters by themselves, "Oh, look at the creepier, came to see a movie alone." Ok, no? I guess only I do that kind of thing. I'll let you know how loner movie going is, unless. . . hey you over there, yeah you're cute you wanna go with me? :)

My Christmas tree finally went up Saturday night!

I'm 16 books away from 1,400 in my own personal library. I only have to read 24 more books by the end of the year, to complete my goal. Which, just a sneaky suspicion, that seems unlikely to happen. I'm a fast reader, not that fast. Check out my GoodReads to see what I have read this year.

I had all these great quotes to give you and what did I do? I left them at home. . .

Mundane Mondays: Christmas, Reading and Adventures

The day certainly got away from me. . . hence an evening post. A post all the same, though. :)

I spent my evening working. The Christmas Open House, for our town, is Saturday and if you don't know me by now, well I'm a procrastinator. Someday they will invent (or I will) a tonic concoction to help remedy this annoying trait, but for now I do my best. I've known for at least a month (longer ashamedly than that really) that I'm supposed to decorate a tree for the Christmas auction. So what do I do? I wait 6 days until the event to start working on my tree. Ha! I can do it. It is a challenge.

My idea is an advent tree. I have always loved that about Christmas, the advents. Advent Adventure Tree! The advent (my mum's original creation, that she has used for us for a few years) is 25 mittens. Each mitten contains candy or some such. I plan to google for an advent idea, because I want more than just candy. Although, who doesn't love candy?!? The mittens take have lots of hand sewing, which I much prefer over using the machine. Hello. . . blanket stitch! They are made out of our various colors of felt we had stashed on the fabric shelf. I really wanted some brown felt, but no such luck. Due to the lateness of the project (my fault entirely) I'm not allowed to buy extra materials, according to my mum, I must make due with what I have!

Thank goodness I have tomorrow at the bookstore to work on this and yes my own personal sweat shop. . . grandma. :) She volunteered (I promise) to embroider the numbers. The numbers on my mum's set are made out of felt, but time shortage calls for alternatives. As I said to mum, "If grandma hadn't been willing to embroider the numbers, I would have thrown the mittens across the room by now." Embroidery is not my strong suit.

Mondays are not always about crafts. I wanted to update you on what I have been reading. LibraryThing sent me an early reviewer, Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (speaking of which I'm way behind on updating my GoodReads, so don't be looking on there to see how I'm doing. . . mental note to update that tomorrow). I'm on chapter 9 and thus far it is entertaining. It is nothing earth shattering and I wonder why I picked this book out of the last batch of early reviewers. Typically I'm not the "oh let's read about witches" type. I'm also not huge on throwing religious fanatics in books (especially young adult novels) that way the general public associate (in this case) Christians with those found in the story. It must have been the cover that drew me in, not sure. 

I also have a tomb sitting on my shelf to read from LibraryThing a Catherine the Great non-fiction book by Robert Massie (I have a thing, perhaps obsession with Russian history). I'm eying that book right now, with half dread half intrigue. I'll pick it up soon. . . maybe after Christmas.

Oh and ugh, I'm still reading The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (great name!). I purchased this book in Long Beach last year and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt it was because of the cover. Yes and the prospect of it being a steampunk novel (which as far as I can tell, it is not). Maybe this is the type of book that you need to devour immediately, rather than shoving it in a corner, hoping the next time you pick it up you're somehow closer to the end than when you put it there. Wishful thinking? Much of the book is over my head and that makes me feel stupid. Then there is the fact that I want to read more about specific characters, but no I keep getting chapters about the people I could care less about. I also have this pet peeve, authors if you are going to have foreign languages in your books, please translate for us "normal" folk. As mush as I would love to say "hey I speak Thai", I don't right now and can't see it happening anytime soon. Sorry. Here's to hoping this book changes within the last half and oh yes. . . that I finish it.

Final thoughts. . . 

Should I do a book giveaway? I have a few books I wouldn't mind passing on to someone (Born Wicked perhaps) who could enjoy them. Leave a comment if you think I should or not.

Check out the music from the group Set it Off. I really like their music, especially their song Horrible Kids. Maybe later this week I will post a music playlist of must listens!

Now to bed!

Christmas with the President...1942

I meant to post last week, but never got around to it. I have been making an effort to post at least once a week if I can. This time of year is really busy though. I'm hoping either later this week or next to do my post about New Year's goals. We'll see.

I found this article an old Christmas annual from 1942 my mom has. I was looking for something to read to the senior center my dad preaches at once a month. This really spoke to me and I wanted to share it with everyone here too. I'd really like to hear what you think of it. Didn't it speak to you too? (I don't like that phrase, speak to you, but couldn't think of another way to say it.) Enjoy!

Christmas with the President

There have been many Christmas celebrations in the family circles of our presidents; but the Christmas of the year of our Lord 1941 will no doubt go down in history as one of the most significant ever observed in the White House. The previous Christmas had been the occasion of a real family celebration in the home of our Chief Executive. President and Mrs. Franklin Delano Roosevelt had observed the day much as it had been kept in millions of Christian homes the country over. Around a huge Christmas tree the President’s mother and most of their children and grandchildren had been gathered for the Yuletide festivities.

Last Christmas season, however, found conditions quite different. Our country was at war. The events of Pearl Harbor were still a vivid memory. The President’s time was crowded with the duties and responsibilities incumbent upon the commander-in-chief of our armed forces. The war spirit all but invaded the Executive Mansion. Heavily armed soldiers paraded endlessly around the White House grounds. Police and Secret Service men stood watch. Instead of having his children and grandchildren around him, the President had a great number of statesmen, generals, admirals, and Cabinet officers. As house-guest he had Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Great Britain, who had secretly traveled across the Atlantic for an important war council with the President.

Those were eventful days. On Christmas Eve time was taken from the many conferences for a brief ceremony. The President pressed the magic button to light the National Christmas Tree. He spoke a short greeting to the thousands that had been admitted to the White House grounds. Mr. Churchill was at his side. To a crowd less exuberant, more reverent than he had addressed on previous Christmases, Mr. Roosevelt said: “Against enemies who preach the principles of hate and practice them, we set our faith in human love and in God’s care for us and all mean everywhere.” Mr. Churchill also spoke. His remarks and those of the President were broadcast to the nation. “Let the children have their night of fun and laughter,” said Mr. Churchill. “. . . . By our sacrifice and daring, these same children shall not be robbed of their inheritance, or denied the right to live in a free and decent world.”

The two men stood together as the Marine Band played The Star-Spangled Banner and God Save the King; they joined in singing Christmas carols.

A little sidelight on the events of that week was given by Mrs. Roosevelt in her syndicated column on December 24: Washington, Tuesday—I was late arriving at the Office of Civilian Defense yesterday morning because the President, who had been very mysterious as to what was going to happen over these holidays, finally decided to tell me that the British Prime Minister, Mr. Winston Churchill, and his party were arriving sometime in the late afternoon or evening. It had not occurred to him that this might require certain moving of furniture to adapt rooms to the purposes for which the Prime Minister wished to use them.

On Christmas Day the President and Mr. Churchill attended divine service at the Foundry Methodist Church, where the pastor in his petition paraphrased the Prime Minister’s famous remark, praying that he might continue to lead his own people even through blood, sweat, and tears, to a new world.

On December 22, the day of Churchill’s arrival, our President made the proclamation for a day of prayer on New Year’s Day. In this proclamation he said: We are confident in our devotion to our country, in our love of freedom, in our inheritance of courage. But our strength, as the strength of all mean everywhere, is of greater avail as God upholds us.

The first day of the New Year was then formally set aside by the President “as a day of prayer, of asking forgiveness for our shortcomings of the past, of consecration to the tasks of the present, of asking God’s help in days to come.”

The President’s proclamation concluded with this paragraph: We need His guidance that this people may be humble in spirit but strong in conviction of the right, steadfast to endure sacrifices and brave to achieve a victory of liberty and peace. On January 1, the Prime Minister again was the President’s guest. Together they worshipped in the pew used by George Washington in Old Christ Church, Alexandria, Va., and began the New Year with a prayer to which they had plighted themselves. Together they heard a young rector intone the prayer: “Be now and evermore our defense; grant us victory if it be they will.”

Later in the day they rode across the Washington estate at Mt. Vernon, overlooking the Potomac. It was raining. Standing beside the red-brick tomb, Mr. Churchill bared his head and placed a red, white, and blue wreath on the stones out of respect to the memory of our first president.