July 6th

 

As you might expect, along with my love for vintage decor comes a equally deep love for mason jars. I use mason jars in my home for everything: scrunchie storage, food storage, freezer foods, craft supplies, planters, drinking glasses, Holiday/Seasonal decor, candleholders, tablescapes, soap dispensers, cupcake liner storage, really anything and everything.

 So today I'm highlighting mason jar gift ideas (from Pinterest). Some of these I have made in the past, some are new to me. Mason jars are a quick, easy, relatively inexpensive to give a fun, personal, thoughtful gift.

I actually made this one with the Grands as a gift for their parents a few years ago.

The Clock is Tickin'...

 

... toward a stress-free Christmas! Looks like this month's list is focused on preparing to buy gifts. I have to admit though, that I wonder if this list was sponsored by specific retailers?! 

Even so, August is definitely the month to start your Christmas gift list. Costco and Sam's Club are both starting to stock toys. Walmart and Target had huge toy sales in July to empty the shelves to prepare for the Christmas toy stock. Hobby Lobby had several aisles of Christmas decor.

Make your list, check it twice, and get ready to save some money this year!

Christmas in July 7.20.2021

 

As I mentioned yesterday, I got quite a bit Christmas shopping done this past weekend. Ya gotta love sales! 

If you've read my blog at all, you know that I have a fool-proof (for me) organizational system for the Holidays. In keeping with my system, I wrapped and tagged the gifts yesterday.

I have 20 people in my immediate family to give gifts to this year. I am completely finished with one grandchild. And have a good start on several other people. One down, 19 to go! It's such a good feeling to have a start toward a stress-free Christmas.

Christmas in July 7.19.2021

 

Woo-hoo! I got a lot of Christmas shopping done this past weekend. Target and Walmart had lots of toys on clearance and I picked up some bargains. Today I got out my gift wrap supplies and am busy wrapping gifts. (Yes, my bed is my 'table' today).

It truly is "the most wonderful time of the year"!

Christmas Time's a'Comin'

 Oh boy! Only two months to go until Christmas Day! 

Have you been working toward a stress-free Christmas? I have. If ever we needed less stress this is the year. I've finished shopping for several people in my family. I have prepared my Family Christmas menu and my Christmas Day menu. I've wrapped all the gifts I've purchased to this point. And I'm finished with stocking stuffers for half the family.

This year has been chaotic at my house. My daughter and her two kids moved in on February 1st. She's having a house built and should get the keys on November 10th. We knew they would be living here for several months, but we had no idea that the virus was coming.

The kids school closed down March 13th and we began the awful, horrible, ridiculous, stressful, inadequate process of distance learning. It was really a joke for the rest of that school year. We survived Grammy's Summer Camp with virtually no activities. Thank goodness we have a swimming pool. Then began distance learning for the new school year. It is somewhat improved, but still incredibly stressful. My daughter works for a company that contracts with DCS, and is responsible for 150+ kids living in 18 group homes. She was working 12+ hour days for several months so the kids schooling fell to me. I felt (and feel) so inadequate.

Plus our house is stuffed to the brim with our stuff, their stuff, the stuff she's buying for the new house. I joke that I live in a warehouse.

Now Christmas is coming. The photo above shows my storage option this year for purchased/wrapped gifts. It's not great, but it works! 

I wish I could start decorating on November 1st, but with so much stuff in the house, there's no way. She will start moving on November 13th and I hope to start decorating with a vengeance that weekend!

I have managed to make and freeze 18 dozen Peanut clusters, 10 dozen Cashew clusters, and two Pistachio Bread loaves, so I feel good about that.

Hope you're making progress on having a stress-free Holiday Season!

Christmas Time's a'Comin'

 Time is flyin' by! I have "Fall Fever", a serious case of it and began decorating the house for Fall this week. Even though the temps are hovering around 115 degrees.

And you know what comes after Fall... Christmas!

I'm busy buying and wrapping gifts. This year I'm using gift boxes and gift bags for all of the presents. This past weekend I managed to wrap gifts and fill stockings with stuffers.

This year I'm using a new method for the stocking. In the past I used gift sacks and put each person's stuffers in their sack, filling the stockings the night before Family Christmas. It worked... for a while. But the past few years as the Grands got older I often bought stuffers that were too large for the stockings. 

So this year, I'm using the Hallmark bags like the one below. I have one bag per family. I put the stuffers in the stockings and then set them in the bag for their family. So far, so good! I discovered yesterday that I'm done with one grandchild using this method. All of the stockings are slightly different sizes, but I use a number limit on stocking stuffers (based on the age of the recipient.) The adults get the same amount, but the one year old gets less than the 11 year old.

I had to laugh yesterday when we Skyped with our family in KS. I could see that my DIL had started decorating for Fall. I commented on it and she said "yes, I just NEED a change". I completely agree with her. I can't control much about my life right now, but I CAN control my environment!

Christmas in July Day Eight

Today's tip is very interesting to me. I'm not sure I want to try it, but it does make me think about gift-giving in a different light.

As I think about it more I realize that I do this to a small extent. For instance, one daughter is into anything pig themed. So I always give her several pig theme items at Christmas. But that's not the theme of all of her gifts.

 I do plan to use this approach this year on one of my granddaughters. She's 11 years old now and totally into anything that can be bought at Claire's Boutique. So for her stocking I plan to fill it with goodies from Claire's. They always have a buy three, get three free deal going so I will take advantage of that. 

Even if I don't use this tip, I'm always looking for good tips that spark creativity in gift-giving and this one does that for me!

Christmas in July Day Six

If you've been reading this blog for awhile you know that I have a foolproof (at least for me) organizational plan for a stress free Christmas. 

However...

that doesn't mean that I don't get off track. As a matter of fact, as my family has continued to grow I've been dissatisfied with the past two or three Christmas season in the stress-free goal. I finally decided it's because I built my plan when there was only six -10 of us. Now there's 17 of us and my plan definitely needed tweaking. One area that I struggle in is Christmas gifts for the kids. 

When we first learned we were to become grandparents in 2009, we set a goal of four Christmas gifts per grand each year. The problem is that I (or my husband) see something we think they can't live without. Well... of course, if we go over the limit for one we think we have to match it with the other six. Bad plan.

This year I'm renewing my determination to stick to the four gifts per child limit. This does not include an ornament or a calendar or stocking stuffers. Just actual gifts that they unwrap.

Here's a few tips to help limit the number of gifts you buy and increase their worth to the child you're buying for.

Christmas in July: Day 21

I decided to have the grandkids make the gifts for their parents during Grammy's Summer Camp Christmas in July. Last week we worked on one gift. We still need to create the gift bags and make a gift for the other parent. Plus I have three other Grands in town that need to make gifts. At least we're off to a good start!

Thunder and Sunny working on Christmas gifts

Christmas in July: Day 11

I went looking for unique gift ideas, and I found one!

How to fold money tree see the tutorial: Youtube.com

CIJ: The ABCs of Christmas ~ Peace

Peace. Do you have peace in your life? Does anyone? Peace seems to be a diminishing element in our lives these days. It is being replaced with chaos. I think most of us long for peace. But we often forget that peace can begin within ourselves.

I sang this song in the 3rd grade (1964) for a Christmas program at my elementary school. The tune and lyrics have always stayed with me. I didn't hear this song for many years and then it started making a comeback in the late 80s.

This is a simple song with a powerful message:

December Twenty-third - Best Gift

Photos of the best gifts I've ever received!

Gramps, Blizzard, Grammy, Snow

Storm, Thunder, Skye, Summer

Me with my boys

Gabe, Zach, JD, Adam

Dan with the girls

Jessica, Katie, Janel

Jessica, Adam, Snow, Storm

JD, Janel, Blizzard

Gabe, Katie, Sunny, Thunder

Zach, Skye

Dan and me

Christmas in July: Day Twenty-two - Gifts

Here are some of the gifts I've purchased for this year. I'm actually further along on my list than it looks, but some of the gifts are already stashed away in tubs awaiting the day after Thanksgiving when they receive ribbons and bows.

Buying gifts year round works great for me. My Christmas purchases are made with cash, not credit. I don't get sucked into the impulse buying that can happen between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I stick to my budget. I'm free to enjoy all of the holiday activities during the Christmas season.

My approach to gift buying is simple. I ask all of my kids for wish lists in May. They know not to buy anything for themselves that appears on their list. They also know not to tell the same wishes to other family members. Returning duplicates is not in my job description!

I usually buy for the older grandkids last, they've been known to change their minds! Of course, now that they're into Legos, Action Figures, Barbies, and art supplies, it's easier to buy for them early.

Speaking of Legos, I joined the Lego rewards program. I'm saving up rewards to use to buy the Lego Ferris Wheel. For me. It is so cool! So all the grandkids get Legos for birthdays and Christmas...

Christmas Season 2016 Has Begun!

On Saturday, Dan and I spent the day shopping. We were primarily shopping for Easter items for the grandkid's baskets. At one stop my holiday focus was changed in an instant. I bought a Christmas present. It is the perfect gift for my daughter, Jessica and I just had to purchase it.

As I paid for it, the sales associate commented on my item and Dan told her it was a Christmas gift. She stated "only if you can wait that long". Dan proceeded to assure her that I would wait that long and then explained my entire Christmas shopping organizational plan.

I was amazed. I didn't even realize he knew my plan!

The lady literally stood there with her mouth hanging open. She glanced at me when he was done and I assured her that yes, that's exactly what I do each and every year.

She smiled and said, "well, I guess that's a good way to avoid all of the chaos of Christmas."

Yep, it sure is.

So I guess this means that Christmas 2016 has officially kicked off at my house! Yippee!

Christmas in July: Gifts

Yesterday I ran to two local Hallmark stores to pick up my pre-ordered Keepsake Ornaments. This year most of my ornaments arrived this weekend so I only have to go back in September and November to pick up the rest. I came right home and started wrapping. I also had three gifts purchased that needed to be wrapped.

I have a great system for buying, wrapping, and storing gifts. I will share it with you later this week. In the meantime, I wanted to show you what I've managed to accomplish!

Christmas in July: Gifts

Let the wrapping begin! This is what I accomplished yesterday...

Getting Organized

Well the countdown at the top of my blog says "239 Days Until Christmas", but at my house the Holiday Prep Season has begun!

I have thumbed through my Hallmark KOC Dream Book several times and am filling out my pre-order form to turn in this coming weekend. I have made my homemade gift list, checked it twice, and am stitching away on those projects.

Today I updated my gift chart and will be starting to fill it in with few gifts I've already purchased (mainly stocking stuffers). Since I'm working on my chart, I thought today would be a good time to share this part of my Stress-Free Christmas Plan with you.



I've been using this method for almost 20 years and it certainly works for me. I create a table with a column for each person I'm purchasing gifts for. The yellow highlighted rows are for stocking stuffers. Since I took this photo I've also added a bright green and a purple row. One is for calendars, one is for ornaments. The pale pink and blue rows are for the grandkids' gifts. Each grandchild gets four wrapped presents.

In May, I determine my budget for the year and then I ask everyone for a wish list. This year I'm working on a form with questions that will help them (and me) with good suggestions. I'll share it with you when I have it finished later this week. Once I have the wish lists, the shopping begins! I do not use credit to buy Christmas gifts. I use cash. Starting in May helps me to buy a little at a time and to be disciplined to sticking to my budget.

When I buy a gift, I bring it home and wrap it, put the gift tag on it, and post it on my chart. I used clear plastic tubs to store the wrapped gifts in. Once the budget for each person is spent, I'm done with them. Keeping this chart is a great way for me to know what I've bought for who. I can see at a glance who still needs to be shopped for and who's completed. If they give me a last minute suggestion and their budget is spent, I tell them they need to give that suggestion to someone else.

My goal every year is to be completely finished with shopping by Thanksgiving. I have hit that goal every year since I started this method back in 1995. Some years I've been done by Halloween!

Having the shopping and wrapping done early frees me up for a fun-filled, stress-free December!

The day after Thanksgiving (or sooner if I'm not hosting Thanksgiving dinner) I take out all of the gifts and put the ribbons and bows on them. Then they go under the tree. I "X" off each gift as it goes under the tree so that I know I haven't misplaced one. The empty tubs go back out in the garage for use the next May when I start all over.

So there you have it: my complicated explanation of my very easy organization tool. I'd love to hear your tried and true methods - please share!

You Can't Always Get What You Want...

... and you for sure won't get what you want if you don't ask for it!

Why is it so hard for some of us me to provide a gift wish list to friends and family? I start asking for Christmas Wish Lists in May each year, but I rarely take the time to write down what I would like to have. I mean to... I think of things I want and think I'll remember them, but then when someone asks me for gift ideas my mind is a blank. Or, no one ever asks.

I think there are several reasons that we are not pro-active about giving out gift ideas for ourselves. We don't want to appear greedy. Or picky. Or too extravagant. Or ungrateful for the manicure set they give us year after year even though we bite out nails compulsively. Oh wait, that's me that happened to.

This year I've decided to seize the bull by the horns. I'm not waiting for someone to ask me what I want. I'm making my list. Checking it twice. Dividing it among my family. Telling them exactly what I want (and in some cases where they can buy it!)

I put a lot of effort into finding gifts that I know will be appreciated and used by others. Why shouldn't I put the same amount of effort into myself? It really bothers me when people give me gifts that are totally useless to me. It's a waste of their time and money. It causes undue guilt on my part when I write them a thank you note and promptly deposit their gift in the Goodwill box. It brings out the martyr in me and that's NEVER a pretty thing.

How about you? Do you write out a wish list for yourself? To tell you the truth, I buy most of my own gifts that Dan gives me. Year after year I would show him stuff that I wanted. But he's in the "shop on Christmas Eve" club and the items were long gone by then. Now when we're out and I see a good gift, I buy it and tell him "you're giving me this for Christmas". My kids think that's awful, but it has alleviated a lot of stress... for me and for him!

Let the Wrapping Begin!

See what I've been up to today? Wrapping Christmas gifts. I stumbled across a great buy last week for all of my girls and just couldn't resist getting this Gift Wrap Season started. It may also have had something to do with the Dream Book arriving last week! Anyway, as you can see, I've got seven gifts bought and wrapped. Actually the count is eight, one gift didn't make it into the photo.

Last year I chose one pattern of gift wrap for each family member. It looked cool under the tree, but it wasn't as much fun as I thought it would be. This year I'm going back to using multiple patterns for everyone. I use Santa patterns for all of the grandkids and then whatever for everyone else.

As I've stated before, I buy gifts starting in May (usually) and wrap them and apply a gift tag before storing them. I have a chart that keeps track of my budget and of the gifts I've purchased and wrapped. This way I don't forget what I've already purchased and I don't go over budget unless it's deliberate. Have you started any holiday preparations at your house? I'd enjoy hearing about them...

Getting Ready for Christmas 2012

The banner at the top of my blog says there are 338 days until Christmas 2012. Time to get started!

The first step I take each year to prepare for a stress-free holiday is to make up my gift chart. I used Publisher, but you can use any program that has a table element. Or you can make one up manually. The format I use is to list each person's name at the top of a column. The yellow highlighted area is for stocking stuffers. The pink and blue highlighted areas are under my grandkids' names. I buy each grandchild a maximum of four gifts each Christmas.

As I purchase a gift, I write it in the column under the receiver's name along with how much I paid for it. I immediately wrap each gift and place gift tags on. I do not apply ribbons or bows or embellishments at the time of purchase. I don't want them to be squished or tired looking in December! I highlight the gift when it is wrapped. I then place the wrapped gift in a tub in a closet of my house. When I have spent my budget for each person I am done with that name.

I've been using this technique for over 15 years. It works for me. I never forget where the presents are stored. I never forget what I bought for who. I rarely go over budget (if I do, it's a conscious decision). I am always done by Thanksgiving. I don't have to participate in the stressful hustle and bustle of shopping between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I can enjoy the season... stress-free!

A photo of my chart is included below. As always, I would love to hear how you organize your Christmas. Please share!