Lovely For Gifts
I am still loving the Paper Message in a Bottle idea. See other samples in this previous post. I used the idea to create an end of the year teacher thank you for the smallest one’s Pre-school teacher. The smallest one colored and decorated the jar shape and picked out the Cherrios slide frame. This amazing teacher was also the short one’s teacher. She is a gift to these girls and to our family. A big thank you to teachers!
Arizona Gives Day
It’s March 20th, and today Arizonans are coming together for 24 hours of unprecedented giving! It’s one extraordinary day to support the organizations that make Arizona strong, and it’s your chance to make a real impact! From 12 am until 11:59 pm today only, every donation you make to your favorite Arizona nonprofit gives that organization a chance to win MORE MONEY through awards and prizes!
Whether you have a favorite cause or not, we encourage you to explore the many missions of our participating nonprofits and help show Arizona’s unparalleled generosity to the world by making your tax-deductible gift today.
This past weekend I lead a workshop at SMoCA for teens at the Night At The Museum Event. It was such a good time!
I used rubber stamps of mason jars, stamped them onto paper, scanned them into the computer, cleaned them up and blew the scale up to a larger size. Then I printed the graphic jars onto white card stock. I had the participants cut the jars out and glue them on three sides down to a colored card stock, leaving the top open so a paper note could be tucked in. Then they decorated each of their jars. They made some amazing projects! Here are the sample I created. I will post theirs into another post soon.
Every year I try to whip up some Valentines Day cards for the local shops. Even though the full force greeting card part of my business is now closed, I still love to make cards and produce them just for a choice few retailers. These four Valentines Day cards are available for only a few weeks of February 2013. They can be found at MADE in Central Phoenix. These are created using the YUDU screen-printer, Japanese Washi Tape and Markers. The bottom on is a red fabric jewelry bag with paper tickets inside.
After creating so many Message In A Bottle goodies this year I thought it would also make a great gift for The Smallest One’s Pre-School teacher. She is a photographer and a magical teacher. Both girls have loved her. Here is the Message In A Bottle gift we gave her.
After reading “Kirstin’s Surprise” (an American Girl book) the short one asked if we could celebrate St. Lucia Day, Since I am Scandinavian I thought it would be a great tradition for us to do. I did a little research and discovered many lovely things that were a part of the ceremony. I set to work prepping their dress up clothes to serve as the white dress and added red sashes. I made each girl a crown with electric battery operated lights on it.
I woke the girls early today, December 13 and we bake Pillsbury cinnamon rolls in place of traditional St. Lucia buns. They dressed in the white dresses with read sashes, we read the poem A Nocturnal Upon S. Lucy’s Day, Being the Shortest Day by John Donne and sang St. Lucia songs. They carried the trays with rolls and cocoa (in place of coffee).
St Lucia Day is celebrated on December 13, with the Winter Solstice which, under the old Julian calendar, used to fall on that day. This day is very significant in Scandinavian countries. There, in December, the daylight time is very short and darkness and night time are extremely long, due to their position on the globe. Lucia translates to “light”. After the Winter Solstice the days get longer. So St. Lucia is a celebration of the coming lengthening of the days.
Here is a document called Saint Lucia Notes filled with all the poems, songs and recipes we found online in the research we did.
I will be at Crafteria this weekend, Friday December 7th. Selling Message In A Bottle craft kits and T-shirt Yarn craft kits. Stop by Medlock Plaza on Central and Camelback from 6 pm to 10 pm to shop local and handmade.
This Message in a Bottle craft is quick, easy and fun. I have now made dozens of then to give for Christmas gifts this year.
I will be selling the kits to make them at Crafteria, on Friday, December 7th. Stop by and visit me at the the best handmade crafts fair in Phoenix. For only $5 you can take home a jar, the instructions and a packet of goodies to make one of your own. See you there!
Postal Service offers North Pole postmark through Dec. 10
Cards and letters must have correct postage and be addressed
November 08, 2011
NORTH POLE, AK – Once again this year, the U.S. Postal Service is offering North Pole postmarks on holiday mail.
To receive the North Pole postmark on your holiday cards, you should:
- Purchase stamps at any post office.
- Affix the stamps to envelopes of your choice.
- Address the sealed envelopes, with the cards enclosed, to those on your mailing list.
- Mail them in a larger envelope, box, Priority Mail or Express Mail package to:
NORTH POLE HOLIDAY CANCELLATION
POSTMASTER
4141 POSTMARK DR
ANCHORAGE AK 99530-9998
Requests must be received in Anchorage by Dec. 10 in order to ensure delivery by Christmas. The Postal Service receives hundreds of thousands of requests each year for North Pole postmarks from around the world. The service is provided at no cost. Each card or letter must have the correct amount of postage and be addressed.
Many communities around the country have local programs set up to respond to letters to Santa Claus. In North Pole Alaska, requests may be sent to – 1 Santa Claus Lane, North Pole AK 99705-9901. Check with your local post office or call 1-800-ASK-USPS.
Today enjoy your turkey with family and friends. Tomorrow enjoy your black Friday big box shopping and then on Saturday, turn local. Visit local, small businesses over the weekend to give a shout out to those who work hard to offer great things in our communities so that we don’t have to fight the crowds and so that we have places to go that offer unique things not found in big retailers.
Let’s celebrate small!
