Best of Holy Craft 2015 a year in review

I can't believe how quickly this year came in and now it's nearly over! I've been doing this Holy Craft year in reviews since I started my blog back in 2010. It's hard to believe that I'm going on six years of blogging! That's a lot of projects a lot of random thoughts and a lot of garage sales!  In case you missed it, you can find the best of year in reviews here: 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 This is always one of my favorite posts all year because it's fun to look back at the projects that I worked on this year. Won't you take a look back on 2015 with me and see some of those projects?

0

Vinyl sayings on burlap placemats

Several years ago I saw some pretty darn cute place mats at a local store. I didn't buy them and sort of regretted it. You don't ever do this do you? I'm sure I'm the only one. I found out that they were available from One Kings Lane, but once I went to find them, they were no longer available to purchase. Story of my life. So, I made some of my own, because that's what a good cheap person does with not a lot of budget but a whole lot of style.

0

Merry Christmas

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

0

Last minute crafty gift ideas

I know, I know, Christmas is in two days, but I couldn't help but squeeze in a few last minute gift ideas that you can make in case you have a few last minute presents to whip up.

I actually had all of these supplies on hand, so no special trip was required to a craft store. But I am a craft supply hoarder, so perhaps you are much more organized and less in need of craft supply intervention than I am.

Regardless, these gift ideas can all be whipped up in under an hour and most of them can be made in under twenty minutes.

0

Easy chalkboard art secret for those of us that aren't hand lettering artists

I'm a huge fan of chalkboards. I love the chalk art trend and wish that I could say that I was an expert chalk art hand letterer {I'm sure that's an actual thing...maybe} but alas, I am not. However, I have learned how to fake it.  I shared with you a tutorial several years ago and then got slapped with a lovely copyright infringement notice and well, in the end, I took my tutorial down. Earlier this year, I redid the tutorial {with images that I am pretty sure are safe} and what better time to revisit chalk art than right before the holidays.

0

Snow and Christmas trees to make a fun holiday decoration

Last year, one of my favorite Christmas crafts that I made were these die cast cars with snow and mini Christmas trees. They were huge hits at my local craft bazaar last year, so I kept my eyes peeled this year as I did garage sale and thrift store shopping for more things that I could add faux snow and trees to.

I found a few things, and this time, they were even bigger than the little die-cast cars I used last year!

0

Vintage tablecloth turned into Christmas tree skirt

I love Christmas! I love decorating for Christmas and I love unpacking my Christmas boxes every single year. Every year I add to the boxes with handmade ornaments like I featured all last week in my six days of handmade. Sometimes, I add big items, sometimes I add small items.

This year, one of the new items I added to my Christmas decor was a new tree skirt. But not just any tree skirt. It's a tree skirt that I made out of a pretty amazing vintage round tablecloth that we got from my husband's grandmother's estate just after she passed away this summer.

I actually see round tablecloths like this at garage sales and estate sales quite often, so in case you are like me, you can pin this or tuck this away and remember when garage sale season starts back up again to keep your eyes peeled for a round tablecloth to make a no sew Christmas tree skirt.

It took me under 5 minutes and I promise, there is really no sewing to make this tablecloth into a Christmas tree skirt. Want to see how?

0

Must have, but often forgotten, items to have before you have guests this holiday season

This time of year is a busy season. Kids have school programs, there are extra events on the calendar and we often have a revolving door of people that we love in and out of our home for a few weeks straight. It's a good busy.

I do my best to stay extra super efficient though so that I can get the must have's and to do's done on my list so that I can focus on the important stuff. The important stuff usually revolves around relationships and spending time with those that you love, which is why I made up a must have {but often forgotten} list of items to have on hand before your guests arrive.

0

World globe vintage map ornament

Welcome back to the sixth and final day of six days of handmade ornaments. I don't normally post on Saturday's but I wanted to make sure I finished out this fun week of handmade with a bang!
In case you missed it, check out the scrabble tile ornaments, typewriter keys, Christmas tree in a jar, woodland diorama ornament and yesterday's clay antler ornament. 

Today, on our last day, I am sharing with you a vintage world map globe ornament. You are going to love it!

0

Handmade clay antler ornament

Welcome back to day five of the six days of handmade ornaments.
In case you missed it, check out the scrabble tile ornaments, typewriter keys, Christmas tree in a jar and woodland diorama ornament. 

Today, I will be sharing with you a handmade clay antler ornament.

2

Deer and Christmas tree ornament

Welcome back to day four of six days of handmade ornaments. I hope you have enjoyed seeing all of the fun homemade ornaments so far. In case you missed it, check out the scrabble tile ornaments, typewriter keys and Christmas tree in a jar.

Today, I will be sharing with you these snow globe diorama ornaments. I had a half a dozen of these adorable little deer that I bought for a quarter a piece. They were floating around in the bottom of my purse just waiting for glitter, when my purse got stolen from a Starbucks parking lot. So some bad guy probably has some deer they are making diorama ornaments from too.

These were really easy and fun and the possibilities for them are endless! Let's get started!

0

Joann Fabric, I'm breaking up with you. An open letter to the craft store giant.

Joann's Fabric and Craft Store, I'm Breaking Up With You!

Dear Joann's Craft Store, I am breaking up with you.

I just don't have time for you anymore.

Your lines are too long, your service is sub par, your return policy sucks and just stepping into your store is one of the biggest time sucks of my day.

all I wanted was some Styrofoam balls for 40% off. Is that too much to ask???

What is it with the Joann Fabrics Coupons?

You try to lure me in with 40% off regularly priced coupons that never seem to work on any of the supplies I come in for.  You skillfully mark down anything I would ever want {are you some witchcraft mind reader?} to a measly 25% off just so I can't use my coupon.
I attempted to avoid the lines at the store and order online only to find that the item I ordered, that just didn't work for the project I was making, isn't returnable in the store.
According to the delightfully unhelpful customer service lady at the counter of my local Joann's, it's because online and in-store are two totally different stores and therefore have different policies.
What the heck???
So now I'm stuck with clock mechanics to make a clock that won't fit on the vintage film canister or {plan b} the old bike tire.  Both cool projects that didn't work and now the supplies I can't use just taunt my inability to create.

Your selection of low price fabric makes it hard to shop elsewhere, though once you started your DMV like take a number cutting counter, the lines are unbearable.
People take a number and then do their shopping. {guilty, as charged,}  but when you have to be called back to the cutting counter over the loudspeaker,  the people waiting for you to traipse back after your skillfully planned shopping jaunt are none too pleased.
The choice then is to stand and wait.
Lingering around the cutting table like you are waiting for some rock stars autograph listening to the thump thump of the fabric bolts being rolled out and inevitably being stuck behind some quilter getting 24 different 1/8 of a yard cuts of fabric.
I try to be patient, but it's hard to keep from being annoyed at the long lines at the cutting counter making me probably less than pleasant when I finally get my number called to have my fabric cut.
Which is why the employees who are cutting my fabric are anything but enjoyable to work with.
Speaking of the employees, I find them less than helpful. After a store remodel last year, I could not for the life of me find the mod podge. {insert audible gasp here}
It's not often that I don't know what I am looking for, so on the few times that I ask, I expect for the people who get paid to work there to actually be helpful.
After wandering up and down the store aisles, I finally found a person who actually worked at the store. I asked her where I would find the mod podge and you know what she did?
She pointed.
I decided to venture in the direction of her point and once again turned up unsuccessful. So I attempted once again to find another store employee that could possibly help me.
As I write this, I realized I really wanted that mod podge somethin' fierce!
Once again, the employee pointed me in the right direction. I had to ask her to physically show me. True story.
And while I was finally successful in locating my mod podge, I found that it was marked down to 15% off so I couldn't use my 40% off coupon and we all know that shopping at Joann's and not using a 40% off coupon is the closest thing to dancing with the devil that I can think of.

Typically, after getting my fabric cut, I bolt off and do my best to jump into the cash register line only to find that it's been snaked through a maze of cheap merchandise in tall racks.
Two lines are open with 12 people in line in front of me.
If I kept my cool in the cutting line, I no longer have it while in the register line.
Why must a "quick" trip in take no less than an hour?
As my friend Mandi likes to say, any line that long better end in a Disneyland ride.
I've tried shopping you at various times throughout the day in hopes that I will find that sweet spot. The possibility of walking in, getting my fabric cut and walking back out in a timely manner has been like an elusive creature I've been trying to capture for the past six months.
Because your clientele of crafters is mostly upper middle age women with nothing but time on their hands, there is no secret hour that I have found to shop.
Your shoppers come out of the woodwork at all hours.
They are waiting when the doors open, they are clogging the lines on their lunch breaks, and they are shopping after work or to fill their evenings.
I've come to one conclusion,
Joann's, you are the store that I love to hate.
And because I'm tired of being a hater, I'm breaking up with you.
I will hardly know what I will do with all the time I will be saving while shopping at those other craft stores.
Thankfully, I have many at my disposal, but for those who don't, please take a moment and read this letter with an open mind for change.
Adios old friend,

48

Christmas tree with Mica snow in a jar

Welcome back to day three of six days of handmade ornaments. I've been showing you easy and inexpensive ornaments that I have made this holiday season.  

Today's ornament is more about show and tell, and less about full tutorial. Mostly because nearly everything for this ornament was bought at a garage sale. Though hopefully it will inspire you.

0

Handmade typewriter key ornament

Welcome to day two of six of Holy Craft's six days of handmade ornaments. Yesterday I shared with you the handmade Scrabble tile ornament.  Today, I will be sharing with you a round typewriter key ornament. 

There are so many ways to personalize these ornaments for your family and friends. I picked this 5 since there are five people in our family. They are super easy to create. Let me show you!

0

Six days of handmade ornaments. Scrabble tile ornaments on a vintage ruler

Welcome to day one of six days of handmade ornaments. I can have a boxes full of ornaments, and yet every year, I end up making a few more to hang on the tree.  This whole week, I will be sharing with you easy and inexpensive ways to create your own handmade ornaments this year.

The first one I'm excited to show you is my scrabble tile ornaments mounted on a vintage yardstick and hung with plaid ribbon.

0

Motherhood and transformation-How your life changes when you become a mom

I've gotten a bit sappy and sentimental this year. You see, my oldest son, the little boy who made me a mom, is entering into an exciting year.

He's a senior in high school and while it's barely December, he's applied at colleges and university's all over the country. Next year at this time, his zip code, heck probably even the state he lives in is going to be different than the one we share together right now. For the past 17 years, we've shared life in the same four walls. He's taught me how to be selfless and how to love unconditionally. He gave me the gift of motherhood and that role has changed me for the better.

I was one of the first of my friends to have a child. I remember talking to them about how life wouldn't really change. The only thing that would be different is that I would have a baby. No big deal. Holy cow, was I wrong! The moment that baby was placed in my arms, my world was totally different.

It took time for me to find my way through this new role of mom. I had played the part of daughter, friend, and sister for a long time. The role of newlywed was new and it wasn't long before I became a mom. I was now balancing all these roles and I wasn't sure how to navigate that balance.

I was only 20 when my son was born and my life revolved mostly around me. My decisions were mostly driven by what I wanted to do and what I needed. As soon as that baby was placed in my arms, it was no longer about me. I didn't just become a mom that day, we became a family.

While you hear that your life will change when you become a mom, you don't always believe it. I think it's because change usually has a negative connotation. My life changed completely when I became a mom, but it changed for the better. I made sacrifices being a young mom, and while I know my 20's would have looked quite different had I held off parenthood as long as the majority of my friends did, I know that I would have missed out on learning so much about myself during that time.

As my son grew and started to ask questions, I learned more and more about myself and my values. I learned what was really important and what really wasn't. I learned to slow down, to laugh more and to be intentional. So new mom, yes, your life is going to change completely after you have a baby, but it doesn't mean that you stop being you. You actually start being a new better version of you. A version that has eyes watching you and ears listening to you and a child who mimics your every move and that version turns into the version of it's best self.

And now, 17 years later, as I prepare to send that young man that still calls me mommy out into this world, I know that I have grown into that role as mom.  I embrace that role with pride and while part of my heart will leave this home and head out into the world, I have given my whole heart to be his mother. Plus also, Lord bless us, we still have two more kids at home to hug on and Lord Jesus, that is all that is holding this sappy mom together, because it's true what they say, the days are long but the years are short.

So I look to all you new moms, those moms with babes in their bellies and in their arms and crawling up their legs, those moms who haven't gone to the bathroom by themselves in years and those who haven't slept in weeks with a fond remembrance. Those days are long gone for me, but I remember them well. 

Your life will change completely, but you will be completely better, and one day you will look back on those sleepless nights and those long {oh so very long!} wakeful days and you will remember the small hands that slipped into yours, the sticky kisses and the incessant questions from curious toddlers and you will realize that you have never loved so deeply in all of your days and you won't regret a second.

0

15 things to know before you get Invisalign {braces} as an adult

When I was a kid I was given the choice to get braces or not. My dentist didn't think that I really needed them and my parents were OK with letting me make the choice if I wanted them or not.

I did not.

I was happy that I missed out on that rite of passage as a kid, but the older I got {I'm blaming it on late erupting wisdom teeth}, the more my teeth started to bother me.  I had this tooth in the front that seemed to keep moving and shifting further and further over and my bottom teeth were getting quite crowded.  

I was starting to spend more and more time in the orthodontists office as my three kids started treatment, and I flippantly mentioned it to my husband one afternoon that I was considering getting braces. I was only really going to consider it if I qualified for Invisalign {clear aligners that you wear over your teeth instead of traditional metal brackets}.

When I was making an appointment for one of my kids consults, I asked if I could be seen for a consult as well.  Our insurance paid for a quarter of the treatment, we had money in our HSA account and I got a {small} family discount from the orthodontist since we would have three members of our family in treatment at once.  I signed up and got started in March.

I've worn Invisalign for almost 9 months now and am at least half way done with treatment and I have learned a few things that I wish I had known before or in the beginning.   If you are considering adult braces, here are a 15 things you should know.

0

Why I would rather have a fake Christmas tree

Why I would rather have a fake Christmas tree

For the first 25 years of my life I had a real Christmas tree.

My uncle owned a Christmas tree farm in Brown County, Indiana.

My family and I would load up in the station wagon on a Saturday morning, drive an hour, pick out the perfect trees {yes, there were usually two} from the lot, tie the trees to the top of the station wagon and drive home.  But only after stopping at White Castle {every time} for sliders and onion rings.

When we got home, my dad would carefully set to work sawing off the bottom of the trunk outside, before even attempting to bring in two twelve foot tall Christmas trees.

Bringing the trees into the house was a whole 'nother job!

No matter how tightly wrapped the tree was, there was usually always some ramming to get it through the front door.  Once inside, the task of getting the tree into the base took what felt like hours to a kid anxious to get started decorating with all of my favorite ornaments.

My parents usually had us kids setting up the fake kids tree that my dad had from his bachelor days. This would usually keep us busy enough for my dad to get one of the trees inside and into the stand.

 Christmas tree count: three.  One of the trees was our family tree, another was my mom's pretty tree, and the third was our kids "fake" tree.

After a snooping mishap when I was about seven, the very large tree in our front bay window {did I mention that it was twelve feet tall?} had to then be tethered to the wall in several different places to prevent an early morning crash.

Once the tree was in it's stand, then the real work would begin. 

The stringing on of the lights.

This may just be my childhood memory getting the best of me, but if the tree was twelve feet tall, it was at least eight feet wide at it's widest part.

There were boxes and boxes of lights.

My parents really liked lots of lights on the tree, so this task usually took hours.

I remember all of us kids scrambling to put on ornaments before the lights were even on the tree!

There was a whole lot of waiting.

Fast forward several years to our first and second Christmas.

We were living just off campus at Purdue and bought a tree from the forestry department for $15.  My husband and I were newly married and I don't remember us having a whole lot of decorations for the tree.  

My mom and best friend Audrey, drove up to our small apartment and we made those cinnamon roll out ornaments.  They were beautiful!

Once our second Christmas rolled around we had a newly walking toddler on our hands.

The live tree selection in the Midwest is usually slim pickings to our selection here in the Pacific Northwest.

I don't know what kind of tree we got, but it was so darn pokey and sharp, that my husband had to wear gloves just to put the lights on the tree!

Our sweet toddling boy was so enthralled by the glimmering lights on the tree that he waddled right up to it and touched it.  Only to back away screaming!  Guess that's one way to keep a toddler away from your Christmas tree, pick out one that has barbed wire needles!

Speaking of toddlers, we were usually so busy making sure those small mouths got fed, that there would inevitably be a few day stretch where the tree would go dead because we forgot to water it.  Usually that stretch happened right after we put the tree up.  Pine needles would litter the floor all around the tree and it would be a constant job just to make sure they were vacuumed up every day.  Not to mention it was probably a fire hazard!

I can't remember if it was when I was pregnant with my second child or pregnant with my third {it's all a blur!}, but I found a  nine foot tall fake pre-lit tree after Christmas on super sale for $28.  A deal I couldn't pass up!  Mike was a hard sell at first {we both grew up with real Christmas trees} but after setting up the tree the first year, he was sold!  We haven't looked back since...and yes, we still use the $28 tree.  We've even added a white tree {garage sale special for $5} in our upstairs hallway, and I set up a small $3 tree in my egg crate in my front entry.

Christmas tree count: three...just like when I was a kid.

When I was a kid, getting a real Christmas tree was a weekend long ordeal filled with waiting and anticipation.  As I got older, getting a real Christmas tree was messy and a lot of work.  

I don't miss the hunt for the perfect real Christmas tree every year. I know where it is. 

It's in my garage.  Safely stored in a large box ready to be brought out and decorated in under two hours!

Fake trees don't need to be watered, which is a good thing, because man, we were really bad at remembering that!  There are no messy needles on the floor, no marks on the door jam from shoving the tree inside, no hours wasted driving, barely anytime for set up and it takes no time at all to put the lights on.

Instant gratification.

I like that better than the fresh pine smell.

So what about you, do you love a real tree or are you sold on having a fake tree?

7

Three things you need to know about identity theft, and how to prevent it from happening to you

 Three things you need to know about identity theft, and how to prevent it from happening to you

Several months ago, my husband was the victim of identity theft.  Using his personal information, someone was able to apply for {and receive} loans, credit cards, and cell phones, among other items.  He has spent dozens of frustrating hours over the last few months trying to close the accounts, restore his credit, and prevent this from happening again. 

With the slew of well-publicized security breaches happening lately, affecting tens of millions of people, it is likely only a matter of time before this happens to you or someone you know.  My husband has offered to write a post to share with my readers about what he learned from this unfortunate situation, and how you can prevent it from happening to you.  Please read his story, and use the included links to help educate and protect yourself from identity theft.

1