Holiday Organizing - Christmas Card Displays

It's that time of the year again when all those beautiful Christmas cards get delivered to our homes. They're all so pretty, too pretty to leave in a basket or laying on the kitchen table. How can we display them so our friends and family can appreciate them?

Honestly, I don't have a solution of my own, I am one to just leave them laying in a basket. We, as a family, will look thru them, but they don't really get that much attention.

I searched the internet for card displays and this is what I found...



The first one I found is from  www.centsationalgirl.com. A corkboard turned card holder...

Leave it to Martha Stewart to come up with an idea like this... LOVE IT!

This one is from mylifetime.com if I had a bannister I would do this!

This one is simple, yet cute. A very clever idea from budgetwisehome.com

How do you display your cards? If you have a clever idea and would like to share please post a comment.

Thanks for joining us today!
Deena Davis
www.byyourhands.blogspot.com

Organizing - Money Saving Tips & Tricks for Organizing Your Home for the Holidays

Today's post is from guest writer, Deana Barnhart of www.momstheglue.blogspot.com


Holidays can be a mad rush for moms with small children. Rushing from one party to another, finding storage places for all of the new gifts, preparing special treats, wrapping presents, and entertaining guests can become so hectic that the joy of the season is often lost. On top of all of this activity is the worry that money will just not stretch far enough to purchase seasonal supplies and decorations for entertaining. Thankfully, a sense of humor, a bit of patience, and a little organization can keep your home running smoothly so that everyone, including Mom, can have a great time during holiday gatherings.


THINK FAST

Whether cleaning or decorating, the holiday season calls for speed. When preparing for an onslaught of guests, these time and money saving tips might be helpful:

• Put a large decorative basket in each room adorned with a Christmas bow. When unexpected guests arrive or you have just a moment before having to leave for the next party, a quick run through each room will have the clutter out of sight in no time.

• Throw a festive tablecloth over wooden surfaces so dusting is unnecessary. Once quick shake of the cloth, and you are finished.

• Cover old couches with new slipcovers to hide stains and rips or to give a new festive appearance to worn upholstery. They will also serve to protect furnishings from accidental spills during holiday parties.

• Use items already in place, but add a decorative holiday touch. Put Christmas ornaments in flower pots; tie holiday ribbons around lamps, and use Christmas lights and candy canes in floral arrangements.

• Use cheap holiday placemats in every room to give a festive effect.

WORK TOGETHER

Children love to help and can add special holiday excitement to any home. The following ideas will keep the children busy and provide conversation pieces that your guests will adore:

• Gather some rocks, big and little; spray paint in silver, gold, or green. Give the little ones some water based paint and let them create Christmas masterpieces. Depending on their ages; you might let them cut out old scenes from Christmas cards and glue them onto the rocks. Arrange as a grouping with glittered pine cones and holly leaves.

• Bring in a small branch from a pine and place in a flower pot. Make sugar cookies in holiday shapes and string with ribbon to help the children make a Charlie Brown tree for their own rooms. They can also string popcorn or cranberries to make garlands for the tree and hang candy canes as well.

• Give each child a large Christmas sack after breakfast each morning. Set a timer for five minutes. Have a small gift waiting if they can fill up their bag with clutter before the timer goes off. Play holiday music to make this fun for everyone.

Let the magic of the season inspire your decorative efforts. Most of all, always take time to share plenty of hugs and kisses and remember to enjoy yourself as well!

Getting Organized - Getting Things "Holiday Ready"

Last week our guest posters gave us some great holiday shopping tips. This week, I'm going to talk about getting our homes and lives "Holiday Ready". As crafters, this time of year can get REALLY hectic. With lots of shows and sales to prepare for it's easy to let our housework slide.

The holidays still arrive no matter how busy we are and if we're not prepared, it can be really crazy and unenjoyable for you and your family if you're not careful.

I did some searching and found some articles to help us prepare for the holidays, starting now.

First, there's FLY LADY. I have mentioned this popular website in previous posts, and actually I've been considering trying her methods out. (I know, now's the time if I am going to. *wink*)

Then I found, Obsessive- Compulsive’s Guide: Top 12 Organizing Tips, Plus Resources. They have some great tips that include, cleaning as you go and creating routines.

Style At Home has 11 tips for stress free holidays. You'll find some good ideas there too!

One of the things I do to help save some time is getting food prepared ahead of time and freezing it. Whether it's holiday food or everyday food, it will allow for more time when you need it.

Another thing I do is stock up on things in advance that I know I will need for the holidays. Things like paper plates, cups, plastic cutlery and napkins are always available at the store way in advance. Buy them before you need them, then you're not making that hectic trip to the store the day before a holiday. Same goes for cooking ingredients.

It's not too early (or too late) if we begin to prepare now.

Let's all have a stress free holiday season this year!

Thanks for joining us!
Deena Davis
www.byyourhands.blogspot.com