Holidays in Florida

[Punkin]

I still have a few gifts to wrap and a few cards to get put in the mail. I have done very little decorating, but that what is done is all that I am going to do.

I will go to Mass on Christmas eve and maybe on Christmas day. Other than maybe going to the 11am Mass, I have decided that I want to stay at home on Christmas day. I need time to just sort things out and I don't feel up to doing dinner with friends who are surrounded by family. The sad part is that most people do not understand and are upset that I won't accept their invitations to be with them. They will just have to get over it.

[Mayebarnes]

Karlin ,wish was as finished as you are..... but I feel like Im ahead of usual schedule..

and I do envy talented people who do crafty type decorations etc etc..... God forgot to give me even an ounce of that.!!!..

[karlinann]

Last year I saved the packing paper that came in a package that was delivered site to store at Walmart. There was a bunch of it and I just flattened it out and cut out the stockings and sewed them on the sewing machine. I made 30 stockings for décor and for the kids at the hospital. They loved them. I put crayons, color books, cards, etc. inside for them. I drew pictures on the outside and painted them on with watercolors. Easy and cheap.

[Paula A]

I love your ideas! What kind of paper do you make your stockings from?

[karlinann]

I'm just not feeling it 100% yet. I have managed to decorate the inside and a bit outside, but I'm just not gung ho like I used to be and I suppose that comes with age, not to mention the truckload of Christmas décor that I gave to charity back in 2008. I really don't want to purchase all that hoopla again, but I have always loved making natural things like wreaths of greenery, candle rings, paper snowflakes and the rustic cabin kind of Christmas.


When I go for my morning walk I see signs of everyone else's holiday bliss! They have decorated to the hilt on some of the homes. I think less is more and I'll be keeping with that idea always. I made a Frazier Fir tree for my front porch and tied strips of cranberry gingham strips of cloth on the branches. I also made a FF candle ring and placed a cranberry candle in the center for my dining table centerpiece. It's so simple, yet elegant. My tree is beautiful and I only paid $20 at Walmart. The decorations are simple little snowflakes that I bought at The Dollar Tree for $1 a pack. They are just beautiful. The basket of apples in the kitchen adds a simplistic color splash and tempts you to have a juicy apple and a slice of cheddar in the evening.


I have stocked the guest bath with Lavender Soap/Lotion and fluffy absorbent towels and a Lavender Candle to set the mood for a relaxing shower or bath.


If I felt better I would make some peanut butter cookies or Vinegar Candy. I have the gifts wrapped and now all that is left to do is to sew up some stockings. They will be paper stockings and very simple.