Getting Ready for Christmas - Part 10 - Something out of Nothing

November 17, 2015

Getting Ready for Christmas - Part 10 - Something out of Nothing - Paper

Everyone deserves to have a good Christmas. And you do need not pay through the nose and spend money that you do not have to celebrate. I've been there with young children in the house and trying to give them a decent time of it without breaking the bank or paying month after month just to have a special time. With practice It got better and better each year eventually resulting in us getting ourselves sorted and paying cash for everything. Nothing went on cards in the end. It did to start with but we broke the habit and habit it is.

However I do start in January of each New Year, making foodie items through the year (with my preserves, jams, pickles, wine and beer making). Ostensibly the preserved foods etc. are for use throughout the year but I do make sure that so many jars are put aside for the end of the year so that I have as much choice as possible. Sometimes they go as small presents as well.

Equally under normal circumstances I normally buy a few small artisan presents throughout the year - however this year this has not happened due to one thing or another. Next year though I intend to do the artisan bit myself - I need to use the time wisely as some of the things I am interested in doing are time consuming

What I do is time rich, and people will say oh well I haven't got the time to do that, but when it comes to Christmas and children I as an adult used to go without or use some money that had been gifted to me personally to buy the kids something even though I was their step mum to make sure that they had a good time and that they had happy memories. We did not do the designer label thing either. We had a certain budget and the kids would be allowed one item that they were really after with other items added in and sometimes more if we got things on special offers etc. but what they wanted did not dictate the agenda. Everything has to be kept in perspective and we certainly did not keep up with the Joneses. Peer pressure we do not do. We make our own choices.

However with a little careful planning and sensible choices you can have a lovely time. Some of the simplest things look the most effective. I was quite taken with the following and intend to have a go at some of the projects as they look so effective.:

I am concentrating on paper items to start with. Things that I have come across and thought I would share with you. After all paper its one of the cheaper options.

I was particularly taken with this next little project a candle lantern with a village scene silhouette the link is here.

http://shabbyartboutique.com/2014/11/its-no-secret-women-love-candles.html

Snowflake trees:

http://miniatures.about.com/od/christmasminiatures/ss/Make-Miniature-Winter-Trees-From-Paper-Snowflakes.htm

Gift boxes

http://miniatures.about.com/od/christmasminiatures/ss/Make-Miniature-Winter-Trees-From-Paper-Snowflakes.htm

Paper Angels

http://teamknk.com/paper-angels/

Window scenes created from paper - in another language but you should get the gist.

http://meinegruenewiese.blogspot.ch/search/label/Advent%20und%20Weihnachten?updated-max=2013-12-19T07:00:00%2B01:00&max-results=20&start=8&by-date=false