Christmas Cheer

Happy Holidays! As this year comes to an end, there is so much to reflect on, both good and bad. I'm trying to prepare myself for so many changes that I need to make for the next year to improve my health and happiness. Even though there have been rough patches and a little bit of heartache, 2012 proved to be a year I can look back on with a smile. I graduated with my Associates Degree in Liberal Arts. I reconnected with so many great people this year and mended bridges that I thought long ago were burned beyond repair. I have a wonderful family, a job that I love going to everyday, and a roof over my head.  That's a lot to be thankful for.

This year I made a lot of handmade gifts for Christmas. I spent a lot of time on different perler bead magnets, coasters, and painted ornaments. I can't post too much on here until after Christmas so I don't spoil any gifts, but I will post some different ones after the Holiday with some tutorials. I keep getting asked to post some Perler bead tutorials, so I promise I will put them up soon. In the meantime, here are some of the ornaments I painted. If you are looking for a last minute homemade gift, these are perfect to try. The glass ornaments are very inexpensive, so the out of pocket cost is a lot lower than some other options out there.

I got two boxes of twelve ornaments at Hobby Lobby. Each box cost $7.99, but Hobby Lobby has some great in store deals. When I went looking for ideas one day, all the glass items were 50% off. I walked out with two boxes, enough to make an ornament for just about everyone on my Christmas list. I already had some paint from other projects,so the total cost was under $10. I even sold a couple to people who saw them for $3.00 each, which ended up bringing my out of pocket expense to little under $1. They did end up taking a lot more time that I thought they would, I could usually get two done an evening, so if you are going to make multiples, make sure to give yourself plenty of time.

Merry Christmas!