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Christmas in July

Christmas is less than 6 months away...not a lot of time if you really look at it.  As you are planning out things, or wanting to make stuff...look at things in a different manor if you can't find "Christmas" paper.  I love to use paper piecing patterns and create my own style of items, even if I don't have a certain "style" of paper.  If I have stamps, I might create paper to match what I want to do...or I will use paper piecing patterns to create what it is I want. 

When you are on a budget, the first thing to go is scrapbooking, or other type of hobbies.  Keep in mind...this craft can also be done cheaply, I've been able to scrapbook for over 7 years now on what I have at home and available to me.  I purchase things that are good buy's...like a pack of paper from Die Cuts With a View versus individual sheets of paper.  This way I can take that entire pack of paper and do many things with it.  I still have a Christmas pack I bought a number of years ago at the Scrapbook Expo in Utah...I created a few things with it, and this year will probably finish up the pack with Christmas cards, mini albums and gift container items.  It was definately a GREAT buy for me! 

One gift that is not too hard to make is a framed page, adding lets say a photo from your child taken at school.  Instead of just framing it, matt it in colors that are complimentary to the clothes the child is wearing and the recipients home!   This is where a color wheel comes into place, using a color that compliments not only something the child is wearing, but also another color you could use.   You can also add different framed pages for different seasons, making 4 pages for each recipient to be added to their frame...so each season they can add a different photo.


This is a sampler I am making for Christmas this year for a few special people.  I will have the bottom right and left side made into presents...you see the fireplace, and on the right side you halfway see Santa and a few presents...  All I have used in this sampler is die cuts for the presents and stockings, paper piecing patterns for Santa, and alpha stickers.  I have to matt it, and then place it in a nice frame!  The original idea was a darling framed sampler page that was made out of snowmen...in the November 2004 issue of Paper Crafts! 

Challenge 1:  Start to finalize your gift list, at least pencil in those people who you truly know what you want to do for them. 

Challenge 2:  Decide on your Christmas cards...how many, what design, etc. 

Challenge 3:  Look at what you have at home and available to you before you go out and purchase anything.  If you do need to shop, decide how much you need to spend each month to finish it all up. 

Christmas this year is NOT going to be like it is each and every year...it is going to be fun...with people getting presents early in the month, so they can enjoy it...and a special surprise on Christmas morning too!  For me, my entire gift list is away from me, so I have to get things in the mail and take care of early.  I want things to be "different" this year...I want you all to join me! 

Once a month on the 25th of each month, you will get a post....reminding you to look at your Christmas book...and also to look at your monthly upcoming events!  This way, you can start to be more organized with getting what you need done...DONE!   I hope you will join me....more and more ideas will be shown to you this month...including a fun little "Secret Family Recipe's" album that is so cute you will just have to make one for each of your friends and family!  I know a lot of my "gift list" is getting the sampler framed page or the recipe's album this year! 

Now, another gift that is very memorable for those people in your life you want to make a difference to is a recipe album with your grandmother's or mother's recipe's.  I got one from my sister a few years ago and this album is just the best to me.  I now want to make a recipe album for my daughter and cousins and am planning on doing it digitally and then send the files to each of my cousins.  This way they can get their own book made of recipe's from a loved one. 

This is just a few idea's...Christmas card ideas are coming, the "Secret Family Recipe's" album, and more!   If you want to see something specific, send me a comment!  I love to give you idea's on other things you can make, other than Christmas gifts!  Thank you for visiting, and we will see you tomorrow! 

Lynda Jeffs
Memories in Tyme

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