Cut the Crazy out of Christmas

thanks Mary Englebreit!

2011-12-26T17:02:00.000-07:00

a Jolly Holy Christmas

2011-12-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

Debbie here sending you a little Christmas message that you’ll love as you hurry through the next few days leading up to the 25th. It’s so precious that I made a quick layout, so I wouldn’t lose the papers or forget the impact it had on me. Our sweet seven-year-old granddaughter, Bailee, wrote these little notes while at our house over Thanksgiving. They’re profound in their meaning and have spoken to me this whole month.

My journaling reads: "Little did Bailee know, when she wrote her little Christmas notes, the impact her words would have on her grandparents. As we rushed through December, we kept her reminders on our frig and in our minds and hearts…have a holy and Mary Christmas.”

* Christmas on Sunday *

2011-12-16T15:31:00.003-07:00

For church, I currently serve as the music chairman, and so I have the assignment of finding music for our services and planning special programs such as the choir presentation on Christmas Day. As I've worked on our plans, I've become increasingly grateful that Christmas falls on Sunday this year, and that we have the opportunity to attend church on Christmas morning. I'm looking forward to joining with the entire congregation singing, "Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful" to start our meeting and ending with the choir, congregation, organ, and viola obbligato singing "Silent Night." What better way to celebrate the true meaning of the season than to sing hymns and listen to scriptures about the birth of our Savior.

Here's a simple poem I found that expresses my feelings as I've spent the morning on the computer reading, writing, and reflecting.

Hoping

Amongthe shepherds in the field

Weresome who hurried through the night,

Tofind a babe in Bethlehem

Infaith they followed holy light.

Theyfound the stable, manger too,

Inswaddling clothes was Mary’s son.

Theyknelt in awe, their faith fulfilled

Forthey had found the Holy One.

WouldI be among the few

Wholeft the warmth of firelight,

Tofollow some unusual star

Intothe wild Judean night?

WouldI believe the words I heard

Thesinging of the angel choir?

Ihope that when He comes again,

Myheart will recognize his word.

Andin the humble shepherd’s way

I’llknow that he is Christ the Lord.

Pictures are from our family's trip to Salt Lake City last year to see the Christmas lights on Temple Square.  

'Tis the Season . . . for Kindness

2011-12-04T23:06:00.001-07:00

Today we learned a little bit about kindness from mygrandfather. My mom’s dad spoke to a large group and explained how importantkindness is. Especially in this season, we should show kindness to others. To illustrate he shared a story about his grandson (my cousin):David is a missionary who is training to go out and preach in another language.He and the other missionaries-in-training wear white shirts and ties everyday. Oneday David noticed one young man who had sat down to eat at a table nearby. Theyoung man stood apart from the rest of the young men because he was wearing awrinkled shirt and messy tie that were looking worn out. The next day the youngman sat down in the same wrinkled shirt and soup spotted tie, and a third dayas well. David realized that the young man only had one white shirt and tie. Davidsuggested to his friends that they each give this young man one shirt and tiefrom their own abundant wardrobes. That night, they set three shirts and tiesoutside his room with a tag that said his name. Then next day the young man wasbeaming –proudly wearing one of the shirts and ties that they had given to him.

How simple of a gift to make such a change for someone else.This gift cost them no money, required little time, there was no elaboratewrapping, in fact the young man never knew who gave him the shirts and ties. I hope each of us can look around and see someone who could use some kindness.

= shopping awareness =

2011-11-28T07:53:00.001-07:00

It's not even December yet and I woke up this morning feeling a bit panicked!! (It's Debbie speaking.) I think all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday hoopla has gotten to me. It seems like shopping and Christmas have become SO LINKED that the meaning and importance of the reason we celebrate Christmas has faded. But that's just temporary right? This shopping mania will stop at midnight tonight lol!

Seriously, because we give gifts, we have to shop at Christmas. I know that...we all know that. There's nothing so heartwarming as the smiles on the faces of our kids and loved ones on Christmas morning.

But let's be sure we tell our families and tell ourselves that the gift extravaganza isn't the only focus we'll have this year. Be aware of the commercial pressure that's coming your way. And teach your children about it too.

From the book Unplug the Christmas Machine, I love the suggestion to watch an hour of TV with your kids or teens and point out the commercials and what is being advertised (including happiness, fun, friendship). Analyze the quantity of commercials in an hour and how much time they take per hour. Teach them that the purpose of advertising is to sell things, and that kids and teens are prime targets. An article in an advertising magazine mentioned that it's hard to beat the reaction of children who throw themselves on the floor and cry if they don't get the top-advertised toys. This can be a very enlightening discussion for the whole family. While you're at it, ask them if they can remember what they got for Christmas last year. (And then, ask them if they can remember what the family did at Christmastime last year.) Teach them to know what they really want. Teach yourself!

So, what I'm saying is...enjoy Cyber Monday (earlier this morning, I place an order at Crate and Barrel and got 15% off and free shipping!) and get a lot done in these last few days before December hits.

If you haven't opened your planner and started your gift lists, do it today! Making lists will help you...whether you have all your shopping done or haven't even started!

Through it all, no matter where you are on the holiday timeline, be wise and keep in mind your limits and goals.

Christmas Cards Made Easy

2011-11-26T12:17:00.001-07:00

I don't know about you, but some years I just plain run out of time (and the desire) to mail my Christmas cards. This year instead of working for hours writing addresses, sticking stamps and licking envelopes you can simplify with electronic cards. There are lots of options, but my FAVORITE, with a hilarious twist, is the Merry Newsinator by Plaid! Here's what they say about their website:

Here at Plaid, we believe keeping in touch can be the ultimate stocking stuffer. That’s why we handcrafted this merry mechanism. It magically transforms your year into a fully-fashioned, fun-filled holiday newsletter. Follow these three easy steps and in less than 3 minutes, you can end your year by spreading love like salt on an icy sidewalk.

Go to http://merrynewsinator.com/if you don’t love the first design, click the resubmit button to see severalother options! You can share your e-card on e-mail, facebook, and it can be viewed from on iPads and mobile devices!

Christmas Mad Libs

2011-11-20T21:14:00.001-07:00

Go check out these _________________ Mad Lib printables. What a
(adjective)

fun way to keep ____________________ entertained. Use them for
(kid's names)

your _________________ party, put them in ____________________'s
(month) (someone you love)

stocking, maybe your elf on a shelf can ____________ them,
(verb)

teachers can use them in their _________________, and much more.
(place)

______________, what a fun way to spend a few minutes!
(exclamation)

Download the Mad Lib printables at:
www.classroomjr.com/christmas-mad-libs/
they also have tons of other madlibs at this site.

"Well Begun is Half Done" ~Mary Poppins

2011-11-17T15:22:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,
This is Suzie blogging today.

All right I'll say it . . . I did a craft! But this story begins with Pinterest. Do you use Pinterest? I LOVE Pinterest! I even have a "Cut the Crazy Out of Christmas" pinboard. Check it out by clicking the button below:

Pinterest is a great way to get LOTS of ideas. However, I felt that I was gleaning tons of ideas, but never getting around to completing the projects. So I decided that I really wanted to take one of the ideas and then finish that project.

I needed something on the wall in my daughter's room . . . see the big space in the center?

I decided on a wreath or something so I started searching Pinterest for ideas. I looked at lots of wreaths and other ideas. I loved the letter on this wreath and this wrapped letter, so I decided to do a letter on the wall.

While I was out shopping for something else entirely, I found a cardboard letterform at Joann's Craft Store on sale - this was perfect for my project - I already had the paint, glue, paper, ribbon, and embellishments at home so my shopping list was easy and buying the supplies was not hard. Even though I had all the necessary supplies, it sat in the closet for several weeks, I kept saying "I'm too busy" or "I don't even know where to begin."

One day, my daughter had gone down for her long afternoon nap and I was just about to turn on the TV and zombie my time away. I opened the closet and the letterform fell out for the umpteenth time. I decided that I had to make it that day, or I had to return the letterform to the store. So I started, the project took about 1 1/2 hours - not bad huh? In fact it was easy! When I was all done I was so glad I had finished it. I took it upstairs and hung it up right away - so that it was ALL finished.

Here's my project:

Now, the whole point of showing this is not to say "Ta-Dah!!! Look what I did." It is about finishing what I started. We all get hung up in the minutiae of our projects. We look at the whole project and think only of the improbabilities which stop us. Instead we need to look at what we can get done today in order to complete our projects.

A good friend of mine bought 150 pounds of apples to make into applesauce for her neighbor Christmas gifts! It took her two weeks of peeling, coring, cooking, mashing etc. the apples but she got them all in jars. She did not stop there! She decorated the jars with fabric on the lids, a cute bow, and a tag. She has all of her neighbor gifts ready to go! I know that in the beginning, looking at 150 pounds of apples seemed daunting to her. I know that some of those late nights, after the kids were in bed, she just wanted to sit down and watch a movie or read a magazine! But she worked on her applesauce in early November so she could have a calm December with no worries.

Think about all the projects that you have purchased the materials for or started but never finished. Unfinished projects are a waste of your resources; money, time, and space.

Whatever your projects are; cleaning, organizing, making, baking . . . get started today!!! You will be so glad you did when you finish ;)

In the mean time whip up a batch of these delicious Gingersnap cookies to eat while you finish your project! I just HAD to share my favorite (non-chocolate) holiday cookies! I already made a batch this year - the cookies are beautiful and delicious and fill the house with a great holiday scent!

Yummy Gingersnaps
3/4 cup butter, margarine, or shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Cream butter; add sugar gradually. Beat until fluffy. Add egg and molasses; blend. Stir or sift together flour, soda, salt and spices; blend into butter mixture. Roll small portions of dough into balls; roll in granulated sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees. They are done when they have melted and puffed (or if you like crispy cookies then wait until they have flattened).

[ use that calendar! ]

2011-11-09T21:57:00.001-07:00

If you're like me, you sometimes have what I call "moments of realization." That's when I get an all-over sick feeling because I suddenly (or gradually) realize that I have TONS to do in the next few days/weeks. The Christmas moment of realization hit me two days ago when I got an email from my boss about a project. What do YOU do when faced with overwhelming-ness? Everyone reacts differently - some jump into immediate high-activity mode and others curl up on the couch and watch TV. Because of what I've learned from teaching Cut the Crazy for years, I reach for my calendar.

Using your calendar is an easy but important step in planning for the holidays. I mean REALLY rely on your calendar for the next six weeks. Organizing on paper is extra important right now, and it starts with a detailed calendar.

Here's what you do. Sometime before the weekend I want you to follow these steps:

1. Get a December calendar - not your real calendar yet, just a copy of a December calendar that you can write on, erase, and edit. It's easy to print one from the internet - I always go to a website called Printfree.com. I click on Monthly Calendars and print the Dec. 2011 vertical calendar. Or, if you want to do some good planning for November too, click on the 2-Month Vertical Calendar for Nov./Dec. 2011.

2. Fill the calendar with all the activities you know you have in December. If you have kids in school, include their school activities. If you plan to go to a theater production such as The Nutcracker or A Christmas Carol, find out the date and time and write it down. Include things you do each month, such as Book Club or dinner with friends. If things haven't been scheduled - for example the office party or a family party, do what you can to get someone to decide on the date and time. Be sure to include your everyday-life events too like carpools and work schedules. I'm going to be nailing down deadlines at work and writing those on my calendar too.

3. Think about the things you do each year - your holiday traditions. Because of what you did in step #2, you know what you HAVE to do and when, so now use your calendar to schedule the things you WANT to do. If there's an open Saturday, you could write down "go sledding" or "bake cookies." Maybe you have a tradition to take a special gift to grandparents or friends - put those things on the calendar.

4. Work on your calendar until you have a good idea of what's happening in December. Transfer the info to your real calendar or planner. You'll find that this exercise will help calm that frantic, chaotic feeling in your mind. You know what you have to do, and you can begin to plan for it.

that's just how it is

2011-11-08T14:50:00.001-07:00

October wasn't my best month for Cut the Crazy blogging and it looks like November is getting away from me too.

I wrote a few blog posts "in my mind" but didn't post them because they were just like last year..the basics of Cut the Crazy.

And then, I saw the November issue of Real Simple magazine as I was waiting in line at the grocery store. I loved the gorgeous red dinner plates on the cover and bought a copy. I realized that I had last year's issue in my files, so I compared the magazines side by side. Guess what. They are very similar in content and feel. Each had a guide to feel organized for the holiday, the usual recipes for holiday food, advice to stick to your budget, etc. It's all stuff we need every year - just reminders and inspiration.

So, in that same mode, I'm going to write blog posts that explain the principles of Cut the Crazy. Maybe you've heard it all before, I certainly have! I never tire of the reminders, though, and they are always applicable in different ways.

Today I'm going to remind you that to gain control of Christmas, we must either
CHANGE or MANAGE BETTER.

In my last post - a long time ago lol - I told you to think about what you want Christmas to look like this year. Is there a huge contrast between your dream and how Christmas really is? Now honestly ask yourself if there are any things YOU can change to make Christmas more how you want it to be.

Admittedly, some things cannot change. We can't change finances or certain family dynamics or personalities. But if we start now, maybe we can change how we cope with difficult things or how we manage the next six weeks. If you're inspired, take a sheet of paper and list one or two changes you want to make. Make a sub-list of realistic steps make the changes happen.

For me, I've got to get shopping while the weather's decent and the selection is good. I had my hair cut this morning and my hairdresser told me she's almost finished with her shopping. This lady has NO time - just like the rest of us. But she knows how her December is with appointments morning to night all month, and she shops early.

Next time we'll talk about our calendars.

gettiNg staRted!

2011-10-15T12:53:00.000-06:00

It’s time.

In fact, we’re a little late this year. We’ve had new babies to distract us andother fun stuff. But it’s time to wake up the Cut the Crazy Out of Christmasblog and start our holiday preparations.

One thing that’s different this year is that we're not teaching Cut the Crazy on Big Picture Classes – they asked us to skip ayear and freshen the class for 2012. So we hope you’ll follow this blog and visit ourFacebook page for your Cut the Crazy inspiration.

We’ll startwith one little assignment.

It doesn’t involve writing or shopping or cooking –just thinking, so anyone can do it! No excuses lol.

Here’s thechallenge. Start this week. As you go about your everyday life (busy rightnow with fall and Halloween activites), keep in the back of your mind onequestion, “What do I want Christmas to look like this year.” Just think aboutit. Mull it over. Write it on a sticky note so you won't forget. Ask your family.

What do youwant Christmas to look like this year?

See you in September

2011-03-20T22:55:00.001-06:00

Yes, that's one of my favorite oldies songs, and it's the theme song for our Cut the Crazy blog for the spring and summer months. We'll get the blog up and running again in September - probably more like the end of September based on past experience lol.

Meanwhile, enjoy looking at our past posts - hopefully they'll inspire you to keep holiday preparations in the back of your mind all year long. Keep your planner in your kitchen cupboard where you can grab it if some random idea for a Christmas gift comes along...then go buy it! I've never regretted a purchase I made in advance - and it feels like an early Christmas present when I find things I bought in April to be used in December. And it's an good excuse to shop every month of the year. Just be sure to remember the importance of keeping your planner close at hand so you can WRITE down all of your purchases and where you hid them. Very important. I'm still looking for the four red robes I bought for my girls at Kmart in October of last year. I know I bought them, I have the receipt, but do you think I can find them anywhere!?

Well, so long -- and be sure to have a cherry and Sprite spring and summer! Your friend, Debbie

Norma's Christmas Dinner

2011-01-23T23:06:00.001-07:00

Every year Norma decorates her table for the family Christmas dinner with a theme. She blocks off the kitchen and dining room so it is a surprise to the family when they see it. This year, Norma got inspiration from the Cut The Crazy blog. Check it out . . .

A lot of the dishes she already had, she just added a few pieces.

She stayed with a red and white theme.

Even the chairs were decorated. I love that the wreaths are tied on the back of the chair.

The red berries were in Norma's yard!

The centerpiece was so simple yet elegant.

Norma hunted around and found the red and white old fashioned bottles at antique stores.

Peppermint sticks were the perfect accent.

The red ric rac was run all the way down the table Norma had scattered buttons along the ric rac!

Even the baby is included in the antique high chair (a family heirloom).

It's been a great Christmas. We will be on hold until September. Thanks for stopping by!

putting it away!

2010-12-31T18:16:00.002-07:00

I'm packing up Christmas 2010...

and feeling pretty merry...

remembering the joy...

and more joy...

and smiling at the memories...

of our noel times...

and the ho-ho-ho moments...

blessings all.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-27T10:27:00.001-07:00

It was wonderful, and, yes, a bit crazy, but we had fun as a family and made some grand memories!

favorite quote and artwork

2010-12-24T00:04:00.001-07:00

Thanks to one of my favorite artists, Susan Branch, for the perfect quote for the next few days. "It's not what's on the plates that matters, it's whats on the chairs." If you're cooking, I hope you find joy in serving family and friends through preparing and sharing food. Here's a link to Susan's website and blog - you'll love it.

just plain crazy

2010-12-23T00:33:00.001-07:00

Hello, it's Debbie and it's almost midnight on December 22.

I'm going to be honest with you - I'm having a hard time this year. I don't know why - really there's no reason for it. I keep going over and over in my mind...why am I so anxious? Why can't I cope with anything? Why does everything seem difficult to me this year?

When I feel like this, I can't believe I actually taught a class and printed a planner called Cut the Crazy Out of Christmas - because I obviously haven't learned a thing - not this year.

I'm turning to some Cut the Crazy advice to help me get through the next few days:

Simplify

Eliminate

Delegate

That's one of the first things we used to write on the chalkboard when Norma and I taught the class in person. Since I know I won't be able to sleep very well tonight, as I think think think, I'm going to try to mentally apply those three strategies to everything I have yet to do.

Meanwhile, I know the best answer is to focus on the true meaning of this holiday and not all the "stress stuff." I love this picture of the shepherds looking heavenward.

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."

Christmas Break Activities

2010-12-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! This is Suzie writing tonight. I have made the long trip home, and am enjoying some time with my family. When all the kids get here, I know the entertainment will begin. I started looking up some ideas . . . always be prepared, you know.

I know that many of you have kids at home, who are saying "mom I'm bored, what can I do?" I found a website where you can print TONS of Christmas themed activities for your kids. There are Santa and Mrs. Claus paper dolls, christmas mazes, pictures to color, etc. This is a veritible arsinal against the cry of "I'm bored." (or you can do what my mom, Debbie, did--just post a list of chores and when your child asks what they can do because they are bored, you can point to the list of chores. My mom often had me clean out a cupboard if I was bored! Nothing cures boredom quite like work) . . .well back to the ideas. Check out this website and you can print out the pages . . . http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/527152493LxiXdo?start=0

==Gingerbread Houses==

2010-12-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, this is Suzie! My husband's family makes gingerbread houses every year. They think of people they are going to give the houses to and create a house especially for that person. I can't tell you who I made my house for just yet, because that person may read this post before I've given it to him/her. But, I wanted to share all the fun we have making these darling houses!

Here's the finished house! I made a Neco Candy walkway!

Here I am in the building and design process...

Janel's houses are always so cute.

My husband even enjoys making the houses.
This is a tradition his mom started.

I defy anyone to get more candy per square inch!!!

Chocolate Rolo Cookies & Cookie Exchange!

2010-12-17T00:34:00.001-07:00

I had a cookie exchange this year it was so much fun:

My new baking buddy is my "Favorites" Cookbook.

This collection of yummy recipes is from the Ivory family. As an added bonus, $15 of every purchase goes to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. http://www.favoritescookbook.com/. From the cookbook I made their yummy, Chocolate Rolo Cookies, I love the ooey gooey caramel centers! Yum!

But you can find the same recipe here: http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1710,152167-249201,00.html and the pecans are optional (I didn't use them).

They sparkle after coating them in sugar

Baked just right, the tops slightly crack.

All packaged up for the exchange. Each person
packed their Christmas treats into groups of six.
Then everyone traded. However many cookies you
brought is how many you took home!

Check out all the treats I ended up with.
Now I will divide these into variety plates of cookies to
take to friends and neighbors, of course I'll eat some of them too!

Ornament Exchange Party

2010-12-12T16:12:00.000-07:00

Hello to all the Cut The Crazy Blog Viewers! Aimee here, Debbie's Daughter-in-law. Just wanted to share a fun idea for the holidays. Last week I had my 4th annual Ornament Exchange Brunch. The idea is to have each person bring and ornament to trade and a yummy dish to share. We eat, chat and then start the game of exchanging ornaments. I always do the famous Christmas left/right game found here. Here are some pictures from the party.

The final picture is of the one that I received. It is fun to collect ornaments from the parties every year. Good food and good memories!
Happy Holidays Everyone!

: minty yumminess :

2010-12-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

Need a quick gift or treat for a party but no time to bake?

These mint cookies are fancy enough to give to someone special without seeming desperate and embarrassed. And if you're in a time crunch, they're definitely a better choice than trying to bake.

Here's your Cut the Crazy advice for today! I guarantee if you try to bake when you're in a panic, something will go wrong. I know this because I've been there. The worst experience I had while "panic baking" was when I was rushing to bake cookies for a meeting/get-together. I had the butter and sugar mixed up for the fancy cookies and leaving my stand mixer running, I broke in the eggs. Egg #2 (yes, the whole egg) dropped out of my hand and into the bowl and was instantly mixed up - a million tiny egg shells filling my cookie mix. Did I have time to empty the mixer and clean it up for another batch? Did I have more softened butter to begin again? Did have the equanimity at that point to even go on with my day? NO.

And that's why I keep a stash of these:

Andes Creme de Menthe Cookies!

They're just fancy enough to seem like a nice gift. The green box looks festive when tied with a pretty silver bow. They taste good too!

(I bought mine in a three pack at Sam's Club. I've heard they're also at Walgreens.)

{ a word or two }

2010-12-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

- Thi Nhat Hanh

"Joy is the feeling of grinning inside."

- Melba Colgrove

"One joy shatters a hundred griefs.”

-Chinese Proverb

"Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow."

- Helen Keller

"And Joy is Everywhere; It is in the Earth's green covering of grass; In the blue serenity of the Sky; In the reckless exuberance of Spring; In the severe abstinence of gray Winter; In the Living flesh that animates our bodily frame; In the perfect poise of the Human figure, noble and upright; In Living; In the exercise of all our powers; In the acquisition of Knowledge; in fighting evils...Joy is there Everywhere." Rabindranath Tagore

"Weeping may endure for a night,
but joy comes in the morning."

- Psalms

"Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give."

- Eleanor Roosevelt

photo from http://www.iheartluxe.com/luxe-feature/tag/lifestyle :: quotes from beliefnet.com

shopped 'til we dropped !

2010-12-07T00:02:00.007-07:00

Like any good family during the holidays, we went to visit Suzanne...to deliver our gifts and enjoy some Christmas cheer together. Above - daughter Suzie, daughter-in-law Aimee, and daughter Becky.

Aren't we lucky that Suzie lives in Las Vegas - land of extravagant over-the-top holiday excess! (This vase is taller than me.)

We couldn't miss the atrium at the Bellagio completely decked out in Christmas flowers.

Loved the flower petal polar bear.

And the warm berry crepes with chocolate sauce from the Bellagio chocolate shop. That's me and Aimee in the middle of all those Italian guys. Notice the giant chocolate fountain on the right.

What a view from the Bellagio (top level of the parking terrace) looking across to the Paris.

At Fashion Show Mall, a Christmas runway show with Santa and the showgirls (Vegas style).

One of the thousand stores we went to - Bloomingdales Home. Beck and I loved this simple wreath with ribbons tied all over.

Fashion Show Mall.

In the Palazzo at the Venetian. More flowers and fabulous decor.

Palazzo plaza - we wandered through the very upscale department store Barneys New York and no one asked if they could help us. "Do you think they could tell we were tourists?" we asked each other giggling.

We FOCUSED on our Christmas lists. We did very well, each of us going home with good bargains in our suitcases and many items on our gift lists crossed off.

(And it didn't hurt that...at home the weather was frightful while in Vegas it was so delightful!)

ETSY love

2010-12-01T23:54:00.000-07:00

Much Ado About You:

This fun shop offers a delightful line of Personalized Planning Products including Day Planners, Teacher Lesson Planners, Student Academic Planners, Appointment Books, and Address Books... all intended to make your life easier and more beautiful. Each planner is made to order, and can be customized to suit your specific needs. http://www.etsy.com/shop/muchadoaboutyou

{ start with the ginger cookies }

2010-11-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

Here's a little treat for you - something to inspire your decorating and just make you smile. I love reading the blog decor8 by Holly Becker, and one of my favorite features is the section called Color Me Pretty. Each month contributor Leslie creates the neatest color-themed posts. The group of photos below is from last year - but I wanted to share it because I LOVE IT!!

Hello Friends, it’s Leslie with Color Me Pretty and this time around I wanted to work with red, white and kraft paper brown for a simple and slightly nostalgic approach to the winter holidays. There are lots of vintage bottles, twine and old newspapers combined with apples, pine cones and a few berries. I hope you enjoy this series I made for you.

It is always nice to turn wrapping into a tiny design project – right? For the few gifts I choose to give, no matter how small, I love the creative challenge and the result of having a gift show care and attention. If you give yourself a little extra time it is amazing what you can use up from around your home – scrap papers, brown lunch bags, extra buttons, kitchen twine or whatever else you can find to add a little extra love to your gifts.

Leslie writes: Holiday decorating can be so elegant when done with simple gestures that speak about what you love. Like a bowl of crunchy red apples waiting to be eaten or made into a pie. Lots of pie cones gathered from walks and sprinkled around the house. A few sprigs of berries or a small bunch of roses on the table. Whatever you love and whatever helps you settle into what the holidays mean for you. Of course some yummy smells from the kitchen are always good too!
I really hope you liked this collection and I will be back soon with one more holiday series, until then, all my best to you. – Leslie. link to this post on decor8

...plunge in !!!

2010-11-27T01:50:00.000-07:00

Polar Bear Plunge - New Jersey

Hi from Debbie -
Guess what is playing on my Ipod tonight! Christmas music. Loud and allowed.

Yes, we plunged into Christmas today!

Scott doesn't like Christmas music before Thanksgiving. He really really doesn't like it, so I don't play it. He puts up with all my Cut the Crazy talk and activities, seeing my planner on the counter, and looking at blog posts that I want to show him. But when it comes to Christmas music; he just can't tolerate it. He doesn't get into early shopping either.

I'm telling you this because maybe you're the same way. And maybe you've avoided doing anything for Christmas 2010, because you simply haven't had the time or desire to plunge in.

Well, NOW YOU CAN. The calendar is giving you permission. It's time to GO FOR IT!

Polar Bear Plunge - Long Island

Start by writing your To-Do List. Write it all down, everything you have to do in the next four weeks. When I wrote my To-Do List, I made little sections with smaller to-do lists in each section. It took up three pages, because I was very detailed. I'm glad I have this list, even though it's daunting, and I even keep adding stuff. Sometimes, if I do something that's not on the list, I write it onto my list, so I can check it off.

So here's my best Cut the Crazy advice: jump in and move fast - as if you were in cold water. Work like crazy for the next two weeks. Force yourself to be extra organized. Don't waste time right now at all, ever! It'll be hard - it is for me, but I'm motivated, because I have bad memories of frantic shopping in years past on Dec. 23rd and I hate that sick feeling in my stomach lol. Check back here often for encouragement and ideas - and crank up that Christmas music!

Even Santa's jumping in!

Through the Eyes of a Child

2010-11-23T18:21:00.000-07:00

As we plan ahead and remember why we love this season, we can change our perspective of the holiday season. How would it be if we could look at Christmas as if we were a child again?

Dr. Wayne Dyer reminds us: “Remember how excited you used to be about Christmas? Remember how you thought that Christmas morning would NEVER arrive? Remember how magical the holiday activities were for you and your family? Sure the reason it was all so fun-filled is because you were a child. You didn't have to think about the negative side of things, you just enjoyed. "Don't practice struggling, practice enjoying."

As adults many of us have come to believe that Christmas is only for the very young. You hear it all the time, Christmas is for kids. So as adults we turn the fun over to the children and keep the worry and work for the adults. It's obvious that in order for us to start to enjoy this season, we have to reclaim it from the kids. We have just as much right (and need) to be excited at Christmas. To do that, we need to pause and see Christmas through the eyes of a child.

Laugh more. Don't take things so seriously. Find joy in simple things. Go outside and play. Don't expect everything to be perfect.”

Charles Dickens wrote, "It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty founder was a child Himself."

{ working on my calendar }

2010-11-19T01:13:00.000-07:00

Hi, it's Debbie here to talk about an important tool in the Cut the Crazy process - my calendar.

I've been working on my December calendar today - which involves making phone calls and sending texts and emails. I'm trying to firm up some dates for family events, my husband's office party, a concert I want to go to, some church events, all the university basketball games (why on earth do they schedule games on Dec. 21, 22, and 23???). I don't have everything on my calendar - but I'm getting close. I really feel a sense of relief tonight, because I have a pretty good idea now about the events for next month.

I went through several "worksheet" calendars today just scribbling in dates and then changing them after I had talked to people. I like to print calendars on PrintFree .com an awesome website with every configuration of calendar imaginable - that you just click and print. Just go to the website and find monthly calendars in the right column of choices. Click on December 2010 and a nice full-page vertical calendar will come up that can be printed. Then start writing in all your December events. NOTE: On the PrintFree website, you can also choose "customizable calendars" and type in your dates and information before printing.

Here's the Cut the Crazy way of using your calendar: First, fill in everything you HAVE TO DO in December. These are the things you have no choice on - the life events and inevitable obligations that come with the season. Things like work, appointments, family dinners, your sister-in-law's cookie exchange, basketball games (lol), kids' concerts, school events, etc.

Next, choose some open dates and add the things you WANT TO DO - the things that will make Christmas more meaningful or fun for you and your family. They might include watching a Christmas special on TV or favorite old movie with family or friends. How about visits to lonely neighbors or shopping for Sub for Santa? What things have you always wanted to do at Christmas, but never had time for?

When December comes, make yourself a promise that you will place as much value on the WANT TO DO activities as you do on the HAVE TO DO ones and do them!

Also important to the Cut the Crazy method is showing the calendar to the rest of the family so they can have some input and know what's going on!

*Note: These calendar ideas were developed by Norma Olsen and me over the past 20 years - but we also read similar ideas in the book "Unplug the Christmas Machine," page 112, and adapted their ideas.

Christmas Stockings (minus the sugar)

2010-11-16T22:01:00.001-07:00

This year I have been trying to do a little less sugar since we've been trying to be healthier. But when it comes to Christmas, that means that the usual stocking stuffers of candy, candy, and more candy won’t work. So I have been trying to come up with some unusual things to put in my husband’s stocking. My quest also calls for the items to be inexpensive and useful – not just thrown away after a laugh. Here are some of my ideas:

Movie Tickets (Costco and Sam’s Club has discount gift certificates)
An 8-bit tie for the old Nintendo die hards (from http://www.thinkgeek.com/)
Rubik’s Cube (at toy stores etc.) but give them the answers as well: http://www.youcandothecube.com/
Roll-Away-Clock (An alarm clock that makes you get up to turn off the alarm) http://www.nandahome.com/
The Demotivation Desk Calendar at http://www.despair.com/

What are your ideas???

{ thanks BPC friends! }

2010-11-09T23:58:00.000-07:00

This year's Cut the Crazy Out of Christmas class on Big Picture Classes.com is almost over. I can't believe - I really can't believe - that four weeks have passed. (If the time from now until Christmas goes as fast as the past four weeks, well, we're all in trouble!) It's been a fun time though - on Big Picture. We had some wonderful class members who participated on the message board, chats and gallery. They have been THE BEST! Everyone is excited about the potential for a better-planned Christmas.

I made this layout for the class this year. I wanted something new in our Gallery, and I wanted to express my joy that a new little grandson Emmett has joined our family. He was two months old last Christmas, and in the photo we're surrounded with my collection of JOY words.(One of the class assignments is to create a layout that focuses on the joy we feel at Christmas.)

I want to thank everyone on Big Picture. We had a fun class. Thanks for sharing your recipes, traditions, gift suggestions, and many other ideas and stories. I loved reading every word on the message board. I hope we can continue interacting with each other on the message boards throughout the whole holiday season.

Imagine Yourself Organized

2010-11-07T22:06:00.000-07:00

“First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination.” ~ Napoleon Hill

So, I know that you’ve been wondering . . . “Suzie, what’s your new favorite blog???” Well here it is: PenelopeLovesLists.com. Written by Meredith Schwartz (Penelope) she is witty, funny, and ‘unapogetically organized’. My Favorite post? http://penelopeloveslists.com/organize/recipes-for-a-stressless-christmas-morning/

Other FaNTaSTiC Stuff!

*Online listing at http://listplanit.com/

* Perfect for your purse . . . get a mini three-ring binder at http://www.sortingwithstyle.com/product-p/821276170026.htm

* This is a great family organizer, get a grid planner at busybodybook.com

* Always forget to take your list with you? Try the Handy Handle Notepad at http://bobsyouruncle.com/listpads.html

* Ever need a quick reusable bag? (I think these would make great gift wrapping as well!) http://www.seejanework.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=16&idproduct=3871

if you love Christmas magazines...

2010-10-31T00:07:00.000-06:00

November is "magazine month" for the Christmas media industry. Once Halloween is past, the Christmas magazines appear enmasse! Just take a look at the magazine aisles in your favorite superstore and you'll see what I mean.

I just discovered THIS magazine - called Christmas 365. I like the concept of receiving a Christmas magazine four times a year, but what I really like is the guy behind the magazine, Mark Lipinski.
I "got acquainted" with Mark Lipinski by reading a quilting magazine called Quilter's Home. What could have been just another boring quilt mag became really entertaining because the editor, Mark, was a HOOT. I laughed out loud as I read his editorials and articles.

And then one month, Mark was gone. I went to his blog and read that he had resigned. He was still designing fabric and teaching classes. And now I see that he's got himself another magazine - this one about Christmas. I'm going to try it out - if Mark is still writing his signature "stand-up comedy," it'll be a fun read.

Here's how to subscribe to Christmas 365

Magazine is published 4 times a year.
Subscription Rates:
$19.97 USA, $27.97 Canada, $31.97 Foreign
Subscribe Online:
Subscribe to Christmas 365 | Give a Gift of Christmas 365

Subscribe by Mail:
Christmas 365
PO Box 433058
Palm Coast, FL 32143-3058

Subscribe by Phone:
866-404-1561
Outside the U.S. call 386-246-0189
If you would like to purchase the current or any back issues please order them here.

New Children's Christmas Books

2010-10-26T22:54:00.001-06:00

Every year I love finding a new children's Christmas story. I love the whimsy and magical feeling when I read these wonderfully crafted stories. I have created a list of my favorites which have all been released this year.

Happy reading ~Suzie!

Humphrey's First Christmas by Carol Heyer (Oct 1, 2010).

Humphrey and his camel friends carried the three kings to see Baby Jesus. But what could Humphrey give to Him?

Tacky's Christmas (Tacky the Penguin) by Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger (Sep 27, 2010).

Discover how Tacky's unusual gift ends up saving the day for Tacky and his friends.

The Christmas Cookie Sprinkle Snitcher by Robert Kraus and Vip (Mar 30, 2010).

When all the sprinkles are snitched from a town, how will they make their cookies? Find out who the snitcher is and why the sprinkles were taken.

Jeannette Claus Saves Christmas by Douglas Rees and Olivier Latyk (Oct 5, 2010).

When Santa Claus comes down with a cold, his daughter Jeanette steps up to save Christmas. But, Jeanette's adventure is just beginning when she gets on the sleigh.

The Elves' First Christmas by Atsuko Morozumi (Hardcover - Sep 1, 2010).

Driven from their homes the elves must find a new place to live. Discover how the elves found and began working with Santa Claus.

Spend time now, save time later

2010-10-19T11:00:00.001-06:00

Becky here, Debbie's daughter #2. I'm excited to add my two cents and hope my advice helps (and that I take my own advice). The Christmas season is getting closer every day, but still seems a bit far off to me. Maybe you're not quite ready to jump right in to the red and green until the black and orange are gone...I understand, I'm still working on Halloween costumes too. BUT, I think these are a few simple things we can do now that will really help us during the hustle and bustle.

Organize your linens: I love the colors of fall and it seems my house transforms when they finally make their appearance. Get out your fall and holiday tablecloths and placemats. Get them fresh and ready for use. Put them at the head of the line-up so they are easy to get to.

Wash the dishes: the last thing you want to be doing before your holiday party is digging out your holiday dishes and hastily dusting them off. Do it now!

Boost your paper product supply: not only dishes, think of toilet paper & paper towels.

Stock up on mixes: for cakes, brownies, and drinks. Quick and easy, I love that! My favorite is the Ghiradelli Double Chocolate brownie mix. I get a 4 pack at Costco and they're gone before I know it!

Really, these are just a few simple things to check off that to do list. We'll all be glad they're done when it's crunch time! Happy Holidays!

2010-10-18T17:21:00.001-06:00

Welcome!

...and HELLO to all our Big Picture Classes friends. We're glad you dropped by our Cut the Crazy Out of Christmas blog!

Class started Thursday, October 14 - but it's not too late to sign up if you want to get in on jumpstarting your holiday plans. You can sign up here - the deadline for signing up is October 20 at 10:00 p.m. PST. It's no big deal if you sign up now - the class goes for four weeks and you can easily catch up with the things we've been doing this week. It's all "virtual" anyway - so no one is taking attendance or checking to see when you get your assignments done.

You WILL want to do this week's work though. It's the foundation for the class - setting up the Cut the Crazy Out of Christmas planner. We're also learning how to use our TO-DO LISTS and CALENDARS.

What's fun about Big Picture Classes is the message boards where you can read comments, tips and suggestions by other members of the class. I'm happy that we already have lots of posts and comments by our really cool class participants.

If taking the Big Picture class isn't "your thing" - that's OK! We're going to be talking about Christmas on this blog for the next ten weeks, so come back often and see what we're up to.

2010-10-09T00:57:00.004-06:00

I love finding fun and free holiday activities online, so I have put together a list of my favorites. Here are a few online activities I hope you will enjoy!

• E-mail a Letter to Santa (he will reply by e-mail): http://www.the-north-pole.com/index.htm

• Set up a Secret Santa Exchange: http://www.secretsanta.com/

• Christmas Coloring Pages: http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/celebrate/christmas-coloring-pages/

• Awesome Paper Snowflakes Patterns: http://www.marcels-kid-crafts.com/snowflake-pattern.html

• Online Christmas Radio Station: http://www.live365.com/index.live

• Free Animated Christmas e-Cards: http://www.care2.com/send/catxmas1.html

• Christmas Countdown for your Computer Windows Desktop: http://www.softwaregeek.com/download/santa_s_christmas_countdown.html (Scroll down and you will see a “Download” icon. This is a freeware application)

• Christmas Decoration Calculators: http://www.santasquarters.com/christmas-decoration-toolset.html

Let me know if you have any favorite fun and free online holiday activities! Have fun!

Those Darn To-Do Lists!

2010-10-05T00:05:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone, this is Suzie guest blogging today. My mom (Debbie) is in England and Wales enjoying a well deserved trip! I read her blog entry the other day and I kinda got that sinking feeling: "Really? I need to start with a list? But how???" . . . So I've been thinking about those darn to-do lists and how to make it easier to begin.

I came up with the three basic steps for starting lists:
1- Categorize 2- Prioritize 3-Visualize!

1- Categorize: If you have taken the "Cut the Crazy" Class before you have your planner started, so you can start by looking back at what you did last year (read your journal and evaluation). If not, think about last Christmas and start with your main categories: Preparations, Gift Lists, Recipes, Ideas and Hints, and Addresses. I have just started a post-it note with each main topic and when I think of something I write it down on that list! If I'm reading a magazine and find a good idea I tear the page out and put it with that list. This makes categorizing pretty simple.

2- Prioritize: Now your lists need to be organized into things you need to start now vs. the things which can wait. For example, my local grocery store is having an awesome caselot sale and I want to stock up on sugar, flour and main staples which I use a lot of during the holidays. That takes priority! Whereas figuring out every ingredient that I will need-I can put that off until later. Figure out what you can be doing right now, decorating probably will be done later, but if you want to do some crafts you should probably start crafting sooner than later.

3- Visualize: Take some time to think through your holiday. What are the things which cause you the most stress and why? For me it's figuring out what to buy for my husband. I don't know about you, but my husband buys whatever he needs/likes when he needs/wants it. Usually about two weeks before Christmas I am asking him-once again . . . "What do you want for Christmas?" and he's on the spot not really sure what he wants. This year, I am going to have him give me some ideas now and I can also listen carefully for any comments/hints he makes and write them down.

Visualizing what happened in the past is good, but it's also important to visualize how you want things to go in the future. I visualize more fun and less stress! I visualize having everything at my job run smoothly and not trying to run my personal errands on all my lunch breaks during December! In order to do this, I visually display my calendar with the lists (except my gift lists) so I can visually see and checkmark the items as they get done. And ohhh those checkmarks feel good!

Well happy listing! Can't wait to chat with everyone at the "Cut the Crazy" class on Big Picture!

~Suzie

just thinking

2010-09-29T12:57:00.000-06:00

I'm thinking about what we can do to start planing for Christmas without really doing anything hard or too Christmas-ish. It's hot outside and I'm not in the mood - nor do I have time to do much.

BUT I can do something. First, I can keep it (it being my Christmas
to do list) in the back of my mind, and if a fleeting thought comes, I can write it down. And since I am an experienced Cut the Crazy girl, I'll write it in my planner or at least if I write my thought on a sticky note,I'll put that note inside my planner so it won't get lost.

Lists - that's what saves us as we plan for the holidays.

Don't pooh-pooh the idea of making lots of lists and adding to them every day.

I'm talking about gift lists, things-to-do-to-the-house-before-December lists, things-to-talk-to-other-people-about lists, whatever. Leave a comment about your detailed lists - and how you,re doing with them - and I'll share them on the blog.

Sorry about no photos and bad spacing - I'm posting as we fly over the midwest and Great Lakes - on my iPad. See my blog for details...debbieraymond.bloodspot.com

- a bit of info for you -

2010-09-22T01:00:00.004-06:00

Hello from Debbie - with a little "Cut the Crazy" reminder. Today is officially the first day of fall (and my son Aaron's birthday : ) Summer’s fading and before we know it we’ll be enjoying our favorite fall holidays – Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas!

If you want to get a head start on your holiday plans, with lots of help and enthusiasm from both your teachers and class participants, then jump on over to Big Picture Scrapbooking and sign up for Cut the Crazy out of Christmas. Georgana and I are excited to be on BPS for our {third} year teaching this popular four-week workshop.

Class begins October 14, 2010 and includes:

· Over 20 pages of downloads to make a Christmas planner that you customize for your individual holiday needs.

· Audio messages from Georgana and Debbie…and live chats.

· Ideas for decorating, cooking, scrapbooking, and cardmaking.

· More ideas from your fellow students in the Cut the Crazy gallery and forums.

· Thought-provoking discussions – about having too much or not enough – of Christmas traditions, decorations, gifts, events etc.

· Scrapbooking & card-making too! (But you don't have to do that part...really if you don't want to)

The price is $25.00. You can take the class at your leisure - you'll get your handouts each Thursday via the website and you'll have a week to complete the assignments. You can work at your own pace - the info. will always be available on the Big Picture website under your account. It's easy!

If you want to start today (and why not!?) you can sign up now and download your pre-class assignments. Just think – you have the power to "cut the crazy" and look ahead with joy!

Yes - this is joy!

Christmas 2010!

2010-09-18T23:28:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone, Debbie here. It's time to gently ease ourselves into C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S! (I hardly dare say it out loud.) If these words make you cringe...well, just keep reading our blog and...you'll get used to it! (If you're a holiday "early bird," a quilter, a crafter, a card maker, or if you work in media or retail, Christmas is pretty much part of your life already - and has been for several months.)

Yesterday I was in Kohl's department store buying a birthday gift. There was a big sale, PLUS a scratch-off coupon for an additional discount. The customer ahead of me squealed as her discount appeared, and it was 30% off. I was smiling at her glee, but then I really grinned at what she said next. "I'm so excited to get such a bargain on my first Christmas gifts."

Cut the Crazy Out of Christmas is about: 1) your perspective and 2) your preparations. It's about finding joy in your holiday journey. It's also about planning ahead and keeping track of your plans by using a Christmas organizing binder where you write everything down.

I hope you'll join us - me, Suzie, Aimee, and Becky - here on our Cut the Crazy blog as we share ideas and help each other start NOW to prepare for peace and joy in December.

Last Post of the Season

2010-08-01T23:38:00.002-06:00

Hi friends - this is the last post for this season on our Cut the Crazy blog. We'll be back next year - probably sometime after Labor Day. I (Debbie) will be posting on my blog - Burnt Cookies - so check in next fall and I'll announce when we're back to cutting the crazy.

Hopefully :) we'll run an updated version of the class on Big Picture Scrapbooking. We're going to propose an option for people who have taken the class before - so if you'd like to re-take the class - send the word to Stacy and Kayce. That would probably help our proposal!

We've sure loved having you join us in our journey to simplify and organize for the holidays - and we wish you the best in 2010. I close with one of my favorite photos of the year - a classic "mom trying to get baby to smile" photo. Here's Becky and two-month-old baby Emmett. Christmas Day. 2009. Joy.

this is Christmas to me

2010-01-02T23:30:00.004-07:00

Long Walk Part of Gift

An African boy listened carefully as his teacher explained why Christians were such giving people. The teacher said, “Jesus taught us that giving gifts is an expression of our love and friendship for Him and each other. Jesus said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35).

A couple of days later the boy brought the teacher a seashell of lustrous beauty. “Where did you ever find such a beautiful shell?” the teacher asked. The youth told her that there was only one spot where such extraordinary shells could be found.

When he named the place, a certain bay several miles away, the teacher was speechless. She knew that it would have taken the young man hours to walk to the bay. Also, he would have faced many dangers from the jungle and rocky cliffs of the seacoast along the way. “Why, it’s gorgeous and wonderful, but you shouldn’t have gone all that way to get the gift for me,” the teacher joyfully explained.

His eyes brightening, the boy answered, “Long walk part of gift.”

hAppY 2010 !!

2010-01-02T00:50:00.006-07:00

It's the first day of an exciting new year. Today as I undecorated both my house and my mom & dad's house, I was grateful that we were doing it with happy memories of the past holidays and optimism for 2010.

AND ...did you notice the blue moon last night. It's not really blue, it's full. AND WHAT WAS SIGNIFICANT last night is that it was the first time in 10 years that there had been two full moons in one month. The Huffington Post says:
"Once in a blue moon there is one on New Year's Eve. Revelers ringing in 2010 will be treated to a so-called blue moon. According to popular definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a month. But don't expect it to be blue – the name has nothing to do with the color of our closest celestial neighbor.

A full moon occurred on Dec. 2. It will appear again on Thursday in time for the New Year's countdown...twice in one month."

Just had to mention that : )

[ time to evaluate ]

2009-12-30T23:16:00.005-07:00

Take a few minutes today or tomorrow to write some thoughts about your holiday celebration this year. Look at your photos to jiggle your memory. Don't make this task elaborate or complicated, just jot down what worked and what didn't. You can write it on one of the sheets in your planner (there's a planner page titled "Christmas Journal"), or you can speed type it on your computer. This is me speed typing - I mean just getting it written - not even worrying about punctuation or typos. I know if I wait, it won't happen!

Here are some questions to help get you started:

Traditions: Would you like to change the "feeling" of your celebration? Was it too focused on gifts or Santa? Did you have fun? Did you participate in some kind of charitable giving that helped you feel the spirit of the season? What reminders do you want to give yourself for next year?

Gifts: Were you happy with your gift purchases? What would you have done differently? Were you frantically shopping at the last minute? List the gifts that gave you the most stress. Is there a way to simplify your gift traditions? What gifts did you feel good about and want to repeat?

Menus: Did your menus work - did you have enough or too much of anything. Was your food preparation as easy as you would have liked, or do you want to re-evaluate and simplify? Do you need to add or subtract any meals. Did you spend too much time in the kitchen? (duh)

Decorations: Write down what you would change if you could. Do you wish you had started decorating earlier? Do you need to update or get rid of anything? Anything especially make you smile?

Your family stories: Were there special moments you'd like to remember? What made everyone laugh - or cry? Were there any firsts or lasts this year?

- reflect -

2009-12-29T00:47:00.004-07:00

Christmas waves a magic wand . . . and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

Norman Vincent Peale

ChRiStmAs ACCOMPLISHED!!

2009-12-26T15:29:00.010-07:00

Merry day-after-Christmas from Debbie - hope your holiday was as beautiful as the view out my window right now. The sun is shining, ice crystals are sparkling in the dry, cold December air, and the mountains are frosted with white snow. It's nice to have a chance to relax and enjoy the view.

Our Christmas was nice and extra special because of having our whole family together - they were in and out - but we had everybody here at our house late on Christmas Eve and on Christmas morning. It was wonderful. We had some 'miracle moments.' On Christmas Eve, our new little grandson Emmett (two months) had about six hours when he was calm and perfect. Not a single cry, including when he was baby Jesus in our family Nativity play. The sweet little guy has colic, and usually cries all evening, but on Christmas Eve, he slept in his mom's arms or was wide awake as his dad held him up so he could take in all the action. We all commented that it was a Christmas blessing. It was also a special time because my brother Gary and his family were here from Japan, and we were able to share the Christmas Eve traditions that we have built over the together.

Adoration of the Magi by Giotto (14th century)

I'm glad tomorrow is Sunday - a chance to pause and reflect on the glory of this season. I hope we sing "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" in our church service - it's my favorite Christmas carol - I am in awe of the words:

"Come and behold him...
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee...
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given."

{ it's crazy time }

2009-12-22T20:47:00.003-07:00

CRAZY

Yesterday I had a little mini fit while shopping in a sporting goods store. No, really. I was in a hurry and pushing to get some stuff finished, and I was frustrated with the selection and placement of the items I was looking at. Too high so I couldn't see the sizes or the prices. I got mad and I threw something on the floor and didn't go back to pick it up, and I was gruff and onery to the clerk. Driving home I tried to calm down as I talked to myself. "You know better than to act that way. You know dang well that you should have had that shopping done a long time ago. What are you doing, trying to act like Santa anyway? Your kids are all grown up - they have their own Santas. And what's with all this focus on gifts? Is that your highest value for Christmas? Is that what brings you joy and meaning? Sounds like you need to go take your own class and re-read the books you recommend," I blubbered to myself. Calming down, I kept talking, "OK - what have you learned? What are the Cut the Crazy principles? What can you apply to the next three days...that will help you survive? Oh yeah. Simplify. Eliminate. Delegate.

Simplify. Eliminate. Delegate.

Just saying it made me feel calmer. It's 24 hours later, and I now have time to sit down with my Cut the Crazy planner and think. What's left to do? What can I simplify? What can I just plain skip, delete, forget? What can I delegate - to whom, and when? I have to be smart, not waste time (I'm getting off this computer right now). I have to focus.

I hope that if you are also feeling crazy, the simple process of stopping to evaluate and re-group will help. It always helps me to remember the words of my friend Norma Olsen, who has taught Cut the Crazy with me for years. What we are doing is about celebrating the birth of the Savior. And that's all that really matters.

:: quick and easy gift ::

2009-12-20T23:03:00.002-07:00

This is a fun {last minute} gift for somone who likes to cook. Or for someone - this includes most of us - who has to cook and would like to enjoy it more. It's a special holiday magazine from my favorite cooking company "Cook's Illustrated." They also have the TV show called America's Test Kitchen. They have a variety of publications: a bi-monthly magazine that you could give as a subscription, "best of" magazines like "Best Recipes of 2009," and seasonal magazines like "Holiday Baking." The magazines are available at kitchen specialty stores and bookstores like Borders.

To put your gift together, ll you need is a magazine, wide grosgrain ribbon, a large tag, and a floral pick like the holly berry pick above (optional). Roll up the magazine so the bound side is out. Secure it with an elastic band while you tie the bow. You'll need about a yard of ribbon to make the bow easy and pretty. After you tie the knot, slip the tag onto the ribbon, then finish tying the bow. (Remember to take off the elastic band.) Tuck in the floral pick for added cuteness - notice the cute peppermint pick on the top photo - I got that at Hobby Lobby.

You can also use your ribbon and tags for a loaf of yummy sweet bread. If you live near a Great Harvest bakery, I can highly recommend their Gingerbread loaf. Yumm - a gift to be proud of!

:: free tags free tags ::

2009-12-18T15:37:00.015-07:00

If you want CUTE and CLASSY gift tags on your gifts, just download these FREE printables, print them on your color printer with heavier* paper, cut them out, punch a hole, string on some ribbon, and there you go...gorgeous gifts. I will never again cut a little square of wrapping paper, fold it over, and write the names inside. The reindeer tag above is available from the cool graphic design blog eatdrinkchic.com.

(If you want to be Martha-ish, use bakers twine pictured below and available here.)

Free PDF downloads are all over the internet. Usually they're created by designers who want to get their artistic 'style' noticed. I quickly found just a few.

This fun blog is called (Inside a Black Apple). I love her style; her tag graphics are very 'chic' and current. Someday I'll blog about how much I love the combination of Japanese and European influence I sense in design right now.

The PDF download is right here, so you can print up as many of these little holiday doodles as you'd like.

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If you prefer a more traditional style, here is a set from book author and illustrator JAN BRETT. I love the pictures in her Christmas books, so of course, I have to have these tags. Just click on the actual tag and you'll get a sheet of four (of the same) tags to print.

Click here for PDF Format	Click here for PDF Format
Click here for PDF Format	Click here for PDF Format

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These are very basic but cute because they're Dr. Suess tags. Click here. If you want to save on printer ink, you'll be happy that these are black and white - but the classic images make them unique and fun. You could cut the out and adhere to red or green cardstock.

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Here is a page by artist Karla Dornacher. She has an Etsy shop here These tags are on her blog. She says, "I love Christmas...so to start off the seasons celebration, I have a FREE gift for you...click for a free downloadable page of Christmas tags.

*I mentioned heavier paper in the first paragraph. My printer gets jammed up when I use cardstock, but I found a mid-weight paper that works in my printer and is heavy enough for projects. It's called 'cover stock.' Its weight is 67 lb. I buy it at Staples, and it comes in white and colors.

ChRiStmAs cReAtivity and caLm

2009-12-15T18:28:00.015-07:00

This is my good friend Bonnie. She is enjoying December because she went the extra mile in October - and finished her Christmas shopping! Yea, it's really true - she sent me photos of the pile of gifts before she started wrapping. Bonnie has about 15 grandchildren so this is no small feat. She started making lists months ago and contacted each parent to find out what the children would like or need for gifts. With definite goals in mind, she excitedly started shopping - both online and in stores.

One thing her grandkids asked for is little action figure toys called Bakudans. She told me about how she talked to the manager of a McDonalds and convinced him to sell her a complete set of the Bakudans that came with the Kids Meals. (Believe me, only Bonnie could pull this off.) They are intriguing little toys that start out as balls and open magnetically. Follow the link above to learn more.

And you have to notice Bonnie's gift wrapping. Because she has time in November, she beautifully wraps her gifts - and personalizes them for each child. You have to see these in person. They are adorned with big bows, patterned paper cut-outs, monograms and ornaments.

Bonnie has also been madly creating adorable Christmas stockings. In these photos she is telling a group of women about her process of turning a plain store-bought stocking into an over-the-top creative treasure. She uses a combination of antique jewelry and baubles, lace and trims that she has collected for years, and "finds" from high-end stores as well as the dollar store.

Here are two stockings for younger kids - in pinks, purples and greens. Love the rick-rack and pom poms - so 'in'!

Bonnie has beautiful antique furniture and collectibles - so the socks fit the decor perfectly.

Notice the little ice skate with glittered runner and feathered top. And the lace - oh the lace - all meticulously hand sewn.

Everyone went ga-ga over this sock. The shape is darling to start - then the stuff she added - wow. And is there anything more beautiful than pink and gold?

Look at the little doll hanging from the top of the stocking. I know you'll ask if Bonnie sells the stockings - she used to, but can't bear to part with them now. That's good, Bonnie, because these Christmas stockings will surely become heirlooms that your granddaughters will cherish.

Thanks Bonnie, for sending me your photos. I know you'll be mad at me for this post, but I just had to share your 'vintage chic' with everyone. Yes, we're inspired!

:: for a December Sunday ::

2009-12-13T18:55:00.005-07:00

Christmas is that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. Christmas may weave a spell of nostalgia; Christmas may be a day of feasting or of prayer; but always it will be a day of remembrance - a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved.
Augusta E. Rundell

{ slow down if you're in a hurry }

2009-12-08T11:44:00.010-07:00

Hi, Debbie here with some philosophy that I guarantee you'll use right now as you try to cut the crazy out of Christmas.

I just spent a few minutes looking at this week's calendar. It's the second week of December and it's pretty overwhelming. There are the regular day-to-day events like work, church, meals, house upkeep...and on top of that there are some special events like birthdays (including my mom's 80th birthday), doctor appointments, ball games...and then on top of that are CHRISTMAS activities like parties, decorating, cards, and of course, shopping. No wonder I feel little stressed, and you probably do too.

Feeling rushed, but still needing to check my email, I quickly scrolled through my inbox this morning. There in the mix of holiday savings and free shipping offers was my monthly email newsletter from The Happiness Project. Do you know about The Happiness Project? It's an inspiring website by Gretchen Rubin. Following is her project description and then her blog post about slowing down when you're in a hurry. Please enjoy the variety of anecdotes and quotes that I took from the comments section of Gretchen's blog post. Here are Gretchen's words (all in green) from her blog:

"A few years ago, I had an epiphany on the cross-town bus. I asked myself, “What do I want from life, anyway?” and I thought, “I want to be happy”—but I never spent any time thinking about happiness. “I should do a happiness project!” I realized. And so I have.

My happiness project has convinced me that it’s possible to be happier by taking small, concrete steps in your daily life. In my book and on this daily blog, I write about what I’ve learned as I’ve test-driven the wisdom of the ages, the current scientific studies, and the lessons from popular culture. Plutarch, Samuel Johnson, Benjamin Franklin, St. Thérèse, the Dalai Lama, Oprah, Martin Seligman…I cover it all."

A few weeks ago, I posted Eight excellent tips for living that my parents gave me. Soon after, I ran into a friend who said, “I loved the tips your parents gave you. My mother had a great one, too. She always said, ‘When you’re in a hurry, take your time.’”

I thought this sounded like great advice. Looking back at the times when I'm stressed, I realize how much hurrying slows me down. I forget to bring my Filofax if I leave in a rush. My husband lost his wallet in a cab because he was running late. Hurrying makes me forget things, drop things, mess up.

When I feel myself rushing, I’m going to remind myself, “Wait, I’m in a hurry -- I need to take my time.”

"Make haste slowly."

And this story about Napoleon (no doubt apocryphal) - that he would say to his valet, "This morning I'm in a hurry, so put my boots on slowly."

"Think fast, speak slow."

Thich Nhat Hanh quote: "Smile, breathe, and go slowly."

"It's the zen of speed - slow down if you want to go faster."

I remember a college class in which a psychology professor proved to us that we human begins are literally unable to focus on two things at one time. In the era of people taking great pride in being great multi-taskers, the reality is that we cannot shift focus rapidly.

"Measure twice, cut once."

"Fast is slow. Slow is fast."

I had a meditation teacher who said she gave up hurrying for a whole year. She said there are times you need to move quickly, but that is not the same as hurrying, which is an energy -- of being worried, trying to control time, and getting waaay ahead of yourself so you are not in the present. It's been very helpful... every time I'm running late, I remember, I may need to move quickly but I don't have to hurry. Makes a huge difference.

One of the biggest time wasters in business is rework, often due to going too fast!! There is a significant business impact that equates to dollars; and the same applies to life - there is a life impact!

We just need to think about the Aesop's fable of the tortoise and the hare.

And finally a favorite anecdote about slowing down: A brain surgeon must perform a critical element of an emergency operation. He only has three minutes to save most of his patient’s cognitive functions and is frantically giving directions to the various medical personnel in the operating room when one of the hospital’s most outstanding surgeons enters and steps to his side: “Dr. Morgan, you only have three minutes. You better slow down.”

cute downloadable patterns

2009-12-05T00:28:00.007-07:00

You probably know about the blog called "Posie Gets Cozy" at Rosie Little Things. It's one of the first blogs I read and still one of my favorites. The author Alicia Paulsen is a "sewist." She has a new book of sewing patterns and also downloadable pdf patterns on her website.

You can actually purchase the darling pattern for three felt ornaments online here. It's just SO COOL to me that I can sit at my computer and click a few clicks, pay a few bucks, print up a copy on my printer, and start sewing in a matter of minutes. The only time-consuming thing is the browsing - the blogs that go with the patterns are always fun to read.

Here's another fun computer wonder - if you make one of the items from the pattern, you're encouraged to post pictures of your finished ornament on her Flickr photo group here. It'll be fun to check the Flickr group throughout the month to see the ornaments that sewists are making and posting.

{ Yule Moon }

2009-12-03T08:29:00.004-07:00

I have been rushing around getting my house decorated and other things done, but fortunately I've been forced to pause (by Scott who notices things I don't and always has his eye on the sky) and look at the moon. Have you noticed how full it is, and beautiful?

There are various names for the moon in December. It's called the Yule Moon, the Cold Moon or the Long Nights Moon.

The Farmers Almanac says, "During the month of December the winter cold fastens its grip, and nights are at their longest and darkest. The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long, and because the Moon is above the horizon for a long time. The midwinter full Moon has a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite a low Sun."

To see the moon at its most amazing, see it in the early morning. Get up early - at dawn - when the sky is starting to get blue, but the sun is not yet up. (Because of the long night, it's not that early.) At 6:45 this morning the sky and moon were magnificent!

Painting by Tasha Tudor - one of my favorites!

~ books that encourage and inspire ~

2009-11-29T20:14:00.015-07:00

God Thinks You're Wonderful

My appreciation for author Max Lucado started with this little book called "God Thinks You're Wonderful." It's a sweet book geared to anyone who needs a lift. It's not necessarily a Christmas book, but rather an encouraging book about God's love for each individual. It has phrases like, "If He had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it." and "He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning." And the illustrations are simple and cute. This book would be a nice gift for someone special - and especially wonderful for a child. But be sure to sit and read it with him or her.

Cure for the Common Life: Living in Your Sweet Spot

Recently I picked up this book and discovered some wonderful essays by Lucado. This book is also encouraging, but is longer and follows the theme of finding your 'sweet spot' in life - finding the things that make you excited every day. Here's the blurb from the cover: In Cure for the Common Life, Lucado offers practical tools for exploring and identifying your own uniqueness, motivation to put your strengths to work, and the perfect prescription for finding and living in your sweet spot for the rest of your life.

Following is an excerpt from the chapter called "God Does Big Things with Small Deeds."

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin” (Zech. 4:10 NLT).

Begin. Just begin! What seems small to you might be huge to someone else. Just ask Bohn Fawkes. During World War II, he piloted a B-17. On one mission he sustained flak from Nazi antiaircraft guns. Even though his gas tanks were hit, the plane did not explode, and Fawkes was able to land the plane.

On the morning following the raid, Fawkes asked his crew chief for the German shell. He wanted to keep a souvenir of his incredible good fortune. The crew chief explained that not just one but eleven shells had been found in the gas tanks, none of which had exploded.

Technicians opened the missiles and found them void of explosive charge. They were clean and harmless and with one exception, empty. The exception contained a carefully rolled piece of paper. On it a message had been scrawled in the Czech language. Translated, the note read: “This is all we can do for you now.”

A courageous assembly-line worker was disarming bombs and scribbled the note. He couldn’t end the war, but he could save one plane. He couldn’t do everything, but he could do something. So he did it.

God does big things with small deeds.

God inhabits the tiny seed, empowers the tiny deed. He cures the common life by giving no common life, by offering no common gifts. Don’t discount the smallness of your deeds.

A Wonderful Christmas Gift Idea...

2009-11-24T15:25:00.006-07:00

Hello Cut The Crazy Viewers! This is guest blogger Aimee (Debbie's Daughter -in- law). I came across this beautiful cookbook and just had to share. It is the perfect gift this holiday season for that special person who has everything...or doesn't, either way it will be very pleasing. Here are a few words from the inside cover of the book: "The Pioneer Women Cooks is a homespun collection of photography, rural stories, and scrumptious recipes that have defined my experience in the country. I share many of the delicious cowboy-tested recipes I've learned to make during my years as an accidental ranch wife-including Rib-Eye Steak with Whiskey Cream Sauce, Lasagna, Fried Chicken, Patsy's Blackberry Cobbler, and Cinnamon Rolls-not to mention several "cowgirl-friendly"dishes, such as Sherried Tomato Soup, Olive Cheese Bread, and Creme Brulee. I hope you get a kick out of this book of mine. I hope it makes you smile. I hope the recipes bring you recognition, accolades, and marriage proposals. And I hope it encourages even the most harried urban cook to slow down, relish the joys of family, nature and great food, and enjoy life."

Happy Holidays everyone! May the holidays bring you great joy as you are surrounded by all of your loved ones.

Wreally Great Wreaths

2009-11-22T21:59:00.011-07:00

Hi Everyone,

This is Suzie, guest blogging tonight! I was so excited when I turned my Christmas decorating ideas towards wreaths. There are so many ideas out there, and wreaths are definately the new rage! Check out some darling ways to use your wreaths to decorate this Christmas.

I love the traditional look of a wreath on the front door. It is such a great way to greet your guests! But a twist on tradition is always welcome.

This double wreath is so pretty, I love the emphasis of the Christmas stocking decoration at the bottom.

Three evergreen wreaths hung by one ribbon sets elegant atmosphere.

Your guestroom will have that "Home for the Holidays" feeling with a simple wreath tied to the headboard or footboard.

Group wreaths together to create an impact.

A modern look for the traditional wreath.

A hot gluegun and nuts is all it takes to make this fun wreath.

Wrap a few small presents and simply attach to a wreath form.

It would be so easy to make this darling gingerbread wreath.

A small wreath is perfect to use as a napkin ring:

Or tye it together with ribbon.

You don't have to hang your wreaths, set them on a dresser. I love the ornaments attached at the drawers which draw the eye from top to bottom.

Nest two wreaths together for a dynamic duo.

String small wreaths on a ribbon to make a garland with impact.

Frame it!

Tie a tiny wreath onto a present.

A bell wreath is perfect for a cupboard door.

I LOVE these groupings of "threes"!

Three in a row.

A great way to make your windows stand-out.

I hope you have gleaned some inspiration, have a great time decorating!

Merry Christmas Decorating,
Suzie

{ Christmas Countdowns }

2009-11-19T12:23:00.011-07:00

On TV Morning Show - by SLC scrapbook store 'Heartland Paper'
I'm so glad I caught this segment on our local TV show STUDIO 5 this morning. The countdown projects by Heartland Paper were really cute - and they included printable DOWNLOADS so you can print the NUMBERS for the countdowns at home and make the projects inexpensively using materials you have. The Muffin Tin Countdown (photo above) is from last year. They added new ones this year - look at the fun pictures and instructions below.....and be sure to check the "what you need" lists in Countdown #2 and #3 for the links that will give you the free number sheets to print up at home. Print them on plain or light-colored patterned paper for your own use.

Countdown 1- The Mini Matchbox Advent
This advent is made with little mini matchboxes covered and magnetized. You can fill each box with treats, activities, clues, or even pictures for your little ones to open.

To make this advent from scratch, you will need:
1 cookie sheet
25 mini matchboxes
American Craft Thickers (the alphabet stickers for the title and a few of the numbers)
Assorted additional font stickers or print-outs of numbers
Making Memories Mistletoe paper
Brown Paper Sacks
Ink
Ribbon
Magnets
Instructions:
Cover matchboxes with brown paper sacks completely. Add paper, numbers, ribbons and little extras to dress up each box. Place a strip of magnet on the back of each box. Punch a hole in the top of your cookie sheet and hang with a fun ribbon.

Countdown 2- The Swirl Advent
This countdown is made of little plastic cups (fry sauce cups) that are magnetized to a circular magnet board in a swirl pattern. As the treats are taken out of each cup, the words to "Santa Claus is coming to town" are revealed at the bottom of the cups. The buttons around the border make this kit just too cute!

Things you will need:

14” magnet board circle-available at Heartland next week for $8 each…get on the list now (or pizza pan - not aluminum) (Debbie's note - rectangle would be cute too if that's easier

25 1.5 oz plastic cups and lids (available at restaurant supply or Costco)

Color copy of number sheet on white cardstock Download Christmas countdown round

1 ¼” circle punch

1 ½” scallop circle punch

Strip Magnet

Red, Green, Brown Cardstock (We used printed paper by Lasting Impressions)

65 assorted Buttons

Ribbon

Adhesive, Ink, Scissors, Glue Dots

Instructions:

1. Use Scallop punch to cut 25 assorted circles from cardstocks.

2. Use 1 ¼” circle to punch out numbers and song words

3. Cut out title with scissors.

4. Freehand a funky arrow out of red cardstock.

5. Ink all pieces.

6. Layer scallop circle and number circle and adhere to top of each cup

7. Glue song words inside each cup so that as you remove the lids the words to “Here Comes Santa Claus” will be left in the bottom of each cup.

8. Place a small strip of magnet on the bottom of each cup.

9. Use glue dots to adhere magnets around outside edge of board.

10. Place cups on board in a swirl pattern so they count down to Christmas.

11. Tie Ribbon through hole in top and hang.

12. Place treats or activities in each cup.

Countdown 3- Vintage Santa Countdown
Who doesn't love vintage Santa? This uses the beautiful Graphic 45 Christmas Paper to create a beautiful piece of art. Numbers are pulled off each day to reveal a gorgeous picture underneath.

To make this advent from scratch, you will need:
1 12" magnet board
1 Sheet Graphic 45 Vintage Santa Paper
1 Sheet Graphic 45 Cream Paper- cut to 8.5X8.5
1 sheet chipboard-cut to 8.5X8.5
Number download sheet printed on Graphic 45 Cream paper-Download Graphic
Ink
Magnets
Instructions:
Print numbers on cream paper. Glue cream paper to chipboard with a strong-all-over adhesive. Cut apart chipboard and numbers using lines provided. Ink each square along with Vintage Santa Paper. Adhere Vintage Santa Paper to magnet board. Place a strip of magnet on the back of each chipboard number. Place numbers over image to cover completely. Remove one piece each day until Christmas arrives and picture is revealed!

LINKS:
You can also order kits at the stores if you call soon. Here's the link to the blog post on the Heartland Paper blog. And here is a link to the TV segment so you can watch the video.

WiSdom for LiFe...and ChristMas

2009-11-17T17:11:00.009-07:00

I received these beautiful Maya Angelou quotes in an email today (thanks Steph), and, as always, I was inspired and touched by Maya's wisdom AND her way with words. She has always been a favorite author of mine. I was tickled to learn that she loves the word JOY just as I do. A USA Today article reported this: "Her favorite word remains "joy." When she signs her books — she has written 31...poetry, children's and even one cookbook — she adds in artfully old-fashioned penmanship, "Joy!""

The reason I'm putting these quotes on the Cut the Crazy Out of Christmas blog today is because I want to point out how beautifully they apply to the holiday season. I urge you to read each quote and think of it in terms of Christmas.

'I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back....'

'I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.'

'I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.'

'I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.'

'I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life.'

'I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.'

'I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.'

'I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.'

'I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone.. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.'

'I've learned that I still have a lot to learn..'

'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'

To read an excerpt from a new book written about Maya Angelou by her niece and others, click on this NPR article here. (You'll have to scroll down a ways.)

Adornit BLoG HoP

2009-11-12T23:51:00.004-07:00

Hi Blog Hoppers - so glad to see you! I'm Debbie Raymond - I'm the editor at Adornit and I am THRILLED that the Adornit BLog Hop is finally here! If you started at this blog, you need to go back to the beginning by clicking on this link: www.adornitscrapbook.com/bloghop

This blog is extra special to me - because it's a collaboration with my daughters and daughter-in-law and has ideas to help you Cut the Crazy Out of Christmas. Be sure to come back when you have more time - we have info on Christmas organization, gift ideas, quotes, and using a Christmas planner. All geared to help you simplify and plan Christmas. Hint: Read our blog posts from last year!

My project is a scrapbook layout I made just for this week. It's a photo of my three darling grandkids in their Christmas jammies. One of the stress-reducing suggestions of Cut the Crazy is to Search for JOY in the sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas. When you're tired and frustrated, it helps to pause and see, listen and smell - to delight the senses with things that are uniquely Christmas. There will always be something to appreciate if you try to find it. For me, just thinking about Brookelyn, Bailee and Carter in their Christmas jammies turns my stress to joy.

You are very lucky to visit this next blog! Jana is one of my very very favorite scrappers - she has such a cute style, and the girl is prolific! I now introduce: Jana Eubank! http://www.frommyfeatherednest.blogspot.com

3 cards in 30 minutes (give or take a few)

2009-11-12T00:31:00.004-07:00

Today is the first day of Adornit's Christmas Blog Party. Since I came up with the idea and wrote the words for today's post which is a card making challenge, I thought I'd better participate. (For those who don't know, I'm the editor at Adornit scrapbook company.) So at 10:50, I set my timer for 30 minutes. Then I pulled out some samples of cards by other people that I like ( to get the creative juices flowing. I love all you great scrappers out there that I copy - in scrapper lingo, scraplift). So I made 3 cards - the first two in the thirty minutes, then, since I had everything out and I was having fun, I made a third card. I like them. For the words I used favorite Christmas cardstock stickers from Adornit. Just slapping that already-cute sticker on my cards helped me stay within my 30 minutes.

It took another hour to take the photos, download the photos, crop the photos, upload the photos to my blog, write the blog post, and listen to Scott talk about riding the stationary bike at the gym and getting his heart rate up to 160 and it feeling good. You can imagine how happy I am to hear that kind of talk - especially since I haven't been to the gym for a month.

{ must-have art }

2009-11-03T23:19:00.006-07:00

These darling giclee prints are wow-ing me! They're from Winborg Sisters Design. I got an invite on my email today to visit their blog, and I remembered that Georgana had mentioned them on her blog last summer. These two gals have a fun trendy style that would fit the room or nursery of any child. So I went on an imaginary shopping spree and these are the things I 'pretend chose' for my grandkids.

If you want to have just as much fun, check out their blog or their etsy shop. So inspiring!

now we can get serious!

2009-11-01T23:34:00.008-07:00

It's November 1st. The day after Halloween.

I've heard tons of women say, "I just can't get serious about Christmas until after Halloween." (I've heard the same sentence about Thanksgiving too; while I understand the Halloween hesitation, I think if you wait until after Thanksgiving you'll really defeat yourself.)

Get those Halloween decorations put away - QUICK - because you have work to do. The first thing is to convince yourself that everything you get finished this month will benefit you in December.

Here's a little quote that I love - it can apply to Christmas, so print it up and stick it on your mirror!

"Don't practice struggling,
practice enjoying."

Let's meet at the toy store on Saturday!

2009-10-28T22:51:00.006-06:00

The Christmas blog has been a little neglected lately - we've been busy welcoming a new little baby boy into our family. Becky and her husband Pitt are the proud parents of Emmett Scott Grewe. All is well and Emmett is a little cutie patootie. Now that they have to buy toys for Christmas, I'll pass on these tips from one of our favorite financial-help gurus, Clark Howard.

Clark Howard's Money-Saving Moment: 9-30-2009

Clark Howard suggests on his website that it might be wise to buy Christmas toys earlier rather than later if you're able to this year. Not sure what the hottest toys of 2009 will be? HotToys2009.com lists them by retailer and availability.

He also reports that Wal-Mart is cutting prices on toys. "Christmas just got a whole lot cheaper as Wal-Mart has announced they'll price 100 different popular toys at $10 each. This is a departure from prior years when Wal-Mart had knockoffs of name-brand toys priced at $5, $10 or $15. This year you'll see brand-name popular toys from Lego, Nerf, Tonka, Barbie dolls, the Littlest Pet Shop and more."

And in the article's comments box was this comment from a Clark Howard reader:

"Even better that Wal-Mart is kids.woot.com. Every day they offer 1 item that is 40% or more less than any other site. I have already purchased all of my kids Christmas presents."

And here's another great financial tip from Clark Howard's website:

How to get rewards points at Sam's Club on a Visa, MasterCard or AmEx card
Q: Lately, I've been trying to rack up reward points on my American Express card. But I can't use AmEx at Sam's Club.

A: No problem, according to Jim Strickland, Clark's consumer investigator. Here's how he does it:
1) He buys a Wal-Mart gift card using his favorite rewards credit card.
2) He uses his Wal-Mart gift card to buy merchandise at Sam's Club.

cookbooks make great gifts!

2009-10-20T23:26:00.004-06:00

Here are two COOKBOOKS that I can personally recommend! Either one is a great gift idea. Maya Angelou's book is part recipes and part memoir. I love her writing, so I enjoyed her essays at the beginning of each chapter. The recipes are probably good, however I haven't felt a need to cook from this book. But to sink into my favorite reading chair and read about Maya cooking - now, that's pure pleasure. Non-fattening too. This book is on clearance everywhere right now.

Here's what a reviewer said about the book: "Maya Angelou is renowned in her wide and generous circle of friends as a marvelous chef. Her kitchen is a social center. The one hundred-plus recipes included here are all tried and true, and come from Angelou’s heart and her home. Hallelujah! The Welcome Table is a stunning collaboration between the two things Angelou loves best: writing and cooking."

The best thing about this book is the pictures! Every recipe has a great photo. Of course, the recipes are great too. With Paula Deen as their mom, these boys couldn't help but have a collection of tried and true recipes for hearty, everyone-loves food. There's a great variety and they are good, basic recipes.

Just order a book or two - they'll come in handy as a gift for someone special. Maybe you can even slip one into your own Christmas stocking.

Making a List and Checking it Twice

2009-10-16T20:19:00.007-06:00

Hi Everyone,

This is Debbie's daughter, Suzie - guest blogging today. Anyone who knows me knows that I love computers. I teach computers in High School, so I love doing nerdy things like typing my address lists, doing mail merges, and printing my labels. Here are my tips for "making your list and checking it twice".

Updating Addresses: Your Christmas cards list is constantly changing . . . people move, you add new people, or even cut out some of the old. I find that address lists for the envelopes are easiest to maintain on the computer--that way the file is easy to access throughout the year. I go through all my addresses in October, it's a little less busy of a time and still close enough to Christmas to make an accurate list. If I know someone has moved, or the card came back last year, I call or e-mail people to get their new addresses. Throughout the year, as soon as someone tells me they are changing their address, I immediately make the change on my computer file. Before printing labels I glance through all addresses, and check for any typos, mistakes, name changes, marriages or divorces. I also check that the format is proper for the Post Office - Zip codes are complete, State codes are two letters (ex: Wyoming is WY). Every year a few cards come back to me because people have moved, I keep these cards in a file by my computer to fix after the holidays. If I cannot locate someone, I don't send a card the next year.

*The beauty of this list is that it can be used throughout the year, when you have to send invitations for a wedding, shower, party, etc. just select the people you want to invite and print labels for that event.

Choices, Choices, Choices: At the store there are many choices of different types of labels. Look for "mailing address labels," there are different sizes for different sizes of envelopes - take an envelope with you when you shop for the labels. I love clear labels for a light colored envelope. (A big mistake is when you have a dark envelope and a clear label with black print which cannot be read once it is placed on the envelope.) For a dark colored envelope use white labels and you can print a border or a picture on them. My personal favorite is the Avery brand Easy Peel Clear Address Label (product #5660). The labels are so easy to remove from the page because it has a pop-up edge that gives you an edge to grab and peel it off the backing. You can find them at most stores that carry labels - I get mine at Wal-Mart.

Computer Labels in Three Easy Steps: It's easier than you think. *For this explaination, I am using Avery labels and Microsoft Office Word- I think they are the most commonly used.*

1. Use the Avery Wizard for Microsoft Office to import your mailing list from Microsoft Excel, Outlook, or other address databases.
2. Format the labels to look how you want them to look. Play with different typefaces (fonts), font sizes, try adding pictures.
3. Print. I always do a trial and print just one page on regular paper to see if everything looks right. Place the label pages in the paper tray and print.
*Quick Tip - When printing your labels you may have several sheets. Pull each sheet off the printer and set it aside to dry completely before touching it. When you apply the labels to the envelopes, press straight down and pull up. DO NOT press and wipe across, as the moisture on your hands can moisten the ink just enough to cause smearing.

If you need more help, open the program (Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) and utilize the help menu (or press F1) for step-by-step instructions. Search "create labels" or "mail merge" on the Help menu.

Many companies have step-by-step videos and "how to" guides. Go to http://office.microsoft.com/training/Training.aspx?AssetID=RC011205671033&CTT=6&Origin=RC011205671033 for a free online "mass mailing" class. (Yes, in computer terms, your Christmas list is considered mass mailing.)

Avoid Post-Office Lines: Why go to the Post Office when you can calculate and print official USPS postage right from your own PC? You can print postage-paid stamps for envelopes and shipping labels for packages. https://sss-web.usps.com/cns/landing.do.

I love ordering my stamps from zazzle. You can order a personalized set of postage stamps with a picture you upload, get a monogram postage stamp, or you can use one of the pre-designed Christmas (and other types of) postage stamps. http://www.zazzle.com/stamps.

Don't Be Late: If you want to beat the holiday rush, follow the guidelines below:

First week of December: Get packages to the post office.
Second week of December (not later!): Send all greeting cards.
Third week of December: Send all Priority Mail
By December 20: Send all Express Mail

Happy Christmas Carding!

Suzie W.

{ decorating in steps }

2009-10-15T15:23:00.005-06:00

This post is for our Big Picture Scrapbooking class members! The Perspective handout mentions that you go to the Cut the Crazy blog to get ideas for decorating in steps and here you are! Thanks.

When it's time to decorate, take a systematic approach. This year will probably be a "setting up" year. This year you'll lay the groundwork for future decorating organization.

Norma Olsen, the originator of the Cut the Crazy planner and dear friend who taught Christmas classes with me for many years always suggested to our class members to decorate in steps. Here are a few things you can do:

1. Evaluate your home and the decorating that takes place in each room. Some of you will simply have a Christmas tree and a few seasonal displays. Others go ALL OUT, decorating every corner of every room. Either way, you can streamline your decorating by mapping out how you decorate each room. Write on a sheet of paper the room and what you do with that room - for example I would write KITCHEN. 1. Gingerbread men and joy words on window sill above sink. 2. Placemat, red bowl of candy and candle on counter. 3. Centerpiece and table runner on table.
This process can happen as you take your decorations out of your storage this year.

2. When your home is decorated the way you like it, take photos of each area and the decorations in it. Such as a photo of your front door and porch, a photo of your fireplace and mantel, a photo of your dining room table, etc. etc.

2. The biggest part of this process takes place when you are PUTTING your decorations away at the end of the season. As you take your decorations down, put them in boxes according to the areas they are in. RATHER THAN PUT ALL YOUR LIGHTS IN ONE BOX AND ALL YOUR WREATHS IN ANOTHER BOX, put your front porch decorations together in one box, including the lights and wreaths...and so on. And very important: put the PHOTO that you took of the area inside the box or tape it inside the box top.

3. Then, next year, when you are ready to decorate, but only have, say, an hour or two to do it, you can take out one box, look at the photo, and quickly set up the decorations. OR, even better, you can hand the box to your teenager, husband or whomever, and tell them to use the items inside the box and make the fireplace look just like the photo.

4. Over time you will be able to organize your decorating so it will be easily done in small steps without making a huge mess that stays around for days and days. Good luck - I'd love to hear your comments on this process!

kids love these - everyone loves these books!

2009-10-15T00:32:00.007-06:00

We've loved the "Jolly Postman" books for years. Just thinking about these books makes me want to go find them on the bookshelf and start reading. If you have a child age 4 - 8 on your gift list, these books would be ideal. I just found them on the Barnes and Noble website - be sure to read the review below for a great description.

Review from Publishers Weekly:

This British import is great fun, sure to entertain children and parents alike. The Jolly Postman goes from home to home in a fairy-tale kingdom, delivering letters to such familiar addresses as ``Mr. and Mrs. Bear, Three Bears Cottage, The Woods.'' Every other page is an actual envelope, with a letter tucked inside. The letter to the three bears, for instance, is from Goldilocks, who apologizes for the trouble she's caused and invites Baby Bear to her birthday party. Some authors would stop with this cute concept, but the Ahlbergs have given this book their all. The story of the postman's travels is told in charming verse; the pictures are delightful, full of clever detail; and the results are frequently hilarious. A real treat at a good price. (4-8). The Christmas version is delightful too.

- Christmas from Gooseberry Patch -

2009-10-10T22:54:00.006-06:00

The new Gooseberry Patch catalog came in the mail this week - and along with it lots of inspiration for fall holidays and Christmas. I love browsing the catalog for gift and decorating ideas. Their little idea and cookbooks like "Merry Mixes" below make great gifts for friends and family. The variety is of both large and small cookbooks is unbelievable. Check out the fun stuff I picked out from thousands of choices in their catalog. (I might have to splurge on those black cake stands RIGHT NOW!) I've linked every photo with the product page on the Gooseberry website, so enjoy browsing! ***notice those recipe cards - super sale at $1.00 per package!!***

Homemade Gift Mixes Cookbook for Cookies, Dips, Cocoas, Cobbler & More

Black Stoneware Cake Stands

Christmas Holiday Recipe Cards - Original Artwork by Gooseberry Patch

Red Cake & Casserole Pan with Personalized Kitchen Lid

Red, White & Green All Cotton Christmas Kitchen Apron with Polka Dots

Christmas Holiday Country Kitchen Cookbook - Recipes & Crafts to Give - Proceeds to Charity

stocKing CouNtdown

2009-10-07T00:31:00.004-06:00

Tonight on the Big Picture website we had a chat with our Cut the Crazy class participants. It was fun to chat with ladies from all over the world. We all laughed when Wendy from Australia asked, "How much butter is a stick of butter?" I now know that we need to learn international conversions for recipes if we're going to trade recipes on the worldwide web.

One of the things I told the ladies about is an idea for a Christmas countdown that uses some type of stockings hanging on a clothesline. After the chat I did a little Google search and found the project. It was from the Martha Stewart website here. I think you could adapt it and use socks you already have mixed in with new ones. Here are the instructions:

Tools and Materials
24 socks
Ribbon
Number stickers
Round stickers
Pushpins
Mini clothespins

Sock Advent How-to
1. Gather 24 socks -- singles or 12 pairs -- in colors that go well together (vary the sizes, if you like). Lay them out in the order you want to hang them, leaving spaces in between.

2. Cut the ribbon to the desired length; to find how long it should be, measure across the row of socks and add 12 inches (ours was 72 inches).

3. Use number stickers to label each sock. If one has a busy pattern, place the number on top of a solid round sticker so that it's easier to read.

4. Tack the ends of the ribbon to a railing or mantle; if you like, you can fasten the ribbon in several places to make a few swags.

5. Use mini clothespins to clip the socks to the ribbon; overlap them if you need to save space.

6. Tuck a gift inside each. If the item is heavy, use a larger clothespin to secure the sock.

Christmas breakfast idea

2009-10-05T00:12:00.004-06:00

The gals on the Big Picture message board have posted a few good-sounding recipes for Christmas breakfast. (Among other things this week, our BPS class is typing up recipes and adding them to our planners this week.) I added this one to the list, though I haven't actually tried it yet. But I trust the blogger who put the recipe on her blog Under the High Chair. This really sounds good, a little labor intensive, but it's a recipe you make the night before so you can have the wide-awake kids help you. 'Make ahead' is the only way to go for Christmas.

Deep Dish Blueberry Maple French Toast

Ingredients:

Have at room temperature:
4 oz cream cheese
2 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons maple syrup or maple butter
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

8 slices of Italian bread, about ½ inch thick (I use the middle of the loaf)
1 cup blueberries

200ml light cream
4 eggs
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Pinch of salt

Method:

Grease a stoneware baking dish with butter. (This recipe works perfectly in my oval 1.23L Le Creuset)

In a medium bowl, blend together cream cheese, butter and maple syrup until they are completely combined and creamy like a frosting. Add cinnamon and mix well.

Lay out the slices of bread on your workspace and divide the cream cheese among four pieces. Spread it around evenly and top with the four remaining slices of bread. (Yep, this is a lot of work, but think of it as practice for school lunches someday.)

Here’s where it gets a little messy. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the sandwiches into three ‘fingers’, and each one of those fingers into three. You should have roughly nine bite-sized chunks per sandwich. Don’t worry if everything seems to squish out.

Transfer all the bread to the buttered baking dish and spread out evenly. Top with blueberries, tucking them in here and there, and pressing them down between the cubes of bread.

Using the same bowl as your former cream cheese mixture, crack the eggs and beat slightly. Add cream, maple syrup and salt; mix well.

Pour batter over bread. Using a well-washed hand, place your palm in the center of the dish and gently press all the bread down until the egg mixture seeps up through the cracks. (And you thought it was messy before. Hah!)

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, preheat oven to 350F.

Cook for 35-45 minutes until puffy and golden. Cover with foil if bread is browning before eggs are set.

Serve warm with more maple syrup and fresh blueberries.

get those calendars out!

2009-10-01T01:14:00.007-06:00

Debbie here. Wow, Week 1 of Cut the Crazy on Big Picture Scrapbooking is behind us. I am enjoying all the Gallery posts and comments by class members. I love communities of women who support and cheer each other on. Week 1 was the week to assemble and decorate our planners. Since BPS is a scrapbooking-focused website, we incorporated some scrapping elements into the class (they are natural) like creating a binder cover. One lady's cover said 'Cut the Crazy and Find the Joy.' Isn't that great?

I'm working on updating my November and December calendars including my online Yahoo calendar - which I need to share with the whole family. I just filled in the dates for the USU Basketball games. There are five home games in December, so that wipes out about one night per week. Scott loves the games so I try to go with him and be cheerful about it. I have a habit of cramming down a whole box of popcorn during the first half and then feeling sick for the second half.

I hope you're planning to use a calendar and keep it up to date. It really helps you feel in control when you know what's ahead and can plan for it. Get the rest of the family in on it too. I remember how discouraging it is for Scott when he comes home from work looking forward to watching a game, and I rush him back to the car to go to some kind of Christmas party. He's much better off if he knows in advance about the party and can grumble to his secretaries all day to gear up for it. That's where the calendar comes in - so everyone is informed.

Calendar image from Mary Engelbreit: http://shop.maryengelbreit.com/p-5083-me-2010-monthly-purseplanner-calendar.aspx

Happy Planning

2009-09-23T16:49:00.010-06:00

Hi everyone, this is Suzie, Debbie's daughter, guest blogging today!

Okay, I know that it is only September, but it's time to start planning. Each year that I use the "Cut the Crazy Out of Christmas" planner, I get a chance to tweak and reflect on what worked and what didn't. This is the time of year that I pull out the December calendar and start my scheduling.

My reflection for the day is my "Girls Night Out" friends party. Every year my GNO friends have a party, the problem is that December is always really crazy! And everyone gets busier the closer you get to Christmas Day! We couldn't find a good date for the party. All of us agree that there is such a rush up until Christmas day (we try to jam everything in to the two weeks before Christmas) that one more thing just won't fit. Our solution? Last year we decided to do our friend's party December 26th - every year! What a perfect solution . . . family is leaving town, everyone is still in the holiday mood, most people still have the day off and it extends that Christmas feeling for just one more day. Now when I am figuring out my calendar, I plan that my GNO friends party will be December 26th each year!

Another friend, Donna, told me that her friends get together on the first Saturday of December. They call it the "Let me be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas Party". The first Saturday is early enough in December to not cause too much stress and the date is usually open for everyone. Donna said that usually everyone can make it! {{And what a great incentive to get your Christmas decorating done!}}

My husband's family makes Gingerbread Houses exactly one week before Christmas Day. It's a fun tradition. Again I always know to put that day on the calendar. I also know to stock up on hot cocoa and yummy treats! They also set what items each family is to bring each year. Yep! Every year we bring graham cracker sticks, red and green M&Ms, and chocolate Kisses. So I know on my grocery shopping trips as we get closer to Christmas, what I need to buy. It also makes it so I can watch the sales from Thanksgiving to Christmas for the items!

This year, as I am look through my planner I hope to set more permanent dates on the calendar. Setting my Girls Night friends party date is one "tweak" from last year that I want to keep.

Happy planning!
Suzanne

p.s. Here are some pics from my "Girl's Night" party. Alex always has a gourmet meal for us! It truly is amazing!

= shopping triumph =

2009-09-12T23:35:00.004-06:00

I found a great deal at Bath and Body Works - these nice candles on a "2 for $20.00" offer. They are the bigger candles - about five inches in diameter - in glass jars with shiny silver lids. The sales associate pointed them out to me, and when she told me she would personally wrap them in cellophane and tie a ribbon on each one, I was sold. I can think of a several ways I will be able to use the candles. I chose the Vanilla Caramel scent because it seemed like it would be better for Christmas time than the autumn scents. Now I just have to make some cute tags with a clever saying and I'm set!

just do it!

2009-09-09T09:14:00.008-06:00

Whoa - where did that week go? If the next three months goes like that, we ARE in trouble!

First of all, a huge thanks to my daughter-in-law Aimee for the new blog decor. Aimee, you win the prize for putting up this year's first Christmas decorations.

HEY - If you're here from Big Picture Scrapbooking - WELCOME! I hope you're thinking about signing up for our Cut the Crazy class. Click here for all the info. It's easy to sign up.

If you're here from my blog - WELCOME! I'm teaching Cut the Crazy out of Christmas online at Big Picture Scrapbooking. The class begins Sept. 24; the cost is $25.00. (Great value for what you'll get!) Because it's an online class, you can just sign in and download the class content at your convenience. We have four weeks of information and inspiration that you'll love, including our complete planner to download!

Remember - if it's hard to do, don't avoid it - embrace it!

That little saying can apply to lots of things...learning something new on the computer, deciding to cook dinner more often, OR planning for Christmas.

I'm the first to admit - it's hard to want to think about Christmas right now. But every little thing you do now will add up to more peace in December.

So, take the Cut the Crazy class - it'll get you going and you'll be glad you did.

3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days!

2009-09-01T07:23:00.017-06:00

Today is September 1. The first day of September.

There are three months, three weeks and three days until Christmas!

3 months - 3 weeks - 3 days!

If you REALLY want to cut the crazy out of your holiday season,
you'll jump on the path to Christmas organization right now, today.

You may ask: Where do I start? What do I do?
How can I add Christmas planning to an already-packed schedule?

HERE'S HOW TO START........

Just think for the next few days. Thinking's not hard - you can do it while washing dishes or driving to work. Think about last year.

(You might have to get out some of last year's Christmas photos
to start the memory juices flowing.)

Try to remember what was good about last year and what didn't work.

What stressed you the most?

What would you like to change?

Just think about it. (Write down your thoughts if you get a minute.)

Christmas blog up and running!

2009-08-16T23:55:00.003-06:00

Hello - it's time to wake up this blog and start thinking about Christmas!

Now hang in there with me - it's not that bad. You'll thank us in December!

We (Georgana Hall and I) are thrilled to be teaching our online version of Cut the Crazy out of Christmas on Big Picture Scrapbooking starting Sept. 24, 2009. Click here to join us for a peaceful holiday season.

{ if you're scrapbooking Christmas - this quote is one of my favorites }

2009-01-14T13:31:00.003-07:00

On Christmas Eve, the snow on the ground, the stars in the sky, the spruce tree glittering with beloved ornaments, we stand in the dimness and sing about the silent holy night and tears come to our eyes and the vast invisible forces of Christmas stir in the world. Skeptics, stand back. Hush. Hark. There is much in this world that doubt cannot explain.

Garrison Keillor

* January 6 - Epiphany *

2009-01-06T15:33:00.005-07:00

Today, being Jan. 6, is Epiphany - the twelfth day after Christmas - the day the wise men arrived in Bethlehem with their gifts.

The following words are from an article today in the (online)
Minneapolis Star Tribune by Rev. Peg Chemberlin:

"It is Epiphany, the Christian feast day which ends the Christmas season. It is seen in some traditions as the day that commemorates the coming of the Magi indicating the Light of the World being made known to the world.

But this word epiphany is used in so many places. It is a name used as titles of articles, books, movies, and works of art. “Epiphany: a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning…” from Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary.

There is something very reassuring to me about this notion of an epiphany, that I can know an essential meaning. The hope of epiphany warms my heart, encourages me forward. That’s a journey worth going on. That’s a star worth following."

Isn't it wonderful to read the beautiful words of other writers! I am in awe of people's ability to put things down. For me, Christmas reinvigorates my faith and focuses my gratitude. It is a time to put things other than the everyday things at the center of my life. I have contemplated my relationship with my Savior and find great hope and desire to continually move closer. In my spiritual growth, Christmas is not an end, but a beginning.

- taking time to enjoy what matters -

2009-01-06T14:15:00.005-07:00

Skiing was fun! It was beautiful and uncrowded at our little local ski resort - just forty minutes from our driveway to the Beaver Mountain parking lot. The drive through Logan canyon was worth the whole trip - the colors were incredible - shades of blue, purple, gray and white in the sky, snow and icy river. Unbelievably, we forgot the camera - so we took pictures of us in our driveway when we got home. It's probably a good thing, because if we'd had the camera Scott would have stopped every ten miles to get a shot of the beauty of the winter canyon. The one shot I really wanted was where there is a warm spring. Right there in the middle of the winter ice and snow is a little section of river that is thawed and covered with green moss. Scott pointed it out and we plan to go back to get this phenomenon on film. I call it "hope."

I know we look funny. Scott just loves his one-piece jumpsuit ski outfit, even though the kids tease him about it. And my pants look like they're ten years old, which they are. Since they're ten years old they fit up around my waist, which is a good feature in a ski pant on a cold cold day (which it was). But you know what, how I look while skiing didn't matter, because, as I looked around, I was the oldest woman in the lift line. There were other older men than Scott - you know, there are guys in their 80s that still ski. I saw a couple women just younger than me, but I won the old prize. As I skiied along I talked to myself: "Ski like you don't care about anything but the beauty around you and being with Scott." I was very nervous and tenative at first. I did not want to hurt myself; I have so much to do this month. So I snowplowed sometimes if I thought I was getting out of control. It was a good day, and when we got home we worked extra fast to get the Christmas decorations put away.

I just want to take this tree down :(

2009-01-03T10:37:00.006-07:00

Here's me all smiling and happy because my tree was so pretty and I liked my haircut. That was Dec. 23. Now, it's January 3 (the last Saturday of the 'holiday' season), and I just want to get the tree undecorated and everything put away. (I meant to get started last night, but couldn't pull myself away from the exciting Sugar Bowl football game on TV. Wow, what a win by U of U!) So my goal today was to get everything packed up, labeled, and stuffed in the closet and attic. I got up early to get things cleaned up so I could start. Then Scott looked out the window at the new snow and sparkling sunshine. "Let's go skiing," he said. Then he started to try to convince me. "It's the perfect day, it's warm, the sun is shining, there's new snow, you know you'd love it." "I want to undecorate," I moaned. "Besides I'm out of shape, my hip hurts, and I don't like my coat." "Does that mean you're never going to ski again?" "Well, yes, that would be fine with me." "You know once you got on the mountain you'd love it, you always do." He's hugging me and following me around. "It's just a half day - it'll be worth it." How can I say no? I so don't want to go. I'll lose a whole day. I'm going to be the last person anywhere with Christmas decorations still up.

Of course, I'm going skiing. I thought about the tater tots that the ski lodge serves for lunch and decided to go. Scott promised me he'd help me undecorate tonight. I'll insist that we order pizza for dinner and maybe I can even get a new pair of goggles out of this. Hmmm, what else can I ask for?

What would you do?

{ collecting joy }

2009-01-02T21:46:00.003-07:00

My joy collection reflects how I feel about the nearly-ended holiday season. We had some wonderful family times that continued through the new year. Through the month of December, I loved my collection of joy words that decorated the kitchen window sill and the perfect quote that is on my favorite Mary Englebreit tin, below! Beautifully stated!

december's fading

2008-12-31T00:41:00.006-07:00

Christmas has really taken the energy out of me! I want to write and blog, but by the time I finally get to the computer I'm too tired to be witty and wordy. So I'm sitting here enjoying this lovely fabric made and posted by a Melbourne, Australia blogger named Lara. She is a graphic and textile designer and co-founder of Ink & Spindle, a hand printed textile co. Her blog is kirinote.blogspot.com. Enjoy this bit of eye candy!

One of these days I'm going to share my Christmas review 'joys and frustrations' journaling. (But first I've got to write it.)

Review and Resolve

2008-12-27T20:48:00.008-07:00

I've written many many blog posts in my mind the past few days, but just couldn't get myself to the computer to write. Christmas was what Christmas is ... a paradox. Christmas always has its ups and downs, its highs and lows, and for me, a distracted perfectionist, Christmas usually ends with a wish that next year may be better. That's why I started my quest for Cut the Crazy over twenty years ago, and that's why I plug away at it each year...trying to share my ideas along the way. So I accept Christmas and feel both sad and glad it's behind me. I'm very grateful for the nice time we had together. The gifts were wonderful, the people are the best, the service that I meant to give was not-quite-enough.

My planner is open with my blank journaling page inviting my thoughts. I hope you'll join me in writing about your joys and frustrations.

Christmas accomplished!

2008-12-25T23:14:00.004-07:00

Merry Christmas - for one more hour! I have tons of photos to download and wonderful memories to remember. The past 48 hours flew by like a whirlwind, leaving a trail of giftwrap, dirty dishes, and smiles. We spent the afternoon looking out the window at a snowstorm that dumped six or more inches of snow. I'm exhausted, but happy to have "pulled it off." My friend, Nancy, once told me that to her Christmas is like a cruise and she's the cruise director. In the Unplug the Christmas Machine book one woman says, "Christmas is a magic show. I'm the producer and my husband is the stagehand and my kids are the audience. And they expect a really good show." I think that I, along with wonderful help from Scott, Becky, and Aimee, put on a pretty good show.

:: I simply remember my favorite things ::

2008-12-24T00:08:00.002-07:00

Becky has a little hang-up about one certain song that the radio plays ALL THE TIME at Christmas - as if it's a Christmas song. If you talk to Becky about this, she will inform you that just because the lyrics say "brown paper packages tied up in strings," doesn't make it a Christmas song. I have to say I agree and thanks to her I feel annoyed too when I hear "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music playing amongst the Christmas carols. But I do have favorite things right now, special Christmas decorations, and last night I took a few minutes to appreciate them.
I love this thick garland swooping over the mirror in my front hall and my fake amyryllis next to the mirror. Red ribbon makes everything look pretty.

These candles have cranberries around them - a look I just love. The color of green in the ribbon - kind of a yellowish green, actually, is one of my favorite colors.

My favorite Williraye figurine that Suzie gave me two years ago. She's just cute.

Gorgeous gold stars and glittery balls.

The cutest gift bag ever. I love the red bird and the red berries. Coincidentally, Becky just arrived for Christmas and as she brought in her wrapped gifts, one of them was in this same bag. I said, "That's my favorite bag; I'm posting it on my blog tonight." Becky said, "I love it too, in fact your present is in this bag." We laughed about that.

I don't usually like "contrived things," but I love this poinsettia - it is REAL, not fake and I'd be curious to know the process that resulted in the red and white flower petals. I used to have 20 poinsettias in my house at Christmas, but I cut the crazy (it's a lot of work to water them) and now I have four. This unique flower is called Jingle Bells and the spots of white on the red leaves make the plant extra festive and, well, CUTE!

an old-fashioned poem with a message we all need right now!

2008-12-23T06:44:00.007-07:00

Ready for Christmas

"Ready for Christmas," she said with a sigh,
As she gave a last touch to the gifts piled high.
Then wearily sat for a moment to read,
Until soon, very soon, she was nodding her head.
Then quietly spoke a voice in her dream,
"Ready for Christmas, what do you mean?
Ready for Christmas when only last week
You wouldn't acknowledge your friend on the street?
Ready for Christmas while holding a grudge?
Perhaps you'd better let God be the judge."
She woke with a start and a cry of despair,
"There's so little time and I've still to prepare.
Oh Father! Forgive me, I see what you mean!
To be ready means more than a house swept clean.
Yes, more than the giving of gifts and a tree.
It's the heart swept clean that He wanted to see,
A heart that is free from bitterness and sin.
So to be ready for Christmas - be ready for Him."
Myrtle Haynes

Remembering these things helps me even now....

2008-12-21T19:04:00.009-07:00

Following is my December Beginner Basics article from the Adornit blog last week. I know it's just a few days until Christmas, but the principles still apply!

Beginner Basics...
Hello from Debbie! Well, it’s the week before Christmas and all through my house things are not going so well. In spite of my extra efforts this year to start early, be organized, and cut the crazy, I feel like I’m unraveling a little. But I want to tell you why I’m calm and have a smile on my face. Because in teaching Cut the Crazy out of Christmas, in addition to learning how to DO Christmas, I have learned how to cope with Christmas. So, as I look at my unchecked lists, I keep a few things in mind. If you’re stressed and frantic, maybe my ideas will help you too.

Let’s go over the basic principles of Cut the Crazy: 1) Start early. 2) Use a planner. 3) Control your calendar. 4) Adjust your attitude.

Don’t worry about #1 – that’s in the past. Go on to #2. Find a half hour and sit down with your planner or notebook. (Play some nice music.) If you aren’t using a planner or if you’ve abandoned yours, I encourage you to get back to it. It will ease your mind to write things down. I just wrote all my menus for the next ten days and re-wrote my gift lists and I can’t believe how that cleared my mind of some things I’ve been worried about. A full set of planner downloads is available on adornitdigital.com for just $10.00.

As long as you’re sitting down you can also work on #3! Take a few minutes to look at your calendar. Make sure you know what is happening each day. If you need to find some time for shopping, wrapping or cooking write it on your calendar, then keep that appointment with yourself. Maybe you need to schedule an hour to spend time playing with a child or sitting by the fire with your husband – the things that will bring holiday joy. The point is that you carefully craft your days to make the best use of each hour. If you do that, you will begin to feel more in control.

#4 is about focusing on the joys. It helps me to take a deep breath and be aware of the music that I love and the wonderful smells around me. Displaying a cute scrapbook layout with one of my favorite Christmas photos helps me remember what’s important and why I love Christmas. In my layout pictured at the beginning of this post, I used papers and stickers from Adornit’s Holly Jolly Collection except the lined paper which is from last year's Happy Holidays Collection. Warm wishes to all of you as make the best of this Christmas season.

have a childlike attitude

2008-12-19T17:55:00.004-07:00

Just a few more lines about seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child. Again, these ideas are from Dr. Wayne Dyer. Here are a few lines to help you see how you're doing:

Childlike attitude: I can't wait to see all the pretty lights and decorations. Older-but-no-wiser attitude: They put those decorations up earlier every year - why do they rush it?
Childlike attitude: I love going to the store to see all the presents. Older attitude: Christmas is too commercial.
Childlike attitude: I don't think Christmas will ever come...I can't wait. Older attitude: I can't wait to get his over with.
Childlike attitude: Do we have to take the tree down already? Older attitude: I'm just glad it's all over.

I hope we can pause and enjoy (and emulate) the delight of children all around us

throughout this coming week!

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time."

Laura Ingalls Wilder