Hi! In case you didn’t know, I’m from the Ozarks, Springfield Missouri, to be exact. Springfield is the home of Bass Pro Shops, which is where this ornament came from. The Ozarkarians are famous for their appreciation of outdoor activities – fishing, hunting, camping, boating, etc. So, I thought it would be fun to give an ornament away that symbolizes my part of the country. Just think, you could have a little piece of the Ozarks hanging from your tree. 😀
If you would like a chance to win this ornament, please leave a comment. And if you can’t think of anything to say in your comment, tell me what sort of ornaments are your favorite. I ADORE unique and fun ornaments that tell a story – naturally. *smile*
I’ll randomly draw a winner December 5th at 5:00 CST. Merry Christmas!
The end of the year is coming and it’s time to pay property taxes. Taxes in general sicken me, but property taxes? On items you already own and have paid off?
*Eff that*
Anyway, it makes me really cranky to have to fork over even more cash, especially this time of year when we’re spending so much on Christmas anyway (parents with little ones? Just wait until they become teenagers – that cute little wish list they give you now? Not so cute, and cheap, when they get older).
Merry Christmas to you too, Mr. Government. You suck.
And in pure Onion style, here is a video about how we’re just throwing our money away.
As usual, The Onion’s satirical humor is spot on.
ADDED: The husband just figured up how much the government has taken out of his checks this past year. This includes: federal, state, social security, medicare and sales tax (and anything else I’ve forgotten) …
Over half of his income was handed over to the government this past year.
OVER HALF.
That is beyond sick, folks.
When are we going to put our foot down on taxes? When we’re giving 75%? Eighty percent? All of it?
Wow, this makes me angry. I need a shot of happy, soothing Christmas music to calm me down.
Bonus Christmas Song
Silver Bells by Martina McBride
One minute I plan on sending out Christmas cards, the next minute I’m all, meh, I don’t want to. (No reason really, I just simply don’t feel like it this year – can we say “bah humbug?”) But I’ll confess, I ADORE cute and unique Christmas cards. I usually order mine from Miles Kimball, and in fact, I have a box of cards I haven’t used yet (see? No excuse this year – just feeling lazy), but if the kids were smaller and you know, not teenage boys who look at me like I’m crazy if I even HINT at anything to do with crafts, I’d be all over these adorable cards.
As usual, these gems came from Family Fun. And no, they don’t pay me to advertise for them, I just love their crafts.
This first one has got to be one of my favorites. Wouldn’t this be a hoot to put together? It might not work for you though if you don’t have a snow picture, but maybe you could substitute something else?
Recipients will get a kick out of these pom-pom snowballs headed their way.
CRAFT MATERIALS:
8 1/2- by 11-inch sheet of card stock
Photo of your family posing with arms cocked
Glue stick
Tacky glue
White pom-poms
Time needed: 30 Minutes or Less
1. Use a glue stick to glue the photo to the card stock. Use tacky glue to adhere a white pom-pom over each throwing hand. (Fits A9 or 6- by 9-inch envelopes.)
Here’s a fun card that’s perfect for those special people on your list. It holds up to five photos of your family members — recipients just pull the tab to see who’s wishing them good tidings.
CRAFT MATERIALS:
Photos of your family
Scissors
8 1/2- by 11-inch sheets of card stock in white and blue
Clear tape
Glue stick
Craft knife
Orange, black, and red markers
A9 or 6- by 9-inch envelope
Time needed: Afternoon or Evening
1. With photo editing software or a color copier, enlarge or reduce your photos so your family’s faces are about 1 inch tall. Print the photos and cut them into 1 1/2- by 1-inch rectangles.
Tip: School photos work well here.
2. Cut an 8 1/2- by 2-inch strip of white card stock. Tape a 1 1/2- by 1/2-inch piece of white card stock to the left end of the strip, then fold it over the edge of the strip to create a hook. Glue your photos side by side on the strip (on the same side you taped the hook to), lining up the subjects’ eyes and leaving at least 2 inches at the right end of the strip uncovered.
3. Fold the blue card stock in half widthwise. Cut a snowy hill and a snowman with a 1 1/2-inch head from white card stock. Use a craft knife to cut a 1-inch circle from the snowman’s face, then glue both pieces to the card, placing the snowman so his head is 1 inch from the right edge and 1/2 inch below the fold.
4. Open the card and cut a matching face hole in the blue card stock, as well as a 2-inch-long vertical slit parallel to the snowman’s head and about 1/2 inch from the edge of the card.
5. Turn over the card and tape the ends of a 2 1/2- by 1/2-inch strip of card stock to the inside edge of the hole for a guide, parallel to the slit, as shown. Slip the photo strip facedown under this guide and out through the slit.
6. Close the card and write “Pull” along the edge of the strip. Draw a snowman’s face on the white card stock that shows through the hole, then add arms, buttons, and a card stock scarf, if you like, as well as a holiday greeting.
Tips:
To make multiple cards, color-copy the completed versions of the card and the photo strip separately, then assemble them.
HAHAHA! This one is hilarious. Can you imagine grandma’s confusion? 😀
There are no yoga classes required for this pose, which was inspired by the book “Tricky Pix: Do-It-Yourself Trick Photography by Paula Weed and Carla Jimison” (Klutz, $18). It’s all about how you “wear” your snow pants.
CRAFT MATERIALS:
35mm point-and-shoot camera
Extra pants and boots, stuffed with newspaper to make them look real
Card stock
Glue
Fancy punch (optional–available at craft stores)
Time needed: Under 1 Hour
1. Push the bottoms of the stuffed pants into the stuffed boots (or pull the pants over the boots as we did).
2. Have your subjects lie down with the pant legs over their shoulders. Get down low and shoot straight on. Make sure your subjects lie with their bodies directly behind them so that nothing from the waist down is visible.
3. Once you develop your photo, glue it on to card stock, then punch decorative designs in your card stock.
Here’s another fun one the kids could really “get into.” Hehe
Between the doodles and the “gift boxes,” this card, from the Bagnoli family of Berea, Kentucky, offers plenty of room for kid participation.
CRAFT MATERIALS:
Camera and color print film
Developing service
Gift-wrapped boxes
Copy services
Rubber cement
Time needed: Under 1 Hour
1. Have your child decorate big boxes with shiny gift wrap. Pose them for an outdoor photo and order 100 prints.
2. Have your child create doodles for the border of the card, which you then glue to a master template.
3. Make copies of the card template at a print shop, then glue the pictures to the cards using rubber cement.
Tips:
Glue the photo to your template before copying. Your card won’t look quite as elegant, but you won’t have to glue copies of the photo to each card.
Christmas song #5 Little Drummer Boy by Josh Groban
Write From Karen 