Time is not my friend ...

Is it just me?  Time has been flying by and I don't even know where it goes.  Somehow it's almost Wednesday and even though I've gotten a bunch of things done, I still feel like there's so much I've forgotten!

I'm also getting blog-barded (like that new word?) with tons of really adorable Valentine's Day cookies and pastries - which I'm trying to stay far away from, but can feel myself breaking by saying "but I need to do *something* cute for Valentine's Day!  Maybe I'll just stick with making some decorated sugar cookies since I know I'll decorate them and I only like to eat them plain! (I know - strange ... with all the icing they're just too sweet for my taste!)

I'm brainstorming some quilt ideas and working on a couple of projects ... more to come on those soon!  Hope the rest of your week goes at the pace you want it to!

Confessions and Resolutions ...

So, which do you want to hear first?  Okay! Okay!  Here's the confession:  I was totally overwhelmed and unprepared for Christmas.  GASP!  I know - shocking isn't it (especially if you know me!)?  Now, granted I had most of our gifts bought on Black Friday and wrapped that same weekend ... Christmas cards went out that same Saturday .... but ... the rest of it ... there was a SERIOUS mental block going on.  I think I over-committed myself just a little bit, and that combined with a faulty memory (like getting my niece's birthday gift, but totally spacing out on getting her Christmas gift) really ... well ... it just plain screwed me!

I did, however squeeze in a ton of baking (probably around 10 batches of cookies alone!) and gave some edible gift baskets that were raved about ... heck, we even got phone calls from our older uncles asking for recipes!

Now that that's all over and done with ... and everything is packed up and put away (well, will be put away this weekend!) ... I'm doing my most favorite thing to do in the new year .... move on with a CLEAN slate.


Part of me tries to revamp everything I want to change in my life and find a "fixable" solution in twenty minutes ... and then the other part of me wants to psychoanalyze every single thing that didn't go right in 2011 and find out why.


Then, reality sets in.  I'm not perfect (shhhh ... don't tell!) and neither is life.  My resolutions, as they are - are kind of my guidelines for the year.  Nothing too unattainable, and nothing too mediocre - according to me, anyway.

So, here we go ... {drumroll} my resolutions for 2012 (now, someone help hold me to them!)

• Say "Yes!" to more things ... not just when I don't feel like going out to the movies or dinner with friends - to opportunities that may come up.  I just need to stop analyzing and just DO.

•  Create MORE ... this one should totally be in the bag ... I will make more time for this - especially since I love it so much (and so do you!)

•  Learn new techniques ... as much crafting that I do, there are still some things that I've never done - like make myself a piece of clothing ... so, this year - I will!  I'll even show it to you!  I'm going to pick several projects that I want to complete within the next year and as I pick them I'll share the process and the finished product!

•  Be healthy.  Yes, I know - we all usually have this one, but I've decided that this is the year I'm taking it seriously.  None of us are getting any younger ... and while I'm not unhealthy right now, I could be healthier. This doesn't mean I'm going to go nuts and stop eating everything I love in place of nuts and berries ... it means I'm going to cut back, add fish and a variety of vegetables into our dinners more regularly (despite the protests I will get because I'm leaving the "norm") - and most importantly - my nemesis ... exercise.  It's just SO much easier to cozy up on the couch, so I'm going to be finding a way to work around that ... maybe it's finally just signing up for a 5K instead of wishing I could someday.  We'll have to see.

What about you?  What are you hoping to conquer this year?

December traditions and to do's

I'm used to the holiday season being completely chaotic ... but every year I keep trying to change that.  I'm a planner ... there are lists on paper, lists in my head, notes on the calendar and "reminder" emails that I send myself, yet I somehow seem to ignore things and wind up pulling a few late nights to get what I need to get done.

Right now though, I feel like I'm in pretty good shape .... most of our Christmas shopping is done and already wrapped, I have a couple of handmade gifts to finish up and some lots of holiday baking to do.

I think one of the best time-savers that I've kept to through the years is using just one or two styles of wrapping paper and keeping all of my bags, boxes, tissue paper, wrapping paper, ribbons, bows & tags - with a good writing pen - in ONE place.  We have one of the long Rubbermaid containers that everything gets stored in and it's a simple, easy and out of the way.  It's especially great since the hubby can easily get to everything when he wraps my gifts!

We have two major traditions on my "side" of the family .... one is making Stroofilies like these: 

and the other is our fish dinner on Christmas Eve.  Much to the disappointment of our non-fish eaters in the family, we don't have any meat on our table on Christmas Eve and we've pared down the traditional 7 fishes Italian dinner to things we love like shrimp and lobster.

What about you?  What are your family traditions?  What's one of your great time-savers for the holidays?

Gearing up for Thanksgiving

This past weekend, we were at the St. James Nursery School Craft Fair.  It was a busy day with a constant stream of visitors, which was great ... not a lot of down time for me!  One of the great things about being a vendor at these fairs is meeting some other great vendors and learning about what they love to make as well.

Here are some pictures of my booth set up and some of our new Christmas items:

I'm finishing up a couple of custom orders that I received on Saturday so that I can concentrate on getting our house ready for the Thanksgiving invasion. 

Thanksgiving is my absolute most favorite holiday.  It's all about families getting together and sharing a meal and remembering what they have in life to be thankful for.  No matter where we are in life at that moment, we can always find something to be grateful for ... and lets face it - the over abundance of desserts doesn't hurt! ;)  Then ... after you indulge and clean up ... then you plot your course for Black Friday shopping!

What about you?  Is Thanksgiving on the top of your list?



We have a winner!

We've reached our first goal of 30 "Likes" on Facebook .... and are now at 31!  Thanks so much for your support!  Courtesy of random.org, the winner is number 24.  The winner has been announced on Facebook!

Veterans, Fairs & Holidays

First, and most importantly .... we at Perfectly Creative would like to thank all of our Veterans - both past and present - and also their families for sacrificing their time together so that they can fight and protect us and our freedoms. We have more gratitude than we can ever say.

Last weekend I was at the Harvest Moon Festival in New Windsor. Here are just a few photos for those of you that haven't visited us in person:

 
 

 

 

 

 

This was the first weekend using my new displays ... thankfully they were very easy to put up, and I think they worked out very well.  While there for the afternoon I met some lovely vendors. 

Shortly after the fair ... like on Sunday morning, I realized that I was getting sick.  This cold has knocked me out this week!  Thankfully after a strict regiment of Advil Cold and Sinus, I'm feeling about 85% ... no telling what a couple of more days will do!  I'm looking forward to being at the St. James Nursery School on Albany Post Road in Hyde Park next Saturday the 19th.

I'm slowly realizing that Thanksgiving is right around the cornter.  It's my favorite holdiay because it's the one that has NOTHING to do with materialism.  It's all about joining together and sharing a kick-ass meal.  We host, so I'll be cooking for about 14 people this year.  I love coming up with new centerpieces and place settings ... so I'll be working on those soon.   While I know what we'll be serving, I'll take the opportunity to tweak things and see if I can add something new and delicious every year!

What about you?  Staying home or trekking out for Thanksgiving? 

Don't forget about our Facebook give away .... once we reach 30 people who "Like" us, we'll choose a random fan to get one of these paper wreaths .... they'd make a great hostess gift!  (Besides ... we're at 28 right now and waiting for 2 more is KILLING me!) Check it out ... you know you want to! 

Facebook, Snow and Craft Shows

First and foremost, I'm happy to say that we've reached 25 fans on Facebook!  Thank you so much to our new "friends" ... you are appreciated!

If you're in the New York/New Jersey area, chances are you were slammed with a lovely snow storm on Sunday that left so many without power and heat.  Luckily, we had power the whole time, but not cable/internet service.

We've also taken in some stragglers .... our niece and nephews are staying with us for a few days until power and heat are back on in their town.  We're figuring out what entertains a 14, 11and 7 year old ... and realizing that it rarely is the same thing!  (Although I can say that my game of Go-Fish is improving!)


This Saturday, November 5th, Perfectly Creative will be at the Harvest Moon Vendor Fair sponsored by the Grace United Methodist Church from 10am to 3pm at St. Joseph's School located at 148 Windsor Highway, New Windsor.  There will be homemade peanut brittle, a baked goods table and a door prize table.  There's no admission fee, so please stop by and say hello!

Here's to hoping for quick-melting snow and power restoration for everyone!