HI Divas and Dukes,
We're back!!!!! Sorry we've been quiet on the Blog front. Rayme and I have been working furiously to finish the projects for our new book "Designing With the Divas."
It has been an awesome journey. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time and I just needed to sit and focus and START!!!
Rayme has been such a delight to work with on this book. I can't wait to do the next one!!!! Oh yes, we have an idea already. Once you start you can't stop... it's better than potato chips!!!!
One of the MOST exciting things about this book is all our wonderful friends have also created something "Diva-lish" to be added to this extravaganza in crafts. I can't go into details but Rayme and I are sooo excited and thankful to have some incredible artists involved. We have so many different ideas and techniques to share. Some new and some that you might not have thought about for a while. This is what it's about. We wanted to inspire people to take some time, sit down with some of your favorite things and just get creative. No pressure and no grades.
Linda laTourelle and her team at Bluegrass Publishing have been so incredible to work with. Kevin has come up with the most amazing cover .....That alone inspired us. Their attention to detail is absolutely wonderful. We are truly blessed.
We're also getting ready for our Cruise. 19 days to go!!! It's our last one ..... We'll do something else so if you didn't get to join us don't worry , we're working on something new. Jan Mollet-Evsns has been the best partner to work with and I'm soooo appreciative of her talents and friendship. We work for 9 months to prepare for this not so little soiree. I'm looking forward to seeing our "Alumni" Divas and meeting some new ones.
Ok, It's getting close to show time so I must go and prepare for our terrific Guests today. We're very excited to have Angie Lucas from Simple Scrapbooks, Margot Potter "The Impatient Beader" and our dear friend Karan Olson-Smith from Magic Mesh on the show today.
Hope you have a Diva Day today!
Diva Danielle
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Calling All Divas and Dukes!
Hi Divas and Dukes,
Happy New Year!!
Rayme and I have been asked to compile a craft book which will be published by Bluegrass Publishing!!! The working title is "Creating with the Divas... Artsy Projects to Inspire the Groovy and Creative Diva in You!"
Because we've seen some of those wonderful things you can create, we thought it would be fun to invite our listeners to submit their own project for publication.
We're looking for Different, Groovy and Fun projects in all creative mediums, with one exception … sorry, no Scrapbook Layouts in this book (maybe we’ll tackle that one later!)
Here’s the procedure:
1. The Deadline is Feb. 1st...I know it’s short notice, but you can do it!
2. Submit photos of the finished project, a brief explanation of the technique and materials used, and your contact information (name, email, and phone number) by email to DR@DivaCraftLounge.com .
3. Submit only your original ideas, not ideas from store display samples, magazines, kits, or other designer's works. We’re looking forward to seeing your entries -- the more “out-of-the-box” the better.
4. When you receive the “Diva Stamp of Approval”, then you will get the official guidelines and release form for your project (All entrants must release the rights to Bluegrass Publishing for publication of your project.)
5. The guideline form will include: (a) a list of the products used and their manufacturers; (b) a description of the theme or technique featured, and; (c) step-by-step instructions for your individual project (you should take pictures during the creative process for any step that is easier to explain with a photo - 300 dpi, please, at least 4x6 inches).
6. After approval, you also will attach an address label to your project somewhere that can be identified, but not seen in the final picture, and send it to the address given in the entry form so we can professionally photograph it.
What's in it for you? Recognition for having a published design in a book with some of the biggest names in the Crafting World! You will receive a copy of the book when it is published, and your name will be mentioned on the Diva Craft Lounge radio show and blog. Unfortunately, we're not able to offer any other compensation, but, who knows where this may lead!?!?!
Can’t wait to see the photos of your project!
Scrapbook Diva Danielle and Rayme Royale – the Duke of Crafts
Happy New Year!!
Rayme and I have been asked to compile a craft book which will be published by Bluegrass Publishing!!! The working title is "Creating with the Divas... Artsy Projects to Inspire the Groovy and Creative Diva in You!"
Because we've seen some of those wonderful things you can create, we thought it would be fun to invite our listeners to submit their own project for publication.
We're looking for Different, Groovy and Fun projects in all creative mediums, with one exception … sorry, no Scrapbook Layouts in this book (maybe we’ll tackle that one later!)
Here’s the procedure:
1. The Deadline is Feb. 1st...I know it’s short notice, but you can do it!
2. Submit photos of the finished project, a brief explanation of the technique and materials used, and your contact information (name, email, and phone number) by email to DR@DivaCraftLounge.com .
3. Submit only your original ideas, not ideas from store display samples, magazines, kits, or other designer's works. We’re looking forward to seeing your entries -- the more “out-of-the-box” the better.
4. When you receive the “Diva Stamp of Approval”, then you will get the official guidelines and release form for your project (All entrants must release the rights to Bluegrass Publishing for publication of your project.)
5. The guideline form will include: (a) a list of the products used and their manufacturers; (b) a description of the theme or technique featured, and; (c) step-by-step instructions for your individual project (you should take pictures during the creative process for any step that is easier to explain with a photo - 300 dpi, please, at least 4x6 inches).
6. After approval, you also will attach an address label to your project somewhere that can be identified, but not seen in the final picture, and send it to the address given in the entry form so we can professionally photograph it.
What's in it for you? Recognition for having a published design in a book with some of the biggest names in the Crafting World! You will receive a copy of the book when it is published, and your name will be mentioned on the Diva Craft Lounge radio show and blog. Unfortunately, we're not able to offer any other compensation, but, who knows where this may lead!?!?!
Can’t wait to see the photos of your project!
Scrapbook Diva Danielle and Rayme Royale – the Duke of Crafts
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Danielle's Cookie Fest Recipe
Hi Divas And Dukes,
Just a few days to go til Christmas Day. I hope you're all enjoying some of the Holliday. Here's my Cookie recipe for this years Cookie Fest. It was a big hit. It's great to do with the kids. It's much easier if you have 4 hands instead of 2. You'll use lots of cooking spray or butter to keep your hands from sticking to EVERYTHING. LOL. I hope you have time to try it or at least put it in your recipe file to try later.
Danielle's Kris Kringle Krispy Karamel Kookies
1 Stick of Butter or Margarine
1 Can Condensed Milk
1 Bag of Caramels
Mix and Microwave 3 Minutesin Pyrex(Spray 1st with Pam)
1 large Bag of Marshmellows
10oz. Box of Rice Krispies
(Spray hands and utensils)
Dip 1 Marshmellow into Caramel mix
Roll in Rice Krispies
Place on Wax Paper Covered Pan
Refridgerate to set.
Try not to eat them all at once!!!!!
Enjoy.
Just a few days to go til Christmas Day. I hope you're all enjoying some of the Holliday. Here's my Cookie recipe for this years Cookie Fest. It was a big hit. It's great to do with the kids. It's much easier if you have 4 hands instead of 2. You'll use lots of cooking spray or butter to keep your hands from sticking to EVERYTHING. LOL. I hope you have time to try it or at least put it in your recipe file to try later.
Danielle's Kris Kringle Krispy Karamel Kookies
1 Stick of Butter or Margarine
1 Can Condensed Milk
1 Bag of Caramels
Mix and Microwave 3 Minutesin Pyrex(Spray 1st with Pam)
1 large Bag of Marshmellows
10oz. Box of Rice Krispies
(Spray hands and utensils)
Dip 1 Marshmellow into Caramel mix
Roll in Rice Krispies
Place on Wax Paper Covered Pan
Refridgerate to set.
Try not to eat them all at once!!!!!
Enjoy.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
What will you Remember?
HI Divas and Dukes,
Well, We're almost on the home stretch for another Christmas Season. I've finished my shopping and almost everything is wrapped. As I sit and look at my tree with all the twinkling lights and ornaments lovingly collected and received thru the years, this is what I want to remember about the Christmas Season.
I sit and reflect on the dear friends and family across the globe and hope they're having a wonderful Holiday.
I thank God that my friends and family are Safe and Healthy.( That's the biggest present of all!)
I'm so thankful to my dear friend Rayme who is such a blessing in my life. You are truly an inspiration.
I just want to wish all of you across the globe a Wonderful, Safe, Happy and of course Diva-lish Christmas.
Just remember to sit by your tree with your loved ones, some hot cocoa and homemade cookies and BREATHE and ENJOY!!!!
Merry Christmas and a Happy 2008!!
Well, We're almost on the home stretch for another Christmas Season. I've finished my shopping and almost everything is wrapped. As I sit and look at my tree with all the twinkling lights and ornaments lovingly collected and received thru the years, this is what I want to remember about the Christmas Season.
I sit and reflect on the dear friends and family across the globe and hope they're having a wonderful Holiday.
I thank God that my friends and family are Safe and Healthy.( That's the biggest present of all!)
I'm so thankful to my dear friend Rayme who is such a blessing in my life. You are truly an inspiration.
I just want to wish all of you across the globe a Wonderful, Safe, Happy and of course Diva-lish Christmas.
Just remember to sit by your tree with your loved ones, some hot cocoa and homemade cookies and BREATHE and ENJOY!!!!
Merry Christmas and a Happy 2008!!
Friday, November 30, 2007
Rayme Royale says....
Hey Divas and Dukes ~
Thanksgiving behind us, now full speed ahead to Christmas! Thank you Jan for getting us ORGANIZED! I haven't written since my New York trip which is now 3 weeks past. What a wonderful time I had! Those who listened to the Diva Craft Lounge radio show on the day I was in New York City knew that I was in a lovely little craft shop right in the heart of Manhattan talking from there.
I lived in New York for 18 years of my life before moving to San Diego almost 9 years ago. I hadn't been back until this last trip. How wonderful it was to catch up with old friends, still find my favorite restaurant and coffee house haunts in tact, and discovered many new buildings and stores that I'd never seen before. It was a blessed time. An easy trip to make without a hitch! Those are the best kind.
I was a bit hesitant about going back after all this time, fearing what longings I may have about truly missing the Big Apple and having a desire to return. After all, I remember walking those streets convinced that I was going to live there for the rest of my life because I loved it so much.
I remember when I left, knowing that it was truly time for me to leave, I still wondered if I had a hankering to go back.....no, I don't! It was wonderful to remember all of the wonderful times I had and the life that I had there at that time, but I was very sure that I had left at the right time for me, and even standing in one of my favorite areas....I KNEW I had made the right decision then, and now. I LOVED visiting, and have promised myself that I will go much more often, but I have no more desire to live there.
I can't thank the city enough for the life I had there, but now I am grateful and thanking San Diego for the life that I have here. Truly in this life time, the best of ALL worlds! What GIFT there is in THAT!
Needless to say, I was camera ready...not so much for the usual sights that a typical New York tourist would take, but of patterns on buildings, or interesting architecture or details on older buildings....the entire city truly is one big piece of ART! And much to be inspired about at every corner! So I've got a SLEW of new ideas for greeting cards that I just can't wait to start executing and then sharing with you on my web-site! (www.raymecards.com)
Look for my new 'Card of the Month' in early December (a New Years Eve Party Horn!) along with a new recipe! And as soon as I can find a certain favorite cookie recipe that I just love, I'll be posting that on this blog.
Let's start NOW! Happy Holidays to all of you wonderful listeners that...for the most part, I don't really know all that well, but feel that I know you all VERY well because of our connection with our creative spirits! Thank you all for your in-put and your devoted listening to the Diva Craft Lounge. We really are one big FAMILY!
Let's continue the journey together!
BIG HUGS,
RAYME
Thanksgiving behind us, now full speed ahead to Christmas! Thank you Jan for getting us ORGANIZED! I haven't written since my New York trip which is now 3 weeks past. What a wonderful time I had! Those who listened to the Diva Craft Lounge radio show on the day I was in New York City knew that I was in a lovely little craft shop right in the heart of Manhattan talking from there.
I lived in New York for 18 years of my life before moving to San Diego almost 9 years ago. I hadn't been back until this last trip. How wonderful it was to catch up with old friends, still find my favorite restaurant and coffee house haunts in tact, and discovered many new buildings and stores that I'd never seen before. It was a blessed time. An easy trip to make without a hitch! Those are the best kind.
I was a bit hesitant about going back after all this time, fearing what longings I may have about truly missing the Big Apple and having a desire to return. After all, I remember walking those streets convinced that I was going to live there for the rest of my life because I loved it so much.
I remember when I left, knowing that it was truly time for me to leave, I still wondered if I had a hankering to go back.....no, I don't! It was wonderful to remember all of the wonderful times I had and the life that I had there at that time, but I was very sure that I had left at the right time for me, and even standing in one of my favorite areas....I KNEW I had made the right decision then, and now. I LOVED visiting, and have promised myself that I will go much more often, but I have no more desire to live there.
I can't thank the city enough for the life I had there, but now I am grateful and thanking San Diego for the life that I have here. Truly in this life time, the best of ALL worlds! What GIFT there is in THAT!
Needless to say, I was camera ready...not so much for the usual sights that a typical New York tourist would take, but of patterns on buildings, or interesting architecture or details on older buildings....the entire city truly is one big piece of ART! And much to be inspired about at every corner! So I've got a SLEW of new ideas for greeting cards that I just can't wait to start executing and then sharing with you on my web-site! (www.raymecards.com)
Look for my new 'Card of the Month' in early December (a New Years Eve Party Horn!) along with a new recipe! And as soon as I can find a certain favorite cookie recipe that I just love, I'll be posting that on this blog.
Let's start NOW! Happy Holidays to all of you wonderful listeners that...for the most part, I don't really know all that well, but feel that I know you all VERY well because of our connection with our creative spirits! Thank you all for your in-put and your devoted listening to the Diva Craft Lounge. We really are one big FAMILY!
Let's continue the journey together!
BIG HUGS,
RAYME
Friday, November 16, 2007
Holiday Countdown!
HI Divas and Dukes,
As promised, here's the Grand Duchess' Holiday Countdown that we discussed on The Diva Craft Lounge. She did an AMAZING job putting this together for us. I know this year I'm trying to make more homemade gifts. I LOVE recieving home made gifts. The love ,creativity ,and thoughtfulness that goes into each present is so special.
It's fun to get together with friends and work on your projects. That's part of the joy.
Last Sat. I spent the afternoon at the Grand Duchess' new art studio. It was sooo much fun. Her studio is INCREDIBLE!!! I'm thinking of renting out space. We ran out of the ornaments we were making , so we went out and bought more!!!! Very addictive.
Yesterday I spent the day with Rayme and I started on my Christmas Cards. of course he had already done half of his!!!! It was 4 of the fastest hours I've spent in a long time. I love bouncing off creative ideas form each other. What Bliss!!!!
So here it is........
CREATIVE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN
from the Grand Duchess of Kandu
Those of us who enjoy a handmade holiday can avoid a rushed and stressful season by just planning ahead. I’ve made a weekly calendar to assure you get everything done and can still have a wonderful holiday season.
Make changes and additions as necessary to adhere to your religious beliefs and to observe your own family traditions. If you are celebrating Hanukkah, of course, you’ll be creating a Menorah and decorating a Hanukkah bush, and you’ll have to condense this timeline because Hanukkah comes early this year, December 4 through December 12.
Starting November 1st
Halloween Décor: Pack up all the specifically Halloween decorations and store them, but leave your fall decorations up till after Thanksgiving.
Travel: Make holiday travel reservations as soon as possible--www.CornerTravelStore.com makes it easy. If you are planning to drive some distance, be sure that your car is all tuned up and has good tires, then decide on your route, making sure you have printed maps for all locales, in case your GPS fails you. Plan ahead: if you are taking presents with you, buy smaller, less fragile items which will travel well!
Show Tickets: Buy tickets for the family to attend a Christmas musical, ballet, or show--age appropriate. Nothing puts you in the spirit like a live stage presentation!
Letters to Santa: Help your kids write letters to Santa to determine their latest desires.
Gift List: Make a list of those you want to buy for in a small notebook—work colleagues, friends, and family members, including those new babies. Carry your notebook with you, so you can write down what you buy beside each person’s name. Set limits for your holiday spending by giving a cost range for each person on your list; making some gifts can keep costs low, yet let the recipient know you cared enough to create something especially for them.
Gift Purchases: Start buying presents now for better selection and to avoid disappointment. Ship gifts that go abroad as early as possible, especially to those in the service.
Unplanned Gifting: Don’t forget to have some generic gifts ready for unexpected guests--a bottle of wine with customized wrapping, a hand-decorated candle, homemade baked goods or chocolates in a decorated box or tin, etc. Everyone loves a gift with a special handmade touch!
Ideas: Look for ideas for holiday decorating, gifts to make, and recipes in magazines, books, and online. Make a file for reference through the holidays.
Week of November 5
Photo Op: Have your family Christmas photo taken as soon as possible. You can have it done professionally, but if you do, you are limited to using copies they make for you, unless you get a release from your photographer to reproduce it to use for your cards. With digital photography and inexpensive “fill” lights available, you can have a friend take the pictures; take lots of shots while you are at it and look at them on a computer screen before letting the family “escape.” Remember, you don’t have to dress everyone in red plaid and pose them around the fireplace; have your photo represent your life--take it at the beach in plain white shirts and jeans with bare feet, or in your ski gear, or with the kids in their current sports team uniforms or activity costumes (like a ballet tutu or gymnastics leotard)--that way you can display a framed enlargement in your home year ‘round
Mailing List: Check your address book to see who you want to send Christmas cards to, placing a star beside their name. As you go, add new friends, change addresses for those who have moved, and drop off those with whom you’ve lost contact.
Cards: Start making Christmas cards--kits or matched paper and embellishment sets let you create great cards quickly and easily. A little “partridge-in-a-pear-tree” told me that Rayme Royale has his website up featuring his exclusive card designs and kits--go to www.RaymeCards.com or from the Diva Craft Lounge site. While you are there, you can buy copies of his Christmas CD--they make great hostess gifts!
Calendar: Begin to put holiday events on your family calendar to be sure they don’t conflict. Don’t over-schedule—leave some time to relax and to enjoy spur-of-the-moment activities.
Week of November 12
Store Hours: Check the opening times of your favorite stores and post on the fridge for impromptu shopping trips. Most stores are open late in the month or so before Christmas; be sure to note extended hours.
Shopping Help for Clueless Men: Ask your local scrap or craft store when they are having a “Husband’s Night” for shopping. If they say, “What?”, tell them they should have their customers write their “Wish List” for tools and supplies on a card, along with contact information for that special man in her life. The store files those cards by customer’s name and notifies the hubby that their wife has her wish list on file and that he can come in and purchase the “perfect present.” They can have a special night just for that and/or have a continuous event through December. The Wish List file should remain at the cash/wrap desk at the store. Parents and friends can also be informed of this shopper’s helper if they are stuck for gift ideas; it’s like being registered for a wedding--you get just what you want and need, and the giver has a great time shopping for you.
Traditions: Start preparing for family traditions. If you don’t have any, now is the time to start. Maybe you want to donate some time, as a family, to a charity: serve meals to the homeless, do visits to the elderly who don’t have family nearby, buy items for a holiday toy drive--this is fulfilling personally and helps the kids see what the holiday season is all about. For fun with younger children, a new “tradition” I’ve seen is Santa’s Magic Elf--the elf comes to visit the family after Thanksgiving with a letter of introduction from Santa, explaining that this elf reports directly to Santa about the behavior of boys and girls and provides a list of things they want for Christmas. You can make your own Elf from stuffed toy patterns or buy one from Fiesta Toy, which makes Santa’s Secret Elf™ and provides all the written materials to accompany it--www.FiestaToy.com. Great fun!
Week of November 19 (this is a tricky week with Thanksgiving on Thursday)
Tableware: Since you may need them for Thanksgiving, as well, this is a good time check to make sure you have enough plates, silverware, and glasses, as well as special baking pans. Check you have enough serving dishes of the right size (for mashed potatoes, vegetables, stuffing, meat, gravy, etc.). Purchase extra items needed.
Give Thanks: Enjoy Thanksgiving with family and friends.
Fall Décor: After Thanksgiving, pack up the fall decorations for storage.
Housekeeping: Give your house a good, thorough cleaning--once you’ve decorated for Christmas, it gets really hard to clean around everything. Enlist the help of your family, assigning rooms or tasks that are age appropriate.
Leftovers: Feed the family leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner while you are cleaning, so you don’t have to worry about meals. Or, do what Divas do best for dinner, order out!
Week of November 26
Clothing: Check your closets and buy new clothes and accessories, as needed, for parties, church, work parties, special events, etc. that you will be attending. For informal parties, you can decorate a shirt with iron-ons, paints, foam stamps, and of course, lots of bling. You can even stamp words on your jeans, like “JOY” or “HO HO HO,” down the leg.
Decorations: Get all your holiday decorations out of storage, separating indoor and outdoor lights and decorations. Open the boxes and make notes on any additional items you might need. Shop your local craft store to fill those needs.
Tabletop: Make table favors, napkin rings, and a centerpiece for your Christmas table. For favors, inexpensive glass balls with paint and glitter drizzled inside are a great project--write each person’s name and 2007 on with dimensional paint in gold or silver. The centerpiece should be low enough for everyone to see all the others at the table. It can be created easily with a block of floral foam, 3 candles, and some faux flowers and greenery. Closer to Christmas, you can substitute live flowers.
Contacts: Write out emergency contact numbers that you might need during the Christmas period such as doctors, drug store, babysitters, emergency numbers for service for your electricity and gas companies , emergency plumber and neighbors. Don’t just have them in your computer--you need to carry them with you.
Kitchen Cleanout: Clear out your fridge and pantry of out-of-date foods, so you can begin to buy and store your Christmas goodies--start now buying your non-perishable and frozen goods.
Week of December 3
Mail Cards: Address and mail your Christmas cards and letters.
Plan Food and Drinks for All Holiday Celebrations: Plan your food and drink shopping list. By this time you should know how many guests you are expecting for Christmas lunch or any other celebrations you're holding so you can plan accordingly. Consider the food and drink needs of your guests--vegetarians, food allergies, etc. Buy antacids for overeaters or to counteract the effects of too much “Christmas cheer”!
Special Orders: Order “party trays” for easy entertaining. Check with grocer on timing for special order items.
TV & Music: Set your Tivo or buy blank tapes or DVDs to record Christmas TV shows and films. Get out your favorite Christmas music and play it around the house to put you in the holiday mood.
Package and Ship: Ship presents to those you won’t see on Christmas. Note: heavy boxes may take longer, so be sure to allow enough time.
Celebrate: Buy chocolates and sample frequently.
Week of December 10
Decorate: Decorate your house and put up your tree, if you wish. If you put up tree now, be careful to get one with soft needles (indicating moisture content) so it will remain attractive through the entire holiday season. As a handy alternative, buy one of the new pre-lit faux trees. Your tree can go up anytime before Christmas Day, but you should take it down by January 6 (the 12th day of Christmas).
Shop & Wrap: Complete gift purchases this week and wrap presents. Don’t forget those small items for stocking stuffers.
Bake: Create those tasty cookies you and your family love. Involve the kids in the fun for some memorable moments--keep the camera close by.
Indulge: Buy chocolates and relax with a few choice pieces whenever you can.
Week of December 17
Groceries: Buy perishable foods for your holiday meals. Check supplies of eggs, milk, butter, cream, lemons, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, onions, celery, potatoes, carrots, salad greens and garnishes, frozen vegetables, convenience foods for quick meal preparation leading up to “The Day”, and don’t forget lots of paper towels and toilet tissue.
Dinner Plan: Write out a time plan for Christmas Day, so that you won't be in a panic that day. Put recipes in a file for easy reference.
Camera: Make sure your video recorder and still camera are in good working order. Have lots of extra batteries, film, tape, and/or CDs.
Florals: Buy live flowers to decorate your home.
Cooking Utensils: Make sure you've got a pan big enough to hold the turkey, ham, goose, or roast you’ll be cooking. Make sure you can get the pan into the oven and that you have a lid or enough foil to cover it.
Thawing Meats: Compute how much time you need to thaw the turkey or other meat and mark calendar to move it from freezer to refrigerator.
Stress: Buy chocolates--eat lots of them!!!
On December 24 – Christmas Eve Day
Food Prep: Prepare any food you can and refrigerate. Check time needed for cooking turkey or other meat. Calculate when you will need to put it in the oven. If you are having a mid-day meal, set your alarm for 30 minutes to an hour before that time (disregard if you have children--they will be up at the crack of dawn!).
Christmas Cheer: Make egg nog, mulled wine, or Christmas punch.
Safety: Make sure you've got multiple pairs of oven mitts and trivets handy.
Table Prep: Set table for tomorrow’s dinner
Family Activities: Attend a service at your place of worship, invite friends in, or drive around the neighborhood to see all the holiday lights
And to All a Good Night: Put kids to bed. Relax with your hubby. Go to bed. Get up and put kids back to bed.
Christmas Day
Photo Op: Take a deep breath, then grab your camera and start capturing those great holiday moments.
Enjoy: Don’t forget to put down your camera occasionally and enjoy being “in the moment” with your family. Remember this is the day of peace and love and joyful celebration.
Entertain: Invite friends and neighbors to stop by later in the day.
Boxing Day (day after Christmas)
Toy Sorting: To make room for all those gifts, have kids sort through their old toys and decide which can be given to charity thrift stores.
Food: Create a plan to use holiday leftovers, so you can enjoy the time between Christmas and New Year’s.
Diet: Package remaining holiday cookies in zip-lock bags and freeze to avoid post-holiday binges. Get out a few at a time for lunch treats and dessert over the next month or two.
After the Holidays
Decorations: You can leave your decorations up till twelfth night or January 5th. When you do take them down, sort by indoor/outdoor or by room or use; mark the boxes, so you can identify what is in them more easily for the 2008 holiday.
After-Christmas Sales: Take advantage of the post-Christmas clearance sales to get decorations, wrapping papers, and craft supplies for next year’s holiday celebrations.
Relax: Put your feet up and relax—finish the remaining chocolate!
As promised, here's the Grand Duchess' Holiday Countdown that we discussed on The Diva Craft Lounge. She did an AMAZING job putting this together for us. I know this year I'm trying to make more homemade gifts. I LOVE recieving home made gifts. The love ,creativity ,and thoughtfulness that goes into each present is so special.
It's fun to get together with friends and work on your projects. That's part of the joy.
Last Sat. I spent the afternoon at the Grand Duchess' new art studio. It was sooo much fun. Her studio is INCREDIBLE!!! I'm thinking of renting out space. We ran out of the ornaments we were making , so we went out and bought more!!!! Very addictive.
Yesterday I spent the day with Rayme and I started on my Christmas Cards. of course he had already done half of his!!!! It was 4 of the fastest hours I've spent in a long time. I love bouncing off creative ideas form each other. What Bliss!!!!
So here it is........
CREATIVE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN
from the Grand Duchess of Kandu
Those of us who enjoy a handmade holiday can avoid a rushed and stressful season by just planning ahead. I’ve made a weekly calendar to assure you get everything done and can still have a wonderful holiday season.
Make changes and additions as necessary to adhere to your religious beliefs and to observe your own family traditions. If you are celebrating Hanukkah, of course, you’ll be creating a Menorah and decorating a Hanukkah bush, and you’ll have to condense this timeline because Hanukkah comes early this year, December 4 through December 12.
Starting November 1st
Halloween Décor: Pack up all the specifically Halloween decorations and store them, but leave your fall decorations up till after Thanksgiving.
Travel: Make holiday travel reservations as soon as possible--www.CornerTravelStore.com makes it easy. If you are planning to drive some distance, be sure that your car is all tuned up and has good tires, then decide on your route, making sure you have printed maps for all locales, in case your GPS fails you. Plan ahead: if you are taking presents with you, buy smaller, less fragile items which will travel well!
Show Tickets: Buy tickets for the family to attend a Christmas musical, ballet, or show--age appropriate. Nothing puts you in the spirit like a live stage presentation!
Letters to Santa: Help your kids write letters to Santa to determine their latest desires.
Gift List: Make a list of those you want to buy for in a small notebook—work colleagues, friends, and family members, including those new babies. Carry your notebook with you, so you can write down what you buy beside each person’s name. Set limits for your holiday spending by giving a cost range for each person on your list; making some gifts can keep costs low, yet let the recipient know you cared enough to create something especially for them.
Gift Purchases: Start buying presents now for better selection and to avoid disappointment. Ship gifts that go abroad as early as possible, especially to those in the service.
Unplanned Gifting: Don’t forget to have some generic gifts ready for unexpected guests--a bottle of wine with customized wrapping, a hand-decorated candle, homemade baked goods or chocolates in a decorated box or tin, etc. Everyone loves a gift with a special handmade touch!
Ideas: Look for ideas for holiday decorating, gifts to make, and recipes in magazines, books, and online. Make a file for reference through the holidays.
Week of November 5
Photo Op: Have your family Christmas photo taken as soon as possible. You can have it done professionally, but if you do, you are limited to using copies they make for you, unless you get a release from your photographer to reproduce it to use for your cards. With digital photography and inexpensive “fill” lights available, you can have a friend take the pictures; take lots of shots while you are at it and look at them on a computer screen before letting the family “escape.” Remember, you don’t have to dress everyone in red plaid and pose them around the fireplace; have your photo represent your life--take it at the beach in plain white shirts and jeans with bare feet, or in your ski gear, or with the kids in their current sports team uniforms or activity costumes (like a ballet tutu or gymnastics leotard)--that way you can display a framed enlargement in your home year ‘round
Mailing List: Check your address book to see who you want to send Christmas cards to, placing a star beside their name. As you go, add new friends, change addresses for those who have moved, and drop off those with whom you’ve lost contact.
Cards: Start making Christmas cards--kits or matched paper and embellishment sets let you create great cards quickly and easily. A little “partridge-in-a-pear-tree” told me that Rayme Royale has his website up featuring his exclusive card designs and kits--go to www.RaymeCards.com or from the Diva Craft Lounge site. While you are there, you can buy copies of his Christmas CD--they make great hostess gifts!
Calendar: Begin to put holiday events on your family calendar to be sure they don’t conflict. Don’t over-schedule—leave some time to relax and to enjoy spur-of-the-moment activities.
Week of November 12
Store Hours: Check the opening times of your favorite stores and post on the fridge for impromptu shopping trips. Most stores are open late in the month or so before Christmas; be sure to note extended hours.
Shopping Help for Clueless Men: Ask your local scrap or craft store when they are having a “Husband’s Night” for shopping. If they say, “What?”, tell them they should have their customers write their “Wish List” for tools and supplies on a card, along with contact information for that special man in her life. The store files those cards by customer’s name and notifies the hubby that their wife has her wish list on file and that he can come in and purchase the “perfect present.” They can have a special night just for that and/or have a continuous event through December. The Wish List file should remain at the cash/wrap desk at the store. Parents and friends can also be informed of this shopper’s helper if they are stuck for gift ideas; it’s like being registered for a wedding--you get just what you want and need, and the giver has a great time shopping for you.
Traditions: Start preparing for family traditions. If you don’t have any, now is the time to start. Maybe you want to donate some time, as a family, to a charity: serve meals to the homeless, do visits to the elderly who don’t have family nearby, buy items for a holiday toy drive--this is fulfilling personally and helps the kids see what the holiday season is all about. For fun with younger children, a new “tradition” I’ve seen is Santa’s Magic Elf--the elf comes to visit the family after Thanksgiving with a letter of introduction from Santa, explaining that this elf reports directly to Santa about the behavior of boys and girls and provides a list of things they want for Christmas. You can make your own Elf from stuffed toy patterns or buy one from Fiesta Toy, which makes Santa’s Secret Elf™ and provides all the written materials to accompany it--www.FiestaToy.com. Great fun!
Week of November 19 (this is a tricky week with Thanksgiving on Thursday)
Tableware: Since you may need them for Thanksgiving, as well, this is a good time check to make sure you have enough plates, silverware, and glasses, as well as special baking pans. Check you have enough serving dishes of the right size (for mashed potatoes, vegetables, stuffing, meat, gravy, etc.). Purchase extra items needed.
Give Thanks: Enjoy Thanksgiving with family and friends.
Fall Décor: After Thanksgiving, pack up the fall decorations for storage.
Housekeeping: Give your house a good, thorough cleaning--once you’ve decorated for Christmas, it gets really hard to clean around everything. Enlist the help of your family, assigning rooms or tasks that are age appropriate.
Leftovers: Feed the family leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner while you are cleaning, so you don’t have to worry about meals. Or, do what Divas do best for dinner, order out!
Week of November 26
Clothing: Check your closets and buy new clothes and accessories, as needed, for parties, church, work parties, special events, etc. that you will be attending. For informal parties, you can decorate a shirt with iron-ons, paints, foam stamps, and of course, lots of bling. You can even stamp words on your jeans, like “JOY” or “HO HO HO,” down the leg.
Decorations: Get all your holiday decorations out of storage, separating indoor and outdoor lights and decorations. Open the boxes and make notes on any additional items you might need. Shop your local craft store to fill those needs.
Tabletop: Make table favors, napkin rings, and a centerpiece for your Christmas table. For favors, inexpensive glass balls with paint and glitter drizzled inside are a great project--write each person’s name and 2007 on with dimensional paint in gold or silver. The centerpiece should be low enough for everyone to see all the others at the table. It can be created easily with a block of floral foam, 3 candles, and some faux flowers and greenery. Closer to Christmas, you can substitute live flowers.
Contacts: Write out emergency contact numbers that you might need during the Christmas period such as doctors, drug store, babysitters, emergency numbers for service for your electricity and gas companies , emergency plumber and neighbors. Don’t just have them in your computer--you need to carry them with you.
Kitchen Cleanout: Clear out your fridge and pantry of out-of-date foods, so you can begin to buy and store your Christmas goodies--start now buying your non-perishable and frozen goods.
Week of December 3
Mail Cards: Address and mail your Christmas cards and letters.
Plan Food and Drinks for All Holiday Celebrations: Plan your food and drink shopping list. By this time you should know how many guests you are expecting for Christmas lunch or any other celebrations you're holding so you can plan accordingly. Consider the food and drink needs of your guests--vegetarians, food allergies, etc. Buy antacids for overeaters or to counteract the effects of too much “Christmas cheer”!
Special Orders: Order “party trays” for easy entertaining. Check with grocer on timing for special order items.
TV & Music: Set your Tivo or buy blank tapes or DVDs to record Christmas TV shows and films. Get out your favorite Christmas music and play it around the house to put you in the holiday mood.
Package and Ship: Ship presents to those you won’t see on Christmas. Note: heavy boxes may take longer, so be sure to allow enough time.
Celebrate: Buy chocolates and sample frequently.
Week of December 10
Decorate: Decorate your house and put up your tree, if you wish. If you put up tree now, be careful to get one with soft needles (indicating moisture content) so it will remain attractive through the entire holiday season. As a handy alternative, buy one of the new pre-lit faux trees. Your tree can go up anytime before Christmas Day, but you should take it down by January 6 (the 12th day of Christmas).
Shop & Wrap: Complete gift purchases this week and wrap presents. Don’t forget those small items for stocking stuffers.
Bake: Create those tasty cookies you and your family love. Involve the kids in the fun for some memorable moments--keep the camera close by.
Indulge: Buy chocolates and relax with a few choice pieces whenever you can.
Week of December 17
Groceries: Buy perishable foods for your holiday meals. Check supplies of eggs, milk, butter, cream, lemons, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, onions, celery, potatoes, carrots, salad greens and garnishes, frozen vegetables, convenience foods for quick meal preparation leading up to “The Day”, and don’t forget lots of paper towels and toilet tissue.
Dinner Plan: Write out a time plan for Christmas Day, so that you won't be in a panic that day. Put recipes in a file for easy reference.
Camera: Make sure your video recorder and still camera are in good working order. Have lots of extra batteries, film, tape, and/or CDs.
Florals: Buy live flowers to decorate your home.
Cooking Utensils: Make sure you've got a pan big enough to hold the turkey, ham, goose, or roast you’ll be cooking. Make sure you can get the pan into the oven and that you have a lid or enough foil to cover it.
Thawing Meats: Compute how much time you need to thaw the turkey or other meat and mark calendar to move it from freezer to refrigerator.
Stress: Buy chocolates--eat lots of them!!!
On December 24 – Christmas Eve Day
Food Prep: Prepare any food you can and refrigerate. Check time needed for cooking turkey or other meat. Calculate when you will need to put it in the oven. If you are having a mid-day meal, set your alarm for 30 minutes to an hour before that time (disregard if you have children--they will be up at the crack of dawn!).
Christmas Cheer: Make egg nog, mulled wine, or Christmas punch.
Safety: Make sure you've got multiple pairs of oven mitts and trivets handy.
Table Prep: Set table for tomorrow’s dinner
Family Activities: Attend a service at your place of worship, invite friends in, or drive around the neighborhood to see all the holiday lights
And to All a Good Night: Put kids to bed. Relax with your hubby. Go to bed. Get up and put kids back to bed.
Christmas Day
Photo Op: Take a deep breath, then grab your camera and start capturing those great holiday moments.
Enjoy: Don’t forget to put down your camera occasionally and enjoy being “in the moment” with your family. Remember this is the day of peace and love and joyful celebration.
Entertain: Invite friends and neighbors to stop by later in the day.
Boxing Day (day after Christmas)
Toy Sorting: To make room for all those gifts, have kids sort through their old toys and decide which can be given to charity thrift stores.
Food: Create a plan to use holiday leftovers, so you can enjoy the time between Christmas and New Year’s.
Diet: Package remaining holiday cookies in zip-lock bags and freeze to avoid post-holiday binges. Get out a few at a time for lunch treats and dessert over the next month or two.
After the Holidays
Decorations: You can leave your decorations up till twelfth night or January 5th. When you do take them down, sort by indoor/outdoor or by room or use; mark the boxes, so you can identify what is in them more easily for the 2008 holiday.
After-Christmas Sales: Take advantage of the post-Christmas clearance sales to get decorations, wrapping papers, and craft supplies for next year’s holiday celebrations.
Relax: Put your feet up and relax—finish the remaining chocolate!
Friday, November 2, 2007
Rayme Royale says....
Hey Divas and Dukes~
Now that the smoke is clearing and the air is easier to breathe, we can begin to re-build, go back to what we know, but never forget the important lessons we have learned along the way.
For me, I'm soon to be in New York City for a week....speaking to you from my end at some scrapbook or craft store. I've got a good idea of where I'll be, and it'll be fun for my first venture as 'Duke on the Road'!
And I leave with my new web-site going full blast! On the divacraftlounge.com site, the upper left hand corner (THANK YOU TOM) is devoted to it. I couldn't be more thrilled about it. I so look forward to adding more stuff about all kinds of things with each passing month. Thank you to those who have all ready checked it out and given me your blessings!!!
Having finished and closed the show of "High School Musical" to much success, I walked away with a BIG SMILE on my face! Even though we had to cancel two productions due to the fire situation, (and one of my cast members losing her home) I truly learned once again the value of who we all are as human Beings and the way we ALWAYS manage to find ways to bring our creativity and joy into a chaotic situation! Our girl was there for every single performance afterwards singing and dancing like never before. Her family shared with me later how fortunate they felt that they had the show to look forward to, to watch their daughter express herself so joyfully on the stage in spite of the fact that her costume was practically the only thing she owned.
It is inherent in us to find, create and BE JOY! I have no doubts of this what so ever. How grateful I am to learn this lesson!
How grateful I am to all of you who continue listening to our show, or stumble on to our show and can find a reason to let yourself giggle for a little while.
It's all in the MAGIC.....US!
Now that the smoke is clearing and the air is easier to breathe, we can begin to re-build, go back to what we know, but never forget the important lessons we have learned along the way.
For me, I'm soon to be in New York City for a week....speaking to you from my end at some scrapbook or craft store. I've got a good idea of where I'll be, and it'll be fun for my first venture as 'Duke on the Road'!
And I leave with my new web-site going full blast! On the divacraftlounge.com site, the upper left hand corner (THANK YOU TOM) is devoted to it. I couldn't be more thrilled about it. I so look forward to adding more stuff about all kinds of things with each passing month. Thank you to those who have all ready checked it out and given me your blessings!!!
Having finished and closed the show of "High School Musical" to much success, I walked away with a BIG SMILE on my face! Even though we had to cancel two productions due to the fire situation, (and one of my cast members losing her home) I truly learned once again the value of who we all are as human Beings and the way we ALWAYS manage to find ways to bring our creativity and joy into a chaotic situation! Our girl was there for every single performance afterwards singing and dancing like never before. Her family shared with me later how fortunate they felt that they had the show to look forward to, to watch their daughter express herself so joyfully on the stage in spite of the fact that her costume was practically the only thing she owned.
It is inherent in us to find, create and BE JOY! I have no doubts of this what so ever. How grateful I am to learn this lesson!
How grateful I am to all of you who continue listening to our show, or stumble on to our show and can find a reason to let yourself giggle for a little while.
It's all in the MAGIC.....US!
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