enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

  • holiday squares & something fun!

    Handmade0813
    A very easy project if you want something holiday on the walls. I cut 1×1 inch squares, mounted them on cardstock and stuck it all in a 5×7 wood frame.
    Handmade08132
    Inspired by this week's Scrapjacked challenge.

    ++++

    And that about wraps up my adventures in Handmade Holiday. I am anxious to find something else to blog about in the new year. Handmade Wedding maybe? Paul, are you in?*

    Handmadeholidaycollage

    No but seriously. I have created PDFs of six of my fave holiday ideas, complete with cool photos and instructions. They can be purchased in my etsy shop for $5. And I know what you are thinking: "Elise, what sort of business school graduate are you? You already posted these ideas, and i can visit them whenever I want, why should I pay you?" And the answer to that is "Well played, dear blog reader. But maybe you just want something nice and concise and printable to keep for next year. Or to pass on to your sister. Or to save in the TO DO folder of your desktop. I dunno, I am just putting it out there."

    Thanks, as always for reading. No doubt I will be back tomorrow with something.

    *No worries. I can say awkward things like that because luckily Paul knows I am 85% wierd yet 100% loveable.

  • december fifteen.

    Paulbday
    Love you babe.

  • gift wrap round up.

    IMG_1152
    I am wrapping all of my holiday gifts this year in kraft paper that I stamped with red trees. My gift tags are letterpressed (and the text is available here if you want to create your own).
    Gift-wrap

    These are my favorite ready to wrap holiday papers from Paper Source. Top row: one, two, three, four. : Bottom row: one, two, three, four.

  • decorate.

    Wreaths I have resigned myself to the fact that I am not going to make a fourth wreath this year. I have to complete the wall though, so the hanging joy will have to do.

    We are hosting a little party tonight in honor of Paul's birthday on Monday and of course Christmas on the 25th. Hence, the wine bottles. Although having three wine bottles just out and about on a regular day is a great decorating idea.

  • christmas traditions.

    IMG_1106 I started thinking yesterday about what I remember about Christmas. Christmas seems to be the most highly anticipated and tradition heavy of all the holidays.

    I remember:

    • seeing all of the same decorations come back every year
    • candlelight nights as a family
    • Christmas morning drills (Yes, that would be PRACTICING for Christmas morning)
    • getting pajamas and slippers from M&D on Christmas Eve
    • Christmas dresses and velvet hair bows
    • taking family photos with the timer
    • Christmas Eve dinner of lobster for Dad and chicken keiv for the rest of us
    • bending candles into shapes during Christmas Eve service
    • waiting until 6am when the tree lights were on
    • presents from Santa wrapped and labeled with an "E" or an "R"
    • finding letters from Santa all crinkled up from the long sleigh ride
    • the year Santa left the couch moved away from the chimney and a soot footprint on the floor
    • the year Robbie was convinced Baby Jesus would be visiting our house instead of Santa Claus
    • helping Mom write a summary of the whole year in our Family Christmas Book

    Writing this post is making me emotional. Christmas was quite magical for Robbie and me. It is strange but exciting that I am closer to starting my own family and building our own traditions than I am to these memories. I remember Dad saying that much better than Christmas as a kid was Christmas as a parent. I never understood how that was possible. But now I get it – on such a special night, you help supply the magic.

  • 09.

    IMG_1096 IMG_1097 I made one other book yesterday – my 2009 scrapbook.

  • wednesday : book day.

    Handmade0811
    I chased down the FedEx man this morning hoping for a box of text blocks from Paper Source. Sweet deal, they had arrived. A text block is a pad (for lack of a better word) of bound paper. The sets from Paper Source come with pre-cut bookboard. Add glue, book tape, paper and some patience and you have yourself a book.

    Handmade08112
    I made two today that will be headed out as Christmas gifts. (If you are expecting a holiday gift from me this year – it is safe to bet you will be receiving letterpress, a handmade book, peppermint cookies, a scarf, a mini diary or a tiny print. Unless you are Paul. If you are Paul you are probably getting a bottle of wine with a fabulous label.) The paper on these books came from The Paper Studio a while back during a great sale.

    IMG_1092
    Since July 1, I have carried around my own little handmade book. It is quite beat up now and filled with to do lists and letterpress ideas and book sketches. Hopefully the book receivers will find their own plan for their book. They are just begging to be written in.

  • it’s all about the candle.

    IMG_1078 I love my new candle. I may or may not go buy 43 more tomorrow and fill up my house.

  • oh, monday.

    Mosaic3963357
    Some pretty flickr faves for a cold and annoying Monday. 1. interested., 2. stick stars, 3. Today we paint, 4. cori's book, 5. Untitled, 6. 30 days :: 26, 7. Untitled, 8. Untitled, 9. Wrapping and packing, 10. A Poet's Kiss, 11. Living room wall detail, 12. white on white

    On Saturday, the kitchen sink started dripping and the oven broke. On Sunday, Paul got siiiick and my watch stopped. So far all we have managed to fix was the sink.

    Not the most excellent weekend in history – let me tell you.

  • wreath number three.

    Handmade0810
    The other day I was completely inspired by Rachel's ribbon wreath. I wanted to make something similar – but I had no intention of leaving the house to find supplies. After some thought, I decided to make the base out of chipboard and, ahem, cotton ball squares.
    Handmade08102 I freehand cut a circle from chipboard and then applied cotton squares with a gluestick. The squares had just enough padding to give the wreath a little shape underneath the ribbon.
    Handmade08103
    I have a whole jar of ribbon and decided to use anything brown, white or red. The ribbon was wrapped around in sections and then held in place with staples and scotch tape. So easy a caveman could do it.
    Handmade08104
    The wall in the kitchen now displays three wreaths. I need ONE MORE handmade wreath to complete the series. Any ideas?

    (Edit: wreath one, wreath two, all handmade holiday projects.)