Busy, Busy & Vacation Time

For the first time in the four years I have been with my company, I took 5 days off work.  Really only 2, Wednesday and Friday but with Thanksgiving and the weekend, I was work free for 5 whole days!  What a much needed break.  It was also fantastic to be out of school.  Only three weeks left and I'm a graduate!  I was very busy this weekend.  I crafted my heart out and worked on several Christmas gifts.  I'm thoroughly pleased with what I accomplished and can't wait to continue.  The house is all set up for Christmas and I promise, this is the last time I'll decorate for Christmas in this apartment.  I also had a great time shopping for Black Friday.  We slept in and it was only after dropping Shane off at work at 10 on Friday that I hit the crowds.  I didn't find much, in fact, I was sick and tired of waiting in line at Joann's that I put my basket down and walked away.  Several hours later on Shane's lunch he offered to go back with me and we found my basket right where I left it completely untouched.  The lines were better so we grabbed our junk and away we went.  Here's a snippet of what we've been up too...

I completed my 2005 Scrapbook and sent it to be printed.  It arrives Monday!  Super happy with how it turned out.

I made little aprons for Shane and I to cook with on Thanksgiving day.  One side is fabric and the other is a dish towel so we can wipe our hands and or counters while cooking away.  We love them.

I played around with this wooden star using ideas I had seen on the Blogosphere.  Not my favorite but it looks pretty cute in the little wreath on my door.

We had our very simple Thanksgiving dinner and Shane's first turkey turned out divine.  He mixed seasonings into the butter and so the skin was so flavorful.  Because it was just the two of us, we will be eating this dinner for weeks, I'm sure.

I wanted to make a garland for the fireplace this year because who knows if our new place will have one and so I settled on a star garland.  I found the stars at the craft store for $1.00 a piece and tried the paper thing again.  Looked much better this go around.  I also had an old wreath that I cut off the form and made my own garland.  I love it and wish I would have made a garland for my mantle for these last three years.

I had a few projects I was working with in vinyl and to not waste any of the sheets printed, I made a bunch of extra little things.  I put JOY on these glass jars that sit on top of my candle holders.  Because it was just so I didn't waste a lot of negative space, I won't feel bad scraping them off after Christmas.

I made this nativity because I got the images for half off with the use of my Silhouette.  I've never owned a nativity scene and to be honest haven't found one worth purchasing yet either because they either look cheaply made or are ridiculously expensive.  This will do for now.  I ran out of space though and am not totally in love so it will be remade next year into something better.

Every year at work we have an office Christmas party and we exchange gifts.  There is a monetary limit and I decided to both buy and make a gift.  I made this glass block and love it when it's lit up.  It's covered in the crystal flakes that come in an aerosol can and the saying is one of my favorites.  Hope someone else likes it.

Again, to use all of the negative space on the red vinyl, I cut out the HO-HO-HOs.

There is one project in particular that I've been working on and it turned out absolutely fabulous.  I cannot post it yet though because its part of my Christmas gifts.  I will post those pictures later.  It's been crazy busy and I look forward to working on some more projects this Christmas.

Just for kicks, my dog is adorable and was within 10 feet of me the entire vacation.  Much of the time he laid on the floor like this.