Get my ornament on

Next year I think will be the year I venture down the make-your-own-ornament path. I have my dear co-worker Lucy to thank for this idea.

Last night, I went shopping for some ornaments for my sister (we do a yearly ornament exchange). And I really don't get it: What's up with all the fugly, crappy, and cheap ornaments out there. I even went to a Christmas store and I still wasn't impressed all that much. I guess I expected to be blown away. I still managed to find an ornament for my sister and my niece Abby, but I'm a little disappointed in them. I saw an ornament that was perfect Abby (aka Girlfried, Miss Sassy), but it was shoddy in craftsmanship. When you're a crafter, it's those little details that get you and make you think, "I could do better."

So next year, I'm making my own. I think I'll start with something simple like glass balls with rub ons. But I have a whole year to come up with my master plan.

P.S. I broke an ornament in the store too. I've always wondered what it would be like to be the person who broke something in the store. Now I know. It wasn't my fault, but still embarassing.

The Christmas tree has risen

We did it. Well, actually Jonathan did it while I was in the kitchen making some homemade hot chocolate complete with homemade whipped topping. The Christmas tree is up.

After drinking our chocolate I surveyed the tree, wanting to admire some of my favorite ornaments. I was surprised to see there were empty branches, void of any festive ornaments. I thought I must have imagined the extent of our ornament collection, but once I went hunting, I found that many ornaments weren't on the tree! We missed two boxes of our favorites that were sitting in our closet. Good thing we found them. I would have been heart broken if I hadn't been able to put up my Echo Lake Bear. He's an institution.