2018 Year-End Recap

I blinked and it’s two months later.  I’ve had good intentions of blogging.  I’ve even put it on my Google calendar.  But alas, time got away from me.  I will attempt to recap the end of 2018 in this post, and catch-up to present next week!

In early December, Todd played a Christmas concert with The Winters band at The Legacy Church in Tierrasanta.  He and the band practiced for a few weeks and the show was so good and so fun!

Todd even sang this year.

Which is actually not surprising, since he’s actually heading up an acapella singing group at work.  They performed both at work and as opening act at the Christmas concert.

And he’s the head of a chamber music group at work too.  So many clubs, so little time!

As usual I’m so very proud of all his music abilities, hard work practicing, and how great his shows are.  Considering music is not his full time job, or any paid job!

I helped Todd put together some hot cocoa packages to give away to his coworkers for Christmas.  So cute, right?

I had a ladies holiday luncheon with my ex-coworkers and it was so fun.  I put together some gift packages of my handcrafted candles, lotion, and salt scrub for everyone.

We spent Christmas in our usual San Diego fashion:  at the beach!

Instead of snowmen, we have sandmen!

We had a night out of movies and dessert with AJ & Meera.  We saw Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Gindelwald, and had dessert at Baked Bear.  Blurry photo but great memories!

On Christmas Day we flew out to Orlando for a last minute trip to meet up with my sister Joyce and my nephew Andrew.  We went to Disney World Hollywood Studios the day after Christmas.

It was seriously so fun!  My favorite ride was the Slinky Dog rollercoaster.  We also went on Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

And we did meet & greets with Kylo Ren, Chewbacca, and BB-8!

We both got sick for about a week right after we got back from Orlando, so we started off the New Year down for the count.  We snuggled up and slept a lot.  And relaxed to get better.

It was a whirlwind holiday season!  My Pacifica Grace Studio Etsy shop did well for the holiday season.  I closed up shop on 12/21 for a break, after working really hard to make and fulfill orders for over a month.  I spent the end of the year being very thankful that I didn’t have to work at my corporate finance job for year-end.  For 25 years I always had to work between Christmas and New Years to “close the books” for year-end accounting!  I reveled in the fact that I didn’t have to do that this past holiday season. 

Come back soon for a catch-up post of 2019 so far!

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2014 Handmade Holiday Cards

Since 2011 I’ve been making handmade holiday cards to send out.  Not every holiday card I send is handmade though.  I usually only have time to make 30-35 handmade cards, so they go out to friends & family who I know would appreciate the work that goes into making handmade cards. 

You can see previous years’ handmade cards below:

• 2013 Handmade Holiday Cards
• Crafting | Our 2012 Holiday Cards
• Crafting | Anatomy of a Holiday Card

This year I was ambitious.  I wanted to make some shaker and multi-layered cards using Papertrey Ink stamps & dies.  (I’ve used Papertrey Ink stamps & dies every year.)  I started out by creating some samples so I could get a feel of how complicated it would be to make the cards, and how long it would take me.

I made this shaker card first and it did take quite a bit of time. 

The shaker elements were what took the most time, so I thought I would modify the design and take out the shaker elements, but still have the same feel and multi-layers.  This one was easier and took less time.

Another multi-layered card.

I still thought the shaker cards were fun, so I decided to make just a few to give to the most special people in my life.  The layers for the shaker card were such:  card base, diecut foam adhesive shape, shaker background and elements inside the circle, sequins, acetate cover, then the diecut shape over that.  It was very tedious.

I did each step in mass-production mode to save some time.  So first I diecut all of the elements out of cardstock and shimmer paper.  Then I stamped them.  When I stamped them I added one color/element at a time so I didn’t have to change stamps or stamp pad colors.

First I stamped the snowman in black.

Then the house in shade of gray and red roof.

Then the trees.

Then I stamped all the banners.

I started in mid-November and worked on it quite a bit every weekend for two weekends.  After I assembled the different parts of the card and got them done, I lined them up in my box.

Then one morning I stamped all the insides of the cards.  That took quite a bit of time too. 

Then I stamped the back of the cards so people knew I made them.  :)

Here are some of the different cards I made.  I only made one shaker card with “snow” and that one went to Peppermint.

Shaker card with sequins.

Multi-layered cards on white cardstock.

Some on white shimmer cardstock.

Some on gold shimmer cardstock.

Some in red snow globe shapes.

Some in pink snow globe shapes.

They went to good homes by mid-December.  :)

While they were a lot of work, they were worth it.  I got several comments from friends who said that my card was the only handmade card they received this year.  Or that they look forward to my handmade card every year.  I guess I may have developed a reputation with some friends!  I’m so glad I had time to make handmade holiday cards this year and was able to send joy to many!

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A December To Remember

This past December will go down in my personal history as one of the best holiday seasons to date.  Ever since my mom passed away in 2007, the Christmas season hasn’t really been the same.  Every year I dreaded December and just didn’t look forward to the joy of the season.  You can ask Todd how grumpy and sad I felt in December 2013.  This year it was different and I am super-thankful for it.  This post is photo-heavy, but I just want to remember all the blessings from this year.

On December 6th I put on a Glam Runner tutu and ran the Girls On The Run 5K.

On that same day, our beloved OSU Buckeyes beat Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big 10 Championship game.  We had just lost our 2nd-string QB to a broken ankle during the Michigan game.  We started our 3rd-string QB in the Big 10 Championship game and we had no idea how we’d do.  It was an awesome victory.  The next day, we found out that the Buckeyes were selected by the inaugural College Football Playoff Selection Committee as the #4 (and final) seed in the 4-team college football playoffs. 

We put up our tree and decorated it.  We got to enjoy it all month.

There was a ton of holiday crafting.

Including 32 handmade holiday cards.

NOT handmade, but still nice.

Gift tag making.

Christmas scrapbooking.

Todd baked his famous chocolate chip cookies for his office-mates.

More cookies for us.

On 12/7 we had our Elf Party. 

This scene was repeated over and over again during December.  Lit tree in a cozy corner, Noodle snuggling on Todd’s lap while Todd sits in his recliner, watching sports, movies, or playing video games.  I love this scene.

Noodle climbing up onto my belly and the two of us taking a nap together.

My Christmas lunch at Cheesecake Factory with the girls from work.

And our Secret Santa gift exchange.  I’m so thankful to have these women friends at work!

My department’s holiday lunch at work and our White Elephant gift exchange game.

Todd’s department Christmas potluck and white elephant gift exchange.

Todd and I celebrating him finishing a project at Ventana. 

The most awesome sunset you could see, in front of the Star of India ship on the harbor.

Going to the San Diego Parade of Lights on 12/21 on the harbor with AJ & Meera.

We got to see one decorated boat after another, sailing/motoring by.

The lit-up San Diego night time skyline wasn’t bad either.

Taking fun Santa bokeh photos in front of the tree lights.

Presents under the tree on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve dinner with Todd, my dad, and Shelly.

Going to see the neighborhood lights & decorations after dinner on Christmas Eve.

Watching “X-Men: Days of Future Past” after that at home.

Opening gifts together on Christmas morning.

Noodle wondering where all the Christmas gifts under the tree went.

Christmas lunch at Pacifica Del Mar.

Spending time at the beach on Christmas Day again, per our tradition.

Taking some time off work and enjoying our days.  Going to Point Loma Seafoods.

Going to The Cravory for scrumptious cookies.

Mounting the TV up to the wall in our workout room.

Going to Cinepolis on NYE and sitting in his & hers recliners to watch the movie “Into the Woods”.

Eating lunch afterwards at Burger Lounge, and getting cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes.

It was a wonder-ful December.  One that I won’t soon forget.

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