Bah, Humbug

None of my projects are coming out right.

Gah.

Elf on the Shelf Not Your Thing?

That's ok, it's not mine either.

I honestly wanted to do the elf on the shelf for the photo ops.

Photography, now THAT is really my thing. And for those, I had visions of naughtiness in my head.

This is an Elf on the Shelf Alternative.

Troll in the Hole. More of the mischievous sort.

Troll in the Hole

Oh yes. This is more my speed: Elf Shaming.

Hilarious.

Elf Shaming

Mug Rug

I am going to attempt the impossible. To learn to use my sewing machine this weekend.

I had such excellent intentions this year for all the handcrafted goodies I was going to make for all my family and friends.

I may still eek out a few.

The project I had in mind? Mug rugs.

I found several cute tutorials online.

This one has a pocket.

This one is super cute and perfect for Santa's milk and cookies. 

Pocket Mug Rug

Regarding yesterday's post, I have finally found my problem;

Christmas Book Every Night

The one  thing that has gone according to plan this year.

Every night right before bed, the Munchkin picks a book from under the tree.

She reads it, or I do.

Yay! A success!

Reality Check

I love this article.

Because it sums up my experiences, especially this year.

"Oh, to have a perfect Christmas!"

This potent illusion grabs us by the throat sometime in September. It lifts only on the afternoon of December 25, in concert with the 3 p.m. Christmas post-gift letdown.

It's a fancy subscribed to by many well-meaning holiday planners. It sells one heck of a lot of Christmas magazines.

To my dismay, it may even have motivated you to join the Christmas Countdown!

The culprit? The Ghost of Christmas Perfection. This siren song sings as follows: "It is possible to organize a completely stress-free, hassle-free, calm, serene and spiritual holiday season!"

This Web site notwithstanding. Paying heed to the idea of a "perfect Christmas" will clog your planning and cloud your joy--and it's just not possible.

Over the years of my adult life, I've been organized and I've been disorganized. I've been child-free and child-bound, swamped with houseguests or all alone. I will tell you: it is simply not possible to create a perfectly organized holiday season.

There will always be something. Always.

It wouldn't be the holiday season otherwise! Holiday realities are fights with in-laws, returning gifts, burned cookies, collapsed gingerbread houses, pets in the side dishes, stains on the rug, cranky children, broken ornaments, and grouchy late-night sessions at the sewing machine.

Stop and think: this is the material of life! Look back in your memories, and you'll see that every Christmas Imperfect lays its own special claim to your heart.

Read the rest here.

An Advent for Mommy

Or make it a little more fun;

DIY Beer Advent

A Non Elf on The Shelf

My first choice just had no form, a beanbag with a head actually.

So I found a new one.

Meet Holly.

I went to an elf name generator and LOL'd at the choices I was given.

Ginger Van Stinkylips

Wrinkliballs

Goombapants

And so forth. 

So I decided to make it a little less like elf porn and just went with Holly. 

Then I spent the afternoon sewing her a traveling outfit.

I had all sorts of plans for Holly. To be the hilarious, elf on the shelf shenanigans mom.

Then I had a reality check. 

I am NOT that mom. Not this year for sure. I am the complete opposite of organized this year.

So I now have a new Christmas doll. 

Itty Bitty sure loved her. In fact, as with everything these days; she tried to eat her.

I am just sticking to the old You better be good, Santa is watching you type deal. My own mother used lights to sway me into being good. All year.

The dots on the wall from reflected sunlight, were elves. Checking to see if I was being good.