I think many a blogger/designer/fashionista was stunned when these glitter Miu Miu booties from the fall 2011 collection debuted a while back. So far, I’ve seen painted nails and a cake inspired by these amazing shoes. The silver and gold glitter screams holiday and cheer to me, and so felt inspired to experiment with some packaging ideas.

I had some gray, round Paper Source labels on hand that I coated with spray mount, then sprinkled with gold Martha Stewart Fine Glitter. I did the spraying and sprinkling in a very large paper shopping bag to keep the mess in check. So that my round labels would be easier to pull off, I went ahead and removed the ‘negative’ label area.

And I punched these silver medallions out of silver glitter scrapbook paper and tied off with velvet ribbon.

Lights, stars, hot cocoa, an awareness/cognizance among all to be kinder and more charitable…these are just few things that make December so wonderful.

So I got mildly cultural for this year’s Relief Society Christmas dinner by bringing some cucinta (steamed rice cakes topped with coconut) and made a parol, a traditional Filipino star lantern. I was smart by ordering the cucinta from a Filipino bakery. With the lantern, I was dumb (I was so dumb. I was really dumb…for reals) and made it from scratch, thus spending hours and hours. But I’m happy with how it turned out and can check that project off my life’s to-do-list!

And for your listening pleasure, here is ‘Silent Night’, arranged and performed by Ryan. Hope you enjoy! And have a lovely Christmas and safe travel! To all our family (mom, especially) that we won’t see this Christmas, we miss you!

Preview:

Download:
Silent Night .mp3
(Right-click on link, then ‘Save-as’ to download onto your computer)

Sick kids, preparations for tonight’s Relief Society Christmas party, and a new obsession for a certain novel series (that everyone and their mom is into) have estranged me from the blogging world — my own blog included.

But I have a guest post today at my friend Amy’s blog, Living Locurto. My post won’t be so new to you, but make sure to check out the rest of her blog, especially her great roundup of free downloads. Amy is a graphic-designing, stay-at-home mother, but on top of that, she gives back to her community in a really huge way. She is incredible and such an inspiration. Thanks for having me over, Amy!

Hopefully Santa can make out that this is from Kai and he would like a puzzle. We even went to the post office today, bought stamps, and had Kai slip the envelope into the mail slot. Exciting stuff for a three-year-old.

Need Santa’s address? Find it here. Thank you, Stephanie. : )

Our RS President wanted the focus to be more spiritual than feast. Dinner involved a salad, and different types of soups served in bread bowls (play off the ‘Bread of Life’ theme). As appetizers, we had spinach dip (also in bread bowls) already set out on the tables. Having this dinner at a sister’s home made for an intimate evening. Dessert was peppermint ice cream pie.

(Nativity illustration from iStockphoto)

Cute, cheap, and unbreakable Christmas ornaments? Umm, yes! From Martha Stewart.