Don't throw out your old catalogs!

How many of you direct sales consultants have tons of outdated catalogs? I know I do. I tend to buy too many so I don't run out. I'm then left with a big stack that can't be used. I decided to put them to use! Waste nothing! My wonderful friend over at Dear Madaline Designs taught me to make these cute envelopes last summer. My life was changed forever! I now use them for everything!! Christmas gifts, goodie bags, door prizes, so many choices!! Now I will spread the love and share with you! Normally I use a glue stick for these, but the catalog paper is so slick and it's going through the post office I thought it should be extra tight. Hot glue it is!
Here we go! Super cute envelopes in just ten steps!!

Step 1: Gather up your old catalogs. Open it to the middle and find the seam. Remove the staples. Don't use your fingernails! These guys are tough!!

Step 2: Look at all these beautiful future envelopes. Choose your favorite page!

Step 3: Fold the right side in, to meet the middle seam. Flatten the fold nice and thin.

Step 4: Repeat step 3 on the left side.
(you can fold these to make the envelope as small or large as you like)

Step 5: Glue the seam down, from the top all the way to the bottom. I use as thin a strip of glue as possible so it's not bulky.

Step 6: Glue the bottom of the envelope closed, as close to the bottom edge as possible. Remember, thin strips of glue if you're using hot glue. Bulky envelopes are no good.

Step 7: Fold over the bottom of the envelope and glue down. Flatten that fold down nice and tight.

Step 8: Fold down the top of the envelope. I like to make a bigger fold for the top. You will not be gluing this one down!

Step 9: Add your fillings for your happy mail! Your customers will be so excited!
I like to seal the envelope with my business information. Maybe someone will see something they like on my "envelope" and they'll know exactly who to contact!

Step 10: Add your labels and head off to the post office! I guarantee these envelopes will not soon be forgotten!
(I have not been to the post office yet, I don't know how much postage this will take but will update when I do. I can't imagine it will be much.)






I tried to explain it well but if you have questions, feel free to ask in the comments!

Side note, when using these for goodie bags I punch two holes in the top flap and tie it with a ribbon. The bow is usually MUCH bigger but I was toying with the idea of sending the bow through the post. I decided I'd rather use a sticker with all my info on it. 

The most perfect, imperfect Christmas tree..

I am a little obsessed with our Christmas tree.

It's bare in some parts and full in others, and it pricks the absolute piss out of me every time I touch it. But I love it.
What do I love about it? It's rustic and simple, and it's ours. It's not only our first tree as a family, but it's the first tree Rob and I have ever had as adults. The last tree either of us had ever had before now was when we lived at home. So that makes it extra special. We're starting family traditions and that is a wonderful thing. Honestly it makes me tear up as I type this.
Saturday morning we loaded up in the truck all bundled up for our big journey into the woods to find the perfect tree. Princess T was jumping up and down with excitement and yelling "Yea!" at her Daddy as he opened the gate to our property. We had barely gotten out of the truck when we spotted a pretty great tree. And upon looking at the rambunctious 17 month old we decided it was probably not in our best interest to go trekking off in the woods. I don't think we would have gotten very far.
So he got to work and started sawing the tree down. T cheered him on as I watched and asked a million questions. This was new for me, we'd always had fake trees. So I was pretty curious about what was going on. He got it down in 2 minutes. Literally. I was shocked. We loaded it up and took pictures to commemorate the occasion.
We headed out to home depot in search of the perfect ornaments. I tried not to go too crazy, because if you buy your stuff all at once rather than build it up over time I would imagine it can get really expensive.
Princess T picked out our new Santa tree skirt, and Rob did the manly job of picking out a tree stand.
We got it up and mostly decorated while T napped, and saved some for her to do when she woke up.
She loves her tree and likes to Ooo and Ahh at it. But for the most part she doesn't mess with it. Unless she's feeling extra mischievous. Then she'll walk over to it and reach for it all the while looking over her shoulder to make sure I am seeing her.

This tree will probably always remain the favorite, and always on my heart, because it's the beginning. It may be a little rough around the edges, it may not be the perfect Southern Living Christmas tree, but it is perfect and wonderful in it's imperfection. Just like us.

Getting in the holiday spirit!

I'm trying to make my house more festive without breaking the bank. So being a huge crafter I have oodles of scraps at my disposal. So I did a little crafting today. I love the results! I took old planters that I'd long since killed the plants inside, and made a B with hot glue, and then spray painted them black. I threw a scrap bow together, cut some limbs from the christmas tree on our property and VOILA!

I don't know what kind of tree it is. I know it's some kind of "Christmas" tree. But oh my, those tree branches were not kind to my fingers! Apparently they have stickers. But it's totally worth it because my house smells like heaven!! If heaven were in a pine tree.

Hopefully when The Man gets home he won't be upset that I "pruned" our tree a little bit. And also he won't notice that I first attempted to cut the branches with something that I think is used to work on cars.