Christmas Catalog Creativity

So, my bloggy friend Amy Boogie challenged her readers to find something to do with the glut of catalogs we all get in the mail.  

(What's up with the catalog avalanche, anyway?  It used to be the JC Penney Catalog and the Sears Big Book, and that was it.  I'm just glad they can be recycled.)  I counted the stack, and a couple other strays, and I had collected 15 in ONE week.  Yikes.

So, as I was trying to think of something fun to do with them before they went into the recycling bin, I came up with a kid-friendly idea.  Kiddie decoupage.  (Unfortunately, no children were decoupaged during the making of this project.)  Even better, kiddie decoupage on some of those boxes we keep getting in the mail.  (Since when did cardboard become so ubiquitous?  Cardboard boxes were such a rarity when I was a kid.  Hmmm . . . a glut of catalogs and cardboard boxes.  Could there be a connection?  Ummmm . . . nevermind . . . Vern, you didn't just read that.)

Materials:

Catalogs

Previously-used cardboard boxes

Glue sticks

Scissors

Munchkins

Give the children their tools (age-appropriate scissors, please), and let them snip and trim to their hearts' content.  

While they're doing that, take all of the tape and shiny labels off of the boxes.  The glue stick glue won't stick very well to the glossy surfaces, and this saves a lot of frustration for the little ones.

Try to get them to cover the cardboard completely with the pictures they cut out.  Glueing the edges down is helpful.  Only the sides, and the larger flaps on top and bottom need covering, as the short flaps will be covered by the other flaps once the boxes are closed.

Do your best to keep them focused until the boxes are covered . . . but if not, Daddy will likely love it anyway. :o)  And finally, voila!, you'll have works of art in which to nestle precious gifts from children to beloved relatives and friends.  (Almost as good as wrapping gifts in comic pages, no?)

I don't have a finished photo yet of the boxes . . . naptime was finished before they were, and then dinnertime and bedtime and all of those other mandatory -times took precedence.  They're coming along beautifully, though!

So, there's a way to use up fairly large portions of the catalogs, and reuse boxes, too.  Double recycling karma points, eh?  I can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with.  I woud love to win the contest, but I'm afraid my contribution isn't as beautiful as other's will be.  Here's to hoping. :o)

And lastly, a teaser . . . 

Guess what those are???

Have a wonderful weekend!

And the winner is . . .

Two people.

The person who submitted the winning name was Sarah. (Who I must admit is my SIL--and a good friend. Isn't it great when those two things coincide?). But, as Sarah doesn't knit (yet), and I'm not the sort to endorse nepotism (for a multitude of reasons), I opted to award the yarn to the first runner-up, which was Julia of Knitting History. She suggested Scheherezade, "after the legendary Persian queen who told the tales of the 'Thousand and One Nights'." The romanticism surrounding that name had a very strong pull. :o) So, Julia, if you'd let me know where you'd like your prize sent, I'll get it on it's way first thing when the mailman comes round again.

I really appreciate all of the suggestions, and it was fun to see what they all were. I'll post a full list soon . . . I'm just covered with dirt from yardwork outside, and I'm not nearly done yet. I just figured that I had better not leave you all in suspense for much longer. ;o) The name I chose is one that kept popping into my mind as I read all of the other suggestions. While it isn't quite as flowery as I had thought I wanted, it just fits so very well.

Oh, what's the name, you say?

Well, I'd like to introduce you to . . .



Cadence.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Nomenclatural Notions

So far I've gotten some fun suggestions for the black beauty's name. I thought I'd share a few parameters that I've decided on, as I've thought about it over the weekend.

1) My piano is definitely a "she".

2) I'm looking for a feminine, pretty name. It doesn't have to be a "standard", like Elizabeth or Caroline (both family members of mine, so those names aren't in the running). It just needs to connote refinement, detailed beauty, and a little mystique or fun.

3) Anyone who has already made a submission can resubmit if they have a rash of new ideas, sparked by this post.

Hope everyone had a great weekend, and a "real" post to come tomorrow. :o)