One for the road

Hey all,
So I feel really on top of it lately with my blog because I actually made time to write one last post before leaving for Dallas for the holidays.

I have a crafty thing I did! I didn't have steps because it wasn't that difficult. You're smart, if you wanna do it you can totally figure this one out on your own.

Okay so this first one was created because Shane's friends were coming in from Florida and the wall behind my tv in the living room was so ugly. The problem comes because we were fortunate enough to receive this big-A tv from my sister Amber and her husband Stephen. Because it's so big it makes for an awkward wall space behind the tv. I know, I know, cry about it.

Anyway, so I tried a few things I found on Pinterest and they totally didn't work because of various reasons/just looking worse than a blank wall. So here's what I came up with and I'm in love with it (although I need to add something organic-y to the walls beside it to make it not so edgy).

The best part of this project? It was only like $20 to cover basically the entire awkward wall. We just went to this local lumberyard (Builders Cash and Carry for those of you who just happen to be in Daleville in need of some lumber) and asked the owner if he had any pallets we could "take off of his hands." and he totally did! He was more than happy to give us as many as we wanted and pointed us to the back where they were. I was kind of expecting this rejected pile of pallets that no one wanted- looking really homely and everything. But NO! They were seriously the most perfect pallets you would need for any sort of project. And there were like a hundred (exaggerating for story sake). Anyway, so we (mostly Shane) grabbed 5 and brought them home. Then we (mostly Shane) hung the pallets, and I went to Hobby Lobby and bought different kind of craft letters that so happened to be 40% off. $20! So I came home and spray painted them. 

The worst part of the project was the fact that I had like 3 hours to accomplish the entire project from getting the pallets to painting the letters and attaching them to the pallets. To answer your question; yes, I am a little bit of a procrastinator. 

Anyway, so of course Shane's friends were like 20 minutes away (and could care less about the home decor) and the letters were sopping wet, but I hung them anyway...because I care about home decor. 

Anyway, we are both happy with it! 

The second thing that was last minute (of course) was Christmas cards. We weren't planning on doing them this year because it cost money that we didn't have. However, the end of last week I started getting all of these Christmas cards in the mail. Some of them were from people we never talk to so I felt really awkward because what are you supposed to do when you get one? Like write them a thank you card? Or is sending a card of your own thanks enough? If we didn't do either would they stop sending us cards from now on because we were rude? Seriously...all of these thoughts go into your head when you're new at this gig. We are only a year into this gig (marriage). I feel like no one really expects you to send cards when you're single, you know? Like its cute if you do, but if you send cards to your single friends chances are they don't think about all of these questions in return (I definitely didn't give sending a christmas card/thank you note a second thought when I was single). So I decided I was too lazy to individually write thank you cards...and thought maybe it would be sort of awkward: Dear so-and-so: thanks for the christmas card. 

                                                Merry Christmas!

                                                Bye- 

                                                Shane and Tyler.

Yikes. So I thought making cards wouldn't be so weird. But I was determined to make them and send them out before Christmas cheaply. Boy was I wrong! I looked at all of my favorite sites for making/sending cards and all of them were like a million dollars to get them to my house overnight. What the heck? Hasn't anyone heard of like Christmas being the season of giving or something? Anyway, so I had to think more locally. And its Alabama, so basically I was screwed. But then as a last resort I was looking at Wal-Mart and their "create a card" section actually didn't look too terrible. And they were able to make them in an hour ready for pick up! That should've been an indication to walk away...but I wanted to give them the benefit of a doubt (it is the Christmas season after all) and try it out. Four hours and forty bones later, they were ordered. So of course I was like so excited to pick them up. We went and after like 10 minutes of the lady re-typing my last name to find my order, the envelope was in my hand and I had to anticipate no longer! .......I open up the envelope and look at them. No words can describe what a let down they were. I mean come on, its Wal-Mart so I shouldn't have expected much in the first place, but I did. My b, my b. I like immediately look and Shane and he can tell I'm super bummed. Can I just paint a picture for you real quick? 

They were seriously as thin as a piece of computer paper. And they were supposed to be like legit folded cards. The bleed was terrible and there was this ugly white border around our picture that the INTERNET DID NOT SHOW. So of course Shane took over at this point and talked to the proper people to get our money back. Thank God for my husband. 

Anyway, so we come home and I literally had two options: dip into our savings for Christmas cards (yeah right), or hand make them. So I hand made them. I just happened to have card stock and envelopes at home so I made them super simple. James and Daniel (Shane's friends that were in town) bought us a helicopter stamp so I incorporated those on the envelope. Then I just went to office max and print out copies of the pictures I wanted to use. Why Office Max you ask? I needed our pictures to be 3x5 and they are like the only place that made them. (Why would John Mayer make a song about 3x5 if 4x6 is actually the most popular size?) I got them printed and addressed and out yesterday so hopefully everyone will get them before Christmas....except for maybe Carlos and Amanda in Alaska because that's like on another planet. 

I was going to post a picture of them but I won't because it might ruin the surprise for those of you who are so eager to read my blog................

Okay, okay, I'll post them after Christmas. 

Have a Merry Christmas, and don't forget to love on your families and remember what its all about, okay? Because I know that's easy to do. 

Xoxo, 

gossip girl (who is actually not Dan, it was me all along).