Notes from A Cottage Industry

Weekly words to live by.

Happy Thanksgiving, 2020, my friends.

I just made a huge sigh out loud as I began this post.

Weirdest holiday on record, and no changes in sight if the jammed airports are any indication.

Trying to make the most of it when you know your Mom is sitting home alone a fifteen minute car ride away, spending this Thanksgiving watching movies, feels wrong in every way I try to approach it in my head. Meanwhile, I'm painting a piece of furniture in my dining slash living room, and writing this post while waiting for it to dry in between coats.

Another big, long sigh.

I'm spending Thanksgiving this way because I love my 87 year old Mom. 

Because I don't know if I could be carrying Covid after going inside Walmart yesterday for some items. (Ordering online was not available for curbside pickup until Sunday.)

Because Ralph works in a medical office, and yes, he certainly takes precautions, but could be carrying it with no symptoms, and it could get to me, and through me, to my Mom.

Because not enough of us are making the harder choice to stay more than six feet apart.

Because I am a person of faith, but also a believer in science, and numbers are spiking. (I'm telling you this, and of course, you already know it.)

Today, I am extra thankful that everyone in my family are all healthy. I know I am doing the right thing by cancelling Thanksgiving with my Mom, and my daughter and son in law, and grands because if this is what we all need to do to keep each other safe, then I am onboard. 

I hope you stay safe, and your loved ones are healthy on this most unusual Thanksgiving day!

Last minute Thanksgiving fun.

I always seem to get at least one last minute idea before any and all holidays and events, and this Thanksgiving was no exception. I was supposed to be hosting Thanksgiving for our family up here, and had planned a couple of fun things for the Grands while they would be here.

Hello, twenty twenty.

This morning as I was starting to gather up some items I am going to drive over to my daughter's home for porch drop off (Damn you, Covid!) I was struck with an idea. 

I sat down at my computer and before I knew it, I had created a cute little treat box that can double as a place card at the Thanksgiving table with their immediate family tomorrow.

I created a sheet of twelve Thanksgiving turkey jokes, along with some cute cover art for my boxes, as well as a label inside the lid of each box. I'm filling the boxes with treats and two turkey jokes each to be shared at the dinner table. (I may or may not have put a little grown up treat in the adults treat boxes!)

If you want to make your own little treat boxes (or bags) for some little somebodies in your life, I have added it as a Printable kit in my etsy shop. (See pictures of treat bags in my etsy shop listing)

I'm off to do some cleanup in my garage right now, and I'm hoping everyone has a very safe (If not the typical) Thanksgiving tomorrow!

A little birthday present wrap inspiration as we head into the Christmas gift wrapping season.

One of my bestest friends in the world had a birthday in early November, and while we don't always exchange gifts, I wanted to send her a little something during the longest year known to our generation. It's always fun to receive a surprise, and even more fun when the little treat is wrapped up in a fun way. If you've been following me for a while, you know that I love foofifying things up, and more is always more.

So.

I thought I'd share my easy peasy gift wrap job with you. My signature gift wrap for a good long while....(oh, I dunno, maybe twenty years?) has been to use brown kraft paper as my starting point. I love it because it's neutral, (it works for girls and boys, and all the holidays)it's affordable, and I can get bags to coordinate in literally any size.

I went with a blush pink kind of theme with her presents. I wrapped one present, and added pink ribbon and tulle and topped it off with a dusting of spray glue and glitter.

The other little treats went into sweet small bags, with the same coordinating pink ribbon adorning each one. I designed little tags in my print program on my computer. I then made little buttons out of metal rimmed paper labels and cut out my tags with my handy dandy circle cutter.

One quick smear of a glue stick attached the printed circle art onto each tag, then glued in place over the pink ribbon, and everything was all ready to be packed for mailing!

Now that the Christmas season is upon us, I am wondering if you'd be interested in seeing the tools in my streamlined gift wrap arsenal? Or are you more of a just-use-a-giftbag-and-be-done-with-it wrapper? I'd be interested to know!

Weekly words to live by.

Weekly words to live by.

A seven and a half pound slice of heaven brightened up 2020 like the fourth of July firework show.

Smack dab in the middle of the darkest, longest, scariest year of our lives, God blessed my family with a precious, sweet, perfect baby boy. I haven't gotten to meet my newest grandson (nor hold, hug, and squeeze the stuffing out of him) just yet, thanks to the pandemic, so for now, we all wait eagerly for photo updates.

His brother and sister are doing a phenomenal job of making sure he has every need met when they are done with schoolwork, so there is no shortage of people in line to rock and hold him.

It makes my heart swell to look at pictures of them all, and I'm so hoping that it won't be too much longer before we can all be together in person!

Weekly words to live by. (Hello, November!)