Christmas in July 2018 - Day Twenty-Five and July Rudolph Day

It's been a super-busy, full of all things Christmas kind of day.  With a steaming cup of hot chocolate with a dollop of whipped cream on the top (and the air conditioner running 😉), I sat down to enjoy this month's movie, A Charlie Brown Christmas.  I love Peanuts!  It made me think of all the Peanuts items I have in my Christmas inventory and how I can't wait to put them all out again.

We will be in full getting-ready-to-move mode when the Holiday Grand Plan, House & Holidays Plan, and the Christmas Countdown kick off so I will have to tweak things this year.  I love looking through my Christmas notebook and seeing what I budgeted and bought over the last eight years, recipes I tried, and menus I planned.  I updated my inventory, adding this year's ornaments, and took a look at my movies list to see which ones I'd like to add to our collection.  Last year I bought a new Christmas CD and look forward to checking out Target's display and adding another one this year.  My planner is all updated as well as the gift closet so I'm good to go there for now.

It was Christmas in July because UPS delivered a package - the Harry Potter cookie cutters I ordered from Williams-Sonoma during their 20% off and free shipping deal.  I can't wait to make them with Sophia.  I also watched quite a few December Daily You Tube videos from a few new scrapbookers and found some new resources for supplies.  There are some very talented artists out there.

And finally, today was the big reveal for the Magical Holiday Home members who participated in the Christmas in July Ornament Swap.  There were seven of us this year so I have my ornament and six others to add to my collection.

I made this Let It Snow ornament out of Scrabble tiles and covered the tops with Snow-Tex.  That stuff is so cool.

Gramma Deb's cross stitch kitty hanging from a wreath is adorable

Piratemamaof3boys came up with this ingenious wrapped design - so intricate

Lana's painted snowman on canvas is so cute with the hanging scarf

MissJodee came up with a novel use for a cork - love the sheet music for wings

MinnieCo's cross-stitched wreath is so exquisite - such tiny stitches

I love MrsSoup's natural wood slice ornament - I need to ask her if it's a local wood

Today's topic over at Christmas in July was how to display the ornaments that we received in our swap.  This is my second year to participate so I have almost twenty now as well as some other ornaments that I have received in other swaps.  I was thinking that a small tree would be a great way to display them, perhaps with some state or international flags or some other ornaments to show that they are from a variety of places.  I'll have to work on that.

I hope your Rudolph Day was productive and will make your holiday a little more stress-free.