There's a section in the back of my Christmas Planner that has collages, like the one above, of our Christmas decorations from past years. Each year has its own page. I didn't make a page every year, but I did it somewhat regularly - and this is my favorite section of my planner. It also has copies of every Christmas card, from the years when we sent photo cards, and it includes letters from, pre-facebook, when we sent a Christmas letter. Even after we stopped sending a Christmas letter with our cards, I would send one just to my Grandmother. All of that to say, my planners are often as much scrapbooks as they are organizing tools. So at the years end, I like to add photo collages to the sections - reminders that I really did get something done, even though may days it didn't feel like it.
I seriously didn't think I had crafted much in 2023 - It's very easy for me to focus on what I did not get done, and not recognize what I DID accomplish. Once I started pulling up photos of all the things my grandson and I made this year... well, I did a lot more than I realized. :-)
Here's A Look At Some Of The Projects I Completed In 2023
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MAKING FLOWERS
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MAKING FLOWERS
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This was one of my favorite projects in 2023. It was a "free summit" - so the files are no longer free, but I made a list of free alternatives for the flowers used
Using a free svg
This is a gift box, topped in rolled paper flowers. It's a neat idea, but I didn't love my version of it.
I really made a lot more flowers than I realized this year...
Making Felt Flowers
My husband 3D printed flower rolling tools for me this year. I still don't find a tool to be all that helpful, it's just as easy to roll them by hand for the ones I make, but if you are looking for the free stl files to 3D Print these, I list them in the post here
A sunflower and bee banner
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POKEMON PROJECTS
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Another of my favorites this year - here's a step by step for how I made it
To go with it, a few more pokemon projects
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MANDALAS & MACRAME
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I've made quite a few of these now - usually using macrame cord, as shown in the original design. But for this one, I used ribbon in place of the cord. See how to change the text and customize these designs, here:
VALENTINES DAY
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Converting a layered mandala into a card
ST PATRICKS DAY
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The Dreaming Tree Fall Leaf Gnome, for St Patricks Day
St Patrick's Day Flowers
EASTER
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Large paper flower Bunny
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An Easter Card -
Not surprisingly, I made a LOT of kids crafts this year. :-)
FATHERS DAY
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A handprint trophy card for fathers day
4TH OF JULY
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And a handprint Eagle for our kids craft
https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2023/06/handprint-eagle-craft-with-free-svg.html
A Halloween Banner
Santa Count Down
Grinch Head Magnets
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HALLOWEEN
8 of the skeleton bookmarks from Digital Gems. These are quick and easy to make - just 3 layers. I cut 4 from a 12x12 sheet, but I "think" I might have been able to fit 5. Possibly.
No longer a free file - this was temporarily free a year or two ago.
CHRISTMAS
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Snowman Growth Ornaments
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Card Making In 2023
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Two different, but similar, Thank You Notes
More thank you cards, and how I am storing all of my cards -
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Sympathy Cards - some were free svgs, some are not -
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Shadow Boxes In 2023
Two friends came to the farm to learn to use their new machines - this is what they chose for their first project.
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KIDS CRAFTS
Crafting with the 3 year old grandson
In 2023
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A Springy Frog
Pull The Birds Feet & His Wings Move
Pop Up Puppy Dog Birthday Card
A Lemur came to visit our favorite zoo and dinosaur park this summer, so a lemur craft was necessary of course. :-)
Our older grandson has not exactly been thrilled to have a little brother. To put it mildly. When we made these, I am really, really certain I told him I would be adding his baby brothers handprint, once his dried, but by the time I added it, the older one was napping. When he woke up and saw these, he asked "what's that mark on my craft? It's RUINED!" https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2023/04/handprint-butterfly-cricut-kids-craft.html
Christmas Cards
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VINYL & HTV
While I'm certain I did more vinyl projects than this this year, they were all pretty quick and easy, and most likely, done in a last minute rush... so not a lot of photographs. :-)
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Gilmore Girls inspired tote bags for the Winter Knit Along my daughter and I were doing "together".
I finished the tote bags and made booklets for the instructions... but I never even finished the first block! Well - I finished the first block 3 or 4 times, but every time I had to rip it out and start over to fix mistakes.... my daughter did much better. I don't think she's completed it all yet, but she was still working on it, and had several blocks done at least...
Here's a free svg for the project - and more information on the winter knit along -
Dungeon & Dragon Shirts
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We have a spare bedroom here, now that the kids are grown - but I prefer to craft in a corner of my laundry room. It's a lot less space, but it's easily accessible. I often have things cutting while I am working on laundry, or in the next room... it's all right nearby. I think having everything so accessible is one of the reasons I am able to craft a lot without it feeling like I'm crafting a lot. I will often carry pieces on a tray into the living room and assemble while my husband watches tv - or while my grandsons play on the living room floor. Or I'll work at my desk in the craft area, where I can still interact with family, and also cook dinner at the same time, without being shut away and inaccessible. I'm certainly not saying there's anything wrong with having a dedicated craft room - as you will hear me say time and time again, what works for me may not work for you, and what works for you may not work for me. That's ok! The goal is to find what works for each of us! This is merely what works best for me. :-)
See my craft space here:
A look at the projects I made in 2017 - my first year with a cricut
A look at the projects I made with Cricut in 2018
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