Cathe Holden’s Inspired Barn | Creative Lifestyle

Santa Clause is coming to Town

Saturday, December 20, 2008 by Cathe Holden

Every year on Christmas, after we’ve opened gifts at home, we drive about 1/2 hour over to Sonoma to enjoy the rest of the day with Jeff’s family. We ultimately end up at Papa’s house where every year Santa Clause, aka: “Taco”, or Jeff’s best friend, Mike, shows up with gifts (that we’d snuck to him earlier.)

Here he is for Bennett’s first few years. The third photo is the year Bennett figured it out! Just look at the smile on his face as Mike, er-uh, Santa came through the door. How hard it was to keep the secret from all the other grandkids!

The year Bennett received his dirt bike, Santa, of course, had to take ’er for a spin.

Thanks, Taco, for the most wonderful Christmas memories parents, I mean- kids could ever ask for. What a great friend, indeed.

3 Comments | Tagged mike caselli, santa

Just Something She Made: A Sign Gift

Tuesday, December 16, 2008 by Cathe Holden

Reader Kristen Hanson wrote to me the other day because she, too, took on the project of reverse sign painting. Here it is described in her words:

“I found your blog a few months ago – I seriously can’t remember how I came across it. I love your designs and projects, esp. the reverse painting. Here’s my attempt at reverse painting, which I made as a Christmas present for a family member. The original design was made in Photoshop, then printed out, taped the image on the glass, and then I layered paint to give it an older feel. I couldn’t find an old window, so I used a floating frame and left both pieces of glass in so that the paint could be protected. It was a cheaper and easier alternative, but not as charming, I must admit, as an old window.”

You did a wonderful job, Kristen! Thank you so much for sharing it.

Be sure to check out Kristen’s Blog, Mommy Made Decisions!

4 Comments | Tagged kristen hansen, reverse sign painting

Happy Birthday Jack: Paper Ornaments

Monday, December 15, 2008 by Cathe Holden

Well, so much for a post a day. Pretty ambitious considering how busy December gets.

My Father-in-law turned 80 last week and Saturday was his birthday party/open house. Jack is a retired large animal vet, loved and respected by many, and you could easily see that on Saturday. Here is the invitation for the party, you’d have to know Jack to appreciate the graphic I designed, but it was a hit!

My sister-in-law bought potted rosemary trees from Trader Joe’s and I made write-on-ornaments to hang from them.

With cream colored card stock from the office supply store, I punched circles with a giant 3″ circle cutter. Then with a little Martha Stewart price tag punch, I punched then folded little pieces from a small pad of Christmas patterned scrapbook paper. Those pieces were slipped over the tops of the circles and secured with pressed grommets. I printed a message on some of the card stock before punching to make the instruction ornaments for the trees. Once at the hall, my kids helped me hang the ornament hooks on each and distribute them to each table’s tree.

By the end of the day we had many wonderful ornament messages to share with Jack, and there were enough ornaments left over for my girls to take to use for a project in their 6th grade class.