Friday, July 2, 2010

~FREE HOLIDAY GRAPHICS...Planning Early with Christmas in July~

Yesterday popped into our local Hobby Lobby (you KNOW this is another fabulous OKLAHOMA based business, right?) and once again I saw aisle after aisle filled with Christmas merchandise that is sure to make both our hearts and heads spin!  What a sight!  Such a beautiful, magical, sparkling menagerie of color and all during the middle of SUMMER!  Can be a bit overwhelming if you think about it.
When I was a little girl, many moons ago now, you NEVER saw Christmas merchandise offered for sale until right after Thanksgiving.  Once Turkey-day was over the chimes began to ring out that it was OK to begin decorating for the holidays.  There were times in my family when our Tree wasn't even put up until a few days before Christmas.  My how things have changed.
I'm long past being irritated by seeing Christmas decor so early.  With the enormous crafting movement that is underway I've learned to both accept and understand that it is necessary for crafters and artisans to be able to get their hands on supplies in order to have their finished products ready for Christmas marketing.  This is especially true when so many of us ship overseas.
In keeping with the "Christmas in July" tradition, I'm offering for all you Blogging Peeps a few FREE Christmas Graphics for use in your own holiday projects.  I scanned these several years ago and have since sold the originals.  The DPI isn't as high as I'd like but I still think many of you will find them charming and fun to use!
I'll be sharing more next week!  Think ahead!  Plan ahead!  It's sure to relieve at least a LITTLE bit of the HOLIDAY STRESS during the most wonderful time of the entire year.

(Just "LEFT CLICK" to enlarge and copy the images!)

Blessings for a lovely summer day...

Love to you~

27 comments:

The Old Parsonage said...

Thanks so much, you know how much I love Christmas and all the planning, crafting and everything that comes with it!

Enjoy the weekend!
Leann

Connie said...

It's kind of sad when I reminisce the "OLD" days, sugar! We don't put our decor up until the last few days now with the kids gone, but Love Bunny still wants the hanging bells that play Christmas music. Drives me nuts, chick!!! But we don't exchange presents anymore as we've got everything we could possibly need and my wants are very few. Just give me roses and great grandchildren and I think I'm in heaven already.
xoxo,
Connie
:-) <--------smiling at ya!!!

Terra said...

You are fortunate to have Hobby Lobby with Christmas craft supplies available. I have long heard of these stores but there isn't one nearby.
Could I post one of these cute Christmas postcards on my blog? I know you said ok to use for hobbies, but I wasn't sure about blogs. I would tell folks about your blog as the source, of course.
Terra

Oklahoma Granny said...

Thank you so much for the beautiful graphics. My major craft is scrapbooking and I can just see some of these on my Christmas pages now!

Patty C. said...

Thanks for the graphics
Take Care :)

Dolores said...

We have a Hobby Lobby 20 minutes away, and I love that store. I like to walk up and down every aisle, and that's a fun job. I love listening to the Christian music they play.....

I need to make a trip over there to check out the Christmas ornaments for our 10 grandchildren.

Happy 4th of July!
Hugs,

Lady Pamela said...

Thank you for your thoughtfulness. It is a good time to begin handmade cards, I like to start mine in July. I like to have everything ready before December, so that I can really enjoy the season.
**Blessings**

Karen said...

I would love to see Christmas decorations now. Might even make us all feel a little cooler!
In Mexico Christmas decorations come out right after All Souls Day (Halloween for us) since there is no Thanksgiving there. I realized then how much I enjoy the Christmas decorating.
You're keeping us on our toes thinking about Christmas. Keep it us!
Have a wonderful holiday weekend.
Karen
Ladybug Creek

stefanie said...

wow, I haven't seen Christmas stuff yet...but I know its coming...time just flys

Pondside said...

What pretty graphics - and how sweet of you to give everyone a free head start!

Patti said...

I'm one of those rare birds that doesn't decorate for Christmas early. I used to, but I have a child that has an 11/29 birthday. He always felt like he didn't have a birthday, because there were Christmas decorations instead of birthday ones. He asked me to wait until after his birthday, which I did...I didnt' decorate until the week of Christmas...and then I left my decorations up until Epiphany, January 6th.

So, while I might look like a Scrooge because I don't decorate early, on the other end of Christmas, when my neighbors' decorations are all put away, mine are still up...and I'm the one that has the Christmas spirit.

At first it bothered me to be so different from everyone else and not decorate early, but since this was how my grandmother always did it, I'm learning that it's okay to be different.

Blessings to you,
Patti

Mari said...

HELLO SWEETIE...

HOW SAD I DONT HAVE A HOBBY LOBBY BY ME :(
I LOVE X~MAS AND LOOK FORWARD TO IT EVERY YEAR :)
AND YOUR X~MAS ITEMS ARE TO DIE FOR BEAUTIFUL :)

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE FOURTH OF JULY :)

HUGS TO YOU SWEET PEA~XOX~MARI

Julie Marie said...

Hello Rebecca... just stopping in to wish you and your family a Happy Fourth of July! (I'll hold off awhile on the Merry Christmas, tee hee hee!)... I didn't know Hobby Lobby was Oklahoma based... we have one about 15 miles to the north of me... I need to go there again... love to you... xoxo Julie Marie

Julie Marie said...

Oooh how fun! We were both visiting each other at the SAME TIME again! Love that! xoxo Julie Marie

Jeannie B. said...

Thank you!! How kind you are to share these pretty little pictures!!

Rena said...

These are so lovely-thanks for posting them!

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

Rebecca,
Thanks so much for the graphics!! They are beautiful!!
I remember watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and could not wait until the end to see Santa because then the Holiday season officially started!!

Have a great Holiday Weekend!!

Hugs,
Debbie

Theresa said...

Thank you Rebecca! Lovely images! I am one of those people who has trouble looking at Christmas goodies until later in the year:) Since I am crafting more, I am trying to change that a bit!

Enjoy your long weekend! Big hugs!

Jocelyn said...

Oh how I'd love to have a Hobby Lobby near by. There are none in our area. Thanks so much for the precious graphics.

Cindy Adkins said...

Hi Rebecca,
I would like to have the honor of presenting you with The Versatile Blogger Award--congratulations!
Stop by my blog to pick it up and read my "7 things about me you didn't know list!"
HUGS,
Cindy

Tanza said...

Hello my ~r~
These are adorable, and soo sweet and innocent .. I LoVe all the old pictures .. Can't wait to see what YoU create using these !! I KNOW you have something up your sleeve .. Sooo FuN ..

Have a happy, FuN, safe 4th of July sweet one, we will be at Canyon Lake until Sunday evening .. More soon
BiG Huggers
~TeA~ xo

Lottie said...

Thank you for the images! You're right about it giving crafters more time to create for Christmas. I would love to make more gifts to give and make more homemade decorations, but working full time doesn't leave much time. It does really make me sad, though, to think of decorating for Christmas right in the middle of summer. Have a great week!

Stephanie ~ Angelic Accents said...

Sweet graphics, dear friend. Thanks for sharing.

My bday is Dec. 15th and that was always our goal to have the tree up and house decorated right before my little bday parties!

Big TX Hugs,
Stephanie
Angelic Accents

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Rebecca...I will celebrate as often and as long as I can on each and every Holiday. I begin decorating for Christmas almost the day after Thanksgiving.
The man I married had not had a Christmas tree in his home since his children grew up. His wife never decorated...no wreath on the front door..nothing. They went to their sons home every year and watched the grandchildren open their presents ..had dinner...and that was it. One day of the Christmas. One.
His life has changed. It takes nearly a week...sometimes more to get things just the way I like them. It isn't work to me. It's fun. I take my time and by the first week of December..everything is usually together. I am still looking for some of my decorations that somehow got misplaced in the move..but..it will come together.
I can't wait for Christmas this year. What fun. What a glorious time. There is something in almost every nook and cranny.
Sometimes just fresh greenery and holly...whatever I can find and put in my vases...a few rolls of pretty ribbon...there were early years of having nothing more..and I loved it.

Hugs and love to you, Rebecca
Mona

Rena said...

Rebecca, when I left-click on these pics it won't let me copy them, it has that copyright notice. Can you fix this?
Thanks!

Mosaic Magpie said...

Thank you for these images, I am already thinking of a project to make with them. Christmas will be here before we know it.
Debbie

dicienan said...

love your blog

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