Creative Mastermind for Week 12/30: Artkraft Strauss

Long Time No See My Friends!!!! Welcome to The Creative Cabana and a very Happy New Years Eve to You!!! I cannot tell you how much I have missed being able to spend time with you, my loyal readers, since my relocation, the holidays, and work have pretty much taken over the last two weeks. I couldn't let 2013 go though, without giving you one last post for the year! My final post for 2013 is dedicated to the company who was responsible for giving us the best New Years Eve tradition we could imagine- the ball drop. This week's Creative Mastermind is the designer of the Times Square Ball, Artkraft Strauss.

Artkraft Strauss was the prime design company for New York City and designed many of the popular logos and displays which can be viewed through Times Square today. The New Years Eve celebration initially started out with a display of fireworks, and then in 1907 the famous Time Square Ball was designed and officially introduced year 1908 for its debut performance. For over 100 years the ball has symbolized the passing of time, and the beginning of a new year. This brilliant display of lights has undergone several reconstruction phases and updates over the last century, but it has never failed to bring us the bright new year.

I've always considered the Time Square Ball as a unique piece of Art not just because of it's lights, shape, or design, but because it's something that only gets the attention it deserves one night of the year! It's almost like those flowers that only bloom once every 50 years- it's just something spectacular to see and is part of a holiday tradition. To me, the drop of the New Year Ball concludes the holiday season, and we go back to normal life on January 2nd. How about you? Do you like to watch the ball drop in NYC?

Equally as popular is the sensational Dick Clark who really brought this great event through broadcasting, and had America watching for over 30 years! His death in April of 2012, still brings sadness to me even tonight as I'm watching his program right now. The ball drop and Dick Clark go hand in hand together for the perfect New Years Eve tradition, and it's great to see how even now it still lives on!

So, I have to say the reason I chose Artkraft Strauss for this week's Creative Mastermind is that I truly admire the design and message behind the Time Square New Years Eve ball. The creative design and use of lights ranging from traditional bulbs to thousands of LED energy-efficient bulbs is truly awe-inspiring. It's not only an iconic image of New Years, but it should also be valued for it's incredible beauty of art and structure. It wouldn't be New Years without the giant, light-up glass ball in NYC to lead us into the new year with hope and joy.

Here's to you Artkraft Strauss for creating a favorite holiday tradition that we still enjoy over 100 years after it's original debut! If you have a great idea for the FIRST CREATIVE MASTERMIND OF 2014, then please shoot me your idea either leave a comment on this post or you can always send in your comments to The Creative Cabana on Facebook or Twitter. Have a Happy New Year everyone and Wishing You Many Great Moments in the Year Ahead!!!




*All images used in this post were collected as search results from Google Images. I do not own the Times Square Ball, Dick Clark, Rockin' New Years Eve special, or Artkraft Strauss. No Copyright Infringment Intended.

I'm Back With Tidings of Great Joy on This Christmas Night!

Merry Christmas my friends! I can't believe it's been almost a week since my last post, and it saddens me deeply that I was unable to properly finish The 12 Days of Creative Cabana as I had originally planned to due to my move at home. Lesson learned: stay organized and plan ahead. Beyond that, I truly hope that Christmas has brought you all of the joy and happiness you deserve during this festive holiday season. Christmas is truly a time to celebrate and share blessings with friends, family, and those less fortunate. I can't begin to tell you how thankful I've been during this holiday season because of the many blessings and love that people share with me not just through The Creative Cabana, but also the people who know me personally. I can't thank them enough for their spirit and support, which truly demonstrates the meaning behind Christmas.

I won't make this post long because it is rather late and I like so many people have to return to work tomorrow, but since I have my internet working again I did not want to leave my 12 Days project unfinished, so I have posted my photos for Days 8 through 12 which show the projects I had planned to discuss with you. Many of them are self-explanatory just based on the subject and picture used, however I wanted to note that these jolly ideas should be kept handy for next Christmas when (hopefully) life will be less complicated on my end, and you'll have the free time to participate in these great Christmas fun projects.

One final note before I say goodnight, because of the long delay in internet access and the holiday, I will not be posting a Creative Mastermind for this week because I want you all to take the time to spend with your friends and family for the Christmas holiday. However, please check back for some great ideas on getting ready for your New's Year Eve celebration. Lets ring in 2014 with creativity and style! Have a wonderful evening everyone, Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

*All images used for the collage pictures were gathered from Google Images. These pictures were for the visual representations of creative ideas for the readers. I am not passing off these ideas or images as mine own, but are used only for inspiration and guidance. No Copyright Infringement Intended.

And on the Seventh Day, Let There Be Dazzling Ornaments!

Good Morning friends and readers of The Creative Cabana! Can you believe it, we’ve past the half point in The 12 Days of Creative Cabana! Wow does the time fly! I hope you’ve been enjoy these special daily projects, despite some of the delays in getting the posts uploaded. It’s funny how time works in our lives sometimes, but the important thing is that we make the most of it as best we can. For today’s Seventh Day project, I’ve chosen to focus on a typical, yet creative idea that can be perfect for any family, organization, class, group, or just something to do yourself.

While most people tend to purchase their ornaments (and there’s nothing wrong with that), I think it’s always nice to add a personal handmade ornament to your collection. I remember when I was in Kindergarten we made ornaments that look like wreaths using puzzle pieces which were glued together and then tied on a string. I still have that ornament today, and I use it on my Christmas Tree to help me remember my childhood and how much things have changed since then. Perhaps you have something similar? If not, now is a great time to start building memories through ornaments!

Looking back to the ornament pictures used my collage, think about which ones stand out to you. Some of those ornaments may look familiar to you from other craft project ideas that float around on the internet- the most popular being the ornament filled with glitter and the melted crayon ornament. Yes, I said melted crayon, it is literally what it sounds like and at the end your ornament comes out looking like something you’d see in our Solar System! Anyone for a Jupiter ornament? If you’d like some instructions on this concept just click here.  If you’re seeking some other suggestions for ornament creations, I suggest using personal mementos that may not have much use elsewhere. If you have pieces like jewelry charms, beads, buttons, or other small decorative items, those would make great materials for creating an ornament.

Another concept I’d like to share with you is a special memorial ornament. If you have a picture of a deceased loved one and would like a way to honor them at Christmas, then what better way to do so than by creating their own personalized ornament? You can either purchase small ornament frames pre-made, or create your own by purchasing ornament kits at a local store. Simply design your memorial around the picture and then decorate it using your fondest memories of that person: colors, lifestyles, relationships, etc. Here’s a few examples I found on the internet that I thought were just wonderful and could give you some ideas on how to recognize your loved one even on Christmas. 

   

 Ornaments can be a lot of fun to create and decorate when you have a sort of “game plan” of what you want it to look like. Try considering a theme for your decorations, which might help with planning how you want your ornaments to look. If you’re creating ornaments with children, then I highly recommend purchasing ornament kits from your local craft store because they’re very kid-friendly, easy to use, no mess, and usually aren’t very expensive to buy depending on how elaborate you want.

Whatever type of ornament you decide to create, it's important to always keep in mind that this will be a one-of-a-kind ornament and no one else will have one like it. These also make for great gifts for friends and co-workers if you're running short on ideas for them too. Ornaments are the perfect keepsake to help treasure the memories that you hold most dear. Happy Ornamenting Friends and if you want to share your classy designs with The Creative Cabana, please do so. I'd love to see what amazing creations you can come up with. Have a fantastic day everyone! 

*Images used in the collage and the memorial ornaments were collected from Google Images. I do not own these pictures, or the ornaments in these pictures. It is not my intention to pass off these designs or ideas as my own thoughts, but only to share them with readers seeking inspiration. I hereby give full credit for the photos and designs to their respective owners. No Copyright Infringement Intended. 

There's a Reason to Be Jolly For Day Six!

Well, HO HO HO! Look who dropped in today for the Sixth Day of Creative Cabana? SANTA!!!! (Go ahead and do your best Buddy the Elf impression). I get a kick out of people every year who take the time to make their own, creative Santa. I doesn't matter if it's craft based, professionally made, or just a simple dress-up doll, I think the ability to create your own version of Santa is a unique and very creative concept that I feel is worth sharing.

Santa Claus is one of the most beloved symbols of the holiday season, and it's no wonder that you seem him EVERYWHERE and in a variety of different settings. I can't help but laugh when I see the Santas who are on a surfboard wearing beach shorts, or the Santa who is driving a Harley. While sometimes these decorative pieces can be a bit on the tacky side, it's also very notable for the level of creativity (in addition to the humor of it all). By creating your own custom Santa figure, you have to ability to demonstrate what represents you through Santa: hobbies, sports, military, favorite color, etc.

Ever since I was a little girl, I imagined Santa as being "the perfect person" because of his kind gestures, his sweet smile, and lovable laugh. That being said Santa loves everyone from every background, nation, financial status, etc. So it's easy to decorate Santa in a fashion that pays tribute to things you care about. As an example, I love the Santa picture where he is dressed like an artist. The person who created that Santa figure clearly wanted to represent their artistic personality and make a statement of art through Santa. It's also very simple and classic in composition- there's no over the top colors, or extra riff-raff in design. You can easily look at the figure and know it IS Santa, but an artist version. The other Santas are very easily constructed and perfect for child's play. Using common craft materials such as cups, paper plates, Popsicle sticks, and toilet paper rolls are easy building block to create your Santa as well. You can then customize your Santa further with a variety of decorative materials such as construction paper, buttons, cotton balls, markers, craft felt, watercolor paints, or simple pieces of scrap cloth.

Each Santa to create is unique in design and decoration, so there aren't really an instructions I can give you on creating "the perfect Santa". What I can suggest though is making a sketch of how you imagine your Santa to look, figure out what materials you need to prepare, and as always JUST HAVE FUN! This isn't something that will be on display at The National Art Gallery, so don't worry about making your Santa an outstanding masterpiece. It will always be a masterpiece to you and if anything else you can tell your friends and family, that it's your unique perspective of Santa! It's all your own, no one else can create a Santa like you!

Ok my friends, it's time for me to get back to the packing, but I wanted to make sure that today's post got online early enough. I hope you have a great Wednesday, 1 week 'til Christmas so get excited! and I'll be back tomorrow for Lucky Day 7!!!! Take Care Everyone!

*All images used in the collage were gathered as results from Google Images. I hereby give full credit to the photographers, and owners for each picture and craft. The purpose in using these images was for inspiration use and not to take credit for the work of others. No Copyright Infringement Intended. 

Welcome to Day Five! Sorry, No Gold Rings Here Though!

In every version of "The 12 Days of Christmas" people always look forward to hearing the unique verse "5 GOLDEN RINGS!!!!!". So naturally, I'm sure you're expecting something unique for today as well right? HA! You're in luck then, because I don't have gold rings, but I do have something ring-shaped for you today!

That's right today's special craft is 5 Homemade wreaths! I think sometimes wreaths get swept under the rug in popular decoration because they seem ordinary. Most wreaths consist of the classic assortment of leaves, twigs, and sometimes flowers shaped around wire to form a ring figure. Then there's usually a bow attached on top for decoration. Over the years I've seen them evolved to include more fancier decoration, but the ones I admire are the custom designs. If you create your own wreath, chances are it will be more decorative to your liking and probably cheaper than buying one at the store. The cool thing about wreaths is that they don't have to be made from nature. So I've decide to give you five creative ideas for decorating the perfect Christmas wreath!

Personally, I like to consider wreaths as the perfect decoration because they're simple, classy, and yet easy to handle. If you're designing your own custom wreaths, then it's even better because they're fairly simple to construct and easy to maintain. Basically you'll be starting with some basic wire to make your wreath as big (or small) as you'd like. The next piece is of the puzzle is what is thing going to be made of? In the pictures provided above, I found these particular designs to be quite unique and eye-catching no matter what level of crafting to you consider yourself to be. Some ideas of materials you can use for your wreaths can be jingle bells, paper, beads, necklaces, or ornaments. These are my five suggestions for you to create your own personalized Christmas wreath, but these few ideas aren't your only option. Find what theme you wish to present in your design and follow it throughout your project. If you like the color red, then consider adding red elements to your wreath to help make that statement. If you prefer the more traditional look of a wreath, then you can invest in common decorations like ribbons, pine cones, ornaments, or other winter novelties at your craft store (for a low budget price!)

The main thing to keep in mind with this project is that, it's all in the art of how you want your wreath to look! I gave you five ideas for creating homemade wreaths, but really the possibilities are endless! Find what you like and GO FOR IT! Once you have your perfect wreath designed and ready for showcase feel free to share your creation with us, by leaving a comment about it or you can always share your photos with The Creative Cabana on Facebook or Twitter.



Please remember my friends, I'm in the process of moving hence the major delays in getting my posts uploaded. I truly apologize for the delays and will do my best to work around them through my crazy schedule! The holidays were meant for fun, not for moving, so please bear with me! Have a great night and I'll see you all tomorrow!



* All images used in this post were gathered from Google Images, although the collage picture itself was of my own creation. I give fill credit to the respective photographers and owners of each craft (and drawing). No Copyright Infringement Intended.

Get Your Camera Ready for The Fourth Day of Christmas!

Have you gotten your jingle on yet? Hopefully if you haven't, then I've got a great project for you! One of my favorite hobbies is photography and it's even better when you get to combine creative outlets with photos! The nice thing about photos is that they're multi-service. You can easily use your winter and holiday photos for cards, wall pictures, or just for admiring them. I've got a great idea though for taking your photographs and turning them into holiday masterpieces!

Each of the pictures you see above are my own personal photographs from a selection of my Christmas albums. I took each original photo and did a little enhancing using one of my favorite websites PicMonkey. If you haven't used this website before, I can honestly say it's very user friendly and a lot of fun! It's a great, FREE, yes I said FREE, alternative to programs like Photoshop. I used each of the four photos shown above with PicMonkey and each one has distinctive feature effects, that I'd like to share with you to give your pictures the "perfect touch".

This first picture was taken several years ago at a family Christmas Eve party. At this stage in my photography career I was just getting warmed up and still practicing with holding the camera straight. The unique thing about this picture was that even though it was a little shaky, it still turned out pretty nice to me. I mainly fell in love with color that showed up in the picture, sometimes it's hard to get the color temperature in a picture just right, especially when dealing with low lighting. In this case the Christmas Tree lights helped to give enough color support to really make the photo come to life. For this particular photo, I chose to do a Polaroid Make-up which turned my picture into a vintage Polaroid color shot, then I simply added the text "Merry Christmas!" for caption purposes. This is a great feature to use for those individuals who enjoy the vintage look of photographs. This a great effect to keep that vintage classic look alive without destroying the physical quality of the picture.

                            (Before)                                                                        (After)

This next picture is what's often called a "selfie". It features myself on the left, to my right is one of my best friends Colleen. We took this picture last year at the Wildlights Christmas Display at The Columbus Zoo (which is a lot of fun and really neat to see!). I love this picture so much because it reminds of the classic phrase "Awww, it's a Kodak moment". This picture simply captured a great moment in time where I shared a great night with a great friend. When I saw this picture blown up on my computer I was tickled by the lights in the background and how they made for the perfect backdrop for me and my friend. I didn't really do a whole lot of editing to this picture, but what I did change is very simple and perfect for fixing little issues in your pictures. I added a feature called "Frost" which is the white fog around the corners of the picture. This just gives my photo a little artistic touch and is perfect for creating the "winter feel." I also added a slight color boost because this was taken at night, and naturally the picture was slightly too dark and dull. The last thing I did was a favorite feature of mine and is quite popular in photo editing- the blemish fix. This is a simple brush technique that instantly removes your unwanted blemishes, cuts, and even zits! It's a great tool to ensure you have the picture perfect look!

                                 (Before)                                                           (After)

My third picture features the Christmas Tree found just outside of the campus Chapel at my college, Ashland University. Each year, there was a special celebration for the Christmas Tree and I happened to take a picture of the tree one night on my way to my room. Because this picture was taken at night, and it was extremely dark where I was standing, much of the picture was blacked out except for the tree and colors of the building around it. So I decided for my little editing trick that I would make the entire photo black & white, except for the Christmas Tree which pops against the black background. I used the reverse tint effect to color the picture black except around the tree. PicMonkey also has some Christmas stickers available to be placed on your pictures. I chose "Seasons Greetings" because, Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas can get old very fast- so freshen it up a bit! 

                                         (Before)                                                           (After)

              

My fourth and final picture I'm sharing with you is another Christmas Tree that I took a picture of at The Columbus Zoo last year. I loved how this tree was decorated and it was perfectly placed by the entrance giving all of the visitor that instant welcome feeling. I have to admit though, as pretty as this picture is I wanted to do a "silly" example of how you can take your photographs put a slight twist to them. This particular tree didn't have anything on top of it- no star, angel, not even a decorative bow! So, I found the perfect opportunity by placing a Santa Hat sticker at the top, along with a sticker of the Merry Christmas emblem which resembles an old-fashion stamp. This picture should give you the impression, do not be afraid to be a little "funny" in your editing. The holidays are meant to put a smile on everyone's faces, so make sure you really take the opportunity to have a little fun in your work! 

                                         (Before)                                                       (After)

      

So, do you think you can handle four festive photos? I'm sure you can! Even if you have access to more advanced photo editing programs, take advantage of free tools that can you can easily learn and have fun with. I always learn best when I can just play around with the tools given to me. Photo editing works the same way. It's a lot of trial and error, and experimenting with color, shades, effects, and designs. Creativity knows no boundaries, so find yourself some good pictures you'd like to enhance and you're off to the races! Don't forget to stop by tomorrow to see what special surprise the 5th Day of Creative Cabana will bring! 

Also, I'd like to ask my readers to please bear with me in getting my posts online in a timely manner. I am currently in the process of moving and have limited access to my laptop and the internet. But don't let my moving spoil your fun! I'll keep you updated on The Creative Cabana's social media sites. Check back each day for a new Christmas Activity! Have a fantastic night everyone and sweet creative dreams! 

*All photos used in this post belong to me and they are from my personal collection. Some of the photographs were edited through the online site PicMonkey. I would like acknowledge and thank the developers for the creation of this free editing tool. I do not own PicMonkey or have any connections to the company or owner(s). No Copyright Infringement Intended. 

Creative Mastermind for Week 12/16: Hallmark

Happy Monday! Ok, maybe Monday isn't quite so happy after going back to the grind and wishing that the weekend could be a tad longer, however I find it happy because I get to spend the time with you my wonderful readers! As you know, it's a new week which means a new Creative Mastermind must be determined. This week I've decided to profile a company that proves a popular service to us throughout the year and major holidays. They're not the only company do participate in this line of work, but it's the first name that comes to mind when I think of creativity in greetings cards: Hallmark.

Now when you hear or see the name Hallmark you probably think of a few things: greeting cards, the channel network, the movies, or even their retail stores throughout the country. Hallmark symbolizes the simpler things in life like love, friendship, laughter, and togetherness. All of these things are often seen through their products, shows, and televised movies. What I truly appreciate about this company is that they use many of the categories I focus on in creativity to give the public outstanding and memorable product.

Hallmark was founded in 1910 by Joyce Hall and is currently headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. For over 100 years this company has served as the largest retailed greeting card business and put smiles on many people! It may be the cute phrases or messages placed within the cards that touch your heart, but for me what I truly admire is the artwork and design of the card. Think about when you're at a store searching for the perfect card for that special occasion. What draws you to a specific card? For me, is the picture and while you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, it's what grabs you first. Some cards contain illustrations or drawn images, while other designs can include photography or digital graphics. The artists who work hard behind the scenes to creative these memorable pieces show a great deal of talent and ability to grab our attention.

Hallmark isn't just about the greetings cards and stores though, it's also about their television channel and classic movies. I tend to watch Hallmark every once in awhile to watch reruns of The Golden Girls, but I think what really makes this channel popular is their own produced movies. Especially around the holidays, Hallmark gets big into creating these movies centered around the message of the holiday, love, friendship, and hope. They're also known for their soft-romance movies like "Love Comes Softly". They can be a little corny if that type of genre isn't your thing, but I do give credit in the production of these movies. Often times the characters act the parts well beyond what you might find in other TV movies, and plus the stories tend to flow a lot smoother when they can take time to dedicate themselves to the message rather than the sole conflict like in other films.

Overall, I have to say that Hallmark's production in both broadcast and greeting cards is well admired and certainly inspiring to those who appreciate the hard work and dedication in creating quality material. Everyone who takes part in this company should be proud of themselves for sharing the love and kindness through artistic, poetic, and media produced talents. Sometimes a simple greeting card can make a person's day, and it's thoughts like that which help people to continue on, knowing that someone does indeed care. So well done Hallmark, you are this week's Creative Mastermind!

I always want to give my readers an opportunity to share your ideas with me! If you have an idea for a future Creative Mastermind, give me your suggestions either by commenting on this post or share your thoughts with me through The Creative Cabana Facebook or Twitter page! Also, today marks the 4th Day of Creative Cabana and the next project for the day will be posted soon, so check back to see what surprises are in store for today! Have a great Monday everyone!

*I do not own Hallmark- cards, company, movies, or the television network. All product and rights strictly belong to the Hallmark Company. I have no connections to their cards, movies, shows, and no relations to Joyce Hall. This post is only to show my appreciation for the company. All images used in this post were gathered from Google Images. I do not own the company logo, or any of the images related to the company. I give full credit to their respective owners and photographers. No Copyright Infringement Intended.

On the 3rd Day... Oops I mean Night... of Christmas!

Salutations and Good Evening my fellow Creative Cabana readers! I hope this weekend was everything you hoped it'd be and more! My weekend has been busy and stressful sadly. Spending the holiday season working in stores is interesting and enjoyable watching people smile when they find "the perfect gift", but it's also exhausting. Lucky for me and for you too, if you find yourself in stressful times then I offer a suggestion to you that I find relaxing as well a great exercise for creative outlets.

So the ideal project for the day (ok night, since it's 10:03pm as I'm typing this) is art, or in this case drawings. Now, I've said this on several occasions in my posts and I will repeat it once again- if you don't consider yourself an artist or have the artistic ability, RELAX! The Art Police will not come and get you, then take you to jail for crappy hand work. In fact, the great thing about drawing is that it doesn't require perfection in order to be labeled as good or art. My view is that all artwork is in the eye of the beholder and it's wrong to judge someone's work because it's not to "your taste". Drawing specifically this time of year can be very useful because it can be incorporated in a number of ways: greeting cards, wall art, presents, or simply decoration.

The three drawings used in the collage picture I have posted are example I found through Google of different Christmas artwork created by everyday artists. Note that these aren't Thomas Kincade standard, or Vincent Van Goah levels, but they are still pretty good. What I admire is the different use of color, shade, and materials in creating each of these pieces. In having a passion for Art, I have to say I own a set of professional color pencils, charcoal sets, and some pastel pieces. If you don't have any of the fancier materials available to you, that is perfectly fine because a simple pen or pencil can go a long way.

If you can, think back to your old school art classes where you learned about terms like line, shape, texture, shade, and so on. Using these elements think about what you want to draw (or sketch for less detail). At Christmas time, I tend to be fond of drawing scenes like outdoors, or the Christmas Trees, or even the fireplace with stockings hanging. Sounds a little cliche, right? Well that's just my preferences. The subject is up to YOU! Once you have your subject picked out, figure out how you want to create your artwork: draw, paint, sketch, etc. Then using your tools, you can begin to create your masterpiece and don't work if doesn't look like much to start out. The great thing about Drawing is that it's an excellent stress reliever and allows you to take your mind off other situations to focus on making the art look how you desire it to be.

Drawing makes for an excellent creative project, a terrific stress relief, and overall just a lot of fun to kill time. Try it out for yourself and then send in your pics to this through your comments or you can share on The Creative Cabana's social media sites: Twitter and Facebook. Be sure to check back each day for a new creative project idea as part of The 12 Days of Creative Cabana and tomorrow will the selection of this week's Creative Mastermind. Lots of good stuff coming up, so don't miss out! Have a great night everyone and see you tomorrow!

On the Second Day of Christmas...

Good morning my friends and say hello to the weekend! Today, I'd like to share a project that is low-maintenance, low-budget, but high on style and creativity. This particular project is ideal for the creative minds who enjoy some DIY home decor and design time.

Centerpieces make for a great creative project not just because they're easy to create and fairly low budget, but they're individually unique. Search either Pinterest or Google for Christmas Centerpieces and you will instantly notice how not all centerpieces are created equal. I think most people view centerpieces as the standard "flowers in a vase" form, and nowadays that's not quite the case anymore. Traditionally, flowers would kept in a variety of styled vases and could placed on tables, nightstands, fireplace mantles, or other common household spaces. Today, I see centerpieces being made out of just about any kind of material you can think of.

A common feature I see in modern centerpieces is the use of ornaments and ribbons. I tend to have a lot of leftover ball ornaments and filling them up in vases, baskets, or other containers could make for a great centerpieces. Ribbons can be used to tie (literally and figuratively) all elements together in your piece. Some people use ribbon to help accent their pieces like the picture above in the wine bottles versus bounding flowers together like the picture on the left above.


When it comes to actually filling your centerpieces with materials, you honestly can do just about anything from candy to fruit stacks, ornaments, or scent sticks (as long as no one in your party has allergies), beads, decoration wire strings, etc. Finding a good base to hold your materials together can be just as fun! Again the common theme is using flower vases as the foundation for your centerpieces, however it isn't your only option. Other concepts I'd like to suggest are clean mason jars, wine glasses, baskets, small gifts bags, and candy dishes. The goal when creating your centerpieces is to pick a good stable foundation piece that will hold all of your desired decorative elements and then when you add your materials avoid going "over-the-top". As with most creations, simplicity is key but you want to make your centerpieces pop. When decorating consider factors like theme, color, sparkle, or shapes to help guide you into what kind of centerpiece you want for your table.

If you need some ideas to help jump-start your centerpiece creations then I suggest visiting The Creative Cabana's Pinterest Board "Christmas Creativity" for inspiration on shapes, colors, and designs. Definitely do your research though so you can get a game plan of what items to incorporate for your centerpiece. If you do need to purchase materials for your creation, I suggest visiting low-budget stores such as Walmart, Dollar Tree, or Discount Craft Stores where you can find good deals on plenty of decorative elements and a great selection to pick from!

Likewise, if you do make a terrific Christmas Centerpiece, take a picture and share it with The Creative Cabana either by posting here or visiting us at Facebook and Twitter. Until tomorrow my friends, have a great Saturday and let those creative juices flow!

*Images used in this post were gathered from search results on Google Images. I hereby give full credit to their respective photographers and owners for posting these online. Also I do not own Walmart, Dollar General, or other discount stores mentionned in this post. I merely mentionned these places as suggestion for purchasing craft materials, and not as an endorsement. No Copyright Infringement Intended. 

Kickoff to the 12 Days of Creative Cabana!!!

Happy Friday the 13th everyone!!!! What a great day to officially kickoff the first ever 12 Days of Creative Cabana! I'm very excited to start this new tradition for this blog with you and while I notice a lot of people do their own "12 Days of Christmas" bits, my goal is to give you 12 creative ideas that will spark joy and inspiration for you during this holiday season. So between now and December 24th, each day will be a special project ranging from any of the discussed creative fields here, as well as some of my own personal input ideas! Why wait any longer, let's start with our first day....

Today's special project is a Video Christmas Greeting which can shared through Social Media, E-mail, Websites, and Broadcast. Last month, I discussed this project idea in the post "Do-It-Yourself Holiday Cards" where I used Windows Movie Maker to create a simple presentation of photos and graphics to create a virtual multimedia greeting card. I've done something similar in my demonstration of a Christmas greeting, but this time I've used my webcam to incorporate my own testament for this greeting.

I think it's always nice to add a personal touch to any type of card whether it's a picture, letter, video image, or another individual touch. In my greeting card, I recorded my message using my webcam in Windows Movie Maker. It worked out ok, but for quality purposes I highly recommend using a digital camera that records video, or if you have a camcorder that would be better. Also if you have one available, please consider using a microphone for your device so that your speech will come in at a much better quality and volume. Because I don't own a video camera, or a microphone- the webcam will have to do for this demonstration. If you are using a camcorder to record your message, be sure to adjust your settings to the appropriate levels- be mindful of lighting, scenery, and sounds. It doesn't have to be "Hollywood Movie" quality, but you should try to make the best of what you can.

Next come the visuals. You can easily add any picture, graphics, or other images into your editing programs by simply importing the content. If you're using a lower-budget program (like me) such as Windows Movie Maker, you might have to be a little creative when incorporating these elements into your video. Simplicity is key, but don't forget to add a little fancy too! Here is my final completed Video Greeting specially for you. Keep in mind, it's not perfect, and there are many things I wish I could do to spruce it up, however I'm working on a lower budget so bear with me!

I'm sure you've noticed a few things that could be better, but it's the thought that counts right? haha! Actually, this isn't bad for running on a webcam and with Windows Movie Maker. You don't have to be as formatted or structured as I made mine, but it at least gives you an idea or a template of how it COULD be done.

Again, refer to my previous post "Do-It-Yourself Holiday Cards" for a more detailed tutorial on creating these online video greetings. If you do have any questions, suggestions, or comments regarding Video Greetings, feel free to leave a comment this post and I'd be happy to respond!

Don't forget, to check back each day for a new project idea as part of The 12 Days of Creative Cabana! Have a Happy Friday Everyone and Stay Warm!

Need a little extra Christmas inspiration?

Good afternoon my friends! Thanks for stopping by The Creative Cabana today! It's been a snowy and cold day here at headquarters (aka Columbus, Ohio). We've been blasted with the snow, wind, and the cold temperatures for almost a week and while I'm ok with it for the moment, on December 26th I wanna see blue skies and 80 degree temperatures! I know, "Dream On!". Oh well, it's nothing a good cup of Hot Chocolate can't cure.

Courtesy of Bitstrips via Facebook

Anyway, I have finally managed to get The Creative Cabana's Christmas Board on Pinterest up and running. I truly do apologize for the delay and hope that there won't be any more problems for awhile because I've got a lot more surprises in store for you. The Pinterest Board is titled "Christmas Creativity" and features ideas for decorating, crafts, photography, and other wonderful concepts for your holiday celebration. I'll be adding more pins to the board over the next two weeks, so make sure you check it out for more inspiration, and be sure to follow The Creative Cabana on Pinterest too! I'm always looking to share the love and creativity with as many people as possible, so please help me spread the word!

So visit: http://www.pinterest.com/creativecabana/christmas-creativity/ to check out the Christmas Board made especially for YOU! and while you're there, don't forget to follow The Creative Cabana for more ideas on all things Creative!!! That's all I've got for now, but I promise you more exciting things are to come! Starting Friday will be the 12 Days of The Creative Cabana where each day until December 24th I will have an exciting project to share with you themed around Christmas. It's going to be a lot of fun, so stick around! Additionally, if you've got some Christmas decorating or crafting ideas you'd like to share, don't be shy! Just leave a comment here or share on Facebook or Twitter. Stay warm and take care everyone!

Creative Mastermind for Week 12/9: Mannheim Steamroller

Hello and Good Tidings to you my wonderful Creative Cabana readers! If you've been following The Creative Cabana on Twitter, you might've noticed the posting issues I've been having over the last few days. I apologize to my readers who have been trying to see recently uploaded content. The recent winter storm that passed through the Midwest and Northeastern United States, caused some problems with my internet and nothing that I apparently posted showed up! Now that everything seems to FINALLY be working again, I'll have that post up either later today or early tomorrow after doing some more adjustments. But first, I have to present you with this week's Creative Mastermind!

In following with the December theme of Christmas and the arrival of winter (yeah, it's here unfortunately), I have been searching around for Creative Masterminds that spark a sense of unique talent during this time of year. It has occurred to me that I haven't talked a whole lot about audio production with you folks, so I'm going to share with you one of my favorite Christmas musicians and their audio production techniques- Mannheim Steamroller.

This band is definitely one of the most unique and influential bands to hit the music industry for the last few decades. Mannheim Steamroller's music is unlike anything you've heard before, taking a twist on many classic holiday favorites and giving the tunes a modern upgrade. The arrangement of music varies between many instruments and sounds. One of the key pieces in the audio and music production of their work is the use of electronic keyboards and synthesizers. The electronic music doesn't make the pieces sound any less genuine, but it does help to put a creative edge to the music compared to other renditions. 

Starting from the beginning is the man behind the creation of Mannheim Steamroller- Mr. Chip Davis. He created Mannheim Steamroller along with Jackson Berkey in the mid-1970s. Taking the group a step further, Davis developed his own music label for Steamroller since other labels would not pick up the group's work. Through the first several years of establishment, Mannheim Steamroller performed music for television broadcasts and specials on stations such as PBS. Then in 1984, Mannheim Steamroller was introduced into the genre of Christmas and Traditional Holiday music which became a hit for them! Many people were impressed with the unique modern style the group offered and quickly became a holiday favorite for radio stations across the country. Even today, Mannheim Steamroller is still one of the most requested holiday groups among tons of performers and other bands. In fact, if you watched this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, then you probably caught a glance of the group playing their hit "Deck the Halls" to welcome in Santa Claus at the finale of the parade. 

Personally, I find myself very attractive to the music and audio style of their songs because they managed to maintain the festive ambiance of the music, but also giving it a modern sound design to bring it into the 21st century. I mean think about it, anyone can redo "Joy to the World" and it sounds just like any other traditional version. BUT, if you listen to Mannheim Steamroller's "Joy to the World" it sounds totally different while still keeping the basic foundation of melody and tune. Actually, when I heard their rendition of "Joy to the World" it made me think of a newscast or something! Still though, very cool techniques are used to deliver a new twist on an original classic. Normally, I tend to feel synthesizers can be a little "annoying" in terms of audio production, because they can be hard to control and maintain for quality sound and editing. Instead, for Mannheim Steamroller, as well as some of my other favorite 80s groups, I think the synthesizer serves well for the purpose. 

Probably my two favorite songs of theirs would have to be the "Faeries" from "The Nutcracker" and their version of "Silent Night". I like "Faeries" because, as the spelling suggests, it is very different. This particular track plays off the classic tune "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies" and inserts of variety of pauses with percussion playing, as well as additional electronic influence within the beat. It's hard to say exactly why I'm so fond of this song other than the fact that it's just different. It makes me laugh a little bit at how each section of this piece is broken down with the drum beat and other breaks between measures. But don't take my word for it, have a listen for yourself:

*Side note, I just love watching these house that have the synced lights with the music! Hope you enjoyed that too!

The other song of Mannheim Steamroller's that I am truly fond of is their version of "Silent Night". Unlike many of their other popular tunes, Mannheim Steamroller's rendition is very soft and sweet in melody and doesn't present a lot of non-traditional instrumentation, except for the keyboarding. The odd thing is that I didn't actually hear this song from their album. I heard it for the first time back in December 2001. It was played on the radio and the moment I heard it I started to cry. The song I'm referring to is known as the "9/11 Silent Night". The music in the background is that of Mannheim Steamroller, but there is also lyrics along with it performed by an adult man. The man is portraying the voice of God on Sept. 11 2001. If you haven't heard this or the "Solider's Silent Night" (which is the same concept, except the voice is that of Santa visiting an U.S solider overseas), then I highly encourage you to listen to both songs. The original "Silent Night" can be heard here along with the music video provided by VH1-Classics:

All of Mannheim Steamroller's music is powerful, aw-inspiring, and unique if nothing else! I chose Mannheim Steamroller as a Creative Mastermind because their talent through music and audio production is completely out of this world and also brings in a unique perspective to the holiday season. I encourage all of you, if you haven't done so already, to take a few moments between now and Christmas to enjoy the melodies this extremely talented group has to offer because it's a whole new experience for each generation!

Remember, if you have a great idea for a Creative Mastermind, just a leave a comment on this post with your suggestions! I'd love to hear more feedback from you and don't forget to follow The Creative Cabana on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Enjoy the rest of your Monday everyone and stay tuned for more exciting and creative holiday ideas! 

*All images used in this post were gathered from Google Images and I give full credit to the respective photographers and owners of each picture used. Also, the videos provided for "Silent Night" and "Faeries" were from YouTube and I acknowledge that these songs belong to Mannheim Steamroller, and the videos belong to their respective owners. I do not own Mannheim Steamroller, or any of their songs. I also do not own VH1-Classic, PBS, or Macy's. No Copyright Infringement Intended. 

Lights, Garland, and Ornaments OH MY!

Hello and good evening to you my friends! I thank you all for being so patient as I work to get my posts up for you today! My life has been a little crazy lately between starting my new job, doing some housework, and of course making preparations for my Christmas decorating. Yeah, I haven't put up a tree yet, lights, or anything up yet- but I'm not exactly behind schedule. When I do have everything up and ready, I'll be posting pictures to share my decorating ideas with you. However, just because I'm behind on my personal decorating plans, doesn't mean I can't help you with yours!

Out of all the holidays in the year, Christmas seems to be the one holiday that's like a competition and is easily becoming more commercial each year. People, no matter how you celebrate Christmas just please keep it pleasant and don't over do yourself! In my personal opinion, the best decorating comes from people who plan ahead of time as to what strategies they'd like to take, and I also appreciate the people who really pay close attention to detail to make their Christmas decorations look tasteful and elegant. Now, just so there's no confusion, I'm not say your tree or lights should look like something out of "Better Homes and Gardens", but you don't have to fill the yard with every tacky Christmas decoration you can find! If you are finding yourself this week getting out your Christmas decor items, I'd like to offer some suggestions to help keep your decor style simple, pretty, and festive!

Lights

Ok, first lets talk about lights. For many years now I've seen a lot of people struggle with the phenomenon of hanging Christmas lights around their house, trees, bushes, etc. The key with lights is to know how many strands you own, the colors, which ones flash, etc. I suggest keeping some kind of record sheet so you know exactly what you have in the way of lights, and also note of spare bulbs you may keep as well. It's so easy to be frustrated with hanging up lights, so keeping a good inventory of your current stash of decorating lights can be helpful and productive! It's also important to that you separate your indoor lights from the outdoor lights. You don't want to cause a fire and also be mindful of lights that can trigger power surges, not just in your house, but your whole neighborhood. I've seen it happen before! Now if you need some ideas on using your Christmas lights, I suggest wrapping them around porches, fences, archways, or even garages! When I was little we used to outline our living room windows with the lights- now I just stick to the bushes! The picture below is an example of my light decorating skills from last year, using a few strands of lights and two candle lights for the porch:

Garlands and Wreaths

Within the next week or two I'm planning to demonstrate a special DIY project for designing your own decorative wreaths and garlands. For now, I'd like to suggest that you browse the "pre-made" selection at your local stores and retail outlets. This will give you an idea of classic professional designs, as well as pieces you do like or do not want to incorporate in your decorative designs. In my past experience, it tends to be more personalized (and less expensive) when you purchase your own basic wreath and garland sets, then find all the trimmings to decorate them with. If you chose to go this route, I highly recommend visiting crafty or even thrift stores for bargains on items like jingle bells, ribbon, or other smaller pieces to add to your artistic work. Another common idea is to incorporate additional Christmas lights into your wreaths and garlands, this is fine as long as you do so safely. Scented pine cones are also another unique idea because they not only serve as great air fresheners, but it can also help give your home the warm, cozy aroma effect when inviting guests over- just be mindful about allergies, and don't use anything with too strong of a scent! Often times this can lead to headaches or other uncomfortable sensations, so if you must use scented items be sure to pick something that won't knock others out! 

Ornaments

Ahh, ornaments, the very essence of Christmas decorating! Let me tell you that shatter-proof ornaments are just about the best innovative idea to come around in awhile. I first noticed these last year at Walmart in the big bulk packs where you get a set of about 20 variety ornaments. These ornaments are great for trees that have a lot of LKI (Little Kid Impact) and you don't want to risk have damaged ornaments everywhere. Personally, because the designs on these ornaments tend to be a bit "generic", I'd say these would be good for the trees that are meant for visual decoration. This means, no presents underneath, or specialty ornaments- just a basic design for show off. Now for your main Christmas Tree, you know the one filled with "Baby's First Christmas", your dog's picture, and the classic Rudolph ornaments, I think the best way to keep it looking fresh and revived to keep your tree "fluffed". If you have an artificial Christmas tree, take care to keep the branches from being bunched together and getting tangled with other various branches. I have a 6.5ft Pre-Lit Christmas tree, and I make sure that each branch has been well spread out before adding any of our family ornaments to it. If you have a real tree on the other hand, take proper care in keeping the tree fresh with plenty of water and make sure it doesn't dry out before Christmas day. Your ornaments should be kept clean, and check to make sure that none are broken, cracked, or have other issues. Taking good care of your ornaments, in addition to your tree, can save a lot of time and money down the road should you need repairs. 

Overall, my main message in this post is to be prepared ahead of time, by properly going through your decorations and keeping a good inventory of things so you know what you'll need in order to decorate! The items that you can add personalization to, make sure you think creative thoughts about the kind of design you're going for- a theme? color? sparkle? Whatever your taste is, it always helps to have a game plan in the world of design and decor! 

If you've got some of your own decorating tips and ideas to share, please do so by commenting on this post below! There'll be many more great Christmas ideas to come as we get closer to the 25th, be sure to check back for more updates! Also, the Christmas Pinterest Board will be avaliable soon and be sure to watch for "The 12 Days of The Creative Cabana" starting on December 13th! Don't miss out on these great ideas to come. Until next time, have a great night everyone! 

*All images used in this post EXCEPT for the photo with the candles and lights on the bushes, were gathered from Google Images. The remaining photograph is my own personal picture taken from my home. I would also like to add that I do not "Better Homes and Gardens" or any other pop culture icons referenced in this post. All views stated are that of my own. No Copyright Infringement Intended.

Creative Mastermind for Week 12/2: Rankin Bass Productions

Greetings once again my fellow readers and welcome to The Creative Cabana! I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving holiday and if you were traveling, I hope you made a safe trip to your destination and back without any incidents. As for me, I had a a pretty good Thanksgiving- stayed home, watched the Macy's Parade, ate some Turkey, and then watched more TV. Not that eventful right? haha! But that's all about to change now, because we are in the month of December! HOLY COW CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! We are actually towards the end of the 2013 year, it's scary to think about how fast time flies right? But don't think about 2014 just yet...

Instead, feast your eyes and mind on this week's selected Creative Mastermind! I've got to be honest, this mastermind is someone I've been wanting to profile ever since I started The Creative Cabana back in late August. However, I figured it would be much more appropriate to wait until we got closer to Christmas to talk about this popular animation production group. For this week's Creative Mastermind I have selected the company (well also persons named in title), The Rankin Bass Productions.

If that name looks familiar to you, then chances are you've seen it in many of those popular Christmas specials you grew up watching. You know what I mean: Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Jack Frost, The Little Drummer Boy.... you get the idea! These two men, Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass came together to create a production company that specialized in some of our favorite TV special classics. What makes them stand out from other animation and video production companies is a technique that I'm sure many of you recognize, the "stop-motion animation" effect. Sometimes this can be referred to as "clay-mation", but the preferred term of "stop-animation" applies to most of their animated specials. Unlike traditional animation, Rankin & Bass produced series that portray "doll-like" characters that could move, talk, sing, dance, without the aide of a human counterpart. This technique was extremely popular and still today brings in a lot of popularity for viewers who enjoy the traditional animation standards.

In examples such as Rudolph or Santa Claus is Coming to Town, there would be a set of dolls for each character as well as set, costume, props, and other materials you would need on a traditional stage set. The camera used would capture shots of the figures and settings, and it would have to record each movement in the scene frame by frame. It sounds daunting, and for those of you who have tried it before, you know how long it can take, but the end results can be quite remarkable if done correctly. When you watch each of their classic shows, you'll notice how the movements aren't always flowing correctly or how you'd think they would be, but it doesn't have to be perfect to look good.

The "Stop-Motion" technique has been used since the late 1890s in filming as a unique way to produce actions in scenes, one thing that makes Rankin Bass stand out is that on other occasions they've combined traditional animated filters with their "stop-motion" scenes to created mixed-media shots. The best example of these would be in Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. You can see how the characters are clearly part of the "stop-motion" feature, but the snow created was used through a "cel animation" technique. Basically your camera would be shooting the main objects in frame, then another layer would be added on top, that could consist of regular animation or looped sequences.

See this is why I've chosen Rankin & Bass for this week's Creative Mastermind because although they weren't the first to create the "stop-motion" effect in animation, they did it well enough to point where it was so unique and original that it's down right memorable. I mean, the only competition they had in animation at this time was the traditional 2D animation from other companies such as Disney and Hannah Barbera. This is NOTHING like what they produced. Which makes it fresh, innovative, and down right adorable. It's as if you were watching a child play with these dolls to help tell a story, so freakin' cute! 

I also have to give credit to the level of creativity in designing these characters! For the human characters like Santa, Mrs. Claus (aka Jessica), and all of the characters in The Little Drummer Boy, each one was designed so you could easily tell who they were, but they didn't look like someone casted a bunch of Barbie and Ken dolls. Each one had a unique likeness to them, and some of the Rankin Bass' character even resembled the voice actors. Take a look at Sam the Snowman (first pictured above) voiced by the wonderful talents of Burl Ives (pictured below). 

Come on, who could resist that smile? But I rest my case. Overall, I just want to give a lot of credit to Mr. Rankin Jr. and Mr. Bass, plus their incredible production team for giving us a lifetime of memorable Christmas classics, that we will never forget!

If you have a great idea for a Creative Mastermind, I highly encourage you share your ideas here at The Creative Cabana! Simply comment your ideas on this post or you can always share your ideas with us on Facebook and/or Twitter! 

*All images used in this post were collected from Google Images. I do not own Rankin Bass Productions, nor do I own any of their films, TV specials, shows, or songs. No Copyright Infringement Intended

My Thanksgiving Greeting To You!

To all of my fans, readers, friends, and everyone in between I wish you and your family many blessings today as we celebrate Thanksgiving. Be thankful in all things big and small. I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to share my creativity with you through social media! I'm thankful for people like you who continue to inspire me to share my ideas and bring new innovative ideas to you. Many thanks for support! Have a sensational Thanksgiving Everyone!

'Twas the Day Before Thanksgiving...

Courtesy of Bitstrips via Facebook

Merry Chris... Oops, I mean it's Thanksgiving Eve! There's a couple of inches of snow where I am, and plus the local radio stations have been playing Christmas music all month, so I guess it's easy for me to get the holidays mixed up! HA! Anyway, if you're traveling today to see loved ones I wish you safe travels no matter the destination. Where I live in Columbus, OH we've been dealing with the cold, snow, and some wind, but my friends on the east coast are really getting their share of snow, rain, wind, and all kinds of mess! So wherever you'll be spending your Thanksgiving at, I hope it will be enjoyable and mess free.

For those of you who are at home getting ready for the big Thanksgiving dinner and have managed to find yourself stuck in "Last Minute Limbo", I've been searching around for some good, creative, and quick tips to help make your celebration a sure success! Since it is the day before Thanksgiving, I highly recommend you setup your tables and chairs ahead to make sure that: a. you'll have plenty of room for your guests b. you have plenty of seating for your guests. and c. because it's just easier and less work for you to fool with tomorrow.

Last minute decorating ideas: If you've been scrambling around trying to find pretty autumn/thanksgiving decorations and come up empty handed, don't worry about it. Thanksgiving is a simple holiday to prepare for, so you don't have to worry about going overboard with decorations and designs. If you do want to spice up your entertaining space just a little bit, dress up your tables with some pretty festive tablecloths. Even if you don't have any holiday specific covers or colors, make sure that you're fixing the space up so that it is warm and comfortable. Centerpieces can also make for a great decoration and they're easy to put together. Try adding a collection of flower arrangements, pumpkins, baskets, and candles to create a simple but structured centerpiece for your tables. You could even use name tags for the guests sitting at each table for decoration as well (especially if you have a large group, this may help to keep things more organized). Here are some sample ideas I found to give you a little inspiration:

                                

Last minute craft/activity ideas: My family isn't very big, but I can remember a few thanksgivings where there would be a few kids (myself included) and we would easily get bored while everyone else enjoyed each other's company. Let's face it, most kids are glued to the TV from 9am to noon watching The Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, but after that goes off what do you do if the food isn't ready? Traditionally when I was younger, I would try to just watch a movie until I was called for to go and eat. However, I notice more people prefer to leave the TV off after the parade is over. So for some activity ideas to keep the kids busy, try putting together some Thanksgiving Coloring Pages that you can print out and have them decorate. If you don't have any markers or crayons to use, call up the parents or other family members and ask if they can bring some materials with them to help keep the kids entertained. If you have any red, yellow, orange, or brown pieces of construction paper, consider having the kids decorate their own leaves for them to cut out. The leaves can then be placed on the table for additional decorations, or have the kids (as well as adult guests) write on each leaf what they're thankful for. This can easily be used as a conversation starter or potential game later on. 

Last minute food preparations: While everyone likes, and expects, their meals to be freshly prepared the DAY OF Thanksgiving, the reality is that as humans you can only do so much. Anything that you can cook or prepare ahead of time, DO IT TONIGHT! Go ahead and get your plates and dishes ready for setup. Entrees and sides like salad, fruit cups, crackers, veggie trays, etc. are fine to put together tonight. If you're going to use raw vegetables and fruits, I suggest wrapping them up and then placing in them in the fridge over night to help keep them fresh and cool. Hot foods sadly have to wait until tomorrow. Some people I know will use a slow cooker to help cook hot dishes overnight- this may work, but I personally don't recommend it for the sake of safety and so you can get plenty of sleep tonight! I mean come on, who wants to wake up to the smell of beef stew at 3am? Finally, if you haven't done so already, go through your fridge and pantry to make sure you have plenty of EVERYTHING- beverages, desserts, sugar, bread, crackers, etc. Don't forget your condiments as well- butter, salt & pepper, honey, whatever you think your guests will need to enhance their eating experience. It's important that you have everything you need so you'll have at least a few hours tonight to make a quick run to the market if you forgot something. Keep in mind, many stores will be closed tomorrow HOWEVER, I have noticed that some places will be open either briefly for the day or to give crazy Black Friday shoppers a head-start. Either way, I don't recommend you wait 'til tomorrow because any store you do visit will probably have dozens of people shopping for the same reason or you'll run into the crazies looking for that new flat screen TV for $30- Seriously, be prepared and just stay home!

Alright my friends, that's all of my Last Minute Thanksgiving ideas for you! If you'd like to share your last minute tips with fellow readers, feel free to leave any comments or messages on this post! If you're cooking and/or hosting your party tomorrow, I wish you all the patience and joy in the world to your upcoming delicious feast and your hard work in preparing for it! If you are unfortunately working tomorrow, I hope your shift will fly by quickly so you can spend time with your family and relax at home. If you are currently traveling for Thanksgiving, safe travels to your destination and I dedicate this special song to you. I tend to hear this song for Christmas, but I think it's also fitting for Thanksgiving as well.

Happy Cooking, Crafting, Eating, and Every Thing in Between! I'll see you tomorrow for a special Thanksgiving greeting to all of you, my wonderful readers! Have a great Wednesday everyone!

*Images used in this post were collected from Google Images. I do not own any of the pictures used and I give credit to the photographers and owners of each image used. I also do not own Bitstrips and acknowledge it as a free app for public use on Facebook. The song "Celebrate Me Home" is owned by Kenny Loggins and other involved producers and songwriters. I do not own this song or have any rights to Kenny Loggins. No Copyright Infringement Intended.