Category News

Challenge Day 10:

Christmas lights displays are becoming such a common thing these days and with the creativity that it you can only claim as art. There are shows on TV to compare people’s over the top light creations and towns all across the country have some similar drive through display activity as well. I remember when much younger we drove over an hour to get to such a display because of the novelty of that type of activity, now it is common enough not to be an inconvenience.

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Challenge Day 9:

There are few things that are as wonderful as the smell of holiday baking throughout the house, all those rich aromas blending into a wonderful expression of holiday cheer.

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Challenge Day 8:

Family traditions, like watching a live performances of ballet and plays, are much more challenging during this year than most others. While I admit it is not my favorite holiday activity, my wife absolutely loves watching shows like the Nutcracker. This year we are exploring a digital production that we can enjoy from our home instead of one that would potentially put us at risk. What other experiences have you had to adapt to accommodate the changes this year?

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Challenge Day 7:

It is almost difficult to get away from all the celebratory cheer that streams from every radio and shop that you would visit preparing for your own Christmas Celebrations. This year will definitely be quieter unless you are streaming your own playlists or radio stations in your home. I have found that every season there is a new song or rendition that is played that just captures your attention and gets you into the festive mood. For me that is “Little Drummer Boy” by for King & Country, see the music video attached below.

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Challenge Day 6:

Scents of Pine boughs, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves, these sensory ghosts tease you nose as you walk down these elegant halls. The calmness of playing hide and seek through endless rooms and having a meal in the grand dining hall are just some of the images invoked when I visit the Biltmore Estate at Christmas.

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Choose a random song from the radio and build a unique fictional story around the lyrics.

Artistry and Coffee

⁠Holiday Story Prompt:⁠
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As Christmas gets closer it gets many people into a certain holiday mindset for good or ill. For many people it is not all a happy time of gifts and candy canes. Put yourself into the shoes of someone less fortunate and share your story of a small act of kindness that helped you through the holiday seasons.

Artistry and Coffee

Challenge Day 4:

I have done these for years for my family, but this time i am also doing one for the Artistry and Coffee Community. Check out the Video below… And Happy Holidays!!!

Challenge Day 3:

This should be an easy one, except when you do something more than the generic stack that you buy at your local Target or Wal-Mart. When you decide to do something a bit more personal, it can take some time and effort to get it right.

For my family this year we are doing our own once again and we are very late, we are taking some photos as is most common and then laying some wonderful designs along with it before getting them printed locally and shipped out.

Off to the design boards!!!

Having some creative holiday fun to create a keepsake item that can be enjoyed for years to come, this year we started creating a hand print tree skirt to mark the progress of our little ones year over year.

There are many ways that you can achieve a beautiful keepsake, so have fun and make it an enjoyable activity for the whole family. Are there other keepsake projects that you have in mind? Feel free to call them out and share.