Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all of us Wingers!  

We wish you the hope and joy that only Christ can bring!

"Christmas my child, is love in action...When you love someone, you give to them, as God gives to us. The greatest gift He ever gave was the Person of His Son, sent to us in human form so that we might know what God the Father is really like! Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas."  -Dale Evans Rogers

Merry Christmas Eve!

Christmas Cards from Loved Ones- taped up with patterned tape.  Later they all fell down! Oh well!

Are there certain Christmas albums that you must pick the right time and place to listen to every year because you know they'll make you cry? Songs from your childhood that take you right back to a time  of innocence or a time when special loved ones were still alive?

Yet it never stops me from listening.  It's a tradition and even if there are tears, it's all good!

For me, it's the Carpenters Christmas Portrait (1978):

and this Kenny Rogers (1981):

Plus I really wish I owned this hard to find Oak Ridge Boys (1982):

Although I'm not normally a Country fan, these albums are what say "Christmas" to me!  Because I can remember late nights snuggled in our pink sleeping bags in the back of our red station wagon listening to these songs as we came home from relatives.

Even this Manheim Steamroller album makes me nostalgic.  My husband and I would turn off the lights so just the Christmas tree was glowing, snuggle on the couch and watch our 4 year old dance.  Now he's 13 and for some reason he won't do that for us anymore!

What Christmas albums or songs do you listen to that take you back?
I hope they are good memories.
Even if they are painful, I pray that God gives you peace this Christmas.

Merry Christmas Eve!



  

Video of New DEMDACO for 2013!

Here's a fun video that DEMDACO put together of all of their Studio lines and their new releases for next month!

Our line, "This Thing Called Family" makes an appearance around 2:13!  Check out our new Mom Rules and our first Christmas collection!  (for 2013!)

DEMDACO Studio® - January 2013 from DEMDACO on Vimeo.

Quick, Inexpensive Teacher Gift Idea + Free Printables For You!

Still need a last minute, quick, inexpensive gift idea for the many teachers in your kids' lives?

Here's what I did.

Mini dollar frames from Michaels + scans of several favorite art pieces + typed words in a favorite font. Cut out different elements and rearranged into little mini collages.  That way it still felt like each piece was unique and handmade, without me having to start from scratch!  Just glue-sticked the pieces together and walllah!

I didn't like the clear plastic in the frame openings (it didn't lay flat and kind of warped the image) so I cut them out with an exact-o knife and ended up slapping a quick layer of mod podge on top of the art to seal and protect.

Want some help?

Here are 2 small images (approx. 2x3 inches) which you can print out for your personal use.**

Click on the link below each picture to a google docs pdf:

print here

This red and purple owl can be made into a cute little ornament by printing on paper or card stock and mod-podging to mat board or any other type of thin cardboard (like from your cereal box) that you probably already have lying around in your recycling bin.  Feel free to cut off my scallop border and get out a sharpie to make your own doodle-y frame!  Polk a hole and string with ribbon, string, twine, yarn etc.

print here

This little green owl will fit into a frame with a 2 inch x 3 inch opening - like the mini frames in the $1 bins at the front of Michaels!  Just print on paper or card stock and insert in frame!  (You choose whether you want to eliminate the clear plastic in the opening.  Just be aware that if you do cut it out, you may want to seal your art to protect it.)

**If you use either of our owl images, or if you just need a fun gift tag, please use ours below!  (Print on card stock. )

 Also printable by clicking on the link to a google docs pdf:

print here

Here's one more quick "to and from" idea:

decorative tape from Target's  "Kid Made Modern" craft line + sharpies!

And here's a link to the owly teacher gifts I made last year.

How about you?  What did you come up with for teacher gifts this year?  Share in the comments - links are welcome!   Maybe you'll be helping someone else out who's looking for some last minute inspiration!

TWW Ornaments

Here are a few Things With Wings ornaments that Mama Winger and Green Girl have made over the years for my tree.  It's kind of a tradition around here!

This pretty tree is wearing her tree skirt!  And the one of the right was from my 13 year old's first Christmas -when he was 2 months old!  

there are lots of things with wings on my tree!

Our youngest "winger" Emily is busy filling orders for her promise cards.  Hurry and get your order in for Christmas if you have not done so.  These are awesome!!!  Everyone could use some quick and artsy reminders to help us through the day.

Also for your holiday pleasure, you can get the Austin Stone Christmas CD on i-tunes. . . titled 
"A Day of Glory".  Emily sings background vocals and song #8 "Gift from Heaven" is a song she wrote!  It really is good listening, although I gotta tell ya, I usually have to sing along, I can't just listen! Anyway it's good stuff!

I know what you're thinking, I'm a bragging mom.  Well, maybe, but have I ever lead you wrong? (not intentionally anyway!)

Promise Cards for Christmas

"These scriptures were the exact thing I needed to read today." 

"I have them sitting on my desk at work and I read them throughout the day. It makes working a little more enjoyable!" 

"I gave them to a friend who has cancer and she was so encourage by these promises and will sit and read through them while she is getting her chemo treatment."

It has been so encouraging to hear back from people who have purchased some promise cards & scripture cards to see how God has used them!  Each one has their own story and I love to see God's word be alive and active through these cards!

Christmas time is coming up and these cards could be a great gift idea...or a stocking stuffer!! Or they can be "just because"! Even if you got a bundle for yourself...that is ok too! 

These new and improved cards are now at a lower price!! $15!!

So here is the deal...

• It's a 4x6 index sized card 
• Promise Card: Truth on the front, scripture on the back.
  Scripture Card: Scripture reference on the front, scripture on the back.
  (they can also be made one-sided)
• Each uniquely designed & professionally copied.
• $15 for a bundle of 5 cards. (plus shipping)
• Put them in your bag, use them as bookmarks, put them on your mirror, stick them on the refrigerator, put them next to your bed to read at night or in the morning, pin them on the bulletin board at work, stick them in your car...the options are endless!
• Keep them for yourself or buy them for a friend!

Check out these slideshows of some examples: (each picture is front & back)

Promise Cards:
  

Scripture Cards:

If you are interested in purchasing a bundle, email me at emilyward527@gmail.com 
I will send you a list of all the promises that you can choose from, or you can let me know if there are specific promises or verses you want...or I can make a bundle for you!

Feel free to pass this along to anyone who would be interested...blog about it...tweet about it...get the word out!

**My hope and prayer for these cards is that they would not be empty words you read over and over and over but my prayer over each card that I make is that the Spirit of God who breathes life, would move powerfully through these truths and through these scriptures to encourage, inspire and change life. He is alive and active, His word is alive and active...let HIM move your heart.**

Sneak Peek of NEW "This Thing Called Family" for 2013!

MOM RULES! 
Inspired by the things that we hear ourselves say a bazillion times a day.

Maybe we won't get tired of reminding our kids to wash their hands if we've got cute artwork to look at!  OR maybe they'll do it all by themselves WITHOUT BEING TOLD, when they see these!  (Hey, a mom can dream!)  And you'd think that soap would be a given, but not necessarily.  So we've got that covered too. {Use Soap.}

There are houses and picture frames too!

Here's just a few that we had at our open house:

One of several new picture frames:

Here's something else we're super excited about!
A Christmas Collection!
(for 2013)

There are ornaments, wall art and a "Believe" garland!

A Christmas Calendar! (with a cute little polka-dotted peg to mark the day.)  Those are ornaments in the background!

And look! You could make your own little Christmas Village!

The snow 'sparkles!'

And SO thrilled about our Nativity!

More not pictured!   Like, for instance, a Holiday LAZY SUSAN!!! - that's just all kinds of cute!  Can't wait to show you more pics!

We're so excited about all of the new pieces for "This Thing Called Family!"   It's truly a pleasure working with DEMDACO!   Big thanks to them for all of these crazy good "beauty shots!"

These two new collections will debut in January at market in the DEMDACO showroom.  We'll get to go check it all out when we visit the Atlanta Gift Market!  We'll be there Thursday and Friday, Jan 10-11 and cannot wait!  Let us know if you're going!

Retailers!  If you're interested in ordering, visit the DEMDACO Retailer website, or come to DEMDACO's amazing showroom at the Atlanta, Chicago or Dallas gift markets. You can also find and contact your local sales rep. by entering your zip code at the "Contact Your Account Executive" link on the retailer website.

Customers, the earliest you'll start seeing these pieces show up in stores will be February!  

We'll keep you up to date!

Open House Instagrams and GIVEAWAY Winners!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for coming to our open house this weekend!

We hope you had a great time and found something unique for someone special in your life- especially if that someone special happens to be YOU!

We're so glad you could come and visit, laugh, eat, and shop!  We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

Here are some Instagram shots from Friday:

almost set up!

Our youngest Winger Emily made and sent us these sets of Promise Cards all the way from Austin, TX! - Scripture presented in a fun, creative and colorful way to carry, giveaway or display as reminders!

Wreaths by Emma Ruth

Peace of Mind Jewelry and Glass

Here are the winners for the Giveaways!

Congrats to Beth Dill!  - the winner of Wreaths By Emma Ruth's magnets!

Congrats to Vicki Issen!  -Winner of the Peace of Mind necklace!

Congrats to Vicki Saunders!  - Winner of Mama Winger's scarf!

Congrats to Lisa Turnbough!  Winner of Green Girl's "Do Your Best" art! 

Congrats to Val Eichhorn!  Winner of Jill's "Be Kind" art!

*This week we'll show you a few more pics from our open house, introduce you to the new stuff coming out next year for "This Thing Called Family" (can't wait- you're gonna love it!) and hopefully get some items listed in our Etsy shops!   So please come visit us again soon!

One easy way to make sure that you see all of our news this week is to like us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/thingswithwings.

But since Facebook only shows you a fraction of what business pages post, be sure to hover over the "Like" button and select "Get notifications."  Then you won't miss a darn thing!