kidding around

I can’t take the credit for this cute garland! Ellie stitched all the letters herself…I just gave her the idea to turn it into a garland to string across the tree. The only problem, it’s not for me! She did a great job stitching 14 letters!

I’m totally happy with the way this family photo turned out!

Some people go to a studio…some people go to an exotic place and have their photo snapped…we had a random stranger (that offered) shoot this portrait and it is totally us…I wanted the kids to help me with this collage so I just gave them some ideas and they had a ball. I had a lot of fun myself!

I did let them know that not everything would make the collage and they were fine with that~ they were thrilled to see what made our scene. I just cut and pasted…didn’t put too much thought into it…took it to the copy shop and was pleased that the colored copier gave me no problems!

Here are some close ups…

Okay, off to work and to battle the negative temps!

So things are busy here and I would imagine you all can relate!

I thought after the party on Sunday I was pretty much done with projects, but…no. Something possessed me to add a few more “to do’s” and I am loving it…seriously, no stress.

This weekend I am attending 2 Cookie Exchanges and I am so excited! I have never been to one and plan to make the above, “peppermint cremes”. This batch will go with teacher gifts. These cookies are SO easy to make! AND fun for the kids to help with…no joke! I do suggest using peppermint extract and not just mint…the mint is a bit too “toothpasty” in my opinion! Aren’t these so pretty? If you would like the recipe, just let me know!

I stumbled upon these mirrors while at the craft store and know some little girls will love them! I was planning to paint them a bit more, but my instinct was to just cover them in glitter! And who doesn’t love the Martha Stewart glitter? It really is the best.

Although I am not making the kids as many handmade gifts this year (the ornament party was sort of that…), I still needed to give them a token. So I started making this bracelet and these bookmarks resulted…the bracelet is still in the works! I love the way they looked and ended up making A LOT…these shown will be for teachers and I am pretty sure they will be well received!

Alright, enough from me. I’ll be sharing more things…happy winter day!

Update
Here is a recipe for the peppermint cremes, I doubled the recipe and it made about 4 dozen candies…perfect for gifts!

Melt the chocolate in a bowl and dip cremes half way. Place on waxed paper to set.

Our first annual (yes, I plan to do it again!) “Ornament Making” party came and went this past Sunday- it was a success! I had the most fun planning the ornaments and then of course setting up all the stations… making sure to be ultra organized. (I actually cut out hundreds of felt circles for 3 of the 5 ornaments made! yikes!)

We invited about 20 families and all but 5 were able to attend! Our house isn’t huge and when you fill it with a tree, glitter, cookies and glue there needs to be a lot of thought BEFORE guests arrive!

The kids greeted our guests and took their coats. They also were wonderful hosts explaining the different tables and just being their nice selves. I know this was a memory they will not forget and that’s what all the planning was all about! Every single one of the parents commented on this being such a nice memory (I am not tooting my horn!)- which really was so gratifying…so often we don’t open our homes and now I think my kids friends and parents understand a little bit more about our family!

I loved how people used the trees as drying spots- completely improvised and so charming!

Sorry for the crummy photos- lighting was gloomy and terrible for “no flash” shots!

This glittery gal was quite a hit. I really wished I had more available. But not to worry, she will surely return next year! Maybe there will even a St. Nick or an elf too!

Yikes- Flash! But look at those kids…they are having so much fun. You would be SO surprised with the very little glitter clean up. I make more of a mess!

Of course, you can’t have a party without treats!

It has been my main focus this year to make the season of Christmas fun with the simplest of events. Our general holiday is simple, but I have tried to make an effort to create a month of friends and family.

This weekend, our focus was on a bake sale Ellie was a part of through our Parish. I know some people groan at the thought of bake sales, but I love it and think it’s a lost art! Plus, people pay for sweets in a big way…her class raised over $400!

Anyway, we had a ball frosting, packaging, and sampling all the goodies (that’s what it is all about, right?).

Then, we were off to the Christmas tree farm we pass everyday to and from school to pick up our tree!

Never mind the FREEZING temperatures…at one point, when Penny was crying because her hat was falling off and she had no scarf (big sister finally gave up one of her 2!) and Ellie and Simon were not agreeing with our tree choice, I looked at Nathan and said “Let’s go get coffee and buy our tree at Target”…only half way kidding!

Thankfully, everything turned out fine and our tree is truly a festive addition to our living room!

Now our focus is on our ornament making party for Sunday- Fun!

No Holiday decorating around the Shack house yet. I did mention to get rid of rotting pumpkins, planted kale and the last of the leaves last weekend…how can it be winter now? We have a layer of snow here which reminds me I can no longer deny the coming winter months!

Oh well.

BUT there has been a little holiday sewing. This year I am not killing myself to make every single gift I give my kids, but I did want to make the girls their fancy Christmas skirts. I used this simple pattern (I can’t get the site to link, but it’s Oliver+S’ Lazy Day skirt…just google it, you will find it!)and I think they are just so fun. I bought each of the girls a black turtleneck and will have spent about $20 for both…not bad! I even have leftover fabric and think I will make a sash.

The only bad thing, my machine is acting nutty. I think the tafetta and velvet is not agreeing with my needle. I probably need a different needle, huh?

What can I say? I am a fortunate girl.

No words can describe the gratitude I feel- right now.

Happy Thanksgiving! and save some pecan pie for me!

What do you do when your family consumes 4 dozen eggs a week?

You use the cartons to make ornaments! Perfect.

Penny and I enjoyed ourselves this morning as we created our first snowman of the season. Honestly, this is my kind of guy…the cold and snow are not my favorite. No freezing hands and cold feet!

More circled-felt ornaments! I suspect these will be popular and easy for our party. I may just be insane and already have the zillion circles already cut. Am I nuts? All I need is a few good movies to get me through.

Here’s the next installment of my ornament obsession…I love glitter and wanted to use more of it today. I also found I have several of these wooden people and, well, here you go…an angel.

Although, when I had doll’s hair on this girl she looked like a night club singer and she totally creeped me out. Ellie loved it, I cringed and thought that I made a very poor move using the hair. So painting on the hair seems to be the best bet.

What’s up with the nail? (Yeah, Simon asked the same thing.) I used a a small picture frame nail, thinking I can tie fishing line onto it for hanging.

Okay, hopefully people out there are enjoying these posts. Is no one feeling Christmas crafting yet?

I have been wanting to make these ornaments since Martha put out her December 2003 issue. At the time, I was pregnant with Penny, homeschooling Ellie and Simon wasn’t even 3…I also was working not only in the evenings and weekends, but in my sister’s shop too. Fortunately I was realistic and filed the idea in my mind for a later date.

Well, now I have made 30 of these guys and they just make me smile. They smell wonderful (try to find cinnamon at your $1 store, I found 7 oz. bottles at mine.). I have left several for my kids to decorate and just might make more for my ornament making party.

I plan to give these ornaments to friends, teachers and family…so if you know me and think you may be getting one of these, act surprised- okay? I also intend to keep a few for myself and my kids’ collections and leave them up throughout the winter. Nathan was commenting on how cute the birds in our back yard (we have a lot, busying themselves with berries and such)…of course the gloomy side of me had to add that they soon will be gone until at least February. What’s my problem? Hopefully these fellas will help with winter blues until the real thing appears again!