Birthday wishes...

Someone is having a birthday today and we aren't able to spend the day with her.

But we'd like to wish her a VERY Happy Birthday!








We love you mom!

mischief managed...

Maybe not mischief but I finally managed to get the rest of my gifts finished!

Two hats for two brothers that have to have the same thing each year. These are birthday gifts. They will be nice and warm to go bug hunting in...especially since I included bug boxes for them to use!

I got the pattern out of the Happy Hooker crochet book if anyone is interested. Super fast to make.




And two little girls will be wearing new aprons next year.....both have birthdays around the holidays....so these are birthday presents too.

This one is teeny weeny. I used my own itty bitty children's apron as a guide.




This one is a wee bit larger, and reversible...



Here are gnome dolls for Christmas for the same little girls who are getting the aprons!


I am so glad I made these gnome dolls this summer, it saved me a lot of time. (thanks for the Bingo challenge Lori!)

This one is for a neighbor's daughter...



I've made some other gifts too but can't show them just yet...some people read my blog and that would spoil the surprise!

I put these together for a little gathering later on this evening so no one goes home empty handed

Snowman soup..I got the tag here.


and Snowmama soak..I made up some of my bath salts and a little poem.
If I get a breather today, I'll load a copy for anyone who wants to snag it. I just haven't had time yet!


Now I'm off to make more Christmas cookies and reindeer food and have some Christmas Eve fun with family and friends.

lunar eclipse and a toy drop

Monday night we all watched the lunar eclipse and it was totally worth missing out on some sleep.

We tried and tried and tried to take some photos...with no luck. Our camera just isn't strong enough.

It was wonderful doing something together that no one in our lifetime will do again.......the kids were in awe....so were Dean and I.



Matt brought down his telescope and we all took turns looking at the moon close up....just gorgeous!

The kids went back to bed but Dean and I stayed up and watched the phases....it was really stunning. I can't imagine how the people must have felt back in the 1600's when they saw this....the moon really did look red. I bet they were terrified.

I finally did my Christmas toy drop. I made a wonky little bear and dropped it outside a hospital here. It felt weird being the last drop of the year.



I put him on a bench outside.....



I hope someone finds and adopts him quickly!

Elliot...

remember Elliot?





yeah, he came to live at our house.......



moral of the story?



Don't put Santa's signs too close to the basketball goal

now, for those who DON'T know who Elliot is....

Happy Birthday Kaela!

Today is someone's 13th birthday!

She is having a party on Saturday...too bad she has school today.

But she has had a 'little' fun this year...

in Florida...




being 'Bigfoot'...
attacking her brother...
laughing...

wearing weird things...


dressing up for Wonderland...


and getting awards for hard work...


Happy 13th Birthday sweetie!

surprise mail...

Don't you love surprise mail?

I mean, good mail....not those surprise bills that haunt you long after you thought you'd paid them off!

Well, I got two surprises in the mail!!!!

Gin is participating in my YOE this year and she sent me a sweet ornament as a thank you!

Here is Rudy on Kaela's pillowcase. She snatched him away so I had to steal him back for the photo.




And here he is on my YOE tree. Isn't he cute!



Then, Nadine of Apron Valley Road ran across some naughty mushroom fabric and surprised me with some!

She also sent one of her little shoop bags (named for the sound it makes when opened.)




Thank you to you both for my surprises, I truly appreciate them!

Make it Monday:Bird Nest ornaments!

Year's ago, when Kaela was in Pre-K, she made me the cutest bird's nest ornament ever.

We still have that little ornament and cherish it. Each year we place it in a prominent place on our tree.


The slip of paper says:

According to an old German legend, finding a bird's nest in the tree you cut down for Christmas brought you good health and happiness for the New Year.

We've made many of these year after year for others. For her last birthday, Kaela and her friends made these.

I made a bunch recently so thought I'd share the process. It is a kid friendly craft and brings instant gratification!

You will need:

spray paint
spring type wooden clothes pins
glue
moss
small white peas or beans
hole punch
paper
thin ribbon
scissors

Get some wooden clothes pins and spray paint them green so they'll blend in with the tree.



Take large flat acorn caps and glue to the clip end of the clothes pin. Try to find caps that don't lean. Also, if the stems are still on them, just snap them off. They'll lay flatter than if you cut the stem with scissors.



Put a dab of glue inside each cap and top with some kind of moss.  Messy is PERFECT.
We usually take Spanish Moss off our trees but I had this green moss on hand so just used it.



Glue 3 small white beans in a group in the nest.



Print off the bird's nest legend found here, cut it out and tie it with a pretty ribbon to the wire part of the clothes pin.

Let everything dry and clip onto a tree limb!

For best results, put the nest facing forward so the ends are hidden within the branches.


Here is wishing you all good health and happiness next year!

handmade ornaments...

I joined the Lyon's Den ornament swap this year.
Amy mentioned that she liked the dioramas I made so that is what I sent.

I made several in this style this and sent them off to Texas....


I also sent this one since this is the one she commented on...just in case she wants it herself.

then I made some for our own tree.....after all, I had all the supplies out, why put them away?




The trim on this one reflects the lights when they are lit up.


but the one below is my favorite. I'll be making more of these next year.


I used a lid from one of the oval boxes. Once decorated, I scored a little hole in the back large enough for it to fit over a light on the tree.

When the tree is lit up, the light looks like a little star over the 2 trees.

If you'd like to make some too, my tutorial for some of them is HERE. The globe ones are basically made the same way, you just have a smaller area to work with.

Oh my DEER!

November's YOE ornament theme was deer.....so I made my partner a couple of them.....



and included a few other goodies...some for her, some for the baby she is expecting...



and here is the Rudolph Natalie sent me......cute!


along with some other goodies...

Thank you Natalie!

vintage thingie

This year I took all the round vintage ornaments off my tree and put them on the little chandelier I have in the dining room.

Looks quite pretty.



even with the lights off!



of course, now I realize how badly I need to clean it!