and then there were 9

Today 4 of my friends 5 kids came over for the day so that she and her hubby could go Christmas shopping. I decided at about 8:30 this morning that it would be fun for us to decorate Christmas cookies while they were here, so I ran to the store for more butter before my hubby left for work and before our friends arrived. They spent the morning playing while I baked the cookies and after lunch we were all ready to decorate... except one thing- our favorite icing for sugar cookies is a simple lemon glaze, only we were out of lemon juice! Luckily my neighbor saved the day with just enough lemon juice to ice our batch of cookies... the kids were ever so grateful!

Here are some pictures of the kids hard at work... Aren't they beautiful?

And after all that hard work it was time to snuggle up and watch a movie (while I cleaned up the cookie decorating mess and folded that pile of laundry on the floor next to them).
Think there is room for one more on that couch?
All in all it was a fun day and not as hard having 4 more as you would think :)

bag of coal

I saw these bags of coal in the Crate and Barrel catalog and thought they would be a fun stocking stuffer for the kids, but we don't like black licorice and I knew I could easily make my own version of these little bags for only a few cents. I whipped them up while watching Harry Potter last night (I borrowed all the movies from my sister and am having my own Harry Potter Movie Marathon to catch myself up before watching the latest installment) and thought I would share a little tutorial with you all on how I made them, so here goes!

Supplies:
1 sheet of craft felt in charcoal gray (black or brown would work too)
Scraps of white felt to cut out the word coal
ribbon for the tie
embroidery floss
needles
*One sheet of felt makes two bags

Cut felt in half.

Fold over long edge about 1" and cut 10, 1/4" slits evenly spaced across the fold.


Fold in half and stitch up two sides (careful to leave the end with the slits open) with a 1/4" seam allowance.


Turn right side out and lace ribbon through slits like this.

Glue or hand stitch the letters to the front of the bag and your done! (If your really smart you will stitch the letters on before you sew the bag up, much easier that way!)
I am going to fill these with mini marshmallows dipped in chocolate, yum!

the veiw from my window this morning...

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

holiday sewing

I always hate that this time of year there is so much sewing and crafting going on in my "studio" but that I can't share it! I am nearing the half way point of my Christmas sewing (not too bad with still a bit more than two weeks to go) and I so want to show you the things I've been making, but unfortunately it will have to wait until all gifts have been safely given! In the mean time, here is a little peek at one gift I can share... I am stitching up a few ornaments for the Preschool teachers, I got these two done today and will try and make a few more tomorrow before the last day of Preschool- Friday.
These are not my patterns, I printed them a few weeks back from somewhere I can't remember... the cutest little online holiday magazine on someones blog... Oh wait... I think I found it... Oh, yeah! Here it is! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

maryland

I know we've been home for a week now, and I am a bit late in posting these pictures, but here is a brief picture summary of our trip home. I don't have very many pictures because my camera's auto focus has been acting up :(

There were pony rides,
visits with good friends,

and Thanksgiving crafting and feasting.

We went Christmas tree cutting...
(yes, I know it a bit crazy to cut our Christmas tree down 250 miles from our house, but it is a family tradition, and they don't grow "real" Christmas trees down here).

And Addie was baptized. (Sorry for the bad picture, it's the only one I attempted with my finicky camera, my s-i-l took pictures and I have not gotten them from her yet).
It was lots of fun to see family and friends, but as you can see the week went by in a flurry of activities and we did not get to do and see all we had hoped... so, if we missed seeing you this visit, we'll catch you next time we are up!

shop update

I finally updated my shop!
There are a few camera straps, a few art to go sketchbooks and a couple baby blankets. I will have more camera straps, but probably not before the holidays. I'm also going to try making some guitar straps, but also, not before the holidays. Hope you are having a fabulous weekend!

home sweet home!

We are home from a whirlwind 11 day trip to Maryland. We saw lots of family, ate too much food and had a wonderful time. Now I am trying to dig myself out from under piles of laundry, groceries, and the general "we've been away for 11 days mess". Our dining room and kitchen table are piles so high with stuff you can't even see the surface, but my Christmas Tree is up... not decorated, but up, none the less.

While we were unloading the car last night I realized we had accidentally returned one of our public library items to the church library (in MD,oops!) and the librarian at the church was kind enough to offer to mail them to our library, since we can't just swing by and pick them up!

I've got a few things I am still hopping to get into my Etsy Shop this week in between cookie making and Christmas sewing (and catching up on my blog reading, there are over 200 unread post in my reader right now!). A few Camera Straps and maybe some sketch books too.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

one little, two little... five little indians...

Just a few of the many blessings I am thankful for this Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving, from our family to yours!!!

(It was Pilgrim and Indian night at AWANA, and the big kids couldn't leave out their baby sister from the fun.)

finally fall!

The leaves finally decided to change color around here, almost over night. I walked outside the other day to see this- does it get any better than that?

This is my favorite tree in out yard, the only one that turns yellow, I love how it stand out among the oranges and browns around it!

quilt update

I know, I must me the worlds slowest quilter, but I finally got the top to my quilt done last week!

It is far from perfect, and my husband says it looks like it "came from grandma's house"... he was a bit surprised when I told him I wanted it to look like it "came from grandma's". I don't know if I love it, but I will say I like it more now that it is all pressed then I did when I was only half done with the top. And I always like quilts more once they are quilted- that adds so much character to it.
I still don't have my backing fabric picked out (any suggestions?) and am not looking forward to the actual quilting, it is so big and I wonder at my machines ability to handle such a task. Anyway, at the rate I am going I won't have to worry about that for at least another 6 months anyway :)

what's the baby doing?

Addie was crawling around my legs the other day while I was on the computer. I looked down to see this.
She was after something...
Who needs toys when you've got a trashcan and some crumpled paper?

signs of a productive day

You know it's been a good crafting day when the table looks like this at day's end.

Here are a few of the things that came into being from that mess

And I finished my matryoshka dolls.

lovely ladies

I made another one last night while we watched TV. I definitely need to make at least one more to complete the set, but they are so fun to make, I just may have to keep going.

addicted

I am totally addicted to making these camera straps! I sure do hope someone wants to buy them, cause I can't stop making them! Here are a few I've made so far...
I am doing another craft show before Thanksgiving, but any I don't sell there I will be posting in my etsy shop by the first of next month... just in time for some last minute Christmas shopping.

p.s. I meant to take pictures of my finished matryoshka doll, but the early dark snuck up on me today. I will take pictures and post tomorrow, she turned out so cute... I may just have a new addiction :)

matryoshka dolls

I've always loved these dolls. I used to play with my mom's when I was a kid. The idea to sew up a little Matryoshka doll ornament popped into my head today when I saw these plates. Obviously I am still working on my girl, but I thought I would share anyway :)
What are you making today?

family silhouette

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

I saw this on my friends blog and thought it was so cute, so I had to try one myself :)

I am still here, just haven't had much time for blogging. Hopefully I can get back into the swing of things next week!

the lable maker

I think someone is having a bit too much fun with the new label maker :)

monkey business

We walked into the living room tonight to find this.
Addie had been playing on the floor and I guess decided she wanted to sit in her chair and watch a bit of TV. Of course I ran for the camera to snap a shot, but before I could even get the pictures loaded to the computer she was on the move again... this time on to the couch!

Such determination!

but always ready to smile for the camera :)

"I think I can, I think I can..."

"I know I can, I know I can..."

almost...

"Look at me mom, I did it!"
It's been a big day for this little monkey, not only is she a master climber, but she finally cut her first tooth today!