insta-pics #39 and #40

 I never got around to posting last week in all the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle and I couldn't stand ending the year off on #39.  So it's a double week (again... sigh) but lets pretend I posted 39 last week and 40 this week Ok? Great.

Let's get on with it...

 insta-pics #39

 1. Recieved my first homemade Christmas decoration from S, with help from her Awana leader. Many more of these type of things in my future, yay!
2. My lil baby is growing up. She sat at the counter with big sister for lunch and loved it!
3. S was my shopping partner for some last minute things and she fell asleep between stops while reading a book. So sweet.
4. I lucked out on the local garage sale page and got a large vintage pyrex bowl to match a small one I already had (which was also found at a garage sale). Score! 
5. My muffin tin advent calendar became empty way to quickly. Seriously, where does the time go???
6. My little sweetie wore my old Christmas dress to church on the 23rd (which my mom made). Pretty darn cute, even if she looked straight from the 80's!

 insta-pics #40

1. I attempted to rock some yellow (via my headband and jeans). Verdict is still out on whether I pulled it off or not.
2. After finishing all my Christmas present crafting and baking I decided to start a new cross stitch just for me. It's been a fun project to work on during the holidays.
3. Familiar with Zoolander? T is pulling off 'Blue Steel' quite nicely....and her hair cracks me up daily, man does that kid have a mop!
4. Again sitting up to the counter, sisters having a snack.
5. Yesterday we spent the afternoon with friends behind our house playing on the pond rink. S even tried skating for the first time!
6. That same afternoon the girls getting a ride in the sled around the rink. It was so nice to have some warmer weather for a change.

Well that concludes my insta-pics for the 2012 year!

  I plan on taking the rest of the year off. See you in 2013!

Happy Sunday!

A gift.

I had my sister in laws name this year in the family draw on my hubby's side. As part of her gift I decided to make and frame a scrapbook page for her. Their family had really nice pictures taken back in summer (same photographer as us actually), so I had some great pictures to work with. The one of them walking away (above) is one of my faves!

 I used the CTMH paperpack Avonlea as my starting point. Added some texture with velvet rub-ons, ribbon and flowers as well as some filigree brads. I didn't want to take away from the photographs with a large title so I just used the small 'family' tag and the rub-on above the large picture.

I am definitely happy with how it turned out. And she had it hanging on her wall Christmas day so I guess that's a good sign that she likes it too.

P.S. I made a couple other handmade gifts this Christmas season... I made my mom a 12x12 scrapbooked calendar and my mom-in-law a mini album. I had been trying to get these projects done in time for Christmas (hence the shortage on posts in December) and totally forgot about pictures for the blog, oh well, there's always next year!

Have yourself a merry little christmas.

From my family to yours, we hope you have a very merry Christmas! 

And all the best in the new year!

- Card design free from Becky Higgins.

insta-pics #38

On time, crazy eh?
1. Meant to post this pic last week, poor lil T with her rash.
2. Our sugar plum princess.
3. Mailed out my stack of Christmas cards.
4. T made her way behind the tree and giggled because she was hiding.
5. Hubby treated supper out on Thursday night, T wanted to wear her hat the whole time.
6. Out for a sled ride with friends.
7. Prepping for ginger bread houses.
8. The finished product. Three lil gingerbread (graham wafer) houses.
9. Been busy making more pretend makeup. S is getting a vanity for Christmas, shhh.

Happy Sunday!

The stocking were hung by the chimney (for real this time)

 Now I had used the title of 'the stockings were hung..' when I had posted the girls homemade stockings. But truth be told they were hung up by tape....this is the real deal. After 5 Christmas' with mantels I've had no stocking hangers, until now. And I am so excited that I took the plunge and made these super simple hangers. (My inspiration came from these stocking hangers at Twin Dragonfly Designs, thanks Heather.)

Want to make your own? You'll need:

Here's how I did it: 

- I got hubby to cut me some scrap 2x4's into squares. I painted them with black acrylic paint. 
- Bought some pre-painted 1 inch hooks (note: I would've preferred black, but white will do). Screwed them into the center of one side of the block (I totally guessed).
- I got the cute red frames at Micheals (for $1 a piece) printed off some black and white pics of each family member and put em in.
- Hot glued the frame to the block. Easy Peasy!

Of course they are not heavy enough to hold a full stocking but can definitely hold an empty one. And I think they turned out so cute! Exactly what I was wanting.

My Cost for this project:

frame - $1

Wood - free (scraps from work site)

picture - $0.10

hook - $0.30

paint and glue - free (had in my stash)

----------------- total: $1.40 per hanger

Compare that to store bought which range from $10-$15 per hanger. Totally worth it!

linked up to:
Sugar and Dots

insta-pics #37

Another double week.....
1. Baby girl trying to put on her own bathing suit, kinda cute.
2. Yoda peeking out from behind the curtain .... why do I notice these things? (the shadow of the curtain rod...)and then take a pic??
3. The girls having a cooperative sister moment in the church nursery.
4. S was turning to talk to me while I was baking, and literally fell asleep mid-sentence. So funny.
5. Baking cookies for a cookie swap, at this point was feeling the need to go watch Edward Scissorhands.
6. My lil ragamuffin.

1. Our Christmas wreath finally made it's way onto the door.
2. My packages for the cookie swap.
3. We went hunting for our tree this week, found a swamp spruce full of tiny pinecones. I love it!
4. Happy Mail day to me! I received my friend Nuela Charles' cd. Check out her music Here!
5. I treated myself to three glass owl ornaments. This is just one of them, isn't he cute?
6. Mom and Dad were here for the weekend and mom and I went shopping at a small consignment store just out of town. We had some luck and came back with these goodies.

Happy Sunday!

Muffin Tin Advent Calendar

Sorry I've been MIA for the last week. Between getting ready for Christmas, a cookie swap, and baby girl having an allergic reaction I haven't had much time to post anything.  

Last week I managed to get this muffin tin advent calendar done just in time for the 1st of the month. I got the idea from Queen Bee Coupons who found it in Family Fun magazine. Since a mini muffin tin has 24 spots it works perfectly. I also had enough paper left over from the Close to my Heart paper pack that I've been using in most of my Christmas projects, score!

Bonus, with how many times we move it's nice to think I'm not adding to the stuff that has to be packed (just a lil baggie of circles!).

To keep the treats in, I put tape over the opening like above and then pressed the circle on top. Like the original I hope to make them actually magnetic. Due to lack of time this is how it will be for this Christmas.

Easy enough project, here are my simple instructions:

you'll need: 
mini muffin tin 
Cardstock and/or patterned paper
tape(if your in a rush) or adhesive magnetic sheet(s)
treats that fit inside

- cut out 24 paper circles to fit over openings (mine were around 2 1/4 inches). Number 1-24 and decorate to your liking. Cut out 24 circles from the magnetic sheet(s). Adhere paper to magnetic pieces. Fill the cups with the treats, place circles over top. Easy Peasy!

See the matching joy frame to the left? So glad I had some paper left over. I also painted the sled to the right...way back in 1999 (age 13). My mom taught folk art painting classes and I got to join in on this one. Neat huh!

In other news, we put up our tree last night and my parents are coming tomorrow for a mini-Christmas since we won't be seeing them over the holidays.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Happy Thursday!

linking to:
Sugar and Dots

Another Bird Family

 A friend of mine had seen my bird family painting hanging in our last house. She asked if I would paint one for her. I finally got it finished (not that it took to long to do it just got put on the back burner). Anyways I am so happy with how it turned out. I love the look of the long framed picture and the 6 birds instead of 4 (of course I can't change that on mine, it's a bird for each family member). I also like the look of the black silhouette instead of white and I think the green background will suit my friends house perfectly.

 She likes it and I am so happy! It was a long time coming, haha.

Happy Thursday!

the stockings were hung by the chimney with care

I finished these stockings quite awhile ago, you may remember me working on them here and here. I wanted to make sure I got them done well in time for Christmas (which I did, yay!).

I have to thank Melissa at Sew Like My Mom who offers this super easy tutorial (and free pattern) to make fully lined stockings. I changed it up slightly, instead of appliquéing on initials I decided to hand stitch the girls names on. They turned out exactly how I was hoping!

Whip one up, the tutorial is really easy to follow. The most time consuming part of this whole project was the embroidery for sure!

Happy Tuesday! ... P.S. Less than a month til Christmas!

insta-pics #36

 Because I was gone last week (more about that in this post)  I never did an insta-pics post, 

so here is double the pics for ya!

1. Got the girls passport pictures taken.
2. My new business cards came in the mail, yay!
3. T got away from the breakfast table covered in oatmeal and shirtless, too cute, she was on the run!
4. Hubby and his friend checking in for their flight to Oklahoma.
5. Waiting for my connecting flight... enjoying a Chai Latte, chocolate pretzel, the Hobbit, and no children.
6. Got to visit this little cutie, my sweet niece. Also got to play with my nephew who is 2, such a blast. He is so funny.

7. Breaking Dawn night last friday night! Kind of sad that it is over. A quick pick of the Edwards showing off the cookies I made (I know I am a complete nerd, haha).
8. While shopping my sis and I bought each other slouchy hats (as our Christmas gift to each other), I have wanted one for awhile so I was pumped.
9. At Homesense we saw this awesome leopard print chair, I needed a pic! It made me think of Amy and her Super Chair....except this would be the luxury version!
10. Little diva joined us shopping.
11. Back home and running errands at Walmart came across the complete collection of Saved by the Bell. Didn't buy it but it is still so tempting.
12. My big girl fell asleep next to me last night while I was reading. She is getting so big.

Happy Sunday!

Family.

I realized just recently that I never did share our family photos that were taken this summer (other than the one for S's birthday and the one on my sidebar). So here are some of my favorites, nice cheery summery pics to get you out of the winter blues.

I am truly blessed.
- all photos taken by Wild Pony Photography