simple Analogy

Matchy Matchy But Not Really

So... do you remember this?  During the fall, I helped Ruth (my oldest niece) learn how to make pillowcases.  She picked out fabrics and made one for herself plus one for each of her sisters for Christmas.  Since moving back here, my nieces now all share a room.  I figured they'd like having matching comforters, so I made them each a duvet.  Well, not exactly made because I cheated a little and bought white ones from IKEA, but I did applique their initials using the same fabric as the pillowcases.  Each girl has her own color and I think the white background will help to pull it all together.

These really could have used a good ironing before the picture, but it's one of those holiday things... spend time ironing and take a really good picture - or - have a few extra minutes to prop the feet up and take a deep breath.  I took the breath.

Taking Up My Saturday

 

 

I couldn't imagine being anywhere but my beautiful home this year, so we hosted Christmas.  I'm still not over the blessing of being HOME!  Joel's family and mine means almost twenty people.  Let me tell you, wood floors + competitive card gamers + 7 kids running around = LOUD but fun.

I spent today sitting on the couch under my quilt enjoying the quiet and my new books.  Yep!  Read both of them cover to cover.  Enjoy the rest of your holiday and I'll meet you back here on Monday!

The Wonder

 

May you find the wonder of the Baby born in Bethlehem.

Only a Small Christmas Playlist

These are a few of my favorites this season, just in case you need a little inspiration while you finish wrapping presents! 

1.  Realizing the enormity of the gift that was given on that first Christmas and that my piddly little attempt at gift giving pales in comparison.

2.  Too-sweet daddy's lullaby.

3.  It was a strange way, but it worked.

4.  Just makes me wonder if the animals in the stable didn't break out into a version of this when He was born.

5.  Lump in my throat every single time.

Blooming

The big secret was revealed Monday night.  My sister loved it just like I knew she would.

So here's the low down on the Bloomers Skirt...

Not hard - just LONG.  Really, the directions were easy to follow.  Nothing really threw me for a loop even though this was my first all hand sewn garment.  It just takes a lot of time.  Don't plan on making one in an evening.

I made it a size bigger.  I kept reading everywhere that I should do this.  I was still unsure, so I commented on Arsty-Crafty Babe's and asked her about it.  Beki very graciously replied and told me that the sizing seemed to run a little small.  That's what I love about the craft blog community, we're all here to help each other out.

Loving the thread makes all the difference!  It really does, even though it's a pain and seemly a waste of precious time.  Don't skip that part.

The FOE (fold over elastic) was a pleasure to work with.  Never used it before; will definitely use it again.  I bought mine from Sewzanne's.  The directions called for 1" FOE, but I had a hard time finding it.  I used 5/8" and it worked just fine.

It's just beautiful!  I love the weight, the design, the fit!  I'm gonna take a bit of a hand sewing break, and then make one for myself!  In the spring perhaps...

What Our Christmas Carols Sound Like These Days

 

...Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

When we finally beep beep beep,

How I hate going out in the storm.

But if you'll really beep beep beep...

Oh yes!  You've never heard the classic like this before - I'm sure of it!  Boys around the world unite!  No more mushy Christmas carols!

Just think of how lovely it will be going to a wedding this weekend with these guys.  Yes you do have to go, boys!  And no beeping when he pronounces them man and wife!

Mad Dash

Whew!  This weekend was a crazy frenzy to finish all the details of the kid's Christmas party.  The nice thing about doing a Christmas party for two and three year-old's is that things do not have to be exactly perfect (I forgot to buy Christmas plates, cups, and napkins.  I also forgot the camera!) for them to think that it is the absolute funnest thing they've ever done in their life. 

Not to say that I slouched on any detail!  I decorated the nursery with snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, re-did the bulletin board with gingerbread men, put up the Christmas tree, placed the manger with baby Jesus underneath as the only present.  Shoot!  I even set up my homemade hay bales (nicer on the cleaning lady and those with allergies) to make a nice background setting for it all.

Our party included:

1.  Reading the Christmas story by the tree

2.  Caroling... of which we have to do songs that are VERY repetitive - like "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and "Oh Come Let Us Adore Him" although it seems everyone knew "Jingle Bells" and sing them a million times while waiting for everyone to rejoin us from those inopportune potty breaks that are so frequently needed with this age

3.  Playing in the snow (a gillion white balloons - the boys and I were quite lightheaded after blowing them up and yet I wished we would have done more!)

4. Singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus and diving into cupcakes (some had frosting up their nose!)

5.  Making a wreath for Mom.  We did the one with cardboard and flat marbles and added clear snowflake stickers.  Just a note for those who may be wondering about marbles and toddlers... I had almost one adult helper per child.  Very controlled situation!  There was no way those marbles were going up noses!  Also to make the project go faster and able to go home at the end of the party, I painted, glittered, and "bowed" the wreaths ahead of time.  All the kids had to do was put on the stickers and marbles.  Since I didn't have my camera, Meg helped me out by sending the photo above of her daughter's wreath.  Bridget is only one and kept giving me the "Let's wash our hands" sign after every sticker/marble, but she did a beautiful job!

6.  We did manage to get a group picture with ALL the nursery children, including the one-year-olds and the infants.  It was our first time to try this, and it went pretty well with only two children crying, and not even the ones I thought would!  Thanks, Charles!

Everyone went home with a Christmas present from "Miss Heather", and I went home to take a nap.  You know, I didn't even miss those plates and napkins, and I'm sure they didn't!

A Bit of Nothing

* Christmas cards are done!

* I'm tired of "loving" my thread.  You can read what this is in this interview with Natalie Chanin.  It makes all the difference in the world (no knots, snarls, tangles) but when I have to love as much thread as it takes for the project I'm working on...  Noah volunteered to "love" it for me yesterday.  I jumped at that good fortune.

* My FOE arrived.  They really need to sell this stuff at my local fabric/craft stores, cause the shipping was more than the elastic.  I hate that, but what could I do!   

* I had my first really negative comment today.  Someone thought that carving your own stamp was stupid.  (Ouch!)  Ok, maybe it does seem a little ridiculous when all the craft stores are loaded with them.  But how many times have you gone to the craft store looking for just the right stamp, and come out empty handed.  More times than I can count.  So personally I loved the carve your own stamp craft.  I can make just what I have in mind.  Plus, children can make whatever their little minds imagine and have fun at the same time.  Creative time!  My philosophy is that it is worth every extra moment it takes to inspire creativity in a child!

So about comments... I love them!  I have gotten to know several of you just from your comments and replies.  I like to know what you enjoy reading.  I enjoy your suggestions, your anecdotes, your encouragement.  I also enjoy constructive criticism.  (Just be tactful so I don't feel like and idiot!)

* One more performance and I can pack my flute away for the rest of the holidays! 

* I purchased pictures for my room from the Friday Outlet:  this, this, this, this, and this!  Oooo, can't wait for them to arrive.

* Working on the crafts for my annual Nursery Christmas Party for the children.  My volunteers are so wonderful.  I sent out a plea for cardboard.  Boy, did I get cardboard!

* Making Mexican Cocoa for teacher gifts.  Megan made some for us a few years ago and we loved it!

Hope your week is going well.  Hang in there!  It's almost FRIDAY!!!!!

Earring Giveaway Winner

The winner is Rachel who said,  "First off, these earrings are gorgeous. I love love love the color! As for my holiday tradition, my husband and I always get a tree on his birthday (Dec. 10); his mom started the tradition when he was little, and he looks forward to it every year! It's really sweet."  Congratulations Rachel!  I'll email you for your address!

You have been telling me what your holiday traditions are, now let me tell you a few of mine...

The boys and I ALWAYS make a batch of Christmas cookies.  This year my husband was cracking me up.  As we were cutting them out, he kept swooping in to snatch some dough.  I told him he was a vulture.  He ate so much dough he made himself sick.  We each have a different way of decorating the cookies.  Mine have just enough icing for the sprinkles and sugar to stick.  Noah's have as much icing as you could possibly cram onto one cookie and then about a whole bottle of sprinkles.  Landon's this year were all patriotic.  It's so much fun to spend this time with my kids and it's even funner for us all to sit down with a glass of milk and eat them afterward.

Another tradition that we have is that we go to the Christmas Eve Candlelight service.  We usually end up in the nursery since I am the nursery director, but occasionally we get to enjoy the service.  Then we come home and open ALL our presents on Christmas Eve.  I know!  Sacrilegious!  We always opened them on Christmas Eve when I was a child.  I think it was because Christ was born in the evening (hence the star) and that was the greatest gift ever!

Christmas morning is stocking time and we look forward to that just as much as the presents.  When I was little I had a huge knitted stocking.  I mean the thing was huge and stretchy!  It must have cost my parents a fortune to fill that thing.  When I became a parent, I learned a lesson from my old stocking and bought the boys stockings that are medium size and oh-so-NOT-stretchy!!!  Sorry guys!

Thanks for joining the fun and sharing your traditions!  If you haven't read all the traditions in the comments yet, take some time to do so!  There are some fun ones.  My personal favorites were the "Christmas Adam" one from Angelapea, the goofy grab bags from Michelle (made me laugh), and Emily's.  (This girl has it all together.  She's only 9, learning to sew, AND has her own blog.  Wow!  I'm proud of her.) 

I'm Dreaming of...

When I woke up this morning, which was late, it was snowing!  We finished our week of decorating and I gotta tell you I'm sore from head to toe.  But not too sore to run outside to snap a few pictures.  Beautiful!  And it's sticking!

It probably won't be a white Christmas, but it's white today and a perfect day for baking and decorating cookies!  Nothing like a warm house and the smell of cookies in the oven on a cold day.  Noah and I are digging out all the sprinkles and candies.

Our favorite cutout cookie recipe:

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups butter (softened)

2 eggs

3 cups of flour

Cream butter and sugar together.  Add eggs and flour.  Refrigerate for one hour.  Roll out dough and cut into shapes with cookie cutters.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

For the icing:

1 cube butter (softened)

1 lb. powdered sugar

a little milk

food coloring

Beat butter and sugar together until smooth.  Add enough milk to make a workable icing.  Use food coloring to make different colors.