This is a great kids craft for the winter and holiday season. It’s simple and easy. This is a picture of the one my daughter made last winter.

I was hoping to post the tutorial today but my computer is not on his best behavior and it’s getting a bit frustrating so I think I ‘m going to give it a break and go color with my little one.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. We spent our Thanksgiving with the in-laws and had a lovely time and then off to my families home and of course another lovely time. Lots of laughter, serious talks, goofing around and pep talks. It was the first Thanksgiving without our Grandpa which had a silent sadness to it. I tell ya, we are big dreams and always full of new ideas. My mom is wanting to host an open house in her home next year. This is something she has thought about for a few years but I think this may be the year she gets up the courage and does IT. That was an exciting idea that we are planning. She really love the country primitive dolls. Its sort of funny. Everyone is enjoy the corky and cute softies in the handmade indie world.  Well, the same thing is going on in the country handmade world.  You got to love the things that puts smiles on our faces.  My sister is hoping to open up her own Esty shop soon and you don’t want to miss her amazing talent. She does a lot of realistic drawing using contay pencils but they have an artistic earthly gritty look. She is saying around a week or two. I will let you know here when she gets it up an running.

Speaking of smiles this little guy makes me turn that frown upside down. It’s a potrait of Phillip the peep. Yeap, he has a name and he is in my Etsy shop now.

 

This months tie one on was a good idea with all the busy bee’s we turn into around the holidays. This apron is one of my favorites.   A yard sale find and the funny thing is, it was at my house and my yard sale. My mother-in-law had brought a few things over to put into my yard sale, and while helping her pack up, I found it. It’s been mine ever since and hangs on my kitchen wall when not in use. 

The recipe to go along with it is a Sweet Potato Casserole. Even if you don’t like sweet potatoes you must try this one.  I myself have tried and tried to like sweet potatoes over the years. I don’t think they taste real bad, it’s I just couldn’t enjoy the flavor of them and I know they are super good for you. It was then that I tasted this dish and I will warn you it’s more like a dessert than a side but it is so YUMMY and just about easy as it gets.

 

2 – 29 oz cans of yams, Heat them in a pan

While it’s heating up, fix the toppings

1/2 cup brown sugar,  1/4 cup butter,  1 tsp. cinnamon,  1/3 cup flour,  1 cup chopped pecans. Mix it all together in a bowl and set aside.

Drain the heated sweet potatoes and mix into them a 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla,  1/2 tsp salt.

Place sweet potato mixture into a casserole dish and put the toppings on. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Another recipe that I have not tried yet but sounds so so good by taking a well loved recipe and adding a creamy twist, it’s this Best Chocolate chip cookie ever recipe. Speaking of fixing things I have a few little things in the works. Here is a sneak peep peak.  Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend.

 

Well, Boy OH Boy has it been crazy around here and non-stop for the last couple weeks. I promised the kids this week we would take the day/week off from this race and do nothing but eat ice cream, laugh and watch a new movie. Everyone has recommend the new one, Cars.  The house is in complete turmoil with fabric, thread, pencils, piles of clean but not folded nor put away clothes.  I feel I lost my head somewhere in between the heap of scraps and toys. …….

Update: I wrote that, early this morning only to be inturupted with life and now I’m finishing this post up after everyone but me has slipped off to sleep. Well, I got most of the laundry caught up and put away. The scraps are swept up, thread put away, toys are not on the floor, well most of them are not on the floor but I still couldn’t find that brain of mine. I should go and look in the couch cushions because that is usually were things are if you can’t find them. My kids this morning have come down with some type of fevery flu, and…..

 I finally (WHOO!) listed things on Etsy. I hope to make some more items and have another update soon. That really should become a regular habit.

 I enjoyed going to my first craft show with my mom. It was wonderful to spend the whole day with her. I learnt a lot of pointers that will help me on my next one and meet lots of cheerful and friendly people, except for the person whom stole one of my moms Santa’s right out of her car while we were packing things up. Turn your back for one minute….My Grandma said she hopes it haunts them every night until they make it right. My mom was invited to join a Painting Chapter near where she lives and was even told she might want to look into teaching some of the classes. Mom, If your reading this, I really think you should go. It’s a great opportunity to share the same interest and talent with others.  Give it a try, if you don’t like it, you don’t have to go back. Thank you Andrea for watching my children for me, I couldn’t have done this without ya! 

Good Night everyone, Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite.

I want to THANK eveyone for there help on this commenting problem. It still is not resolved and there is a few people that are still having problems but we are trying to figure it out. A special thanks to the few that have answered several of my emails trying to brainstorm this problem.  And I will be contacting a few of you for a your mailing address to send that Christmas Cheer I promised.  To make it fair, I will randomly pick a couple names and then to the ones that I am still bugging…LOL

 

Update:  It has been fixed..YEAH!!!

 

Hi, I was just informed that my comment option is not working and was wondering if anyone else is having the same problem?  I sure know spammers aren’t…but maybe they are the problem…. So if you could, and I know there is A LOT of you lurkers stopping by, don’t feel bad… I’m sort of like that myself. I’m not a big commenter either but could everyone that feels please post, even if it’s a HI.  If you can not get through will you please email me and let me know. I’m trying to find out why it’s acting a little koo-koo. And some people are not able to comment.

Thank you and to make it worth all your effort I will take everyone names (email & commented) and  pick a person to give away a little Christmas cheer to for all your help.

 

Yeap, I’m still working on Christmas and will be turning the heat up all next week. Next Saturday is the show and we really could you the money so I’m trying to give it my best. Having a 2 year old around sure makes things fun and I truly do love it but it also slows down the productivity that goes on around here. For instance, she was sitting on the floor beside me drinking out of her sippy cup and talking to herself. I just happen to look over and she had found a straight pin (I was sewing and one must have fell) and stuck it in one of the hole of the cup lid and was getting ready to drink out of it. My “NO!”, startled her but it was already to late, it was to her lips. No harm done, Thank Goodness  Then the other day, she had been gone for a few minutes and my house is very small so I knew she couldn’t have went far. As I walked into the room she starts saying “I’m stinking”, there was a dirty diaper in trash can, room smells horrible, and what’s that on the floor??? The Spot where she had been sitting as she removed the soiled and unwanted undies. What a mess I had to clean. The potty training scene is doing good some day, not so good others. The list could go on and on and anyone with a toddler can tell ya. So are you ready for a swap? No, I think I will keep my 2 year old. I have some old sheet music. It’s great for colllaging, artwork and whatever fun things you can imagine up. I have been using some of it in my crafts but does anyone really need 25 pounds of vintage sheet music???  I thought I would thin out some of it and wondering if any one would be interested. If you are, just email me and let me know. If not I’m going to have to start singing so that I don’t feel guilty about having a box full of it just lying around and trust me on this, my family will sell me as I can’t carry a tune. Have a Happy Crafting Weekend.

There is something about animals that I am drawn to.  Their colors, how the feel against your hand, the comical actions they have, the interesting silhouettes, the strange way they can calm and relax you, brighten your day or just fascinate us. 

We had an amazing smart black lab, she was like one of the kids and was trained by voice commands, whistle commands or just silent hand commands, as you can probably guess besides being a family pet she also was a great hunting dog, but after she passed away we never did get another puppy. So, I turned into a cat lover as a shy little girl but the puppy love never left me.

Animals seem to always show up in my work and I enjoy decorating with them through out the house.  I enjoy the atmosphere the create, the mood they causes and the how it brings out a little fun in your everyday world. My two girls have both inherited my furry animal love. When I see then ooh and aah over a puffy ball kitten, beautifuly proud standing horse, or even show extreme distress over watching that baby bird trying to fly…I see how I once was in them.

 

 

The Crafter’s Companion, I received this yesterday and was so thrilled at reading it. I loved all the projects in it but what I enjoyed most was the insight of the crafter in there own words, Boy do you guys sound so smart! There must be more books like this made. If you didn’t get this book during the pre-order date you must look into getting one. Perfect Christmas gift or better yet perfect for making that Christmas gift.  Sorry, if I’m ruining your fall with more Christmas items but I just must share. And here are a few more things I’m working on….. Stars.

 

And during the about 15 minutes I’m allowing myself to just browse and read a few blogs, I found other like minded gals in the same Holiday boat. Are there more of you out there?