New Year....New Look (for my blog that is)

For the new year I decided to spruce up my little old blog a bit (I literally spent a good chunk of the day doing this) Hopefully it looks a little more put together! Check out some of the new buttons to the left that I've added (lots of talented ladies out there.....I would love to know what you think of the face lift :)

Top posts of 2009

Here are some of my favorite posts from the past year...just click on one to read!

Not Me Monday
Gift Idea for Anyone
Hallelujah! It's my moment!
Bad Styrofoam pumpkin
Fabulous jars
Bow holder
Gold G turned fab
New uses for old things
Sledding frenzy

I hope everyone has a save and a fun New Year! Thanks to all my friends who have been with me all along and to the new friends that follow me and my little blog....THANK YOU!

Moment in the midst of chaos...

So I was making lunch in the kitchen trying not to lose it with the laughing, screaming and pure yelling that was going on, and I started quietly humming "Love Story" by Taylor Swift, when all of the sudden my little girls and their two little girl friends start singing the lyrics word for word at the top of their lungs, actions and all, with my 2 year old son laughing hysterically....it totally made my day :) Robyn, I think we need to have a girls night next time Taylor's in town!

Ring in 2010

What are your plans for New Year's Eve? With three young kids our New Year's is spent at home, so we make our own fun! We will be camping out in our family room. Making a tent in the family room big enough for everyone to sleep in. Everyone getting to make their own individual pizza is a big hit! Also creating a "Time Capsule" with an empty tennis ball container. Fill the inside with pictures, mementos, and comments about what is currently happening in the world and with your family. Also write down goals you want to accomplish in 2010 as a family and individually. Then go out and bury it in the backyard. Next New Year's Eve dig it up to see what you accomplished!
I also found these cute ideas for cheap noise makers that will keep your kids busy until it's time to party.

Just fill with beans, decorate the outside with tissue paper and your ready to go.

There is also just the classic "grad a pot and a wooden spoon" and go nuts! Which is my memory of New Year's Eve when I was little. Lets see just how mad we can make the neighbors :)

The Christmas Spirit

I found this on my nightstand the other night and thought it was the sweetest thing ever...

1....2....3.....Awwwwww :)
Love that girl.

I then saw my 5 year old yesturday talking to our elf Charlie. Her little hands were clasped together under her chin and she was pleading with Charlie that when he reports back to santa to please tell him she wants a Webkinz that is a kitten because hers is missing. Guess what I was purchasing last night around 7?!
Also I came across this...

It is by Greg Olsen and I just love it.

THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS
By the magical light of a small Christmas candle
A little old man tries to carefully handle
The small porcelain manger which serves as a bed
For the wee Baby Jesus to lay down His head.
In wonder he brings the manger up to his view,
Smiles at the baby and whispers, “I love you!
I love you for bringing this season of joy,
I love you for growing to a man from a boy;
For being our light and leading the way,
For being the spirit which makes Christmas Day!
You’ve been my mentor, my model, my hero and guide,
Please continue to help me and stay by my side.
I’ve tried to follow your teachings and give as you gave,
Reminding all to be kind and that it’s wise to behave.
Help me to serve others and bring them your light,
Especially the children, please bless them tonight!
Some have so very little, scarce food for their table,
You know how it feels - you were born in a stable!
Bless all their mothers and fathers with a knowledge that’s sure,
The best gift they can give is their love, strong and pure.
That’s the Spirit of Christmas when all’s said and done,
God’s gift of love, that came as His Son!”
Then back to His mother the child is returned
The Nativity glows as the candle is burned.
In a wink the little old man slips quietly away
Some say he goes up the chimney and climbs in a sleigh.
Whatever the case, His mission is clear -
Give unto others, bringing love and good cheer.
He flies into the night and bids us adieu
Doing for others what Jesus would do!
Greg Olsen - 2009

Hope everyone has a terrific Christmas!
See you next year :)

I {LOVE} getting Christmas cards

I sat and was looking at all the Christmas cards we have gotten over the past couple of days and thought this would be a cute way to display them and not just throw them in a drawer...
It's right by my front door and I use clothes pins to hold them :) I would love a slightly bigger tree to put them on....maybe next year!

Help...

I actually have to go out in the crazy shopping frenzy today.
List of what I need:
Black craft paint.
Picture frame.
Sour Patch kids.
Soap.
lol...interesting list I know.
I am scared.
Wish me luck.

Super easy gift ideas!

Ok so I know I'm a bit of a slacker. I haven't even got my neighbor gifts out yet! Ahhhhhh....
Hey I still have a FEW more days left right? Here are some easy ideas for teacher gifts, friends, and neighbors. Well, I have a lot of neighbors, which are friends, that read this blog so, here is what you will be getting at around 7:00 tonight! :)

This is only one of two boxes....yuck!

Type up the recipe (that you can get here) and place covering the lettering.

Now on to the friend gifts...


Too cute right?! For the snowman printout go here. Add your own touches
with the hat and scarf.

:)

A definite must see...

Loved it! Loved it!

Sledding frenzy

I probably should not have bought such a big bag of Popsicle sticks because I can't stop making these...

Aren't they great!

Such fun ornaments for your tree or to stick on a wrapped gift along side the bow. For the tutorial go here.

Have fun making your sleds! I know I am...

Works of Art

While cleaning out my office closet I found this ugly board....I actually use them for my Laundry and Washroom signs, but wanted to do something different. Here's what I did...

Find some super cute scrapbook paper. Like the ones here. Trace either side of the board onto the paper and cut out.

Next, slather that mod podge on like crazy! And put your pieces of paper down.

Because my board is the weathered board, I had to bring in reinforcements to hold it down :)

While that was drying I did my clothes pins. Trace them onto other paper and cut them out. I Mod Podged the paper on and sanded and inked the edges....

After the board was dry I painted the edges a coordinating color to the paper. I also sanded around it and inked the edges (do you see the pattern here?)

Then I applied the Mod Podge to the entire front.

These letters I already had in my huge mess of a craft closet!

For the hanger part, I braided some ribbon and jute together!

And whala! Now I actually have a place to hang those cute little works of art!

More...

More Christmas decor. You know when you think you have alot of something and then you get it out and there's just not as much as you thought? Oh well! I LOVE Christmas and decorating for it!

This nativity means so much to me because pieces of it have been given to me by my mom and my nana. It is just beautiful.

While shopping at Gardner Village with my parents one year, we were in a shop and I saw these stocking holders and mentioned how I loved them, but I didn't end up buying them because they were kind of pricey. We went to another store and my dad said he would be right back.....sure enough he was with 5 of these candy cane holders just for me! I have the greatest dad.....don't you think?!

Yes, my husband grew this poinsettia and glittered it all by himself! Just for me. He hates glitter and had it all over him.....that's love :)

I love Gymboree

There is a great sale going on at Gymboree right now! 30% off everything (the 30% is already reflected in the price) and FREE shipping on any size order! You can also use any magazine code for an even better deal....plus earn $25 gymbucks for every $50 spent! Go here to shop at Gymboree.

They don't need to cost a small fortune!

Do you ever notice how much those decorative balls cost at the stores? A small little fortune. Well I decided to make my own. All you need is some jute, Styrofoam balls (thanks for pointing that out Kahra....I'm just not on the ball today!), glue gun, mod podge and napkins or tissue paper, and some buttons.

Here are three finished ones. The black and white one is made with napkins that I shredded into small pieces and mod podged them on....the black one is tissue paper.

This one is not quite finished yet, I ran out of hot glue sticks! Some buttons are layered on top of each other in order to hide the white.

Here they are paired with some small fortune ones :) They were fun and super easy to do...the only hard part was being patient enough to let them dry before displaying them!

Deck the Halls

Yeah! My Christmas if FINALLY up and finished. Here is a peek at some of my doings :)

Believe it or not....this little village is actually an advent calendar that I found at Costco.....for $14 bucks!!!! It's one of my most favorite things.

These cute metal stocking were from TaiPan.

I love big chunky things in the tree.

This is mommies tree....and no one's allowed to touch it....we have the family tree downstairs (more on that in another post). It is filled with homemade ornaments and the family ornaments gathered throughout the years.

Here's what I decide to do with my Apothecary Jars. The red and green you see is actually sugar with food coloring! Some snowflakes (I'm a little obsessed with those) and some styro balls that I covered in glitter to look like snowballs!

P.S. Charlie has been found! Oh happy day....he was underneath my husbands swimming shorts? No idea why or how that is.