Let the Craftiness Begin!

Well it is the last day of November… it’s that time of year again. A time to celebrate the winter solstice, a time to cozy up inside while the blizzards go, and a time to get crafting!!! In my day to day life I have many people tell me that they aren’t crafty. The thing is-everyone is crafty in their own way! Whether it is hacking an IKEA product or sewing up a child’s wardrobe… most craftiness is born out of the wish to have something unique that can’t be bought (or shouldn’t be bought for the insane asking prices!) Remember that even the simplest canvas, painted one shade, has made its way into an art museum.

I am a crafter that doesn’t really stick to one type of art, it is all fair game. I make whatever strikes me as fun and typically prefer crafts that can be completed quickly, like the crocheted ankle bells that I am making tons of. However, next week I could be back to sewing or painting. You never know with me!

I love looking to expensive stores for inspiration, like Pottery Barn or Anthropologie. All you have to do is type in Pottery Barn Hack to get some wonderful crafting ideas. The best part is making something that is fit to your tastes and budget. Here are some projects that are on my project to-do list:

Kids Art Journal

Fabric BandAids

Tunisian Crochet!!!!

Baby Apron- perfect for painting with baby!

Zippered Box Bag

So there are just a few of the things that are in my project files…

I hope that you are feeling as inspired as I am!

Happy Crafting!

Monday Loves

How is everyone’s Monday going?

It is cold, wet, and grey here… but it is Cleveland in November, so that is pretty normal.

Here are a few things that I am loving this chilly fall/winter-ish day:

 

I want to make some of these felt critter cases for my girl’s iPod and Droids- cute and easy!

Did you know that if you blow bubbles when it is below freezing they freeze and shatter? Homeschooling project!

I adore this galaxy manicure…

and this glittery galaxy playdough!

A cute way to count down to Christmas with the kids, use cotton balls to make a beard, add one each day. =)

Finally, I am totally smitten with this little toadstool fairy home!!!

 

What are you loving this Monday?

 

Jingle Baby, Jingle All the Way!

I don’t know how I survived without Pinterest but once again I was inspired and created something that my little girl adores!

I saw these a few days ago…

… and fell completely in love.

So here are the ones I made for Moira, perfect for a new walker!

I crocheted them from a wonderful rainbow skein of yarn that I found at a local craft store, it changes color really slowly and has a nice texture too it.

Moira loves walking around the house, listening to herself make pretty music…

I like knowing where she is all the time because girlfriend can move now, quickly!!

I really liked them because they whipped up quick, I have made 4 or 5 pairs in just a night.

I didn’t use a pattern since the original was for knitting, but have my method now that I have made a couple sets.

Definitely a fun and easy craft for beginning knitters or crocheters!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

I am so thankful to have all of you,

thankful for happy and healthy children,

a husband who is supportive,

and friends who are my sisters and family.

Today the girls and I headed to a sister’s house for a wonderful family meal. It was everything Thanksgiving should be- men passed out after the meal, kids playing outside, women sharing stories and talking of shopping and family. It was completely lovely! Moira had a great time, impressing everyone with her awesome walking skills, and sampling a ton of food. She sported some brand new ankle bells, which I will share with you tomorrow!

We brought some homemade cranberry conserve and it got rave reviews so I wanted to share it with you!!!

I hope all of you had a wonderful day and have a great Friday!

Are you going out for Black Friday?

Santa Clause: Yay or Nay?

As my oldest girl gets older I am asked more and more if Gabby still believes in Santa Clause. Right now she does believe in Santa, is excited for him to come visit… but he isn’t the star attraction. While we are not a Christian household, we still wanted to keep the spirit of the season rather than the materialism of it as the reason for celebrating. Joy, a common hope for peace, family, and of course baking, are big reasons on our list to celebrate.

We keep the “wants” to a minimum with the 4 gift rule and stress making gifts, and Santa brings a special gift or two, but it isn’t the biggest or best gift. Last year he simply filled stockings with little gifts of chapstick, socks, hair pins, and oranges. I actually don’t understand why so many people tell their kids to ask Santa for the most extravagant gifts instead of giving them outright? Why would I give credit to a person that doesn’t exist for the biggest and best gifts?! I want the girls to know that those things came from Daddy and I, that they don’t have to ask someone else for the item that they want the most, and that we enjoy giving them presents as much as Santa does.

Growing up I was always told to make a list for Santa to look over. It involved looking at all the toy catalogs, dreaming of toys and things that I knew Mom would never buy because she couldn’t afford them, and making sure that I was extra good or else Santa wouldn’t come through. This practice resulted in two things. 1. If Santa got me the ulta cool things on my list it reinforced the idea that we were poor and if I wanted anything good I had to ask someone else. 2. If I didn’t get the stuff on my list I must have been bad and put on the naughty list. Make sense?

Still, we love the spirit of the season and all the fun that comes with it, like watching Christmas movies to singing carols in the car. This year we will add a little Elf to our home (an Elf on the Shelf) whom the girls named Vicky already. But, rather than spy on the girls for Santa, Vicky is going to come live with us and get into trouble at night while the girls are sleeping… hehehe!

I don’t want to take away the magic of Christmas by not including Santa at all so I think that we found a good balance in how we approach the topic… So I want to know: Does your family do the Santa thing? If so, how do you do it? Did you grow up with a rich Santa who got you all the good stuff?