UPDATE: Advent Calendar

Hope all you guys had a food-filled Thanksgiving because I know I did. All of the tasty treats including my disaster Lemon meringue pie (which was soupy). All in all our trip to Luray, VA was wonderful.

(The annual Devanny, Belton and Leland football game)SOOOOO Funny

Well, guys it's December 1st and I am proud to say that my Advent calendar is done. Needless to say I finished it late last night. BUT IT IS DONE.

The girls were so excited the whole time I was sewing the calendar. Constantly asking me "Are you done, are you done." Well, just Courtney asking me that, Kat could care less what I was doing. She wanted to get her hands onto the scissors and cut into all of my felt and get into ALL of my glitter.

I did get tons finished over the Thanksgiving break, thanks to my AWESOME niece's and nephews and that Adorable baby Gabe who kept my children occupied.

During the drive to Luray I did get most of my ornaments done and sewed on most of the pockets there. My family better appreciate this calendar because my fingers are sooo sore from all of the threading. Here are the ornaments that will go into random pockets to go onto the tree.

Here is the finished product of all my hard work.

The stick that's holding my calendar is one from my tree in the back yard. A.C. Moore had a sale on the cutest glitter scrapbooking paper. So I HAD to get a couple of them.

All in all, I think this calendar turned out really good. I am so proud of myself.

Now that I have all the pockets filled with ornaments and candy, I can focus on other big projects like:

• the floors on the main level


• Baby Christina's room

Until next time.

Homemade Advent Calendar

I have to say we are embarking on one of my most favorite holidays.......Christmas.

Since I've been married we have had the most fun with our advent calendar. I really can't remember having one as a child. The last three years seeing Courtney wake up in the morning to open one of the perforated windows on the calendar makes me excited for some reason. But I do have to say our advent calendar has taken a beating the last couple years.

So I thought to myself.... I have all this time on my hands. Why not make a homemade advent calendar that Courtney, Kat and Christina (the little joy in the oven) could last us for years and years to come and any other children we might have in the future.

I started looking online because I was not sure how I should start my calendar. I came across these images and pulled bits and pieces from each.

(Pottery Barn Kids)

This is what I've gotten done so far

I have to say the worst part is over. Which was embroidering all those numbers on to the pockets. This calendar is going to be a combination candy and decorating. In no particular order half of the pockets will have some candy and the rest of the pockets will have little felt decorations to decorate the tree on top on the calendar. That's what the buttons are for on the tree.

I still have to attach the tree and pockets to the main part of the fabric and under each pocket their will be a bible reading to meditate on for the day. I am hoping to get all of this done over the Thanksgiving break. Between the long car ride and the all of the children to play with at my sister in-laws, I won't have to worry about the kids getting in the way. LOL

I am not the best at decorative stitching but I'm pretty sure after this project I'll be ready to go pro.

I will post the final picture before the 1st of December (hopefully).

Ribbon Board

When I was in Target the other day I saw the prettiest cork picture board to go into the girls room. But they wanted $25 for it (they have to be out of their minds) I will die before I spend $25 on a cork board. My genius child Courtney came up with a suggestion "Mommy, why not make one yourself?"

And so I did. I knew I had some old pictures in the basement that I was not doing anything with. So I used that for the frame and the base of the picture.


Here's what you'll need to make your own:

• Lg enough piece of fabric to cover the frame back piece (8x10 etc..., I used an old skirt for fabric)
  
• batting pieces large enough to cover frame insert


• spool of ribbon(s)


• glue gun

First off you need to discard the glass and/or any other cardboard that came with the picture. Only keep the outer cardboard that you see when you turn the picture around. Taking the back piece of the frame lay it down on top of a piece of batting. Starting on one side wrap the batting around the board tightly and hot glue into place.

****As you can see I can't Take a picture without my belly getting in the way***

Make a snip in the corners so you can lay them down smoothly. Continue repeating with other three corners and then do it again with the 2nd layer of batting. (I wanted mine to be nice and cushy but you can use less batting if you prefer)

Next you do the same with you piece of fabric. Making sure you pull on it tightly so their are no wrinkles in the front of your board.

For the corners make a snip so you can fold one side over the other.



Now, for the ribbon. I would suggest laying out the pieces first until you get a pattern you like. Then, you place hot glue on the ends of each ribbon pulling them tightly behind the board.





If you want you could use some coordinating fabric to cover the outside of the frame. But, I opted not to because I was tired and I thought it looked fine with the black frame.




Wah-lah, now I have my own version of the cork picture board that cost me hardly anything.

Trust me when I say I have stuff lying around my house I am not joking. You should see my basement where all of my crafting supplies are.

I am trying to finish the girls room. All I need to finish is the fabric self and picture frames for the room then I can concentrate on baby Chum-Chums room. I have less than three months left (I think I need to get started)

DIY Window Valance

I know what you may be thinking......I have to use a power drill, buy lumber, this will be a large project. But, I promise you this was THEE easiest project in the world and IT IS NOT HARD TO DO AT ALL.


Let me show you how I did it.

You are going to need:
Wood, plywood or pressed wood- 3 pieces that meet the measurements of your window, you'll want one long piece to go across the front and then two small pieces that are the same width as your long piece but only 3 to 4" long. They basically need to be long enough to make your valance stick out far enough from the wall for a curtain rod to fit underneath. Mine were 40" x 7" & 4" x 7"

Fabric & Batting- the length of the long piece of wood+side pieces
power drill, staple gun & a level

1st - You need to buy your wood. I know lots of women do not like going to the hardware store, it can be a bit intimidating. But, all you need to do is bring in the measurement for your window and mosie on over to the lumber section. Hopefully, you will be able to find an employee and once you do he can help you pick out the wood. The piece of wood that I got was only $6.28. Once the wood is picked out (wait...the best part of it all) THEY WILL CUT IT FOR YOU IN THE STORE. So that means no sawing for you, unless you are the type that does not mind using a saw.


2nd- Attach the two smaller pieces to each end of the large piece of wood. Use your corner bracket to hold them in place.


3rd- You can start to wrap your batting around the wood. I wrapped mine around twice to give it the extra cushion. Then do the same thing with the fabric. Be sure you pull on the batting and the fabric tightly so their are no wrinkles in the front of the valance.


4th- Use your level to make sure you are hanging your valance straight. Attach your L brackets to the wall first then to your valance. You want to hang it so that it covers the curtain brackets. If you look closely you can see my curtain brackets under there.


Then you are finish. You can rehang you window rod and panels under your new professional looking valance. Trust me this project is easy and cheaper than any new valance you would buy in the stores. I am all about designing on a dime.

Did Someone say "Candy Apples"

Oh yes I did....
I have been craving candy apples for sooo long and since I have an abundance of apples in my house I figured I would make some. I tried many recipes for candy apples in the past but this one I found on the Internet by FAR beat out all the other ones that I've tried. Also, it used the least amount of ingredients (everything one should have in their kitchen.

So I am going to be a good friend and share this recipe with you all. Because I am so loving and maybe you will have a much fun doing them with your children as much as I did with mine.

Ingredients
2c of granulated sugar
1/2c light corn syrup
3/4c water
3/4tsp of red food coloring
8 medium apples (I used a mixture of Granny Smith and delicious apples)
Candy thermometer

1. First you need to wash and dry your apples so the candy will adhere to them.
   
   
2. Next, insert your sticks into the apples. ( I used wooden dowels b/c they are a lot thicker than Popsicle sticks)

You also need to line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with some Pam (baking ). That's so the candy apples will not stick to the sheet when they are done.

Making the Candy

1. In a medium saucepan, put all of your ingredients together.


2. Stir until the sugar has dissolved (Important- the sugar must be dissolved before it boils to prevent crystallization)




3. When the liquid starts boiling reduce the heat to a simmer and if you notice the liquid starts to crystallize around the edges of the pan use a pastry brush with warm water to wipe it away.





4. When the liquid reached 280 degrees F take it off of the heat.
   
   


5. Then, you can start your dipping.

Okay, I had to take a picture of the girls eating them. I mean......you have to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

It was definitely bath time after they ate them. They were sooooooo sticky. But they were very delicious.

Hope you guys enjoy

Busy hands

Well, you guys I thought I could not do anymore until I came across an email from the good ole Martha Stewart. Talking about how relaxing crocheting can be. So I decided to take her up on that because God knows I need some relaxation in my life right now. I did not want to start with something really hard so I mosied on over to the beginners tab of the website and saw some really pretty Christmas stockings that I could crochet.

Let me tell you, crocheting is not easy at all.

So I called my mother, the Queen of crocheting and asked her to help me. Years ago she tried to get me into crocheting and my mind was going 110mph because I didn't understand the crocheting lingo. But, I have to say after LOTS and LOTS of reading the same thing over and over again. I finally got it (not all of it though).

It took me almost two weeks to finish one stocking. Now, that I have completed the second stocking I am feeling much better about crocheting.

Here is two of the four stocking that I am doing. It is not completely done yet, I still have to crochet the leaves and sew them on.





When I am finished them all I will show the pictures.

Faux yarn balls with felt mums

I know it has been ages since I've last blogged. But homeschooling an 8year old, constantly taking care of an 2 year old and taking care of a pregnant mommy (myself) and all the other household duties. Blogging was just not in my vocab at the time.

Now, that I finally scrapped myself from my living room couch. I can say that I am ready to craft again. and I started by making a new center piece for my dinning room table. I was so tired of looking at the faux-flowers. I knew I had some felt left over and since I started to crochet I had the yarn. Since I liked to create from what I already have. I didn't run out to the crafting stores to buy some styrofoam balls. So I used what I had.

Materials:
An old magazine
Yarn (any color)
Soft felt
Glue gun
Thread and needle
Tape

First I started off by making the yarn balls. You can do them in any order (of course). But, you take at least 5-6 pieces of magazine paper, depending on how big you want your balls (I swear I am not using that frase like it sounds). Magazine paper is more flexible than other types of paper because it is so thin, you can make the balls tighter.

After you got your balls to the right size then you put tape around it to hold any loose pieces of paper in place. Now it is time to start gluing your yarn.

I would say wrap the yarn around 10-12 times before changing directions. Keep wrapping until the the entire ball is covered with yarn.

Felted Mum

Since fall mums are typically yellow, Burgundy and orange you can use those colors or any that you can. But, I used yellow and pink.

First start off buy cutting out your pedals which should be cut in a + (addition sign) shape. A standard size mum needs no more than 12 pedals. Then you cut a 2" circle and start sewing on your pedals along the outside and working your way in. The tighter you pull on the pedal it will make it look like the shape of a U.

Once all of the pedals have been sewn on, then you can cut out your leaves using the green felt. Mum leaves usually have three leaves on each side.

Also, you need to cut out a 2" diameter circle, the same color as the leaves to cover up all the work.

The wah-lah you are finish. A quick and easy project you can do to make your house look more fall like.

I am still here.......I think

Being as though I have not made a entry in a while. I have a really good excuse. Marty and I just found I that we are......Pregnant.

I am not very far along, only 5weeks. But, these five weeks have taken ALL of my energy from me. I have a lot of crafting done it's just finding the time to upload all of the pictures and sitting at the computer and typing it all. I promise, when I am feeling like myself again I will have tons of stuff to blog about.

Until then my fellow Blog followers.

Fern Coasters

I soooo loved this project........


We had a 1st communion/cookout party at our house on Sunday for Courtney and I always wanted coasters but all the ones that I liked were WAYYYYYY to expensive. When I saw the demonstration on Martha Stewart's show I was relieved because they are so easy to make. When I was done making them I was really impressed because they looked as if they could be sold in the store. Marty seriously thought I brought new coasters until he saw the mess I made around my crafting section in my basement.



So here we go, lets make some coasters........


First you will need to get all of your supplies

-Iron-on transfer paper for light fabrics ( you can use Avery or Wilton brand)
-1/4-inch thick sheet balsa wood
-Iron
-mat knife or utility knife
-sand paper (150-grit)
-clear gloss oil-based polyurethane
-Adhesive cork drawer liner
-Fern coaster template



****All of these supplies you can find at your local craft store and if you use the coupons you can get discounts on the most expensive items*****


To print the Fern coaster template click here. Once the template is printed you can iron it onto your iron-on transfer paper and cut away extra paper around the design.




Place balsa wood on a flat, heat-resistant surface (do not use an ironing board). Pressing firmly iron the designs onto the balsa wood, FOLLOWING transfer paper manufacturer's instructions. The paper should completely adhere in about 30 seconds


Allow paper to completely cool for 5-10 mins and remove protective backing. With your utility knife, cut out squares along white lines. Sand edges lightly with a fine sandpaper.




Coat front and sides of coasters with the polyurethane, allowing to dry completely for 2hrs and sanding. Repeat this step 4 more times (Oh Yeah....this project takes a whopping 10 hours)




Lastly,place the back of each coaster onto sticky side of adhesive cork drawer liner. Trim cork around coaster with utility knife.





Now..... you are ready to host a awesome Party with your new homemade coasters.

Coconutty Chocolate Chip Cookie

A couple weeks ago my neighbor gave me a recipe for some really good chocolate chip cookies. I wasn't use to them because they did not have the buttery taste cookies are supposed to have. I thought to myself change is good. Yesterday after a weekend of cookout food (which was delicious) Marty and I wanted a sugary treat. So I went to get all the ingredients for the cookies. Long and behold I was missing the shorting and vegetable oil. Then my brilliant husband said "why don't you use the coconut oil for the shorting". But, I was still missing one more ingredient (the vegetable oil). I remembered that I had some walnut oil and I used that to substitute the vegetable oil. When the cookies were done I gave one to Marty, because if he liked it then I knew it was good. Sure enough he did and he said it had a nutty coconut taste. But it feels good to put stuff in your food that only has one ingredient.

But for all you who want to try it. Here are the ingredients:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2cup granulated sugar
1/2 Pure coconut oil
1/2 cup of walnut oil
1 egg 1tsp vanilla extract
2cups all-purpose flour
2tsp cream of tartar
1tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli chips, they taste better than any other chocolate chip out their)

In a bowl beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, walnut oil and coconut oil until smooth. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Then put the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt into the sugar mixture. Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips.

Let them bake for about 8 minutes on 350 degrees F. Then let them cool on a wire rack.

Then wal-lah you have some delicious coconutty chocolate chip cookies and might I add a good call on substituting those ingredients.