The sugar isn’t agreeing with us….

Okay, I tried. Really I did. What was supposed to be a fun family holiday craft has turned, well, out of control. As a child my aunt and cousins(my aunts kids) and therefor my cousins…see the sugar is screwing with me…would always make a gingerbread house. And when we went to visit, we could tear off a mint jelly candy or an M&M, a piece of gingerbread, and I was envious.

Well, not anymore. What a bloody mess. I would win the Ugliest Gingerbread House contest for sure. And as far as having any patience, well, screw that too! Thank my stars it was only $7 for this kit. Double thank my stars that I didn’t go through the effort of making everything from scratch. Which I believe my aunt did. I applaud her, standing!! Let’s have a fudgin ovation!!!!

So before I absolutely lose all of my christmas spirit, I am putting this gingerbread house to rest. And for heavens sake, we have licked and licked our way to this point. So much so, my boy has wierd things going on with his eyes….something like what I would think a charging bull might look like. Or the Grinch the day after Christmas in this economy. And Maddy’s voice is up an octave, no three octaves and Kaylee is double talking….

So we are washing our hands, literally and spiritually and physically of gingerbread house making! Get your last licks in kids! Greg, enjoy your tomten!!

The Night Gravity Met My Swag!!

Okay, I have joined a local Garden Club, and have really enjoyed it. Last months meeting was a demonstration from an amazing woman who showed us how to make centerpieces and well, this swag! So for this months meeting it was a “make your own” kind of thing. And with the help of my friend/guest, this is what I walked away with….I now have a new friend and it’s name is OASIS Floral Foam.

Well, I found a door hanger and decided to hang it up last night at 10:30pm. I kept asking my friend, “Aren’t the branches going to fall out when I go to hang it….gravity and all….?”   “Oh, no, no, just you wait, it will be fine” …. she tells me.

Long time friend Gravity did visit me at 10:31pm, and after much cursing and reshoving, so far so good, but we haven’t had any visits from Wind in the last 15 hours. So we wait for our forever friend Time to tell. But I am not deterred. I will visit my friend Oasis again, and hopefully Gravity will play nice.

Swapped Some Santas!!

I joined the Ornament Swap hosted by Amy of The Lyons Den….and luckily I did them in time! I did this last year and was so pleased with all the wonderful ornaments that arrived.

I made this in Illustrator, and if anyone would like to make these yourself I would be happy to send you the pdf….

Overdue Thank You’s

I will start with Reginas absolutely heart warming box of goodies. Have you ever hidden something away, for whatever reason, and then come across it and enjoy the treasure even more the second time. Well, seeing that we have a snow day, and really can’t go anywhere, I decided it might be a good time to put away the Christmas stuff. And that is when I realized I haven’t posted about any bloggy ornament/gift stuff.

I have been meaning to post the ornaments I received from the swap….some lovely crafters out there. Though I am not sure I will participate again….sadly not everyone respects their commitment to things I guess, and I only received 6 ornaments and I sent out 9……there’s all types I guess.

Craft Fairing and a Bit of Babysitting

Starting off the month of December with a few visits to local craft fairs on Linda’s sleigh…..

This ornament was hand carved by a local artist, my first Santa of the season.

There was also a showdown of fist versus spoon…….the sweet potato won, and my first time babysitting my beautiful nephew Seamus went without incident. I have slightly chapped lips…..too much kissing possibly?

It Is A Process I Suppose

I haven’t been feeling very Christmasee…..well, geez, Thanksgiving was just a week ago, who could blame me right. My homemade goodness will not nearly be as abundant this year. Just not feeling it. My array of gift givees will probably be cut drastically too.

December starts tomorrow. In 25 days I hope I can find some joy.

If I can finish this project that I have started (yeah!!) that will be a start.

Sweat’in the Swap……….

So I signed up for my first swap in a while…..

<<click>> for the link to some of the ornaments from last years swap…..oh, boy am I getting nervous!!!!! Such wonderful ideas….and then I come up with one and there it is, already done…..oh, what am I going to do?

Hats Off……

All cleaned and ready for the big night……

and Boston is up 2 runs to none in the 5th………

 Okay….HATS OFF to the Red Sox, World Series Champs!!! Glad I didn’t jinx em with my Hats Off post.

Long, long overdue thank you’s

Way back before school got out and summer began I got a sweet and thoughtful gift in the mail. A handmade potholder from the wonderfully talented Artsy Craftsy Babe, Beki. It has been used heavily since, and been washed a number of times. I love it when people ask “So where did you get this? or Did you make this?” and all the while I have this little secret that I got it from a blogging friend, which of course I don’t reveal to everyone that I blog. I find it just easier to say “oh, a friend made it” instead of explaining what a blog is, and why I do it, and so on.

Then there is there is my precious pear, made as a pincushion, can you believe. Anyway, this arrived at my doorstep back in January, (so this is loooooong overdue) from the Craft Apple herself Linda.

This pear is treated like fine china, and will never feel a pin on it’s wooly skin!

I did it!

Before I sign off for the night, sit and knit in my sweats, I thought I would share my pics of a very crafty bunch and me as the mystery guest……. There were 20 kids, so I barely was able to snap pics of all, before they had to suddenly get ready for the bus. I felt like I was on a talk show and you had only so much time and before you knew it, it was time to “wrap it up”! I have to admit, the first 5 minutes I was beat red, flustered, stuttering, oh by god, I won’t wear a wool sweater the next time I do that. They keep the school pretty warm and my temp was high enough to begin with! But after ten minutes I got settled in, sort of. I have to say the whole experience was pretty rewarding, and though, I am not with these kids everyday, I still say, which I have told every teacher my kids have ever had, is that, being a teacher is one of the greatest gifts. The gift of patience AND, more importantly, the gift of GIVING! So, all in all, I did it, I am proud of myself, proud of my daughter, and, yes, I just may do it again(this year)! By golly, I am so proud of them, they were all so unique. Some were quiet, some very social, others talkative, outgoing, grownup, inquisitive. Need I go on. I am smitten!