Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Random act of fun.

Have you ever purchased a bag of buttons at Michael's? They sell them in a plastic bag, packed so tightly that you can't move them around and get a good look at what's in the middle. These bags are SO much fun! They always contain random little surprise shaped buttons.

My SIL gave me a bag of these buttons for Christmas (BTW, quickest way to make me squeal is give me buttons as a gift!!!) and when I opened the bag, this little elf button was right on top. I imagined the person who packed this bag placed him on top - face up - on purpose just before the bag was sealed so he could be seen at first glance when the bag was opened. What a sweet and clever surprise.
So you see, even if you work at a button factory you still have an opportunity to reach out and touch someone in a special way. Thanks, Button Dude, I love the little elf and how he was placed on top to greet me.

What can I do today that might add a touch of fun to someone's day?

:o)

Monday, December 28, 2009

:o) They liked their gifts!

From left to right:
Gift for Grandma
Gift for Mom
Gift for Step-father
.
Outside: Re-usable cup sleeve
.
Inside: Starbucks cookies and a gift card
.
You may already know of my love for crafting with felt...well...these worked quite well to satisfy my felft craving this past Christmas. I used a paper cup sleeve as a pattern to cut two pieces of felt, stitched a few flowers on the sleeves for the girls, buttons on the one for The Rodster, hand stitched the two pieces together and there you have it. Simple. Popular. They've already used them and the report is that they worked great! (Mom orders her Chai Tea Latte extra hot!)

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Gift Exchange: girl vs. boy

Hello blog friends! I hope that each of you had a fabulous Christmas and that you are still basking in the afterglow. :o) My Christmas was wonderful!

Now that the gifts have been given and are in use, I'm able to show you some of the things I made here on my blog. This should give me some blogging material over the next few weeks if I stretch it out!

*****
Every year we choose names with my husband's family to see who we will buy a gift for. This makes it easier financially as we don't buy for each person, but difficult for me because I see things that are screaming to be made for each of my sisters-in-law. At any rate, this year I had Hubby's sister, Meta's name ~ I made her an apron!This may be my favorite apron so far. I love the colors and the brooch. See the little button on the pocket? This came out of my mother-in-law's craft space that was divied up after she passed away -- a little piece of Meta's mom right there on her apron. :o) She loved it.

*****
In other news around the Christmas tree, my husband's brother Don had his name for Christmas. His gift to Hubby was to finish the roof on the bathroom structure we have on our northern property where we camp. Both his brothers were there this weekend working on it, and when they finished yesterday they sent him this picture:
You see, Hubby and his brothers are contractors. Over the years they have worked on a lot of job sites together and one of their little "things" is to draw a silly face somewhere and write the other one's name on it. You can see the happy face drawn in mud on the rooftop, with "DJ" written next to it (Hubby's initials).

This gesture makes me smile. The connection with Hubby and his brothers is something he treasures, and the little happy face in mud on the rooftop means almost as much as having a roof on this little building!

Girl gift.

Boy gift.

Different presentation; both equally loved.

:o)

Friday, December 25, 2009

From our house to yours...

It depends on who you ask, but sometimes the box is better than the gift.


Thursday, December 24, 2009

What's for lunch? Breakfast.

Chocolate pancakes.
Yes, that's right. Chocolate pancakes. For as long as I can remember, my mom made this yummy chocolate syrup that was poured over pancakes, covered with whipped cream, and enjoyed by my sibs and me every year on Christmas morning. I continued the tradition with Carrie - although she has always managed to convince me to make them at certain times during the year as well...but ALWAYS at Christmas.

This year, Carrie is having Christmas brunch with her dad and step-mom. Since she won't be here for breakfast tomorrow morning, we had them for lunch today, on Christmas Eve. <]:o) I'll share the recipe here. It's oh so yummy and very rich and chocolate-y. ~sigh~
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Mom's Chocolate Syrup
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Combine in saucepan:
6 T. cocoa
6 T. water
2 T. vegetable oil
Cook until well mixed and hot. Cook one minute longer.
.
Add:
1/2 c. sugar
4 T. butter (1/2 cube)
a little vanilla (1/2 tsp maybe?)
Cook until butter is melted, turn heat to low to keep warm while pancakes cook.

*****
Can you see Whisky Jay amongst the presents under the tree?
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Merry Christmas, everyone!!! I hope each of you has a fabulous time celebrating with friends and family.
Be safe.
Be merry.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Card box tutorial

Welcome to my first blog tutorial.
:o)

Hello all! I have been making these origami treat boxes for years - mostly using recycled Christmas cards. They are great for gifting little trinkets and candies. Once you make these you'll never look at a Christmas card the same way again! Everytime I see a pretty design on the front of one I think, "Hey, that would make a nice box!" :o) I have also made these boxes using a 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper for a larger box -- so unique and a fun way to package a small gift!

Here's how it's done.

You'll need these simple tools:

1 - You'll need paper for the top and bottom box pieces. I like to use cardstock, but for this tutorial I'm using an old Christmas card.

2 - Cut your paper into a perfect square - you'll need one for the top and one for the bottom. The top piece should be about 1/4" larger than the bottom piece. (For example, if the top piece is 5-1/4" x 5-1/4", the bottom should be 5"x5".)

3 - Use a ruler to mark an X in the center.
4 - Using the X as a guide, fold each corner to meet in the middle.

5 - Now fold the top and bottom sides in and crease well.


6 - Open up and then fold the sides in and crease well.

7 - Now you're going to open up two of the flaps of your box...
7 (continued) - Open the box to look like this:
8 - Find your crease lines for cutting. Cut along these lines on both sides. (I know, I know, origami isn't supposed to be CUT, and there's another way to make these boxes where you fold these corner edges in instead of cutting them, but I've found that these boxes have a better shape if these pieces are cut and tucked in.)

9 - Fold these cut edges into the center, and then fold the large flaps over them to complete the box top (as shown in the next few photos).

10 - You can add a little bit of glue or tape to hold the ends in place, but I find that if you play with it a little you can get the pieces to hold on their own.
10 - Repeat this process for the box bottom, fill with candy, and put the two together.

11 - If anything in this tutorial doesn't make sense...ask me! :o)
*****
If you make some of these cuties on your own, I'd love to see what you come up with!
Fold.
Create.
Enjoy.


Friday, December 18, 2009

Sweet treats...one of our little traditions...

Want a simple, festive, yummy treat to share?
Here's what we made last night...
We used: mini-preztel twists, M&M's candies, white chocolate chips
I put the chips in a freezer-bag and into some hot water to melt. Then I cut a small hole in one corner of the bag and start squeezing some out into the center of each pretzel (pretzels are laid out on a piece of waxed paper).
An M&M on top and that's it!
(Mom moment: There's something about seeing Carrie's hands putting the M&M's on that takes me back to Christmas's past when her hands were smaller. She has always done the M&M part!)
Let them dry, tie in bags, give away. Super easy and oh SO yummy!!!

*****
So, Carrie came over last night and we made these pretzel treats. Our conversation as we made these treats had me feeling a bit melancholy. She told me about a conversation she'd had with a co-worker that day about growing up with divorced parents, going back and forth at Christmas time (and other holidays), and how that had made her holiday memories seem disjointed. The sad part for me is that she felt like we didn't really have traditions because of it.

I started thinking of our traditions and she's sort of right -- we don't necessarily have any big traditions -- those things that are constant with EVERY Christmas. But, we do have lots of little ones. I think the little traditions get overlooked because they seem like the norm around Christmas, maybe like the little things during the rest of the year that we take for granted. We become less mindful of them because they are just always there.

So, I've been racking my brain trying to think of Christmas traditions we have. There are a few: like these pretzel treats we've made every year for about 10 years now. And how Santa always fills Carrie's "baby stocking" (the one I made her when she was born) on Christmas morning instead of the decorative one that hangs on the fireplace during December. And chocolate pancakes on Christmas morning. And the celebrating of Carrie's half-birthday on December 6th. And making origami boxes out of Christmas cards. And...well...I'll think of more... Over the next few days I will be mindful of the little traditions we take for granted because they seem like the norm...
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Do you have small traditions that get overlooked and under-appreciated? Do share!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Do not open until December 25!

It was a typical end to my afternoon of Christmas shopping. I came home and announced "No one come in my craft room and NO LOOKING IN BAGS!!!"

That should have done it, right?

Well, my dear fuzzy friend Whiskers Jay must not have heard me because he followed me straight into the room and immediately began nosing around in the bags. I shoo'd him away several times and didn't think to take a picture because at that point he wasn't being cute - in fact he was being downright annoying. He kept going back to the same bag and then I realized that his catnip toy that was supposed to go in his Christmas stocking was in the bag he was rooting in. "J-Cat! You'll spoil Christmas!!! GO AWAY!!!!!!"

I finally got tired of shooing him away, put the catnip toy up on a high shelf, and went about my business. I had packages to wrap and things to do. A little while later I walked past my craft room and here's what I saw:

Determined.

Relentless.

Successful.
>^..^<

Merry Christmas J-Cat.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Krismas Koozies

When I saw these beverage holders in the $1 bin at Michael's I knew I could embellish them and use them as gifts. The one on the left is for my sis - I just glued a piece of white boa to the top - super easy! The other is for her hubby. I used my Cricut to cut a sencil and then used an acrylic paint dabber to fill in. Then I used some black Stickles (glitter paint) to outline the letters. (The Ho3 wasn't my idea - I saw it somewhere and can't remember where so I'm sorry for not giving proper credit!)
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I filled each of these with Christmas candies tied in a treat bag. Quick and easy! I think they'll love them. :o)
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Sunday, December 13, 2009

A Nutcracker Performance

Savannah
Doll ~ Flower ~ Mouse ~ Tea
.
Savannah & Me
Yesterday Carrie and I attended a performance of the Nutcracker ballet, starring my sweet niece, Savannah. What a great way to celebrate the season! And we were so proud of her.
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~ This will be my December Daily #12 ~
:o)

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Sweet treat candy train

Here's a little something that I saw at a craft fair years ago and have been making ever since. These candy trains are easy to put together and always a big hit.
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To make these you need:
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* a low-temp glue gun
* Lifesavers (I usually buy the "storybook" box of 10 that are sold this time of year)
* a pack of gum for the base (you can't really see it in the picture)
* miniature Reese's peanut butter cup (personal favorite!!!)
* miniature York Peppermint Patties for back wheels
* Starlight peppermints for front wheels
* Hershey's Kiss for smoke stack
.
I start by gluing the Lifesavers to the pack of gum. Next, glue on the Reese's peanut butter cup (trust me, you want to do this before you glue on the peppermint patties for the back wheels!). Glue the other pieces on and that's it! I like to tie them up in a clear cellophane treat bag with a pretty bow and tag before giving them as little gifts. Cute, huh?
PS: I'm feeling much better today! Thanks for all your sweet well wishes. :o)

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Plugging along...

~ for my sister ~
~sniff~
So...I'm a little under the weather today...
Ok. I'm sick.
Dang it.
So much to do, so little energy.
I did manage a strand of garland today.
Back to the couch...

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

A craft from the past...

Meet the Mouse family:
Mama, Papa, Brother, Sister, and Baby.

They are 35 years old and come out of hiding every Christmas.
***
What's so special about this mouse family? Well, nothing really, except for the fact that I made them when I was about 13 years old. You see, being a teenager was different in the 70's -- we didn't have internet (OMG!) and my sister and I had to share the ONE phone that was attached to the WALL in the kitchen. So you might say that I had a lot of time on my hands.

I'm not sure if you can really see the detail in these pieces - they are comprised of a lot of little pieces of felt and all hand-stitched -- Papa and Mama are about 6" tall. I have no idea where I got the pattern (Mom might remember) and I would have no desire to ever make another set but I remember at the time I was obsessed with these little things! I made this set, plus another set for my BFF at the time, and just the Mama and Papa mouse that I sent to a penpal in Denmark.
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Cool thing? This past year I reconnected with that BFF through Facebook (after 30 years!) and she still has the mouse family that I made for her. :o)
*****
Merry Christmas, Val G. I'm glad we are friends again/still.

Monday, December 7, 2009

A very Whiskers Christmas...

It starts...
Who? Me?

I caught him just as he stretched out to go from ladder to tree...
This is Whisker's (aka Whisky Jay, aka J-Cat, aka Rotten) third Christmas. I know it won't be long before he's a lazy fat old cat who doesn't care about messing with the tree or ornaments, so I probably should "enjoy" his remaining enthusiasm over this once-a-year-tree-INSIDE-the-house-covered-with-beautiful-cat-toys extravaganza. And don't even THINK about putting ribbons on packages that go under the tree! This fuzzy boy eats them (expensive vet bill a couple years ago as a result). The little stinker!

Our older cat, Fancy (we think she's about 13 now) lurks in the background (not in these pix), too coy and sophisticated to play with tree ornaments -- at least while I'm in the room and watching!!!

Do you have furry friends that love holiday decorations too?

>^..^<

Sunday, December 6, 2009

And the winner is...

...drum roll please....
dldldldldldldld...

Congratulations, Helena!!! You have won my first blog giveaway! Email me at paperturtle[at]cox[dot]net with your full name and address so I can send your prize.

Thanks to everyone for your very sweet comments. I wish each of you could have won!!! (And many thanks to my awesome hubby for his help with this project!!! He's the BEST!)

PS: The winner was selected by Random.org (#12), but I couldn't figure out how to put a picture of the counter in this post. :o\

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Happy, happy, joy, joy!

The Christmas boxes have landed...down from the attic and contents oozing out around our house.
*
NOW it feels like Christmas!

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