Sympathy Card

The mother of  my husband's friend passed away recently and he wanted to go out and buy a sympathy card for his friend.  I said, "Would you like me to make one?"  His reply, "Oh yeah!  You can make one!"  Helllooooo........... Anyway, I had to come up with something very simple and fast so he could get it to his friend today.  I embossed on Core'dinations paper and then lightly sanded over the embossing.  I then stamped "in sympathy" with the same color ink as the paper, cut the tag, added a few pearl drops and attached the tag with some pop dots. Very fast, very easy, but a nice effect.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve and a terrific New Year!

Dates, Dates and More Dates!

Every year I ask my children for lists for Christmas ideas.  Every year I wait and wait.  This year one son and DIL said they didn't want anything except date ideas.  Wow!  What was I going to do with that one!?  I thought a while and came up with something I think is really fun. I took 12 large envelopes, 1 for each month of the year, and labeled them.  I used Penny Duncan's shaplies to make the backing for the name of each month.  Thank you Penny!  Then I placed a pocket on the front of each envelope.

In each front pocket I place a card with the instructions for that particular date and inside the envelopes I put the "ingredients" for that date.  Here are just a couple of examples.

For the remaining date ideas, I made a small book and listed them all in that.  It seems that everything is an "ology" anymore, so I titled the book "Dateology".  There are enough ideas for every week of the year with a few left over!

I sure hope they like it...and you too!  Thank you for stopping by to have a peek and have a very Merry Christmas!

Quilted Christmas Ornaments

I have been so busy the last couple of days making these Christmas ornaments but I LOVE them!  I think they turned out beautifully!  I can't wait to give them to the people they were intended for!  I just love making and giving.  It makes me so happy to make others happy.  I guess I should wait...maybe the receivers won't even like them!!!  Anyway, I hope you enjoy them and thanks again for stopping by!  Have a wonderful Holiday Season and remember the reason we celebrate, even Him whose name is glorious and whose birth was more glorious for us all!  I love my Savior Jesus Christ and am so glad that I know him.  I love my Heavenly Father and am grateful to be one of his children and to know that no matter what I do, I am loved.  So are we all!  Merry Christmas!

The "Wild" Side

I have a granddaughter who is in love with anything animal, but especially the exotic kind.  I decided to find several kinds of fur fabrics and make her a quilt for Christmas.  I had never used this type of fabric before and don't know that I will again!  It was really hard to sew and make sure that everything was straight and even and matched up, what with the different piles, etc.  Some stretched more than others and some seemed very fragile.  But I did it!  I chose the hot pink backing as she also has a very definite feminine side.  She is very tomboyish most of the time, but loves her dresses and pretty things also.  I calculate this quilt to be about a two-yarder.  Look at it from two yards away and it looks nice.  Don't get too close to see the mistakes!  :)    Have a wonderful day, and as always, thanks for stopping by!

Advent Calendar #2

This advent calendar is for my 4-year-old granddaughter.  She will have so much fun filling in Santa's beard each day!  I found the idea on line but changed it up a bit to make it my own.  I re-worded the poem also.  Now it is just perfect for her!  These are so fun to make.  I found a cute Santa coloring page on line and used MTC to help cut out the image with print and cut.  I used Penny Duncan's file for the layers on the bottom.  Thanks for stopping by to take a look.  Have a wonderful day!

Advent Calendar

Last night I spent a lovely evening crafting with my daughter and daughter-in-law.  We made these adorable Advent Calendars.  They each chose their papers, I designed a box file, and we happily cut, taped, folded, and chatted the evening away!  At first we were going to put a number on each little box to be opened on the respective day of the countdown to Christmas.  However, we all thought it would be more fun to leave them unmarked so that each day they opened a box, it would be a complete surprise for everyone!  The box to be opened Christmas day has it's own special paper, and there is only one box like it in the entire container.  I only have a closeup of one of them, but aren't they just the cutest?!  I would like to upload the file for the boxes, but I don't know how!  I will do some research and see if I can get it to work!  If you would like it, please contact me by email.  Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

I know there are a lot of pictures, but I just wanted to share a bit of my Christmas decor.  I have a Santa collection and a Nativity collection and took a few pictures to just show some of them.  I have larger ones around the house also.  Some are very old, some are very new.  Some are wax, some are made from Mt. St. Helens volcanic ash, some are from the Holy Land.  Most have been gifts.  Isn't that wonderful?!  The tree is the one that my boys decorate with their ornaments that we have gathered over the years.  My husband added his wooden ornaments this year also!  I change my curtains in my kitchen each holiday and these are my Christmas ones.  I just love the holidays!  I am going to thoroughly enjoy every day until Christmas is here!  Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

Christmas Ornament...another one!

Here is my husband's latest!  He has been very busy in his shop turning out more and more beautiful ornaments.  This one is made out of apple wood (I think!) and he has made it completely hollowed out so you can see the bell from all four sides.  Breathtaking!  Thank you for stopping by to take a peek and have a wonderful day!

Once There Was A Snowman (and woman)...

Aren't these just the cutest little Mr. and Mrs. Snowman?!  My dear husband turned them on the lathe and added little black crystals for their buttons and eyes.   I made a tiny green bow to go on Mrs. Snowman's hat.  These will look so cute hanging on our tree!

I was perusing the Make-the-Cut forum the other day and noticed they were having a "Nutcrackers in November" crop.  There was a charge plate challenge and I have always liked putting vinyl on plates, so I decided to make one and include it as an entry in the challenge.  Here it is!  I found this pattern on line about a year ago so I don't know who to give credit to for this amazing design!  Doing little projects like this gets me closer to being in the Christmas spirit, however, I want to thoroughly enjoy the Thanksgiving season to its fullest!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Christmas Bells Are Ringing!

My sweet husband has already made me so many beautiful wooden Christmas ornaments to hang on our tree this year, but now he has included this amazingly beautiful bell!  He used cherry wood and birch plywood.  Somehow he layered the woods and as he turned it on his lathe, it created this gorgeous pattern!  Not only is the outside beautiful, but the inside as well! I hope you enjoy the pictures.  Thank you so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

"Corn" Bread

I love to cook, and bake, and make, and eat!  One of my favorite things to make is my bread.  Last night we were having clam chowder for dinner so I whipped up some bread in my trusty Bosch Bread maker and decided to make a fun sculpture with it.  I tried making an ear of corn.  It looked really good after I had gotten it all shaped and ready to raise.  However, after raising, my "corn rows" weren't quite as pronounced.  Let me tell you, though, that none of that affected the way it tasted!  My family is always ready for some good old fashioned homemade bread!  They gobbled away without giving much thought to how it looked!  Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek!  Have a great day!

The "Perfect" Lemon Square Recipe (for us!)

In regards to a previous post on my Cake Plate, I had said that I would post a recipe when I felt that it was good enough to share.  Well, I think I have done it! To preface this,  I have a husband who doesn't like anything lemon, and he is eating a fair portion of these!  These lemon squares have a very tangy, lemony flavor so if you don't like a strong lemon flavor touching your palate, these won't be for you.  I tried several recipes, mixed and matched, and finally came up with something that my entire family likes!  However, they have had to eat so many lemon squares in the past few days, I believe they are weary of them right now!   Here it is!  I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!  I will caution you, however, to let them cool completely before trying to cut them.  If they are the slightest bit warm, they will not cut well at all.  Ask me how I know that.... I was much to impatient to taste them and cut them way too early!

SHIRLEY'S VERY LEMONY LEMON SQUARES

Crust
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

Filling
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 cup lemon juice
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9X9 baking pan with foil.  In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.  Cut the butter into chunks and add to the flour mixture.  Blend on low speed with an electric mixer until the mixture has a coarse, sandy texture.  Pour into your pan and press down until it is all even.  Bake for 16-19 minutes, or until sides are a golden brown.

While baking the crust, put the eggs in a bowl and whisk until well mixed.  Add the sugar, flour and baking powder.  With an electric mixer, blend on low speed until smooth.  Add the lemon juice and continue to blend on low speed until well mixed.  If you desire a more brilliant yellow color, you may add yellow food coloring. I added about 4 drops to mine and they were a very beautiful yellow.  Pour this mixture over a hot crust.  Bake 25 minutes, or until filling in the center is firm to the touch.  Cool COMPLETELY before slicing.  Top with confectioner's sugar.

Get Well Card

We have a dear friend who is in the hospital and my husband said, "You can make him a card real quick and we will go visit him."  Yeah, right.  I can't do anything "real quick"!  This took me all afternoon to do!  I found the idea for the card on Split Coast Stampers and tweaked it to make it my own.  I cut the scalloped pieces with my trusty Black Cat Lynx.  I don't think I have ever told you what her name is.  Her name is "Shadow".  It fits her perfectly.  I used Core'ordination papers for all of it except the white, and that is just good old Wal Mart paper!  I stamped the leaves and the inside sentiment.  Did I mention before what a terrible photographer I am?  Sorry this picture is so dark.  It didn't look that dark when I took it!  Thanks for stopping by and having a look!  Have a great day!

New Cake Plate and Goodies!

I had heard so much about my friends making their own cake plates by taking candle holders and any kind of plate you like and siliconing them together.  I decided I wanted to try it.  I searched for a lot of months to find one I liked.  I found the candle holder one month and a few months later found the plate and I think they look terrific together.  I found them both at our local Deseret Industries Thrift Store and the entire piece cost me $2!  I love making my own things!  I decided that I needed to make something to show it off better so I found a recipe for Lemon Squares and thought I would give them a try.  I have to say that I am less than impressed with the lemon square recipe so I am not going to share it.  When I find one that I really like, I will be sure to post the recipe for everyone to enjoy!  The Lemon Squares do look nice on the plate, however.  Presentation is everything...isn't that what "they" say?  Whoever they are!  Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!  Have a great day!

Christmas ornaments

My husband is a wood turner and very creative and crafty in his own right!  His love right now is making Christmas ornaments.  I just wanted to show a couple of pictures of some ornaments he has made.  He has turned so many and each time he makes a new one, it becomes my favorite!  Too bad he has sold some to others...I could have quite a collection by now!  LOL!  Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!  Have a great day!

Subway Art

As I mentioned earlier, I am NOT a photographer and it was really difficult to get a good shot of this.  It is actually a floating frame but I had to put a white board behind it so you could see the words.  I designed this using several different fonts I found on line and brought them in to my Make-the-Cut program.  I cut the vinyl on my trusty Black Cat Lynx cutting machine.  Then I put the vinyl on the glass.  I still have to use some silicone to make the glass stay in the frame but I was in too much of a hurry to post this as I think it is so cool!  When my husband gets home and can find the silicone, then I will take out the little black holders that are just barely peeking over the sides of the frame and adhere the glass in place.  I hope you like this as much as I do!  Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!

I took all my Halloween decorations down today and put out the Thanksgiving ones.  I just love the transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving!  Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because I just have so very much to be thankful for!  It's hard to see what's on my shelf, but I have turkeys, pottery that my husband made when he was in high school (ancient! LOL!), candles, pilgrims, gourds, etc., and lots of fall leaves!  I just love fall colors!

On my coffee table I like to put out the leftover candy from Halloween so whenever anyone comes, they get a treat.  My kids love it too!

I made curtains for my kitchen that match the place mats.  I love the warm feeling all of these wonderful colors give to my home.  Happy Thanksgiving month!  Thanks for stopping by!

Another Halloween Birthday Card!

I made this for a friend of mine whose birthday just happens to be today also!  I printed the outline of the picture on the card and colored it with colored pencils and then used Stickles to add glitter on the pumpkins and the purple ribbon on the ghost's hat.  I did a print and cut on the ghost on my Black Cat Lynx cutting machine and attached it to the card with pop dots to make it more 3D.  All the sparkles make the card just pop!  I think it turned out quite nicely.  Thanks for looking and thanks again for stopping by!  Happy Halloween!

Halloween Costume

OK, so I forgot to add the picture!  Here is the costume in all it's glory!

Halloween Costume

As I mentioned before, all things Halloween go on at our house.  This past week I spent most of my time sewing my son's Halloween costume.  I have no idea who he is supposed to be.  However, if you play the video game "Final Fantasy", you will be familiar with this outfit...I guess!  I just had a picture to look at that my son provided for me and started cutting and sewing!  It was kind of fun.  I doesn't show up very well in the photos that my other son took, but it turned out quite well.  He wore this to my granddaughter's birthday party Saturday night.  Happy Halloween and thanks for stopping by to take a look!

"Boo"thday Card

Halloween is a super fun time at our house.  We all love the excitement of creating costumes, going to the Pumpkin patch to pick the "perfect" pumpkin, carving them with our own unique designs, decorating with all things Halloween, and as of four years ago, having a birthday to celebrate on Halloween!  Here is the birthday card I made for my granddaughter.  I apologize that I am not a great photographer, however, I hope you get the idea!  I wanted something very simple for her to read, so I made the pop-up fence and ghost and under it I simply wrote "Happy Boo-thday!"  I hope you like this.  Thanks for stopping by!

Name Book

I have a darling granddaughter who will be turning 4 on Halloween.  Her mother was a 2nd grade teacher until Jackie came into their lives.  She wanted something that Jackie could look at that would have her entire name spelled out, but could be used for other teaching ideas.  I came up with this little name book.  Each letter is on its own page.  I decorated the front and back of each page various Halloween papers.  Now Jackie and her mother can use this for whatever teaching moments they want...AND Jackie will be able to spell her entire name!  Happy Halloween and thanks for stopping by!

Baby Shower

We had a baby shower for my DIL so I decided to try my hand at a diaper cake.  It was MUCH easier than I thought it would be.  I just watched a couple of You Tube videos and dug in!  It really was fun to do and became the center piece for the table at the shower!  The actual theme for the shower was centered around books so I bought a large book to set the cake on.  It all turned out quite nicely...I think so anyway!  Thanks for stopping by!

I have been crafting for only a little over a year but I love learning new things and creating beautiful "things". I like to try all kinds of projects and usually do! This past weekend my husband and I created this very cute family of owls. My husband drew the patterns, cut them out in his wood shop, and I supplied the ideas for painting them, sanding them and how the faces should look. We are just tickled with the way they turned out!

I hope to be adding more and more craft projects, as well as many other ideas of "things" that I do and make! Thanks for stopping by!