MERRY CHRISTMAS!! (ddp 25)

Hoping this finds all of you spending your day celebrating the birth of our Savior and Lord of all creation. We are having a wonderful time together. (Although we are missing several somebodies...you know who you are). Yesterday, we spent the day baking and just being together. We made cookies and I started our Christmas dinner. Here is a little sample. I have a few other pics of some of the other things we made, but I will need to download them later. We are getting ready to play another game. Gotta go for now. Much love~Kimi and family

The Wrap Station(day 22)

Every year we set up a little 'wrap station'. With a folding table set up and paper, tape, tags, ribbon, boxes and bags, we can come and wrap at anytime. The kids especially like it because this way they can use it anytime and don't need my help to wrap something special from them. Our house rule at Christmas time is: "Christmas time is not a time for questions." So when we see someone at the wrapping station, we know to look the other way. No need to spoil any suprises! Right? I didn't take the picture early enough this morning. It was 13 when we got up. I don't care who you are...that's c-o-l-d! Our windchill was 9. We needed to go out and break up the horses water. It was iced over at least 2-3". It was soooo cold. They were glad to see us and look so fluffy with their winter coats. As you can see from the pic below, it's 21 now and our high today is only 32. My friend and her family are on vacation and in very cold temps. I hope they stay warm.

Just for Autumn (day 19)

Micaylah and I decided we would make something this afternoon. After I got her started on the sewing machine, she wanted to finish it herself. Since I had some felt left over from another craft, we cut it up into equal pieces and sewed all the squares into a larger square.

Then we laid the two pieces together, cutting and tying all the ends together. You probably already know what it is...we made Autumn(our little min-pin) a mini tie blankie, especially for her. Now she has her own little place to rest on and she can use it to sleep with. She has a snowman blankie that she sleeps with, but she already seems to like her new one.

Merry early Christmas, Autumn! ps...we'll do just about anything to keep from being idle--hee, hee!

Crafts for Christmas (day 18)

I am always on the lookout for a good, fun and easy craft that the kids and I can do for different seasons and then keep them out on display.

Here's a REALLY FUN craft to make that doesn't take any craft experience at all. It's a snowman family and you can make as many as you would like! Super Easy!What you'll need:

• powdered coffee creamer containers-one for each snowman
• package of white tube socks
• tiny black buttons-2 for each snowman
• tiny buttons of various colors-for decor(we used flower shaped from my scrapbook stuff)
• orange pipe cleaners-shaped into a 'carrot'
• fluffy pom-poms-for hats
• fleece-various colors for their hats and scarves
• hot glue and glue gun
• rubber bands-two (2) for each snowman, one above eyes and one at top of hat
• zip-lock sandwich baggie & rice or beans-1/2 cup for each snowman

Here's the instructions:

• remove lid, place sock over container.
• fill baggie with 1/2 cup rice or beans. Place into container and replace lid. Secure lid.
• cut a piece of fleece the size you'd like to make a cute, little hat.
• roll the fleece around the top of snowman and place 1 rubber band at lid(rim) and fold the fleece up to cover. Glue into place.
• at floppy end of hat, secure the second rubber band. Glue a few pom-poms around to cover rubber band. (I fringed some)
• using buttons, glue eyes into place and then the nose.
• cut a thin piece of fleece to go around the neck. Don't forget to allow enough to make the knot and hang down nicely. Tie into place.
• glue buttons down the front.
• straighten the sock so it looks even.

We also used these to give as gifts and filled them with goodies. (Just changed the lid a bit though) They always smelled good when they were opened up, because of the creamer. We usually filled them with chocolate or fudge. And that goes with anything!! :) __________________________________________________________________________ One year we made these stockings. What you'll need:

• newspaper
• scissors
• pencil & eraser
• fabric -enough to make the stocking (I used a different fabric for all 9 of us)
• sewing machine or glue (I used my sewing machine)
• embellishments (eg: glitter, buttons,ribbon, stars, etc)

Here's the instructions:

• Draw a pattern that you like onto newspaper. Cut it out
• Place 2 pieces of fabric, right side together. lay flat on table.
• PIN BOTH PIECES TOGETHER, just about where the pattern will lay.
• Trace the 'pattern' onto the fabric. Make sure pins are in proper places.
• Cut out the stocking pattern and sew together.
• Turn right side out and press with iron to make it flat.
• Hand sew a little loop on one side.
• Lay them out and let the kids decorate them till their hearts content.

What fun and How easy is that! (Note: I lined mine with a bit of thin fleece. If you choose to line yours, just lay fleece on both sides of your fabric and then cut your pattern. Remembering to pin all four (4) pieces.