Christmas Blessings

I know it has been over a month since my last post.  Here it is 2 days before Christmas!  It's amazing how time flies once September comes.  

Are you all ready for Christmas?  I have all my shopping done, but still need to wrap the presents.  I love the magical feeling of this season!  

As you can probably tell, I am not the most organized person and on January 7th I start school again taking 13 credits.  I probably won't be around here much, but I will still be looking at all your blogs, so keep creating!!

I feel so blessed this time of year and I hope that as you celebrate this season, you look back at 2012 and realize what God has blessed you with.  

I am working on this too.  Sometimes when you are so immersed in your own problems, it's easy to forget the blessings that you have!  

I am REALLY trying to do this EVERY day!  

Happy Holidays!!

Hawaii and what's to come for my Blog!

Hi Friends!

I am finally getting to a post about my Hawaii trip.  Things have been a little crazy around here since I have come back.  Hubby and I have had such a great time!  Hawaii is such a beautiful place.

I loved it!!

I love this gorgeous picture of the lake we took a boat on to get to the Fern Grotto!

Waimea Canyon

This view is from an airplane ride that we took around the Island of Kauai.  So beautiful!!

I loved this view from outside our Hotel room in Kauai.  the ocean is so amazing:)

Well, there are just a few (I took like a jillion!) pictures of our trip to Hawaii.  It was so fun and relaxing!

My college student daughter is coming home for T-Giving tomorrow!!  Can't wait to see her.  Time just flies by doesn't it?  

I may not be on here a lot during the holidays and then I start back in school in January.  I don't want to completely give up blogging, but I feel like there are so many more important things I should be doing right now in my life.  

For now I won't be around much, but know that I am still crafting and online, so keep in touch!!

Merry Christmas!

 

 I love this picture of Mary with Jesus.  It really encompasses the love a mother has for her child.  

I am so grateful for this time of year we have to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  I have been trying to keep that in mind more this year.  It is so easy to get distracted by all the media, etc. 

If you would like to learn more about Jesus Christ and his plan for you I would like to share this with you.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!  

Thank you for visiting my humble little blog and for all your sweet comments!  I so appreciate YOU!

Crafts and recipe's from Christmases Past!

Some of you may not have been following my blog for long, so I thought I would share some crafts from Christmases past!  Sound good? It's not too late to make some of these!  You still have 3 days:)

Here we go!

I made these cuties a few years ago, when I first started blogging! 

They are so easy and you use a OJ can lid!  How's that for repurposing?

Here's the tutorial on how I did these.  Keep in mind when you are reading the tutorial it was one of my first!

I love these vintage images! Cute, huh?

I love to make these Glass Pendant Necklaces.  They are really easy to make and are a great gift.  You can find tutorials for these all over the internet.

I made this baby last year.  I love it and have it sitting in my living room.  I recommend making the ruffles using this tutorial.

These blocks are simple to make.  Just cut the wood in three different sizes, paint and adhere the vinyl or you could stencil the words on!

More wood blocks!  The tree I ordered from Thoughts in Vinyl.  I added the paint and paper.  The Ho, Ho, Ho blocks I cut out added the paper and cut and added the vinyl myself!  

How about covering a Dollar Tree Composition notebook with pretty scrapbook paper!  Use Mod Podge to glue the paper on, then glue desired embellishments on your book.  Stamp, print or draw ------'s Journal on the front!  Easy and super inexpensive.

Scrapbook paper ornaments.  Another very inexpensive gift to give someone!  Find the tutorial here.

This is one of my favorites!

Yummy Santa Snack Mix!  Just don't eat too much of it while you are making it, like I did!  Find the recipe here.

Lavender Rice Bags.  I actually made these this year!  They were so easy to make!  I love the flannel fabric I found.  You can find the tutorial here.

I hope these gifts can help you with some last minute ideas! 

I may not be around here for a few days, so I wish you happiest of holidays! 

Thank you for reading my blog and making sweet comments.  I appreciate YOU!

Friday Frolic Features!

Wow!  There was some beautiful crafts and recipes linked up last week on Friday Frolic!  I really enjoyed looking at them all!  I realize there are A LOT of link parties out there and I appreciate you linking up here at FRIDAY FROLIC!

Now onto the features!  These are the top 5 viewed links last week:

If you haven't seen this already, you have been missing out!  This is Today's Fabulous Finds Marshmallow Wonderland Viganette.  Isn't it gorgeous?

These yummy neighborhood gift ideas is from Pumpkin and a Princess.

Keeping it Simple made this adorable ornament pillow.  Find out how to make it on her blog!

I love LOVE these Chocolate Candles Homespun with Love made.  They look edible!  Yum!!

Red Suit Pops from The Seven Year Cottage.  So dang cute!

Thanks to all of you who linked up!  They were all great and I wish I could feature all of you!!  

We will be taking this Friday of from Friday Frolic, but it will be back on the 30th!  Don't forget to come back and link up :)

Christmas Garland {Upcycling!}

Hi, I'm Vanessa from Home Sweet Butterfly. 

I love creating fun and easy projects for my home while keeping the cost down. If you never been to Home Sweet Butterfly, I would love for you to stop by and look around.

Christmas is my favorite time of the year and I am so happy to be here with Karen and all of you today.
Today, I am up-cycling a old Christmas garland that has seen better days. You'll just need a green garland and two rolls of Poly Deco Mesh.

Take each end of the garland and hold it down with a chair , this will make it stable.

Gather the mesh in your hand 

Mesh should be 9 inches long

Make a puff  

Tie the mesh using the garland. Continue all the way down

First layer.

I added second layer, by using the same method.

Finish product. 

You can add ribbon going over the top and tying it off with the garland. Also hot glue Christmas ornaments as well. I love how the garland looks, its so fluffy and full. It looks great on top of my entertainment center. This would also look great over the fireplace or your entry way. I used Deco Mesh on my tree this year.  Thank you for having me Karen and I LOVE comments so drop me a line. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

Vanessa

What a gorgeous Garland!  I love the pretty ribbon.  Thank you Vanessa.

Stop by Home Sweet Butterfly for more of Vanessa's cute crafts!

Favorite Gift Wrapping ideas! {Aqua and Red}

Are you as crazy in love with all the Aqua and Red crafts that you are seeing everywhere as I am??  I don't know what it is about those two colors that makes me squeal! 

Here are some of my favorites that I thought might give you some fabulous ideas for Christmas.  It isn't too late is it?

I am so totally in love with these printable gift tags you can download at Sass&Peril.

Ok, this isn't exactly gift wrapping, but are these Winter Warmers the cutest?  I love the fabric she used and she wrapped them in Red and Blue ribbon.  DARLING!  You can find the tutorial to make these at A Spoonful of Sugar Designs.

I love this gift wrapping idea from Make and Takes!  Ribbon is one of my favorite ways to decorate a gift.

I am swooning over that Red and White twine!  I love this idea! You can find it on Wink Designs.  There are several other Red and Aqua wrapping ideas on here website you need to check out!

Some more darling Christmas Red and Aqua printable Gift Tags found at Creature Comforts blog.  Make sure you look around on this blog.  There are a ton of printables!! 

I just had to add these glittered clothes pin gift toppers!  Aren't they so pretty?  You can also find those at Creature Comforts Blog.

Well that about WRAPS it up!  I hope this gave you a few ideas for when it comes time to wrap your presents!  I still have done NO gift wrapping.  I better get on it. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  

Don't forget Wednesday I will be featuring the top 5 viewed links from last weeks Friday Frolic!  Maybe it will be you!!

Today's Guest: Ginger Snap Crafts

Hi! I'm Ginger, & I blog over at Ginger Snap Crafts. 

It's a fun place where I share my easy, simple & cute crafty ideas & projects. 

{Would love to have YOU drop by sometime!} 

It is so fun to be over here with Karen & YOU celebrating Christmas!
(It seems like I was just here during the Pumpkin Bash...yikes!  Where did all the time go???)
Buuuut I do love this time of year, and I am so excited that Christmas is almost here!  Yay!
 Today it will be a JOY to share my cute & easy {JOY} blocks tutorial. ;)

Supplies:

2x8 cut into 3 blocks

(7 in x 5.5 in, 5.5 in x 5.5 in, 6.5 in x 5.5 in)

vinyl lettering

(I used my Silhouette & software to cut mine.)

paint

Christmas ribbon

They are as easy as they look.  You just paint the blocks a creamy white.

Let them dry completely, apply your vinyl lettering & then add a festive bow.   That's it! :)

Over my blog I'm having a fun $5.00 and under link party all month long.

{This craft would definitely fall into that category.}

If YOU have any cute, easy & CHEAP ideas click the button & join the party!
I'll be choosing one idea of YOURS as our neighbor/friend gift this year!
If I chose YOUR idea I'll spotlight YOUR blog & show our version on Christmas Eve!

Thank you for having me over, Karen! I had a wonderful time! :)

Hope you all have a very merry Christmas!

I am in love with those blocks!  They are so bright and cheery.  Thanks so much for sharing Ginger!

"You Measure Up" Teacher Gift!

Hey!

I am super excited to be here! 

My name is Kirsten.  I'm a mother of three angels, and a wife to an amazing man! I blog over at Mushki Loves where I share everything I love...my family, my latest thrift store find,DIY projects,yummy recipes,new products,and everything else in between!

I am so excited to share with you all this fun and inexpensive teacher gift. 

Teacher gifts are kinda hard to chose. You don't want it to just be something that is put in a closet or not really used.  Right?! I was on a mission to get some fun ideas, but, make something that I haven't seen before, but that is useful!  I started my google search....

I saw a ornament online that was a ruler with the usual "ABC,A+,Apple"...Hmmm.  How could I make this my own?  something that could be used all the time?  So, I went to the dollar store, my all time favorite place, to get some inspiration.  I was browsing around, and I came across the cutest metal paper clips and regular paper clips and then they had matching rubber rulers...the idea was born! 

Supplies:

-1 pkg. 2 rulers (dollar store)

-Metal paper clips (dollar store)

-Paper Clips (dollar store)

-Metal Tin (Target)

-Magnets (Walmart: already had them)

-E-6000 glue (Walmart or any craft store:already had)

-Scissors

-Sand Paper (optional)

-Cute bag (optional)

-mod podge/brush (Walmart or any craft store: already had)

I wanted to divide the tin into three sections.  

One for the paperclips, the clips,magnets. 

I cut the ruler to fit the width of the tin and then cut a smaller part of the ruler to section it.  

I used E-6000 to glue it together.

Then I just set it into the tin. 

I cut the ruler into different lengths and attached a magnet to the backs of them.

Then I sanded the edges and rounded the corners. 

This is optional, I just wanted to give it a more finished look.

It 's all preference!

Finished magnets.  I even tried them out on my fridge...Yep, they work! 

YAY!

I filled the little sections up....

I saved a small part of the ruler left over that I wanted to use to add a little something to the top.  I used my computer and font Bohemian Typewriter for "Ms. Rockwood....You measure up!"  I tore the paper around the writing to fit onto the ruler, used some mod podge to glue it down, and then a thin layer on top of it. then I glued the ruler piece onto the top using e-6000.  

Tied it all together with matching ribbon....and WALAH!  

A cute teacher gift!

I found this quote:" A Great teacher has always been measured by the student who has surpassed them" I used the same font and tore the edges of the paper on this one too, and then glued it into the card, had My Pretty Princess write what ever else she wanted to and sign the card, we put it all in the cute bag that I picked up at Target for$.25.

This cute little gift cost us $4.25. 

Inexpensive? YEP! Cute? We sure think so!

  LOVE it! 

Hopefully her teacher will too!

I would love it if you stopped by Mushki Loves and say "Hi!"  I also host a weekly link party every Tuesday, called "Mushki Loves My Stuff! Stop by and show off you latest and greatest creation! 

ALSO...

a weekly "Let's be Friends!" Blog Hop on Friday where you can meet new friends!

A GREAT BIG HUG  Karen....It's been fun!

THANK YOU for letting me guest post on your awesome blog! 

Have a great day!