baby doll, new calendar, and overcoming the fear of knitting

Mallory's (we call her Miss Mae) 2nd Birthday was on Friday. I know she is a big fan of Dora, but I wanted to introduce her to a new love - a handmade doll. I found the perfect pattern with the perfect name -the Mae Doll- on You Can Make This. It was easy and I love how it turned out. Mallory seems to pay more attention to the Dora napkins and plates from her party than the doll, but I still have hope. The doll will last while I know the love of Dora will end...someday.


Ever since I saw Heather's block calendar over at Lark & Lola I have had it on my list to make. I knew they would make great Christmas gifts. Well, obviously I didn't get them made before Christmas. But, I could make tons and be sooooo early for Christmas this year, right? Probably not going to happen, but my mom and I tested them out while she was here and they are so easy and fun to make. I found a stamp set at Michael's that had numbers, days of the week, and months on them. That made it easy. We were thinking that you could make one extra so that there was 8 in a set and put different stamps of holidays (heart for Valentines, snowflake, egg, flag, pumpkin, etc.) and then if you could find a cute metal tin to put them in that would be the perfect presentation for a gift. I am going to be on the hunt for a tin that they will fit in.

Also, I haven't forgotten about the giveaway. I will post it this week. I just took my mom to the airport on Saturday and sent her back to the warm weather of California. My husband came back that same day from a week long trip to the National Home Builder's Show in Las Vegas where his company, Urbane Homes, won some awards for their affordable energy efficient homes. So, we are getting back to reality and back on schedule.

PS - I finally learned how to knit. My mom was determined to get me over my fear and have a heart shaped pot holder to prove it. You got to start small! She, on the other hand, has this knitting thing down. Here are a few of the things that she made while she was here.

anniversaries and birthdays and giveaways...oh my

It's my blog's first birthday (well, last week) and miss mae's second birthday tomorrow. So, it's time for a giveaway. Of course, I am not quite sure what it will be just yet, but it is coming soon. I have had my mom here all week and we have been venturing outside in the cold just long enough to get supplies, then we come back in and try to get a few things made before the kids come off the bus. I am not sure how much she likes this cold weather seeing as it has been in the high eighties where she's from. But, I am glad she put up with the cold for me (and the grand kids). So, stay tuned for an upcoming giveaway.

i'm either a little late or really early

I had all those embellishements that I bought for pennies. So, I am either getting a jump start on next year's decorating or I am really a bit late for 2008's!

valentine cards and such

Check out these ones I have found. Some have fun ideas and cards to make with your kids others would just make cool printable valentines -

Ed Emberley.com - Valentines, coloring pages, masks, and paper airplanes.

orange beautiful's wee valentine boxes via daily candy

yoonie-at-home's sweet valentines

awesome retro valentines via valart2008 at flickr

cool valentines from hipstercards.com

FamilyFun.com printables

new favorite site...for now

I am new to this one. Click on the image above and you can check it out for yourself. I love all her ideas. I am loving these blogs with collective ideas because it makes playing and crafting with my kids so much fun.

valentine banner

not quite sure

I don't know if this is what I wanted this wreath to look like. It might be missing something or over the top. I am going to keep working on it or take a step back and see what I think. Maybe silk flowers? Any suggestions?
I quickly made this heart and stuck it on a skewer the other night. I am going to make a few and stick them in the vases on top of my piano. Maybe fill the vases with conversation hearts or red hots.

i'm working on

I'll show you the rest when I finish. I am trying something I have wanted to make for awhile and it's for Valentines Day. I picked up enough little red accents at the after Christmas sales in San Diego to make it work for Valentines.

valentine ideas

heart pounders from bh&g

be mine brownies from bh&g

felt fortune cookies from martha

doily envelopes from martha

folding heart valentines from martha

miniature gift bags from martha

home at last and ready to go

We just returned last night from San Diego. I love San Diego. I grew up there and I forget how much I LOVE it until I get there. The only bad thing about the entire trip was flying in on my birthday (the 30th) and trying to land for 2 hours in fog. You could see it like a blanket and I kept praying for a break in the cloud cover. But, it was a no go so we had to fly up to Ontario and my sister's husband and my mom kindly came and got us. Unfortunately, we didn't get home until really late, so we missed my birthday dinner at Rubios. But, we made up for it with plenty of eating at all our favorites for the rest of the week. My kids didn't want to come home to Kentucky. But, for me, it always feels good to get back in to a routine. I loved the craft stores there. I bought so many little things that were 80% off that we almost needed another suitcase. I don't even know what I am going to do with them all. I got a lot of ideas from my mom as well. I found my old Raggedy Ann doll that my mom made me when I was little and brought it home for Mallory. It is taller than she is and needs a good cleaning. She found the pattern and I might just make a new one if I can't clean it. She was carrying around all my old dolls and played with my sister's tea set. It was cute to see. We had a great New Years celebration with my family and I am excited for what the new year brings - new ideas, refining of old ones, and lots of positive energy. So, I am back and ready to go (as soon as the suitcases are unpacked and many loads of laundry are done)!

etsy find

I love all the cute etsy shops. I am usually a window shopper. But, I did find this cute shop - little brown pen. You can buy the pdf images of note cards, tags, calendars and book plates. What sweet gifts. I bought this one - yo yo girl.

love from grandma and grandpa

We had a special present to open on Christmas Eve from my parents in San Diego. My mom made the sweetest pillow cases for the kids to put on their pillows Christmas Eve. They came with a poem and two wonderful books, Snowmen at Night and Snowmen at Christmas. As kids my siblings and I had special pillow cases similar to these that my mom made. We would each pick a different one each Christmas Eve to put on our pillows. I loved them and I know my kids love these too. Since you can't read the poem in the photo, this is what it says:

Each Christmas Eve I lad in bed
I cannot fall asleep
'Cuz Santa and his elves will bring
some toys and games that beep!

My brain is in a thinking mode
I wiggle and I giggle
Then I get my MAGIC CASE
And slip it on my pillow.

I close my eyes and start to dream
Of gifts and sugar plums.
Then all at once my mother's voice
Tells me that Santa's come.

When you can't sleep on
Christmas Eve
You toss and turn and wiggle
Just slip this MAGIC PILLOW case
Over your soft pillow.

handmade for christmas

I really had a great time making crafts this Christmas season because I really took it slow and gave up on a few projects that just weren't going to happen without a breakdown (my own that is). I always have the idea that I am going to get going early, like October, but it just doesn't feel like Christmas yet, so I just don't have the feelings I need to get me started. I made some (1.)key chain fobs for teachers, friends, and family following this tutorial and adding some rick rack. I made a few (2.)Sunday Bags for friends and family to take to church with them. I filled them with steno pads, crayons and pencils. I made a (3.)Birthday Kit for the family across the street. It had a Happy Birthday banner, candles, ice cream scoop, cake mixes, etc. in it and I made a bag to store it all in. And, finally, I made a (4.)knitting bag for my mom and bought a cute knitting book to go in the front pocket. Of course, on some of the Sunday Bags and Knitting Bag, I cheated and bought the canvas/denim bags at Hobby Lobby and just added pockets and details - much quicker. My grand dream of making new stockings was quickly dashed when I couldn't even decide which shape and pattern I wanted to use. So, there's always next year on that. And, if we get a cold spell in October, I might even feel like starting on them early!

new favorite wrapping accessory

I am running out of red and white baker's twine, so I picked up these Sugar 'n Cream Twists yarn at Michaels. I love the green and white to wrap all my packages with and to hang on my tags. Now, if only it came in red and white - that would be perfect. I picked up the pink and white along with the blue and white to use on my birthday wrap throughout the year. I looked online and there isn't red and white, but they have a red, white and green holiday yarn that I will now be on the lookout for.

lemon pound cake

It turned out as good as I had hoped. I loved it. I had to make another batch to make up for the little loaves my family and I ate. I highly recommend.

ice storm today

And I am staying in to finish sewing and making these mini lemon pound cakes to go in ceramic mini loaf pans I bought last year for this year. I was going to make the orange pound cakes from Barefoot Contessa's Family Style Cookbook which I was told by both my mom and sister that it is amazing. But, I messed up on my first batch because I had a hard time determining how many mini loaves I could get out of the recipe (explosion of pound cake in the oven forcing me to clean the oven), so I am moving on the Martha's recipe. My mom found it and it looks lovely. So, today I will attempt lovely. I have made tons of toffee and think I have managed to eat it at a slow pace. That being said, I have enjoyed many other treats at a relatively fast pace. That's what this season does to me. Yum!

favorite new ornament

This cute softie ornament (made from elsie marley's half eaten gingerbread man tutorial) is Gage's favorite. He holds on to it like a stuffed animal and always wants it down from the tree. I want to make some more to put on the top of gifts. When Gage first saw it he asked who ate the gingerbread man's leg and head. Since no one around here eats felt, I had to explain to him that I had to cut it to look that way. Check out Gage's awesome Kool-Aid mustache!

english toffee - you will want to make this, i promise

While living with my in laws our first Christmas here in Kentucky, my mother in law made this wonderful English Toffee. She said she got the recipe from a friend a long time ago and made it every year. Much to my embarrassment, I ate almost all the toffee she had in the downstairs freezer and had to learn to make it myself to repay her the toffee I had stolen. Now, I can only make this at Christmas because I seriously can't stop eating it once it is made. I usually break it up when it is all good and hard and put it in baggies which are twist tied shut and ribboned. So, if I do get to where I want to eat it late at night, I have to undo all the pretty ribbons to get to it and that gets me to at least second guess myself. It hasn't saved me every time though!

English Toffee
1 lb. butter
2 Tbs. white corn syrup
2 Tbs. water
2 cups sugar
1 (12oz.) pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 lb. sliced almonds
1 large Hershey milk chocolate bar - the huge one

(1) Butter a jelly roll pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips and sliced almonds. Set aside. Melt butter, corn syrup, water, and sugar in a large pot (photos 2 & 3) over medium (slightly medium high) heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Stir and cook until mixture is 280 degrees. When mixture comes to 280degrees, remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips and almonds. Break up Hershey Bar and lay pieces over toffee (photo 4). Let the chocolate start to melt and then spread with a spatula (photo 5). Let toffee set in the refrigerator (but I put mine in the freezer because I am impatient). Break in to pieces and ENJOY (photo 6)

what i've been working on

packages off and a new wreath

Did everyone survive the Thanksgiving weekend? We had our cabin fever moments, but really had some great times with the family. The one sad moment was when my youngest fell off a chair and cut open her chin, but after six stitches she was back to climbing chairs the next day. She has had more injuries than the three boys put together. I did manage to get this button wreath done. My Boston kept asking to help me, but even I was burning my finger tips left and right with the glue gun and couldn't do that to him. I wish I could have let him help though. I finally got the packages ready to send to the giveaway winners. I always have great ambition when it comes to getting things off in the post, but they will be sent tomorrow!