christmas lists

I feel like I don't quite have my Christmas list straightened out when it comes to making things for my friends and family. I know that I am going to make certain things, but who they exactly go to, I am not quite sure. So, I am just making things like a crafter with no attention span at the moment. I jump from one thing to another and need to get this all straightened out soon. In the mean time, I have plenty of fabric cut out and many things partially made. And, I did manage to finish a few of these hair clips for some of our little friends on our lists. I have made these before for one of Gage's friends and they are from this tutorial.

winner(s)

If you know me then you know that I have a hard time with not making everyone happy. So, this won't make everyone happy, but it will please two instead of just one. So, I did pick two winners. Now, how will this work with one outfit? I have another outfit to give the second name my kids drew. The first winner of the birdie outfit is.....

Emily of t minus freak out

and the runner up, who will get this outfit, is.....

Carolynn of Matt n' Carolynn's Blog


Send me your addresses and I will get these mailed off (maybe) by tomorrow. Email me at traciu73atyahoodotcom.

Okay, I am getting a few boy outfits ready to giveaway. I will get those up boy the first of next week.

giveaway ends tonight

The giveaway for the baby outfit (plus extra onesie) ends tonight, so leave a comment on this post before midnight. I am excited to send it off. Next I am going to giveaway a boy's outfit. I have a few of those as well!

christmas on the brain

back of reversible apron for kathy
front of apron for kathy

I was at the grocery store for just a couple of things because I have been stuck in the house all week for some reason or another. We just needed some eggs and milk, but I saw all those deals on the holiday foods and just started to pile my cart up. Then, I heard the Christmas music and I started to get excited. With all the negativity from news of the economy I almost feel like I should be sad. But, no, I want to celebrate and I want to do it right. I want to be frugal, but creative. I want to think about the reason for Christmas much more. I want my kids to be happy. So, I am getting the work (well, the figuring out of Santa gifts) out of the way, so that I can have some fun and be reflective. I have a lot of saved sites for Christmas gift ideas and crafts that I thought I would pass along.

vinyl jar labels from once upon a design
sugar scrub recipe from recipe zaar *edited version by angry chicken here
felt ice skate ornament from not quite vintage - i am going to try to whip out a lot these to tie on to the gifts i make
scrap fabric ball ornament from plastic hearts
quick sew funky Christmas stockings from full of fluff
button wreath from craftapalooza - melissa, i think we have found a use for our large bag of cream buttons!
pincushion tutorial from paper.string.cloth - this was the first pincushion i made. very easy
bella dia's ultimate gift tag roundup here

sweetening the deal

Not that something for free isn't enough, but I have been trying out some new freezer paper stencils and this one seemed to match the outfit for the giveaway. So, I am including it. It is on a onesie that is not completely new, but awfully white and it's a 6-9 month size as well. So, keep those comments coming and you never know, I might add a few more things as well before Monday comes!

giveaway

I have a few of these little baby outfits piling up and no babies to give them to. That's where you come in. Do you have a baby for this outfit? Now, I will admit that the pants are a little wonky because I think the flowers are facing one way down one side and other on the other leg. But, it took me a month to figure that out, so hopefully it's not too noticeable. It's a 6-9 month longsleeve onesie and the pants should fit a 6-9 month baby as well. The pants are made from a vintage sheet and the appliqued birds on the onesie are from the same sheet. The pants also have orange grosgrain trim on the cuff. So, just leave me a comment before midnight on Monday, the 24th of November. I will pick a name at random and hopefully, send them off before Thanksgiving.

*edited note* you don't have to have a baby to comment. you can give this as a gift!

this dress again

I think that I want to use this dress pattern for every dress I make because it is so easy. I used it here and here and just make alterations as I go along to change it up a bit. I used a vintage pillow case this time and it has the look of those simple pillow case dresses out there, but with elastic casings in the neckline and arm sleeves. I love how simple it it.



Then, I made it again for a friend's new baby girl and this time I added the little apron to the front. I didn't want it to be too bulky in the back, so the back tie is just in a knot instead of a bow. I like how it turned out, but I think I could refine it a little with practice.

baby shower

My friend and I put on a baby shower for two friends. I love having the chance to make all the desserts I have been saving in my favorites file for a long time. I made this Kentucky Butter Cake and these awesome Black-Bottom Coconut Bars. Both are soooo dang good and I ate my share before I even brought them to the shower. I also love (really do LOVE) making gifts for the babies. Here are the outfits and burp cloths I made. The cloth diapers that I used for the burp cloths came in that dark blue. You can buy a package (I bought mine at Target) with 3 boy colors (dark blue, light blue, and lime green) or 3 girl colors (bright pink, pink, and orange - I think). Then, I just followed this tutorial and added the fabric. The pants I made of knit I got at a garage sale and a t-shirt that my 6 year old never wore. The one from the t-shirt was easy because the hem was already there - love that. I need to learn how to work with knit a bit better. The needle got caught a lot and I got a bit frustrated, but in the end the pants looked like pants!

just one more candy corn

I can't stop. It's a good thing I didn't buy my first package of candy corn until yesterday. I knew once I bought a bag, I was done for, so I waited. I sure hope I don't find some on clearance after Halloween. I really can't stop. I think all of the cavities I have had in my lifetime came from candy corn. Evil little candies.

I have a few photos of the projects I worked on this week and at my sil's house.




this is the birthday banner we made - don't mind the messy craft area.

ones I still need a finish.
burlap pumpkin


an apron I made out of a vintage looking table cloth I have had for awhile. I love re purposing something that was just sitting in a cupboard.

orange burlap and a little felt

I got home from our trip Saturday night and have been making something for Halloween everyday since. I think Halloween is my favorite holiday to craft for. I think part of it is that I love orange. I made two more spooky banners to give as gifts. Those are so simple, but just take more time than I always plan for. Then, I made these pumpkin wall hangings like I did last year. I had tons more orange burlap that needed to be put to good use. I saw them at a craft fair and recreated my own version. While on vacation my sister in law had a ton of projects on her list of things to do with me. We stayed up almost every night making bags for her and her girls. It was cool seeing my 17 and 11 year old nieces start a bag and have it almost completed in an hour. Plus, I love the fabrics they picked out. I forgot to take pictures of them though because I didn't have my favorite camera with me and then forgot to whip out the little Olympus that I did bring. Which reminds me, my SLR's flash isn't working and I am feeling all crazy about that. Got to get it fixed! We also made a Happy Birthday Banner for each of us as well while there. And, since the next two months bring tons of birthdays in this family, then it was just in time. I will take a photo of it and post it for next time. In the mean time, each night around here has been filled with caramel apple making, sugar cookie frosting, and tonight is pumpkin carving. Love it!

i was supposed to be packing

Instead I thought I would finish my Halloween banner. I am taking off to Utah this morning and I have all these Halloween projects to get done because by the time I will get back it will be the week of. But, instead of packing, I finished one of my projects. I did get back to packing and as it turns out, I am ready early, just waiting for the perfect moment to wake up a 22 month old to take with bright and early in the morning. Will it before right before we get in the car or 20 minutes before so that she can have time to wake up and eat? I don't know how too awake I want her, so I will keep watching the clock to decide.

playgroup

Gage is involved in a fantastic playgroup. He and six other 3 to 4 year olds get together once a week for three hours at one of the mommy's houses. When it's your turn to host, you have a theme, a letter of the alphabet to teach, a number, and a color. Today we had it at our house and our theme was pumpkins and our color was orange (our letter P). I found these totes at Hobbey Lobbey half price last week (so around $1.50) and we made some trick or treat bags with them. I put their names and the pumpkins on the front before they came and they got to use paint and stencils to decorate the back. We also pasted faces on our giant paper pumpkins to turn them in to jack-o-lanterns (but I forgot to take a picture). It's fun and exhausting all at the same time. But, Gage loves it (just like his brother before him did) and I love that he is with his friends having fun and learning. Plus, the three hours with Mallory alone is quite nice too!

totes

If you are on my Christmas list, look away. I have plans on making totes and filling them up with goodies. I am determined not to buy any fabric for them and to only use what I already have or recycle other things. Here are a few that I have finished and they are so simple. I will write up the directions if anyone wants them. They are all a different version of this tote.

st.james art fair

me and melissa

The first weekend in October is great for a lot of reasons, but one of the ones I look forward to the most is the St.James Art Fair held in downtown Louisville. The art is beautiful - some (most) a bit pricey, but always thrilling to look at. I went without any children (it's not too stroller friendly) and it was wonderful. I picked up a trinket from here to match the ones I bought last year, but mostly I just enjoyed good company and atmosphere.

i need some guidance

Sometimes appliques are easy for me and sometimes I get an idea in my head and just start cutting without any guidance. Yeah, that means they don't always turn out how I planned. That's the issue with this rocket - if it even looks like one. But, I am sending it to a new little baby anyway hoping that he thinks it's a rocket!!! Or at least his mom will think it's a rocket and not a crayon on fire!

Oh, and I can't decide if this seal onesie and pants is for a boy or a girl. The pants are a muted red, but with a big cuff. So, can a boy pull this off and not look too feminine? Or can a girl wear this and look girly enough. I might need to add some rick rack to the cuff. Let me know if it should belong to a boy or a girl - please.

pumpkin cookies

When I was a freshman in college I received a care package. It was from my friend's mom and inside were these cookies. I didn't think they would taste as good as they do. They are the best pumpkin cookies I have ever had and yesterday I broke down and made some. It was the first day that was actually crisp. So these are a great start to an entire season of baking.

Pumpkin Cookies - from Helena Woidka
2 c. sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix in bowl and set aside. In a large bowl cream together:
1 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 c. canned pumpkin

Add 1 egg, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Add flour mixture.

Drop on a greased sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Glaze:
Heat to boiling and boil 2 minutes -
3 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. milk
1/2 c. brown sugar

Stir constantly.

Cool and add 1/2 cup powder sugar and 3/4 tsp. vanilla. Glaze cookies

Makes 2 dozen.

Dollhouse Frock GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Dollhouse Frock GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

scary ghosts

My boys and I have done this for a few years now. I recruited Gage this time (since he is not in school) to help me make his feet in to ghosts. We just used black construction paper and white paint. I painted the bottom of his foot and we stamped it on the paper. We cut them out and Gage added the googly eyes and mouths with a black pen. A few days later he decided that we needed some more, so this time Mallory and I added our feet in to the mix. I am not sure what Mallory thought even though Gage kept saying, "doesn't it tickle girl?" She didn't have any defining expression, but she let me paint her foot anyways. I only did one because my foot took up most of the paper and Gage told me to leave room for more of his feet on it! This one is so easy and fun to do.

randoms

photo from Country Living Magazine

I was reading my October Country Living and found this article about persimmons. Those little guys are all over my back yard from the big windstorm we had here last week from Hurricane Ike. We get them every Fall and I found the tree where they came from. So, it looks like we have a persimmon tree. The article says they are great to eat, so I think I will be trying those out. We already have raspberries that my four year old goes out to harvest (puts all in his mouth) every day and now if he knows that there is even more to eat in his own backyard, I think he will be overjoyed.


I made a tote for my mother in law for her birthday that was on Monday. She works as a house sitter in a model home and usually reads her mail, balances her check book, reads magazines, etc. So, I wanted something she could tote those back and forth in.

On Monday I tried to open up some pictures from my external hard drive and it kept saying it couldn't because of a corrupt file. I became a mess. We tried to hook it up to the lap top and it said the same thing. Okay, all my friends have been having computers crash and external hard drives go crazy on them and now it was my turn. I had been in the process of backing up all my photos on line too and I was only up to March 2008, so I was panicked. Thanks to my sweet computer literate brother in law and my husband, those photos are back. But, now I am backing up the back ups!


I have been watching the long PBS version of Pride and Prejudice while I have been crafting (and supposed have been working out) this week. I have the more recent version with Keira Knightly and love it. But, there is nothing like the older version with Collin Firth. The looks he and Elizabeth give each other are to die for. You can't beat all the build up that goes in to that relationship. Oh, I love that movie.


Check out this cool drawing by Boston (age 6) that he wanted to take in to art class at school and show his teacher. Love that lion.

playing with actions

I am trying out a few things Photoshop has to offer and I think I am in love with actions. Here are a few from Coffee Shop Photography. She writes actions for both Photoshop and Elements which the ones for Elements are harder to find because they take a little tweaking. She has some great ones for free!