Centerpiece

Oh my goodness I have SO patted myself on the back for the creation of this centerpiece for our Christmas Day celebration.  Forgive me if I seem to be bragging, but honestly, I am.

Our dining table extends to 10 feet long and I wanted something to completely fill the space...well, leave a little room for eating.  I was checking in on Donna at Funky Junk during a mind-numbing blog surf and found her centerpiece.  It was perfect!  I changed the theme a bit for my vision.  Check it out!

 Obviously, I went with the baking thing.  I had a few of these things but a stop at one of my favorite antique stores filled in the gaps.  By the way... this "favorite antique store" of mine sent me an actual "thank you for the business this year" Christmas card.  Can you guess who opened it before I got to it?  That's right.  It was Mike.  Now can you imagine what may have been running through his head when he figured out who it was from?  Trouble right here in River City.  Actually, he just laughed because someone ratted me out about my shopping adventures.

I had to give the owner some grief about letting my husband in on my shopping habits.  I warned Mr. Shop Owner Man that he had better keep our antique/junk dealing relationship on the down low or he may never see me again.  He of course realized that was on empty threat but smiled and gave me 20% off my purchase.  I guess I'll go back. 

Most of the greenery is real.  Just went out and snipped off some branches from the shelter-belt.  Don't really know why I haven't done that before.  Real stuff gets thrown away and you don't have to STORE it!  Brilliant!  It smells good too.

I set the whole thing up on a muslin table runner.  It really cannot be moved with ease.  If I would have planned better I would have set up a little wooden number of some kind to assemble everything on top of...next year.

The cookbook page was added later.  It was a sign.  I was cleaning out a bunch of books and the page fell on the floor.  Check out the recipes.  {A bit blurry - sorry}  If that doesn't say Christmas, I don't know what does!

Becky

Poinsettias

Merry Twelve Days of Christmas.  I feel like I'm kinda back to my normal self.  As Mike said last night..."Do you feel free from the bonds of St. Nicholas?"  Getting there.  Does anyone else freak out, stress out, worry yourself sick, etc. about not disappointing your kids for Christmas and making sure everything is fair??!!  IT. HAS. CONSUMED. ME.  Things have to change next year.  {I say that every year.}

On a more relaxed note, I'd like to share a couple of my Christmas decorations over the next few days.  Hope you're not all tired of the season yet.  If so, maybe wait to read this week's stuff until next year.

My husband buys me poinsettias at the local farm store every year in December.  This year they were absolutely beautiful.  Obviously, one or two could not, would not be enough.  SO I bought a few more and here's where I put them...

 Old Bread Box

Old Not-Really-Copper Boiler

Old Cooler

Finally, an Old Locker Basket.

{Extra photo of the tree in the entry...because I heart it}

Simple. 
Elegant.
 Not too expensive
{no guilt when you throw em out with the trash}.
 Lasts the entire season.
{if you wan them to}

Becky

Freezer Paper

Just in case you don't know of the perfect union between freezer paper and the Cricut...

Cut out the desired shape, number, character on your Cricut {make sure to put the shiny side DOWN on the mat}.  Have your 6 year-old "weed" the parts you want to paint.

Iron the freezer paper to the fabric shiny side down.  I usually use a medium setting on my iron...depends on the fabric.

Have the continually talking 6 year-old paint inside the stencil.  I just use acrylic paints unless we're doing t-shirts.  Then we use fabric paint so that we can wash the finished project.

Stand up and smile.

Allow to dry.

Peal off the stencil and admire.

This is a great kid project.

They could be used for just about anything. 

These two are going to be pillows in the Little Red House...

maybe they will be finished by this Christmas.

Feeling behind in my Christmas duties...anyone else?

Becky

Technologically Advanced

To all of those out there trying to find the perfect gift for your "techie", I give you the

OVERHEAD PROJECTOR!

I have been yearning for one of these for a very long time.  Truth be told, probably since first grade.  How this would have made playing school SO. MUCH. BETTER.

Just a mere $25 bought me this beauty from a recent stop at my local Restore.  These Restore places are amazing, I tell ya.

Look what the children did with it.  First they circled like a bunch of sniffing dogs.  Then they touched it.  Then I showed them what it could do.  Then the creativity started flowing.

First up - the eldest. 

 ('cuz that's how we oldest kids roll... backa the line...we know it's a problem.)

Here's his contribution.

I'm not proud.

Notice the "d" is backwards?

Who's the dork?

#2 had to retaliate...

What she wrote is not suitable for my audience to see. 

I didn't even know she knew how to spell those things.

I'm not proud.

#3's chance...

Now we're all dorks.

When she was done the last line read, "I am the goodest."

Really, they do go to school.

Notice her evil smirk.

Notice her sisters' disgust.

See there...it doesn't always take the latest in the tech world to make kids happy.  Try something simple.  My kids thought it was the "newest thing".  Then again, THEY are simple.  They had a blast insulting each other with a dry erase marker for about an hour or so. 

Happy Christmas shopping.

Becky

Weight Schmeight

 Before I begin:

My apologies for addressing this ugly subject, but I had to use these great cow pictures.

Onward:

If you know that by the end of the holiday season you are going to feel a bit wide through the middle like this old gal...

Check out this chick's blog to help you mind your intake.

Roni's Weigh

and her food blog...

Green Lite Bites

She's inspirational and REAL!!

Keep the Chex Mix and Divinity binging to a minimum so that we can maintain our svelte bikini beach bodies.

My goal from November 1 to January 1 is to not be consumed by social eating extravaganzas.  I can do this!  I CAN weigh the same on January 1 as I did on November 1. 

Who's with me?

Let's start exercising BEFORE Jan. 1st.  That way we don't look quite so cliche at the gym in Jan.

Or we could make cookie dough and watch Christmas Vacation while eating every last wonderful spoonful.

What's it gonna be?

I'm still on the fence-

Becky

Toolbox?

.

For a long time, I've been looking for an old wooden toolbox to fill with seasonal sundries for the center of my dining table.  Little did I know, I wasn't looking for an "old wooden toolbox", I was looking for an "old carpenter's box".  The lady that taught me this lesson wasn't the kindest of teachers.  As a matter of fact, I found what I wanted at her shop, but because she WAS NOT filled with the holiday spirit I decided I'd go home and make it myself!  And then I could call it whatever I wanted to call it! 

But wait, in her competitor's window, could it be? 

Yes, it was! 

Perfect!

Take a look. 

 ( I was so excited that I forgot to take a picture without the stuff! )

It does have compartments that will look kind of cool filled with candles after Christmas.

The other side...

... and the best part of the whole thing is that it has

these sweet metal trim pieces. 

What are these? 

 Can you see them on the edges?

Can you tell I'm infatuated with this somethin'-somethin' I'd never seen before?

Consider yourself educated on the whole "carpenter's box" issue. 

Blessings- B

Christmas Gift #1

Here you go...

I'm keepin it real with this pic.  This is what I should be doing. 

Laundry for 7 is my own personal monster. 

I consider sorting socks PURGATORY!

Kids 1, 2, &3 are in school.  #4 is in a tractor with Dad spreading fertilizer and #5 is taking a morning nap.

I'm left with this for company...

She looks sad because she's being held against her own will for chasing cats. 

Punishable offense around here.

Anyway, I'd like to share the best 4-H project ever.  It's the best because we can actually USE it.  Hands up former, future, and current 4-H families who still have posters, matchy matchy drawstring skirts, and crosstitch projects floating around in their nether regions.  You know what I'm talkin' about!

We found this on a blog (of course) somewhere.

We called it a "Child's Art Caddy" for achievement day purposes.

It's taken up permanent residence on the dining room table (a.k.a. Homework Central).

This was we have all the school supplies in one place.  We went through the boxes upon boxes of crayons and markers and sorted down to what you see.  I have NO time for dry markers or non-sharp crayons. 

There's nothing better in life than SHARP CRAYONS!

Here's what you do...

Rummage through Goodwills until you find a lazy susan.  Then go to Target and buy some of these fabulous $1 buckets.  Spray paint the lazy susan to match the theme.  If you have buckets with handles... cut 'em off. Then hot glue buttons where the handles were to add a little somethin - somethin.

Use a metal drill bit to drill through the bottom of the buckets.  Then screw the buckets onto the lazy susan.

Holy "buckets" these things rock!  A perfect and economical gift for families, crafty ladies, teachers, etc.

I wish you well in the search for lazy susans.

Blessings - B

O Kitchen Tree

The Kitchen Tree

I bought this tree at Goodwill for $1.  It didn't have it's stand so I sunk it in a vat of Qwik Crete.  Now it has cement shoes and sits in an old gray enamelware colander.

 

The decorations are wooden stars (courtesy of Pammie Sue) and some more little baking tins.

And this is the Santa that I bought at a craft show a few years back. 

This is one of my favorite Christmas things!

Christmas Blessings - B

The Stockings Were Hung

We don't have a fireplace, therefore, we don't have a mantel.  What's one to do with one's stockings?  Go get some "command" hooks and hang them from one of your many pieces of furniture.  Then you cover up the hooks with greenery and when the holidays are complete, pull the hooks off and remove the sticky with "goo gone".  Problem solved. 

And as you look through the pics, yes, it's true, we do have a dead zebra hanging on the banister in the family room.  It looks pretty cool.  Grandpa brought it back from Africa some years ago.  I love it.

Christmas Blessings - B

My Mother!

Just when I think she doesn't know me, I get this in the mail...

It's my very own naked guy Christmas apron.

She has a wonderful embroidery machine...

I think this one is my favorite.  I usually dig dark-headed men but this one is fine... fine.  I can't believe I'm thinking this way about "cartoon" pics of the opposite sex.

Could Mom sense that I was rapidly spiralling to Scroogeville or does she look at fabric with half-dressed hunks and immediatley think of daughter #1?  I don't want to know the answer and neither does M! ha

The only thing better than the eye candy is the pocket full of Butterfingers she included.  In case you don't know this, there is NOTHING better than a FRESH Butterfinger!

Thanks so much, Mom!  You turned my frown upside down!

p.s. #3 (who is 4) just came in and said, "That's awesome.  How'd ya get Dad's boobs on the internet?" 

I'm soooo.. laughing!!

Christmas Blessings-B

A Christmas Coat

While doing some holiday shopping in one of my favorite antique shops, this is what I spotted:

It was love across a crowded room.  We made eyes at each other and for $40 I convinced her to come home with me.  I can't believe I paid $40!  I wouldn't even spend that on an actual piece of clothing for myself!

It is a FABULOUS brilliant red wool coat with a rabbit fur collar. I'd say it's from the 50's.  Doesn't it just look amazing on my dress form!?

# 3 thought she needed to be part of the feature:

Christmas Blessings- B