Christmas Ornaments…

I have been planning for a while now to try my hand at making some round “quilted” Christmas ornaments. I first saw one of these round ornaments on the Graceful Designs blog, which sadly, hasn’t been active all year. This is the image she used that caught my breath:

Isn’t this a lovely springtime Easter-y ornament?She offered this link (uses three different fabrics) to directions. After trolling around, I have found one that is illustrated over at Crafter without a Cat (uses two different fabrics).

More trolling and here are some pictures of my favorites around the web. If you like one, click the picture to be taken to the designer. If you don’t want to make one of your own, you can find instructions on how to purchase them on the websites. There are also a bunch available on etsy. Have fun!!!

Just Spoolin’ Around…

So, I’ve had these little spools forever! They originally belonged to my Dad’s…Uncle’s…Wife. I’ve kept them in my box, in my bead cabinet for years knowing that SOMEDAY I would find a use for the stinkin’ cute little things!

The other day, while trolling around on the internet (I’m very good at wasting my day trolling on the internet), I came across this:

Eureka! A spool advent calendar! I now have a good use for my spools! I am always looking for a simple project to do on Thanksgiving Day with my Mom and Daughter. This fits the bill perfectly!

Of course I had to try one out to see how it would fit. I printed the free “labels” at half size to accommodate the smaller spools, trimmed the length of the paper about 1/2” and it worked like a charm!

Now I just have to find the perfect beads and some cording to finish them off. I might use a little gold paint on the edges too…that would finish them off nicely!

If you too want to see all the great spool advent calendar ideas over at “Just Something I Made” and make your own click “HERE!”

***update***

Cathe has updated her project from last year and suggests that you can make them into kits to give away! Check out her new post with new downloadable graphics HERE!

13...Christmas Jokes

Days to go...

Okay, so I was going to give you a sneek peek at what I will be posting on Monday, but my Paint Shop Pro is having a fight with Vista today! I'm thinking Vista is just having a bad PMS day. Every so often it just doesn't like my photo editing program. Stupid Vista! So instead here are some jokes for you:

Just before Christmas, an honest politician, a generous lawyer and Santa Claus were riding in the elevator of a very posh hotel. Just before the doors opened they all noticed a $20 bill lying on the floor.
Which one picked it up?
Santa of course, because the other two don't exist!

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At a monastery high in the mountains, the monks have a rigid vow of silence. Only at Christmas, and only by one monk, and only with one sentence, is the vow allowed to be broken.
One Christmas, Brother Thomas is allowed to speak and he says, "I like the mashed potatoes we have with the Christmas turkey!" and he sits down. Silence ensues for 365 days.
The next Christmas, Brother Michael gets his turn, and he says "I think the mashed potatoes are lumpy and I hate them!"
Once again, silence for 366 days (it's leap year). The following Christmas, Brother Paul rises and says, "I am fed up with this constant bickering!"

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What's the first thing elves learn in school? The "elf"-abet!

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What do you call someone who doesn't believe in Father Christmas? A rebel without a Claus!

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According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December.Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring. Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl.We should have known... ONLY women would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost.


Hopefully tomorrow Vista and my PSP will be getting along and I can tease you with some preview pictures!

Until then...

19...Christmas Quotes

Days to go...

Here are some cute sayings/quotes that I really like:

Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall. ~Larry Wilde, The Merry Book of Christmas

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air. ~W.T. Ellis

The Supreme Court has ruled that they cannot have a nativity scene in Washington, D.C. This wasn't for any religious reasons. They couldn't find three wise men and a virgin. ~Jay Leno

Last but not least...my favorite one of all!

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more. ~Dr. Seuss

I almost didn't get to making this post. I have this stupid cold/flu thing that has been going around and basically feel like crap! I was sitting here, in front of the computer, hacking away, when Spartan came over, picked me up out of the chair (no easy feat as I weigh a little more than when we married) and plopped me on the couch. He tucked me in, with his blanket, kissed me on the forehead and told me to go to sleep! He's so sweet! He was also very right. (shh, don't tell him, it'll go to his head) I feel a little better. Anyways, long story short, I managed to make my post!

Have a great evening everyone!

Christmas is just around the corner...

I can't believe that we only have 40 days until Christmas! We're talking just over a month away! I also have my Mom's birthday on the 20th of this month...Baby Girl's birthday on December 29th...Runner's birthday on January 15th. I have decided to make a list in my sidebar to keep me on track with the projects I need to complete before/near Christmas. I am also going to show you what I plan to make with links to the tutorials online if I have them.

There are countdowns poppin up all over on the internet. If you run across one, please let me know! I'm hoping to put the buttons in my sidebar linking to as many as I can find!

The first project I am planning/working on is an apron for my Mom. She wants something she can wear while she paints. This is what I found via Tip Nut's website:

I am also making an ornament from Peppermint & Holly Berries by Nancy Halvorsen

I also have this planned for Gamer from Sew-Mad:

I am going to make it into a holder for his PSP.

Stay tuned for more projects!

Lapghan progress and a Christmas project to come...

So I have been working on my lapghan alot! I have made almost half of the granny's daughters that I need to make the larger squares. I get bored though... so I have started sewing some of them together.

It's a lot slower going than I thought it would be. I only have until they extinguish the Olympic flame to get it done...well...for credit anyways. I will finish it no matter what!

Have any of you seen the new (to me) Holiday Crafts magazine? I have found a project in it that my fingers are just itching to make! It's the "12 day's of Christmas" quilted and embroidered banner. I'll add a picture as soon as I can, it's absolutely darling! Of course, I want to count down from December 1st, so I will add 6 little...somethings...on each side. Probably stars but I'm not sure yet. I'm going to try to use only materials from my stash...really I am...honestly...although it couldn't hurt to just look at the christmas fabrics...and some patterned felt...no really...from my stash...maybe...