Moda to the rescue!

On Christmas Eve at about 5:30 PM, my boys asked me where their stockings were so they could put them out for Santa. With dread, I realized that all the stockings were still packed up somewhere in the attic in one of the many boxes we did not get down this year. I had completely forgotten about stockings! How could that happen?!! I frantically called my husband (who was in town trying to buy me a present) and told him to forget about me and get candy for the stockings! After all, Santa was coming tonight and the boys would not forgive him if he did not leave candy!! I started scurrying around trying to find 2 substitute stockings and I did find one. One had gotten left out from packing last year but that still left me one short. Well, what's a girl to do?? I spied my Moda jelly roll and went to work. I made this in less than 20 minutes but would it pass the child test. My darling boy LOVED it! Whew! I am glad to report that Santa did indeed come and fill the stocking will all sorts of goodies that would satisfy any boys dream! Thank you Moda for helping me out in this crisis!!

Handmade cards

I been working on some handmade cards. I didn't realize how soon I would need one. A former student of mine was taken to the hospital and will be there until they can determine his illness. He is only 15 and the sweetest boy ever! Please pray that he will be well soon. I was so glad that I had a card on hand to send him.

Daisy Quilts Give Away

Daisy Quilts is have a give away. The drawing on New Year's Eve so you need to hurry on over there. She has some beautiful items to give away. Whoever wins will be ever so lucky!!

A Needle Music Box

My mother-in-law gave me a music box for Christmas. It is very pretty. I decided that it would be perfect to keep my sewing needles. Needles are a big deal to me and priceless when I go to get one. This way, I will know exactly where they are. Needles can be like gold around here for I am forever losing them or leaving them in my pin cushion and then they get gone. Anything that will help keep me organized will be a good thing!!

Handmade ornaments by the boys

Deniska and Nikolai made these ornaments and I love them!! They are my new treasures!

Handmade gifts

Christmas is almost here and I am still finishing up gifts to give! Why I don't start early every year is a mystery to me!! These are a few of the gifts that I have made this year.

These are criss-cross coasters. I have made a ton of these and given as gifts this year. They are fun to make and everyone can use coasters!



Another fun thing that I made, was the origami boxes from scrapbook paper. Martha Stewart's scrapbook paper is divine to work with on these boxes. Everyone loved them! I put coasters or magnets in each of these boxes. I have 3 left over. My plan for next year is to make them during the summer and then fill with fudge or cookies for my co-workers. We'll see if that happens....

I made magnets for all of the boys' teachers. I love making these little items. They are so fun to make and very useful. I also put them on my business card. These are fun, quick little items to make. I made all of these this spring and stored them on my refrigerator. The boys picked out which ones they wanted to give their teachers.

And, what Christmas would be complete without a cross stitch item or two? I just love this little pillow. It was hard to part with it but I know it has a good home in which it will be loved! I think I might just have to make another one of these!!

My plan for next year is to actually write down what I want to give and to whom. Then, in January, I will start making. I already know the big gifts I want to give. I have a quilt or 2 in mind for some folks. I want to make a table runner for a friend of mine. Pocket tissue holders would be good for Dennis' co-workers. Since I am in a sewing mood right now, I should take advantage of it and get some things done! Maybe it's not too late for this year - where's my knitting needles?!?!

Christmas decorations

For the past several years, I have participated in a handmade ornament exchange with a group of online friends. This is the ornament tree for this year. I just love every ornament. The cats love the ornaments too but none of them have bothered any of the ornaments. They are good cats.

Molly is holding the light for me. She loves the tree but does not bother any of the ornaments. Good kitty!!

St. Nicholas - patron saint of Russia. I just love this St. Nicholas with the Holy Family. I collect St. Nicholas' and this is by far my favorite one. St. Nicholas is not to be confused with Santa Claus. I do not collect Santa Claus' (although I do dearly love Santa Claus too!!)

The Holy Family under the tree.

Rag garland

I made a rag garland last weekend for my living room. I saw these on a primitive web site (sorry I can't remember where) and I thought that it looked like a quick and easy solution to my doorway into the kitchen. I like it so well that I will hate to see it come down after Christmas. I chose to use colored lights but I think clear lights would be just as pretty.

Moda

I love Moda fabrics. I love the designs. I love feeling of the material. I just love it all. Not only Moda, but I am a equal opportunity lover of fabric - rarely have I met a fabric I couldn't love. This is what came in the mail this past week. I want to make 2 quilts and some placemats. Lots of fun projects just waiting to happen!

Flip Ultra Camcorder Giveaway

Common Sense With Money is hosting a giveaway for Flip Ultra Camcorder. This giveaway ends 12/10 at 9 PM CST. The winner will be contacted immediately and will be given 48 hrs to contact back with their mailing address. Hurry over there and sign up to win this camera.

Advent calendars

I am on a quest to find the cutest advent calendars. I found this one at Musing, Memories & Mayhem. It is adorable. It's made from a mini-muffin pan. Who would have ever thought?! Here's another example, found at Aleta's Art, with a tutorial.
And, if a muffin tin is not your thing, you can always use a cookie sheet like this found at Making Memories. Isn't this pretty?

That's 3 examples of making an Advent calendar using every day items. So, if you are like me, and have never used your mini-muffin pan or have an old cookie sheet, why not make an Advent calendar? You might want to hurry since Advent started today. Maybe next year?

Wreath

I saw this wreath recently at my favorite little shop, The Blackberry Hollow, and instantly connected with the wreath. I don't know why. I love that it just has berries. I love the rusted stars. I think it is perfect for the winter season.

I hung it on my bathroom door until I could decide where the best place would be for it to hang. The more I see it in my bathroom, the more I like it there. I think it will remain there since I can see it every morning and evening. It makes me smile and that's good thing!

Doll Quilt

I am finished with my doll quilt that I made for my friend's little girl for Christmas. I am very pleased with how it turned out. I finished quilting it early this morning and then washed and dried it. I wanted to see how it would look after being laundered. I am very pleased with the end result. This quilt was made from left over Moda Jelly Rolls and some of my own stash. I know one little girl who will be thrilled with her new doll bed. I also made the mattress, sheets, pillow and pillowcase. I thought about crocheting a throw but don't know if I will get that done or not. Thanks for looking!!

Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving 2008 was wonderful. My final menu was:

Marinated Turkey Tenderloins

Dressing & Gravy

Fruit Salad

Rolls

Vegetable Casserole

Turnip Greens

Cranberry Sauce

Pumpkin Pie

Apple Pie

Fudge Cake

Oh my goodness, it was delicious! Everyone ate until they were full. Deniska ate and ate! Bless his heart, I think he finally got full. He had all 3 desserts!

At the table, after grace, we went around and said what we were thankful for today.

Nikolai was thankful for Mama fixing such a good meal.

Deniska was thankful for Papa helping them clean house this morning.

Mama was thankful for her 2 boys and Papa.

Papa was thankful we had a home.

It was a time of reflection for me on my own childhood. I miss my parents during the holidays. I especially thought of my mother, since this is the first Thanksgiving without her. I found myself going to her house several times during the past week just to look, as if I was trying to find her.

Thanksgiving Thanks

5 things I am thankful for today:
1. a loving and supportive husband
2. the 2 seven-year old boys who grace each second of my life
3. the sweet breathing of one of the boys who snuck into bed with me last night
4. good friends
5. my parents (who are together in Heaven) for giving me a solid foundation

Giving Thanks

A psalm of thanksgiving.

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;

Worship the LORD with cries of gladness; come before him with joyful song.

Know that the LORD is God, our maker to whom we belong,

whose people we are, God's well-tended flock.

Enter the temple gates with praise, its courts with thanksgiving.

Give thanks to God, bless his name; good indeed is the LORD,

Whose love endures forever, whose faithfulness lasts through every age.

~Psalm 100

For the Beauty of the Earth

For the beauty of the earth

For the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies.

Refrain:

Lord of all, to Thee we raise,

This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour,

Of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale, and tree and flower,

Sun and moon, and stars of light.

Refrain

For the joy of ear and eye,

For the heart and mind’s delight,

For the mystic harmony

Linking sense to sound and sight.

Refrain

For the joy of human love,

Brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth and friends above,

For all gentle thoughts and mild.

Refrain

For Thy Church, that evermore

Lifteth holy hands above,

Offering up on every shore

Her pure sacrifice of love.

Refrain

For the martyrs’ crown of light,

For Thy prophets’ eagle eye,

For Thy bold confessors’ might,

For the lips of infancy.

Refrain

For Thy virgins’ robes of snow,

For Thy maiden mother mild,

For Thyself, with hearts aglow,

Jesu, Victim undefiled.

Refrain

For each perfect gift of Thine,

To our race so freely given,

Graces human and divine,

Flowers of earth and buds of Heaven.

Refrain

Homemade Christmas Cards - Paper Crafting Thursday

Kelli at There Is no Place Like Home is hosting Paper Crafting Thursday. This week, the focus is on Christmas cards. This is one of the cards that I made recently.

Christmas Give-away

Little Things in Life is hosting It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas give-away! Go check it out- you won't be disappointed!

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Pie

picture from The Food Network

This is the pie I am making for Thanksgiving. It's a recipe from Paula Deen.

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping



Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.



For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.



Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream

Easy Centerpieces

To me, the simplest of centerpieces are always the prettiest. I found these easy centerpieces at the Better Homes and Garden site. All of them are easy to make with items on hand. The first one is my favorite.

Isn't this pretty?

I like this one because it would be so versatile. You could use corn or any other filler like small stones, dried beans, berries, etc....

This would be my boys' favorite. They love rocks. I really like the idea of the blessing rock. Simple, simple, simple!

And, I like this idea because I love baskets. Again, this would be simple and easy to do!

Thanksgiving decorating

Click on the picture of these cute Pom-Pom Tom place cards featured on Martha Stewart. I just think they are adorable. That's on my list to make.

This was on Pink Trees blog. I have everything cut out and ready to assemble. I know, I only have 10 days left until Thanksgiving but I really like this garland. Maybe I will leave it up until the first of December and put off decorating for Christmas for a few weeks.

Giving Thanks

Kelli at "No Place Like Home" is hosting a fabulous "Giving Thanks" celebration. I'm all about Thanksgiving this year. I think it is because I do not want Christmas to come. My mom died last year on Dec. 27th and my dad died in 1992 on Dec. 15th. This Christmas will be hard for me and I realize that early on. So, I am throwing myself into Thanksgiving. This year for Thanksgiving, I am serving:

Marinated Turkey Tenderloin

Stuffing

Rice & gravy

Cranberry sauce

Turnip greens or green beans

Fruit Salad

Rolls

Pumpkin Pie

Coconut Cake

Cards that I have made

I enjoy my card classes very much. Tomorrow, I will post Christmas cards!

3 Quilt Giveaway

Dana at Old Red Barn Co. is giving away "Three" quilts here. I know that it is hard to believe, but it is true. You can go to her blog and read about them, and add a comment to sign up.

Pay it forward

I was looking at Farmyard Crafts blog and she's taking part in a Pay It Forward! This is a great idea to be able to give someone a little handmade gift... not a big price to pay for making someone's day! I rec'd a PIF from Rhonda and still enjoy wearing it every day!

This is how it works. The first 3 people who post a comment to this post, I will make you a lovely handmade gift each. But, you have to have a blog yourself, and be willing to pass the 'pay it forward' concept on. So you will then have to put it on your blog and make three gifts for other people. Let's spread some happiness and have some fun! The rules state that I have 365 days to make a gift and send it to you. I'm more than happy to send something internationally - so everyone can be involved!!

What better way for everyone to join hands around the globe and share our crafty goodness!!!
So... get typing, leave a comment and even if you aren't in the first three... it doesn't hurt to start your own chain of PIF's!!

Chrysanthemums and Fall

I love chrysanthemums and could not resist this little pot of them on a recent trip to the grocery store. The pumpkins were marked down to really cheap at another grocery store. I thought it was very "fallish" on my front porch. After all, Thanksgiving is still 12 days away.

I found this little metal pumpkin at Big Lots (I love that store!) Anyway, I thought it was just perfect for my fall decorating outside. After Thanksgiving, I will start with Christmas!