Sunday, November 29, 2009

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Christmas Sneak Peek

Like many of you, I am spending the next few days making sure my home is merry and bright! Here is a sneak peek of the two trees in my home-
our main tree in the living/dining room

and our newest tree in my daughter's room

Friday, November 27, 2009

Christmas Blog Templates

Is your blog ready for Christmas? Here are a few of my favorite free templates.
Retro Christmas from Smitten Blog Designs. Their 2-column designs are free, but they will charge you to convert it to 3 column. Scrappin' Blogs has some cute vintage-inspired 2 and 3 column templates, like this one.Simply Blog It has this gorgeous black and white metallic-looking template.
Of course, Cutest Blog on the Block has the most options including this one.
I love the peppermint candy feeling of this template from Delightful Dots.
Delightful Dots also has a list of all of the template sites she knows of and there are a good 15 or more that I haven't seen. Happy Template Shopping!

My new template came from Aqua Poppy Designs.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Flannel Onesie Dresses for Winter

My Mom was visiting this weekend with her handy travel sewing machine and we made my daughter 2 oneise dresses and this precious ruffle shirt. I love the pink damask, but didn't buy the fabric long enough and couldn't really put a mini skirt on an 11 month old. So, we decided to sew the fabric onto the bottom of the dress like a skirt. Well, that made us laugh hysterically because when we put it on her it went to her ankles as a pencil skirt. Babies don't like pencil skirts. I could not even hold her on my hip. So, we cut it all off and made a ruffle. I honestly love the goofup! This'll look sweet with blue jeans and pink shoes!
Our other two dresses turned out beautifully! This one was made to match a pair of pea green shoes I love, but don't have much for her to wear with. The colors are a muted peach, bold tangerine, pea and celery green.


One thing I love about these fabrics from a local quilt store if the matching is all done for you. They had about 10 patterns all coordinating in these colors. It was easy to decide and feel confident it would work.
This flannel Christmas dress will be soft, warm, and comfy for the holiday parties coming up.


It perfectly matches a pair of Christmas argyle leg warmers I bought on clearance last year. That is one of the reasons I love making her clothing- I can make sure it matches existing pieces!
Thanks Mom for sharing your talents, time and thread with Abby and I. She'll wear her Nana dresses with pride.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Turkey Artwork

Thursday is my daughter's first Thanksgiving. At school last week they made turkeys using their hand prints. I decided to frame up and put it up with my Thanksgiving decor each year to remind me of how small she was and how special she is.I truly love her daycare artwork and think it is perfectly fitting in such a fancy frame, don't you!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Gifting Christmas Bibs

My daughter has 7 other babies in her classroom at daycare. I wanted to give them a little present from her and found a cute and inexpensive idea here. These Christmas bibs are easy to make and I spent about $7 on her entire class! Let me show you how! Buy a Christmas (or other print for another season) tablecloth. A 60" x 84" will net you 17 bibs. The tablecloth is a wipeable vinyl on one side and fuzzy fabric on the back. I typically associate these tablecloths with a cafeteria type establishment or my grandmother's house!
Take a bib you currently own and trace the shape onto the back side of the tablecloth. I started out using a Sharpie, but the fuzzy part built up on the ink tip and then I had blue all over me. A ballpoint pen worked much better.

This is the front of the bib that has been cut out with pinking shears for fun! I bought this one at Target for $5. Just make sure the print is right-side-up. I also saw cute snowmen and snowflakes at the grocery store this weekend.
Since my handy seamstress (my Mom) was visiting me, she sewed on small white Velcro squares on the bibs. You could make this no sew by using safety pins, iron on or sticky backed Velcro or even attach snaps.
To present these to her classmates, I gathered extra ric-rac, tulle, Christmas printed paper, a craft punch, hole punch and marker.
I tied a big bow on each rolled up bib and punched out a tag with the giver's name.
These would make great teacher to baby gifts, toddler place mats or even an easy to clean table runner. I guess these cheap tablecloths are not just for Granny!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

A Christmas Affair 2009 and a Winner!

Saturday morning I met my girlfriends Tabriah and Brandi and Brandi's Mom and Memaw to shop Austin's Junior League Christmas Affair. It is always an exercise in patience (lots of people), restraint (lots of things I want but don't need and lots of food samples), and fun fun fun!It was SUPER packed this year and made me question how bad the economy really is!?!

This year's theme was "A Wild Holiday" and it used zebra stripes, giraffe prints, peacock feathers, moss balls, butterflies and more! I loved the decor this year.

I left with a few items that I really love and checked a couple of things off my list- a personalized plate for Santa's cookies, a hammered silver punch bowl, a cute over-the-top felt flower pen, a great necklace with a vintage timepiece pendant, and more Thanksgiving decor.

We also saw a beautiful, but totally unaffordable picture frame with the following water your eyes quote:

Before you were conceived, I wanted you.

Before you were born, I loved you.

Before you were here an hour, I would die for you.

This is the miracle of love.
My husband selected #7 as the fun flower magnet winner- Congratulations Nancy! Please email me at annajenk@yahoo.com with your address.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

100th Post Giveaway!

I have made it to 100 posts and am so glad to have followers! Leave me a comment (become a follower if you are not) and I'll randomly pick a winner of these cute big bold metal magnets on Saturday! Make sure I have a way to contact you if you win!
Here's to another 100 posts of crafts, cooking, shopping, and giveaways!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

This Dip Rocks!

I looked at many a dip recipe earlier this fall when Boo Mama hosted a dip recipe exchange. I grabbed a couple and filed them away for my next party. Last night, I made Pizza Dip and oh my heavens- it was wonderful!
You know it had to be good when a block of this gets involved...
... and this, I had no idea this even existed until now. You mix both of those with fresh herbs and a bag (yes a full bag!) or mozzarella cheese and a little Parmesan for good measure into your handy dip-sized crock pot! Spreading this dip onto rosemary bread will change your pants size!
For the full recipe, click here. I warned you!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

ETSYcetera- Amy Butler Crush

I have a little crush on Amy Butler. I really love her fabrics- she mixes up some crazy combinations and they always work! When I searched Amy Butler on etsy- over 12,700 products are available. That is a whole lot of T-R-O-U-B-L-E!
Here are some of my favorites
Love the navy and golden colors in this handbag!


What about this cute vintage half apron for the holidays?

I wish I didn't already have stockings that I love, because this Amy Butler Mary Jane stocking for the girls in my family would be perfect.
I love the trendy colors in this rag quilt made with her fabrics. Who else can pull off gray and yellow?


These personalized Amy Butler key fobs would be great stocking stuffers or teacher gifts!

Enjoy shopping etsy and Amy Butler for the holidays!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Unique Christmas Card Holder

Two years ago at Christmas time I saw a special on HGTV using an old shutter as a Christmas card holder. We are blessed to have a large extended family and lots of friends that send us Christmas cards. I've always placed them in a decorated metal bucket, but you can't really see them. The idea of a shutter appealed to me.
When I saw this 6' tall one at a junk sale for $10 I bought it knowing just what I would do. It wasn't in very good shape. My husband and I spent a good hour peeling layers of old paint. The green paint was thick and the white paint was dry, cracked and peeling.

After all those layers were removed, we sanded the shutter and were left with a sturdy wood shutter ready for some fun!

Since I will be using this for Christmas cards, I opted for a leafy green color with a little glitter. I fell in love with the glitter spray paint. I could glitter everything!
It took three coats and all of 10 minutes to fully cover the shutter.


Then, I decided to honor the age of the shutter and sanded the paint off the corners and some of the edges. It suits my style to have a little worn look.
While it dried, I got to work on the clothespins. Folded cards can slide into the shutter slots easily, but we also receive flat cards, so those needed a way to play.
I used my noggin and attached the clothespins to a small box so that I could spray paint them from all angles quickly.
For contrast, I made them red.
And then my friends it was time to add glitter in the most spectacular way! I sprayed it all over. My garage will sparkle for years to come!

I don't have any 2009 cards yet, so here is an example using my stationary. I plan to stand this up in my entry way and fill it with cards as they come in.

I am also considering what embellishments to add. I fear adding too much when there will be 100 cards on here in no time. But, I do think some ribbon or modge podge of Christmas images would look great. What do you think?

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Wrapping Paper 2009

My husband thinks I am nuts that I theme our Christmas wrapping paper each year! Help me out here, tell me others do this too?
Our theme this year is whimsy red and apple green. I bought three of the rolls on clearance last year and added 2 more rolls last week. I have found a few gift bags and tissue that coordinate, but am still searching for ribbons and tags to match.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

More Steam A Seam

Do you think they have a Steam-A-Seam support group? I want to iron on everything I see!
Is this not the cutest turkey!?! I bought him on etsy all cut out and ready to go. I purchased a striped 3/4 sleeve scoopneck tee at Target and added my turkey. I'll be all set for a casual turkey day.I also have a girlfriend pregnant with twin girls, so I made them some twin-attire with Steam-A-Seam. How fun to take little baby pictures as A and B or
Twin 1 and Twin 2. I can't wait to meet these special little girls!
Etsy has so many iron on options! And, they are typically less than $5. A time saver that doesn't cost too much.... I love it!

Here is my turkey' shop

Or, how about holly for Christmas

This one cracks me up!

If my girlfriend was having boys, they would definetely sport a tie