Wednesday 25 November 2009

Thanksgiving M&M Turkey Place Markers


Love this idea!! You can also right the names of yours guests on the feet and use as place markers! Click here to get instructions.

Tuesday 24 November 2009

Snowmen Handprint Ornament

found the idea here... i painted nathans hand white and pressed against the side of an ornament. painted each finger to look like a snowman and attached the following poem...

these aren't just five snowman, as anyone can see.

they're made from my handprint, which is a part of me.

now each year when you trim the tree, you'll look back and recall

christmas of 2009, when my hand was just this small.

Monday 16 November 2009

Christmas wreath

Check out this adorable wreath. It was so easy to make. I still havnt put the finishing touches on but you get the idea. I just took a wire hanger apart and strung christmas bulbs on it then closed it back up. So easy. The wreath in the tutorial is way cuter than mine so check it out.
http://www.eddieross.com/eddie_ross/2008/12/no-wire-hangers-well-maybe-just-one.html
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Soft Bowling Ball and Pins

i found this tutorial on london mummys blog and knew i had to make them! they're called skittles. i just call them soft bowling ball and pins :) but anyways, they were fun to make! the bottoms are filled with rice and the rest is polyfill, so they stand nicely. the top and bottom have white cordorouy for better grip on the carpet. what a great christmas gift idea right!

Rudolph Brownies


1. bake a pan of brownies
2. cut the brownies into triangles
3. use chocolate frosting to adhere the pretzel antlers and the red m & m nose on
4. then use white frosting to adhere the brown m & m eyes on

Sunday 15 November 2009

Oven Dress and Grocery Bag Holder

how adorable is this idea! the top part is the "blouse" and the bottom part is a dishtowel and it hangs over your oven door handle. i saw the idea at a craft fair and just kinda winged it with the design. if anyones interested in a tutorial, let me know and i'll see if i can put one together.
but how cute would the oven dress be with the matching grocery bag holder that i found over at the make it and love it blog. her tutorial is found here...

Car Cozie

introducing the car cozie. it's a perfect solution for storing your little mans cars on the go. it has 6 pockets on one side, and a road on the other side.

when it's not in use, you fold it up, roll it up, and tie it up. thanks sharla w/ my little gems for the idea and especially for sharing how to make it here.

Snuggie, Snuglet, Slanket, whatever you want to call it!

who hasn't seen the infomercial for the snuggie? if you're not familiar with the concept, it's basically a blanket with sleeves. i was totally sold on getting one! but i wasn't a fan of the basic blue thin fleece it came it. so i started googling for a free pattern and found the SNUGLET.

my dh "model" didn't want to show his face, lol...
i was even able to find the fleece on sale at joanns for only $5/yd! so i paid $15 and spent 1 hr making it and it's TOTALLY worth it! i also added a pocket at the bottom for your feet. my hubby says he wants one with a pocket for the remote, lol. again here's the pattern.

Saturday 14 November 2009

Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine




A Christmas Traditon here in the UK is Minced Pies and Mulled Wine. Traditionally Mulled Wine is Alcoholic which is why I dont drink it. See I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and one thing we dont do is drink Alcohol amongst other things. My husbands cousin though has made us a recipe of Mulled Wine which is non-alcoholic. OMWord. It is gorgeous! I asked for the recipe straight away and now cant wait to make it myself. In the meantime I thought I would share the recipe with all of you! It is so Yummy! Let me know what you think.

Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine:

Bottle of 'non alcholic' wine, red or white ( white will need less sugar added ) pour into large pan

Add twice the quantity of cold water ( ie if 2 bottles of wine, 4 equivilent of water )

3 or 4 cinnammon stick

6 or 7 cloves

2 large oranges, with the peel left on, sliced into rings and added.

Simmer for 2 or 3 hours...

Add granulated sugar 'to taste' half way thru!

Serve warm..FROM THE PAN, INTO CUPS/GLASSES. Sieve out the cloves etc.

This can be prepared before guests arrive then reheated in microwave, but you lose the' smell which is gorgeous when people come into house. May have to 'adjust' to get the timing right, ie less as it's non alcoholic, so none to 'burn off'. Keep tasting. Adding less or more sugar. Ensure sugar is FULLY dissolved. Enjoy.


CINNAMMON POWDER DOESN'T WORK!

I cant wait to make this. I am so having friends around for Minced pies and Mulled Wine!! Mmmmmm!

Thursday 12 November 2009

Wooden Baby Block Picture Ornament

i don't remember where i saw this idea, so i can't link to it. but if anyone knows, please share so i can give credit where credits due! this idea is great, easy, fast and inexpensive. you probably have the supplies sitting around your house right now! i did, and i probably have enough to make HUNDREDS of these! they're wooden baby block picture ornaments.

supplies:

mod podge

scrapbook paper

wooden baby block (i got the whole alphabet in 1 box at the dollar tree)

hammer and nail (optional, depends if you have muscles)

screw eyes (CHEAP)

wallet size picture of your baby :)

sandpaper and ribbon (not included in picture, sorry)

step 1: depending on how many sides you want to cover, you need to cut that many pieces of scrapbook paper. so trace your block onto the paper, and cut it out. also cut your childs picture to the size you want it.

like so...

step 2: using the mod podge, apply a thin layer to whatever sides you're cover and place your scrapbook paper on it. it doesn't matter if your measurements aren't exact. you'll be getting rid of the excess during the next step.

mod podge your picture on too

step 3: using sandpaper, gently sand all the corners. this will even up any larger squares of scrapbook paper

step 4: apply another layer of modge podge to all sides of the block to seal everything on

step 5: once modge podge has dried (few minutes), use a nail to make the hole where you want to put your screw eye.

step 6: pull out the nail and replace with the screw eye

step 7: string ribbon through the eye and tada... you're all done! ready to adorn the tree!


*OPTIONAL* i believe the blog i saw this on also used diamond glaze on the side of the block with the picture. it gave that side of the block a clear glass type finish. i have NEVER found diamond glaze at any craft store! they advertise the product on there websites, but everytime i go to purchase it, its never there! and i check EVERYTIME i go. but anyways, that's an option.

Thanksgiving Wreath



So I have been looking for cute Thanksgiving Decorations to make for the house. Living in the UK you cant find anything so everything that I have has to be made. I thought this was adorable and so simple to make. This craft is so easy to make that a child could make it and it looks really cute too.


All you need is:
  • Wooden Craft Ring

  • Pumpkin and Leaf Foam cut outs. You can either do them yourself or a lot of craft stores will sell them already cut out.

  • Glue Gun and Glue sticks

The instructions couldnt be more simple:
Glue the leaves and pumpkins to the Wooden Craft ring in any desired fashion. Thats it... Finished! So simple! This could easily be made in time to hang on the door for Thanksgiving



Fabulous giveaway

For all of you in Canada/US there is a great giveaway that the cooks/bakers who read this will love. This super talented gal made an apron that she is giving away so check out her blog and entre....I am going to try to get the instructions for it too to post on here!
http://suissescenarios.blogspot.com/