Home Depot Gingerbread House

What seems like many years ago, I made a gingerbread house from scratch with a Pampered Chef mold (only two children at the time and one was three months old) and I had to borrow an ingredient from my neighbor.  I knew if I woke the baby for a store trip the house wouldn't get made.  That was the first of a stream of houses...this year's is a Home Depot (TN orange house!).  Someday, I might once again make a house from scratch, but for now a store bought kit is the best option if it is going to be done.

Presents wrapped and in the mail

 

Most of my presents went out yesterday.  Here's a sneak peak of our brown paper wrapping.  And here's what is inside a few of the boxes.. 

Saying Goodbye to Summer and Fall

I asked the dd to snap a picture of my fall mantel before it was taken apart to start Christmas preparations.  Here's a glimpse of what we've been looking at for a couple of months.

 

Crocheted Hat

Here's a picture of a hat I crocheted recently.  I did the shell stitch differently on the edge, but here are the basic directions:  crochet best baby cloche and tutorial

Pizza Pan Cake

Early in February I had the fun of shopping for a shower present for an upcoming bride.  Not knowing her very well meant I stuck close to her registry (with the addition of a red towel with hearts).

Knit, Pray, Love

One of my goals for February was to knit a hat to send  to Afghanistan with K-LOVE/CURE.  I was excited to mail off two infant hats last week.  I used this free pattern from Lion Brand.  The pink is made from Lion Brand Superwash Merino Cashmere, the baby blue with Red Heart Soft Baby Steps.

Love Subway Art

I've had this free printable on the mantel for a couple weeks and thought I'd share. valentines-day-subway

Thumbprint Valentines

Crazy boy made some valentines. 

Heart Wreath

 I saw this idea in Southern Living last year and never got around to making it.  Finally, a use for some of the Nandinas around my house.  It took me a few weeks to locate a heart shaped wreath (Michael's)  but I was determined to hang it on my door in time for Valentine's Day.

Snowflake Placemat Pillow

We finally had snow flurries this weekend and although it has seemed more like spring here in East TN, I 'd really prefer a little more winter.  Therefore,  I made myself a couple of pillows from some snowflake placemats.  I loved these placemats when I was given them as a present, but after they were washed a few times they no longer laid flat.   I took a seam ripper to part of the seam,  stuffed the inside, and sewed it closed to make a pillow.

Happy Valentine's Day

As a special treat I made a chocolate wacky cake and covered it with peppermint marshmallows and chocoate chips.  I turned the oven off and put it back in the oven for a few minutes.  Definitely delicious.  It would work better with brownies that were flatter, but no one seemed to care.

Felt Christmas Ornaments

Wow,  has it really been since September?  I guess not much happened around here last fall.  My project list bears witness to my lack of productivity.  Since my husband clued me into the password, I can once again post a few pictures of projects and things I love.  Here are the presents I made for the DOK moms for Christmas. Although I loved the flower on the original fabric envelope, I was too busy making the inside contents to decorate the outside. 

Here are the tuturials for the ornaments from Bugs and Fishes:   Christmas pudding ornaments, vintage felt baubles, stars and hearts.  The moms liked them well enough to add them to our master list of future projects.

Birthday Boy

Wow, time flies.  Buddy is now eleven....it seems like just yesterday he was crawling down the hallway crying because he wanted to go to bed...here's his birthday cake.  I even took my hair out of the ponytail it was in for the picture...he is adamantly opposed to my hair being up.  Seriously,  he goes around pulling out the ponytail holder/clip.  The woman he marries will have a nice budget for clothes and hair. Fortunately, my husband isn't vary partiular.  The boy was most excited because I allowed him to help decorate the cake.  We only had about 25 minutes, so I was thrilled with how it turned out...I even used store bought icing with all those extra chemicals...shame on me.  Here's the inspiration:   how-to-make-a-pirate-ship-cake

Meatless Monday

To stretch our grocery budget and add variety to the diet we've gone back to meatless Mondays.  Dinner was a big hit yesterday:  fried green tomatoes, cheese grits, and a combination of these two recipes Hungry Mama zucchini pancakes / all recipes zucchini pancakes.  We might eat this frequently while I have tomatoes and zucchini from the garden.

Getting back on track

A while back I started reading an ebook 31 Days to Clean.  I even started doing some of the challenges...and then life as I knew it was interrupted.  It's interesting how that seems to happen to me regularly... so I'm trying to get back on track and grow in maintaining our home so that it is a peaceful place for us to work and play.  Here's my mission statement:

Sewing Camp - Totebags

I loved seeing the creativity and personality of the girls show with their fabric selections.  Simplicity totebag

Sewing Camp - Pillow

Here are the directions: 9Patch 

Sewing Camp - Pillowcases

I'm teaching a sewing camp at our church this week and the teens are doing a great job.  Here's their first project using these directions:  Quilts of Valor Pillowcase

First Fruits

We have ripe tomatoes!!

Bathroom Toilet

My teenager pointed out that I haven't posted a picture of my new toilet...isn't it stylish?  I was going to use the old one, but after an hour (well...maybe it wasn't that long) of scrubbing I appealed to the dear husband for a new one.  He jumped in the truck (literally) and came home with this.  He had been asking since January if I wanted to replace the old one.  My new bathroom is beautiful.  I was a little concerned about the green, but with the cabinet and toilet I am loving it.  I can't completely reveal the whole room yet...it might take until July when my sister returns for another visit and brings a mirror.  But we've come from here: 

The toilet is in the same place as before.