Crafting away...and if I weren't too lazy to find my camera cord, you'd see a lot more of it :p

Wow, I've got a lot of catchup to do here....As you can see, this first one is from before we got our tree down...though it was AFTER Christmas....

This is the best picture I could get of them...I know, it's hard to see past those big blue eyes...but check out those clipies! I'll have to do some more and get a better picture soon. They are buttons on a felt leaf. I think they turned out so stinkin' cute! Why hadn't I made clipies before, you may ask? Well, because for ages now, I've been saying "It sure would be nice to have a hot glue gun..." to my husband...with little more then a grunt of response. I mean, seriously!! Who has a craft blog, but doesn't have a hot glue gun???? So, New Years day, we are clearing out a bunch of boxes and he comes across his hot glue gun that he used to have with his work tools...I knew he had it...but boy was he holding out on me...It's a WAY NICE one...one that you can actually unplug and take where you need it, and has it's own stand so it's not all percarious on a paperplate. Yeah...so now I finally have a hot glue gun...if only I had some glue sticks....

ok...next photo...(ignore the messy counter please...I was in the middle of getting this kid off to school...)

I've been watching this blog on refashioning clothing...And I've been inspired. My girls have a TON of pants with knees ripped out. This skirt, used to be the sweetest pair of corduroy pants...then someone tripped and the knee ripped out...then the rip was extended to most of the way up the thigh....yeah, not something they could wear. I cut it just below the zipper, then used whatever panels from the legs to make the first part of the skirt...which wasn't long enough, so I added the ruffle. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out...now to move on to the rest of the stack of ripped up pants....

This is my version of a Valentine advent calendar inspired by this fun site. I used a heavy piece of cardboard from a pack of scrapbooking paper...(I would have liked a peice of wood, but with one car and a husband who is gone from before I get up until 8 at night...I make due with what I have on hand.). I used mod podge to put on the scrapbook paper and paper heart. Then made little pockets out of other scrapbook paper and taped them on. I wanted to add ribbons to the top of the slips of paper...but I don't have a hole punch (ok, I'm now totally dis-credited in the crafting community, I'm sure!!!) The cardboard is a little bendy, but I'm not going to worry about it at this point, as the only one that's going to get a closer look then this is my husband, and I don't think he'll mark off too many points for that. ;)

Talk about an instant gratification project that totally made me smile today! Here is where I got this from (and the tutorial she links to) and it took me all of 20 min! Right now, I kinda like it hanging on this light, but It'll probably find a new place as I get more valentine day stuff going.

Aren't these little guys the cutest ever!! There is a free pattern here that I used for these. I'm making some for me, and then enough for our nursery at church too. They are going to be so cute! Eventually I'll find a branch to put them on and hang them up...but for now, I think I'll call them "love birds" and use them in my Valentine's day decorations :)

I see a snow fairy!

I've been wanting to make one of these adorable tutu's...so I picked up tulle while at the fabric store on Saturday...figuring it would be another month or so before it got done...But I was really on top of things and got to it TODAY! I thought I had plenty to make skirts for all three girls, but I guess I like them fuller then most directions call for. My plan was to keep my older two occupied this afternoon, so I cut up the tulle into strips and made one for Katie to see if it was something Aimee and Betty could handle...totally something they could do with limited supervision...but I ran out of tulle! So, you get a cute photo shoot of Katie for now. I spent an hour with a search engine and read several tutorials, so I really don't have a link to post, but when I do this with the older two, I'll take pics for one. It really is super easy! Just type in "easy no-sew tutu tutorial". I used elastic and just tied a knot in it for this one. I saw one that called for using and adult size headband thing...I may try that next time as the elastic was a little wonky. Also, for this one, I used almost 3 yards of tulle. I absolutely LOVE it :)


*Photos by my talented brother

Candy making!

We made candy this year, and had a lot of fun. I had someone ask me for the recipes so I typed them out for them...I figured since they were already typed, I'd go ahead and post them for everyone!

Marshmallows

(Here is the site I got the recipe from...to give credit where due: http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/106/Marshmallows

It has good directions and pictures...but since you're here, and I've added personal notes...here ya go.

3 Tbs. (or 3 packages) unflavored, unsweetened gelatin

½ cup cold water

2 cups sugar

2/3 cup corn syrup

¼ cup water

¼ tsp. Salt

1 Tbs. Vanilla extract

powdered sugar

Prepare a 9x13 pan (mine was glass which worked great) by greasing and dusting with powered sugar.

Pour gelatin and ½ cup water into your mixing bowl (I would have liked a stand mixer for this, so if you have one, plan for that..otherwise, whatever bowl you will use your electric mixer with.) I hadn't worked with gelatin before...it will be solid almost at once...don't freak out...it will melt once you pour the hot sugar in.

While that is sitting, put your sugar, corn syrup, and water into a sauce pan. A heavy bottom one is best, but I did it in a light one just fine...just stir constantly and don't turn up the heat too much or it will scorch. Bring mixture to a boil. If you have a candy thermometer, you want to bring it to 250 degrees. If you don't, I've read you can boil for 1 minute and get good results.

Drizzle your hot candy mixture over gelatin mixture while mixing at low speed. Once the syrup is mixed in, add salt. As soon as it starts to fluff up and you aren't in danger of splatters, scrape down the bowl and turn the speed up on your mixture. At some point (I've read about 8-10 minutes, but I don't think I mixed for that long) the volume will stop increasing. At that point, add your vanilla. When it's mixed in, turn off your mixer.

Pour the mixture into your glass pan and smooth out the top some. Let it sit uncovered overnight.

When you are ready to cut them, dust a surface with powdered sugar (no, really...dust it plenty! Those things will be STICKY!) I used a pizza cutter. Cut one row at a time, then cut it in squares and coat each with powdered sugar until they aren't sticky.

At that point you can do what you want with them...even just eat them as they are. We melted milk chocolate chips and dipped them. With chocolate they are best stored in the fridge.

(wow, that sounds long...but it was really very easy...the most time consuming part was cutting and dipping them, but it was a lot of fun and I had Betty doing sprinkles while we chatted, so I didn't notice)

English Toffee

(source: http://spraguerecipes.blogspot.com/2008/11/english-toffee.html )

1 Cup Sugar 
3 T. Water 
1 Cup Butter 
2/3 Cup Chocolate Chips  

Mix the first 4 ingredients in a sauce pan. Heat slowly over medium heat and stir mixture until dissolved. Bring to a boil until the color of a brown paper sack. Stir often (15-20 minutes keep it boiling). Butter an 8x8 inch square pan. Pour the mixture in the pan and place chocolate chips on top. When chips are melted, spread evenly over entire surface. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top, if desired. Let cool and brake into pieces. (my notes: The recipe on the blog actually calls for ½ cup butter and ½ cup margarine, but I used all butter. If you are using a thermometer, you want this to get to the “hard crack stage” which is 302 degrees. I like to pull it off about 298. When you are boiling your sugar, if you are watching the temp, it will seem like it takes a long time right around 220ish. That is about the point where the water is boiling off, and the temp will rise rather slowly. Once the water is all out the temp will raise rather quickly, so keep an eye on it to keep it from burning. I also wouldn't use a glass 8x8 pan again. I'd use a large cookie sheet with either parchment or a silicon mat. That way you don't have to fight to get it out of the pan and it can be spread out thinner, which is how I prefer my toffee. You would need more chocolate to cover it if it was done that way.)

Peppermint Bark

Ok, I have no recipe for this...I just kinda...do it...  Prepare cookie sheet. I buttered then put plastic wrap on mine, but a silicone mat would be great too. Melt a bag of milk chocolate chips over low heat. Add a couple drops of peppermint oil. Pour and smooth out on cookie sheet. Mine didn't reach the edges, which I think makes it easier to get out. Let it cool in the fridge. Crush a handful of peppermint disks(I've seen recipes that use candy canes, as well). We used a cutting board and the pointy side of a meat tenderizer. Be sure to cover them somehow or they will fly everywhere. Plastic wrap worked well for this, but don't pound harder then you have to, or you'll have it everywhere anyway. Melt white chocolate chips over low heat, add peppermint chunks and spread out over the milk chocolate. Let set up in fridge then brake into pieces.

Christmas Advent Calendars

So every year, I try to do some kind of Advent Calendar with scriptures to read each night. I've actually had to re-do this list several time, and I'm sure you can find others if you did a search, but I'm going to post mine...for posterity or whatever :) I've tried to start with prophesies about Christ's birth, and scriptures talking about who he will be and what he will do, then I put the event's of His birth from the Book of Mormon on the 22, the story of the Wise Men on the 23, and we like to read Luke 2 Christmas Eve. I've left several days blank for things like stories out of the Friend or some of our Christmas books. (I know one year, I had it so it was a scripture every day, but I don't know how I did that, and I like to mix in some of those articles anyway) This year, I put them on the back of strips of scrapbook paper and we'll make a paper chain as we go.

Day 1 - Luke 1:26-38
Day 2 - Matt 1:18-25
Day 3 - 2 Nephi 19:6-8
Day 4 -
Day 5 -
Day 6 - Moses 5:57
Day 7 - 1 Nephi 19:8-11
Day 8 -
Day 9 - John 1:14
Day 10 -
Day 1 1- Micah 5:2
Day 1 2-
Day 1 3-
Day 1 4- 1 Nephi 18-20
Day 1 5-
Day 1 6- 2 Nephi 25:13-14, 19
Day 1 7-
Day 1 8- Isaiah 7:14
Day 1 9- Helaman 14: 2-9
Day 20- 1 Nephi 10:4-6
Day 21 - Alma 7:9-13
Day 22 - 3 Nephi 1:1, 4-21
Day23 - Matt 2: 1-2, 9-11
Day24 - Luke 2: 1-20

We also are doing one using the list from Somewhat simple.

apron pictures

So here is my first attempt at this apron. I think it turned out really cute. Because the bib is too short for me, Aimee will be getting this apron. It's a little big on her, but it will work just fine. I want to find a pretty button or something to put at the top...but that can be done later.

This is Betty modeling for us...see, a little big, but Aimee loves it, so that's all that really matters.

New apron!

So, I haven't been feeling particularly crafty or creative or patient enough with my kids to do crafts with them...but I'm trying to get myself re-motivated.

Lately I've been longing to have pretty things in my house...but I can't afford to just go out and buy them....so I'm trying to learn to make them. Right now, I want to work on sewing...I want a fabulous 50's style dress...I can see it in my head, and I've even seen a few online that I really like, but to get it just right, I know I'll have to learn how to do it myself. So, I'm starting on small projects and I'm going to try to work on them at least a little everyday.

Yesterday, I made an apron. I found this great tutorial that I followed exactly. It was really a good tutorial, and the apron turned out very nice! I had to rip out a couple seams because I wasn't paying enough attention to what I was doing...but her instructions were very good. My camera got left in the car that my husband took to work, so I'll have to post a picture later.

A few things I would change for next one. The bib on this one is too short for me. I'll make the neck tie in back so I don't have to do button holes. The waist ties, I'll fold over and sew then turn right side out...the ironing and hemming of those is a task I don't enjoy, so why do it that way when I like the other way better? :) Plus, I think it will look better so you don't have the back of a tie showing. And I may try one with a pleated ruffle...wouldn't that be pretty?

Overall, this was a very fun, easy project, and I think I'll do some measurements so my girls can make some for themselves.

Getting ready for the Tooth Fairy

So, the tooth fairy will be called in any day now, for Aimee's First loose tooth! It is a very exciting time around here. So, I made this little pillow for her. Cute, hu?

Supplies I used:
Paper (to draw pattern)
pencil
Scissors
1/4 yard White fabric (I used flannel and 1/4 is more then you need, but you need that width)
White thread
Embroidery thread (fabric paint for the words if you'd rather)
Embroidery hoop
Sewing machine
Cotton stuffing

How to:

1) Draw the tooth shape for front and back of pillow. I filled a whole 8x11 sheet and felt it was a good size. make an oval/circle for top of pillow...same width as top of tooth shape. Draw small pocket, big enough for a tooth and then change/bills from tooth fairy.

2) Cut out the pattern and transfer it to your fabric...I used a washable marker in a light color. If your embroidery hoop is bigger then the tooth, do not cut it out first...let's just not cut it out yet, for ease of directions :) Cut out all but the front(at least the pocket if nothing else), leaving enough around the front to secure in hoop.

3) Hem the top of pocket if necessary. I folded mine over and ran a blanket stitch along the top with embroidery thread. You could just run it through your sewing machine. Secure tooth front in hoop and stitch pocket in place with embroidery thread. Write "Tooth Fairy" with light washable marker or soft pencil (remember to leave room for a seam). Embroider front(or use fabric paint, letter buttons, or whatever other embellishment you wish). I'm wishing I'd added "sparkles" with 6 point stars on mine, and will likely go back and add something.

4) cut out fabric (if you haven't already) Place front and back together wrong side out.

5) Sew up all execpt the top of tooth. Place top of tooth along front so the hem will be on the inside. (I don't know how to word that, but I hope you have enough sewing experience to logic it out...)

6) Turn right side out. Wash by hand if it is neccessary to remove ink/pencil. Let dry.

7) Stuff (I used cotton filling). Turn seam under on back/top and stitch.

wow, that was a lot of steps...but it really wasn't hard. I did it in an evening, and think I could do another faster (I'm thinking of getting ones for Betty and Katie done while it's fresh in my mind) If I do, I'll post pics and maybe even scan in the pattern I made for you to use....now I just need to find the going rate for teeth...anyone know what the Tooth Fairy pays now-a-days?