New Blog Location!

Alright, it's official. I'm no longer posting here...
Because I'm starting to post on my new blog!

My first post went up there today. However, I'm waiting to throw a full-blown launch party until Monday next week so that I can work out all the kinks and problems. It still does have some little quirks, so please forgive me while I work those out.

Please, please follow me there! I'll be posting in Facebook and on Twitter as new posts go up, and once I get the RSS feed working and get links to other social media hubs up and running, you ought to be able to follow me as you please.

So go and see my latest post! There's a free printable template for some really cute Valentine candy boxes. I think you'll like them!

Christmas Eve Post

Things I've done this season to help me keep in tune with the Spirit of Christmas:

• Gave a ginormous box filld with baby clothes and blankets to my cousin who is about a month from her due date and had none.
• Carefully thought out and hand-made most of our gifts to family members.
• Participated in my church choir's Christmas performances this year, inviting the Spirit into others' hearts.
• Mended clothing for friends/family for free.

I hope that each of you remember what this holiday is about and I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Not-So-Ugly Christmas Sweater

Bob and I attended a White Elephant/Ugly Christmas Sweater party over the weekend. The problem is, neither of us have ugly Christmas sweaters.

We went to a few thrift stores a couple of weeks in advance and they were picked dry of everything Christmasy.

So I opted to make them.

I found a long turtleneck shirt that is an awful baby-poop green (I know this color from many dirty-diaper experiences) and decided that the awful color would make for something wonderfully ugly.

Boy was I wrong.

It turns out that I can't make ugly things.

You like how I'm leaning back against an invisible... something?

After getting home, I looked at the tag on the inside and it turns out that it's a men's big and tall shirt. Ha!

I have a bunch of bright red crushed jersey knit with coarse silver glitter on it. I drew a Christmas tree on some scrap paper, and used it as a pattern to cut a tree out of the red jersey.

I used clear thread (it's like really fine fishing line that I've seen quilters use a lot) and zig-zag stitched around the edges of it, being very careful and using the hand wheel of my machine a lot. Then I topped it all off by hand-sewing bells onto the tree as ornaments.

It sounded tacky in my head. But it didn't translate as tacky onto the shirt. I'm really not that upset over it, I guess.

I went to Costco for lunch on Monday (because I was craving a Polish dog) and as I was walking through the parking lot pushing Graham's stroller, a girl stopped me and asked where I had gotten my cute sweater. When I told her I made it she was surprised, and then sad that she couldn't get one for herself.

I wish I could bulk order some long turtle neck shirts in this color because then I'd make more to sell. Maybe next year.

Noel Letters

I made this Christmas decoration about four years ago, but I love it and get it out every year to decorate for the holidays.

I was a missionary for my church, serving in Texas for a year and a half. I made these at a Relief Society activity in the middle of the week around Christmas time. I made a few other things, but they were gifts for family members that year.

These are simple to make though, as long as you're good with a jigsaw or can find pre-cut letters. The letters were all pre-cut for us (that made things way easier) out of 1" thick wood. Then we painted the letters, traced them onto decorative paper, and Modpodged it on. We finished these by adding ribbons, bows, mini ornaments, bells, and other little decorative things.

This is my favorite letter I made.

If you're planning on doing something like this, here are some tips and ideas:

• Use acrylic paint, and try watering it down. The wood grain will show through the paint, giving it a really pretty, unique look.

• You can also add water to the Modpodge to make it go a little further.

• Modpodge the letters, front and back to seal the wood and keep the paint from smearing, should they somehow get wet (you never know with kids or while in storage).

• To store these, wrap them in waxed or parchment paper. Tissue paper will stick the the Modpodge.

DIY Marbled Globe Christmas Ornaments

I watched my mom make countless decorations and gifts throughout my childhood for holidays and birthdays. She was and still is an incredibly creative and talented woman.

One of my all-time favorite decorations she made were these beautiful marbled globe Christmas tree ornaments.

They're easy as can be and really inexpensive. I made 10 for about $15. Best of all, you can make them whatever colors you want, which makes it simple to coordinate the colors that your tree and room are decorated in during this holiday season.

Here's all you need:

clear globe ornaments (I used plastic ones. glass ornaments + a baby = bad idea)
acrylic paint (in whatever colors you like--I went with reds since trees are green)
twine, beads, or other dangly decorations you so desire (or none at all)
waxed paper

1. Remove the silver tops from the ornaments and set them aside.

2. Squeeze a small amount of paint into the ornament. Use each of the colors you'd like, but make sure that all the paint combined isn't more than about a tablespoon, or even less if you're making small ornaments.

3. Cover the opening (I used a folded piece of paper towel and my thumb) making sure it is completely sealed, and shake the ornament like you're some kind of crazy person.

There may be small gaps where the paint didn't spread to, so I recommend firmly hitting those areas against your palm until some of the paint gets shaken into them.

4. Let them sit upside down on waxed paper for 1-2 hours so that any excess paint drains out of them. You may need to wipe out just inside the opening to get all the extra unnecessary paint out. Then let them sit right side up over night to allow the paint can dry. If the paint still isn't dry after 24 hours, try using a hair dryer to speed up the process. But honestly, if the paint stays tacky (not drippy--drippy can be bad), it's not a huge deal because the paint is enclosed inside of the globe and won't get on anything.

Don't use a paper towel like I did for this part.
It will seep through and some of the paint will dry to it and it turns into a huge mess.

You may notice that the paint doesn't adhere to the glass/plastic in some places, creating this interesting crackle look. It'll happen more often if it doesn't dry. I find it unique and interesting, so I personally like it. If it bugs you, repeat steps 3 and 4, making sure the paint dries before repeating.

5. Add any additional decorations you want to the outside. I used ModPodge and alpaca yarn, dangly beads, and stamps and cardstock.

6. Once everything is dry and finished, replace the tops on the ornaments. Proceed to decorate your tree or home with them to your little heart's content.

For storing these post-holidays, I recommend heading to Costco and buying a container of apples, eating said apples, and then reusing the plastic container. It's perfect for globe ornaments. You can also use it while making these to keep them from rolling all over the place.

Merry Christmas! Now get crafty and let me know if you make some of your own marbled ornaments. I'd love to see them!