It was a White Christmas!!!

Sunshine all week, and then Thursday... Christmas Eve morning it was the craziest blizzard we've ever gotten!

60 mile/hr winds beating against the house, our back fence got torn down a bit! Snow so thick I couldn't see the neighbors' houses.

I'm sure this is totally normal for say Colorado or the Northeast part of the country, but we haven't had a white Christmas in at least 5 years.

This is what I found when I opened the front door... that's my dad's truck, mind you, an F-350 with a lift kit, and the snow is up by the tires.

BUT Christmas Day it was beautiful! A blanket of fluffy white snow, some parts of my yard as high as my waist!!! And I'm 5'6!

My short little Scottie dog kept falling into the 4ft deep snow. Poor thing was so confused, he couldn't manage to go potty outside. So we had a few accidents in the house...

My first ever Snow Angel!

I was so excited about the snow. The kids all over the neighborhood were out building snowmen and having snow ball wars. It was so cute! And I've rarely had snow in my 23 yrs so I couldn't resist :) I tried to make a snowman, but the snow wasn't sticking together... I didn't get far with it before I froze and had to run inside.

Looks like Bigfoot's been around. . .

I have had the loveliest Christmas, comfy at home, stuffed full of food, and watching movies all day long. I love my Cricut!

And have a million projects for my new sewing machine!-- thanks Dad... and I hope he likes his GPS :) I'm not ready to take down the tree... maybe after new years lol.. Jesus is the reason for the season and I thank Him for everything! I hope you had a very merry Christmas and enjoy the rest of 2009! It was truly a great year for me, one of the best Christmas'.

For now I'm ending the night in my new Christmas Footy PJ's...

Merry Christmas to all!

And to all a good night!!!

Smells Like Christmas!!!

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, you may be up permanently...

The shopping is *done*, the presents are wrapped, and the groceries are ready to go! whew...! My tree this year is a chaotic mess but I love it. I recently acquired several ornaments from my childhood Christmas trees and when mixed in with the ornaments I've bought over the years, there was hardly enough space! But this is my first tree over 3ft tall since I was 16 and I am loving it! It's 6ft tall with a red feather tree topper, popcorn garland (courtesy of my Big sis, myself, and a long movie night), and my most favorite ornaments ever.

This year's favorite:
.

.

.

.

.

I love it!

absolutely

love it!

The trees,

the garlands,

the food, the

holiday cheer,

the weather (could be colder), the movies, the lights, the sneaky gift shopping, and the dirty santa games. Wish December was 3 months long.

We had carriage rides at church this week! And Christmas songs outside on speakers, carolers singing in the halls, family pictures by a faux fireplace, hay rides, and kids trolleys. It was really great.

Me showing off my dazzling popcorn garland, in my Footy PJs :). Making popcorn garlands like charlie brown with my Big Sis. I just got other Footy PJs especially for Christmas Eve heheh, can't wait. The pictures are going to look so funny

All I want for Christmas is You...

Dear Santa,

..... I've been told, I'm a hard one to hunt down gifts for. I beg to differ! But in case you've been too busy to watch me this year... I've been a very, v e r y good girl! Take my word for it ;) God has blessed me with so much more than I deserve this year, I have so much to be thankful for! BUT :) it would be nice if you'd send some of that North Pole weather down south. We haven't had a white Christmas in years! And since I haven't made it to Macy's to mail in my wish list... I just know you'll find it here.

* If you could please wrap up * R o b . P a t t i n s o n * smack a little bow on his head, and leave him under the mistletoe for me, I'd be mighty grateful!!!!

If you'd like my list of * things * that I would want, along with my previously mentioned request... well ok, lets see... (i'll keep it interesting so you're not delivering another wii or guitar hero)

As always, I'd love another Starbucks mug.

Bath&Body is running empty on their aromatherapy line's Sleep Detoxify lotion in Black Chamomile.... Santa please scour the globe for any leftovers! I must have this at my bedside!!!

I've been in a cozy reading mood lately, more Jane Green books would be nice...

Hallmark seems to be all out of the good keepsakes ornaments... if you find any wizard of oz, where the wild things are, or snoopy... I've been goin hallmark to hallmark for weeks.

I do love mittens! They're so cute!

I hear HP 6 and Inglorious Bastards are out on dvd this week. (if you cough up a New Moon, you're as good as gold to me, I'd clean reindeer poo for a week!)

And I guess, gift cards in any amount to Hastings for my ever growing dvd wish list (i've got like 57 I want) or to Michael's so I can put it towards more cricut cartridges.

.

You're the Best, Santa!!!

But don't be mistaken: I want the first request more than anything!!! And I'll be running to the tree Christmas morning to see if you follow through! And so you know, I don't just leave you milk and cookies, I'll leave a gourmet meal! MmMmm

Say hello to the Mrs. for me. And Vixen... she's my favorite :)

December Movie List

Sooo I just got my new holiday Scentsy pot! They're limited edition so I couldn't resist :) my house smells sooo good! Anyway, like in October, I have a ritual of holiday movie watching, that just gets me in the December mood! Here is my list of 25 Days of Christmas Movies you should watch this winter!
1. On top of my list I plan to watch It's a Wonderful Life, beginning to end!
2. Love Actually is one of my all time favorites
3. The Santa Clause
4. The Holiday
5. Holiday Inn (1942 black & white and oh so good! Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire)
6. Home Alone 1 & 2
7. While You Were Sleeping... oh how I love this movie
8. Of Course the Grinch - both new & old
9. A Charlie Brown Christmas
10. Elf - looove zooey daschanel
11. You've Got Mail (christmas is in there!)
12. Nightmare Before Christmas - classic
13. Preacher's Wife ... love old whitney :)
14. White Christmas with Bing Crosby too...
15. Family Stone
16. Polar Express loved this book as a child
17. Shop Around the Corner - the 1940 JimmyStewart original You've Got Mail
18. Serendipity
19. Hook - it's christmas time when he goes back to england
20. Some form of a Scrooge movie, like a Christmas Carol
21. Miracle on 34th Street
22. I'm suppose to watch Little Women this year
23. Babes in Toyland
24. Harry Potter Series (i love how I incorporate this in anything)
25. And of course! America's #1 Movie right now, bringing in $143 Million just in the US on opening weekend... and over $240 worldwide: NEW MOON
although it's a very sad Christmas for Bella, october... november... december... nothin.

Tis the Season of giving!

I'm the kind of person who loves getting homemade gifts! And I love making gifts for people even more. Ever since I worked in a craft store, I've gotten so many ideas for mini albums, and holiday craft projects that could be Christmas gifts or projects you might like, so I thought I'd post some pictures. Most of these are unfinished, but maybe they can help you come up with some gifts you could make this season!


I love all the colors, a bright take on a "Winter Memories" chipboard album.

25 Days of Christmas

It's not done yet... but a lot like the 13 days of halloween I posted earlier, this is made of 25 toilet paper rolls, decorated with scrapbook paper, stickers, ribbons, etc... I still need to number each roll.

.

.

Here's a shorter version:

12 Days of Christmas

completed, with mismatched tissues and paper and embellishments.

.

.

Another count down to Christmas! This Advent Calendar is made with a 24 count Mini Muffin Pan. Magnetic strips hold each "cover" on, and you can fit little candies, or strips of paper with messages in each cup. I want to make another one of these, but with red and green coordinating papers and embellishments. This one is a little chaotic

.

.

A Glass Block you can get at craft stores or hardware stores, filled with Christmas lights, tied up with glittery ribbon like a present, and I added some scrapbook paper to the front and back to dim down the lights a bit. I've seen people monogram initials or last names on the glass, that can be cute for newlyweds... I like putting this in the window or on a mantel...

This is a brown paper bag mini album. You can tuck tags, photos, souveniers, etc. in the "pockets" each brown bag opening has. I just fiddled around with left over scrap paper, but I like the idea.

Above is a brown paper bag Christmas Planner I found online. You could keep recipes, and magazine clippings in the pockets. Christmas planners are helpful, I'm making one right now [ shown below], to store family holiday recipes, pictures, and traditions in, so I'll be sure not to forget them!
I'll add more pictures soon.

Oh how I love the holidays!!!

.

.

.

.

.

sewed up some popcorn garland
.

.

.

.

.

.

And here is a tag shaped cardboard display we had in the store I work in.

Thanksgiving Prep...

This is Chuck! My young turkey friend that I will be cooking up!!!

It's the week!!! Time for giving thanks and spending time with family and overstuffing yourself with delicious food!

My kitchen counters currently look like this... and I am getting nervous.
My very first Thanksgiving to cook a big turkey for an oldfashioned thanksgiving feast! Our first real thanksgiving dinner in years... and my dad just got called in to work on Thursday :( so I guess our dinner will be postponed until Friday, after of course, much anticipated Black Friday Sales hehehe... Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

11/20/09 Get here already!

WHEN I SEE NEW MOON AT THE THEATER I SMILE....
Okay it's that time of year again, where I get a little crazy. And I don't mean holiday crazy, I mean dorky twilight fan crazy. So with that said, my best friend Ashley and I have registered for a vacation aboard the TWILIGHT CRUISE yes it's true. In August of 2010 we will be on the Twilight At Sea cruise ship for a week and I made a box for my "money" to save for the trip. The downpayment is locked in and we'll fly up to Forks, WA to leave (okay, seattle, but close enough) but FIRST! New Moon has to premiere!!! And I can officially say now that NEXT Thursday :) I will be in line to see the midnight premiere Finally! After a year of patiently waiting since the twilight midnight premiere... bring it on Volturri. I've been waitin' for 11/20/09 all too long...

Some of my craftshow Finds!!

A Team Edward wooden block, which
is pretty cute, with an apple on top!














Cute aged bottles

I found under $5
Looks easy to make

The 1st label says
"Jolly Jacks Elixir:
cures what scares you"

The 2nd label says
"Bottle of Blessings:
Apply generously
May the bounty of
the season fill your
heart and your home"

...................................

These super cute necklaces were all over the fairgrounds!

Little glass baubles, soldered together with images in the

middle. I'd love to learn how to solder jewelry.

And domino pendants were every. You could see everyone

had a different style of their own. I'm going to play with these

ideas and put my own flair on it.

The front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The back

This was a soldered necklace

I fell in love with! The front

says "Love is kinda crazy" &

back "with a girl like me"

with cute little '50s sexy witch.

Every other square
is a heart or zeta crown
:)



A plethora of CHRISTMAS decor!!!
An outdoors wall hanging that I love!!!

A knitted snowmen...






There were tons and tons of ornaments, angels and reindeer
made of bells, snow covered typography, twinkle light bottles, antique looking ornaments

Arkansas in the Fall

October is apparently a great Craft Show month! And Arkansas is apparently the mecca of Craft Shows. So my Big Sis and I had a roadtrip to Arkansas for a long weekend to visit with our good friend and craft show extraordinaire, and go craft show shoppin!

Driving through Arkansas, we drove passed the most beautiful scenery! The trees were burnt oranges, golden yellows, and bright reds! The views were breathtaking, and who would've thought? I don't normally think of Arkansas as "beautiful" but it was!

On the way to one of the shows, we drove over this lake, and it was stunning with houses on the cliff and miles of water and I'm not even an outdoorsy person!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Stuck in traffic, but the views were lovely so we didn't mind

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Our friend Sarah gets to drink a cup o' joe and look at this view every day! Her back porch is high up, looking down into her own little forest! I'm jealous! :)

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The multi colored trees of her neighborhood

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The War Eagle craft show was like being on the set of "Sweet Home Alabama." And it was huge! They estimated 180,000 ppl over the weekend. With friendly people, funnel cakes, and super cute holiday crafts, I was in heaven!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

There was a little country band on the porch playing music the whole time. And tons of fair food! Yum...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

I couldn't take many pics of the booths, they're fiesty about that :( but I snuck the phone out once when they weren't looking