Merry Christmas, friends

A Miniature Christmas Party

A Chrismas fort? This was Dave's contribution to the party :)

A Christmas classic - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

A Christmas Tradition - making cookies

Wreath Cookies Recipe:

• 1 stick of margarine
• 3 cups of small marshmallows
• 3 cups of corn flakes
• 3/4 tsp of green food coloring
• just a bit of vanilla
• red candies (or in our case, sprinkles)

1. Melt margarine and marshmellows over medium heat
2. Add corn flakes, food coloring, and vanilla
3. Remove from heat and scoop little mounds onto wax paper
4. Decorate with candy or sprinkles

I'm So Productive, I Could Spit!

I'm not sure where that phrase originated; it's pretty strange. But for this week's purposes, it fits.

I am down to five days and I've only got 3 gifts left that must be done before we leave on Wednesday. I've got another 7 that need to be done sometime before New Years and I'm not even stressed about it. Granted, those 7 will be the hardest gifts (why, why do I insist on sewing projects every year?) So, if you're keeping track - that means I've finished TWELVE gifts in the past FOUR days. Considering I didn't do any yesterday, that's stinking impressive. Am I allowed to say that about myself? Well, even if I'm not, I'm sure you're thinking the same thing.

Ok - side note. I'm listening to Pandora's holiday mix right now, and B.E. Taylor's "Angels We Have Heard on High" is playing right now... you know, the part where it just repeats, "glo-o-oria, in excelsis deo" and he actually just sang the words, "talkin' 'bout gloria." Isn't that hilarious?

So anyway, things are getting accomplished left and right. Tonight is the Christmas party for my tiniest friends. We're making cookies, watching a Christmas movie, opening a few little gifts, and listening to fun Christmas music. If I can figure out my new camera, I'll be sure to get some pictures. Dave has been practicing the camera very much in the past week or so, and has got some great pictures. I'll try to post some in the next few days.

I hope you all are having as much of a fun, productive, festive, magical? December as I am having.

Breathing In

This week will be busy. That' an understatement, I suppose, but I'm quite certain you're all experiencing some busy this week too. Most of all, I'm in yikes mode because of the ridiculous number of crafts I have yet to finish. But here's a quick rundown of what I've got in the next few days: finish/start/come up with ideas for 22 remaining Christmas gifts, attend 2 pre-school Christmas plays, host a miniature Christmas party for 4 kids (5 and under), clean the house and make cookies for the party, babysit, dogsit, go to my mentorship meeting, ignore the clunking, overheating, and check engine light in my car, and one last (hopefully) trip to Hobby Lobby.

Now here are a few things I'm thinking this week to keep me sane.

- My husband is great. He will help me if I ask him to. He doesn't know how to sew or make leather journals, but he's good at dishes and hugs... and I need that just as much.
- My friends will forgive me 1000 times over if I don't finish their gifts before Christmas.
- 9 days until I see my sweet, loving family again. Also 9 days to finish 22 projects. But mostly, 9 days until family time.
- These crafts are just accessories to Christmas.
- The King came to a stable as a perfect child so that I could have a life with meaning. I need to ignore the meaninglessness of shopping and packaging and cookie baking and really breath in the meaning of friends, family, sweet little faces, and giving.

Merry Christmas Bonus

Though we weren't sure it was going to happen this year, Christmas bonuses were passed out on Friday. With much MUCH excitement, a very unexpected bonus, and a bit of puppy dog eyeing, Dave and I finally got a new camera! It's a Nikon D3000 for all of you who know anything about cameras... which does not yet include me. I'm learning though. Here is an example of the first pictures we've taken... and an example of how wonderful and festive my weekend has been.

Friday night was the Nashville Christmas parade.

It was cold, but it was worth it.

After the parade, we went over to the Griffin's house and had hot cocoa and cookies. This is Allister, who was also on the news that night. A news crew saw him at the parade and "interviewed" him. Which was a great idea, on their part, because he is stinkin' cute.

Saturday, I did a whole lot of this. Christmas decorating, listening to Christmas music, playing with the new camera...

And today, I did a whole lot of this and one trip to the grocery store for the first time in, I don't know, a month and a half. Apparently it was the wrong day to try that. I got all the bustle without the hustle of the season. After an hour and a half of maneuvering my cart through the madness, I came home, made dinner, started a Christmas project, and did a bit of blogging. Now, it's time for It's A Wonderful Life, more Christmas crafting, and some more pajama time.

A Quick Little Poll

I'm planning to create a tutorial this month based around one (or two perhaps) of the gifts I'm making for Christmas. Please comment here with what you'd like to see me make into a tutorial. Here are your choices, folks:

1. Pajamas - kids sized
2. Leather journal
3. Small wood-working project
4. Small painting (no artistic talent required)
5. Tote bag painting
6. Christmas ornaments

You may vote for more than one, but keep in mind please, that I currently have THIRTY ONE! Christmas gifts to make in the next 20 days and that I may not get around to creating 6 different tutorials.