You Have to Try This One!

I am all about making some home-made gifts this year. If you don't like home-made gifts, just let me know and I will be sure and not give you a present. (Yes, I am passive aggressive.) Seriously though, not to go on a tangent here, I always feel like people appreciate things you make for them less, when in fact they should be more grateful that you took the time to do something extra special with your own two hands. I mean really, people! That is so not what I intended this blog to be about.

Ok, moving on.

I am super excited about this one! I think it's my favorite thing I have seen around the internet for years and never made. last night I spent hours tearing apart a book, yes you read that right. I tore it until it was nothing. It was an old I have had since high school and I already read it so just relax, Amber.

This is what I got in return though:

Beautiful, right!

Now what you're looking at here is a first draft. I learned a few things. One, you're using hot glue so use your fingers as little as possible. Having a pencil to use for pressing the cones down is very necessary. Two, Definitely make sure you do the step that instructs you to cut the end off the inside layers because your little circle won't cover the ugly tips at the center otherwise. Make sure when you roll them, you make the bottom tiny and not large, they are much prettier that way. It took me a few tries to get it just right, this wreath is made with the cones that didn't make the cut on the pretty scale so can yoy imagine how pretty the next one is going to be?! Make sure you roll it so that the page number is not in the visible part of the cone, I didn't like seeing the page numbers on my finished wreath. Just a few tips, I hope they help.

I also have seen a lot of decorating of them. I like them plain but if you google "paper wreaths" you will see a lot of ribbon and glitter. Not my style, but I think I will add some paint or watercolor to the edge to age them a little.

The tutorial is on a blog called BagsandBuds & Fobulous! The Tutorial is here. If you try it, I want to see your pictures. I will be making many more so maybe you will get one for Christmas, too!

As a sidenote, while I was making these I was watching/listening to the Artist Den on the Ovation channel. Great show with good music. Today is Amy Mann, Glen Hansard and Crowded House. mmhhmm. Crowded House was very good, actually. I enjoyed it. I'm not a big Amy Mann fan, though... and I don't think that's how she spells her name but I don't care so don't correct me.

As Sammy would say- Peace and One, Ya'll!

Anthropology Can Suck It!

As we all know I read lots of blogs. A few months ago I came across a number of blogs with their own versions of this Necklace:

I know, Pretty right!

Anyhow, so I browsed around and took a look at the "how I did it" on this blog and a thread on Craftster.

Then I made my own.

I tore apart some fake flowers from the dollar store and then reassembled them the way I wanted. Bought the pearls, wire and clasp at Pat Cataan's for about 15 bucks all together, but I also have tons of pearls, wire and clasps left over so all in all it cost me about ten bucks to make it. Yeah, it's  fifty-six bucks at Anthropology.

I like mine better.

I am Thankful for the Internet

I made a whole Thanksgiving meal today. I know what you're thinking, but I did not use one single box of anything. I made it all from scratch. Yeah. Me. The point is that without sites like the following, it wouldn't have been possible So yes, This Thanksgiving I am thankful for the internet.

Here are the recipes I used:

• Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie
• How to make Turkey Gravy
• Pecan Cheesecake
• Addictive Mac and Cheese
• Herb Chicken Rub

I used everything pretty much as it is in the recipes. I am not an idiot so I adapted some stuff to my liking. Like I used more Apple Butter and less pumpkin than that recipe called for and I didn't use the Gruyer cheese (Surprisingly, they didn't have it at Walmart... No not surprising at all), I just used another kind of cheddar and some Manchego cheese I had. (DELICIOUS!) That was the biggest hit of the day, the kids went crazy for it, like literally, I had to subdue them after they took the first bite.

I have no idea who all these ladies are but I am thankful for them also.

OK but this is how I know I am... growing. I made it all and then some and I didn't mess up one single thing. Usually I end up apologizing for my lack of culinary skills at any family meal, holiday or not, but not this one. Not one single thing went wrong. Oh that's not true. I didn't make the yams at all and I forgot cranberry. But I digress, everything I MADE turned out beautifully and I couldn't be more proud of myself. That might sound a little arrogant, but anyone that knows me knows that I don't cook and when I do I mess something up so yes, I am proud of myself.

A few shots of the star of the day.

And Ali doing my dishes. I am thankful for Ali too.

Ever Had One of These?

This week was super rough. Abby has had a persistent fever since Tuesday. Doctors in the hospital emergency clinic were of no help, tests galore and then a not really sure but here's some Zythro-something... manage her fever.

Okie dokie.

I am not going to feel good about sending her back to school unless the fever is gone. That would really be bad parenting. So here we are 2:00 in the morning fever raging on and we are just trying to "manage" it. Thank you medical expert.

On a good note there have been some things that are good. Abby being home with me all day everyday has been Fabulous. We hang out, watch shows together, sew together, nap together ( love the naps) and best of all she lets me hold her and give her kisses which equates to heaven in my book because my 9 year old isn't letting me do that very often these days. We made trees together, too. She stuffed, I sewed.

I have now come into my own as a Domestic Goddess of sorts. OH no. Nonononononononononono, You miss understand. The house is still a mess. BUT. Now I can vacuum in style. I am the proud owner of a Dyson 17 or something. (The technicals aren't the point, ok.) Does anyone have one of these puppies? OMG you have not vacuumed unless you have vacuumed with one of these. They actually bounce and move and the cyclonic filter system that guy on the commercial is talking about is no joke. NO JOKE.

Ella is being wonderful. She made two stories with illustrations tonight. One is called The Shape Story. It's about a circle that changes into different shapes. The second was The Story with No Words. It's about vampires that cry a lot. Genius.

Speaking of genius, I discovered a great blog with art projects for kids catergorized by artists that are known for the techniques. Yes, genius. http://www.artprojectsforkids.org/ Check it out. It's all very simple and the projects are very easy to do with your kids.

Let's see what else?

Well I tried uploading pictures but Blogger won't let me. It's about as useful as doctors.