For some cute girls on my Christmas List...

Now that Christmas is over I can post all the projects I have been working hard on...WHEEE! Hubs and I both come from large-ish families (he is the 5th of eight kids, I am the 5th of seven) so we don't do presents for everyone in our families. Especially since those siblings are married and have anywhere from 1-5 kids...the list gets big quickly. When we were little we would draw names and we got them a big present. Now that we are older (and wiser?) we are on a rotation each year. This year we had Hub's oldest brother and his wife who have 4 kids (2 girls, 2 boys) and live in SLC. In my family we had my oldest brother and his wife and THEIR 4 kids (3 girls and 1 boy) who live in my hometown in Missouri. Money was tight tight tight! I didn't have a job until the end of November and the Hub is in Grad School and not working. So we decided to go as home made as possible this year. This is what we came up with.

Little notebooks made into purses (for the girls) to take to church, or wherever they want. I did a really cute one for Justice (who has to have whatever his big sisters have) without straps. It has trucks and tire tracks and "zoom" all over the front. It's way cute. I got so ambitious in getting them ready for Christmas that I wrapped his before I snapped a picture:( Whoops! The ribbon and buttons are sewed on thru the notebook. Also did some for my nieces Danielle, Lilly and Kate, but I had to wrap them and send them early so I don't have pictures of them either. I think Lilly's is my fave, it is SO darling! I'll see if my SIL can send me a picture. Even I was impressed with how well they turned out. My brother tried to tell me I should sell them....he flatters me:)

This is Grace's

This is Hazey's

Got the idea from Linds @ That's so Cuegly

Damask

I have a new favorite print. Don't worry polka dots, I still love you. And I always will. However, I have found a new print that seems to be popping up everywhere these days. Damask. I know, where have I been living before now, under a rock? I have seen it and always liked it but I saw it today on ColorSplash (best designing show E-V-E-R!) done on a wall and fell in love. It is the first thing I want to do when I move into a house of my own. They painted the wall a nice light dusty blue and did a damask stencil with a blue paint about 2 shades darker. HELLO! I am in love. It has the all over pattern and excitement of a wall paper and yet no taking it down wallpaper style. Just paint over it.

I have since found other things in Damask I love. It's too bad it's such a bold print. I'd love to do an entire room in nothing but that. Seriously, its become quite an addiction lately:) I love that you can do it in all kinds of contrasts by simply doing a matte paint with a glossy paint stencil, or black and white. Yum yum yum! I hope this is a print that is always in style. I think that's part of the reason I like it. I gravitate towards things I think are going to be more timeless and classic rather than too trendy and dated.

This paint job will be one of the first things I do when I get a place of my own.

Don't you just LOVE these wallpapers?!
This chair makes me want to curl up and read a book.
This little beauty belongs on my bed.

These just look so luxurious!

Love how the print stands out against plain white.

What Kind of World...

This video is very touching and thought provoking. I'm sure you all know Autism has become my new soapbox, and I am sorry if I over-do it. But it's something I see and deal with almost daily. I can't help but wonder all the potential these children have that is not being realized.

How must a parent feel to see their child that they waited and hoped for, prayed would come, arrive looking absolutely perfect. They develop normally until about 18-24 months when they have vaccines mandated by the government. Their children then suddenly start to slide backwards in development, stop talking, making eye contact, relating to others, responding to their name, even walking normally. Their hearts must break a thousand times over every day, thinking of the pain their child is in, being trapped in their own body, wanting to express what they want or need but unable to do so. They will never go to a normal school, get married, go to college, realize all the dreams you have for them when they are growing inside your body and your heart. In a way, you lose your child.

A survey done in 2004 asked parents if they thought vaccinations caused their child's autism. 70% said yes, with the other 30% offering explanations that it's possible. To see the survey and details go here. The statistics for autistic children are startling, a new study released in October 2009 shows the new numbers: 1 in 91 children have autism. (Read the press release here) This is becoming an epidemic that needs to be fixed. More information about the link between autism and vaccines can be found by going to this website: www.autismcoach.com

Productive Weekend

I had a crazy weekend, trying to complete everything for Christmas presents not to mention domestic chores...ew. I had:

1. loads and loads of laundry.
2. Running to Wal-Mart (I HATE going anywhere this time of year. I wanted to poke someone's eyes out.)
3. Vauuming, dishes (since we don't have a dishwasher....bigger ew!)
4. Sewing
5. Cleaning my bathroom
6. Christmas presents to make
   

It was just one of those days where it all came to a head. My messy, cluttered, dirty, disastrous dwelling and endless list of To-Do's had become E-NOUGH! Baa-Haa (my hubby's nickname) called me "the Monster of December 5th". I was not amused. Due to money being tight (Baa Haa is in grad school), we decided we would make the presents that we could this year. I needed to get crackin.
In spite of my momentary meltdown, I actually got quite a bit done and was really proud of myself. I crawled into my bed last night (with freshly clean sheets mmmmm:) feeling quite satisfied. Here are some of the things I worked on. I will post more process pictures of each project when I get them all finished.

Something fun with these is in the works.... I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Isn't this cute?! My sewing skills are not the best. I hope it doesn't look ghetto.

Disney gave me the idea.

This is for my MIL. They aren't quite done, I'm adding wire to the top for picture holders like they did here.

These cute little purse notebooks are for my husband's nieces.

Linds at That's So Cuegly gave me the step by step.

Tin Decorating

So I have this really crafty friend that I used to baby-sit for. I love now that I'm a grown up (whatever that means right?!) we are the best of friends and she's not just someone I used to work for. She is seriously one of, if not THE, most crafty person I know. I saw her tables of crafts and cute stuff when I was about 10 and fell in love. I credit her for getting me interested in the first place. She showed me some super cute ideas the last time I was back in Missouri visiting. One of them was taking old aluminum tins and decorating them all kinds of cute ways. Such as taking an old Altoids tin and using them for a little sewing kit in your purse, a bigger tin to give someone cookies or another gift in, to store pens or just whatever. I found some tins of my very own today (DI is a great place to check!) and have since been looking for pictures of ideas. Here are some of my faves.

LOVE the paper on these beauties.

I love how functional this is! I have a brazillion boullion cubs jars and just my use them for something similar.

This chicky used a cookie sheet and little tins to make an advent calendar. Christmas Presents next year for sure!!!

I LUUUUURVE the buttons on these. Buttons are one of my favorite embellishments. So cute

Know what's in these? Cookies that a Mom auctioned off for a school fundraiser. They're little clear paint tins with paper. Hello cuteness! You can find them here