Christmas Crafts

Having come to the realization that I am NOT going to finish the sparkly red dress in time for Christmas, this freed me up to finish some other, shorter projects that I wanted to have done this week.  The main one was new stockings!  I found super-cute Christmas themed owl fabric for me and Sara.  Then David asked for "space stockings" for the boys - which I rolled my eyes at until I remembered I had some space fabric and no idea what to do with it!  Behold the finished products:

Here's a close up of two - I couldn't quite get the cuffs to fit right, but at some point I was just ready to be done, and it will bother me much more than anyone else:

I was pleased with the snowflake fabric I found for the cuffs on the space stockings, I felt like it made them at least a little wintery!  Oh, and I got the pattern here - I always want to give credit to my sources, one of the main reasons I started this blog was because I was tired of my personally uploaded pins just going to a picture with no info on how it was done!





I also completed some hairbows for Sara - the Christmas tree one was a hit at her preschool Christmas program (but I have only blurry pics, and don't like to put pictures of other people's children on the internet).  So here is the bow: (tutorial)

 

And here is a penguin bow that took way too long (Turkey bow took less time and was more complicated!  The hot glue gun and I were having a fight, and I was all out of plain white ribbon)

 

That's it for now, gotta wrap some presents once my back starts feeling better (pinched a nerve or pulled something picking Sara up this evening)

Laid-back Saturday

No big picture posting this time, just wanted to document a great Saturday.  I woke up feeling like I had forgotten something on the calendar-  weekends in December are usually so busy!  Nancy took Sara for the early part of the morning, and that was a nice gift of sleeping in after Corey and I had attended his company Christmas party last night. 

When I got up David and I opened up a "Rainy Day" auction basket I had won at a PTA fundraiser. We had a great time doing some of the crafts - he really like the spirograph, the braided lanyards were still a bit much (I had trouble myself!) and he loved painting our own mugs!  It was nice to be able to give him some 'big boy' time, usually I'm having to chase after the little one when he wants me to be doing something more advanced with him. 

When Sara did get back we had some nice snuggle time while watching Muppet Family Christmas - my all time favorite holiday special!  After lunch we headed out to see Santa at the local YMCA.  David was all about it, but Sara not so much - she would not leave my arms.  I realize I'm not dressed very festively, but I wasn't really expecting to be in the picture! Here's one happy pic we got.

Later in the afternoon I headed off to play before Berkmar's madrigal dinner with Jill and 2 of her students.  It reminded me of doing that at Parkview almost 20 years ago!  After that she treated me to a yummy Greek dinner at Massina's.  We tried to come home so she could see the kids, but the rest of the family was out at a local church's Walk Through Bethehem! 

So we went back out to Kohls (had to spend the Kohls cash from the purchase last week!) and I got Sara a pair of black shoes (see the pink ones in the picture?  It was driving me crazy she didn't match!), David some size 7 pants, and me some socks - all for $7!   Still got to read both kids stories before bed.  Altogether excellent day, and much less busy than the next couple of booked up weekends!

Best of the Rest of Break

Well, that week flew by!  I had a wonderful week with the kids (and husband, and extended family Thursday), and honestly teared up tucking them in last night, realizing I wouldn't be around in the morning for snuggling and elf hunting.  But if all the school days go by as quickly as this one, I'll be home for Christmas break in no time!

Last week was a nice combo of home time and a couple trips out; Wednesday we braved the wind and went to Fernbank with Noni.  We only stayed about 90 minutes (Marco Polo exhibit was not doing it for the 6 and under crowd), but that's the beauty of the annual pass.   Naturequest and the Senses exhibit still top the list for these guys.

Thursday we went over to my aunt's house for Thanksgiving dinner.  We are so blessed that both our families are local, and like each other so much we just get together for one big dinner!  So we had a crowd of 15 and plenty of casseroles to go around!

Sara excited about her place card

 My awesome brother and sister-in-law

The 'grown-up table'

 David entertaining himself at my uncle's desk.  When asked what he was doing "hard at work!"

My excellent in-laws and their firstborn

The rest of the weekend was pretty much spent lounging around the house; I did get a haircut on Saturday, as well as do a little shopping - mostly for myself!  I've got a few gifts purchased already, and we did some online shopping, but Saturday was new sweaters for me and 2 trips to the craft store for supplies for upcoming projects.  Currently working on stockings for each of us, will post again when I'm done with them!

Fun at INK

This summer my M-I-L introduced us to a new place to play up in Gainsville, the Interactive Neighborhood for Kids, or INK.  It's comparable to the Imagine It Children's museum in downtown Atlanta, and about the same distance from our house, maybe 5 minutes further.  But, it's free parking without a walk from a lot downtown, and $8 admission per person instead of $12.50. 

Being that they are both giant indoor play areas, I have to say I prefer this one.  It's partitioned off into different themed rooms - there's a grocery store, a beauty shop, a bank, a cafe, music room, vet office, doctor's office, dentist office, you name it.  In the back is a more open area with a cop car, airplane, firetruck, and more to climb on.  But even with daycare crowds, it's spread out enough it never feels as crowded as the one downtown.  So we headed back in this chilly weather!

Playing dentist:

Sara's favorite part was the doctor area - it was doctor stuff and baby dolls - double win!  

Meanwhile David had specifically asked to go to the 'place with the plane'

Grocery store

 

Police officer

 

Giving a snake a shot

Teacher David

We had a nice quiet afternoon with BFF Jill.  I made zucchini bread and an apple bake, and lamb burgers for dinner and then took David to gymnastics.  We're going to declare either tomorrow or Wednesday electronic-free day, which might be as hard on me as it is on D!

Thanksgiving Crafts

Even though they'll only be worn a couple of times, I was inspired to put together some cute things for Sara to wear this week.

I went into Joann's last week looking for Christmas fabric, and came out with turkey fabric-already 60% off!  I debated a lot of cute new little patterns, but decided not to stress myself (after the ninja costume nightmare week I was a little burned out on deadline sewing!) and go with a pillowcase dress.

Based on the tutorial I found at chiggerbytes.blogspot.com, I put together something fancier than my very first dress (it had a ruffle at the bottom), but simpler than what she described (only one ruffle, not two, and same with one tie around the neck), somewhat due to time constraints.

Here's the finished product:

Dad said the preschool teachers loved it; were complimenting it in the carpool line!  I might still add the second ruffle and tie before church on Sunday.  For a rush project I was really happy with how it turned out - made in 2 nights, which is fast sewing for me. 

And even though it was 12:15 AM when I had school the next day, she had to have a matching turkey hair bow.  So, based on the tutorial I found here I made this:

 I love googly eyes.

And here is the babes in the finished product, playing with her baby!

And now we're on Thanksgiving break!  I am so excited to have a whole week off with these guys.  And I tend to agree with my husband, who says this holiday is the best one because you get the joy of seeing extended family (and eating yummy food) without the stress of present buying!

I'll post again if I end up making a cute turkey t-shirt I found as well, but right now I'm going to bed!

Bonus pic of big D as the pilgrim minister in Hooray for Thanksgiving