Christmas Dress

I decided I wanted to make a Christmas dress for Ava this year, something I've never done before. Last year I bought this flocked polka-dot fabric on clearance with this purpose in mind.
(We are growing out her bangs, so pardon the hair in the eyes).

I had to take it apart and put it back together a few times, but it was worth it.

I'm working on writing up the pattern so that will be available before long. I made this in a 3T size, so that is what the pattern will be. Pin It

Chalkboard Painted Lids

Confession: I still haven't finished all my neighbor treats. But. I did manage to get a few done, including this one for a friend who is gluten-intolerant. She loves peppermint patties so I gave her a jar full of those. You could do hot cocoa mixes, cookie mixes, soup, etc.

I had bought some chalkboard paint for another project, and I still have a ton left over. If you want to do it, it's pretty self-explanatory. Paint the lid with 2 or 3 coats of paint and write a message on the top! You can decorate the jar too if you want, of course.
And a little tip I saw on Pinterest after doing this, you can sharpen your chalk in a pencil sharpener for more precise writing. Pin It

DIY Cardboard Reindeer

I found this idea (and instructions) via Good Houskeeping. Since I am lacking Christmas decor for my walls, I thought this one looked like fun.

It was super cheap too! Free box from something shipped to me, and a cheap wreath for $2.50 plus a bow for 99 cents. I don't have an 11x17 printer so I had to just hand draw my reindeer instead, and I made mine a little bigger I think. The nice thing about this too is that you can disassemble it and pack it flat if you don't have a lot of storage space.
I wasn't sure if it would look as good in real life as it does in their photo, but I'm happy to say it does. It's a fun little addition to our holiday decor. Maybe next year I'll buy a nicer wreath. Pin It

Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe: Cranberry Orange Pop Tarts

It is guaranteed that after a big Thanksgiving dinner you will have some leftovers. There are all kinds of things to do with those tasty morsels, but what about cranberry sauce? I like homemade cranberry sauce (super easy), and it has many great uses for the days after. 

First up, Cranberry PopTarts with Orange Glaze  Frosting.

So let's start with the cranberry sauce. My bag of fresh cranberries had the recipe on it: 

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 bag of fresh cranberries

In a medium pot, stir sugar and water together and bring to a boil. Add cranberries and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. (I kind of smash the berries down a little as it cooks).

For the pie crust I recommend a homemade crust, but if you are short on time you can just buy one.

Cut the crust into equal size rectangles and fill half of them with a generous spoonful of cranberry sauce. Dip your finger in some water and run it around the inside borders of each and place the top rectangles on top. Press edges with a fork to seal shut and prick middles for venting. Bake at 350 F for about 20-22 minutes or until golden.

For the orange glaze, I didn't measure, so you may need to alter this a little but here's the basics. 

2 Tbsp melted butter

1 Tbsp orange juice concentrate

1/4 c powdered sugar (more or less, until desired consistency is achieved)

Mix 'em all together and spoon it over the top. Eat and enjoy!

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Invitations

These are some invitations I made for our Young Women Evening of Excellence. If you'd like a digital file for yourself to modify, let me know and I'll send it to you.

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Sharing the Thanksgiving Love

I hope you've all had a fantastic Thanksgiving! Might not have been the best for my hubby since he's trying to pass some kidney stones... But on a more positive note I wanted to share something wonderful. It has become a tradition in my neighborhood every year to have a "Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt" which is basically a food drive. On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, all the teenagers gather and divide up to go to every house in the neighborhood to ask for food donations for Thanksgiving dinners for needy families. The generosity and love of my neighbors is astounding. I wish I could thank them each individually. This year in our little neighborhood we collected enough food for 12 full meals and then some! (That means 12 donated turkeys, folks, plus all the other fixin's). We had committed to 6 families in need, and found 2 more, and the rest we donated to the local food bank.
(Sorry about few phone pics, I was busy organizing and directing and chasing my toddlers).

 rolls, stuffing, marshmallows, yams, pie crusts, homemade jam, pies, turkeys, cranberry sauce, etc.

potatoes, beans, corn, yams, pumpkin, butter, stuffing, sparkling grape juice, etc.

After dividing out the meals, we then personally drop off the food to the families in need (thank you friends of friends for helping me find these families). It's really great for teenagers to take themselves out of their own problems for a night and see the serious needs of others. The family that my group visited brought me to tears (and I don't cry super easily). It was obvious that some big medical needs were a hardship on their family. It was such a blessing to us to be able to help them, and I'm so grateful for them letting us come and accepting our donation. This is the real spirit of the season. Being thankful for what we have and passing it on to others, that hopefully through us they may feel the love of God. Pin It

DIY Glitter Heart T-Shirt

After making my first freezer paper stencil graphic tee, I decided I wanted to do it again, with a twist. A glitter twist! I was hoping to find a glitter fabric paint at my local craft store, but instead found this 2-step glue and glitter.

I followed the same process as described here, and it turned out just great!

 Too me it seems impossible that the glitter will stay through multiple washings without some sort of clear sealant over layer,  so I will let you know how it holds up over time.

UPDATE: It has not held up well at all. I don't recommend it. After one washing half the glitter was gone. Maybe if you put a clear topcoat over it it would hold up.

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