Peace, a gecko and a chipmunk in a Santa suit

One of my favorite moments of Thanksgiving weekend is giving the kiddos their new needlepoint ornaments.  Although they watch me make them periodically throughout the year, they do not see the finished product until it is time to decorate the tree.  I love to watch them line up all of their ornaments and find the perfect branch for each one.  I hope that they learn that there is value in making something homemade, there is value in tradition and that they are valued and adored.  Tomorrow I'll post decorating pictures- still trying to place everything in my old/new house!

P.S.  Did your elf return from the North Pole?  Our "Ernie" returned- straight from his dry-cleaning bag!  And boy has he been getting into some mischief!

Ma na ma na

I highly recommend the Muppet movie.  The kids really liked it and Bart and I LOVED it.  Many, many 70s and 80s references that flew right over the kids' heads.  That Kermit, he's a genius.  And the new character, Walter, needs only five minutes in the movie to feel like he is the long lost Muppet that we've known all along.

Here's a little Muppet holiday song to get you in the mood:

Muppets- Canon of the Bells

Loft sweet Loft

Tonight Bart and I are at the mall (no kids!).  I am desperate for clothes.  My current clothes are gross.  The clothes that came back from the restoration company after the fire looked okay, but some didn't smell okay and some fit all wrong.  Makes me wonder what that cleaning process was like.  Anyway, a giant pile of clothes went away and I've been feeling blah about my wardrobe.

I love shopping with Bart.  A gigantic shout-out to his mother, who taught him to appreciate shopping and the search mission that women embark on when looking for that perfect _______. (insert dress, sweater, coat, purse, pants here).  Tonight's mission impossible, and we chose to accept it, was tops and sweaters.    Hopefully you will never need this knowledge, but the smell of fire does not come out of sweaters, wool or otherwise.

We start at a large department store.  Let's just say this department store hosts a large Thanksgiving parade. I do love this store for its housewares.  We start walking around the maze of tile pathways and are amazed at the sheer volume of clothes crammed on every rack.  After 5 minutes of aimless wandering, Bart boldly declares that this store is not me.  I am between the age of sweater sets and poured-on jeggings.  Moving on!

Looking in the windows, looking for mannequins that look like me.  I try on clothes at one more store - almost, but not quite.  I look ugly in these clothes (Bart makes sure to say that the clothes are ugly, not me.  More points for him!)  No to mom jeans, no to rugged outdoors, no to Forever $9.99.  I remember that it is Friends and Family day at the Loft.  I remember buying things there before.  We go in.  I am cautiously optimistic.  I start to try things on.  Wait, I am liking this.  It's cute.  I look cute.  I like myself.  Life is good again!   I am home!

And that is how women shop.

Felt great to sew

I love felt.  It is so easy to make things with, its cheap and it comes in every color known to nature (and some not).  I always get the itch to make a felt project around the holidays.  Last year, it was the advent calendar and this week, I picked this year's project, a felt chain for our basement Christmas tree.   Ready to get started?

Step one:  raid your felt stash or head up to your local craft/fabric store to buy some.   Cut strips.   Of course the number depends on how big your tree is.  I made this for our basement tree, which is sort of the skinny jeans version of a Christmas tree.  I had 13 different colors plus a houndstooth to break it up a bit.  I started off cutting about 20 of each color.

Its really easier to hand sew this project, instead of trying to maneuver the small loops on the sewing machine.  I found it very relaxing to sit in front of the tv for a few nights and hand stitch with a big pile of felt on my lap.

That's it.  A super easy, not that creative, but incredibly satisfying craft project.

51 shopping days (but really, don't wait)

I am so giddy about the holidays.  No, I'm not crazy.  I'm one of THOSE people.  I love Thanksgiving and Christmas and all that it entails.  I love shopping for the perfect gift, decorating and enjoying sweet family time.  I'm all about being thankful and the turkey, but it really doesn't bother me that Christmas things are out.  If you are one of those people who complains about it incessantly, let me break this to you gently.  It  makes you sound like a scrooge.    You have enjoyed 10 months out of the year without Christmas decorations.  You can celebrate Thanksgiving and still enjoy the wreathes and lights that are emerging.  In fact, you can enjoy it more.

Lets say you wait until after Thanksgiving to begin your shopping, plan holiday outfits for your family and make sure you locate that elusive perfect size extension cord that you need for your outside lights.  You will then be a card carrying member of the Grinch Club.  You will be in the mall the week before Christmas scrounging over the leftover sales from the pre-Thanksgiving shoppers.  I will be in the mall too, but I'll be visiting Santa and enjoying a nice dinner out knowing that my shopping is done.

So today, I will begin a public service to you, the reader.   I will take you along with me Christmas shopping and let you know about some bargains that I have found or just general must-haves, some I've purchased and some I haven't.  First, I will need you to raise your right hand and swear to not reveal any of these items to my children.  I will not reveal any presents that I have purchased for my husband, mother-in-law or besties, as they are readers of this blog.  Let's get started, shall we?

I've mentioned my love of Tervis, my favorite cups.  My favorite kind of stocking stuffer is practical, yet the kids don't realize it.  These cups are the perfect size, takes up a nice portion of the stocking, but not too much.  I may be the last to know this, but did you realize you can use a STACK of those 20% off one item Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons in one transaction?!  If you buy 5 items and have 5 coupons, you can use them all.  Cha Ching!

Here is another stocking stuffer or a cute $10 gift for any girlie, age 8 to 98.  Its the leather, and I really mean pleather, snap wallet from Target.

The insides of the wallets are bright colored, like this owl one that is hiding out in my attic

Buy Halloween costumes 50% or more off the original price for Christmas gifts and year-round dress up.  I scored Anakin Skywalker in two sizes, Darth Vader and a Clone Trooper, all from Target, but sold many places.

And the last find for today- Firefly in  a jar from Toys R Us.  Perfect for Mr. William who all summer ran around in the yard in his pjs several nights a week trying to catch a glowing pet.  I love this toy - it also comes in an equally realistic butterfly in a jar.  

So excited to shop with you.  Of course, we will take periodic Pepsi breaks, but remember our goal is to be done before the Grinch steals Christmas!