ING

Hello all! While perusing some of my favorite blogs I came across this post on Oh Mandie and decided to give it a try. Just copy and past the questions and fill them in on your own blog post. If you decide to do one, leave me a comment with the link so I can come read it and learn some more about you as well. Enjoy!

Making: Jewelry for stocking stuffers.....not telling who for!

Baking: Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Drinking: Mmmmmm, coffee....never without it!

Reading: Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine Winter 2010

Wanting: A Sony Alpha a330 DSLR Camera

Looking: to have a great holiday season!

Playing: a lot of Disney Princess fishing game with Madelyn

Wasting: Time

Sewing: not a darn thing....thank goodness, as it would be a disaster!

Wishing: See wanting!

Enjoying: my new soft sock slippers for Karen Neuburger

Waiting: always for the end of the day to see my husband and daughter

Liking: the weather here in Southeast Missouri....but secretly wishing for a white Christmas

Wondering: if my husband has even THOUGHT about what to get me for Christmas, let alone gone shopping

Loving: my family

Hoping: everyone gets what they want for the holiday season.....that means YOU too!

Marvelling: that Madelyn will be 5 in April and how I am NOT ready for it

Needing: to get some presents out in the mail....eeekk

Smelling: my delicious coffee

Wearing: Lounge wear (read pajamas)

Following: the doctors advice

Noticing: that time is ticking away and I need to get the the post office

Knowing: that my family loves me no matter what

Thinking: about the Christmas menu and how it looks a lot like the Thanksgiving menu

Bookmarking: a lot of new blogs

Opening: my eyes....to just about everything

Giggling: over just about EVERYTHING Madelyn does or says

Feeling: EXCITED!

Here We Go Again

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Hello all! The winner of the giveaway is #7 ZionShore!! Congratulations! I will be contacting you on your Etsy shop! Thanks so much to everyone who came and entered! Have a great weekend!

Belle Armoire Jewelry Winter 2010 Giveaway

Hello all! I have me an extra copy of Belle Armoire Jewelry Winter 2010 magazine! And I am going to give it away to one lucky and awesome blog reader!



Stampington & Company states: "From decadent found-object pieces to dazzling beaded jewelry, this 144-page issue is an indispensable resource for all jewelry–enthusiasts. Included in this stunning issue are dozens of necklaces, earrings, bracelets, broaches, and more, made from materials like polymer clay, jewelry wire and precious metal clay."



I bought my copy to see the article on Shannon LeVart and her Turning Leaves Collection....which is on the cover!!



All you have to do to win is leave a comment on this post and on Friday December 18th I will choose a winner using one of those random number generators.

Cinnamon Dough Ornaments

Hello all! Madelyn came home from preschool with the BEST smelling handmade Christmas ornament, plus it was SUPER cute since she made it herself! We promptly hung it on the tree in a grand spot! I, of course, HAD to contact her class and find out just HOW they made these awesome ornaments.....and now I am sharing it with you. This is not a new thing apparently, and is made all the time, but it is new to me and maybe it will be new to you too....so here you go!

1/2 cup cinnamon
1/2 cup store bought applesauce (homemade sauce will likely be too watery)

Or, any equal portions of both ingredients depending on the quantity you desire.

Directions:
Stir together cinnamon and applesauce with a spoon until the dough becomes stiff, then use your hands to create a ball of dough.

Place the ball of dough on a sheet of waxed paper, flatten slightly with your fingers.
Place a second sheet of waxed paper over the top of the dough and roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thick.

Use cookie cutters or your own template shapes. We also used a straw to make the hole on top for the ribbon.

Air dry creations on a waxed paper-covered cookie sheet or a cooling rack for at least 24 hours until they are completely hard.

Creative tips:
For extra "sparkle," mix in decorative glitter.
Make your own shapes by trimming the dough with a table knife following around patterns you've cut from cereal box cardboard.
After cutting out shapes, use a drinking straw to create holes for jewelry or ornaments.
Use toothpicks to make smaller holes for threading. Leave in dough until dry and remove.
For a wall hanging, thread a colored ribbon through the shape.
For a brooch, decorate with fabric paint and glue a metal clasp pin to the back (available at craft stores).
Decorate creations with acrylic paint or fabric.
The creations can be used as decorations on a gift box or bag.

Maybe I Should Play the Lottery

Beautiful handmade lampwork glass Pendant from Nancy Sells Glass
Stunning ring from Crystal Rose

GREAT set of lampwork beads and handmade ornament from Melanie Brooks at Earthenwoods Studios

Hello all! Look at all of the fantastic items that I have won from these great artists on their Facebook pages! 2 in the last week alone! I really do not have good luck....my husband always says that if I did not have bad luck, I would have no luck at all...yes, it is that bad! But look how incredibly lucky I have gotten! You can click on the photos to go to each artists Etsy site! Seriously, we never play the lottery, but maybe I should give it a try, as it seems my luck is changing! Thank you to all the great artists and their giveaways on Facebook....it goes to show....you CAN win! Happy Holidays everyone!

Oh my heavens!! UPDATE: I am sorry that I missed an artist! I forgot that I also won a pair of earrings from the Facebook page of TwIsTeD. I deeply apologize!

Elegant Snobbery

Hello all! You know...I do not think I ever shared this picture with everyone...I think I had to keep it under wraps until Marisa of Elegant Snobbery finished the rest of her illustrations for some other lucky peeps! That was MONTHS ago....man, am I behind! This is an illustration Marisa Hopkins made for my daughter Madelyn! Marisa painstakingly made the little sweetie look like my Maddy....hair color, curls and all! Madelyn is holding her FAVORITE toy Ellie the Elephant. Backstory: We were visiting my father in Oklahoma for Thanksgiving 2008 when Madelyn spotted a pink elephant at Target in the baby section....yeah and she was 3 at the time, NOT a baby...but SERIOUSLY the fit that she threw as we left Target was a scary thing...she HAD to have that elephant!!! She would DIE without it....or so she acted! Anyhoo, she got it, and she does not sleep without it! *It plays a lullaby*

I digress!!

Marisa has a GREAT blog that I love to read and THIS post is fantastic! We get to see start to finish just HOW she creates her fantastic illustrations!! Woo Hoo! Am I the only one who thinks this is wonderful? I think NOT! My heavens is she talented!

Enjoy! And thank you Marisa...we LOVE our illustration!

Just An Idea

Anthropologie $198

Etsy $2.00

OR

Etsy $2.50

Etsy $7.50

Etsy $6.25

Wanna make one of your own???

Looking at the original bracelet, all I think you need is the above items, a little bow making skill, and possibly some E6000 glue....and a little crafty know-how! Let me know what you think!

Click on each picture to take you to the Etsy listing for supplies!

I am linking this post up with Living with Lindsay, one of my new most favorite blogs!

Miss Fickle Media Cuff Bracelet

Hello all! Check this out! Have you noticed these monogram cuffs from Anthropologie? I believe they are no longer available and were pretty darn expensive at the time that they were for sale.....sad now huh? Well......

Shannon LeVart from Missficklemedia.com designed and made one of her own and gave the insider hints and tips to the "how to"..... HERE is the tutorial. A very cute cuff indeed! I truly can NOT say enough about how much I adore Shannon! She lives in the same state as I do and we connected on Etsy when I purchased some of her FANTASTIC eBooks/Tutorials. Make sure you check out her Etsy Shop HERE and HERE and her Blog while you are at it!

Woven Star

Loves Them

Want to know how to make these beauties?? I am in LOVE! New blog alert! Well, new to me that is....Infarrantly Creative Blog. I have found an new addictive blog to add to my growing list. And the tutorial on how to make the word beads.....just too grande for words! Enjoy! Go forth and create!

Allsorts

Hello all! Have you ever been over to Allsorts blog before? If you have not you should run, run, run on over! Make sure you check out the Holiday Funnery that is there! The Bitsy Elf Clogs are by far my favorite tutorial/pattern there! I can not wait to try my hand at making some! Enjoy! Go forth and create!

Felt Christmas Ornament

Hello all!! It looks to be holiday crafting time again! Here is a tutorial on how to make these super cute and easy felt ornaments from Zakka Life. A great blog to peruse if you have the time! Enjoy! And feel free to come back and show me your craft projects that you might have made from all of these tutorials being posted! Take care! Go Forth and Create!

Crayon Cakes

Hello all! It is me again to show you yet another of my favorite blogs: Blueprints, or as I know it, Just Tutes. The Crayon Cakes tutorial was found on the blog, and they look like tons of fun to make, bake and play with. I can even see giving these as gifts! I think they would be great for those little hands to grasp and color with! Enjoy!

Two in One

Hello all! While browsing my favorite blogs I found this tutorial that links to ANOTHER tutorial....and I LOVE them both! Two in one! I just have to share them........Little Wire Bird Nests and Watch Case Pendant by Just Something I Made

Make sure you check out the blog and Cathe's 2009 Gift Making Guide!

Button Frames

Hello all! I am home today with a sick little girl, so I am perusing blog land and I came upon this from The Old White Cottage. Using a little spray paint, glue gun and shell buttons, she turned these dollar store frames into something spectacular!!!

Beautiful aren't they? I am going to try it our for myself for holiday presents!!! Enjoy! Go forth and create!

Holiday Trees from Magazines

Hello all! I am already starting to make the holiday trees for the mantle this year! So, I thought I would share how to make them. I can not remember where I first learned this or I would post a reference to them, but I remember it was on a blog! You can Google and find instructions too. Some instructions use two magazines per tree, or they paint them or add glue and glitter after it is made.....it is up to you!
First, grab an old magazine. Here I am using an Eddie Bauer magazine sent here to our home with my MOMS name on it....too weird!

Take the upper right hand corner of the first page and bring it down so that the top edge of the page rest against the binding of the magazine.

Now crease this first fold, carefully. Again, take this page and fold it over until the crease rests against the binding of the magazine. Crease second fold.
Finally fold the triangle (that overlaps the bottom of the magazine) upward so it will be even with the bottom of the magazine, crease it. The first page is finished.


Continue folding & creasing the remaining pages. When the magazine is completely folded glue or tape the front and back pages together.

Enjoy! Hope you all go out and make some of your own! Go forth and create!

Book Page Wreath Tutorial

Living With Lindsay