Elfing Myself

What have I been up to the last couple of weeks? I've been one of Santa's busy elves, of course!!!

Besides the usual gift buying and wrapping, I have been crafting like CRAZY! I thought it would be nice to give handmade gifts again this year {scoff}.

For some strange reason, I have no concept of time. I think that I can do EVERYTHING. Well, I almost can, but I am only one woman after all!

I didn't realize how close Christmas was until Emily came home from school today and informed me that their last day of school before the holidays is THIS FRIDAY!!! I was totally thinking they'd be in another week. Well, now I'm on CRUNCH MODE! And what do I do? What else? I whine/blog about it!

This is upcoming and won't need to be completed until New Years. It's for my sister's wedding. I will be altering it--somehow (haven't gotten that far in the thought process yet).

I made a few of these wood blocks for friends and neighbors. They still need paint on the edges.

A couple more things for friends and neighbors. Thankfully these were started BEFORE Thanksgiving.

I made two of these signs for display at our primary program. They will be turned into gifts for my Primary people. Which means I may need to make one more! A store bought bag of MandMs is looking really good right now instead!

I got my holiday cards done way before Christmas! Free photographer (My Auntie), 50 Free prints from Shutterfly, but I had to pay extra for shipping because I'm so slow! Still haven't gotten all of them stamped yet, but it's coming, I promise!!!

Something in the works for some very special people. This is not my photo BTW, but a hint of what's to come.

Also not my photo, but a cute idea for a teacher gift! I have to come up with those BEFORE Friday!!!

A MAJOR project!!! My friend's scrap travel journal to Africa and Thailand. I'm halfway finished and it has to be done by TOMORROW!!! (Also not my photo, but it is a nice Giraffe in front of Kilimanjaro)

I can TRIPLE check this one off! I made 12 gingerbread houses and 5 batches of Royal icing for our annual gingerbread party! My house got trashed and still hasn't recovered, but it was SO MUCH FUN!

Each guest received this.

I was really a nut case to suggest that our presidency make these cuties for our primary children. They really looked so simple but took about a thousand hours and they still aren't all the way finished. I bagged them off onto the president. Some things have to give!

They sure are cute, though.

Our ward boundaries just changed and we got a bunch of new kids, so I have no idea how many more of these need to be made before Sunday. But hey, that's three whole days away.

Marcia's sister Susan called and said that Marcia wanted a bunch of cards for Christmas. It really brought tears to my eyes how they were both scheming to give me a little work this year!

I couldn't stop tearing up making this. I really miss Marcia!

More blocks. Connor drew Courtney's name for the gift exchange in kindergarten. The gift had to be less than $3. I knew just what to do--spend 500 hours on it instead! LOL JK it was only about 2 (and I was watching Castle).

There are many more projects on my "to do before Christmas" list. I wonder how much I'll get accomplished!

Signing off the blogging black hole of time consumption . . . .

THANKSGIVING 2009

Sometimes you make me CRAZY!

Sometimes you make me MAD!
But then I stand back and look at you . . .

And I realize how much you mean to me.

We didn't choose each other.

We are each other's gifts . . .

And there are NO RETURNS on family!

I am THANKFUL you were sent to me, and I was sent to you.

I am so THANKFUL for my beautiful FAMILY!

PIES PIES PIES

It's Thanksgiving time and that means time to make some PIES!!!

We will be dining with my Aunt Jules this year, and when she called me up and asked me if I'd bring A pie, I was almost hurt. I told her that of course I'd bring a pie, but not only one, but a pie of each kind!

I love baking pies!

Ever since that first time in college when the pie came out piping hot, and the crust was so tender and flaky, I had to take it to work, and everyone that I shared it with was amazed. I knew I was onto something good!

My rolls always turn out undercooked and squashed looking; my bread always turns out lumpy, but my pie crust . . . heaven!!!

I will be making an apple, two pumpkins, a pecan, and a cherry. I'll leave the creamy cool pies to Grandma this year, and my big brother is picking up a Costco cheese cake.

Do you think that will be enough for 30 people? Jules thought it might be too much until I reminded her that you HAVE to have leftover pie for second dinner, midnight smackerell, and breakfast the next morning! YUMMMM!

I'll try to sneak a couple of pics of the pies on display, but you know how embarrassing it is to photo your own food when you're not in the comforts of you own home? Well, it is. A little.

Ahhhh, New Moon

The long awaited moment has come and gone and I am left with continued feelings of tingles and light headedness brought on by muscular werewolves, sparkling vampires and true love!

My friends Emily E. and Jodi M. threw an amazing and very *glam* New Moon party! The house was totally decked out (with a little of my help, of course-)

And here she is in all her sparkling glory--our hostess, Alice (AKA Emily E.).
The Decorations were very glamorous! The photos don't quite do justice. These are a couple of cuties that attended the party. All in all, there were well over 50 moms and daughters. It was standing room only!
Here are three *GLAM*pires. Jodi, Kimberly, and Me.

Alex arrived about an hour into the party dressed like Edward! All of the ladies cheered wildly! He was the only guy there (in addition to a little baby).

This photo is a bit odd. It's the Alex Edward giving the real Edward a few pointers on the ladies.

Hannah and her true love, Jacob. She sat at his feet the whole night.

Hannah and Mikaela with Jacob (of course)!

Cute little glampire, Emily with wolf boy, Jacob. Emily and I screamed and giggled through the entire movie! I loved being a teen again--I am shameless, I know!

Here I am with my hunk, Edward and my movie tickets. I got asked later by Buska if I was going to scrap them. Well, OF COURSE! What else??? After the party, we headed to the movie. Theater #8 opened just as we arrived, saving us from the cold night air, and we sat comfortably in our seats for two hours. The hype was just as much fun as the movie!

Here I am with my little Edward. He had 8 girls ask to take a photo with him at the movie. He really knows how to snag the chicks! He wore white face paint and eye liner, but refused the glitter. I don't know why. Vampires are supposed to sparkle!

The drinks. The labels and photos were downloaded from hostess with the mostess She does amazing work! Such a gift to the obsessed Twilight fan!

The food. I can't believe that I didn't get a photo of my hot pink vampire lips cucumber sandwiches! I made the bread from scratch, dyed it red, cut it out with lips cookie cutters, added cucumbers and seasoned cream cheese or cheese and ham cut out like lips, and added slivered almonds for the fangs. They were awesome, yummy, and GONE in 5 minutes! They were so much work, but the night was so crazy that I didn't take the time to take a pic :(

The gift table. Here is another missed photo op. I did a lot of work on these gifts and ran out of time to snap a pic.

We played the gift exchange game, and I wanted to take a gift that would definitely be fought over! I always love a good fight :)

I purchased wolf and heart crystal charms from ebay and pre-made (hand-made) bracelets. One was ice blue for Edward, one was red for Bella, and I made a Native American one for Jacob. The charms came in the mail the day of the party (I was soooo happy) and I wanted to attach them to the bracelets, but I ran out of time and had to attach them to the bags. I sewed a blue velvet bag for the Edward bracelet which was in a silver heart box with a treble clef on it that I amazingly found at a thrift store. I sewed a faux suede bag with fringe for the Jacob bracelet which was placed in a brown box and tied with a leather lace. James picked up a red sparkly bag from the dollar store (THANK YOU JAMES YOU SAVED ME) and I happened to find a red velvet box for the Bella bracelet at aforementioned thrift store. I added tags with each character's photo on and poof they were gone--into someone else's loving hands!

They were awesome gifts if I do say so myself, and I can because Alex got a box of band-aides, which is appropriate for Bella and her klutziness, but anyway...

They were fought over, a lot! It was really fun! Wish I could show ya. But I can't.

Emily and I enjoying New Moon together!

What a great tool to bond mothers and daughters! I had so much fun sharing all of this excitement with my daughters (and son). Thank you Stephenie Meyer and our amazing hostesses for a terrific and very special and exciting night!

Make a Smilebox photobook

Connor's Birthday Party

When I saw this party in the Better Homes and Gardens Special Tricks & Treats Issue, while standing in line at the grocery store, I threw the magazine on the conveyor belt and immediately bought it! It is the cutest dang party I've ever seen.

I easily convinced Connor that he would be having an "Owl" party ;) and then we set to work.

Connor and Emily both helped a lot with the invitations. They ended up being time consuming, but REALLY cute!

Can you read the text on this page? It sounds just like me, {handmade and heartfelt} so I had to do it!

My version of the table setting. A bit simplified, but hey, time was of the essence.We made pine cone owls which made me very grateful for the extra helping hands that stopped by.
We played Grab the Ghost
which the kids really enjoyed (and may be the reason that my pot lid is now broken).

I was inspired by these owl cookies in the same magazine, and decided to make them into pb&js.

My version is on the plate below. PB&J Owl Sandwiches! With pickle beak and olive and cheese eyes. Not the greatest combination, and I wish now that I would have used baby carrots for the beaks. One child saw the plate and got so scared he ran out the back door and refused to eat!

The kids had a GREAT time playing with their food, coming up with all kinds of silly faces for their sandwiches.

Six Candles! Make a wish sweetie!

Present time! Connor has lots of generous friends!

The aftermath.