New Year's Resoulution

It's that time of year again when everyone makes and hates New Year Resoulutions. I think men invented this to persuade women to do what they wanted.LOL But still we do this every year. Have you made your New Year's Resolution yet?
For my personal resolution, I have decided to organize my house so that I can keep it clean without having to work on it all day every day. (Yeah Right)LOL
I have also started a workout schedule. I could sell tickets to this and get rich.ROFLMBO! But I am determined to stick with it to try to improve my breathing problems. I am just not sure if the excercising is what is going to kill me.LOL
For my blog, I have decided to make some changes that I hope are for the best. Awhile back I tried selling some of my items on my blog but I just didn't have the time to stick with it. Well Vicky from Old Homestead Barn told me I should try it again and I am going to. So I have wiped my selling link clean and hope to have some new items listed on there by Monday. If you get a chance, check it out and tell me what you think. I welcome any suggestions because I know I need all the help I can get.
I am also going to start a garage link. It will take me a few weeks to get this together but I think it will be cool. This will be things that I just don't have room for anymore. It will be just like going to a garage sale, only you don't have to get in and out of your car.I also have a few tutorials that I am going to list and some makeovers as well.
So have you made your resolutions yet? I am anxious to see what goals everyone else is going to try to reach. It might give me some more ideas. But whatever your goals are, I hope everyone has a very Happy and Blessed New Year. Until next time...

Future Crafter

My kids have no interest in sewing, crafting or cooking. So when my granddaughter, Sarah, asked me to teach her to cook and sew, I was thrilled.

For Christmas, Sarah gave me a My Favorite Recipes Cookbook with a note attached that said, "Gram please fill with recipes and return to me". So today we spent the day cooking and sewing.

First I taught her how to make french toast. Sorry to say that I didn't take pics of this. But she did a great job and ate all three of them.LOL

Next she made a pincushion because every sewer needs one. She even found a daisy button in my old button box to match her fabric.

Then we got her sewing machine that her mom bought her and she decided her first project would be a sleeping bag for her fluffy friends. She chose a green plaid flannel for the bag and I taught her how to make a pattern, pin it to the fabric and cut it out. She had a little trouble getting the scissors to work. Still haven't figured that one out. So here she is making her sleeping bag. We put a jute drawstring in the top.

After she finished the bag she got so excited because she realized that she could use it to carry her pokemon balls, her other toys and so much more. So see, she is already "thinking outside the box". She is going to be a true crafter. I am very proud that she has such an interest in crafting and sewing.
I did make her promise until she gets a little older she will not fool with a sewing maching or the fabric scissors without an adult present. Until next time...

I'm Back

Well I was very sad that on Christmas Eve my computer got a worm and would not let me do anything. So for almost a week, I was not able to go online.(EEEK!) What upset me the most was that I didn't get to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.
But my darling husband bought me a new computer. YEAH! He really just wanted to keep his sanity. He couldn't stand my moaning and groaning about not having a computer.LOL You know the old saying, "when mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy". Well that's a very true saying. So now I would like to say that I hope that everyone had a wonderful, blessed Christmas and I hope you have a very Happy New Year.
I am really afraid that I have lost everything on my computer. The man promised me that if he got the worm off, he could retreived everything but I'm a little leary of that statement. Just keep your fingers crossed for me.
Today I have spent the day teaching my granddaughter, Sarah, how to cook and sew. I wanted to post pics but haven't learned how to use this computer yet. Maybe I can figure it out and post later. Until next time...

Christmas Decor

Christmas is my favorite holiday of all. This is the time of year that we set aside to celebrate Jesus birth. It is also the one time of year that families join together to share the love that they have for each other. And don't forget the magic of Santa Claus that children and adults alike have in common.

Normally my house and yard are decorated from one end to the other. My house looks like a department store.LOL But with everything that has happened this year, I have cut back to just a few things that I love the most.

My tree is filled with ornaments that have been given to me from my family and that my grandkids have made over the years. It also has all the georgeous ornaments that I have gotten from my dear primitive friends. But wait, who is that peeking from inside my tree? It appears that little Annie loves Chrismas too and wants to play hide and seek.LOL

I love nativity scenes. After all, Jesus is the Reason for the Season. I had one that I painted in ceramics for years and then a few Christmas's ago, my kids went in together and bought this one because I love this artist's work but there is no way that I could have paid what this cost. Here's my beautiful nativity scene.

I have already posted my fireplace so all that's left this year is my dining table. I still haven't gotten my tablecloth put on because I still have a few crafts to make. But it hit me that for my table this year I wanted a snowman in my trencher bow. So here is my newest creation for Christmas.

Well that's it this Christmas. In case I don't get to post again before Christmas, I want to take this time to wish everyone a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS. God bless you all. Until next time...

Look What I Made!

I am so excited! Vicky from Olde Homestead Barn told me how to felt wool into a santa. I got this pattern from Vicky and I just love it!! I was so afraid to try it but I did and felting is sooooo easy!!! I just love the way felting looks compared to trying to sew wool onto a doll. Look how great this santa pattern out. Now that I have learned to felt, the sky is the limit.LOL
I'll be posting more pics of my tree and Christmas decorations later. But I just couldn't wait to post this Santa.

Until next time...

Giveaway

WOW! Head over to www.mommabsfrontporch.blogspot.com and enter her giveaway to win $50.00 of her merchandise. What a great giveaway. Until next time...

Christmas Ornament Tute

Hi everyone, I haven't posted in awhile and had forgotten that Christmas is next week! And I want to share this adorable Snowman ornament that you can make with your kids or grandkids. Sorry this is so late but it is really easy and can be done in a couple of hours, if that long. This ornament is adorable for a baby's first Christmas but it is also just as cute for any age. Although they were relunctant, I persuaded every one of my grandkids to do this for me to hang on my tree last year, the oldest being in their 20's.lol And I love them. It is an ornament that you will cherish for years to come. I wish I could take credit for this ornament but I can't. My daughter, Laura, is the one who showed me how to do it. Ok enough said, here's the instructions.

All you need is a ball ornament. You can choose any color but we chose blue. The smaller the child, the smaller the ornament you can use. The larger the child, the larger the ornament you will need.

White acrylic paint

Paint pens in black, red and orange.

Poem, which will be attached

Satin spray sealer

After you choose your ball, paint your child's or grandchild's inside hand, fingers and all white. Immediately have them gently grip the ball. While they are gripping it, take your fingers and gently press each finger and palm down so that the entire handprint is on the ball. Do not press too hard because you don't want to break the ball. Let this dry. It only takes about 10 min.

Next you will make snowmen out of each finger and thumb. Take your black paint pen and just draw him a small hat on top of his head. Then paint his eyes and mouth with the black. You will also put his buttons down the finger with the black pen. Then take the orange paint pen and draw him a carrot nose. Take the red paint pen and draw him a scarf around his neck. I just took the pen and drew a little fringe at the end of the scarf.

If you are careful, you can paint all this at one time. If you think you might smear the paint, just let it dry between paintings. I started with the pinky finger, finished it, then came backwards with each finger until I got to the thumb. This way, you are less likely to smear the paint and you can paint it all at the same time. Attach the poem with a piece of ribbon or red yarn and when it is dry, spray lightly with satin sealer. Your ornament is ready to hang on your tree

Here's the poem. You can right click it and save it to your computer or you can copy it and type it the way you want it. I hope you like this ornament as much as I do. If you have any questions, just email me at valerie999@comcast.net and I will be glad to help you.

Merry Christmas. Until next time...

My Swap Came Today!

OH MY GOSH! My swap from Diana Shrome at http://www.downhiddenfarmlane.blogspot.com/ came today. She was my partner from Char's blog Old Christmas Swap. And I love it!!!

She sent me a huge wooden egg that has a barn red salt box house painted on it with sheep and a crow. It is AWESOME! It sits in a wood bowl that has straw to look like a nest. I have wanted one of these eggs for so long and I love saltbox houses and sheep!

Then I got 3 gingerbread men ornies that are adorable and smell so good. I also got 3 wooden ornies. I love them all. Arent't those little candles soo cute! And the snowman and sign are adorable!

She also sent me a cocoa mug with different flavored cocoa and 2 bags of candy and candy canes. (I might add that my husband has already tore into the kisses peppermint candy.)LOL

And last but not least, I got 2 different kinds of candles, some jack frost room spray and a Christmas towel.

Thank You so much Diane. I really love everything! You are one crafty lady! Until next time...

This will crack you up!

Well my daughter Laura and her family put up their tree. She has a family tradition that every year when they put up the tree, they watch a new Christmas movie and bake cookies, you know the ones you buy and put in the oven.

So this year when they decorated the tree, she bought her new movie and baked her cookies. HALLOWEEN COOKIES! I laughed my head off. Take a look at her beautiful tree and then look at her Halloween cookies.ROFLMBO!!!!!

Now her cookies.

Want to hear a funny?

Hi, I just had to share a funny about the swap we just finished. My daughter, Laura has never sewn anything in her life, not even a button.LOL But she wanted to participate in my swap. And she wanted to include Sarah, my granddaughter. Well since I am trying to encourage Sarah to learn to sew, I thought this was a good idea. So I told her I would help her sew something.
Well My friend, Nancy, agreed to be her partner since this was her first swap. So swap time came and Laura didn't want me to help her with her projects. She wante it to be her own creations. Well I'm thinking "Oh No" but I agreed I would let her do her own thing.
So the first item she came up with was an apron for Sarah to decorate for Nancy. I said, "An Arpron?" And she told me it would be perfect. So I didn't say anything but I am thinking, "Oh my gosh, who wants an apron for a swap?" Well two days after Laura bought the stuff she needed to do the apron, Nancy has this post on her blog about her love for aprons! Is this not eerie? But I guess the saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" isn't true after all because this old dog learned one.LOL And I got an entirely new attitude toward arpons!
But I do want to say that I am very proud of Laura and Sarah on their first swap. Very little sewing was done and her items are truly one of a kinds.
So ladies just remember that just because you can't sew, doesn't mean you can't swap. Just ask Laura and Sarah.
Until next time...