note to cranky self...

never...EVER...leave your house on the last Saturday before Christmas. ever.

PS. to self: buy bread the day before the last Saturday before Christmas.

string on finger: Put a big capital X with a fat sharpie over the last Saturday before Christmas on the 09 calendar you forgot to buy for your stocking. And draw a little picture of hundreds of pickup trucks with bows on their bumpers & grouchy consumers who didn't keep their reciepts.

embroider this and frame it: don't stand in line for the breaded shrimp sample at Sam's Club the last Saturday before Christmas; which won't be hard because you're never...EVER...leaving your house again.

On the last Saturday before Christmas. duh, cally.

we've gone yoyo tutorial.

Dani wanted me to teach her to crochet. Again. But I opted for yoyos instead of doing the hook and purl thing.

She's gone totally yoyo.

So before I take a break from bloggyLand next week, and before I go Pompei on every dirty rotten crevice of my house with Bam and Vinegar for our Christmas Break Inaugural Clean House Celebration, I thought I'd share how to make a yoyo. For some good bonding crafty fun with your supertween:

Use a fabric glue stick. You don't have to use the glue, but it makes it easier for little hands not to have to fold as they sew.

Use a wide straight stitch all the way around your fabric circle. I double my thread so I can pull it tight without the thread breaking.

I hold the tight yoyo on the table with my thumb as I tie the knots, so it doesn't loosen up.

Happy yoyo. And happy clean holiday toilets.

Time to Celebrate.

ms. shelton.

Merry Christmas, love Dani.

giveaway winner.

Cassy Child.

No kidding. Fancy that. Cassy's my younger sister. And I totally imprint her. She's been sending me howlers because I haven't even made my lovely little sis a bag. Not really. She's been real nice about it. Pointing out that not even blood will get you Calico goodies. Sorry. Babysitting will get you whatever you want. Babysitting is gold.

Congrats, Casiopia. I love you. For real.

This is yours, too. Who better to personify 2008 more than Edward. Or Jacob. Whichever way you roll.

Thank you so much everyone, for all your nice comments. I love visiting your blogs...

40 Winks Til Christmas. and whales.

It was hot and stinky. Kacie was climbing on my face, and Dani was discussing with Emelia who was the most popular in the 4th grade. Both trying to beat eachother's best Napolean Dynamite impersonation. Funny...for the first 20 minutes. Gosh.

The eager parents and their oversized camera bags seemed to fit nicely in the water closet sized gymnasium of our Elementary School. Everyone had a place...in the aisle or against a wall. Or on the floor. If you were prompt and efficient in being 1 hour early, you got a seat.

Then the hush of chaos as our comfy little Tetris grid was rocked by a stream of cute little 1st and 2nd graders in festive pajamas filling the bleachers. Parents stood, cameras flashed, cuties waved with grins bigger than my headache. Understood. Everyone wants to see their kid. And in the chlosterphobic nightmare, go ahead, stand for a minute.

I made good eye contact with Jake, blew a kiss and kept my place, being careful not to raise my camera too high and block the view of the sea of raging parental pride behind me.

Did I mention it was hot?

Jake had the introduction. I couldn't see him, so I did indeed raise my camera a few inches past the point of no respect to perhaps get a shot of his adorable animation as I listened to the voice of my sweet boy. I had to do what I had to do to get the video for daddy, who was coaching Andy's basketball team.

As Jake returned to his place, 5th spot 3 rows down, I put the camera away and listened, because I couldn't see anything, and I'd get annoyed at the parent who was letting their kid stand on the chair right in front of the 5th spot 3 rows down if I tried. To see.

So I listened, and spent quality time hushing the Napolean's and peeling Kacie off my face...and watching the lady a row in front of me, stand. The whole time. In a chair seat.

There was drama.

A few parents asked her out loud to sit down. Repeatedly. Some nicely, some not. Most parents just grumbled obsenities as she ignored every request. Some moved, clogging other crowded corners. She responded at one point by turning around and informing the congregation that if they wanted to see they could stand up, too.

And she stood.
She was widely unliked.

I was a little disturbed.

So as I heard the program, I watched her. And wondered what her story was.

I think she grew up in a normal home. According to whatever normal you choose. She had kids early (she didn't look very old), thus giving up her dream of saving whales so she could be home to raise her young family. I didn't see a dad, so I think he works nights. Missing his youngest's first Christmas program, and sad about it. I can respect that.

And maybe her son has had some behavior, or health problems. And she's really proud of him for wearing the red pj's instead of the black ones. And they spent all afternoon making his Santa hat together. And she just couldn't hold back the tears as she tried to mentally document the evening for her over-worked and absent husband, so they could reinact the good parts when he's home on Christmas Eve. And maybe she chose to stand in a chair seat instead of against the wall because she was desperate for her other children to stay and support their younger brother and not sneak off for a soda. Or a smoke. So she locked them in the middle section, and stood, praying that others would understand. But we didn't.

The real story {whatever it is} may not justifiy the action, but it isn't my job to judge that. I'm no author of justice. I can just write a story. Or invite her to lunch.

So whales are what I chose for her, as I watched her stand.

And listened to my Jakey.



He's the moral of the story.

diana.

payden likes soccer.

it's a cushion fort kind of day.

We're not going to write any lists today.

Just build forts and watch Charlie Brown.

And pick up Kacie's antibiotics at Walgreens.
And mail some bags.
And buy Canada stamps.
And make a dr.'s appointment.
And call Celeste.
And figure out Bakugan.
And practice a song.
And bake some cookies because I want them.

With the eggs I don't have.

And buy some eggs.
And then build some forts and watch Charlie Brown.

mermag Christmas giveaway! holy moly.

It's a giveaway extravaganza in the blogoshpere! My ultimate favorite mermag is giving away a personal portrait. I'm not lying.

And you'll have to go to mermag to find out the other most fabulous second prize if you link...duh. You gotta link.

I'm dying inside.

giveaway! Because it's the 12th day of Christmas, and other reasons.

I was going to post a giveaway today because I'm so close to finishing my Christmas orders and I wanted to celebrate by giving away some misfit projects that have turned out pretty fantastic. And because Joey has successfully learned how to put himself in time out when necessary. Saves so much transport time and makes the holidays merry.

But now that Gabrielle (we're totally on a first name basis...I'm totally on a first name basis) has clued me into the 12th day of Christmas celebration thing, I'm pretending I knew that and I'm jumping on the festive chuckwagon. I mean band.

This is what you {might} get if you leave me a celebratory comment:

This monster that was going to be Dani's but she changed her mind.

And this bag whose shell was cut the wrong size for the almost last bag of the Christmas orders...but I didn't have the heart to send it to the island of silly mistakes, so I completed the bag using cool stuff from the scrap bin. And I love it. And I want you to have it. Because it's the twelth day of Christmas. of course.

The flower is only attached with a safety pin, so you can take it off and put it anywhere you want.

My sister called me the other day and randomly started complaining about how she hates it when radio stations and charity places give these huge prizes away to one person instead of dividing it out among the little people. Like she'd enjoy a slice of that pie thing. Justified.

But I'm not dividing it up. I'm choosing not to give in to the complaints of dewsie. I am her bundle giving adversary. If you win, you get the whole pie!! Or enchilada, whichever you prefer. And maybe even a bonus treat that you may or may not care about. Depending on how you feel about blood sucking blockbusters.

All right, enough babbling.

Merry 12th.

Giveaway ends midnight Thursday, December 18.

Link to this page and you'll get a double entry!!

Be sure to tell me you linked.

design mom MAJOR giveaway.

It's today guys. All your DesignMom dreams may come true. 12 giveaways; we're talking major! Gabrielle Blair doesn't go cheap. Her giveaways are slap your momma good!

If you post about it, you're entered into a secret 13th giveaway...which I believe in my heart of hearts to be an all expense paid trip to a cushy feather bed in a bamboo bungalow decorated by Anna Maria Horner on an island where all you do is sleep in expensive sheets with ear plugs and a lavendar mask you get to keep. And eat already peeled pomegranites. Like all day.

It's my time to shine.

another cheryl.

elayne.

holiday power pills hidden in the dish cupboard.

"Don't touch the Christmas decorations kids. Especially the cute green candy bowl."

"What cute green candy bowl, mom?"

"Oh...uh...who we talkin' about?"

kayla.

i'm so excited.

I think Santa might bring me peace and rest this year. And a Yankee candle. I'm tired of my house smelling like boy. As much as I love boys. My boys. Not all. boys.

PS. Notice branch level 5 has non-working lights. A band of bah-humbug aroung the midriff of my pre-lit tree. Gives it character.

brigitte.

little ears

Joey was moping around yesterday,
all pouty and frowny. Grumpy.

I asked him what was wrong.
"Do you feel sick today, Joeman?"

"No...mom. I just...got..soooo much...to..do...today."

yikes.

I talk out loud when perhaps I should just keep it to myself.

i love her living room.

Danielle Thomspon.

I love her stockings. The paint. The fabric. THe tree.
I love her crafts.
I love her photography.
I love her style.

REally, I do.

merry pompom. kind of a tutorial.

I've been wanting a bright, inexpensive and unique wreath for our front door. And...I've been loving pompoms lately. So I combined the two. A pompom wreath.

I like it. I'm not assuming that everyone will, because it looks a little like the carpet in our neighbors house across the cul-de-sac in like 1983, but the old shag feel is what I like about it.

For those of you who can appreciate funky 80's shag, here's what I did.

I used jewelry pliers to bend floral wire into the size of wreath I wanted. You could probably use an embroidery hoop, but I didn't want to spend money so I used what I had. I wrapped the wire in a couple layers to make it strong enough not to bend too much.

Then I made a ginormous amount of pompoms using my favorite new tool, the pompom maker. A great gift idea for a crafter.

I tied each pompom onto the wire, using one end of each piece of yarn to tie it to the next pompom, so they'd stay tight in place.

Easy. It took a day, with interruptions.

These tags are easy, too. Just print your greeting on carstock and gluestick it to another fancy paper and cut it into a circle. I have a cool houndstooth print on the back of this one.

Sew around the edge with your sewing machine using a bright color thread. Be sure to let the gluestick dry completely before you do this, or you'll have an uncooperative sewing machine. And a sticky needle. And an unmerry Christmas, because sticky needles stink.

Put an eyelet (my other favorite crafty tool) in the top and tie a piece of yarn on.

Use these for gift tags, or tree ornaments. With trendy sayings like believe, joy, or cheesecake. You know, the kind of sentiments that encourage world peace.

Merry Crafty Christmas.

side note: After searching my new blog love, danielle thompson (mentioned in the post above) I found this. A pompom wreath. Fate? mmm hmm. We were meant to be. I like her colors a ton; I may have to make another. And trim them more. I love it.

cheryl.

This flower wasn't on purpose, but I'm so happy. I was just trying to figure out how to get the name Cheryl to show up on such a busy print when scrap came upon scrap, and now I'm in love with all the places we'll go with the newborn cheryl flower.

It's going to be a lunch bag, brooch, necklace, skirt, tote bag, handbag, and headband kinda flower. Someday. With all sorts of excellent words and phrases. I can't stop my brain.

Oooh. I love happy accidents.

Bendable Branches.

We always had a real tree growing up. At least that's what I remember. One year we re-wrote the old carol after paying inflated prices for a half dead evergreen. My dad whined, so we sang about it.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

You cost us twenty dollars.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

We could've bought some collars.

For dee o gee...who likes to pee...upon the tree...oh my oh me.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

You cost us twenty dollars!!

That was back in the 80's. When 20 bucks was too much money for a tree; and before mom's glass ornaments. And yes...our dog's name was d.o.g. Dee.Oh.Gee. Emphasis on the Oh. He did indeed pee on our tree. Too many times.

Conan and I cut down our own Christmas tree at a farm for the first 5 or 6 years of our marriage. I don't actually remember what made us decide to buy the fake pre-lit wonder. I think it was the 75% off sale at Sears. I kind of miss hiking around in the cold with a saw and a toddler searching for the perfect tick free tree, but I can appreciate being able to bend the branches of our 8 footer so the light reflects just right off Conan's elmer's glue kindergarten ornament. Or so I can see Joey 2005 written in black sharpie on the tail of the green dinosaur.

It is all about the ornaments.

Conan is very nostalgic. He liked flashing blinking color lights. I liked still and constant white lights. So we compromised. Still and consant color lights. I would buy a new tree topper every year, trying to create the moment when Conan would look at our tree and sigh with deep satisfaction. He tried to like my toppers...but just didn't. Then one year, after an extensive tree topper hunt, he admitted he was looking for one like his mom had. An old blue-green finial topper.

So I asked Kay if I could buy hers. For the sake of Christmas.

She said no. Acutally, she said no way.

That Christmas, under his parents tree, was an identical old blue-green finial topper for Conan. She had searched and found one on ebay.

Deep satisfaction.

My mom's tatted snowflakes.

The broken glass stars.

The pipe cleaner spiders that made Joey cry.

The twig reindeer.

The clothespin reindeer.

The popsicle stick reindeer.

They can hang on fake branches all they want.

I will always treasure my alone time with our Sear's tree. Staring at the years and the minutes of memories being cradled by its wire branches. Captured in its still and constant lights are my family. And they'll be there next year. And the year after that. And the year after that.

And I can bend them any way I want.

i appreciate this locket. very much.

penny farthing art locket.
found on bliss and followed it to dawanda.