Christmas Wreath

DECEMBER! AHHHHH!  I don't know why I let this happen.  Every darn year I'm nose deep in holiday anxiety and stress.  It's just ridiculous.  Last year I thought I'd focused more on what was important.  Baked and did crafts with my girl.  Went sledding with my family and drove around to see Cmas lights.  I spent hours downloading and creating the perfect Christmas playlist for my Ipod.  This year, granted I had a baby 4 mo. ago, just snuck up on me like an evil elf ninja.  NEWS-FLASH , Christmas is the same time EVERY year.  It's not like I don't know it's coming.  And still. . .

I've been telling AJ that we'd make a wreath for the door for probably 2 mo. straight.  I have been crafting like crazy but mostly to fill baby hat orders (I make crochet hats) and I've been working on a present for my husband.  I will definitely be doing a post on that project in the near future.  I've got to let you all in on the disaster that t-shirt quilting can be. 

Anyway I've totally lost sight of everything that's important during this season.  So yesterday I decided I was taking Christmas back! We made a gingerbread house and some fudge.  mmmm fudge.

I reminded AJ about Jesus's Birthday and how much fun it is to celebrate.  We talked about Santa and how much we're anticipating Christmas morning.  She wants to leave a cake for him.  I told her that his tummy might be too full for a cake and how we should probably just stick to cookies. 

Daddy: "AJ finished your dinner please"

AJ: "But Daddy I'm too full!  I cant fit anymore in!"

Daddy: "ok sweetie. . .do you want some candy?"

AJ:  "YA!!!!! I WANT SOME CANDY"

Daddy: "I thought you said your tummy was SO FULL you can't fit anythign else in it"

AJ: (with an ornery look on her face)  "well. . .God made a little place in my tummy for the candy to fit in"

Ok so we made this wreath the same way as the Fall wreath that we made in Oct.  It takes about 1/2hr.  If you spend any more time on it then that you're over-trying.  The sloppier the better it turns out, honest.

Start with a hanger and bend into a circle leaving the hangy part at the top.

I used an old hand-towel and ripped it into strips.  

Wrap them onto the hanger and tie in place with thread or yarn or bread/garbage ties. 

(you can also use an old tshirt or any other disposable fabric lying around the house) 

I ripped fabric into strips and let AJ tie them onto the towel covered hanger.

She was twice as fast as last time we made a wreath.  She's getting great at tying.  Next stop: shoes!

 (it works best if you tie them on all different directions.)

You can use anything Christmacy to decorate.  I used trimmings I had in my decorations box and just stuck them into the ties.  The nice thing about these wreaths is you can change them later.  The flowers just clipped on.  I found a strip of garland and wrapped it around the wreath and tied it at the bottom.  You could use pine cones, evergreen garland, popcorn and cranberry garland (this is fun to make and also eat- this year we made it for our tree and used craisins instead!) You could even use Cmas bows/ribbon.

The final touch was the sleigh bell we hung around the hanger.  Now every time the door opens it sounds like Christmas.  

Behold...I bring you good tidings of great joy. Luke 2:10

And suddenly there was the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest." Luke 2:13

Chalkboard

I needed a chalkboard for my salon.
So I made an exciting trip to Goodwill and bought a hideous tray for about $1. (if you own one like this I'm not sorry I'm making fun of it but I AM sorry if I hurt your feelings. But it IS hideous)
I taped off everything but the bottom of the tray.

Spray with chalkboard spray paint

I had the 'brilliant' idea of using MOD PODGE and tissue paper to cover the 'frame'

Took forever, looked stupid, got mad.

2 wks later I started cleaning my house for a party and  came back to my project because it was taking up too much space. I HAD to finish this thing.

Taped off the bottom and spray painted the frame with silver paint.

Apply hardware for hanging on the back.

Done.

Fall Garland

My daughter was stir crazy today. 

 I've got a headache knocking at my door and the baby wants to eat and my house is screaming CLEAN ME!!!. . . but I know what the word 'priority' means. 

  I dropped it all for awhile and found some supplies

 and sent "AJ" into the backyard to collect some leaves. 

Here's what I used: Construction paper,scissors, glue-stick,yarn,hole-punch,water color paints

-Cut out a few pumpkins and stems

-Cut leaves out of construction paper
-AJ used the glue-stick to put the stems on the pumpkins
-I Set up AJ with the construction paper leaves and paints (I told her to paint the colors that she sees outside)
-Punched holes in leaves and pumpkins

AJ threaded leaves and pumpkins. (Tip: Tie a little knot in the end of the yarn so it doesn't fray)

"Mommy!  I just LOVE painting leaves!  They make me happy!" -AJ  

"I just love my Mommy, you're a good Mama" -AJ

 We hung them up!

Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in our 'To Do' lists that we forget how simple 

                                        it can be to spend time with our little ones.  

She was so pleased that I took the time with her to make something pretty.  

           We were both refreshed from our creative venture 

and we successfully used up some more craft supplies!

Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.

Our lil Fall Wreath

My daughter (she's 4) and I had some free time today and I want to teach her about fall.  We're going to try and make something a couple times /wk.
I decided our front door needed a wreath and ran around the house gathering up random supplies.  I just kinda made it up as I went.  (also I am having serious issues with figuring out the spacing of this blog interface so bear with me!)






I started with a hanger and an old stained hanes t-shirt.



I bent the hanger into the shape of a circle leaving the hanger part in tact at the top for hanging the wreath.


I ripped strips of the t-shirt for my daughter to wrap around the hanger- we tied the t-shirt ends to the hanger.








Then ripped strips of fabric to tie around the t-shirt covered hanger. (tip: to make ripping fabric easier start each rip by cutting into the fabric first with scissors about and inch or so.)
My daughter had SO much fun learning to tie knots.  We're that much close to shoe tying!

To finish we added some embellishments-  fake glittery leaves I had from some other arrangement project I had.








More of my supplies have purpose!

Here's another wreath I made using up the rest of the fabric, added the phrase with a piece of cardboard covered in paper, then printed and taped. 

Here's the Deal

Hi! My name is abbEy and this is my first blog!  I have no idea what I'm doing so go easy on me. :)

I have piles and piles of crafty stuff.  It's all tucked away in closets and crates and baskets and drawers.  Cluttering up cupboards and hallways and corners and tables.
Every time I start to purge my home and I come across this stuff I just can't seem to let it go.  I think "what if I need it some day?"
So, I've decided to challenge myself to using as much of it as possible over the next year.  By way of craft projects with my daughter, art for my home, Bday, Baby, and Christmas gifts. . . and maybe a few 'Just becauses.
Feel free to stop by often to be amused, grab some ideas, drop me some feedback, or just to witness me shamelessly promote myself in hope of some encouragement ;)
"USE IT UP ABBEY!"