mommo

Post Christmas Review

I sincerely hope that everyone had a wonderful wonderful holiday.  It all got so busy around here, and to be honest, I really just was so happy to focus on the kids and family and happy goings on that I just checked out for a bit. So over the next few days I am going to re-cap what went on the last month or so as we slide our way to the new year.

Above are the advent stockings I made. It started out that I was going to make 24 of them. The more I thought about it though, I wanted them to hold fun little activities and thoughtful little things and I didn't want it to get overwhelming so I pared it down to 12 for the 12 days right before Chirstmas, to end on Christmas Eve. I ended up including a few treasure hunts which were an enormous hit.  I was so giddy with all that time with the kids, I think I regressed a bit. I wanted the clues to rhyme so I ended up with things like "Go to where you poo for clue number two".  I can't tell you what made me more popular- fun treasure hunts or the use of potty talk.  Here are a few of my favorite stockings: This one is made from a felted thrifted sweater. I especially like it because one of the first times I went to my Mother in law's house after she passed away I was helping my F.I.L. with a sewing project and so I had to dig out her sewing supplies. She was not a huge sewer but I found a great box with everything I needed. I found this little brown button in there and I took it home to use somehow. Now we will have it out every year. I also took a little thimble from the box and it is now on my shelf above my sewing machine. It is porcelain with little pink roses on it. I like this one because I used these two fabrics for things for L this year. I made a bag and a pen roll and a thing or two more from these so they now have sentimental value. They will be a good reminder later on of how one day he loved all the things I made for him! Maybe when he is a teen he won't so much but for now he eats it up. I am already milling about ideas for Valentines Day. What to make?!

I love this because the "5" is made up of vintage sequins with the nicest patina. I bought them from a little sweet lady in the neighborhood at one of her sales. If you could just see her garage- full to the ceiling of craft supplies!

This is made from two seperate Japanese fabrics. I love the colors. I love the Four spelled out too because it is soprt of subtle and sweet. That button is a little vintage glass button I got off of ebay. Is it not the cutest? I have three more so who knows what they will end up on. 

So that is what I made for the holidays and it fits well for this month's whiplash so there you go!

We got a new camera over the holiday and it takes some sort of new reader card that the hubby bought today so as soon as we get that figured out, I will be back with more photos !

I'm a stickler

So this is my first post of December, a third of the way into the month. Truth is, I am neck deep in work and orders. I am not complaining- I am thrilled to have Froy and Olo doing well, but I will be ready for a little break come January. What I am a stickler about is our Christmas tree (though it certainly doesn't stop there). I have ver specific ideas about what type of tree I like.  I like a not too bright green Noble with decent spacing- not too much, not too little. And the one thing that drives me the nuttiest is when the tree farmers shape their trees into little cones. Blech. I like them big and natural and a little unruly.  I usually settle because that is aparantly a tall order. This year I put all that into the universe and was rewarded with this here beauty. It takes up a huge part of the living room but it really is the very best tree we have ever had.  And, it was $25 ! That is a steal! Excuse the poor photography- the camera is on the fritz but only sometimes so you never really know what you will get.

I love it. I really do. Check out the strands of vintage ball garland. I picked up the pink one saturday for only $4.50. It is perfect! I welcome the cheeriness of the season right now- those are some overdue feelings.. One nice thing for the holidays was I volunteered at the holiday party for all of the pediatric patients at the hospital where they fixed my daughter's heart.  I have very specific deep warm feelings about that place and all of the little patients there so it was nice to get to go and just hand out toys all morning to kids (and parents)who really appreciated it.  It was an incredible party- such a tremendous effort.

The ornaments up above are a couple of my favorites. The ball that is at the top is a pear tree inside a clear glass ball- my sister has the partridge and we were given them in 1977. The beaded one my Granny made me eons ago. The clippy bird is one of many- I love my clippy birds. I even have a clippy slug which the kids think is hilarious. I hope to be back sooner as opposed to later to show photos of the advent calendar which has morphed into a last 12 days before Christmas countdown thing. So much less daunting with only 12. I can always add more later, right?