Memorial Day 2011

This holiday is for remembering and reflecting.  Please don't let me stop you from doing just that.

I'd also like to remind you that we are already 6 months into this year and Christmas is fast approaching. 

Maybe this year you might try to send gifts to some of the soldiers we have in the Middle East.  I know that there are many fine young men and women that would love to receive a present from a secret Santa.  Maybe you could spearhead such an event at your church or community center this year.  Let's make a habit of remembering our soldiers while they live not just when they die.  These young people really do give up everything for us and live with fear and constant danger.  They deserve to be thanked. 

Related articles

• Memorial Day -- Remembering Those Who Spent With More Than Their Wallets (spendmatters.com)
• "Memorial Day Reflections from 2011 Army Spouse of the Year" and related posts (armylive.dodlive.mil)
• It's Important To Remember This Memorial Day That Americans Didn't Just Die And Sacrifice In Iraq, They Won An Important Victory (minx.cc)
• Four Frugal Memorial Day Celebrations (walletpop.com)
• Happy Memorial Day 2011 (ayphotodesign.com)

Give a hoot for the holidays--an owl ornament tutorial

This is just too cute to pass on.  I found this originally on TipJunkie.com, but the original post is on 
juicy-bits.typepad.com.  The blogger, Jessica Levitt, has a wonderful blog with many wonderful craft items.  This one, with the owl ornaments, fits well here on my Christmas blog.

If you make any of these from Jessica's instructions, please send me a picture so I can post it here.  Send one to Jessica, too!  I love working with felt to make tree ornaments.  It is so easy and forgiving.  It comes in a wealth of colors and thicknesses.  You can sew, embroider, glue everything together.  All in all, a great craft supply.

Here is the owl ornament tutorial:
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But I did do a little felt hand sewing.  I made the little gnome from the last post and a few other things for my tree.  I’m doing a woodland theme this year.  Hopefully it will be all set up soon for you to see.

Anyway, these are the little owl ornaments I made.  And it’s a simple tutorial, just for you!

Download Owl ornament and all you do is cut it out from felt and sew however you’d like.

I love ‘em.

 

And if you make it bigger it would make a cute softie.  I was sewing one on the bus with my daughter’s field trip and a couple of the little girls were begging me for one of their own.  So they could make a cute gift or stocking stuffer.  (Of course, I’d stay away from buttons with real little ones for safety’s sake.)

Enjoy!

JT

*****NOTE: I forgot to mention on the pattern about ric rac.  That's what I used to make the "feathers" on the belly....

Cover of Gifts for the FamilyHere's an interesting article I found on About.com that gives you numerous ideas for your holiday gift giving this year.  Check it out and maybe something on one of these lists will be just what you have been looking for. 

This particular list is from the Fatherhood category on About.com.  There are more categories and many other lists to check out.
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Great Gifts for Moms

Irresistable Mom Gifts
About.com's Working Moms Guide Apryl Duncan has this great list of gift ideas that will warm any mother's heart. For that special gift for your favorite mother, check this list out. Ideas for Surefire Working Mother Gifts
This list of gift ideas for working mothers, including pokcet camcorders and a day at the spa, will give any dad a set of good ideas for the working mom in his life.
Top Gifts for Crafters
If the mom in your life is crafty (meaning that she enjoys doing craft projects--not that she is sneaky), then this list from About.com's Family Craft Guide Sherri Osborn is one you will want to check out. Focused specifically on crafts a mom can do with her kids, this list is sure to please any mom who enjoys craft work.
Gifts that Moms of Multiples Will Love
If that special mom in your life has twins, triplets or more, this list from About.com Multiples Guide Pamela Fierro will help you find just the right idea for her. From jewelry to books to items that will pamper this special mom, it is all here.

Gift Ideas for Preschoolers

Classic Toys for Today's Kids
If you remember some of the classic toys from your childhood like Etch a Sketch and Lite Brite and wanted to find them for your kids, then this list will be a great source. Check out all the old favorites and find out how to bring them home for your little ones. DVD Gifts for Kids
Carey Bryson, the About.com Guide to KIds Movies, has prepared this list of the top DVD's that will appeal to your preschoolers. The list also includes links to Carey's own reviews of these popular movies.
Top Toys for Preschoolers
About.com Preschooler Guide Amanda Rock has a great list of toys for your favorite preschool kids. An incredible puppet theater, a dollhouse, puzzles and Tinkertoys are among the gifts that my grandkids just adore. Any one of these gifts will help you be a savvy and popular gift giver this holiday season.

Gifts for Tweens

Tween Gifts That Rock
Sometimes buying a gift for that in-between age - not quite a teenager but too old for the school aged kid stuff - can be the toughest of all gifts. About.com Tween Guide Jennifer O'Donnell has put together a list of gift ideas for the tween crowd. Electronics Make a Great Tween Gift
Jennifer has also assembled a great list of electronic devices that appeal to the tween in any family. If your tween is into MP3s, digital cameras and cell phones, this list will give you some super ideas.

Gift Ideas for Teenagers

Christmas Gift Ideas for Teens
Teenagers are also a challenging group to buy for. They are so varied in their interests and often a bit moody and unpredictable. Denise Witmer, the About.com Guide to Parenting Teens, has put together an idea list of 50 gift ideas for your teens. This list is sure to include something for your teen, or perhaps will generate an idea or two beyond the list. Gift Ideas for Teen Boys
Specifically for teenaged boys, this gift idea list is spot on for them. Having two teen boys at home right now, I can tell you that their gift list would certainly include many of the ideas on this list. Magazine subscription, a watch or a DVD would be on any teen guy's favorites list.
Gift Ideas for Teen Girls
If you have a teenaged girl at home, Denise's list for teen girls gifts will certainly make you a popular dad this holiday season. Jewelry, perfume and makeup top the list.
Coupon Books
One of my favorite gift ideas for teenagers is the gift of time. I put together these printable coupon books, one for teenaged boys and one for teenaged girls, that you can print out, assemble and staple together and give to your teen. They keep on giving throughout the year as the kids redeem them with you.

Christmas Gift Ideas for College Kids

Stocking Stuffers for College Kids
College kids are usually into gifts that meet their needs but also create conversation among their peers. This list from About.com Guide to Young Adults, Jackie Burrell, has something for just about everyone. Thumb drives, beanies, and an iTunes gift card, among many other ideas, can be found on this list. [link urlhttp://youngadults.about.com/od/familylife/tp/Twilightgifts.htm]Gifts for Twilight Fans
College aged girls (and some guys) are dedicated followers of the Twilight series of books and movies. This gift guide for the Twilight fan has ideas that will delight anyone who is a committed fan of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight work.

Gifts for the Whole Family

Nice But Cheap Gifts This Holiday Season
Looking this year for some inexpensive gift ideas for your whole family? Katherine Lewis, the About.com Guide for Working Mothers, has prepared this list of great cheap gifts for the family. And who doesn't need money-saving ideas this Christmas season? Family Board Games for Dads and Kids
Every dad wants quality time with his family and playing board games can be a great way to interact. Here are some board games that I recommend for a fun evening at home with the kids.

Gifts for Dads

Finally, I have assembled a list of gifts for dads at each stage of life and for each special interest. If you have a dad with any of these interests, or are a dad described here, then check out the list to buy a gift or leave a gentle hint for your gift giving family members.

Top 7 Gifts for the Do It Yourself Dad
Top Gifts for the Gadget-Hungry Dad
Top Ten Creative Gifts for Dads for Christmas
Top Ten Gifts for the History Buff Father
Top Ten Gifts for the Golfing Father
Gift Ideas for the Cookout King Dad
Gifts for Dads Who Travel
Gifts for Grandfathers
Gifts For Dads Who Love Cars
Top Gifts for a Single Dad]
Movies for Fathers
Top Digital Cameras for Dads

Related articles

• Picture Gifts of Family Made By Preschoolers (brighthub.com)

~ Swedish Dala Horse Stocking

Best of Christmas Ideas (Better Homes & Gardens Crafts)The Farm Chicks Christmas: Merry Ideas for the Holidays (Country Living)Lake City Craft Quilling Kit - 6PK/Christmas AngelsOne-Hour Christmas Crafts (Leisure Arts #15851)Christmas Gifts and CraftsWith just a little over 6 months of this year left, it really is time to begin to get ready for those end of year holidays.  You know, the ones that creep up on you and beat you up; yeah, I mean Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's! 

Thanksgiving is all about food, and this blog is not about food, so I'll leave you to your own devices unless I happen upon something scrumptious I want to share.

Christmas--well that's another story!  Christmas is what we are all about here.  So......in the honor of the fast approaching Christmas holiday, I have a wonderful tutorial for a stocking to hang on your mantel.  I found this tutorial on Allsorts and I hope you will hop over there and check out her site.  There are so many wonderful things there that I cannot even begin to talk about here!

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Happy Friday! I'm just about to scoot out the door for a tour of homes decorated for the holidays, and I wanted to get this pattern up for you before I left. You might have seen this project already in Amy's Inspired Ideas e-zine, but I thought it would be good to document it here as well, in case anyone missed it, and also for future reference.
I made mine in red and white, but I imagine it would look great in other colors, too. You can download the pdf pattern by clicking here, and this is what it will look like when you open it. This design is for a 12” long stocking, but you can enlarge the pattern if desired. Please note this pattern is for personal use only.

You will need:

• sharp fabric scissors
• regular needle
• embroidery needle
• pins
• white and red felt (wool or wool-blend works best)
• red sewing thread
• white and red pearl embroidery floss

INSTRUCTIONS
Using the pattern, Cut out all shapes from felt in the colors and amounts as noted. Refer to photograph for positioning of shapes.
Assemble front of stocking:
Pin the Dala horse and heart shapes onto the front panel of the stocking. Pin one of the cuff, heel and toe pieces to the front panel of stocking. Attach all by whip-stitching around edge with red sewing thread. Note - do not stitch along edges of stocking panel.
With red pearl floss, attach the white “plus” shapes to each of the hearts with a french knot in the center. Sew red french knots around the horse’s saddle and below each heart.
With white pearl floss, stitch a french knot for the Dala horse’s eye, and sew white french knots along the edge of the toe, heel and top band of stocking.

Assemble back of stocking:
Pin remaining cuff, toe and heel sections onto the back panel of the stocking. Pin hanging loop in place between top band and back panel.
Assemble stocking:
Pin front panel to back panel with wrong sides together, leaving top open. Using white pearl floss on the red portions, and red pearl floss on the white portions, whip stitch all around edge of stocking, leaving top open.
With white pearl floss, whip stitch around top opening, catching hanging loop in stitches to secure.
Hang your stocking and enjoy! I hope you have as much fun stitching this stocking as I did!
Cheers,
Jenny

Related articles

• Talking about the Holidays (englishclassminds.wordpress.com)
• The Black Friday Guide (creditloan.com)
• Christmas craft that is easy and pretty! (artisticdivasworld.blogspot.com)
• Create Heart Felt Baskets! (education.com)
• Top Tip Tuesday - Video Tutorials (sewmakebelieve.wordpress.com)
• Doing It By Hand (anniegirl1138.com)

Ultimate Christmas Countdown Checklist

Here's a great article from Real Simple that gives you a way to stay organized yet prepared for the upcoming holidays.  I just realized that we are about to begin May!  That is almost 1/2 of the year gone by already.  Don't wait until the last minute.  Try to get an early start this year and see if you can't enjoy the holidays more!

Another great place to get help organizing for the holidays is here.  You can get a wonderful start with planning and keeping track of your progress using this Christmas Countdown method.  Please check it out.

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Getting organized is the best way to ensure you’ll have more holiday cheer, less holiday stress. This timeline will help you keep track of the big tasks.

Three to Six Months Before (Before Mid-October)

• Make a family plan. Are you heading to your in-laws’ house? Hosting everyone at yours? Sit down with family members and decide where you’ll be spending the holidays.
• Buy plane tickets. If you’ll be flying somewhere, get your plane tickets as soon as possible.

Two Months Before (Mid-October)

• Put activities on a calendar. As you find out when parties and school pageants are scheduled, write them on a master calendar. Keep it next to the phone, so if someone calls to ask if you’re free for an event, you’ll know the answer immediately.
• Start baking things you can freeze. Un-iced cookies, bars, and nut breads are good bets to make ahead. All will keep in the freezer if they are well wrapped, and you can have a few extra things on hand for the friend who stops by unexpectedly with a gift. Related: Make-Ahead Holiday Cookies
  
• Update your holiday card list. Determine how many cards you need, and make sure you have updated addresses.
• Shop for cards and wrapping paper. Some stores put holiday goods out by Halloween. You’ll get the best selection if you start early. And if you’re ordering cards online, you’ll want to have plenty of time for them to arrive.
• Make plans for overnight guests. Think about who will be showing up and spending the night. Do you need to replace some old sheets? Buy more towels? Now’s the time to get your house in shape for visitors.

Six Weeks Before (Beginning of November)

• Make a master gift list. You may not have every detail filled in, but at least make sure you list everyone you’ll need to buy for, and think about what they’d like. That way you can pick up things as you see them, rather than running to the mall at the last minute. Have your children give you their wish lists.
• Make a budget. Set a ballpark figure for how much you can spend on gifts—it will help you stay grounded when the shopping gets frenzied. Related: 4-Week Holiday Savings Plan
  
• Start shopping in earnest. Yes, you may already be picking things up here and there, but the more you buy ahead, the better—especially if you’ll be mailing gifts. If you have big-ticket items (like electronics) that go on sale the day after Thanksgiving, you may want to brave the crowds on Black Friday—you could save substantially.

One Month Before (Directly After Thanksgiving)

• Do any online shopping. Order gifts now so you have lots of time to wrap them once they arrive.
• Wrap gifts as you buy them. Not only will this keep little eyes from finding out what Santa is bringing, it will save you time on Christmas Eve.
• Take stock of your decorations. Get out your lights, ornaments, wreaths, and lawn ornaments. See if anything is broken and needs to be replaced.
• Take stock of dishes and glasses. Make sure you have the serving platters and wineglasses you’ll need for parties or special meals, in time to buy more, if necessary.
• Start addressing holiday cards. It can take a while, depending on how long your list is.

Three Weeks Before (First Week of December)

• Mail cards. If you’re too busy to get them addressed and mailed during the first week of December, consider putting them off until after the holiday rush. People generally enjoy getting a card a few days late, when things have slowed down and they actually notice the mail.
• Buy a live tree. This is a good time to get your tree, if you want it to stay fresh and retain its needles through Christmas. Same goes for fresh greenery or garlands. Related: How to Choose a Christmas Tree
  
• Decorate! You may be one who decks the halls as soon as the Thanksgiving turkey carcass has been tossed. That’s fine, too, but by the first week of December, it’s time to get the house looking festive.
• Finalize menus. If you’ll be serving the holiday meal make sure you know what you’ll be cooking and what family members will be bringing. Start a master grocery list.
• Order a turkey or ham. Or whatever else is the centerpeice of your holiday meal—you don’t want to get caught short.

Two Weeks Before (Second Week of December)

• Make sure out-of-town presents are mailed. Try to have gifts in the mail by December 10. Related: How to Ship Gifts of All Shapes and Sizes
  
• Shop for nonperishable items. Buy alcohol and any canned goods or pantry staples you’ll need.

One Week Before

• Deep clean your house. You’ll enjoy those decorations even more if the floors are clean and the kitchen is organized. One important task: Clear out your refrigerator. Toss old leftovers to make room for big dishes and ingredients that’ll be piling up closer to the holiday.
• Buy batteries for children’s toys. If you haven’t stocked up while shopping, make sure you have all the accoutrements necessary for that handheld video game or remote-controlled car.

Three Days Before

• Shop for fresh ingredients. Hit the store for the last-minute vegetables or fruit you need for meals.
• Set the table. So you use those gold-rimmed goblets only once a year? Enjoy them! Go ahead and set the table. Make it even easier on the big day by putting a sticky note on each platter that states what dish you plan to serve on it. (That also allows people to help you without asking 12 times.)

Two Days Before

• Start cooking. You’ve probably socked away some things in the freezer already, but now’s the time to prep main courses and make anything that can sit for a couple of days.
• Buy fresh flowers. Whether they are for a party or a family meal, fresh flowers should always be purchased two days in advance. Blooms have time to open up, and they’ll still be lush and fragrant.

The Day Before

• Recharge the batteries on your camera or video recorder. You don’t want to miss the reaction on a little one’s face because the battery ran out during the school pageant the week before.
• Finish last-minute wrapping. And assemble toys that will be surprises from Santa.
• Finish cooking, and make a timeline for the next day. Decide when you’ll be feasting, then count backward to determine when to put the turkey (or ham or roast beef) in the oven and what else needs to be cooked.
• Sit back and relax. Enjoy your family and friends and relish the traditions you share. 
   
   

Make a 19th-Century-Inspired Ornament

 Here's a really wonderful tutorial for making paper mache ornaments for this holiday season.  I know it's early.  Some would say "too early for Christmas", but I believe that the sooner you begin your preparations, the better the holiday turns out for you.  I love to sit back during November and December and watch everyone else fighting the crowds and buying items that no one really wants just to have something.

I feel the same way about Christmas crafts.  As my current Easter project has proven, sometimes crafting takes way more time than you think.  If making Christmas decorations is your thing, it may pay to start early, even "too early" so you can get it all done.

Below is a great tutorial from Better Homes and Gardens.  Enjoy!
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Modeled after decorations in turn-of-the-19th-century style, these papier-mache ornaments spread good cheer whether they're hung from your tree or positioned around the house.

What You Need

• Cookie sheet
• Parchment paper
• Celluclay instant papier-mache
• White glue
• 3-inch-diameter green plastic-foam ball (body)
• Resealable plastic bag
• Thin palette knife
• Thin wire
• Acrylic paints: antique white, brown, black, pink, and silver
• Brush-on water-base clear finish
• Mica flakes
• Crafts glue
• Silver glass glitter
• Pink tinsel garland

How to Make It

1. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix a few handfuls of instant papier-mache with warm water, following the manufacturer's instructions. It's best to mix small batches of dry papier-mache and keep the mixture in a resealable plastic bag while you work. Knead the mixture with your hands until it's a smooth, workable consistency. Keep a small bowl of water handy to dip your fingers in as you form the snowman on the cookie sheet.
3. Apply a thin coat of white glue around the foam ball before coating it with the wet mixture. Note: The mixture adheres better if you use the glue.
4. Apply a generous layer of the mixture over the entire ball for the body, smoothing out bumps and ridges with your hands. The finished ball should be about 3 1/2 inches in diameter.
5. Place the wet ball on the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Gently press down on the body, creating a flat bottom so the snowman will sit upright.
6. Complete the paper-mache sculpting as follows: Roll a 1-3/4-inch ball of mixture for the head. Set the ball on the top of the body, gently smoothing the ball into the body at the neck area. Insert a toothpick through the center of the head to secure it to the body.
7. Roll tiny balls of the mixture for the nose and cheeks. Press the balls onto the face. Use a palette knife to smooth the features and a toothpick to shape the eyebrows, eyes, and mouth.
8. Shape a small column of the mixture for the hat and attach it to the top of the head. Smooth the edges into the ball. Cut a 3-inch length of wire and fold it in half to create a loop. Twist the ends together. Insert the twisted end into the top of the hat. Smooth the mixture around the base of the loop.
9. Place the cookie sheet with the snowman bauble in an oven set at a low temperature and bake for at least 2 hours or until hardened. Remove the snowman from the oven and let sit on the sheet until cool. Lightly sand the figure until the surface is smooth.
10. Paint the head antique white. Paint the cheeks and nose pink. Use antique white and pink to paint stripes around the body and to add words, dotted borders, and stars. Paint the hat and wire loop silver. Use black for the eyebrows, eyes, and mouth. When the paint is dry, create an aged patina by mixing a small amount of brown paint with water; apply this mixture to the figure.
11. When the paint is completely dry, brush clear finish on the areas that you want to sparkle. Immediately sprinkle mica flakes over the wet finish. Allow to dry and then brush off the excess mica flakes. Apply bands of glue around the snowman's body; immediately sprinkle glass glitter over the glue. Add glass glitter to the hat in the same way. Apply a band of glue around the neck and press a length of tinsel garland into the glue.

Related articles

• Create a Papier-mache Centerpiece Bowl (education.com)
• Papier-Mache Teacup Pattern (craftzine.com)
• Ornaments for Christmas - new york, NY (travelpod.com)

More about electron gizmos for Christmas presents

Image via WikipediaToday I will talk about the other gadget we got for Christmas last year.  This time I am the one who recieved it.  I got a Kindle, a electronic book reader from my sister.  I was so pleased.

There are many, many pros to this device.  It is absolutely wonderfully easy to read.  I do not get any eyestrain, no matter where I am when I am reading off the device.  It even seems to me that it is faster to read than paper.  Since receiving this, I have been reading books like crazy.  The cost to download a book is a bit high, but I am a book hoarder and I always am buying books anyway. 

One drawback is that not every book is available for the Kindle.  That's frustrating when you really want to read a book in the middle of the night and cannot download it.  By the way, downloading a book is so simple and easy.  I love that I can get a book anytime I want one.

The Kindle is small and compact.  It is easy to slip into my purse and takes up almost no room.  I can have a book with me at all times.  My sister borrowed it to take a train trip and she loved that she could put all her books on the device and not drag around heavy volumes. 

The one real drawback that I continue to encounter is that the battery life is not very long.  It's like having another cell phone--you need to plug it in to charge regularly if you want it to be available when you want it.  To me, this is a bit of a hassle.  I constantly forget to plug in both my phone and my Kindle.  When I go to use either and they are dead, I am not a happy camper. 

But, I am training myself to remember to plug them in regularly.  I cannot recommend this product more.  I love the ease of use, the ease of reading, the availability of downloading.  I love everything about this device. 

So, if you have a book-lover on your list, you might really consider the Kindle.  To read more about this device, visit my Squidoo page and get all the technical stuff. 

Related articles

• Top 5 Websites Other Than Amazon To Find Great Kindle Books (makeuseof.com)
• E-reader market doubles over Christmas in the UK (thebookseller.com)
• Data Monday: Amazon Kindle (lukew.com)
• >An Introduction To Kindle Books (onaolapoadeyemi.wordpress.com)