Holiday Crafting ADD

I have been making stuff like crazy! The holiday season gets my creative juices flowing! The only problem is that I will be only halfway through one project when I get an idea for another one. Instead of finishing what I was working on, I abandon it to be finished later while I go start another one. This first project I actually started and finished in one day. That's because I decided two days before Hayden's tasting feast recital at school that she needed to wear a "gobble gobble" shirt. She wore it on Thanksgiving as well.
I had to show a pic of how cute the headband my friend Kristin made looked with it.

Ok, so since I was finished with the Thanksgiving shirt, I decided I would make Hayden an outfit to wear for her picture at the mall with Santa.

I had ironed the letters into place with my iron-on adhesive and sewn down one "H" when I decided I should try to make some cute new stockings. I have wanted the stockings with a leopard print ruffle from Ballard Designs forever but I have refused to pay $35 a piece. These, of course don't look identical but I think they have the whimsy to them that I liked with the other ones. For the initial I used the iron-on transfer paper you can print on. I printed my letters out from my computer, cut the letter out and ironed it on! That simple! Then I added one iron-on rhinestone for a little extra bling.

So that last picture shows all three stockings completed and hanging, but there was quite a period of time after the first one was completed before I got back around to the other two. That's because after making one stocking I was dying to move on to my Christmas pillow. I bought some pale green burlap at Hobby Lobby to go with the damask and leopard. I made it with an opening in the back so it can just slip over an existing pillow each Christmas season. It looks like the red and white ruffle is missing in the bottom left corner but it's actually just tucked under. I didn't notice that until I'd already uploaded all the pics. I ran out of damask but as soon as I get some more I am going to make two square pillows that say "joy" and "cheer".Once again, even though you are seeing the finished product, in reality, after just sewing one ruffle to the front part of the pillow the thought hit me - now that I have iron-on transfer paper, I can print out a vintage Christmas image, iron it on a t-shirt for Hayden and add a leopard print ruffle, and it will be SO CUTE!This was the easiest shirt I have EVER made! I found the image online, printed it on my transfer paper, trimmed the image out, ironed it on, sewed a ruffle around the neckline and Voila! It took twenty minutes! Since that one was so fast I actually did finish it before moving on to my next project. We do red and white lights on the outside of our house so I decided to do a Christmas wreath for our front door in the same colors. For some reason I don't think it photographed as pretty as it looks in real life. I feel like it looks fuller in person. The grapevine wreath was half-off of $3.99 at Hobby Lobby then all the sprays were half-off as well. I need to look at my receipt to see how much I spent on the wreath stuff but I know it was waaay cheaper than buying one ready-made.
I tucked one of these little red beaded birds in there. Loved him!
Another detail shot
That's it for the craft projects. As you could see I did eventually go back and finish my pillow and stockings but I still need to sew down the "ho ho ho" on Hayden's shirt. Maybe tomorrow. Right now, I'm worn out!

Ok, I didn't make these but I wanted to share with you that I found these cute shimmery cone trees at Dollar Tree for A DOLLAR! (obviously), I couldn't pass them up. Run out and get some while they still have some left! I'm going to put my tree up tomorrow. Hopefully I have some energy left!

Here's the proof!

I have always told people who ask me if Hayden's hair is a pain to fix ,"Yes, because it's like she has two separate heads of hair!" The bottom half is straight and fine and the top is coarse and very wavy. It totally wants to do it's own thing. I have to confess I have used a straightening iron on her since she turned two. Well, every now and then I like to go back through all my pictures on my computer and just look at the ones of Hayden to see how much she's changed in the past three years. I came across these and just had to share. It's total proof of how crazy her hair is. Granted, this was right after a nap but it's not far off from what it is actually like. It's just longer now. These pictures are priceless.

Hayden, I'm pretty sure that first pic is going to have to go in the senior video at church someday. Won't you just love me for that?

Family Pics 09!

I am thrilled with how these turned out! In fact, I could have posted a lot more but I figured you'd get the idea. My friend Molly took our pictures again this year (she and her husband, Bill, also did Hayden's adorable 3-yr. pics) and I think she did a wonderful job. She had the awesome idea to shoot at an abandoned ice house in Edmond that was right by the railroad tracks. She is running a special right now where, if you purchase the disc of all your edited photos, you get a free session. Having the disc is so awesome because not only do you have the ability to upload them to your computer and share them like I am, you can print them yourself which saves tons in the end. If anyone is interested in contacting her, visit her blog here and leave her a message on one of her posts. Thanks, Molly! These are my favorite ever!

The week in which I lose my mind...

It's here, my friends! The week of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Breath of Life Gala. Ryan and I are the co-chairs for the third year in a row and this week always is one where I have a basquillion projects and I make about thirteen to-do lists every day. One big project I have every year is Hayden's Art Piece (or basket depending on what you want to do) of Love. There is an entire table in the silent auction set up for families of CFers to have items in honor/memory of their loved one. Some people do themed baskets but since there was an option to do an art piece I have always done that. Last year my canvas with the scripture "For this child, I have prayed" went for $300 so I decided to step it up this year and try to bring even more. I decided I would make a little girl's outfit that has the same theme as the canvas. Above Hayden's closet doors I have a sign that says "Such a big miracle in such a little girl". I thought that, given what the night was about, that phrase made sense so I decided to have my canvas say that and I would make the shirt to say simply "Miracle". Last year I did leopard print accents so I decided on zebra this year. I never remember to take "in progress" pictures so here are the finished products.
I painted the letters to match the fabric letters on the shirt. I am not going to lie, I really want to keep that outfit. Oh well, hopefully it can bring some good money Friday night! You might say a prayer that we have a successful night and that we raise a lot of money for medical research...and that I don't lose my mind before then :)

Just try and tell me you've ever seen a cuter Minnie Mouse

"Mommy, I wanna take a picture where I'm saying 'Boo!'" With her God-Grandparents, Chris and Carol

Cute even from the back!
Next we went trick-or-treating to Hayden's favorite babysitter, Graham.
Graham's mom, Adrienne, didn't have any candy on hand so she gave Hayden a banana (which Hayden was thrilled about). Here she is talking on it like it's a phone.
They had the cutest new little kitty!
Hayden loves talking to their kitties.
Our last stop was to see Hayden's preschool teacher, Mrs. Holleyman. She was having a Halloween party at her house and was all dressed up.We all had a great evening. I told Ryan I would try to pick a costume next year that didn't involve tulle because he's had a heck of a time getting her in and out of her carseat the past couple of years!

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