Glitter Christmas Lights

This is a project I've been wanting to do now for a couple of years but I hadn't ever got around to it. Enter my Mom who of course, just happens to have the supplies on hand. I brought the modpodge, she had everything else so it cost us nothing.

It was a super satisfying project and so simple.
You just take some old Christmas lights, any colour, coat them with modpodge and then coat them in glitter. Shake off the excess and you have magic, sparkly lights. Toss them in a bowl and you have a cute Christmas decoration.

Mom went with a cute blend of brown, silver and light green.

Surprise surprise, I chose gold and emerald green. I stacked them in this cute square vase and put in on the built in shelf under the mirror in our front entrance.

They're exactly what we wanted, you should make some.

Christmas 2013

Christmas was so much fun this year, Catie was really into it and was finally excited to see Santa.

We gave Eden this baby in a bed and I loved that first thing in the morning she waddles over and put the baby's soother in her own mouth.

These next photos are super blurry but they show her finding the bottle and instantly putting it in her own mouth.

Catie got even more horses for Christmas, just the way she likes it.

Grandma gave Eden this great wagon

And this is how it gets used most often.

Christmas Treats for Gifting

Christmas this year was busy with Eden so I had only planned on the basics, meaning I had no intention of giving away and treats.  But then we had a good night and I felt inspired, I came up with these.

Ever since I got my Silhouette I've been wanting to make a box, I think they're adorable and this was the perfect reason.  I used this box from the silhouette store and it was just what I wanted.  It cuts the shape for you and scored the lines were you need to fold so assembly was super quick.

Once they were made I filled them with store bought truffles (at least I had something to fill them with).  I tied them with a ribbon, using different paper and different ribbon for each box.

Then I used my sketch pens and my Silhouette to make some little tags, they say Merry Christmas from the Wiebe's.  Here's the sad part of the story though... I think I made 6 boxes and we ended up giving away 2.  Oops.  Oh well, it's the thought that counts.

My favourite part of the box was the detail on the flap.

They turned out so great that I think I'll try to do something similar next year.

Christmas

Obviously this is late but I love Christmas morning photos.

She wore her Christmas Eve Panamas and was so excited about every present.

Christmas morning mess.

We really thought she would enjoy this hat a lot more than she did. She likes to pretend to be a cowboy so when my Mom bought it she was sure it would be a winner. We had to talk her into wearing it for this photo and I don't think she's looked at it twice.

This was o e of two gifts that Eden got, thanks Grandma!

One of her favourite gifts was this shovel that's just her size. Hr and Daddy tested it out that afternoon and she loves it.

Later in the day Catie's cousins came over, here they are playing Uno Moo.

And everyone reading and watching a movie.

It really was a lovely day.

Christmas Eve

I've decided that Christmas Eve-night is my favourite.  I like putting out cookies and milk for Santa and then sending Catie to bed all excited for the morning but the rest of the night is really the best.  I love putting together presents for her, setting them out just right so she'll see them in the morning (that darn Santa gets the credit for the best presents).  I try really hard to buy fun stocking stuffers so I love the moment when I get to remember what I bought and get them all in that sock.  There's last minute straightening and trying to cram in as much Christmas music and movies as you can because you know tomorrow it's all over.  The anticipation builds for so long that tonight, after every one else is asleep, this peace before the excitement is my favourite time and this year I'm savouring the moment..

Eden's Stocking

I crafted!  It's amazing!

Last year I made our family new stockings, you can read about them here, and see the awful old ones.  It was kind of a shame, I knew I was pregnant when I made them but no one else did (not even Brad) so I couldn't make an extra one without giving anything away, which meant this year I needed to make a stocking for Eden.  I had been smart though and I at least cut the stocking shape out last year so I had somewhere to start from.

I decided to make her a reindeer and I'm thrilled with the way it turned out.

 I think Catie's and Eden's stocking's look particularly cute together.


And the families.. still kicking myself for writing Brad and Laura instead of Mom and Dad but it will survive another year, perhaps I'll change it next year.

(My nativity looks amazing on the mantel hey?)

Christmas Stockings

A couple years ago I made us Christmas Stockings but since then my craftiness has increased dramatically.  My skills are better and my tastes are better so when I pulled out the stockings I knew this year I wouldn't use the old ones anymore.  Plus I think stockings should be made out of felt and the ones I'd made were far too small.  Here were the old ones, don't mock my Santa.

I used the same patterns for the new stockings (except I clearly made a new Santa) but all the pieces are made out of felt and hand stitched on.

I hung them on the mantle exactly the way my Mother always did, a piece of red yarn (only I used red ribbon) strung across the mantle and the stockings pinned on.  I wouldn't mind some actual ornament holders one day but for now ribbon and pins works great.

Here's a close up of each.

I love the way they turned out but I'm really kicking myself for not putting Mom and Dad instead of Brad and Laura.  I don't know what I was thinking but I'm not unpicking the hand stitching, maybe next year.

I think Catie's is clearly the cutest, that Santa is awesome.  She looked at it and said, "Clause!"

Christmas Continued

I've already mentioned once before what my Christmas Sheets mean to me so I won't repeat myself but you can read about it here.  It's one of my favorite traditions and I happen to have this great Mom who is helping me carry on this tradition with Catie at an early age.

A Mother's Love

Last year my Mother-in-Law gave me this beautiful Nativity set. It includes a Shepherd, a couple of sheep and a donkey and I think it's so beautiful. I love how they seem to have expressions despite the lack of an expression so this year I was really excited to receive some additional peices. A second shepherd, a couple of black sheep and the cutest camel have really expanded the set.

It's so nice to be able to pull out such a beautiful set every year and I'm sad to put it away for a whole year.

L

Santa's Bag

I was really lucky this Christmas and received so many awesome gifts. Over the next couple days I'll probably post about them and I thought I'd start with this one.

I am now the proud owner of this genius invention and I'm super excited about it! The Cupcake Courier. It's holds 36 cupcakes so I no longer need to worry about them sliding around and smooshing together, I think a large batch of Peanut Butter Chocolate are in order.
L

Tooting My Own Horn

This year Brad and I got together with his sister Rosie,her husband Byron and we sang and recorded some Christmas songs. We then took those songs and burned them to a cd and sent them out in some Christmas cards. The songs turned out really well so I thought I'd add them to the blog.

Enjoy!
L

An Old Fashioned Christmas

I went down to Magrath last weekend and the town was putting on an Old Fashioned Christmas, it's a new tradition they've started and it was a lot of fun.

All the shops on main street stayed open late and there was something fun to see in most of them. There was a big bonfire with free cookies and hot chocolate right on the sidewalk. Across the street at city hall you could get a treat bag after you'd visited Santa. The Co-op had a chocolate fondue and the Trading Company had hot chocolate, mini oranges and a train in the window. It looks like they're looking in an old fashioned toy store.

The trees were lit with mini lights and the high school band played some songs. There were carolers on the street corners and friends all around.

It's a great new tradition that was fun for the kids and I'd like to attend again.

What a great way to start the season, hope you're feeling as much of the season as I am.

L

The Bug

I've caught the baking bug.

There are always so many new baking options at Christmas time, so many events to go to where you don't want to show up empty handed and so many seasonal edible treats to make.

This year apparently I wanted to make up for all the baking I didn't do last year so I've started early.

I made truffles yesterday, plan on making some peanut butter squares and considered making some pulled candy peppermint icicles. Luckily I snapped myself out of that one before I got started, that's a bit more of a project than I'm willing to handle but they just looked so pretty in the Martha Stewart Magazine (Brad should be grateful, the recipe called for an extra set of hands so he was going to be recruited).

Any other items I should add to my baking list? I'm open to suggestions.
L

Celebrate the Season

I know it's early for most of you but I hope you'll bear with me.

I've been ready for Christmas music for months now so I thought I'd start the sharing early. Just pause it if drives you crazy or make sure to hit mute before you visit the site next time.

Last year seemed like such a short Christmas season so I'm pretty sure I'll make up for it with an extra long one this year.
L