Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Guest Post with One Artsy Mama

I'm so excited! Today Amy from One Artsy Mama is guest posting.  


Hi!  I'm Amy, aka One Artsy Mama, and I am so excited to be here today to share with you a few of our family's favorite holiday traditions.  There are three of us in the Artsy Family; I've been married to my best friend and dance partner for almost 10 years, and we have an adorable 3-year-old son who I call my "Little Crafter."
I've always loved the holiday season, and watching Little Crafter experience it now makes it that much more fun.  Hubby and I have really enjoyed deciding which traditions we wanted to continue from our own childhoods and what new traditions we wanted to start as a family.  Here's what we came up with to make the Advent season special for all three of us.

First, on Thanksgiving Day, after we've eaten our meals and spent time with family, we kick off the countdown to Christmas by making a red and green paper chain.

 On each link, we write the date and how many days remain until Christmas.  Then we staple the links together.  This is a tradition I brought with me into marriage; my parents and I used to make a chain each Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember.  I have so many memories of sitting around the kitchen table creating it with them...each of us had our jobs.  One person would draw the lines and cut the paper, one would write, and one would staple until the chain was complete.  I always got to draw special decorations on the link for my birthday, December 14th...in fact, I still do.  Shhhh!
Last year, Little Crafter just kind of watched the whole process, but this year he wanted to do everything.  He felt like a big man helping Daddy staple the links together!

 Once the chain is complete, each day, you tear off a link until on Christmas day the topper is the only thing left.  I always loved doing this as a kid because it gave me a real visual for how many more days were left until the holiday!  It's one of the earliest traditions I can remember doing, so it was so precious for me last year to teach it to my son and watch him look forward to tearing off a link each night just like I used to do.  The photo on the left was his first chain last year, and on the right you can see him hanging up this year's chain with Daddy.

In addition to the chain, we also do an Advent Activity each day.  Hubby did this as a kid, and I loved the idea.  We have this super-cute gift box advent calendar, and I put a slip of paper in each box with an activity written on it. 

Toward the end of November, hubby and I brainstorm fun ideas and put them in categories: things that will work on a weeknight, things that will have to be on a weekend, and things that will work on days when we have Bible Study or other evening commitments.  There are also some things that have specific dates.
Here are some of the things we like to include:

- bake Christmas cookies
- decorate Gingerbread men
- make a gumdrop wreath
- make a foam Gingerbread house {we have a cool kit}
- cut down and decorate the Christmas tree
- drive around the neighborhood and look at lights
- attend the local Festival of Wreaths
- watch A Charlie Brown Christmas 
- watch "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
- attend a live drive-thru nativity
- read the Christmas story from Little Crafter's Bible
- deliver cookies to firefighters, police officers, and others in the community
- visit local train garden
- kiss under the mistletoe
- sing Christmas carols while Mama plays the piano
- act out the Christmas story using Little People nativity
- watch "The Nativity Story"
- purchase a gift for someone on the Angel Tree

These are just some of the things on our list...it's fun for all of us to do the activities each day, and it gives us some guaranteed family time focusing on the meaningful and exciting parts of the holiday.
How does your family celebrate?
Thanks for letting me share a little about some of our favorite traditions with you today.  I hope you'll stop by One Artsy Mama sometime; making new friends is the best part of blogging!  I'd love to have you join in our ongoing {Our} Home for the Holidays Link Party, and I also have a fun handmade ornament giveaway coming up on the 14th to celebrate my birthday! {I'm turning 29 for the third time!}


Have a blessed and joyous holiday season!

Thank you so much Amy, for guest posting. I am going to include some of these ideas into our families advent calendar.

I love Amy's blog. She's super talented and has tons of great ideas. I hope you'll all go and check out her blog.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Advent Calendar

Recently I saw an Advent Calendar

I thought it was super cute - but even with a discount it was a little too pricey for me. 

So I decided to make my own. 


Mine cost me only $2.50.  The secret?  Free paint sticks - the large ones.

 You'll need 7 paint sticks - but grab 8 in case you mess up, like me.

Cut your paint sticks to the following sizes:

2 pieces- 11 1/2"
1 piece- 11"
2 pieces - 8 3/4"
8 pieces- 4 1/4"
13 pieces- 2"


Begin assembly. Attach using glue and a brad nailer.  The top and bottom pieces (11 1/2")  are the length of the box so nail the sides (8 3/4) accordingly. The box should measure 11 1/2 X 9 1/4.


Measure down 4 1/4 from the top on both sides. Mark and insert middle piece (11")


Next is the part that takes some time and patience.  Insert all the 4 1/4 pieces. Each large box opening is 2" x 2" and small openings are 7/8" x 2". I should have took a picture before I added the 2" pieces but at that point I just wanted to finish it.  I placed some of the pieces horizontal and some vertical. Do a dry fit first.  Some of the pieces I couldn't nail on both sides so I just glued both and nailed one side.


(You can see that I missed the wood with the nails in a few places and some pieces are a little crooked)


Next fill the holes, then paint.  I would recommend spray painting. I ran out after one coat so I ended up painting with a foam brush and it was a pain.

Next i'ts time to cut out your boxes. I used my silhouette and bought the 1 drawer box and 2 drawer box online. That's where I spent $2.

I only used the box part and I played around with the size a little bit using plain paper until I got it right.  The boxes are a little deeper than the frame, so they stick out the back a little bit, but it doesn't bother me too much.

I used Christmas paper that I've had for ages.


For the numbers, I used these diy rub-ons I got at a yard sale for $0.50. I just followed the instructions. 


Last but not least, fill each box with a little treat and enjoy counting down the days til Christmas!


You may also like my Charm Advent Christmas Tree.


Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Crocheted Hats


I have decided that I really like to crochet. The problem is that I have a hard time sitting down and doing it.  So on our recent trip to California I spent the drives there and back crocheting hats for my kids. I am definitely a beginner crocheter. If you're a pro, don't look to closely because there are definitely mistakes. But that's the beauty of these hats, they are very forgiving and very easy.
 I got all the patterns free from the internet.   I either used yarn I had or bought it at Walmart. It's super cheap there - $2.33 per skein. I'm sure I could make at least one more hat of each color, maybe 2. So that means that the hats cost around $1. You can't beat that.

This earflap hat pattern you can find at Peanutzmom's Pattern Place. It was super fast
and easy to make, using double crochet, decrease double crochet, single crochet and chain stitches. I used Red Heart yarn - the color is Watercolor.



My son's hat was the most difficult of the bunch. I learned some new stitches while making it - Front Post Double Crochet and Back Post Double Crochet. (I had to look up a diagram to learn them).  I got about 1/2 way and it looked really bad. It was lumpy and weird looking. I'm not sure what I did but I unraveled it all and started over.   I think I got it right this time - although in the original picture all the lines were straight not curved. Overall I'm pleased with it and it has a nice feel to it. You can find the pattern at Celtic Mommy. Her pattern includes either toddler or child sized hats. For this hat I used some cream yarn I already had and the label is long gone, so I don't know the brand or color.


I used the same pattern for my two little girls. I got the pattern at Vallieskids  I love the little butterfly on the side. Another super easy hat with a fun twist.  This hat uses double crochet, single crochet and chain stitches.
This hat is Red Heart in Cherry Chip

 And this one is Red Heart Pink Camo



I hope this inspires you to try some crocheting.


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Chocolate Chip Walnut Brownie Cupcakes

Today I have the most amazing recipe to share. It's Chocolate Chip Walnut Brownie Cupcakes.  You can find the recipe here courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis. I saw this on Food Network years ago (when I used to have time to watch t.v.) and I had to make them. You should to try them too - they are sooo good!!


In the recipe it calls for a Duncan Hines brownie mix. I always buy what's on sale, so for the brownie part I follow the directions on the box but add the nuts and mini chocolate chips.

If you don't want the nuts and chocolate chips to sink to the bottom, Giada recommends placing them in a bowl with a few tablespoons of the brownie mix powder and that really works.



Mix together your brownies as directed on box.<



Add in the nuts and chocolate chips.



Mix them in.



Pour into muffin tins. I always use paper liners and I always spray them with cooking spray.



Bake at 350 for 22-25 minutes. Mine always take longer.



Let cool and frost.  Giada's recipe calls for mascarpone cheese. I don't keep that on hand, but I usually have cream cheese so I just use my standard cream cheese frosting. 

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. margarine, softened
2 t. milk
1 t. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar

This recipe make a lot. I only use half for these cupcakes.  The other half I'll stick in a freezer bag and freeze for a later use, like for my carrot cake.



I like to sprinkle some of the mini chocolate chips on top.



These are to die for! I love the little crunch from the nuts.  Sooo yummy!



Saturday, November 19, 2011

My Nightstand

I'm so excited about this project that I just couldn't wait to share it. I normally don't post on Saturday's but today I'll make an exception.

This is my favorite project since I've started my blog and maybe even ever!!

Back in the summer time, I started going to yard sales.  The kids are usually with me. My son spotted a yard sale sign and we quickly went to it.  I spotted this nightstand and they only wanted $5.  I was super excited!! This nightstand is what's kept me going back when sometimes you can't find anything good.

Here's the before picture.


Yes, that's grass there on the bottom - nice huh? We don't sweep out the garage very often. 

Anyway, I knew immediately that I wanted to do a two tone paint job, but I couldn't decide on the colors - so it sat around for a few months.

I finally decided on white and green.

First, here's some of my prep work.
I took off all the hardware. 

I removed the back of the doors.


I removed the tiny staples.


I cut new back pieces because the originals got mangled.


Then I primed and painted - oops I forgot a picture of it when it was all white. I used Seaside Sand by Behr in semi-gloss.


I cut out a stencil for the top using my Silhouette. I had to tape some of it where the pieces of vinyl met.

I spray painted the top green.... I had a few places to touch up.
I used Rustoleum's Satin Moss Green.


And a few spots where the vinyl peeled up the paint while I was pulling it off.
Make sure you peel it off while the paint is still wet. 


Okay ready to see the finished nightstand?

Here it is.



Oh yeah - I spray painted all the hardware green too.




So what do you think?  Do you like it?  

I LOVE it. It turned out even better than I thought it would.

I made several mistakes during this project, but can anyone see my big mistake??  Bonus points if you mention the mistake I'm thinking of. I'll comment next week and let you know if no one guesses.

The following was added 11-22-11

And the bonus points go to..... my sister! 

Do you see the pattern of the lattice on the doors?


Now look at the pattern on the top.


I inverted the pattern when I made it.  On the door there are little green pointies and on my stenciled top there are white pointies

The reason this is such a big mistake to me, is that I sat with the door in one hand as I created the stencil. My intent was to create the same pattern.

I put the stencil on, then painted it and it sat around for two weeks before I even noticed.  

For the record, I am not fixing it. I still think it looks cool and I love it.