Time to decorate!

Living in a small duplex creates a challenge when it comes to decorating for Christmas, especially when it comes to the tree.  So this year I decided to do something a little different.

No mess.
Takes up practically no room.
And I only had to move my plant to make room.

My camera doesn't take the best pictures but you get the idea.

Nic was very happy to help with the decorating as you can see.  He makes a fine Christmas decoration.

Can't forget the puddy tats!  Here are their stockings I made for them last year.  Nic's is supposed to be a skull and crossbones.....because he is evil.

I made this little guy last year for the Annual Cookie Exchange the girls do.  I attached him to all the goody bags of cookies.  He was pretty easy to make, except for the shoes and mittens.   Those took some time hand-sewing each one of them.

I made these guys this year out of cotton socks and dried beans.  The guy on the left is supposed to be an elf of some sort.....just go with it ;-)

That's all for now...

B

Christmas Wreaths for Mom and Grandpa

Every year I put together the Christmas wreaths for Mom and Grandpa at the cemetery.  They tend to get pretty weathered sitting outside all season, so I started fresh this year.

Here they are!

This is Mom's

This is Grandpa's

Still working on those Christmas presents....

Until next time...
B

Past Creations...

Right now I am working on my Christmas gifts for everyone, so I can't post those....just yet.  So instead I thought I would post some of my past creations from over the years.

Enjoy!

I made this several years ago....my high school days actually.  I drew the sun face and made a lithograph out of it, then added the colorful background and framed it.  The frame is nothing special.  Actually I think I found it at Goodwill.  I was really proud of this back in the day and still am for some reason.  It's not that great, but I think it's cool.

I got this idea from Real Simple.  A great way to organize my necklaces.  All you need is bulletin board cork, a frame, fabric, and insect pins (skinny pins).  Get rid of the glass from the frame, place the fabric over the cork board then fit it into the frame.  Then arrange the pins and hang your necklaces!

(Don't mind my dusty vanity :-P)

Bottle Cap Magnets!  

These were very easy to make and with my brothers excessive drinking habits I had a surplus of bottle caps to work with!  All you need is a hot glue gun and thick circular magnets!

Until next time...

B

Booonana Bread Upgrade???

My mom made the best banana bread ever and I was lucky enough to inherit the recipe from her.  It's a pretty simple recipe but soooo good!  I've tweaked the recipe a few times over the years to make it my own, like using Butter flavored Crisco instead of butter or margarine. I think it makes it a more moist and velvety bread.  But at the heart of it, it is still my mom's recipe.

This time around I decided to add cinnamon, cinnamon maple sugar sprinkle, and brown sugar.  It added a different flavor to the bread but the banana still was the prominent taste so I don't think it improved the bread any.  This is the 2nd time I've tried changing or adding to the recipe and both times I haven't been impressed.  So I think the lesson to be learned from this is if you have a recipe that you know is good.....don't change it.

It does look tasty from the pictures though!

Welcome to my blog!

So I thought long and hard about whether or not to start a blog and I just decided to go with it.  I do a lot of baking and cooking and crafting and thought it would be nice to document it all in one place.  I really don't know if anyone will look at this or care what I am doing, so this is maybe more just for myself than anything.  But I still want to give it a try and see where I go with this.  So with that......I suppose I will start the blogging!