Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We had Gramma D snap a few family pictures for us when I took pictures for my BIL's family which means we didn't get our Christmas cards done in time. Sigh. BUT, I guess that means they are New Year cards. So, to family, friends, and loved ones, wherever you are...Happy New Year!!! We love you! May you have hope and happiness in the coming year. May love and laughter fill your days.

Family Pictures

I went to visit my BIL's family this past weekend to take pictures for them...they wanted to give the photos as gifts this Christmas. For the Gramma's and Grampa mostly, but I think I'll be making some copies too! Little Miss M, the elder Little Miss M to be specific, wanted no part in it. None whatsoever. There was much coaxing, with puppets, and toys, and candy, and fun. Finally I decided to just keep snapping the pictures. Amid the myriad photos that were no goes...we found a few we could use. Here they are.

Deck the halls...fa la la la la la la la la

Superman and I decorated for the holidays the day after the day after Thanksgiving. (We couldn't do it the day after because that's my annual ALL DAY girls' day out with my sisters and mom. Smile.) We decided to make our decorations this year. We used my new Cricut, which I'm excited about, it's bigger than my old one, and cut out all kinds of stuff for the house. Nothing out-of-this-world spectacular but very cute nonetheless. Here are some ornaments for the tree. We made snowflakes, trees, candycanes, and balls. Pumpkin actually helped with these. Superman cut out a zillion little paper lights for me to make a garland. We used a silver paint pen to fill in the top of each light and strung them together. Nice. I also made gift tags. (Again, with Pumpkin's help, she loved pressing the buttons on the Cricut.) And I hung a banner (or bunting of sorts) across our big patio window that I made last year with the old Cricut.

My favorite addition this year, by far, would have to be the snowflakes that Superman cut out to hang from our ceiling. We hung them in strings to form a flowing "curtain" of snow between our kitchen and livingroom. I love them so much. And until last night they were really the only snowflakes flying around here at all.

*Just a note, I've linked up at tatertots and jello and creative little daisy

Another birthday

So, remember this cutie patootie? This is Mini. She's from here. She turned one today. Holey schmoley. One. Still throws me for a loop.


I wanted to make something really special for her, and I will, but she probably won't get it until Christmas. (And that's if I stay motivated. Oh well.) But I did get to make her SOMETHING for her party tomorrow, and I helped out my sister in the process. My sis wanted to make her a birthday outfit and the outfit she envisioned would have been oh so very cute. But alas, she grew short on time and has so much to do tonight to prepare for tomorrow, so I stepped in. This is what I came up with...in the half hour I was able to devote to sewing tonight. (It had to be quick.) I appliqued a "1" on a t-shirt and made a coordinating hair accessory for her to wear in her wild, little mane. I used the same fabric for the yo-yo on the hair clip as I did for the applique. I added some matching lace and a fabulous little yellow button, which I am almost certain will be my sister's favorite part of the whole ensemble as she is a huge fan of yellow. It had to have polka dots on it because that is the theme for her soiree. She will be the belle of her party.







Happy Birthday big girl!