Crafty Christmas Wrap-up Part 2

As the sun set on the first day of Crafty Christmas, the kids were bright-eyed and bushy tailed for the next morning.  They were eager to get started, but I had to remind them that we have to eat breakfast.  I made some homemade cinnamon-sugar doughnuts and bacon to fill their stomachs in preparation for the crafting ahead.  And they ate all 30 of those doughnuts...I think I had one.  Oh well...on with the crafting.

We began with the traditional decorating of the Gingerbread man cookies.  These are the crafts that really bring out the real artistic side of everyone.  What was funny is that as we were making them, the kids realized how good the icing was,,,and they started to eat it.  then, before I could get a picture of their finished products...they were already eating them.  Most of them ate the legs first...I like to eat the head first...either way, they tasted so good with the icing.  I did manage to take a picture of the ones I created.  I also flipped the gingerbread cookie upside down to decorate it like a reindeer.  How cute is that!  I always think outside the box when crafting.

They ate them before i could take a picture!

Eating the icing

We did make peppermint bark using melted chocolate and peppermint white chocolate.  We took Snowflake cookie cutters and used them as molds.  We started with the chocolate, then layered the peppermint white chocolate on top.  After being in the freezer, we put them in a gift bag to give away.  Nice part about this craft is you give the cookie cutter with the candy.  Two gifts in one!  You know...I didn't get a picture of this craft.

Last but not least....we settled down to a quiet craft of making a Christmas card.  It included a foam reindeer to assemble and add your own greeting/decorations.  I observed how the theme for the day was making crafts for Daddy...which I think is so cute since I was a Daddy's girl.  Girls love their daddy!

           

    

Terri painted her card

When Crafty Christmas came to an end, we were left with an abundance of Holiday ornaments and keepsakes.  In doing Crafty Christmas, I hope to instill a sense of togetherness and family time into my children as well as others around us.  I also hope to release that inner artist that lives inside of all of us.  

Moral:  Holiday time is about family and making memories that will lasts.  I think I accomplished that this year!

See you next year for another Crafty Christmas...

Good times...Great memories...priceless!

Crafty Christmas Wrap-up 2011 Part 1

Today...with my Christmas Hangover, I sit in my bed thinking about how now I have to take all the decorations down, put all the ornaments away as well as the Christmas tree.  But, I won't do that until the New Year.  For now, let's get the update on our Crafty Christmas at the Powell house.

Crafty Christmas was a much anticipated event in my house and word got out to the neighborhood kids about our big day of crafting.  So, I had 3 extra little girls at our traditional Crafty Christmas which to me...the more, the merrier!  It all started n Dec. 21st...all the extra girls slept over our house.  The next morning, as the kids woke up and we enjoyed breakfast...we organized our day by discussing what crafts we would do first.  Everyone wanted to paint ornaments...so the crafting began.  It is amazing how you can take one craft/activity and 6 girls can do it all different ways.  The creativity was abundant in our house today.  The ornament activities not only included painting but also we did one where you would etch your design.  The kids loved this one!  the ornaments for us are the best since this is the memory we create for that year.  Upon completing the ornament, we putt our name on the back and the year...Making Memories!  (Check out our past ornaments here)  Then it was on to the foam ornament...which was fun and easy!!

                                   

So, my favorite craft was the reindeer peppermint.  I saw this at the grocery store as I was trying to buy some peppermints for the tree.  I thought this was the cutest thing ever.  Love this little guy!

But, sadly, as the reindeer were born...they were devoured!  We made homemade hot chocolate and used the peppermint reindeer to sit it to make it Peppermint hot chocolate.  The kids thought it was cool how the peppermint melted as they stirred their chocolate concoction of sheer goodness!

Oh!  That's good!

Don't worry, we did break for lunch.  And then it was on to the next activity...the cupcake puzzle!  This is a 550 piece puzzle and a first for all the kids.  We started with the border, of course, and it took about an hour or so.  Then, we attempted to put this puzzle together.  Daisha, our neighbor and my daughter's best friend, said "We can finish this and play hide and seek!"  I am thinking to myself...there is no way we are going to finish this puzzle tonight...but she was very hopeful, so I went with it!  The kids were focused on this puzzle for 3 hours!  They were determined to get it done...but all we got done was the border and a few cupcakes.  

Someone is getting sleeping...

Finishing this would be a Xmas miracle!

At the end of the day, we realized that our Crafty Christmas had turned into a 2-day event.  We did not finish all of our crafts, so, I had to call every one's parents and ask to keep their little one for one more night.  Trust me, there was no resistance from any parent at all!  Now, it was official...Crafty Christmas was extended and would be concluded until the next day.  Everyone settled down on the couch with their blankets and I even had some bodies on the floor that were just too pooped to even move.  But as they went to sleep, they closed their eyes and dreamed about what was to come tomorrow of their Crafty Christmas adventure with the Powell Family.

Good night!

Don't worry...more Crafty Christmas news on the next post!

...more crafts, more creations, and more memories!

To Be Continued....

Sock Cupcakes

Happy Holidays!

Today, Santa's Little Helper, me, was determined to wrap the kids Christmas presents before they got out of school this week for Winter break.  So, I started with the small stuff...socks!  My girls love socks so I bought a bunch of them.  But...how was I going to wrap them?  How else does a fellow baker wrap her Xmas presents let alone a Cupcake Lover...just like Cupcakes of course!  I got out some cupcake boxes I had and commenced to make me some Sock Cupcakes...they baked to perfection!

Check out how to make these here.

Moral:  When someone gives you socks....make Cupcakes!

Knitting for Dummies

Crocheted Peach Dress

My Aunt Florence crocheted my first daughter, Tyra, a beautiful peach dress when she was born.  Only problem was that at the time she was born, it was May in Alabama and about 100 degrees in the shade!  So, I neatly preserved the dress as a keepsake for Tyra in which I still have to this day.  I was always intrigued by people who could knit or crochet.  I remember that my Grandmother was an avid knitter.  I also remember the dreaded toilet paper cover with the doll coming out the top that was in elderly houses everywhere!  Or what about the one that looked like a poodle.  Just Dreadful!  Bathroom nightmares.  But I will admit...I did play with them when I was in there...HE HE HE!

Okay...there are some toilet paper covers I think would be worth crocheting or knitting that are rather cute like this one courtesy of Cherry on Top:

Not bad...

After having my first child, I began to become more interested in knitting.  I really wanted to learn to knit so i could make baby hats, booties, and even blankets.  So, I bought my first book, Knitting for Dummies, and a few knitting needles.  I read that book forward and backwards in order to learn how to knit.  I practiced and practiced and sure, I messed up, but I kept knitting.  And eventually, I knitted my very first baby hat.  Very rewarding...all that reading and practicing paid off.  From there, I took on more intricate patterns, challenging myself to harder patterns.  And again, there were times I messed up and had to start all over again.  I have become an avid knitter over time, learning how to take out a row if I messed up besides trashing the whole project.  I even taught Tyra how to knit at one point.  Trust me...kids have no patience for knitting.  Don't try this at home!

So, I was browsing my new favorite website Etsy and found some really cute knitted accessories.  It makes me wish I had babies again...okay...not really.  Check out these cute hats and adorable pictures by Melody'sMakings.  You can order these patterns for your knitting pleasure. 

    

    

Hey...My Aunt Florence even put a personalized tag in the back of her dress...How fly is that!

For all you DUMMIES out there who want to learn how to knit...go get that book, Knitting for Dummies, and you could be on your way to knitting or crocheting hats, scarves, and even mittens!

Okay...stick with the scarf!