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December 20, 2012

Do I smell bacon?

When we were discussing Christmas traditions last week, I forgot to mention an important one of mine.

Growing up, my next door neighbors were like surrogate grandparents to my brother and me. Both of my parents worked full time, and my brother and I would spend hours there. They were the original DIY’ers. They had huge gardens, June made her own clothes, and Cecil was an amazing wood worker. He would make amazing toy trains and little wooden dolls, and then June would sew their dresses and paint their faces.

Under June and Cecil’s guidance, I learned how to knit and sew (by hand — I can’t run a sewing machine to save my soul). My brother learned to work on cars. We would make popcorn on the stove. We loved spending time with them, and my parents loved that we weren’t home alone so much. They truly were a couple out of a Norman Rockwell painting.

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December 18, 2012

I Hug My Daughter A Little Tighter Today …

As you all know Christmas is my favorite holiday. While I love all the decorations and fun traditions, the best part of this holiday is spending time with my family.

While I am looking forward to our time together, I am also so very saddened for the people that lost loved ones at Sandy Hook Elementary last week. I can’t imagine being one of those parents, waking up on Christmas morning with no child running down the hall to see what Santa has brought. To know that a child had been robbed of all that they could have become. That so many lives will be permanently changed.

As I looked at the paper where they listed all of the ages of those killed, and they printed the numbers 6,6,6,6,6,7,6 beside each of these children, it shattered my heart. Also, the children that lost their parents, and how they will never have a father to walk them down the isle or a mother to help heal their first broken heart. Also the first responders. Those horrific images burned into their minds will forever change who they are.

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December 17, 2012

Book Page Christmas Tree Tutorial

Happy Monday!

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working on some large furniture projects and I wanted a little break to keep my sanity in tact. I decided I needed a little more Christmas spirit, so I cranked up the Christmas music and made a tree out of old book pages.

Let me warn you, it takes a bit of time: about 2 hours. If you are sitting watching Christmas movies by the fire, this is a fairly easy project — as long as you keep away from the fire.

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December 12, 2012

DIY cabinet chalkboard

Topher and I were out late last night at a Christmas party so I didn’t have time for a long post. This one is short and sweet.

Over the summer, I bought two plain-as-can-be kitchen cabinet doors at a church rummage sale for 50 cents. I wasn’t sure what I planned to do with them, but it looked like a bargain, so I picked them up.

Sorry … I forgot to take a before picture, so here is a photo after I started painting.

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December 11, 2012

Christmas Traditions

Well the countdown to Christmas is on! Just a few more shopping days left.

The weather’s getting colder, the stores are getting busier, and the parking lots are packed. I may have to brave the crowds one last time to get a few little details finished but other than that I am done.

Topher and my unnamed child are getting a little weary of the non-stop Christmas music but they can deal with it because it makes me happy.

As we were wrapping presents here the other night, we were talking about family traditions.

As a child I remember we always went to my grandma‘s house on Christmas Eve. We would have a big dinner, (Grandma would even sneak out the peach schnapps and make herself a drink), then we would open gifts, sing carols at the organ, and all try to keep our eyes open at midnight mass. I remember one year my grandma, being the doll collector, tied tiny little dolls (I think they were called Kiddles) all over her tree. As a little girl I thought that was the most magnificent Christmas tree I had ever seen.

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December 10, 2012

DIY Bulletin Board

So you all know I have three dogs, Charlie, Gracie and LuLu and our cat kitten (her name will be explained another day).

For a few hours each day I bring over Shelby, my neighbor’s dog, so that she can have a little play time while her family is at work.

We also have our stray outdoor cat Walter. Now Walter would live in our house if I had my way, but Topher is a fun sucker and drew the line at 4 animals.

Anyway back to the story, the other day our little girl from next door came over, and when she opened the door Charlie dashed out. Not good. Charlie is ridiculously fast — for only having legs 3 inches long. So out he flies, I ran after him, the neighbor girl runs after me and didn’t shut the door, so out runs Shelby, and behind Shelby is the stray cat Walter running, as fast as his fat little body will go.

I can’t imagine how this would have looked to a neighbor glancing out their front window. A tiny little white dog screaming by, next an 8 year old little girl, then a thrity-something year old woman, next a 25 pound grey schnoodle, followed by a 23 pound yellow tomcat. I knew, as it was happening, it was Youtube-worthy.

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