The Mantle and Snow

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here...except there is no snow.
Central NY has gone about 280 days without snow...which is a record....and I can honestly say that I'm happy about that. The older I get, the more I hate the snow.
But a small dusting around the holidays would be fine. Living in the "snow belt" can be quite depressing - except when we have SNOW DAYS and get to stay home from school for the day!
Update: I woke up to a dusting of snow this morning...I don't think there was enough to measure, but it slowed down traffic on the highway - The sun melted it by 10 am! That was enough for me!

Thanksgiving down..Now onto Christmas....

Well, I survived Thanksgiving Dinner for 15 without any dilemnas, problems, or mistakes.
My grandson was the entertainment as he was introduced to sweet potatoes:
And other than the football game that brought on aches the day after, lots of wine and giggles, adult cousins having a little "whipped cream" fight and someone changing the position of the lighted reindeer in the landscaping (yes, they were "mating"), ALL went well......and we're all looking forward to doing it all over again in 28 days!! FAMILY!

Guess Who's Coming for Thanksgiving Dinner...

And that is what I am thankful for!

A very confusing time for me...

I am hosting Thanksgiving Dinner at my home this year, however I usually decorate for Christmas the day before and after. I just want Thanksgiving to move over to another month, or to just get out of my way - I am too anxious to decorate my new home this year! So when my guests arrive, they will see some specs of fall on the dining table and smatherings of Christmas here and there. So, with that in mind here is one of the last bits of fall I will show you and then it will be "on with the holiday spirit".

I bought a bunch of fall scented candles in the sale section of the Chritmas Tree Shop. They have three different scents and colors, and each has a wooden top. I knew immediately how I would use them.

I decorated them with leaves and ribbons and wrapped wire around them to hold a place card.
A very simple idea and an inexpensive favor for 15 guests- Cathy, act surprised when you see these!!
More importantly...I need a new digital camera. In the past 2 months, I have dropped 2 of them - and if you have never dropped a digital camera, don't EVER!! Once dropped, they never seem to work well, if at all....ANY SUGGESTIONS?...what type do you have?

I spotted this from 20 ft away....

As you know, I love fluted dishes, so I lucked out at the Regional Market last week when I bought this MacKenzie-Childs dish for only $8.00. (catalog price-$55.00)...lucky me!
I'm joining Thrifty Thursday at Bloggeritaville today, hop on over to see other thrifty finds!

The Stupid Ball....

Do you know what this is for?
Now that the weather is cold and snow is upon us, I will be parking in the garage. Now, let me tell you, I have never driven my car through the garage wall or through the door that goes into the house...NEVER EVEN CAME CLOSE...but my dear husband, the guy with every prevention in place, has put up this tennis ball as a "parking guide" for me. He even has a matching one on his side.

I refer to it as the "the stupid ball that prevents me from driving into our home".

Another idea for epoxy

I still had a few candlesticks I bought at the thrift store, so I decided to add some "height" to a few candles I bought for $5.00 at BBW. I soaked the bottom of the jars in water to remove the labels:Then I used epoxy to glue the candles onto the candlesticks:
Just a quick idea to add a bit of height. This would also work well with the large "jar" candles from Yankee Candle or Christmas Tree Shops.
Joining Toot Your Horn Tuesday for the first time today....Hop on over to see what other's are "tooting" about!

Paperback Book Wreath

Here's an idea for an inexpensive gift for a friend, especially one who likes to read. Lindsay at Living with Lindsay has a great tutorial on making a wreath from a paperback book- and she warns librarians to "avert your eyes" as she tears up a book! It's a simple project, time consuming, but simple! All you need is a paperback book (I used about 275 pages), a little paint (I used copper acrylic) a styrofoam wreath and a glue gun (I used 2 extra long sticks). Here's the one I made this weekend:As Lindsay suggested, I went to the Dollar Store for the paperback book and the wreath, and I aready had the paint and hot glue sticks - so, it cost me a whopping $2.00 to make, and a few finger burns from the glue gun - so I should have followed Lindsay's suggestion and used a "glue pencil" to hold the pages while the glue dried! Go to Lindsay's blog to see a quick video.I think I am going to spray mine with a bit of glitter spray, because everything looks better during the holidays with a bit of glitter!

I am joining Metamorphosis Monday for today - Stop over there to see other great transformations....and It's so Very Creative - some more great ideas!

Christmas Wrap Day 4

This gift bag is made from a medium brown paper bag from the grocery store: 7 1/2"W x 13"H.

I cut 3" off the top of the bag and stamped red snowflakes over all 4 sides of the bag and folded down 3" to form a flap. On the fold of the front side only, punch 2 holes, 1 1/2" in from each side. Cut 24" of ribbon. Thread the ribbon through the holes to create a "handle", knotting above and below the holes, and also knotting on each end. The flat card was made by layering 2 squares of scrapbooking paper (4 1/2" and 4"). The smaller square are also layered and one is stamped with holly, the other with "Happy Holidays". A snowman grommet and 2 snowflakes were added. This is glued onto the front, and the dangling ribbon is also glued to it.

Another sentiment was stamped underneath the fold.

Here's another similar bag, made with a larger grocery bag:
I'm joining Trash to Treasure Tuesday at Reinvented....swing on over to see what other bloggers have done

Click here for Wrap #1, Wrap #2 and Wrap#3

Christmas Wrap Day 3

This holiday gift bag is made from a brown paper lunch bag:
I layed this bag flat and a square (about 5") of green holiday fabric was cut out and glued on the front side. A strip of fake fur was glued along the bottom edge. His eyes were little painted dots and his nose is a pom pom. To fold the hat, fold back from corner to opposite corner of the fabric to form a triangle. Then fold down the top point forward. A jute bow was glued on the tip of the hat. Santa's beard was a 7" x 11" piece of muslin, folded in 1/2 to form a 7" x 5 1/2" strip. Glue a 7" piece of jute inside the fold. Tear small strips, 1/2"apart, up towards the folded edge with the jute, stopping 1/2" before fold. Glue this in a curve onto bag.

Isn't he cute? Inexpensive and easy to make! Tomorrow I will post the 4th paper gift bag. Here's Gift Bag#1 and Gift Bag#2

Hop over to Leigh's blog (Bloggeritaville) to see other Thrifty Thursday ideas...thanks for hosting, Leigh!

Christmas Wrap Day 2

This holiday gift bag is made with a white paper bag:
I layed the bag flat and traced a small plate to create the curve and then cut on the line. I folded the top down about 2-4 inches. The hat, eyes, nose and holly leaf are cut freehand out of a craft foam sheet and then glued them on (I punched small stars out of the eyes to add a twinkle). The hat band is a scrap piece of ribbon and I used a marker for his pebble mouth
Come back tomorrow for another inexpensive way to present a gift.

Christmas Wrap Day 1

The Christmas holiday is on my mind (OK, it always is...) and I would like to post some wrapping ideas during the next week. Most of them can be made with brown paper bags (but you will be surpised - many do not know that's what they are!).

This paper bag is painted with Jacquard Lumiere paints. I love Lumiere paints because they leave a beautiful sheen on the paper - they are metallic colors and can be used on fabric, leather, paper and wood.

I used a make-up wedge to smear gold, green, pink and purple paints (you could use a brush, sea sponge or even your fingers). I began with the sides of the bag, and when they were dry, I painted the back and front and let the bag stand up to dry. It's as simple as that.

I have also used Lumiere to paint brown craft paper for larger pieces of wrap. Tomorrow I will post another quick idea for gift wrap.

I'm joining Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch....go over to see some other great transformations!

What a nice surprise

I just received the Kreativ Blogger Award from Jane at Mamie Jane's and if you haven't read her blog, you must stop everything and visit now! She makes the loveliest crafts, has a wonderful flair for writing and her photos are fabulous.

I began blogging in the spring to catalog photos of my new grandson, but somehow it developed into an outlet for me to journal, a place to share ideas and a new avenue for me to become inspired by others.

The rules of the Kreativ Blogger Award ask that I name 7 things about me that you may not know. So here they are:

1. I grew up in Massachusetts and moved from Cape Cod to NY when I fell in love. I have lived here for 30 years. I have been married for 29 years, have 2 daughters. One is an elementary teacher and lives in Ohio with her husband and my new adorable grandson. Daughter #2 is completing college and will earn a bachelor's degree in December - and hopefully become gainfully employed and independent soon after!
2. I love to SHOP. If I could shop all day long, I would be happy. I love this time of year, when the stores set up for Christmas, because it gives me a good reason browse around. I have always imagined having a penthouse apartment in the largest mall in the world!!

3. I am a middle school home and career skills teacher - YUUPPP, I work with adolescents, ALL DAY LONG! I see the look of pity on your face! I am eligible for retirement, but may try to work a few more years - I know, I have lost my mind.
4. I love to travel, especially on a cruise ship. I haven't been to many countries, but would love to cruise around the world in luxury!
5. One of my favorite places on earth is Cape Cod - especially the beach in spring - it can just cleanse the mind and bring about a peaceful feeling.
6. I pay attention to detail. I tend to see things that others do not see the first time around. These are the things that make a difference to me, that make a house a home or makes a person shine, things that give me pleasure - finding something unique that makes something or someone stand out among the rest.

7. I love to create...I have always been clever when it comes to sewing and crafts. I enjoy cooking, BUT I HATE TO GARDEN! YUP....I hate dirt, hate worms, hate bugs...YUK...but I love a beautiful garden and fresh veggies...
Because these blogs have given me so much inspiration and enjoyment, I nominate the following to receive the Kreativ Blogger award:
Emily @ Not So Idle Hands
Kim @ Twice Remembered
Phyllis @ Around the House
Artie @ Color Outside the Lines
Rett @ The Gazebo House
Keelie @ Red Writing
Miss Mustard Seed
So, grab the button at the top of my post and share a bit about yourself.

And here are the "official" rules of the Kreativ Blogger Award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Blogs.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each.

We've Got a Winner...

Congrats to Andrea at Needle Notes!!
Andrea won the Progresso Prize Pack!

Visit Andrea's blog to see some great photos of local parks she has visited and some fabulous knitting projects she is working on. This is one of the market bags she made - I have a blue one and I love it!

Inspiration from Mexico

Today I am joining Do It Yourself Day @ A Soft Place to Land and Metamorphosis Monday hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch

I can't remember how I found Teresa's blog, ?What Do I Do All Day? , but in corresponding with her I learned a quick way to repair a glass lamp shade. She painted this lovely chandelier:

And that is what made me contact her. My sister-in-law had a small lamp shade with chipped paint and she wanted it repaired.
I removed the old paint with nail polish remover and a cotton ball:
And ended up with this:
So, as Teresa suggested, I bought a tube of acrylic paint (Rose) and some glue (Elmer's), and mixed it 6 parts glue to 1 part paint (and the color was much too bright so I squirted some cheap tan acrylic paint in the cup to tone it down)
As I painted it, I swirled the brush to give it some dimension and let it dry. Here's the result:
Now....these can not be washed because the paint will probably wash off, but that's OK because it is so easy to do over.

My WHEELS are turning...I can paint candlesticks, the apothecary jars I made last week, glass frames, ornaments.......even the old crystal lamp in my bedroom!

DON'T FORGET MY GIVEAWAY:
All comments left 'til Nov 4th are entered in my giveaway for a Progresso Soup Gift Pack - Winner will be picked the ol' fashioned way, strips of paper in a bowl, eyes closed, and one strip picked ....and if you want to become a follower, I'll throw in your name twice