Alyssa's Birthday

Well, I don't know how happy I am with what I'm doing for Alyssa's birthday gift, but the boys helped me decide. And I realized that if they would like them, then the girls might too. So they talked me into a birthday crown with her name on it. We bought her a jewelry making kit (that I hope she will be able to make.) I'd like to make her something else too, but I'm not quite sure what.

I'm a terrible aunty!

My niece Alyssa is turning 7 in just one week. Somehow with being sick and the cold, and DI, and other things, this had simply left my mind. Now I'm in a mad hurry to craft something for her, and I am having crafters block!!! I have no idea what to make for her. She's wonderful and spunky and likes red, and I still have nothing!

I considered either a pillow or a reading pillow (with straps to hold down a book.) But they don't seem right. I'm super stuck. Anyone out there in blogger land have any ideas I would be so grateful to hear them!

Ugh, I'm back

Well, it seems the entire world got really sick around my birthday, and I haven't had much time to do anything. Well, so far everyone seems back to their old selves, and the weather has turned bitterly cold. So, you'll probably see me making up for lost time as we snuggle in at home.

My birthday was wonderful, I did nothing which was the goal. Tim's mom took the boys (they had off of school, and she had off of work, everyone was happy!) I watched some soaps (believe it or not, I totally caught up.) I took a long bath, painted my toenails, drank tea, watched the snow fall, read a bit from a book I enjoy, Tim brought home some Chinese (my fav, he hates,) and we did absolutely nothing! It was so nice!

I received some wonderful gifts from a craftster birthday swap. I got a neat crocheted fairy.

I received a whole package full of crafting goodies!

Also, I received my One Tiny Thing Swap item. It is a beautiful knitted wristlet. I know I need to get better at my picture taking techniques. I'd love to blame my old camera, but I really think itis more user error. Here it is and the picture doesn't do it any justice.

Well, that's fairly caught up.

My first birthday present!

Well, my birthday is coming up on Friday. I turn 29 this year. (Or 29 for the first time, depending on how I feel next year.) I was very excited to get my first birthday present today. When actually I have received a few now! My first one came this morning, a friend of mine has been busy writing a crochet book, and I have been helping her out by proofing her work. Well, she sent me a gift this morning. It's all wrapped up in pretty paper, and I am refusing to open it until my birthday (we'll see how that goes.) Then, this afternoon, I received a package from a craftster birthday swap! I know it is a tote to carry my crochet projects in, but I'm also going to wait to open it until my birthday. Lore painted me a picture for my birthday, which I may have framed it's so cute. My mother-in-law is taking the boys on Friday so I can have a day to myself! (Excellent gift, since they have off on Friday!)

I sat down and just thought today about where I thought I'd be at this age, and surprisingly, I'm NO where near it. However, I am really happy, which I don't know if I ever really thought I would be at this age. So many people go through life getting through it, and I think at the ripe old age I am, I have finally realized that looking around is so much better than coasting through. I am so blessed! So I guess if this is what getting older is, just appreciating everything more, then I guess.... BRING IT ON!!

Christmas Gifts

I didn't do the greatest at taking pictures of the gifts I made for everyone this year. However, I did manage a few shots, so here they are.

This is an Amish puzzle ball that I made for my new baby nephew Evan. He's only about 2 months old, so he didn't care a whole lot. It has flannel dinosaur fabric on the outside and red on the inside.

For my 2 youngest nieces I made monkey finger puppets. So they could act out the 5 little monkeys jumping on the bed. Here they are all together.

Here is Jorden posing with 2 of her monkeys. She didn't really care for her picture being taken.

Here is Ambrosia with her favorite monkey. Her favorite color is orange, so her favorite monkey was the one with the orange bow in her hair. They played with them all night together, it was really cute!

Ambrosia's mom, Terri, is my sister-in-law. I made her this scarf. I caught a quick picture of it right before I wrapped it. It is rolled up tight around some wool socks, some iron-close teabags, and some fabulous lipchap! She loved it. It looks similar to Neapolitan Ice cream.

These next 2 I didn't make, but I had creative packaging, so I thought I should share. My mom's boyfriend asks for beer every year, so that's what he gets, but since it's the same thing, I feel I have to be creative with the wrapping. It's 2 of Santa's toy bags in the sleigh, which are being pulled by 8 tiny ReinBeer. It took about 15 minutes before we went to my mom's house.

A close up of the ReinBeer Antlers

The last picture I remembered to grab was a scarf for my grandpa. He wanted a scarf for dress, and church, so I came up with this one. This is rolled up around Old Spice (His choice not mine,) some lottery tickets, lip chap and some grenadiers (cigars that he likes.)