Christmas Cookie book lost and found

Why does my brain work overtime RIGHT at bedtime?? Last night after I crawled into bed after being sick as a dog all afternoon my brain started kicking into overdrive.
I started thinking about Christmas and all the memories. My mind went back to many moons ago when
My twin sister and I were kids. I remembered about a cookie book my mom used to have. It was spiral bound. I couldn't remember the publisher or what had become of this cookie book. I wondered where it was and if it was a better homes and gardens cook book. I suddenly thought it wasn't the gifts I remembered most it was my mother. My mother baking her christmas cookies. My twin and I would get out this special book my mom had and we would pick out cookies we wanted mommy to make for us. She made the Candy cane ones and the sugar cookies and a bunch of others.
First thing this morning I called my twin sister. " Hey sissy do you remember whatever happened to that Christmas cookie book mommy had. She said oh yeah, I have it. Mommy gave it to me 20 years ago. Well glad to know the book is safe and sound with Sissy.
Got me to thinking I don't recall ever making Christmas cookies for or with my own kids. How sad. I decided to go to Kroger and get the ingredients to make some cookies for Christmas, butter, sugar, flour, vanilla, cookie cutters and cookie icing too, oh and nonpareils.

I sure hope they come out good, I hope I can begin making up for lost time. Its not the presents we remember most its the little extra touch's that matter most

I'm dreaming of a white CHRISTmas

Lately I HAVE been dreaming of a White Christmas, just not the kind with snow.


Here is my idea of a white Christmas, a little cute cuddly ball of holiday cheer!!


Merry CHRISTmas to me, From my hubby. Did I NEED this kind of a WHITE CHRISTMAS????

Ya don't ask those kinds of questions, NOBODY NEEDS this kind of WHITE CHRISTmas.

She's just wonderful to have.

P.S. I am a responsible pet owner and I DO NOT advocate getting your kiddo's something cute and cuddly for Christmas.

Have a Holly Jolly?

Have a holly Jolly Christmas its the best time of the year?

Perhaps for many, to be honest it has never been the best time of the year for me. I love the meaning of CHRISTmas but find myself easily getting overwhelmed by it all. The shopping, the cooking, the cleaning, the planning, the wrapping, all on a working woman's schedule.
Add to that the lack of sun light and what do you have? A recipe for Dis ASTER!!!!
ALthough I am no longer a child I find most of my holiday memories going back to the family dysfunction junction. I always said my family WAS FUNCTIONALLY dysfunctional.
I remember my mother and father had the NASTIEST arguments and fights over Christmas and it was EVERY single year. You could count on my father being miserable on Christmas.

This is not about what CHRISTmas is, it's about the birth of a Savior. Personally I need a Savior, I really truly do and am thankful that he came to give life abundant.
I have learned to pair my expectations way down. This is not the best time of the year. Sure its alot of fun and getting together with friends and family is awesome!!!! Celebrating the
birth of My savior is wonderful, the music is absolutely FABU, the meaning of the songs heartwarming too.

I am keeping Christmas simple. I will do this by limiting the revelry. I am NOT going to exhaust myself going to every party willy nilly. I may or may not send Christmas Cards. I give myself the option of saying no. I love all of you, but SANITY is the first and foremost issue around this time of year. I might even do my shopping online for everybody. Everybody deserves a little Holly Jolly but you have to find it for yourself and if come January you are Cooked, done, fried, whats the point?

Black Friday Snag, Rude people and payback

Can we say Snag it???? Yup I snagged it. What did I snag?

Welllllllllllllllllllll Anyone whose anyone KNOWS I am crafty. I just love to make stuff.
I sew, paint, make cards, you name I do it. One of the tools I use is a cricut. I was able to get a cricut last year on sale at a great deal. About the time I picked up my first cricut, provo craft came out with the cricut imagine. Its got all the bells and whistles on it, yup it can even cook your dinner. Okay so lets talk about the price here. It was OUT OF LINE, crazy sky high, over the top, out of my budget. It was selling for between 499.00-599.00. I put it out of my mind.
Fast forward. Black Friday. I had heard through the grapevine that the cricut imagine was going to be on sale on black Friday at wally world for an amazing 187.00. Hmmmmmmm that got me thinking. I could ask my three kids to chip in for me ( would that be crass? uncooth?) I decided to just go for it. Last year was a myriad of sweaters that did not fit and what nots left unused and unloved. I spoke up and told my kids what I wanted. BUT here was the catch someone had to go get it. No theres the rub. My kids said they would chip in but NONE of them would wait on line. Hubby SWEETLY volunteered to take me on Thanksgiving night to brave the cold cruel world. This was my first ever venture. I wasn't too sure what to expect, but I knew if ya want a deal the early bird catches the worm. So after Thanksgiving we headed out to Walmart about 8 pm. I kind of thought they might be gone. Everybody knew they were on sale and this was the big one. I meandered into walmart and trotted my butt back to the crafting/ sewing aisle. I saw HOARDS of people standing in line. The first voice I heard once I got back there was " Hey if you want a t.v you need to go to that line over there" in a rather rude tone. I politely told the walmart employee that I was there for the cricut imagine. I was fortunate, they had more than enough for me, ahahah! She loaded it in my cart for me and then the fun began. We paced around the store until about 8:45 and at that point the store was jam packed. I was getting a little panicky as the aisles were crowded and it was wall to wall people. Hubby and I decided to walk to the front of the store "just in case" you know the just in case. Just in case a stampede breaks out, or shotgun fires, or an explosion. Who knows what might happen in a crowd that large, hahahah. So I found a seat and started the 1 hour wait till the check outs opened at 10 pm. Since I enjoy watching the human race I figured this would be the perfect opportunity. Trust me it was NOT a pretty sight. The men behaved themselves. They waited their turns, played by the rules and were generally nice. The women on the other hand were just plain UGLY. Manners went out the door and decorum was no where to be had. When it came time to line up I got on the express line- under 20 items. As I get very close to the checkout a woman with a huge overstuffed wagon with at least 45 items steps right in front of me. I mean she tromps right ahead of me, practically pushing me out of the way. I turned around and said to hubby "what does she not understand about under 20 items?" Hubby being the level headed one out of us quickly shusshed me up and said lower your voice you don't want to incite a riot. I was red hot angry. Did she not know right from wrong, it was obvious she had no manners or integrity. About 5 minutes after this lady cuts me off, ANOTHER lady walks right up to the lady who originally cut me off with a GAZILLION items and starts trying to get through the crowd, yelling at the top of her lungs can I get through? can I get through?, my brother is waiting for me at the front. Everybody in line gives her a dirty look but she continues. Finally someone says No you cannot cut in line. She then drags her wagon around the other way and Slips right in, Right in FRONT of the original lady who cut me off!!!!!! Then my hubby started laughing and said "see she got hers!!!" Sometimes it just more fun to back off and wait to see how it all works out!!

Precious is the stuff that matters most.

Thanksgiving is the time when family gathers around, spends time together, feasts and enjoys the day.
What matters most today? Is it the food? Certainly great food is a wonderful blessing and I am thankful for that. But its memories that matter most and Love.

Today what was the Most precious thing? I got a very special gift. Really I truly did.
Come take a look. Mimi's lil guy made this for her ( thats me) Yeah he had some help from his Mama ( My wonderful niece)

I will be putting this in my craft Room to remind me how precious life is, how fast they grow up, how you blink your eyes and they are grown. I guess I am getting sentimental. To think she took the time out of her busy schedule to sit and make this precious little turkey with his baby hands and feet. NOW this is PRECIOUS!!!!

You should be outraged, I am!!

I am shocked, sickened and saddened to hear about  this.
Here is the Link to Leslie Loves veggies where she Discovered Some Heinous activity happening
http://www.leslielovesveggies.net/2011/11/dailysteals-com-this-hateful-ad-appeared-on-their-site-today-i-am-sick.html

This is what they had on their website, THIS IS NOT FUNNY

“Ah kids, everyone’s worst nightmare. They’re terrible to sit next to in pretty much any situation, be it on a bus, on a plane, in a waiting room, etc. Kids are active little creatures that lack the brain capacity to calm themselves in a manner that isn’t explosive. Therefore, the worst situation is being near a kid that does not have the option of running free like a dog or something. Come to think of it, kids are very much like dogs. If dogs had opposable thumbs they would eat like children. The good thing about kids, however, is that most of them are so stupid that you can just give them something and they’ll be occupied for hours. Like this Disney Pix Click Digital Camera, for instance. You give a kid this and BAM, you don’t have some annoying little thing constantly bugging you to change the channel to an asinine cartoon while you’re trying to concentrate on something you legitimately enjoy. Go ahead, let it outside, let it run around … just make sure you put its collar on in case it gets lost.”

isn't there enough pain and suffering in the world, Apparently this is not something new, If you go to their website and look at past Deals you will see this is what they do.

DISGUSTING!!!!

Easy 1 hour Christmas ornament

 

Thankful Thursday

My Dear sweet Friend Sylvia at Christian homekeeping forums is encouraging us to Devote Thursday and make it a THankful Thursday.


I am so Thankful to God for so much. How can I begin to give him the Praise he deserves?
What I am doing to encourage Thankful thinking is praying and stating to the Lord all the many things I am grateful for.
Many times the things I am grateful for might seem silly to many.

running water, a home, a bed, a family, my dog, food, a job, friends, church,
my salvation, a fabulous husband, a car that runs, an indoor job!!!!!
Little things like that. God is so good, all the time. and He is faithful even when I am not.

My redeemer lives!!!!

Run, Run as fast as you can!!! Can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man

I made a cute little gingerbread Pin for the Holidays today.

It's adorable and really easy to do. Here is a list of supplies you will need.

Small crafting scissor
Large scissor
2 paper lunch bags, or brown wrapping paper
An image of a gingerbread man ( you can get this off the internet, as long as it is not copyrighted)
Glue stick
hot fix crystal setter
hot fix crystals
sewing machine
mod podge.


First find a colorful image of a gingerbread man, download it and print it off
cut the image out ( there is a picture of the gingerbread man I used)
take the image and cut 4 gingerbread men out of the paper bags
Take the glue stick and glue the four brown gingerbread men to the back of the colored image.

NOW THE FUN BEGINS,
take your gingerbread man to the sewing machine and sew the outline of the man with a coordinating thread, I used white to sew along the vest jacket of my lil man. You can use what goes with your lil man.
Then use your hot fix tool to attach crystals to the front of the gingerbread man.
Seal completely with Mod Podge- give several coats and coat the edges of the gingerbread man too.
When the gingerbread man is semi dry- and no longer tacky, place a book over the gingerbread man so that he flattens out. Give him a few coats

and once this little Guy ( or girl) is dried, apply your pin back to the back of the gingerbread man.
If you want to use this as an ornament you can also do that by attaching a small piece of ribbon to the back of it. You can also use this as gift tag.

Looking for crafters and artists to join my tribe @triberr

I am looking for craft bloggers to join my tribe on Triberr.


This is an AWESOME way to get more exposure for your blog, meet other like minded bloggers.

Come on in and get your feet wet, Its easy!!

I look forward to hearing for ya'll

Holidays coming?? Need some inspiration

I have some tricks up my sleeves for the holidays. I will be showing you how to create
easy, peasy gifts to give as gifts or to decorate your own home!!!

Stay tuned, I do my videos and tutorials over the weekends so be on the Lookout within the next few weeks.


"Helping YOU discover your crafting gene"

Planning a new crafting tutorial for this weekend

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I am busy thinking up and preparing for a new crafting tutorial for all of you this weekend. How about some creative input, what would you all like to see for future videos?

YOU have a CRAFTY gene and I am going to help you find it!

Creating a cover for your e reader, FUN FUN FUN, Frugal frugal frugal!!!

I own a nook, LOVE LOVE LOVE my nook. I use it EVERYDAY!!! I saw those cute little covers in Barnes and noble and boy are they pricey, I am NOT gonna pay big bucks for something SEW easy to make, and quick too because TIME IS MONEY!!!!!

Here is the list of what you will need and I have uploaded videos to You tube to help you out, trust me its not hard, You can personalize it to make it your own and you can make them and give them as gifts. I show you the tutorial using a nook, but you can make them for any e reader.

Here are some supplies you will need
scissors
cardboard
fabric
thin batting
Rotary cutter (optional)
x acto knife ( optional, but helps with cutting cardboard)
Sewing machine
tacky glue, or 007 bonding glue, or even white elmers glue
Vinyl for pocket.

Cut a large enough piece of cardboard, lay your e reader down on cardboard and cut the cardboard with an exacto knife, on the top and bottom of the nook. YOu want to make sure that you cut the piece so that it fits over the nook like a book cover jacket.

Once the cardboard is cut you can use this as a pattern to cut 2 pieces of fabric and 1 piece of batting.

cut 2 pieces of fabric, cut 1 of batting
Glue the batting on the side of the cardboard that is going to be the front and back of the
cover.
Now the sewing begins,
Take your 2 pieces of fabric- right sides together, and sew three sides, leaving the top open so that you can slide the padded cardboard into it.
Slip in your padded cardboard and closed up the edges of the raw edges, fold fabric down and
top stitch.
With you appropriate sized piece of vinyl you will want to sew 3 sides to the inside of the nook cover,
At this point you can choose to make a closure out of scrap fabric, or even use ribbon to make a tie closure.

Helping YOU discover YOUR crafting Gene!!

Helensewsavvy@youtube.com

Crafty shopping day& saving money

I am only working 45 minutes today ( don't ask, hahahah) and after that I am going to
go with my good friend Darlene to Joann's.

We all know craft expenses can add up. Here is what I always do to save money on
my supplies, its nothing extremee believe me. I signed up for their coupons and
I only buy supplies when I have a coupon, OR if the sale is too fabulous to pass up.

Last week I was able to purchase a Jolee's hot fix applicator for about $6.00, YUP
you heard right, 6 bucks folks!! Gotta be savvy and frugal at the same time.

This weekend I will show you what to do with Yo Yo's, NOPE not that kind of yo yo, we are not going to be walking the dog or going around the world, it will be FABRIC....................... stay tuned!!

Helensewsavvy

Finally doing what I am meant to do.


Helensewsavvy@youtube.com


crafting, sewing, decorating, making things and showing you how to make them too!!


Everybody has a crafty gene!!!!