Challenge for 2011

I have taken the challenge...Instead of a New Year's Resolution, I have taken the challenge to read more classic books by joining the Wordsworth Classic Reading Challenge. By the end of the year I have committed to read the following classic books:

Emma by Jane Austin
Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
Moll Flanders by Daniel DeFoe
Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
Adam Bede by George Eliot
Mrs Dolloway by Virginia Woolf

I can't wait to start. I am going to get downloading on my Kindle right now. Come on join me...it will be fun. Click on the button on my side bar to join...

Christmas Eve Visitor

How funny is that ghost in the background, I just loved him so much I didn't have the heart to take him down after Halloween...

Layton is still talking about how he met the real Santa...

Christmas addiction...book paper crafts...

I fell in love with book paper crafts this Christmas...so I thought I would share some of the projects that I worked on over the Christmas season...By the time Christmas rolled around I have to admit to being completely burned out on the whole concept of crafting...I was talking to my mother about it and she sent me the most perfect quote...it made my day and renewed my faith in the joy of creating..."I just want to make beautiful things, even if nobody cares. it's a peaceful place to be in life." She found the quote here. I think it may be my new mantra for 2011...
Well anyways here are some of my creations. It all started with the shredded paper for the bottom of my centerpiece...I got my shredder for $7 at a lawn sale a few summers ago with my sister...I use it mostly for crafting...


This is the gift I made for my secret santa that I joined through lillyella. It is a Rolodex...

I mounted it on a 5x7 frame and put a Christmas poem in it...

I haven't taken pictures yet, but my secret santa sent me the perfect present...a beautiful book paper craft book and two gorgeous skeins of yarn...she couldn't have picked it better if she had known me! How did she know I was addicted?



This is the package after I wrapped it...


I really liked the wrapping so I wrapped my dad's birthday present the same...

and my friend Karen's present...


I spent one evening crumpling up paper while my husband tried to watch tv, to make this...and then I took the leftover butterflies and put them in some glass bulbs
to make these...

I can't wait to look at my new book to come up with some new ideas...Especially after I got this for Christmas from my husband...

Yep...tons of gorgeous antique books...

Christmas Preparations...

My little helpers...



Chocolate men dipped in white chocolate...


Grandma mini's chocolate spice cookies...

Layton dusting the marshmallows...




Looks like we are almost ready...

Giving thanks...for Thanksgiving Day...do people do that?

After the wonderful holiday I have had...I am feeling that a second Thanksgiving is probably necessary. I feel so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family....First, of all I want to thank my husband who ran around like a crazy man last week...did all the shopping...which entailed three grocery store trips, two trips to the liquor store and several trips to our "clubhouse" to find things for me, on three different days...one with all three kids in tow...cleaned the entire house and somehow made it to work...amazing!

Then there is my amazing family, who arrived with there own gifts to share. My sister with four pies and the most amazing lemon curd I have ever had (I am still dreaming about those tarts), my mother with the BEST stuffing I have ever had (we all agreed on this one) and a pecan pie...and then she brought me this:Tell me this isn't the most beautiful cornucopia you have ever seen! My table looked amazing...(pay no attention to my paper napkins...totally forgot...hey its my first time hosting...cut me some slack).

After Thanksgiving my mother stayed for two days after everyone else left and we crafted and decorated our hearts out... We actually mounted an antique mantle to the wall all by ourselves (we are so proud). We laughed that if any man saw us using that jigsaw we would never live it down...but we did it and it came out perfect...



Eh? right...check that out...I purchase the mantle at an antique store for $100 and spent the summer stripping the many layers of paint off the poor thing...and much to my delight there was beautiful tiger oak underneath! Yeah! But I deserved it...I worked so hard.

After the day of hanging it...my mom and I needed a rest, but the next day we set to work making my Christmas wreath. My inspiration came from Kate at Centsational Girl, she posted about this wreath:Don't you just love it? Well anyways, I had a lot of the materials at home in my craft room, but I did make a trip to the dollar store for some fake snow and pine cones...and voila... Here is my wreath! And here it is with the mantle... My mom and I had an amazing time...I missed her the second she pulled out of the driveway!

AND IF ALL THAT WASN'T more than enough to be extra thankful, when I got to work today, I was surprised with the MOST BEAUTIFUL gift I have ever received for my wonderful friend Karen. About a week ago while surfing my Google Reader, I came across a post by Becca at Blue Cricket Design where she shared a tutorial on how to make this advent project:So I emailed the post to my friend Karen who is a paper crafter and GUESS WHAT I found on my desk today!

YEP! She made them for me...Not only did she make them for me, but she spent her precious time over the holiday to make me this wonderful Christmas gift (and I got to open it early...bonus). I told her today, "You know how when you are making something for someone, you envision them loving it when you give it to them...well I love it ten times more than that." She not only gave me a gift, but gave my family a new tradition. Karen is a amazing person, teacher, instructional leader and friend and I am so lucky to have her! I will treasure this gift always!

In summary...I am calling for a second Thanksgiving...any takers?

Furniture...Gone White...before and after

I thought it was about time I shared with everyone the reason why I have been seen with white paint on my hands for the last six months...I have been painting the world white...After moving into my new house, I decided my dining room set (that was pieced together from various places over the years) needed an update...I can't count how many people have come in and asked me when I got a new dining room set...a little white paint goes a long way!


SO here it goes...here is the buffet...(sorry for the poor picture I took it in the garage on a sunny day) before...


And AFTER...
Dining room table...BEFORE...(notice the green walls...they got a coat of white too!)
and AFTER...
China cabinet...BEFORE...

and AFTER...(notice the white walls?)


Looks like new furniture, doesn't it?

Thanksgiving Birthday Boy

My middle child Lawson turned five on Thanksgiving this year. he was so excited to have all of his cousins in town to celebrate with him...Here he is eating his Thanksgiving breakfast with his birthday crown...


My oldest Luke is helping me make his birthday cupcakes...


Turkey cupcakes...of course...




Aunt Kate made Lawson a special birthday apple pie too...his favorite...

Halloween Party

We hosted our first party at the new house on Halloween this year...Food, friends, and fun!
We had four wonderful soups and lots of treats to share!


Lawson tries on the wig...So that's what a girl child would have looked like...if I didn't have three boys...

The caramel apples were a big hit!



My sister-in-law Wendy and niece Marissa. Ready for Trick-or-Treating!
Mr. Incredible doesn't cry...
The Undertaker...with his tough guy look...scary!

The Reyda's...

Wait...isn't that the sweatshirt we love to wear every day to school? Where did the Knight go?
Oh well!