I Don't Need No Stinkin' Gingerbread!

I love the idea of being Susie Homemaker or Martha Stewart. You did get the key word there: "idea". I don't have the gift when it comes to somethings. Baking is one of them. I try and try, but I'm not that great. Needless to say I have a wonderful husband that can bake. Woo Hoo for me!

Instead of making Gingerbread Houses with the kids this year, I thought we would use Mad Dog's Graham Cracker Recipe and make Graham Cracker Houses. A few weeks ago I found a great cookie cutter kit from Wilton. The kit came with 3 large cookie cutters which when 2 of each are cut and baked can be assembled into a small simple house. I was all for that. I even got it 40% off. Sweet!

Between Thursday and Friday Night Mad Dog made two batches of Graham Cracker dough for me. The recipe calls for the dough to chill overnight. On Saturday during errands at Target I picked up a bunch of different candy for decorating. The plan was for me to roll, cut and bake the cooks Saturday afternoon and assemble the houses Saturday night for decorating on Sunday with the kids. Easy right? Yeah right!

I rolled the dough out and cut the individual pieces and let them chill for 45 minutes (per Mad Dog's recipe) before baking. I had to adjust the cook time on the cookies since I wasn't rolling them out at the 1/8 inch the recipe calls for. Honestly we like the Graham Crackers a little thicker for this recipe. I baked the cookies and had them cooling before the kids went to bed.

I made the frosting to build the houses. I will say it was a little too runny at first and I had a hard time getting the houses to hold. I used cups and mugs to hold the walls upright while the icing set. By the time Mad Dog came home (late) I had two houses assembled and holding.

After decorating the tree this morning I made more icing and instead of using piping bags, I put the icing into bowls thinking the kids could dip the candy in the icing or use a spoon to spread it on. I placed the candy in little bowls and laid everything on the coffee table in the living room. The kids were excited.

They jumped right in eating the candy. Loki who doesn't even look the direction of candy found a whole new world. She had her fingers in everything. I showed them how to decorate the houses, mainly working on Loki's since she was too busy eating the candy to bother putting it on the house. Lex wanted to do his all by himself. He did a good job, seeing things I did to Loki's and asking how he could do that. I showed him and helped when we would let me.

Lex found he liked gumdrops (like his Daddy). Loki found she likes Mike & Ikes and wants to like Good & Plenty, but really just likes to carry them around with her. Once the decorating was finished the kids went and washed up while I cleaned up the candy. After clean up Lex exclaimed that he was ready for a nap. Loki was due for one too. They both went in with no issue, allowing me to finish clean-up and take photos of the finished houses.

Loki's House

It was a very sweet afternoon.

Lex's House

Tag You're It!

Wrapping paper isn't something I think about often. We have a little tradition when it comes to the kids and their wrapping paper from Santa, but other than that I just pick something I like. 

This year I found this cute wrapping paper at Target with car on it. It was cute, didn't say Christmas or Happy Holidays, just cars carrying trees tied to their roofs. When I got home I took a second look at the paper and came up with a simple cute gift tag to go with it. 

I purchased a pack of cardstock paper at Michael's  Friday night. I simply hand-cut the cars out and then the window openings. I then used construction paper to cute tires and glued them on with a glue-stick. I then used my handy Sharpie and added the To: and From: 

I think they will be cute when the packages are all tied up and ready for giving. 

Christmas Doesn't Start with Cookie, it Starts With Lists

Everyone has Holiday projects, whether it's making gifts, decorating for the season, getting the house ready for holiday guests or just your everyday projects. I have been working very hard and trying to get stuff knocked off my list, but it seems it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. A friend of mine said I might just have to let some stuff go. I know this is true, but I'm going to try to bang out as much as I can this weekend and for the next few weekends prior to Christmas. Here is some of my "To Do List" - oh and I know if I would get off the damn computer I would get a hell of a lot more done.

• Holiday Gift Tags (to match out wrapping paper)  - 12/4
• Pot Holders/Oven-mitts for Loki's Kitchen (gift from Santa) - No happening
• Apron for Loki's Kitchen  - 12/18
• More Felt Fruit / Vegetables / Food: Strawberries, Chilly Peppers, Ravioli, Bow Pasta  - 12/12
• Ducky Moo Moo Stuff Animal (Surprise for Lex) - No happening
• Scan Family Photos for Mom (PRIORITY) - 12/4
• Address Christmas Cards (If Mad Dog gets the rest of the addresses I need) - 12/12
• Tree Garland (all most done) - Really haven't gotten back to this.
• Graham Cracker Houses with the kids (No Gingerbread since they won't eat it) - 12/4
• Holiday gifts for the kids God Parents (can't tell you what, since they read the blog - but promise pictures after the holidays) - 12/11
• Glove Squires for my Mother-in-law - In Progress
• Decoupage Bird House for my Mother-in-law - In Progress
• Curtain for Loki's Kitchen -12/18
• Finish Local Gift Giving Idea List for Local Food Blog (almost there)Put snowbanks on my Lego Town (they're scheduled for a Northeaster this weekend - Guys go by Lego bread and Milk at the Green Grocer  and La Patisserie) - Mostly Done, but didn't get posted in time. 
• Chocolates for gifts - 12/18
• Special Christmas Ornament for a special kid - 12/4
• Hang Shelf over Gigi's Bed 12/14
• Wash Gigi's Sheets/Comforter - 12/14
• Frame Gifts 12/11
• Wreath - Not Happening

I know I'm missing some, but that is a start.

Eat Your Vegetables!

Quick post! I have been working on my felt vegetables for Loki for Christmas. Last weekend I made carrots and squash. I'm getting better with each on. I'm very excited about the final results.

I still have an Eggplant to make and I was thinking I could make some string-beans (that idea just came to me). I also want to make some bread, thought I don't know about that yet.

 Oh- and the photo of Loki I just thought I would share with you. She fell asleep last weekend watching Toy Story 3 in our bed. Lotso was keeping and eye on her for me.

Going Dutch

Busy. Busy. Busy.

 I started my comic book garland this past weekend. Now I only have about a foot and a half but I'm very excited about how it is turning out. I think it should take me about a week to complete the whole things, if I work on it while we watch a little television each night.

Tuesday night we took the kids to Bass Pro Shop in Foxboro to see Santa. I've heard about the Santa's Workshop for several years now and we thought this was the year we would go. He is there weeknights from 5PM - 8PM. Photos are free, which worked out well since Loki didn't want anything to do with the big man. Lex on the other hand was so excited he almost explored. Because Loki wouldn't sit with Santa, Santa thought we should take a family photo. I got to sit in the chair with (the plan was) the kids on my lap, with Mad Dog and Santa backing me up. Loki again changed our plans and Mad Dog held her as far away from Santa as possible. Along with the photos they have coloring sheets and crafts, as well as the slot car race track and a train display. If you haven't been to Bass Pro, you should go. It's crazy impressive and honestly a little bit overwhelming (and that is not at the peak of the Holiday Season I assure you), but well worth the walkabout.

Today I managed to pick-up the kids Christmas Pajamas at The Children's Place. We started this tradition with Loki's first Christmas. This year the kids will all be in red snowmen pajamas. Lex and Loki were very helpful (NOT) at the store, while I tried to track down a 24 month, 3T and 10/12 in the same color. The PJs were 25% and I was sent a 30% off my purchase coupon that was good the 16th and 17th. On top of that the clerk who, honestly shouldn't have been working in a Children's clothing store (she wasn't very tolerant) missed ringing up Lex's 3T pair. Which means I got 3 pairs of pjs for $13.91. I am super happy about this, and even happier that I changed my plans and did go tonight with the kids.

Along with my shopping I completed Loki's jean purse which I started Sunday once I finished Lex's messenger bag. Using the same basic construction I formed the main bag, however the strap on hers is made from the waistband of the jeans, minus the belt loops. I added to mini-pockets on the front and back for her. This will be Miss Loki's special surprise tomorrow morning since she went to bed with no Nuk tonight. This has been a hurdle that I just haven't taken, thought it has been in the making. We had cut her Nuk nipple down to a small nub, but regardless of the work she had to do to keep it in her mouth each night at bedtime she popped it in and laid down. Tonight her Duplo Toy Story friends kept her mind off the missing Nuk. I think her new bag will be the perfect      accessory to her Upcycle T-Shirt Dress.


Right now my plan is to jump into bed and get some reading done. But before I go, I have to throw something else out there. We have recently been pushing the "Better Be Good" card with Lex with Christmas coming. It has been a 50-50 shot on if it works and if it doesn't. Today I was listening to David Sedaris Live at Carnegie Hall at work. He reads several piece from ESQUIRE magazine. I can't recommend this CD enough, it is a killer. I was almost laughing out loud at work today, because things struck me so funny (and I've hear it a million times). To get back to the reason I brought this up. Sedaris reads a piece on the CD that I'm thinking I might have to share with Lex. The piece is Six to Eight Black Men. Take a moment to read the piece, though I think in print it is hysterical hearing Sedaris read it is priceless. I will just close by saying if Lex (and Loki) are not careful they should make sure they have their passports up to date, since I hear that Spain is lovely this time of year. 

Monkey See, Monkey Do

As I posted last night I completed Loki's Upcycle T-shirt Dress yesterday, however Miss Loki wouldn't let me take any pictures of her in it. Today was a different story. She was very happy to get dressed and even stood for a photo or two. When asked to smile she did. I'm happy with it, though I think some people might think it's terrible and most importantly she likes it.

As usual because I was doing something for Loki, Lex needed me to do something for him. I had to first explain I couldn't make him a dress, but I would make him something just as cool. During yesterday's errands Loki took her Owl Purse I made her in September. She stuffed a few Duplo people in it and carried it around Target while we shopped together. Lex said he wanted a bag too, but since a purse was not in his near future I thought today I would make a messenger bag.

The original plan was to use black felt we had from Halloween costumes, but Mad Dog thought I could use a pair of recently ripped jeans of mine. I had a much better idea of how to construct it since my last attempt of the purse. Starting I cut the fabric from one of the legs to create the front, back and sides. Once the basic construction was complete I started on the flap, cutting more fabric from the leg (thank god for boot-cut jeans). I finished the edges and attached it to the main part of the bag. I then needed to find a strap or hardware to finish the look. I found our unused video camera's camera-bag and stole the shoulder strap from that. Then I found (after a lot of hunting) an old backpack of Gabrielle's that hasn't be used since she was like four, from that I stole a clip. I sewed in two belt loops for action figures (just what a little boy needs) and a pocket for some extra storage (no it's not straight).

With some more of the fabric from the jeans I think I will make Loki a purse (God only knows what I'll have to make Lex then). For now I'm going to put away the sewing machine for a bit and move on to making garland for our Christmas Tree.

Chistery

My plan is to use comic book pages to create a completely original Christmas Garland for our tree. I found a website that had instructions and a design I like. I have to cut 3.5cm strips of comic book using my paper trimmer. I then will glue the strips together. Starting with two strips I will glue one to the other at a 90 degree angle, then fold them back and forth until I run out of paper. This will probably be something I do while watching television at night, but I would like to start it.

I know it sounds weird - comic books, but our Christmas Tree isn't usually very Martha Stewart or Better Homes and Gardens. I mean come on we have a Chistery, the Christmas monkey as a tree topper. Our real tree, we don't go for those pre-lit trees (not that you can't go for that kind of thing), is usually short and placed on an old travel trunk of Mad Dog's. This helps keep the cat away from it and usually the kids too.  I think next year I would like to make a new tree skirt to match our stockings that my Mom made us. Now that my sewing is improving I think I could actually make one that would be lovely and might be able to be handed down to the kids (if their significant-other would let them put it out).

Christmas 2008

For now I'm going to focus on cutting comics (shh...don't tell anyone, Mad Dog hates when I say it out loud.). I have a lot of work to do since it looks like I need possibly 14 feet of garland for our (usually 5 foot) tree (christmasplace.com). What did we do before we could Google for every stupid question in the world?

Little Super Models and I Felt that Food

My list of projects since the passing of Halloween has grown longer (oddly enough). With the holidays coming I have many things to get done, some with specific deadlines and others without.

Within the last week I have started gearing up to make some Christmas gifts for Loki. She is getting a play kitchen from Santa (I picked it up on clearance in January/February of this year) and though she has a bunch of play food, I thought it would be fun to make her some. This completely started with the idea that I would make her some felt ravioli. Very simple and cute all at the same time. I made a run to Jo Ann Fabrics earlier this week and picked up some felt and found that they had Simplicity patterns on sale 5 for $5.00. I picked up a great pattern, 2445, which happens to be for play felt food. At a dollar I couldn't not buy it, even if I can't sew I would get through an eggplant or cupcake if it killed me.

Along with the play food I have fallen in love with a blog called i am MOMMA - hear me ROAR! . She does all kinds of amazing things with old t-shirts, fabric and stuff. I first noticed her blog when someone reposted her project called : Upcycled T-shirt Dress. I had to make one for Loki. It's easy. You even sew together the seams on the outside to give it that messy patchy look. I rummaged through stuff of mine, Mad Dog's and even Lex's (mostly Lex's). I found a Star War onies that was 24 month that I could cut. The top would fit Loki, but she wouldn't be caught dead in a onies now - so here come the scissors. Snip, snip. Then I pulled together a few other t-shirts, stained and just thing a little to boyish to put her in.

During our errands today I stopped at A.C. Moore and picked up fabric paint, stamps and thread. Once Mad Dog left for work and the kids were eating lunch I started cutting. I stamped two of the shirts with different foam stamps I picked up and then broke out the sewing machine. I'm happy with the end results, though I wish I had Mad Dog's 10 Things I Learned from Video Games t-shirt to cut up. Damn I was a week too late! I would love have a picture of my lovely Loki wearing it to show you how cute she looks, but Miss Thing was not in the mood for a fitting, nor was she up for a photo shoot (Tyra doesn't to put up with this from her models). Maybe tomorrow if her Heiress is up for it.

After the dress was done I moved on to my felt food. I started with the ravioli since I new that was simple. I sewed little squares of felt together and stuffed them with a little poly-fill. Using pinking shears I cute the edges. I then moved on to the bow tie pasta. Cutting rectangles with regular scissors and then using the pinking shears on the ends I folded them in an accordion. Then by hand stitched the center. I am planing on making a little box from poster board or foam core for them.  I have to pick up a little more of the cream felt to make some more, (I purchased a 1/4 of a yard of this felt instead of buying the squares since it was a little heavier weight.)

Next up were the strawberries. Since Loki loves the berries I thought this would be a wonderful addition to her kitchen. I have to find a little container for them, or I might build one out of popsicle sticks (which I bought today for projects with the kids). The strawberries came from the Simplicity pattern and were made from 9x12 pieces of felt and embroidery thread. I'm very happy with them. 

What else am I planning? I am making an eggplant, squash, and carrots. I have to poke around the internet to see if I can find any other ideas. That was Saturday, tomorrow I am hoping to work on the Giddy-Up Horses for the kids. I have everything for them now that I picked up the right size dowels from Lowe's (thank you for trying Mad Dog). I have to get as much done as I can, since next weekend is a only one project day (our Saturday is INSANE! - but all good). Rather than be blogging I should be cutting, sewing and creating. Or maybe I can get in a little Civ 5 before Mad Dog gets home. Oh decisions, decisions...

Project: Knights of the Nightstand

Now that Loki's dress is complete (Post: Pretty in Pink) I can move on to my next piece of furniture. It's a found nightstand that I plan on cleaning up for my side of the bed.

I started today by sanding it, but it's going to need a lot more of that. Though I didn't get very far with it, Mad Dog and I did address the missing draw front. I had planned on not bothering with it, but we might just reverse the draw and add a pull. I think I will still need a little trim to clean up the bottom of the draw front, but that should be easy enough.

Are you wondering what colors I'm going to use? I've had those picked out for months now. Though Mad Dog and I have a difference of opinion regarding what goes where, I've selected to paint the outside of the stand Boysenberry (Vlaspar # CI129) and the inside Grecko (Vlaspar #CI236). If Mad Dog was reading this he would ask, "what are those colors?" Boysenberry is a deep purple and Grecko a limey green. A bit loud? Sounds perfect to me.

I'll keep you up to date on this one. I'm hoping to be good about taking photos to document the project, but we all know how that goes.

Pretty in Pink?

 Once the summer was over, I started the process of fixing up Loki's room. The plan was to have this completed prior to the start of summer, but that just didn't happen.

I started with collage piece featured in Freeze Frame. The second project was Loki's dresser. It was an hand me down from Mad Dog's sister. The dresser itself was nice enough, but very boring. I picked a great color called Raspberry Tart from Lowe's Valspar paint line. After applying two

coats of paint I sanded the edges giving it a little bit of a "used" look. I would like to rough it up a bit more, but for now I'm  happy with the results.

The hardware was the next change out. I wanted crystal/glass knobs for the top draw, but found they were a bit more expensive than I wanted to spend. While shopping at Lowe's during yesterday's Build & Grow outing, I found one I liked, but again if I was going to be paying $4.00 per  knob and pull handle I wasn't going to be happy. I decided to move on from the crystal/glass and just find something I liked. Mad Dog and I talked selected black for the hardware. I liked the I idea of the hard contrast between the paint and the hardware. I felt chrome or stainless steel might just wash away with the strong color. I knew if I found a shape I liked I could aways by a can of spray paint and make it work. That is what ended up happening. I found draw pulls on clearance, very old school pulls for - wait for it $0.32 each. Which in my head meant I could purchase the crystal pulls I wanted. I picked up a can of black satin spray paint and I was on my way.

Since we were at my Mom's this weekend I spread out new paper on the deck and spray painted all the pulls, including the centers of the knobs which were separate components. When we finally got home my priority once the kids were settled was to put the hardware on. Since the pulls were different sizes than the holes on the dresser I had to drill at least one hole for each pull. Lex and Loki of course wanted to help, to the point where Loki lost the chuck for the drill (Mad Dog found it when he got home).

The dresser has been in place and in use for the past week and is now complete. On top its a photo of Loki and her siblings at Christmas last year, along with her solar powered owl friend that I purchased at Paper Source. On the other end of the dresser is Loki's lamp with her new black Ikea lamp shade and her mini-pumpkin which we got at Red Apple Farm. Behind the dress which is mounted on the door and came with the apartment and on the wall hangs Loki's original piece of Raven (Tiny Titans) art work painted by Franco. Perched on top of the painting is a small wall decal raven.

The next project is to replace the book cases in the room - oh and the clock. The clock was butterflies, but since the room has gone to the birds it needs a revamp. I am currently working art work to go over her bed, but it's not finished yet (and I'm not sure how I fell about it). All in all I'm happy how things are coming. The room is just enough girl, just enough rock n' roll, just enough comic book and just enough Loki to make us all happy.

Coming to an Outlet Store Near You! NOT!

Anyone will tell you I can cook. I'm not saying I'm going to be Top Chef or anything, but I am fairly confident in my cooking skills. My sewing skills are a completely different matter all together. I'm terrible. I just have not skill. I have attempted many time over the years to learn. Each attempt if it involves my Mother and Grandmother ends in them fighting over how things should be done. There is a lot of yelling.

Luckily for me Mad Dog has some mad sewing skills. He made the curtains Lex's room and had made the previous ones in Gabrielle's room when we lived in Chicopee. He has made several Halloween costumes for both of us, and Lex. He will using his skills this Halloween too with Lex's request that he be Superman and Loki be Batgirl. The plan is to go old school, not only in that we are making the costumes ourselves but also in the look going for the 1960's Batgirl from the Batman television show and the Man of Steel from the 1950's Superman television show. I will be the stylist to this designer, I will make them look good and work on any props they need.

So I don't sew. Today I did. I have been wanting to make Loki a purse for her to carry around with her. She likes putting things in to bags and putting it on her shoulder to walk around. I have recently went shopping at Jo Ann Fabrics to pick up some fabric for a project for Loki's Birthday Party, which means I have fabric in the house. I set out today to make a little bag for her. Again I have no skills, though I do know who to thread a sewing machine since my Mom and Grandmother would have me do it since I could see better (at least I learned something). With the kids down for a nap I set to work. I won't say it pretty on the inside, but I will say it will serve the purpose.

It's lined and the complementary fabric is featured inside and out. I used an old button I had and a "D" loop to make the clasp. I think if I actually planned it out I could have done better, but I was working through issues as I went. I'm happy with it and Loki seems to like it. Oh, don't worry about calling Vera Bradley she has nothing to worry about.

Freeze Frame!

As part of Loki's Room Redo, I created a photo college for her wall. The college contains 100 4x6 photographs I have taken over the years (actually 98 of them were taken by me, one by my Mom of Lex at birth and one of Loki a birth taken by Mad Dog). The complete piece is 40x60 inches.

The photos contain textures, things, food, places, animals and portraits. Among the photos are friends (Michael, Steve, Miles, Finn, Gretchen, Mary and Harper) and family (Sean, Tiffany, Kevin & Brent) as well as US! The photographs were taken in Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Jersey, Florida and North Carolina. They also date back as far back as 2003 and as recent as September 7, 2010.

It looks amazing and will give the kids ton of fun play "eye spy" different things and remembering when the photos were taken. I had a lot of fun sorting through old photos and find images that would work best with that I had already found. It also gave me a recent chance to practice framing shots of still objects and textures.

This one is finished and hanging, but Mad Dog and I have a feeling we will be making a smaller one for Lex's room. Guess I should start shooting!