LITTLE MISS MATROYSHKA ....

Here is the Thanksgiving gift I made for a friend of mine. They always have our family over for a Thanksgiving meal - their family is very special to our family.
A couple of Thanksgivings back, I made her the big one of this set (Yes, I know I'm slow!!!). This is the medium sized one. The baby one will follow:-)
The pattern came from a UK publication I bought a couple of years back. It was a special Christmas edition. It is full of cute, easy and practical ideas - none of which take a huge chunk of time (or supplies) to make.

Have you seen those mini balls of yarn you can buy now? They're made by Lionbrand, and are called Bon Bon's .............. they are so much fun !!! I used a pack of those to make her (I still have enough yarn left over to probably make her over again). There are 8 balls in each packet, and they're available in different colorways and yarn weights ............ I'll let you into a secret -Shhh - I have them all :-) They're ideal for those small projects, where you only need a few yards of yarn ..... love them (it's all to do with the fact that they're the perfect, tiny, little ball :-)

Wishing y'all a very Happy Thanksgiving !!!

CREAMY DREAMY CARAMELS .....

What can I say ......... this picture does a far better job of explaining that title, than any words I have to say.  However ...... this is a blog, so I'm going to tell you more about them :-)

Our plans for Christmas this year, mean that I have to be organized well ahead of time - no last minute, Christmas Eve gifts in this house, this year !!!! In the past our neighbor gifts have been cookie platters ..... assorted cookies packaged in a creative way. This year, I'm thinking of doing homemade candy trays .... Yum, Yum, Yum !!!
I already have a few tried and true candy recipes that I'll use. However, this magazine hit the grocery store shelves this week ...

Let me just say at this point, that I find it REALLY difficult to turn down anything Martha Stewart. I think she (or as my hubby likes to point out to me, her team) are creative geniuses. However, her recipes intimidate me .... why, I'm not entirely sure. The recipe for these caramels was in the latest issue though, and it seemed pretty simple - so I put on my apron, pulled out my candy thermometer, took a deep breath and got busy !!! They turned out perfectly, and were absolutely, melt in your mouth delicious !!! They will definately be on the candy gift trays this year.

So if caramels are your thing, I'd highly recommend a trip to the magazine aisle of the grocery store or book store ........... you wont be disappointed :-)

FOR THE LOVE OF PAPERCLAY ....

I have made mention of paperclay a number of times before on this blog ...... I love it. I love how easy it is to work with, as well as how versatile it is. I love that it air dry's and can be sanded to remove any blemishes. It is very light when dry. The downside ..... It can be a little pricey, but a little does go a long way. I never buy it unless I have a coupon ...... let's face it, between Hobby Lobby, Joann's and Michaels, somebody ALWAYS has a coupon !!!!

I used paperclay to make the heads of this lovely ....
My other zombie doll from a few posts back, also had a paperclay head :-)

I get such inspiration from Elizabeth (Creative Breathing) - she is a phenomenal artist, who creates THE cutest characters to inhabit her craft room. Her blog is a "must visit" ....... you could spend hours scrolling through her gorgeous creations. Here are my snowman creations .....

He looks like he's shivering in the cold .....

There's nothing like those first snow flurries to signify winter ....

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas, without an outing to choose the perfect Christmas tree.

These little snowmen jars, just make me smile :-)
The jars came from some canned fruit. They're perfect ...... they have little markings on the side of them, that look just like snowmen arms. I put sparkle thread and a tealight inside each jar (the battery operated kind ... of course) ....... I love the effect. They would make great jars to gift some homemade candies in too.

These are not made from paperclay, but are paper mache balls, that I painted and added a stick and some ribbon to. I think they would look very cute as part of a Christmas centerpiece.

I'm certainly in Christmas decor mood ...... my gift list is slowly being worked through too....... Hopefully I'll get most of it done in time :-)
So how is your Christmas crafting going ......

SHAWNEE'S SECRET SANTA SWAP ...

Shawnee is hosting her Secret Santa Swap again this year !!! I have taken part before, and what a lovely treat to get a Secret Santa Package in the mail ...... just for you :-)

To make it easier for our Secret Santa to put together the perfect package, we have a few questions to answer .... it makes it so much easier if you know what your partners like and dislikes are, so here we go .....

What are your hobbies

I love all things crafty ..... I sew, knit, crochet, scrapbook and bake just about daily ....

What are your favorite colors

Pink, black, white for everyday, but at Christmas red, gold, midnight blue and Christmas green make a strong showing

Do you collect anything

No

Allergies to any fibres or animals

No

Do you have any pets

A turtle, some fish, a leopard gekko and some toads (they are really the kids pets)

Coffee, tea or chocolate

All 3, but the tea must be hot, and plain..... no fancy flavors for me:-)

What do you like to read

I absolutely love stories about the Amish ...... I find their way of life fascinating, and their dedication to their faith very inspiring.

Cookies or candy

Definately chewy candy

Favorite Holiday Treat

Vanilla Tootsie Rolls - I always buy a few extra bags at Christmas to last me through the year

Favorite Holiday Tradition

I make the kids Advent Calendars every year. I also make Christmas PJ'S for us, that we wear on Christmas Eve. We go to Church on Christmas Eve too ...... I absolutely LOVE our Church's Christmas Eve service. This is always followed by dinner at our local Italian Resurant with close family friends of ours.
 Did you believe in Santa

Absolutely

When do you open gifts

Christmas morning

Do you put up a tree

Yes, the first weekend in December

Favorite gifts to give and recieve

Hands down it's handmade gifts - I think they're precious and priceless. Last year my daughter made me a lap quilt - it was a complete surprise ..... she had learned to sew at school just a few weeks earlier. That little quilt is one of my most treasured possessions.