My magazine "tree"

A different version of the little magazine tree  - I used to make these as a kid.

The best magazine for it is a Reader's Digest.

I used a clip to hold the pages together that I had already folded.  

(Go here for a real tutorial.)

I think it took me about 30-45 minutes.

I really love my little tree.  After Christmas it might go live in the bookcase.

For now it sits on the mantle with the little trees I am collecting.

a recycled thing of beauty, no?

Gina

Un-tacky homemades and a nice visit

I stopped by my mother's house on Tuesday after lunch in Brenham with a friend.

 

I brought her a gift: new pajamas with some homemade cookies, Crispix Mix, and a new leash for her dog, Gus, all packaged in a wicker basket.

I think she liked all of it!

 She made herself a quick lunch and sat down to visit.

 ...and enjoyed a fried Spam sandwich.  Not even kidding, that's what she ate.  Well, whatever bites she didn't feed to Gus. 

On her beautiful kitchen tablecloth, hand embroidered and with crocheted lace, sat this re-purposed ICBINB container made into a napkin holder.  A study in opposites, my mother and me.

And my gift from her was a beautiful handmade dresser doily with crocheted lace.  It's so detailed that Hubby thought it was machine made.  Nope.

 So lovely!  Can you believe she calls these "tacky homemades"?  

Gina

Christmas cards 2012

When the kids were little it seemed easier to get a pretty pic for Christmas. But the last couple of years I have relaxed the standards a bit.  Wouldn't do to have everyone dread this one small task that adds so much to our family card.  Here is what we got this year:

The color seems off, but I was determined to just get thee cards ordered so I didn't obsess over that.  I think it turned out well - all of us were looking at the camera, with a smile, no one making silly hand gestures, and no tee shirts with questionable logos.  

Go, us.

Gina

Mealplan Monday #39 and sewing

I found time to sew a couple of red throw pillows for the living room recently.  I had a curtain panel that I found on clearance at Target, then realized it wouldn't work.  I kept it thinking I could make something else with it, though.

Originally I planned on adding a pillow to these chairs.

I laid the curtain out to make sure it would work.  Perfect.  these are some very old pillows from a sectional we no longer own, ca. 1988.

 I used an envelope closure.  I ironed out the fabric, doubled it over for thickness,

and pinned where to sew.  Took me about 30 minutes total for two pillows, but that included hauling my machine out, threading a bobbin, and vacuuming the furniture.

Monday - Four ingredient Enchiladas, rice, salad
Tuesday - Slow cooker pot roast, masheds, broccoli/cauliflower
Wednesday - Brown Sugar Chicken, rice, carrots
Thursday - Sausage and spinach cresent pockets, salad
Friday - Ham and Cheese Party Rolls, Smokey Corn Chowder
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Freezer meal
Monday - Chicken Tortilla Soup after church
Tuesday - Spiral sliced ham, green bean casserole, 5cup salad*, rolls,
and BIRTHDAY CAKE for Bubbie!
*recipe soon

  Gina

Orange clove pomander

I first made these lovelies years ago, when I was working at Laura Ashley.

I think pomanders might be an English sort of craft - not something we do a lot of here in the US.  I love how simple and fragrant they are.  And so pretty!

I started with a leftover orange from Thanksgiving, an old container of cloves, some pretty ribbon, and a nut pick (for hard-to-poke holes) I think the whole thing took about 10 minutes, as I sat at the kitchen table with Scout in the morning.

I positioned the ribbon where I wanted it on the orange and secured it with a clove, then used it as my guide to start lining up the cloves.

 I tied off the ribbon and just kept poking in the cloves; they went in pretty easily.

When I thought it was filled in enough, I stopped.  I ended up using all of the cloves I had - about 1/2 the small jar.  We had these cloves leftover from last Christmas, so they were smelly enough for decorating, not quite enough for mulled cider.

I found a nice place for it to perch on a bookshelf and left it to dry and scent the area.  Some methods I have used call for rolling it in powdered orris root.  I think that speeds the drying process. As long as it's not too humid, they should be fine without it.  It was fun to sit calmly and make a pretty Christmas craft while chatting with my son about his day.  Whatcha think?  Done any aromatic Christmas crafts lately?

Gina

Shared with:

and
Shanty 2 Chic's Christmas Craft Linky Pasrty

Mealplan Monday #38

On Thanksgiving break, The Girl took Bubbie thrift shopping to find frames to spray paint and fill with pics for her apartment.  She chose her sorority colors and asked Scout to accompany her to get some skyline pics the day after turkey.

 The backyard was a great place to spread out and paint.

It was a big job, but she has plans for LOTS of art.

Monday - Easy Chicken Enchiladas, black beans
Tuesday - Leftover soup, garlic toast 
Wednesday - Freezer Meal
Thursday -  Cheesey Beef Stroganoff, peas
Friday - Pizza Night!
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Freezer meal

She comes by her crafty side honestly.  

I can't wait to see the finished product!

Gina

Need new shades in here!

How ridiculous is this?

  

A broken shade that is resting on VHS tapes to let a little light in.  OK, both if those things are ridiculous, but at least the VHS tapes function!

Propping it is the only way to let light in the middle window in the den.  And we have lived with it like this for a couple months.  

That's the way it is with some things.  If you see them daily, they disappear.  But fix it, I will, since I am about done with Christmas shopping.  I'm thinking I would like bamboo or wicker-looking blinds to break up all the beige and cream in this room. Whatcha think?

Gina