creative links for Christmas.

My decorating has come to a standstill. No matter. It will get done. So much to do, so much to do! In the meantime, here are a few cute and fun projects to help jump-start your Christmas:

This is a very sweet idea...very clever!

I would love to start making some of these.

Chocolate chip cookie dough fudge...might just have to try making some and giving it out for Christmas.

Here is a very creative way in which to display your favorite photographs. I think this is going to go on my "to-try" list!

If I can find a little extra time, I just might be able to try some of these ideas....ha, ha, ha! There is NO way, before Christmas! Maybe after...

clean herd.

Clean elephants, that's what the world needs...made from baby washcloths.

Have you ever seen albino elephants? Here ya go! Here are two!

I made this herd last night, while we watched T.V. They're really not too difficult to make...but the ears! The ears are definitely maddening.

I'm hoping with a little more practice, the ears won't be such a challenge.

Here's Pinky. Wouldn't you know that she turned out to be the cutest of them all?! She even looks kind of prissy, the way she's standing.

You're wondering what one does with these, aren't you?

You use them as accents on baby gifts or diaper cakes. And you can take the washcloths apart and use them on baby!

If you're interested in the pattern, go here. She has all kinds of washcloth creations and I happen to have my eye on a few more patterns. It seems I started off with the most challenging, but hey! The next project should be easier, right?

At least that's what I'm hoping!

Sharpies for fabric...yee-haw!

What?! Sharpies for fabric?

Brilliant! I can't wait to get my hands on these...totally revolutionary!

Today's Creative Blog is sponsoring a giveaway for one lucky reader to win some loot from Sharpie. Click here to enter!
And while you're there, check out the rest of her blog. You'll find recipes, decorating ideas, fun giveaways and crafty goodness there!

Go. Get creative and if you win those Sharpies, I'm gonna cry...but I'll be happy for you. Sad for me. Happy for you!

Pinterest

I shudder at what I'm about to share with you...don't say I didn't warn you.

It's a new phenomenon called, Pinterest.

My darling niece reallly got me started with Pinterest...I'd seen it referenced, but never really understood Pinterest until...Donna!

So now I'm pinning like crazy, like I've never pinned before!

Several friends have asked me what Pinterest is and how you use it. Let me just say, whatever grabs your interest, you can find it on Pinterest.

Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.


People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and share their favorite recipes.

Think of a bulletin board nailed to your wall, where you tack magazine clippings of great kitchen remodels, dream bathrooms, outfits, recipes, etc. Then when you need to refer to that clipping, you go back to your bulletin board and retrieve the information.

With Pinterest, it's the same thing, only virtual. And neater. And organized.

Here's a screen print of my boards (there are others, but I'm keeping it short in the name of "who really cares?):

Titles of my niece's boards:

My Hubby Can Build That! (I love that title!)
Click
Backyards

I want to learn how to knit or crochet, so when I find some interesting-looking tutorials, I'll "pin" them on the board I created.

Recipes. Another great reason to create a board.

Christmas...I'll make a board for great decorating ideas. Speaking of Christmas, I have a board for things I'd someday like to have. Or, gift ideas for other people. I might create boards with names of my family and pin gift ideas for each one. I like that idea!

If you want to use Pinterest, you need an invitation from someone already addicted registered. I'm not sure why, but them's the rules!

If you need additional help with Pinterest, just email or Facebook and I'll make you a junkie pro.

So go, pin away!

Have fun.

Then detox.
Forget my name.

I Need A Hero!

Super-heroes.

What the world just doesn't have enough of.

 That's about to change...

Because I am on a mission to bring some caped-crusaders to the world!

What's this? There must be trouble...

 My super-hero is racing to the TV...

Oh, now he's scaling the dog kennel. One of BB's "babies" must be in trouble!

 No, they're fine. It seems that my super-hero just wanted to introduce himself to them and let them know that if there's ever any trouble, he's right here!

 Oh, now his identity is revealed! He's relaxing, hanging out after a busy Saturday morning.

You'll be seeing more of this dude hanging around on this blog. You can find the pattern here.

Wendi Gratz is the designer of the pattern and her blog is Shiny Happy World. She has set up "schools" on her blog, to help guide you in sewing methods and embroidery stitching.

The patterns are fairly easy to make and very super-cute! If you have some basic sewing skills, you could totally make this little guy. Especially with all the help Wendi has available.

Next...some girl dolls!

Stay tuned!

a boy, his calf and God.

This is so touching, sweet, and profound...it might even bring a tear to your eye. Listen...

flower-power!

I've been making these fabric flowers in the evenings, while watching TV. By the looks of it, I seem to be a tad obsessed with them. If you're intersted, there are tons of tutorials on how to make these, along with great ideas on what fun things you can do with them. I need to pretty-up the centers...I'm thinking pearl beads or a plain white button. If you have some fabric scraps, it's a great way to use them up and accessorize at the same time.

And then there was this pink flower, attached to BB's fur. It seems she had a little day of beauty and this flower was just too sweet. It was very, very cute in her fur and doggie seemed to sense that she looked pretty darn irresistable with that pink flower behind her ear. For once she didn't try to remove it in 33.6 minutes. The flower actually stayed put for 5 hours.

I've added some great new site-buttons over there on my sidebar. Let me introduce you:

Bari J. Ackerman is a talented fabric designer, who also has some great tutorials on her site. Her blog is visually beautiful and she shares her perspective on colors and designs...if you love art and color, you'll love her site.

Little Birdie Secrets is a great source for all kinds of crafts, including kid-friendly projects.

And for cute softies, visit Retro Mama. She has some great free stuff, along with great patterns you can purchase at great prices.

Skip To My Lou, another fantastic site just LOADED with ideas for moms and kids. There are some GREAT teacher gift ideas, FYI.

I'll be adding more great inspiring sites...once you visit them, you'll be hooked. I promise!

"hearting" these hearts!

I have an affliction...

Self-diagnosis: Craftoholic.

Symptoms: Once you see a creative, remarkable craft, you can't shake the image. It's all you think about. Perhaps for days. Weeks. Months.

This morning, I found this little tutorial over at Little Birdie Secrets, on how to make darling little note cards.

Thankfully, I had just about all the supplies needed already on hand.

All that was missing was the heart-punch and they're on sale at Joann's.

Here are the cards I made:

These are a lot of fun to make and has generated several ideas for alternative note-cards. 

Now I just need to get the old printer hooked up.

My mind is spinning ideas 'round and 'round...

Creativity: a curse and yet, a delight!

playing catch-up!

Sorry I've been gone so long...that "cold" decided to take up permanent residence in my head. Though I managed to schlep to work and expose my co-workers to the dastardly crud, I just couldn't find the energy to do much around the house. Or to blog. It's just too hard to type and sneeze and wipe one's nose all at the same time.

But I'm back and ready to go! I did a little sewing last week and have been waiting for a sunny day to take photos of the finished projects. Some of my items are already gone, but I have a nice pile here  to the left of me, all cut out and waiting to be sewn up.

A great giveaway is in the works, which I'm pretty excited about. More on that later in the week.

In the meantime, here are a few new links that I'm lovin':

~Smashed Peas and Carrots  what an incredibly cute banner and some really fun tutorials.

~Wink Designs some adorable little girl dress patterns and other projects.

~Joyfolie an amazing site, selling soft children's boots and shoes. The footwear is lovely. Hmmm..if only I could make some of those...

Have a great week...Valentine's Day almost here...what are you doing for your Sweetheart?

it's all Good!

Today we're visiting with Goodlife eats...

Who can argue with Katie's motto, "finding the good in the kitchen & in life...?"

Not me!

 These elegant cookies are Chocolate Gingerbread Men! Chocolate...!

Genius!

And these beautiful goodies are Cranberry Crumb Bars. Don't they look delicious?

There's also a gracious Recipe Index page.

Good golly, she has all kinds of great-looking recipes...

...quick breads, poultry, Mexican, scones, Asian, freezer-friendly...

The list goes on.

Visit Goodlife eats for some amazing recipes.

They're not just for Christmas...

All this Christmas-recipe research could be dangerous.

skirting baking, for today.

We're going to take a break from baking today and focus on tree skirts.

I've gone years without a proper skirt for our tree...I'd simply drape some pretty fabric around the base of the tree and surprisingly, it looked fine. No one ever knew the difference...

But I knew. I knew that the tree wasn't sufficiently dressed.

Randi inspired me over at i have to say...

She made a darling tree skirt and posted a tutorial on how to make them.

So quick and easy. It whips up in no time flat.

I made a few minor changes...I omitted the bias tape, 'cause bias tape and I don't care a whole lot for each other. We tolerate one another, but there's no love lost between us...

If you have a notion to make a tree skirt, use Randi's tutorial...

It'll make your skirt fly up.

While you're there, check out the super-cute gingerbread houses she and her cute family made.

The woman is a wonder. Wonder Woman.

tasty good gifts.

Who can argue with a name like "The Gift of Goodnes?"

Or with the fact that all the recipes use real butter.

 Just look at those Peppermint Whoopie Pies.

Gingerbread Crinkles...

The incomparable North Pole Cookie Dough...yum!

Included with the recipes are "Packaging" suggestions; great for gift-giving!

While you're there, check out Butter Is Best for more delicious recipes!

Now go, conquer the butter!

cookie destination.

Today's cookie destination...

.

Sweetopia. The name itself makes me want to book a vacation there!

That little girl is one cute cookie.

But these cookies...truly the ultimate in a beautifully decorated cookie.

Crikey, I can't hardly stand this...the ultimate in a vintage design.

Are you supposed to eat it or frame it?

Sweetopia has great recipes for not only cookies, but lots of other goodies as well.

And if PINK is your color, you'll adore her web site.

She has lots of sweet recipes and not only cookies. What a variety of recipes!

Go, paint your cookies and be a Christmas cookie diva!

Once again, there's a link to her site over there on my sidebar...look for the pink gingerbread house.

baking for Christmas!

Are you ready for some baking?!

I'm here to help you...

I'll be posting some great baking sites for the next few days, to help you with your Christmas baking. Some real, honest-to-goodness practical sites...not those flippin' fancy places that want you to use ingredients that come from the great land of "yeah, right!"

Take Bake at 350, for instance...she's a guru and has easy recipes and techniques to get you in the mood for holiday baking. I found her over at Pioneer Woman...amazing!

Cottages...too cute!

Ornaments. Not that I'll be able to duplicate the beauty of these cookies, but perhaps with a little practice, by next year I might come close!

I've placed 350's link over there to the right at the top of my sidebar. In case you need to come back and find her link, it's handy-dandy, right there for you to click.

I'm always thinking of you!

Go now, bake and conquer! Impress your Christmas guests with some cute cookies.

juicy, forbidden clogs.

SCORE!

These clogs just might be a gift for someone for Christmas.

A once-in-a-lifetime find.

If you're interested in buying your own delicious pair of clogs, click here.

The End.

Izzy & Ivy.

If you're a sewer, you need to trot over to Izzy & Ivy and enter their giveaway. Let me tell you, they are some very talented pattern designers. And they're giving away 4 bundles of 3 patterns...you figure that out.

Seriously, it's a charming site and the patterns are so lovely. Have fun looking around and tell 'em that Patti sent you. And they'll say, "Who? I don't know who that is..."

I'm famous that way.