Happy Little Handbags Make Me Glad

Why is it that the ink in our printer always runs out the morning that I plan to address Christmas cards?

This seems to happen every year, so you might think that I would be prepared. 

The truth is that I thought I was prepared. Right before we moved in September I bought not one, but two, ink cartridges for this very purpose. The last thing I wanted to do was to have to spend $50 in printer ink in December.  

However, I cannot find nor remember where in tar-nation I put that extra box of stashed "Christmas Ink".

Of course, the minute I finish hand writing 75 Christmas cards that little cartridge will show up. 

In the meantime, to completely shut down Christmas Card production, as well as tiring out my writing hand, I have spent this afternoon making handbags.  

Teeny, tiny, paper handbags for Christmas decorations that will hang on my tree. 

On Saturday I found this book in hardback at our library. I was sort of in a hurry so I just grabbed it off the top shelf with the hopes that I might have a free moment later to look inside. 

That very night, while in my fuzzy pajamas and sipping some decaf, the book magically opened to the exact page where these sweet little ornaments were displayed, and it was love at first sight.  

I have scoured the Internet for a template for these sweet little morsels of handbaggy goodness, so you could make one too. But the only one I could find was this one, go check it out. It's cute too. 

All that to say, my Christmas cards may not be sent on time this year, but my Christmas tree is going to be very well accessorized.

La Vida Dulce!

In "The Zone"

The most exciting thing happened this week, which has stirred-up the craft zone that lives in my heart.

A friend of mine from church has a friend who is an interior decorator who specializes in custom drapery. This weekend they are having a garage sale. This interior decorator lady was selling her high priced fabric for $4/yard!!!

And she let me come to her house and buy fabric before the crowds.  So I have been busy, busy, busy trying to think of all sorts of things to do with this fabric!  

Speaking of sewing projects...

I have already made the bed for our new little addition. The bed was harder than I anticipated and I am not totally pleased with how it turned out. Coming up with this bed without a pattern was difficult for this right-brained mind of mine. 

I think I used too much stuffing the bottom of the bed, and not enough in the sides.

I hadn't intended for it to be reversible, but somehow it ended up that way. Go figure.

Although this didn't end up exactly like my mind had envisioned, I think it will do. 

Also, if you are trying to make any gifts this year I highly recommend taking a look at this list. 

It is a list of 100's of things you can make for Christmas this year. 

Also I am folding paper like a maniac to make a variation of these star ornaments, which will be mailed to friends far away. I am also making these ornaments for the people in my life who are nearby.

I am also thinking about making a few more of these. Although not in the amount I made last year! 

All right. I should run. The Mister has today off and so we are taking the kids to a friends house so that we can shop together. By the end of this day I should be done with my Christmas shopping!  Yippee!!

Happy Friday Y'all!

Favorite Tree Ornaments - Part 1

Instead of dealing with the b'gillion projects I have lying all over the house, I spent way too much time trying to keep this blog entry down to 5 pictures. Y'all, I just couldn't limit my favorite ornaments to five. So I thought that I would share my favorites over the next four Tuesdays.

Pictured above is an angel that is probably about as old as I am. I cannot remember a Christmas without this bit of Pink Sparkly sweetness. Every year I take her out of the tissue layered box and just look at her. I have been mesmerized by this doll for over 30 years! My mom may know more about her story, but from what I am remembering she was made for us (me?) by the mother of one of my Dad's friends (got that?).

With every year that passes I think to myself that I could make an angel like this, but it just wouldn't be the same.

OK! so if Pink Sparkly Angel is the oldest decoration on our tree, the one pictured below is the most sentimental.


This ornament is not handmade. It is a sterling silver rattle that longs for some polish.

Here is the story...I babysat for a family with four girls. The two youngest babies were baptized at the church and after mass there was a sit down dinner and a party to celebrate. This rattle was set at each place setting. The date was May 8, 1993. It was at this event that The Mister and I had our first date. We gathered again at church one year and 360 days later on May 13, 1995. Those four little girls were our flower girls. Every year, I ring the rattle (it has a beautiful sound) and put it on our tree. Then I say, "An angel got his wings!" and the kids roll their eyes and say, "Yes... Yes.... The rattle from your first date. Can we have have hot chocolate now?"

When The Mister and I got hitched we got a lot of nice presents. The picture above (sorry it's blurry, I was fighting with the camera), and the closeup below (so you can see the detail), was one of those presents. A teacher friend of my Dad's crocheted these delicate snowflakes and carefully packaged them with directions on how to re-starch them when they needed it. I have only re-starched them once: The year The Boy decided to taste one and was delighted to find they all tasted like sugar. He carefully chewed on each one until the flavor ran out, and then he carefully placed each snowflake, a white chewy mound, deep into the branches of the tree. We couldn't figure out why he would do this until I read the hand written directions on how to re-starch the flakes when the got too yellow or limp: Place snowflakes in a mixture of 1 cup scalding water and 1/2 cup sugar. Lay flat to dry. Yup. He's got my sweet tooth.


In December of 1995 The Mister and I were living in a duplex on campus. The university was sponsoring a hot air balloon festival/fund raiser. The winners of the raffle would win a free hot air balloon ride. My uncle owned a balloon called The Potted Plant. We went to the balloon lighting (which happens at night) and my uncle told me that there was a chance his winners wouldn't show up in the early morning for their ride. If I wanted a chance to ride I was to show up at 5:00 am to help out and wait. His 'winners' stayed in bed and I got to fly.

After the ride it was tradition to drink champagne after landing. The picture above was the cork from the champagne bottle. My uncle turned it into a hot air balloon shape and wrote down the date and name of the balloon on the side. Such a great day.

I am so excited to share some of the others with you. If you have some of your own that you would like to share, please comment and let me know when you post...kind of like a cyber ornament exchange! Fun!

Tomorrow I may be brave and post pictures of all the various projects I have going here. I was too chicken to do it today. I am up to my eyeballs in fabric! and paper! and glitter! My house looks like a craft store explosion. AUUUGGGHHHH!!!!