A Favorite Holiday Tradition

Each year, my mother, grandmother and I create Advent Baskets for people.  We each choose someone different, and we usually all choose someone who needs a little extra Christmas spirit that year, for whatever reasons.

The advent basket is filled with small holiday trinkets - it's not about the price of the items, it's about the smiles that they bring.  We usually fill it with holiday themed items from the dollar store and other inexpensive items. The recipients open one present each day, counting down to Christmas.

My Gramma wrote the poem, which gives the recipients instructions for how to open the gifts, and also reminds them to return the basket for next year! This is our forth year doing a basket for someone, but my mom and Gramma have done it much longer.

This year, we filled ours for my friend whose husband recently lost his job. Any additional happy that we can add to their holidays is so important!

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

Holiday Bow Wreath Tutorial

The holidays are finally here! I've had this project on my to-do list for weeks, and finally got around to making it. It was simple, cheap, and it is so cute!!

First, gather your supplies:

Lay out those beautiful dollar store finds to get a good idea of what you have to work with.

Arrange your bows, then glue them on:

Admire your beautiful handiwork!

Text pictures of it to all of your crafty minded friends, and then hang it up!

Happy decorating, everyone!

I'm linking up here:

* The Girl Creative Party Blog * DIY Living Party * DIY Show Off Holiday Highlights * DIY Show Off * Polly Want A Crafter? * Sumos Sweet Stuff * Skip To My Lou * Making the World Cuter * I Heart Naptime * Saturday Mornings * The Idea Room * Too Cute Tuesday at the Polka Dot Giraffe * House of Hepworths * Somewhat Simple * Hoo's Got Talent * Kuzak's Closet * Under the Table and Dreaming * Tatertots and Jello * Perfectly Imperfect * Remodelaholic * I Heart Naptime * 504 Main * Simply Designing * Not Just a Housewife * Centsational Girl * Too Cute Tuesday * House of Hepworths * 

Christmas is coming...

While I was home for Thanksgiving, we put up my mom's Christmas tree. Let's just say that this thing is intense!

I had to share some of our most memorable ornaments with you. My grandma has made ornaments every year for 26 years - these are some of my favorites!

And of course, Mom's tree is full of my memories...

Last year, my mom found these awesome glasses that make the Christmas tree lights look crazy:

And of course, lead to pictures like these:

We tried for the obligatory family shot, but this is the best one we got:

We're putting our decorations up today -- it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!!

A very happy holiday

I'll let the pictures from our Thanksgiving weekend speak for themselves...

I hope you had a wonderful holiday!!

Happy Thanksgiving

Today, I'm thankful for my amazing family... which means I should probably get back to spending time with them!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!

Picturing our engagement

We took our engagement pictures today! Our awesome photographer outdid herself.... and these are just the teasers!!

LOVE THEM!!!! Can't wait to see all of the others!!

Zac's New Stocking

Zac has been wanting a UK stocking for awhile, and this weekend I finally got a chance to make him one.

I started with this sketch from him of what he wanted:

And here's the finished product:

What do you think? It's pretty close to the drawing!  

A few close ups:

I made my own stocking pattern, but I used this great tutorial from Noodlehead for help with the assembly.  It definitely was an undertaking, but I think making more stockings from here would be a lot easier. The good news? Zac loves it!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!

I'm linking up here:

* The Girl Creative * Someday Crafts *  Sew Much Ado * Fun to Craft * 504 Main * Simply Designing * Creation Corner * The DIY Showoff * Under the Table and Dreaming * Kuzak's Closet * Tatertots and Jello * Sew Chic and Unique * Perfectly Imperfect * C.R.A.F.T. * The D.I.Y. Show Off * Making the World Cuter * Sew Can Do * Skip to my Lou * Today's Creative Blog * Sugar Bee Craft Edition *

Something blue!

I've been on the lookout for blue shoes to wear on my wedding day. I love the idea of wearing a funky color shoe, and since navy blue is the color running throughout the wedding, it seemed like a great personal touch.

I've been looking for blue shoes all over the place, but everything was either too bright, too light, too high or too trashy.  Then today,out of nowhere, I saw these beauties:

They are PERFECT!!!! High enough to be beautiful but still pretty comfortable. They won't make it all the way through dancing, but they'll definitely stay on through dinner. And... they come in a beautiful gold color that the bridesmaids can wear.

The best part? I snagged them for a sweet $39.99. Love it!!!

Now on to find something old, something new and something borrowed! 

My favorite things

I took the day off from work today to run some errands and get some sewing done. You'll get to see the results soon, but in the meantime, I caught Oprah's "Favorite Things" episode today, and it got me thinking about MY favorite things!

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

I got a sample of this from Sephora and immediately purchased the full size tube. It is awesome!! You just put it on before your eyeshadow and 12 hours later, it will look like you just applied it. Love it - and makes wearing decent eyeshadow worth it since it stays on all day!

The Bounce Dryer Bar

You already know that I'm a lazy chore doer, and you may also know that Zac is notorious for forgetting one step in the laundry process. Sometimes this is soap, sometimes this is fabric softener.  The dryer bar is fantastic - it lasts for months and you never need to worry about remembering fabric softener! Plus, it smells amazing, and my clothes come out feeling fresh, and not with that nasty residue that some fabric softeners leave.

EBATES

I've professed my love for Ebates before, but if you online shop and you like free money, Ebates will make you very happy! You get rebates for things that you were already going to buy online, and sometimes they have additional perks, like free shipping.  You can visit Ebates now and sign up for free! We're getting $30 back already this quarter!

For Better: The Science of a Good Marriage

A friend recommended this book, and I'm really enjoying it. It's a good balance of science and decent writing, and it's nice to read statistics and mark yourself above average!

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

If this doesn't make you happy, what does?!? And along those lines...

The STRAIGHT NO CHASER Christmas Albums

These are the only CDs I've bought since high school - SO worth it!! Amazing acapella voices and fun new twists on classic songs. Love it!

What are your favorite things?? Did I forget something wonderful?? I'm linking up to 320 Sycamore where you can learn about other people's favorite things!

Why I'm excited for Thanksgiving...

I love Thanksgiving. It might be my favorite holiday (though of course, that will change in a few weeks).  I love that everyone is together, I love that at least once, we'll laugh until we cry - and if we're lucky, my Papa will laugh that hard too. I love when people share what they're thankful for. I especially love that my parents and Zac's parents are in the same place, and (almost) our whole family is together (Josh and Steph, this is the last Thanksgiving you're allowed to miss!!). I can't wait for next week!

Thanksgiving 2009

Happy Birthday Beth!!

Today, my littlest sister turns 21 years old. I guess since she's taller than me and pretty much a grown-up, she isn't so little anymore!!

Then:

And now...

Happy birthday, Lulu!