Simple to make Christmas Decorations

These are quite easy to make; you will need sheet of red and white craft foam, jute, hole punch, scraps of fabric, of your choice, black and red acrylic paint, small paint brush, glitter paints, the paper should be scrap book paper and it can be your choice of greens or of design that resembles colors of a Christmas tree. You will also need a hot glue gun with medium temp glue sticks white cotton yarn and scissors.
This can be fun by just cutting out the paper in a tree shape make these as small or big as you want mine are about 4-5 inches. Like I mentioned I just did this free hand with no patterns.
The jute is for stringing through the hole that you will make at the top the tree using the hole punch when you get this finished, just knot at tie a bow at the top. Cut out the foam also just free hand designing the shapes you would like then hot glue the foam to the trees that are cut out, then decorate as you would like. Before I forget.. I made the little checks, by just using red acrylic pain and doing a wash to get that light little pink cheeks look. I used a small amount of cotton white yarn for hair and facial hair, just cut a few small strips and tie together then hot glue to the faces. Do the same for making the little scarfs and hat, cloak.



This is very simple and inexpensive and you can make quite a few ornaments for a tree because some these items you may have already and it is a way to get family together to help out making these for the holidays and your tree will look great so have lots of fun with this simple idea and make it your own.

Crafting Away I Go

Season Greetings to all!
Well I was seriously bitten by the crafting bug this week; you may remember that photo I had posted of the start for a doll head, well this week I began working on it seriously and these are the photos of the progress that I have made.
I am painting with acrylic paints and the doll is made with news paper hodgepodge and a balloon. As I mentioned a few weeks back this is my first attempt at doing a doll this way, so far not too bad, she is coming out pretty good.

This is a photo with the head completely painted with the acrylic paints and the hair is now hot glued to the head, now I must begin working on the body of the doll which will be filled with fiber fill and will be my own original idea, the head is my own idea no pictures or anything that was used to make the face of the doll just thoughts in my head. I have also filled the head with fiber fill just for added security and firmness to the head, she will be a kind of keepsake doll not one to really be able to romp and play with but one than can fill a person full of memories. I will keep everyone updated as I finish the doll and this coming Wend I will have a cute idea on making ornaments for the tree, and it will be using just craft foam, book scraping paper glue and jute.

T

Big Sale and Free Shipping Plus a New Project

Hey all! I hope your Thanksgiving was fantastic; today is going to be brief I wanted you all to know about the sale going on in my Art Fire store, there is 40% off until the 30th and also free shipping which I will have until the end of December. So I hope you all will venture into the store and take a peek at my sale and free shipping.

I am also working on a few things, a new doll using glue, water, balloons, and newspaper, yup that's the head of the doll in the photo.
I am also working a different kind of crochet rag rug using yarn and jute when I get it finished I will post photos of it here shortly.

Happy Thanksgiving to All

I just wanted to wish all friends and families a very happy Thanksgiving and mention what I am most thankful for, and that would be my trials and adverse times.
Why? Well I am hoping that those things will help me to be a better person, I hope that I have gained more compassion through my adverse time of losing my home in Nov 2, 199 I do know what is to lose everything thing, but not everything, I may have lost the material things but I do know Heavenly Father and my Lord Christ made sure my son who was 5 years old at the time got out on his own and knew what door to go out, I believe my Heavenly father guided him; as later one fireman would tell me "It sure was a good thing he chose the front door". I am thankful for the firemen who risked their lives to put out the fire, and for those who donated so much to us, thank you, even now just does not seem enough. I am thankful that Heavenly Father humbled me enough to find my way home to the LDS Church.

I am so very thankful so the next trial, it brought a special closeness to my husband who was hit head on in his log truck, not only am Ithankful he lived through it but I am thankful he was there, I know Heavenly Father meant him to be there at that moment so that he might take the blow and save those that were behind him as others expressed to him.

In these past few months I have been given another trial and it has been quite adverse in testing my faith and courage and yet helping to cast out the rocks and be forgiving to those that did my daughter harm.

Most of all I am thankful that I have a Heavenly Father, and my Lord Christ and that I have been given the trial and adverse times, but also the ability to pray for guidance and faith to know it will all be alright.

All are in my prayers that you are blessed and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Apple Cider Pancakes and Edible Craft Idea

I thought is would be a really different delight at breakfast time with the holiday season fast approaching and it is really very simple.

What you will need is dry pancake mix and dry powdered apple cider packets about 3 of them will do; you choice of apple peeled and sliced into small chunks.

Mix up the pancake batter as the directions indicate then add the packets of apple cider, or if you have a jug of apple juice, apple cider sub it for the milk or water that the pancake mix asks for to make the batter.
Serve this will hot maple syrup and bacon it is yum! and the pancakes really seem to fluff right up using the packets of apple cider.

This craft project is also pretty quick and easy, that I thought up!


What you will need is two large packets of the sugar cookie mix, or make the cookies from one of your own sugar cookie recipes, or a box of sugar cookie mix.
Make up the cookie batter for cutting out shapes because you will need the flour spread out on a cutting board, I used about 2 table spoons of flour.
When you get your batter all done roll small smooth balls on the floured cutting board about 1 inch balls.
Roll the balls in sugar and cinnamon or color the sugar with a dab of green, red food coloring; place the balls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet, now take a smooth small cup or glass and dip it into the sugar mixture and flatten out the cookies carefully, bake till lightly browned and just before they cool make a small hole at the top. String fishing line or a heavy thread through the cookies and ribbon of your choice.
The idea of these is to make edible Christmas ornaments for the tree or to give as a gift for a neighbor or friend. Plus if you have kids around these are fun to make them with and they will not hang on the Christmas tree for long, this is very simple treat/gift idea and you can change and make the creative side of you flow out.

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie in an Black Iron Frying Pan

Yes it is another recipe to share with everyone!
I love cooking although I don't cook with a science in hand, instead I like to throw things into the pot and see how it comes out; in other words I love cooking by taste only, and I sharing with the idea you can can make this your own in in what ever way you wish.
Well we are getting the first really bad storm of the reason, winds will be blowing a 60 miles an hour and just sitting here writing this; I can tell you its blowing now.
My son picked potatoes with his girlfriend and he brought me a 100 potatoes and I am putting them to good use, and this is what the recipe is about those potatoes.
What you will need:
2-3 large potatoes all cut and cubed
I like to use caned meat and either beef or turkey will work or you can cute boneless chicken and cook a little before hand and then add it to the rest of this recipe.
small whole carrots/baby carrots don't cut them about 2 cups or 1 1/2
broccoli just about 1 1/2 cup and just break up the broccoli
can of mushrooms
one packet of chicken gravy
1 can of mushroom soup
1 red onion chopped cup
corn bread mix
Okay add your canned meat at least 2 cans in large skillet, don't drain the meat just dump the juice into the well greased frying pan. Add the mushroom soup, gravy mix, carrots, onion, broccoli and potatoes that are cubed, now mix really well in the frying pan and if it looks as though its all clumping together and too thick add about a 1/4 cup of water and mix again. Smooth it all out through out the frying pan.
Now follow the instructions for making the corn bread and pour the uncooked corn bread dough over the top. This is going to be a heavy frying pan so put a cookie sheet under before adding everything I should have stated that sooner, place the cooking sheet with the frying pan on top into the oven and bake for 30-40 min. or until it starts turning golden brown on top and tooth pick comes out clean, this is huge meal for a large family of about 5-6; we always have left overs, serve with a nice salad and hot apple cider.

A Recipe for Cranberry raisin Walnut Cookies

I love these Walnut Cranberry raisin cookies; these are very easy to make with just a white cake mix and it does not matter what brand just any will do. If you use Jiffy I suggest buying about four boxes being that the boxes are small.
Add you cake mix to a bowl and one egg and one cup of soften butter do not use margin, butter really makes these cookies taste mouthwatering good.
Now add a table spoon of water and just about two cups of cranberry raisins, the walnuts should not be chopped up into small pieces rather just cut and chopped slightly. Finally add about one and one half cup of white chocolate chips, mix all together and drop spoon out about a table spoon onto a well greased cookie sheet, bake at 350 until cookies look done and slightly browned serve warm, these will not last long. I can get up to 45 cookies using the cake mix and for me that is a good deal with that teen boy.