Weekend Wrap Wednesday ~ Christmas Overload & A Early Gift

OMGosh can you believe Christmas is NEXT week??? I'm so behind this year I just don't know what happened! Here is my wrap of what has been happening around here lately :).

Rick put up my lights outside and even put up my tree (all I had to do was decorate it). I didn't even have to ASK him to do any of it! LOVE it!!! I take the small things and celebrate them!

REMEMBER TO CLICK PICTURES TO MAKE THEM LARGER :)

Here is our tree and outside lights!

And the small tree Cole decorated all by himself :)

Hit another Lowe's Clinic!

LOVE these FREE clinics!!!

Home Depot had an Employee Family Day for the kids!

A sweet guy helped Caden build a Pic Frame!

Even a Santa!!! Cole colored him a pic :)

Another quick project for Christmas Gifts.

A BIG thanks to Racheal who allowed a last minute visit

and helped ok did 90% of the work :). She Rocks!

And the moment you've all waited for!

AN EARLY Santa Gift hit our house!

Please meet Jake he is a 3mo Black Lab!

We made the boys close their eyes and in he walked!

A little adjustment and not really potty trained :).

HOLY smokes it has been one heck of a few weeks. I have cookies to make and a few cool gifts in jars that I'll show soon. Thanks everyone for stopping by hope you all have a wonderful day!

(CLOSED) You Can Make This Holiday Giveaway! 2 Winners of a $40 Bundle!

I'm really excited this will be my 3rd Giveaway for You Can Make This. I love making things and let me say I'm not the best person to sew but this has been a lot of fun and with an experienced friend I can accomplish a lot! Doing these projects have gotten me out of the house and had some adult time.

Times are hard and we're all looking forward to saving money and make our bottom dollar stretch. I've been seeing a lot of people making things for Christmas Gifts. And what a perfect way to do it then making something people will use. These won't be the presents that Aunt Erma made for you, remember that funny sweater you got one year? Yup the one they made you put on for Christmas? These will be super cute and easy things to make that will make the person receiving the gift feel special that you took the time to give them such a thoughtful gift!

I was given the pattern for the She Loves Me, She Loves Me KNOT Handbag and the Welcome Spring! 3 Pattern Pillow Set. I met my girlfriend at the fabric store yesterday and we whipped up this purse yesterday. Ok if you are not an experienced sewer get someone to help you. It is a little time consuming but the end product was worth it. I'm giving this one to a special little girl, I can't say who since her mom reads my blog and I want it to be a surprise :).

The Fabric store had these "Fat Quarters" ready to go
I picked out one that was pink and orange.
It was super cute with flowers and butterflies.
I just know she'll love it! I'm making her brother a blanket.

Isn't that super cute!!! It's the perfect size.
Plus check out the lining and the inside pocket!
We put a baby doll in it to show the size.

You can download free gift tags here. It includes the “cone” you saw placed onto the back of the chair.

Watch videos on how to make the In-the-Hoop Peppermint Sucker Wrapper here.

Now what the bundle you win! I'm including pictures but click on the links and you can see what they look like upclose.

WIN IT: You Can Make This has very generously offered 2 of my readers the pattern for the $40 Bundle!

Personalized Name Pillows
Portrait Peasant Tops and Dresses- Sizes 6M-8
Easy-Fit Pants - Girls & Boys! Sizes 6m-10 (Doll sizes, too!)
Easy-Fit Pants for Tweens, Teens, and Adults: Men & Women XXS-3XL

Mandatory 1st Entry: Head over to You Can Make This and tell me another pattern they have that you would like to try. Yup that easy! (Make sure you have a public email on blogger, if not please leave me one in the comment so I can contact you if you win)

Extra Entries! (Do one or do them all, just make sure to leave comments for each one)

1. ONE (1) Extra Entry be a follower
2. ONE (1) Extra Entry have my button up (code on left side)
3. TWO (2) Extra Entries for subscribing by email (on left side, super easy you don't want to miss anything do you?)
4. THREE (3) Extra Entries head over to You Can Make This and sign up for their newsletter ~ Look you even something for free if you do.
5. THREE (3) Extra Entries head over and follow YouCanMakeThis.com Blog.
6. THREE (3) Extra Entries for Blogging about this :) Leave me the link please to the post or adding to your sidebar.
7. Enter my Tie Buddies Giveaway by 12/14/09
8. Enter my Yo Plus Light Giveaway by 12/15/09
9. Enter my Knock Knock Giveaway by 12/28/09

Thank you again to You Can Make This this was a VERY fun review.

Giveaway ends 12/28/09 Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win.

FCC Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review these are my opinions and experiences, I received products to try and to tell how I liked them. No monetary or any other form of compensation was given to me. I review products free of charge to give my experience and opinion.

(CLOSED) "Not-so-Scary" Halloween $50 Giveaway from You Can Make This!!!

Yeah I'm so excited to do another giveaway for You Can Make This! As most of you know my boys LOVE their pillows with their names on them. You can see them in many of the pictures I take of the boys. Her patterns are so easy to follow and easy to print, they come in an easy PDF form that is super quick to download and print or for us that are earth friendly just write down what you need an keep the pictures up on your computer screen to follow. This is how I do recipes this way, less paper!

Courtney was so sweet and sent me a Tutu pattern to make, now I tried to convenience the boys that this would be cool, but I got a no way mom look. So now I'm trying to find little girls of my friends that would love a tutu. Crap if I could get away with it I would make it for myself... Hmmmm idea working at home I may be able to do this. Well ok maybe not! So I plan on making this and posting the pictures but I wanted to post the giveaway first.

So check out all these amazing projects you get in this incredible $50 bundle!

Yes I'm even including some cool pictures to show you how cool they are. Even i you don't win you have to check out her site, you'll love everything and even if you don't sew I promise you can do this! What don't believe me, ok fine check out my post (the non-sewer) that made the pillows! All fingers and beautiful pillows came out ok! Read this: You Can Make This Giveaway.

WIN IT: You Can Make This has very generously offered 1 of my readers the pattern for the $50 Bundle!

Fancy Filled Tutu with Bonus 40 Tutu "Recipes"
Pumpkin Polly Patterns
Paper Piecing Project: Pumpkin Patch Pillow

Frayed Applique: Too Cute to Spook!
Little Miss Spider Applique Patterns
How to Applique the Easy Way
Hocus Pocus Patterns
Just a Little Something for a Happy Halloween Table Runner

Mandatory 1st Entry: Head over to You Can Make This and tell me another pattern they have that you would like to try. Yup that easy! (Make sure you have a public email on blogger, if not please leave me one in the comment so I can contact you if you win)

Extra Entries! (Do one or do them all, just make sure to leave comments for each one)

1. ONE (1) Extra Entry be a follower
2. ONE (1) Extra Entry have my button up (code on left side)
3. TWO (2) Extra Entries for subscribing by email (on left side, super easy you don't want to miss anything do you?)
4. THREE (3) Extra Entries head over to You Can Make This and sign up for their newsletter ~ Look you even something for free if you do.
5. THREE (3) Extra Entries for Blogging about this :) Leave me the link please to the post or adding to your sidebar.
6. THREE (3) Extra Entries for posting on facebook
7. Enter my So Into You Book Giveaway 5 Winners by 10/18/09
8. Enter my A Hint of Wicked Book Giveaway 5 Winners by 10/18/09
9. Enter my Show No Fear Book Giveaway 5 Winners by 10/18/09
10. Enter my One Scream Away Book Giveaway 5 Winners by 10/18/09
11. Enter my Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms Book Giveaway by 10/18/09
12. Enter my Food Storage Depot Bread Giveaway by 10/25/09
13. Enter my The Castaways Audio Book Giveaway 3 Winners by 10/25/09

Thank you again to You Can Make This this was a VERY fun review, I can't wait to do make this tutu.

Giveaway ends 10/25/09 Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win. No Post Office Boxes.

FCC Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review these are my opinions and experiences, I received products to try and to tell how I liked them. No monetary or any other form of compensation was given to me. I review products free of charge to give my experience and opinion.

You Can Make This Giveaway!! (2 Winners)

I love being crafty and making things for the kids that they will hold on to for a lifetime (even if that means I have to take it away and vacuum seal it ... what you were thinking the same thing). I've seen You Can Make This on several blogs and I so wanted to try some things out. The only problem I haven't sewn since High School Home Ec (yes ... uh hum ... 15 years). But I just new this crafty inner person could sew, so when they said I could do a giveaway I was jumping for joy. Really I was so excited, I ran out and bought material and made a date with my friend who is a sewing machine herself. Yes I'm a big enough person to know I need help :).

After gathering up what I thought I would need I headed out to my friend Rachael's house (yes after another run to the fabric store to pick up more fabric wanted to be ready). Thankfully Rachael was smarter than me and actually read the directions, I know what a concept! Found out we needed more than the fabric and stuffing I brought with me. Who would have thunk you actually need thread, fusible webbing, stabilizer etc you know ALL the stuff that You Can Make This listed in the very nice PDF copy they send me for the Name Pillows. I never claimed to be an excellent sewer just one that has done it before. LOL ... that is what good friends are for.

After a trip to the fabric store to pick up those key elements and oh yeah seeing a man dressed as Batman you have to check out my post on Wednesday with all the crazy loops that is just my life that caused this project to go from easy to a fun experience. REALLY this can be a fun and easy project just don't have my luck :). Over all even with all the stops I had a lot of fun and got at least one Name Pillow done. My girlfriend on the other hand I believe is up to 4 Name Pillows being done, I told you she is a sewer and can rock out anything. By the time I left she had the makings of two completed to my one :).

Really for even the new to sewing once you get the hang of this it actually goes rather fast, again if you don't have my luck. Let me give you a little run down just to make you laugh, it's what I do :).

Things to do when completing this project. Do bring your list to the fabric store, yes I went two times by myself with out it and missed some things you really need. Yes I was like all I really need is fabric and stuffing ... LOL. Do not decided to take your sewing machine that was in the garage, mind you still in the box since you've never opened it in 10 YEARS and think it will work perfect for you. I suggest you have a working machine, it does make life easier! After you have all your fabric (and all that other stuff) do be careful when cutting with sharp tools. Another good reason to have a friend that is a sewer she has all the tools and she can politely over and over tell you to cut away from yourself and watch YOUR fingers! Do not again use a machine that will be a pain, as you an see from my pictures most of my day was spent holding the screws while Rachael took it apart trying to one figure out why my machine was only going backwards and oh yeah what is that ca chunk noise? If you're not a pro, buy a little extra fabric for those not cutting straight times, who knew my 5 year old could probably cut better than me? So after hours of trying to fix my machine I ended up giving up putting it in the box and using Rachael, again who would have thunk having a nice machine could really speed up the process. I'm happy to report when I go back over to Rachael house on Sunday to my 2nd Name Pillow from You Can Make This I will be using her machine and having no problems at all! Yup that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Really over all minus just my life this was a VERY fun project that wasn't too terribly hard even for this non sewer. I was very impressed with how my pillow turned out, Even the stitching around Cole's name didn't look that bad (might also be the variegated thread I used, yup another good tip). This is a FUN days craft project (again if you don't have my luck) that you could do even with your older kids. I plan on making at least 2 more (oh yeah plus Caden's) for the boys and one for my mom for her birthday. Really it was that fun and addicting once you see the end product (that and when I went to the fabric store I bought almost a yard of everything even though I was suppose to only have like a 1/2 yard for all ... yup a learning experience) :).

Here was the only two things my sewer friend had to say that might need a little tweaking:

• To be on the extra side - Buy a minimum of 1/2 yard for the background fabric.


• When using fusible webbing make sure to put it on the BACK SIDE of the fabric

For Beginner or first time users:

• Head over to someones house that has the tools
• Watch fingers that stuff is sharp!
• Just have fun

Trust me even if you don't win you're going to have to head over to You Can Make This and pick up this pattern. It comes in an easy to down load pdf form, you'll have so much fun believe me everyone will have Name Pillows for Christmas!

BUY IT: You can buy the pattern for the Name Pillows at You Can Make This for $6.95 I know how reasonable is that! Especially when you think all the gifts you can make. Me personally LOVE homemade thoughtful gifts. I'm one of those people that take months to think up the perfect gift for someone. The Name Pillows have made my life easier since I now know what gift several of my family members will be getting this year!

WIN IT: You Can Make This has very generously offered 2 of my readers the pattern for the Name Pillows! Yeah I love when we can have more then one winner!

Mandatory 1st Entry: Head over to You Can Make This and tell me another pattern they have that you would like to try. Yup that easy! (Make sure you have a public email on blogger, if not please leave me one in the comment so I can contact you if you win)

Extra Entries! (Do one or do them all, just make sure to leave comments for each one)

1. ONE (1) Extra Entry be a follower
2. TWO (2) Extra Entries have my button up (code on left side)
3. THREE (3) Extra Entries for subscribing by email (on left side, super easy you don't want to miss anything do you?)
4. THREE (3) Extra Entries head over to You Can Make This and sign up for their newsletter ~ Look you even something for free if you do.
5. TWO (2) Extra Entries head over to Rachael and leave a comment, Plus you can see the 4 Name Pillows she has done. Hers are a lot fancier then mine, I'm working my way up to it. She even did a flower on one!
6. TWO (2) Extra Entries for Blogging about this :) Leave me the link please to the post.
7. ONE (1) Extra Entry for telling me your funny sewing story or craft story, you know you have one.

Thank you again to You Can Make This this was a VERY fun review, I can't wait to do more projects. Thanks to you I now have a standing date on Sundays to do craft projects. Finally a day for mom! That itself is priceless!

Giveaway Ends 6/14/09 @ 11:59pm PST