Merry Christmas Lip Dub

Wishing You a Merry 'Vintage' Christmas! from Jared Foster on Vimeo.

This is the coolest video from a great blog, Melancoly Smile. I love the idea of involving the whole family in such a project. Perhaps next year I can get my hubby's evil mind involved in some diabolical plot to make a smashing Christmas card or vid. You will have to wait and see!

Eleven

Shoes...need I really say any more. I love shoes (especially for kids). I like the See Kai Run shoes but sadly my kids are too big for this cute line. Hooray for companies making larger sizes of cute shoes like Eleven. I particularly love the 11 Trainers for Lars. The pink boots are called "Nora". If you love them, they are 20% off right now with free shipping!

Best of Lars 2008

Possessed Lars

Look! I eat my hand Lars

Smile! Super Lars

Cast a vote for your favorite Lars in review for 2008.

Creating Crayons

Another snow day activity here! We cleaned out the crayons and decided to try to melt them down. I threw a little water in the bottom of each mini muffin tin and broke crayons up into small pieces. Then I threw them in the oven at 200 degrees for a little while. after cooling off on the porch for a bit, they popped righ tout and were these cool little crayon discs.

The only weird thing was that something separated the wax from the color and on the top of each there is a layer of wax that does not color. Ella figured out how to turn it so it did owrk and she thought they were pretty cool. It was a fun sorting exercise and all those broken crayons are gone from the crayon box. It's a good thing!

Amana Petal Tree

This picture does not do this beautiful gift justice. It is a petal tree from Amana which is their version of a new kind of marble run. You put a marble (or many) on top and it goes around the petals and makes a very satisfying plinking sound. I purchased on of these for Karin as thank you for all the wonderful things she has done for our family over the past 4 years as our daycare provider to first Ella and then later Lars. Ending my daycare relationship with her was hard, but we have realized it will just turn into something new. Karin and her family are just too close to us to let her go.

Snow Day Cakes

We also made snow day tree cakes. They mixed up the box and helped scoop it into the little cake mold pans. Once all was cool I frosted with a powdered sugar frosting and there were paints for them to decorate with- did I say they were edible! Ella's is very rainbow like and Lars' was more like dots. Then we sprinkled red sugar on top for the real holiday look. Then they each had a piece. It was pretty good- but all the fun was in the making!

Christmas Creations

So let the onslaught of my Christmas creations begin! I was very creative an busy sewing fun gifts for friends and family this year. I found the pattern for a yoga bag and knew immediately I had to make it. I was going to make it reversible, but I found this new stretchy fusible interfacing and it finished the material off so beautifully that I did not mess with a lining. The beautiful fabric is orange hills with golden peaceful dove. Perfect to enjoy yoga with a zen feel.


Next is a traditional apron from 2 contrasting materials. I did not take any close ups of the orange rick rack, but who doesn't love rick rack? This one had more than 4 feet of bias tape but I can tell you that I am certainly getting more practiced at bias tape techniques. It was easy and well worth the pain of the bias. I can't wait to give this one away!

Next is my 2 layer apple apron. Her eI modified the strawberry apron I made for Ella's teacher last spring. I used some pretty orange fabric for the waistband them yellow for the ties. I am making my ties all extra long so you can have one big bow or you can wrap them and tie int he front. I love the versatility of that idea. This one could also be reversed if you so desire- but the apples are so beautiful! And again- rick rack- red this time!



Last is my second version of the daisies apron. I made the ties longer and I like that much more. I really practiced using the serger here so the back is actually as pretty as the front. I have an idea to use old tablecloths to make a pieced together apron much like this one.

I hope you enjoyed all my creations. I think I have a baby bonanza coming....so I will be looking for beautiful baby items to create. I may just make my own ideas too! You never know!

Snow Day Haiku

Ice, snow on the ground.
At home indoors with both kids.
Paints, crafts, indoor fun.

2007 Santa

So this is what Ella and Lars saw when they went to see Santa last year. Ella was so excited and Lars was so sick. He is fighting off a cold and the millionth ear infection ever. I will admit that this Santa at Coral Ridge sure beats Gary the guy who played Santa for me in 1974. I abhor the wait but seeing how excited they get is worth it. I recommend a Monday or Tuesday wevening as the mall is usually pretty quiet.

Retro Santa

I am age 4 here, same as Ella is now. I showed this to her and explained it was mommy as little girl. Ella then proceded to tell me that there was someone under there. She then was convinced it was not really Santa although she could not exactly tell me why.

Of note- this is a terrible beard, but it looks like I did not care at all. I do not rememebr seeing Santa every year, so this was likely a very special event. I also can tell you my daughter definitely has my feet. Don't my feet look huge for a 4 year old? Ella currently wears a size 12/13 at age 4 1/2. Lars is wearing a size 9 at 2 1/2. I also love my hair- looks like I attempted to cut my bangs. And just for Nora- another short hemline. I think it was the style in the 70's. Ella is so retro these days. And what is there to say about the white tree? Love it!

Backyard Snow Sliding

Here is Ella waving goodbye to her Mommy right before she hurls herself into danger! I need to clarify that this was in no way shape or form even close to my idea. In fact I really was not sure how this would go at all. I was torn between taking pictures and taking the kids in.
As you can see...I took pictures.

Lars thinks I am being silly since I peek through my fingers. But I really do not want to look!

Here they go sliding down the slide, then down the hill in our back yard. This kind of stuff makes me nervous, but the kids love it. I figure it is Bret's job to encourage the stuff that scares me. They loved it! I think I remember Ella did not want to come in at all!

Snow Day

Look at all of the reindeer we made! Easy as can be and we did these in many steps. Glue them- wait to dry. Paint them. Wait to dry. Glue eyes on or paint eyes and noses. Wait to dry. hang ribbon on and write name on! Done!

I am hoping these ornaments are gifts for all care providers to go along with small gift cards. Holiday crafts are always so much fun. I was so happy to have a snow day today to do this!

Homemade tree ornaments. I added pictures later and think these turned out pretty cute!

As if we had not all ready done enough, Lars wanted to finger paint. He really got into it this time. Much more than I am used to him getting into it.