PINTEREST INSPIRATION THIS WEEK

Here are some products I came across this week on Pinterest that I thought I would share.

I would love to have these in my garage.

Click HERE for the complete instructions and materials list.

This orange fluff salad looks so refreshing.  I must try this soon.

Click HERE for the link to the recipe.

I know I complained last week about people posting valentine's things before Christmas was even here but this isn't necessarily only for Valentine's day.  I would love it hanging in my bedroom right now.

Click HERE for ordering information.

I have a new love in my life and it is Scarves.  I am thinking I need to order one of these so I can keep them organized.

To order one of these go HERE for the link.

Please note:  I was not compensated in any way for posting these products.  I just found some really cool things I love and wanted to share with you links on how to find them.

I LOVE ME SOME PINTEREST!

ANOTHER ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS

Another Christmas has come and gone and as I reflect today on all the happenings with my family I am feeling completely and totally BLESSED. 

 From the goody baking to the shopping, wrapping, cleaning and cooking it has been a season of love and laughter.  Of course we ate too much and spent too much but what price do you put on precious family memories?

One of the fun things we did was played some Minute 2 Win It games.  I had several games geared toward kids (ages 3 to 10) that they really enjoyed.  One in particular was a "straw and stars" game.  You cut out small stars from card stock or scrapbook paper (I used a star punch that was about 1") and gave each contestant a straw.  They had to suck a star to the bottom of the straw and transport it a few feet away into a bowl and collect as many as they could in one minute.

 As you can see in the top left hand picture and the center picture that the adults participated in a "Kissmas Ball" relay race.  The object was to transport the Christmas ornament across the room and drop it into a bowl using only your lips.

There was lots of treats and opening of presents.  There was no bickering or fighting.  It was a really wonderful day. 

The moms of the two 15 month old babes were the ones that had the least fun because of keeping the little ones from being run over, hurt or lost (wandering into rooms that they could get into things that could hurt them like itty-bitty Lego pieces.  I could just see one of them choking on something and having to take a trip to the hospital.)

I hope you all had a wonderful day too.

PINTEREST INSPIRATION THIS WEEK

Here is what is inspiring me this week on Pinterest

1. Hot Fudge

2. Behold Blocks

3. Snicker Doodle Bread

4. Burlap Covered Box

5. Christmas Tree Card

Click on the above links to be inspired too.

                                                                 

Edit to add: No I didn't make any of these but I am feeling inspired to do so...after Christmas maybe.  Either that or before Christmas next year.  Ha Ha!

BAH HUMBUG MOMENT

OK, so I am having a little grouchy moment here and it has nothing to do with Christmas.

It actually has to do with bloggers, pinterest people and facebook friends posting Valentine's stuff. Come on you over-achieving people let us get through one holiday before starting to shove the next one coming up down our throats.  Seriously people,

THAT REALLY TICKS ME OFF!!!!!!!!!!

(I feel so much better getting that off my chest)

Church Christmas Dinner

My daughter Natasha was in charge of decorating one of the tables for our ward Christmas dinner. 

She borrowed  my Santa hats to add to her decorations. 

I think she did a great job.

She found the cute Santa hat chair covers and the clear glass plates at the dollar store.  She had a friend cut some vinyl and applied it to the backs of the plates.

I tried to get all angles of the table but photographs just don't do justice.  It's like trying to capture the beauty of a Christmas tree, it just doesn't compare to the real thing.

JOLLY HAPPY SANTA HATS

I finally got around to making more Santa hats for my tree.  I posted  last year about my friend Christine (GO HERE FOR HER EASY TO FOLLOW TUTORIAL) making these for our bazaar and had full intentions to make a bunch more for my tree this year.  Let's see, we still have 10 more days until Christmas so I would say I made them just in time.

I also spent a little time editing these photo's in Picnik.  They have lots of free things you can do to photographs but they also have an upgrade you can get that gives you even more options.

I love the snow effect you can add in Picnik.

 Below are the three original hats that Christine made.

Here is a picture from last year when I put the hats on the tree.

Linky Party at Whipper Berry.

  Just click on the box above to check out all the other fun projects this week.

Also check out the Linky party over at Craft-O-Maniac's blog.

Christmas Goody Baking

Spent the day yesterday with some of my favorite peeps in all the world doing our annual Christmas baking.

(L to R, grandaughter Addison, Me,daughter Natasha and daughter Maria)

We made chocolate chip cookie dough balls,

White chocolate peppermint cookies, and lots of other good stuff too.

Here is Addison getting a close peek at what goodies she is going to eat first.

 

Maria looks a little too eager to do some sampling.

Peppermint pinwheels were a first this year, they look so festive.

It wouldn't be Christmas without the Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Rolo cookies.

  These are made by wrapping chocolate dough around a Rolo and the top dipped in chopped pecans then they are baked.  TO. DIE. FOR!!!

So what are some of  your favorite Christmas goodies?

IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO THINK ABOUT 2012 ELECTIONS

(source)

I got this off of facebook and couldn't agree more!

DANG NABBIT!!!

Shoot!  I dropped my camera one too many times and I am sure it is done for.

It is a Cannon Power Shot.

Let's have a moment of silence please.

"........................................."

It is very similar to the silver camera above.

OK, now that I have mourned for awhile I have a question for you.

WHAT KIND OF CAMERA WOULD YOU RECOMMEND I REPLACE IT WITH?

My budget is $300 or less.  What would be the best camera for the price?

BOYS DECORATING A TREE

Yes, you read the title correctly.  I let two of my grandsons decorate one of the Christmas trees.  They had free reign to do as they pleased, all they had was a fake tree to put together and a box full of ornaments and decorations.  It may not be decorated like I would have but the fun that they had was so worth it.  Good job Matthew and Spencer.

DEAR SANTA.....

I have been a VERY good girl this year and if you could possibly get this in my backyard that would be wonderful.  You wouldn't even have to try and get this down the chimney {which I don't even have}.  Pretty please?????

I love you sooooo much Santa,

Connie

NOW HOW DID SHE KNOW?

OOPS!  I have been caught.  I don't know how the person who created this knew me so well.

THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!!

Hubby and I got the Christmas stuff down from the attic.  I thought he was NEVER going to stop handing down Rubbermaid's.  There were 18 bins full of Christmas STUFF!  That doesn't even include two artificial trees, a box full of small lighted fake fir trees and even more STUFF in my storage room that can't go into the attic.

I think I need an electrical charge attached to my behind and every time I am tempted to buy MORE STUFF it  would send a "shocking" reminder that I don't need any more STUFF!!!!

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR TOUGH TIMES

I CAN'T HELP MYSELF

Pinterest went and did it to me again.  I mean seriously, how can I ever keep up with all the adorable and fantastic ideas? 

Here is a set of blocks inspired by something I saw on Pinterest.

My version:

Inspiration from Pinterest:

 Source

Here are some cute snowmen that my daughter Natasha made from some she had found on pinterest.

Here are the inspiration snowmen.

Source

What did we do before blogs and pinterest?

I am also participating over at Creations by Kara.

PINTEREST INSPIRATION

Man I LOVE Pinterest. 

There are so many fabulous ideas floating around it makes a crafter go NUTS!

I have always loved this saying, I even installed it directly on the wall of my friend Jane's house.  Go here to see how hers looks.

Here is the inspiration piece I got off of Pinterest via Etsy on Sweet Designs Boutique.

Here is my version.

My project consists of an old calendar holder, you know the ones everyone had a few years ago to hold all those adorable calendars?  Well if you check at Goodwill they have those in all the time.  The only thing I did was lightly sanded it and spray painted it black.  I then glued down some pretty scrapbook paper and then applied vinyl lettering on top of it.

Oh Pinterest, what did I do before discovering you?

For more Pinterest inspiration there is a linky party going on over at 5 Minutes for Me.