Christmas Fabric

Okay, one of my New Years resolutions is to not purchase any new fabric. The only exception is when I need something to finish a project. But since it is December 28th I can still buy some fabric. I purchased 2.5 yards of the Tonka fabric to make Nephew pajamas for next year. I just liked the snowmen and snowflakes.
I have made several other purchase but you will have to check them out on my other blog

Because We're Cheap Like That.

Christmas 2008

I have already shared with you the new t.v. that my parents gave us. Bo and I got two GPS systems one from Brother and SIL and one from Bo's Dad. I guess both of our families have gotten tired of us calling them and asking them for directions when we are on a trip. We don't need two so we had to return one, but we will put the other one to good use when we go to New Orleans for New Years. We are going to the Sugar Bowl.



I wanted to share with you the books I got for Christmas. My FIL gave me bend the rules sewing, simple gifts to give, pretty little pincushion, and big a-- book of crafts. Big A-- was on back order. Hopefully, I should get it this week. I gave Bo a list of books that I would like and he picked them out and ordered them for my FIL.


Then I received a Barnes and Nobles gift card. I had so much fun looking for exactly what I wanted. I was torn, but I ended up with Seams to Me and Simple Suppers.

Bo's cousins gave me easy comfort food from Create and Barrel. I love new cookbooks at the beginning of the year.

I also received another gift card, this one was from Books-A-Million. I made my dollar stretch as far as possible. I was torn again but I ended up with What can I Bring? Cookbook, Last Minute Christmas magazine, and Better than Mom's Slow cooker Recipes.

Now, I hope to use all these books to there fullest.

We had a verry Merry Christmas

Bo and I had a great Christmas with both of our families. I finished my dad present midnight on the 23rd and didn't get it wrapped until Bo was loading up the car for us to leave on Christmas Eve. But my dad liked it just the same. If only it would cool off so he could use it. Man I hate a warm Christmas. I hope everyone else had a good Christmas. I had a great one I'll share some of my gifts with you tomorrow. Now we are headed back to Bo's families and then onto our house.

Christmas Decorations II

Today I wanted to share some of our favorite Christmas ornaments. We have many, but I will just share four of them.

The first one is from Disney World. My parents took my brother and I there in 2002. This was the summer before he got married my parents, my brother and I have always been close and this trip was great fun! It would have to be favorite family summer vacation. Great memories. I would love to go to Disney World now with my parents, Brother, SIL, Nephew, and Bo. Maybe one day.

My In-laws gave me this ornament last year. I just think it is just adorable, and something I could actually make something similar one day when I have time.

Bo had this ornament before we got married. When he was at an accounting firm one of the partners gave this ornament to the entire staff including the other partners. It is the Hallmark ornament that commemorates the new millennium, and something Bo would have never bought himself. He admires this ornament every year. I guess now that 2000 seems so far away it was really a big deal.

This one was our first Christmas together ornament. My friend Deborah gave us this ornament and it goes on the three every year. I actually bought a backup in case something happens to this one.

Christmas Decorations Part I

Since this is the week of Christmas, I thought I would share some of my favorite Christmas decorations. Today I'll share handmade items.

First up: This is one of those plaster items from either Wal-mart or Michael's. I don't know which one. My mom painted this and gave it to me. I just LOVE it! I think she did a great job with the colors. They are very muted. These pictures don't do it justice.

Who doesn't love Snoopy? My grandmother, Maw, made this throw rug for me several years ago. Since Bo and I have gotten married it has found a place at my back door. I just love it and I think Maw did a great job. She made it from a latch hook rug kit. She has terrible arthritis in her hands, but her Dr. has encouraged her to knit and do latch hooking to keep what mobility she has left.

This is a pillow I smocked for Bo I actually made it to match his Christmas stocking. It is suppose to be snowflakes, but think they look more like little UFOs. His stocking is the plaid and the pipping is done in the red. It is so nice to use scraps to make coordinating items.

Holiday Bakeoff

Bo and I spent the day baking. We filled up our dining room table with cookies and we weren't even done. We made Tole house Chocolate Chip, Sugar, Peanut butter with a Kiss, Snickerdoodles, and Butterscotch and Oatmeal. We hope to pass most of them out tomorrow and Tuesday.

Bo was a huge help. I mixed the batter and he would take them in and out of the oven. I couldn't have do without him.

Bo is batting a 1000

Last night when I was sorting my A.C. Moore goodies I asked Bo to get me a plastic bag. We have like 6 million in the kitchen and above the dryer in the laundry closet. It couldn't be that easy. No, he had to go into my sewing room and take the bag off his surprise Christmas present that I haven't wrapped yet. Then this morning when I noticed it he told me, "I didn't even notice what it was." I just can't believe this!

AC Moore is closing

I have one more day to shop at A.C. Moore. It is really really sad to go shopping there. Even Bo thinks so. I did have the opportunity to fill a bag with as much as I could for $10.00 today. This is all the merchandise that I could fit into the bag. I don't know if I got anything good, but I got as much as I could stuff in there. I even tore the bag, but I still keep stuffing. I'll sort threw it and then I decide what I want to do with what I don't want.

Yes, BLAKELY, there is a Santa Claus

As a child I loved the editorial Yes, VIRGINA, there is a Santa Claus. Thinking about Santa Claus I thought I would share how I grew up thinking of Santa Claus.

My parents always told us from the time we (my brother and I) started asking where the presents came from that they purchased our gifts then they sent them to Santa. He would wrap them and deliver them on Christmas Eve. (He was a very nice UPS Man.) This way we wouldn't ask for anything that they couldn't afford. I know that this is a different way of looking at Santa, but it was what I grew up knowing. Bo grew up believing in Santa differently.

It wasn't like Santa wasn't apart of Christmas. He just wasn't all of it. My mom always took us visit Santa at the mall. My mom even collects Santa's. I never had one of those devastating moments when I realized that Santa wasn't real. Knowing me I probably told some kids that he didn't bring the presents. I just don't remember. I also know that it wasn't Santa who watching if I was bad or good. It was my parents and they knew ALL. I know other individuals viewed Santa differently when they were little or what they tell there children is different. I also know that when Bo and I have kids that we will have to come up with our own idea of Santa for our children. If you would like to share your views on Santa I would love to hear them.

Sewing Scissors

Which one of these scissors looks like they should be used to cut paper and which one is used to cut fabric? The fabric ones are the orange and grey and the paper ones are the purple ones. Bo did not realize this and cut the wrapping paper with my sewing scissors. Lets just say I wasn't happy in the least. But I think that we now have an understanding that the sewing scissors are not to be used to cut paper. I think what ticked me off the most was when Bo said, "If it makes you feel any better they didn't cut the paper very well."

I wanted to show you our Christmas present. My parents gave Bo and I a 32" screen t.v for my Christmas this is in my sewing room. This room is also were Bo playes video games so we can be together doing while working on our separate hobbies.

Christmas Tree

I though I would share one of our Christmas trees with you. Bo set this tree up in the sewing room for me. I just love it. It fits my personality to a tee.

We're back, but not for long.

Bo and I had a great time at Disney World. It was unseasonably cold for Orlando like in the mid 30s one night. The day we left it was in the 80s. You got to love that kind of weather.
I still have two more gifts to make. I won't be able to post them because they are for family members who read my blog. Today, I am off to finish my Christmas shopping, then we are celebrating Bo's birthday with his family, and tomorrow we are celebrating my mom's birthday. December is a big birthday month for us.

See Ya Real Soon!

We are off to visit the Mouse. I'll have plenty of pictures to share with you.

Why Oh Why?

I leave on Friday for Bo's Disney World Birthday trip and I have a sinus infection! I went to the doctor today and got a shot and a prescription. Bo went to pick it up my prescription and the pharmacist couldn't find it. I guess I'll have to deal with it tomorrow.

Stopage of Time

Apparently, I thought that I could stop time. Bo and I are leaving for Disney World on Friday and I haven't even started to pack. Some how I got distracted from my plan to start packing and doing laundry to get ready. I went shopping for three hours tonight after work instead. You know those last minute stuff for a trip. Then I had to make sticky buns for my boss' b-day party tomorrow.

I really wanted to make a mickey mouse scarf, hat, and gloves to take with me on my trip. I can't stop time and I can't make this before I go. I'm sure I'll have fun anyway.

What Happened to Blakely?

I bet you have wondered what I was up to. Well, I can tell you it wasn't anything to exciting, and I haven't been sewing or crafting either, unless you count wrapping Christmas presents.

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. Mine was great. I went to CVS to get some deals and then I headed to Bo's family farm to eat and have fun away from it all.

A Thanksgiving at the farm is not complete without shooting skeet. I got 2 out of 9. I'm also sporting some ear muffs that my father-in-law gave me last year for Christmas. They work great.

Bo did much better than I did at shooting. He got 6 for 6. No one wants to shot after him.

After all of this we headed an hour away and spent several days with my family. We went shopping. Bo and I were both up and at Walmart by 4:30a.m. on Friday. This is the only day that Bo will agree to go to Walmart. He absolutely HATES Walmart and refuses to go there.

Bo went to the Iron Bowl and I watched it at my brother and SIL new house. I had loads of fun even though Auburn lost and Bo hasn't rubbed it in to much that Alabama won.

Bo and I have also decorated the house. We have three Christmas trees up in our 1500 sq. ft. house. It may be just a bit much. Here are a few pictures from outside.

Cooking for Thanksgiving

Bo and I both have great parents and we love to spend time with them. Our families Thanksgiving day festivities are at different times so we are able to spend time with both sets. We will head to Bo's family farm to fish, ride 4wheelers, hit golf balls, shoot skeet, and EAT. There is all kinds of good food. Then we will head to my families house which is much more low key event and eat some more. Man, my mom makes the best baked corn, and she only makes three times a year Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. I look forward to it each time she makes it.

I plan to make for Thanksgiving sticky buns, pumpkin cake, and pumpkin trail mix.

I put the loafs of bread for the sticky buns in the oven to thaw and rise. When I started to make my cake I preheated the oven and forgot the loafs were in the oven rising. This is what I found when I went to put my cake in the oven.
Needless to say I had to go buy some more frozen bread loafs and I will have to make these in the morning. I did finish my cake and I also made some pumpkin butter. Bo questioned me to see if I was going to try and use every dish in the house. Because he nicely did the dishes while I cooked.

This is a picture of my Thanksgiving mix. I found this recipe several years ago in a Pillsbury cookbook. It is peanuts, candy corn and apple cinnamon cheerios. It is so tasty.

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!

Finished

I finished all of my stockings. I hope my mom enjoys hanging them on her mantel this year. I was suppose to have them finished by last Christmas but I came up a little short.
I made my parents new stocking 4/5 years ago. These stockings are for me, Bo, Nephew, Brother, SIL, and Grandmother. This group makes a total of 19 smocked stockings I have made. My sewing groups jokes that I will make them for anyone who will ask. I don't really. I have made stockings for my MIL's house, for 3 friends, my house, and now my parents house. Knowing my luck someone will have a baby by next Christmas and I will have to make more stockings. But I'm done for now.

Big Plans

It is cold outside so tonight's plans include watching Wall-e and eating a Papa Johns pizza while snuggling on the couch. I can't wait!

Christmas Stocking

One Done! Only five more to go by next Thursday!

Catching Some ZZZ

Last night, I stayed at sewing class until 10:30 p.m. and then I didn't get to bed until midnight. Needless to say I was tired today, but I still had plans to do work on several of my projects. But I sat down on the couch to watch E! News and Wheel of Fortune. I didn't even make it to the end of Wheel of Fortune until I was a sleep, and I didn't get anything done. Hopefully, I'll have something to show you tomorrow night. Now, I am off to bed.

CVS Deals

I had to post my really good deals that I got from CVS today. It did take me three transactions, but I got everything that I wanted and then some. I received $94.85 worth of good for $4.72 out of pocket, and they gave me $20.00 back in Extra Care Bucks. You just can't beat CVS and their deals.
What I purchased: 3 Soft and Dry Deodorants
1 Dry Idea
1 Vaseline Men's Body Lotion
1 Chicken Bouillons
1 Cinnamon Spice
3 Hershey Kiss Truffles
1 Loreal Age Perfect Moisturiser
1 Clairol Hair Color
1 Zantrex 3 shot
6 Glade Candle
2 Glade Glass Scents
1 Duracell AA 8 pack batteries
1 Duracell AAA 8 pack batteries
1 Duracell AAA 16 pack batteries

Celebration!

Last night Bo and I went to Birmingham to see Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson. We don't really go to many concerts, but this was part of my birthday present from Bo. If you don't remember my birthday was back in September.
Here are some pictures from the concert. The three girls in front of us thought that they had to dance the entire time. I love to people watch and this was a great place.

Birmingham is an hour and 3o minutes away from home so we decided to stay at the Ross Bridge Resort and Spa. It is on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. It is a very nice hotel and we enjoyed our stay. Then today before we left we went shopping. It was a great weekend trip.

Interesting List

Both Moving at the Speed of Life and Mommy Brain have had this list up on there blogs in the last couple of days. I was really surprise what all I have done. They are the ones in bold.

1. Started your own blog (Thanks for visiting)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii (Honeymoon)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world (Going for my sixth time in December)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise (Does a dinner cruise count?)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language (Haven't purchased Rosetta Stone, Yet)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain (like Spiderman style - NOOOOO!, but it would be nice)
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (Front Page - Saturday Addition)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby (Not yet, but I get asked everyday when I'm going to start trying.)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Man, looking at this list my life isn't as boring as I sometimes think it is. I have been lucky to have so many great experiences in my life. I will try to located some pictures and share stories about these event in the future.

Sorry, It took longer than I estimated

Okay, this is the color of my walls in my sewing room. I had painted one wall yellow, but it didn't look good at all. It took me several extra coats of paint to cover it. I still want to paint the trim, and then work on the decorating my room.
This is the fabric I'm going to use to make my curtains in my sewing room. I just love it, and I got it on sale for a $1.99 a yard.

Bo and I were off work today, and we had two guys come out to give us estimates on counter tops for our kitchen. We don't ever stop thinking about what we can do next to our house.

I have done a little sewing. Basically I have made pipping for six stockings. I HATE making pipping. It just seems like I'm not getting anything done quickly.

The only other thing happening in my life is that my ghost wisdom tooth is bothering me. I know what you are thinking ... what is a ghost wisdom tooth? I thought the same thing when my dentist told me that I had one. Basically, I had my wisdom tooth removed like 13 years ago and occasionally it feel like I still have a wisdom tooth trying to break threw the skin. My dentist has done x-rays and you can still see a very distinct outline of my one tooth that bothers me and not the other 3. He said that this is very rare, but there wasn't anything that they could do. It will bother my for about a week and then it will stop for a couple of months.

Blog Break

I'm going to take a blog break to paint my sewing room. I hope to have some pictures Sunday night. I can't wait to have this room finished.

Voted

I would have voted today even if Starbucks and Kispy Kreme were giving away free stuff. But it made it oh so much sweeter with free coffee and a free donut. No sewing tonight we are watching the returns. I hope that you voted.

Weekend Update

These pictures are not exactly in the order I wanted them, but I'll share them anyway.

This weekend we went home and visited my family and finished the weekend by eating a Sunday night steak dinner with Bo's family.

We had such a great weekend! We at Sunday Lunch at Red Lobster, and they have to have the best cheese biscuit. Nephew agrees. He liked them so much that he licked his plate when he was finished. I snapped this picture before his dad could tell him no.
My brother was willing to try on the golfing pants I made. Apparently I sewed the fly in wrong because Brother said that I sewed it on the woman's side. But he says that he may wear them next year for Halloween.

I wanted to show you a picture of Nephew's costume. I couldn't get any really good pictures of him because he was nothing, but content motion Friday night. He even invited all of of his new little friends into the house to Tricker Treat. Boy, did he look cute.

Saturday night we went to the National Peanut Festival. I enjoy all of the wonderful fair food - a corndog from The Corndog man, a funnel cake, cotton candy, and of course boiled peanuts.