my Thanksgiving lens

this year celebrating Thanksgiving included traveling to atlanta to be with mark's family. while distance may separate us, the relationships we've built make it feel like no time has passed when we're together again. and getting these four cousins together is pure joy.

these were a few of our highlights:

we all arrived with excitement and anticipation in our hearts.

we ate awesome meals and feasted on lots of sweet treats including our tradition of pilgrim pies.
uncle mark did another outstanding job creating a personalized ornament for each one.
michelle and sally served both ham and turkey.
the four cousins played until they dropped.
temperatures were in the mid 60's, but the fireplace was always burning.
the trampoline was a huge hit.
and the four of them were good sports about letting me take photo after photo trying to get the "perfect" shot.
some of us celebrated a michigan win and then later that night a south carolina win.
we started what would be a fourteen hour drive home with this bright spot.
being with family is always the best place to be.

string of hearts

my shutdown on knitting and cross stitching has allowed me time to create with paper. the stringed hearts here and here, gave me the inspiration I needed for my valentines. thank you friends for all the inspiration you so willingly share!!

supplies:

white cardstock

red cardstock

pink cardstock or pink note cards

white pearle cotton thread- one 10" piece per card

needle

pop dot

tape

cricut cutting machine*

*I used my cricut machine with the "beyond birthdays" cartridge to cut 6- 1" white hearts and 1- 1.25" red heart for each valentine. If you don't have this machine you can use your computer to create or hand cut the hearts.

the process goes like this:

* cut enough 1" white hearts and 1.25" red hearts out of cardstock for the number of cards you'll be making. (6- 1" white hearts and 1- 1.25" red heart per card)

* using the threaded needle, string hearts on cotton thread in order- three white, one red, three white.

* attach the string of hearts from the front side of card to back.

* tie a knot at the end of each side of thread on back of card. put a small amount of tape over knot.

* once you have the hearts in a position you like, add a pop dot to the back of the red heart and attach to the card.

* write greeting and share generously.

ADVENTure 2.0

last year I went on a brand new ADVENTure, and many of you traveled with me via my monthly posts. that journey was a significant and meaningful one for me, and it turned out to be so much more than "pick a project, make it, and give it away."

I can't imagine not doing it this year, so off I go again! it would be such an added blessing to have you join me in this journey and create an ADVENTure of your own. so, consider yourself invited to ADVENTure 2011!

here's a rough sketch of the plan:

on the 25th of each month I'll be posting my ADVENTure happenings- completed projects, projects in progress, tips for success and encouragement for the journey. in that post will be Mr. Linky allowing you to link up your own ADVENTure post as we create together! there may even be a flickr group and a few pdfs in the works. :)

now...some of you may be thinking...

* "really? didn't I just pack away that holiday?"

* "where do I start?"

* "I really need to be closer to December and in full holiday mode to have inspiration."

* "I don't have anyone to create for."

all things I confess to have thought or heard when the idea first started to take shape, but I offer back to you my own answers...

* yes, we did just complete Christmas 2010, but let me encourage you that I'll be giving you tips for success and tools to use throughout the project. and...

* yes, you can find inspiration in january! I'm living proof! and...

* whether the gift is for a loved one, a favorite charity, or for you, we can always find someone to bless with a hand made gift.

so let's begin!

looking back at 2010, this is how I got started:

1. make a list

as part of my holiday planner, I use this gift list. I fill in the names of all of our family and friends we'll be giving a gift to.

2. take. time. to. think.

the most appreciated and used gifts are those specific to your recipient. something just for them! so, this step is really important and won't be completed in one sitting.

when choosing those to give handmade items to, you might start with questions like: what do they like to do? what is their favorite color? what is their favorite season? what do you make that they already love? what would you love to make for them?

I use the "gift idea" column to jot down any ideas left over from last year and not used or ones I thought of after Christmas that would be just right for them. as you make your way through the year, you'll add items under the "gift ideas" or "final gift" columns (whether handmade or store purchased). I visit my gift list over and over again throughout the year.

3. monthly map

I then took my "to create for" list, chose my first projects, and mapped as many as I could out month by month. I knew that my santa project would be year long craft, so each month of the map had "santa" listed. I then would add projects to the map as I found just the right one.

4. just start

so now it's time to "just start!" whether that means creating a list, making gift tags or knitting a beautiful cowl, starting a journey is the only way to finish one. I found that consistent achievement fueled the momentum of finding the next inspiring project and completing it.

so off we go! as we begin I hope you'll embrace the journey and make it your own! I'm excited to see what the year will bring in both the project and personal growth arenas. and don't forget to stop back here january 25th to link up with me and your fellow travelers!

as you can see, I can't live without my Holiday Planner! you may or may not have some type of planner already in place. but for those of you interested...when you leave a comment by tuesday, january 18th at noon...you'll have a chance to receive your own Holiday Planner put together by me, for you! and for those of you who don't celebrate Christmas, how about a set of handmade cards if you win!!

wrapping it up

I've been a little slow with the take down. I know many of you have long since packed up Christmas and moved on to New Year's resolutions, new projects, and new adventures. I'll catch up. I'm just a little slow.

during our many driving hours down to Florida to spend Christmas with Mark's family, I decided to take January very s l o w. we decorate early and take it down late. we alternate holidays and travel a lot. it's just what we do. so I enjoy using the first few weeks of January to take stock, stock up, and continue enjoying the warmth of the season.

before the weekend comes and the decorations come down and I move on a bit, I want to share a few sights of our December:

:: our reason for the season, the Christ child ::

:: favorite tree ornaments ::

:: craft traditions ::

:: many hours of kitchen fun ::

:: time spent blessing others ::

:: quality time with one family ::

:: and then another ::

and tomorrow, the finish to my 2010 ADVENTure. see you then!

note to self

take re-entry slow.

leave the tree up, if you like.

snuggle when they want to snuggle.

repeat your ADVENTure.

make a gift. wrap a gift.

don't volunteer to organize the class Christmas party.

take the Christmas photo during the summer.

use ball jars to gift sweet treats.

let your presence be present.

home again, home again

and it feels so good. after being away for ten days, I can't wait to climb into my own bed tonight! but before I do, I wanted to stop by and wish you a New Year full of love, joy and memorable moments. I'll be back soon to share the final projects of my ADVENTure and the unhurried moments of our Christmas holiday. and I can't wait to linger over your adventures as well.

many thanks for sharing 2010 with me. I appreciated each of your visits and kind comments of support. blessings to you my friends!

goodbye 2010.

hello 2011.

o tannenbaum

when larissa and lisa started their quilt-a-long last year, I had good intentions of joining in. unfortunately, I only got as far as purchasing beautiful fabric from my favorite amish quilt shop.

this fabric sat...and sat...and sat, until I added "Christmas quilt" to my list of projects to tackle during my ADVENTure.

I'm over the moon happy with how it turned out! this project was definitely a labor of love for me. you quilters who whip up amazing masterpieces in just two days amaze me!

this slow moving process was enjoyable from start to finish- from the fabric cutting, to piecing and sewing, to (all that) the ironing. but my most favorite part was hand sewing the binding! thanks for encouraging me to do that, lisa!

here are my project details, links, and personal notes.

:: fabric ::

choose fabric you LOVE! I spent a lot of time with these fabrics and probably wouldn't have finished had it not been for my love of the fabric. I used a total of nine different patterns from this collection: moda fabrics, basic grey: figgy pudding; pattern numbers: 30182- blue, 30183- blue, 30185- white and multi, 30186- juniper, 30187- red, 30188- brown and blue, 30189- juniper

:: skills ::

I had to learn from many friends to complete this project. heartfelt thanks to all of you for sharing your talent and knowledge!

* layout and quilt pattern: oh, fransson!; charm squares baby quilt

* quilting basics and inspiration: the jolly bee, jonquils and ladybugs, oh, fransson!, stitches in play and stitching under oaks

* a local machine quilter did the "O Tannenbaum" pattern

* this quilt binding tutorial helped me finish it off

:: details ::

* finished quilt size- 45 1/2" wide by 48 1/2" tall

* I added two rows of quilt blocks down the back of the quilt to increase the width.

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life,

to mind your own business

and to work with your hands.

-1 Thessalonians 4:11 NIV

happy wednesday!

stopping by for a quick update of a few finished ADVENTure projects. these are wrapped and ready to bless! I love that. having my gifts waiting and ready to give. let's be honest, most years I'm up until 3:00 am the night before we leave for holiday wrapping gifts.

this week I'm focusing on being unhurried. I may inevitably be "busy" but I'm challenging myself to be unhurried amidst the busy. taking the time I need to recharge, connect with others, and savor all that the celebration of His birth has to offer!

Pattern: Dolores Park Cowl

Yarn: Trendsetter Yarns, Granito, Color 4

Needles: US 13 circular

Project Notes: love the feel of this yarn!! so soft against your face. I used one and a half skeins of yarn.

I can't get enough of these! this time in Cascade 220, black.

and these again, by special request. I finally found a colorway that may match her kitchen!

finished gift count: 15

finished santa count: 5

finished home deco count: 3

it's here!

it's here! december is finally here! happy December 1st! this morning we were blessed with a front that finally brought us cold temperatures and snow! a wonderfully beautiful day of snow flurries provided the perfect weather outside for me to stay inside and craft. in my hour, I created a sweet little gift to let two special young ladies know we're thinking of them!

Supply list: cottage christmas card stock sheet and card stock for matting purchased at Archiver's, adhesive, paper trimmer, xyron lamination, magnet buttons, plastic boxes and ribbon for mailing.

Directions: cut, mat, laminate, add magnets, enjoy!

over the next two weeks, I'll be finishing up my ADVENTure 2010, and (of course) sharing my final projects with you here. my year long project of making gifts, paper projects, and home decor items will come to a close. some of the planned projects will need to be put on the shelf and considered for next year, which makes me sad. but this has been one amazing adventure and I'm so excited to share all the gifts I've created. these advent magnets were made and mailed today, so it's not too late for you to create an easy project! go. now. create.