Happy New Year

We decided to invite friends over for tonight at the last minute so I didn't finish give away projects, but one item will be three of these vintage noisemakers (for next year Ü). Aren't the graphics wonderful? I will show other give away items tomorrow!


Happy New Year!

Sledding, Baby, 100th Post Give-Away

I hope you all have had a great week. We've been busy with family--Eating, swimming, eating, sledding, eating, laughing, eating. We got 8 inches of snow Christmas night--that added to what we had. It's been fun, but now I need a vacation.



My dear friend that I painted baby furniture for had her baby girl today. She is not named yet. Mom pushed for 4 hours. Little sweetheart was turned upward and her nose was getting stuck. She is beautiful!

And here it is my 100th post--wow! Didn't know if I'd make it this far when I started. Your kind words and encouragement have kept me going and have brightened many days. I thank God for my bloggin' friends--you are all so kind. I will show you tomorrow what I am giving away, because I am still collecting and creating for it. But leave a message here on this post to be entered to win. I will draw a winner on Friday evening at 6:oo MST. Good luck and love U!

Merry Christmas

I wanted to take a minute and wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. May the celebration of the birth of our Savior bless you and change you.

I also wanted to show a few last cheap decorating ideas I did. Plates are from a garage sale. I cut out stars using from tacky tape on my cricut and added some Martha glitter.

I wanted this saying above my nativity. Originally I was going to just put it on the wall, but didn't want to have to redo it every year so I found a $5 mirror at the thrift store, painted it brown and added the vinyl letters cut on my cricut.

Have a great one!

Last Minute Gift

If you need a last minute, inexpensive idea for neighbors or hostesses, whip up some raspberry vinegar. I found these bottles at the dollar store. Take 1 1/2 cups white vinegar and 1 cup of raspberries --frozen are great, but not the kind in juice. Put the raspberries and vinegar in a glass container and microwave on high for 3 minutes--it should be very warm , almost boiling. Let sit for 15 minutes and then strain. Put 10-15 raspberries in a glass jar and add vinegar. Include this dressing recipe:

Raspberry Vinegarette

1/3 cup salad oil
3 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs raspberry vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbs. sour cream

Shake well and use over a salad made with mixed greens, pecans, raspberries, parmesan cheese.

Is It Tomorrow Already?

Oops, I told you I was going to post tomorrow, that was Tuesday night. I know you sweet readers all understand! We've had more snow and it the high is negative 10 today--at least we will have snow for Christmas, which I love.


We've been busy elves making gifts for the cousins. Here are a few of them:

My daughter helped with with the jewelry. Anyone know how to straighten that leather cording out? My son made the duct tape wallets.


We made what we call a bed buddy. We took the stuffing out of a purchased stuffed animal and sewed the legs and neck closed so that stuffing wouldn't come out. We added velcro and a rice bag sock. We also made this pillow and made a rice bag out of muslin to tuck inside. A warm rice bag goes a long way on a cold Montana night!

I made this throw for my sister. She just changed her family room colors to burnt orange and blues and browns. This is made out of micro suede and is so soft. The fabric was 70% off at JoAnn's. I didn't put any batting in it.


Here is the tree (no--you haven't had too much eggnog--the picture is a little fuzzy) and a nativity cross. It was silver, but I wanted it copper so I spray painted it and used copper leafing on it.


Hope you all are enjoying the last few days before Christmas. I am almost to 100 posts I think--I will have to have a giveaway. I will let you know and I still have a few decorating things to show you. Stay warm!

Baby, It's Cold Outside

December has not been a good posting month for me--so busy. I am behind on Christmas "stuff", but not stressing it too much. We had our preschool Christmas program last night. They were adorable and there is nothing like the telling of Jesus' birth from the mouth of babes.

We got slammed with some arctic cold. It's been 20 below every day since Saturday. It blizzard Saturday, we got 6 inches of snow. Does school get canceled here in Montana when it is 20 below (22 this morning!)? Nope! The warmest it is supposed to be this week is 16 degrees!

Here is my bucket of Christmas balls now. Mind you this is way up on my covered porch, next to my door, that never sees moisture. That is how hard the wind was blowing.

Remember my little wooden bowl I redid? Now it is filled for Christmas.


This little niche holds gifts made or given to me by my children. It is a little plain and needs some more height--but he kids enjoy looking and remembering each item.



I have more to show you tomorrow, but I am tired and eldest son needs the computer for homework. Tomorrow is the last day of preschool before vacation--jammie day-yea!

Baby Stuff (not mine!)

As mentioned in past posts my dear friend is about to have her first baby, after trying for 3 years. I gave her this changing table. It is a piece I have had for about five years--I bought it for $15 at a garage sale. I forgot before pictures--I know, big surprise. But it was ugly brownish, purplish and had neon rub-on flower decals on the doors and drawers. I painted it to match her crib set. The bright pink looks a little neon in these pictures, but it isn't. The doors are a little open and there is no hardware on it yet--she ordered some pink glass knobs.


I also painted this little bench she had found at a garage sale this summer. It all looks cute in the baby room. And now I can focus again on Christmas.

I Am Still Here

Just a quick note to say, hello, I am still her, although I haven't been here in the blog world too much. I hope to post some pictures tonight and tomorrow at the very latest. I have been busy painting baby furniture. Tis the season to be busy, falalalalala. Except tisn't the season for painting baby furniture, but I needed to get it done, as it's been hanging over my head.

Check back soon Ü!

You Say Tomato (cage), I Say Christmas Decoration

I love tomato cages. I use them in the summer, well for tomatoes, but also turned upside down in pots for climbing flowers like sweet peas. This is the first year I have used them for Christmas. I turned it upside down and added a bunch of my old glass Christmas balls. I used an insulator on
the top (which is what I do in the summer too). This one is pretty simple, like me (I think my DH would disagree with that statement Ü). I am an abstract random girl, so I used all kinds of colors. You could do all green to make it look more tree like or just two colors like green and gold. You could wrap lights on them too. I do have some tomato cages, without the glass balls, wrapped in lights. I will try to take pictures of those at dusk--they are much prettier with the lights on. You could use a star or actual tree topper on the top. You could other ornaments from it, not just balls. Let me know if you try this easy peasy project. My six year old daughter is making one now for her bedroom.

Snowflake Art?

Art? Not sure if this really qualifies as art, but it works for me. I wanted, no needed Ü, something to hang on my fireplace for Christmas. As mentioned before, since changing my living room colors to blue, I have had quite the challenge deciding what to do for Christmas decorating. I decided to incorporate the blue, keep the deep reds, and get rid of the silver and bright reds. So, I wanted something that had blue, but also the deep reds. However, I am trying to do this on a strict pretty much zero budget, so I had to use what I had. I have had this canvas for at least three years.

I came up with this idea for a graphic painting. First I made snowflakes from contact paper. I always make a cone shape and then cut the sides and then the pieces to make a snowflake (my son thinks I am silly showing you how to make a snowflake. My high school Latin teacher taught me. )


I then put them on the canvas. Now they did not stick like I had hoped. The contact paper was a little old so that may have been the problem. I decided to seal the edges with white paint--gel medium works well for this, but I didn't have any. I wanted to use freezer paper and iron it on, but I didn't have any of that either.

Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of the next steps--kids came home from school--life got crazy. But, after the white paint had dried, I painted a mix of two blue colors and some white with a big brush over the entire canvas. When that was dry, I added the red swirls. I then took off the snowflakes--there was a little leakage, not much, so I touched that up. It still needed something so I added the watered down white swirls. It may get a little clear glitter on the snowflakes too.

My husband needs your help! Every year they have a door decorating contest at his school. We are looking for a winning idea! If you have any fun ones, let us a know. If we use your idea, I will send you a little something. Think funny, catchy, hip (for high school).