Handmade gifts for nieces

I have a niece who turns one and another niece who turns 3 within a month of each other and they both came to our home for thanksgiving this year.  So, I made them their gifts.  The 1yo got this:

source
I took one of the huggies wipes containers that has a soft opening - you know, one that wouldn't scratch the baby's hand, and filled it with one charm pack of fun kids fabric.  SUPER easy, and it was a mega hit.  She didn't stop playing with it the whole time she was here :)

For the 3yo, I combined these 2 projects from chezbeeperbebe.blogspot.com

I made a ginormous set of bean bags - 2 of each letter.  That way she can spell with them, play memory games with them, do whatever.  She really enjoyed them, too.
It sure feels good to create for others.  But I'm gonna have to figure out how to do it on the cheap - buying supplies for these 2 projects got to be more than the average target gift run if you know what i mean.

Advent beginnings

It looks like a picture of our neighbors house but its our advent windowsill. 5 minute doily pennants, fallen cedar twigs from our treehouse project, tea lights & a lovely star candle holder. Ahh-advent!


also, doesn't that treehouse look HUGE! it is.  the pic isn't lying.  we are going to paint it asap...

first day of advent

ive been waiting for this day for what seems like ever.  i'm getting my christmas shopping done so i can enjoy the preperatory season and create.  i have wrapped exactly 25 christmas/holiday/winter books for H to unwrap and have read to her every night of advent as a calendar.  tomorrow we will start making homemade paper ornaments to hang in the windows, and James is going to buy outdoor lights for our fence.  i really want to post more here.  i think in posts as the days go by.  i made a super cute skirt for myself.  i want to post a picture.  but getting to the camera and then hooking it up to the computer is sometimes a bit much for me these days.  oh well.  ill keep trying...

Thankfulness Garland

I'm totally addicted to pinterest.com.  I'm checking it every hour, and it literally keeps me from falling asleep and dropping my baby while nursing into the wee hours of the morning.  But the thing about pinterest is that the ideas just pour in, and you - or at least I - can't help but start creating!  For example, I decided it would be a good habit/tradition to start a Thankfulness banner each November.  

 hung just where Shepherd can stare at it :)

 each time we sit at the table as a family in the month of November, we can write something(s) we're thankful for from that day and hang it on the ribbon.  As the month creeps closer to thanksgiving and the beginning of advent, it will grow and fill up.

think about doing one yourself next year - ours filled up fast and looks super.  Happy Thankfulness month!

1 month

For a baby shower gift, my pastor gave us these rad month stickers 1-12 for Shepherd to get his photo taken with during his first year.  So, we decided we would put him in a 12 month onesie on his monthly birthday and take his photo, watching him "grow into" his onesie.

 what are you doing, mom?

yup - he's a pretty mellow baby.

*backdrop is an old ikea duvet cover I had - love using it for this!

Tree fort of MIL addition!?!

Hazel has been asking for a treehouse for about a year and a half.  So, with a slow work week, James got to it - seriously. He informed me that what I had been invisioning was a treefort not a treehouse, and he proceeded to try and tell me it needed glass in the windows, use real siding, and have a truly weatherproof roof.  I managed to talk him out of the glass windows - but the rest he kept.  and more.  I'll post all the details when it's completed, but here are some W.I.P. pictures.....

 Hazel spent the whole time James was building the house outside watching and "helping."  She even got her own carpenters pencil from Home Depot (which she affectionately calls Hawn Depot.... weird.).

 all framed in and roof in place

doesn't this roof look awesome from the inside?!

 James posing with his "tool" lol

break time.

I need to go out with the camera again and take more pictures, but we're just waiting for decent weather to paint it.  I'll post another blog when it's completed! 

Goings on

My view this evening. So blessed.