Cinnamon Christmas Ornaments

Being home this Christmas Season, with 2 babies, I knew I wanted to try to make the most of the season.  I've pinned a lot of Christmas Crafts and we've been reading scripture at night before Easton goes to bed.  I really want to focus on Jesus this year and the importance of Jesus in Christmas.

Last year, Easton & I made Cinnamon Ornaments and this year as we unpacked our ornaments to put on the tree, the cinnamon smell filled up the bonus room.  I thought it would be fun to do again this year.

Easton was a perfect age for them.  I mixed the dough and rolled it out and he used the cookie cutters himself and put them on the cookie sheet.  We also had my sister-in-law & niece over to make some with us! This recipe makes a full cookie sheet of mini ornaments.

I found the mini cookie cutters at Target in the Christmas section for $3.99.

All you need is 3/4 cup of apple sauce + 2 containers of Cinnamon.  If you have any Essential Oils, add a few drops of clove or orange or Christmas Spirit in your mix!  Clove smells super yummy!!!

1. Mix it together and separate into 2 balls.
2. Lay some plastic wrap on the counter and put the ball of dough on it.  Cover with another layer of plastic wrap.
3.  Roll out the dough to 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
4.  Pull off top layer of plastic wrap and go to town cutting out ornaments.
((TIP:: The mini cutters were a lot easier than the full size.  Little hands can handle smaller ornaments a lot easier.))
5.  Lay them on a cookie sheet and use a tooth pick to make a hole big enough to string twine or ribbon through.
6.  Bake at 200 for 2 1/2 hours and let cool before stringing.

Then hang them on the tree and enjoy the yummy smell!

DIY Freezer Paper Stenciling

I don't know what it is about December, but I have busted out some crazy crafting skills.

I have a running list on the fridge of things I want to do!

 

The other night after making the glitter deer head you're seeing all over pinterest, I had an idea to put that same deer head on a shirt.

 

A trip to Publix and Joann's and we were well on our way!

 

Supplies:

Pre Washed Shirt

Stencil of choice.  Here's mine.

Freezer Paper (I found mine at Publix)

Fabric Paint

Paint 'dobber'

Pencil

Exacto Knife

Directions:

1.  Trace silhouette onto freezer paper

2. On a hard surface (card board, old magazine, etc) use your exacto knife to cut out around pattern

{for mine, I even cut out the little white pieces in the antlers...as shown}

3. Remove silhouette from freezer paper, being very careful at the corners not to tear.

4.  Place a piece of freezer paper/wax paper/shirt board between shirt (so paint doesn't stick) and put your freezer paper SHINY SIDE DOWN onto t-shirt and iron.

5. After ironining, begin dobbing paint onto shirt. Edges are important.

Let dry and add another coat.  Glitter takes more coats than regular but it doesn't have to be solid.

6. WAIT UNTIL ITS DRY to peel off freezer paper.

I know you're going to want to peel it off and see those nice crisp lines, but I ASSURE you, you want to wait until it's dry!  And I also assure you, those lines ARE crisp!

Trust me here.  Just wait.  Unless you want to be tweezer-ing around the edges of your wet glitter deer head. 

 

Once dried, carefully remove freezer paper from shirt.

Wait 72 hours to wash.

Wash inside out.

I don't dry mine...but it's up to you!

 

And there you have it!

DIY Freezer Paper Stencil Shirt!

The possibilities are endless!

Thanksgiving 2012

This Thanksgiving might go down as one of my favorites.

It was a warm day, beautiful and sunny, but crisp.

My Nana's is always at noon on Thursday.

The food was AMAZING!

The hostess is AMAZING!

She deserves a whole post on her own.

She is my soul sista!  FOR SURE! 

 

In all my years I've never been up to this particular spot on her land.

Typically there was an electric fence in this corner of the land that had donkey(s) so I'm sure that had something to do with it.

Just a few of us walked up there first, but then we convinced most of the rest of the group to come up too.

It was so nice to just be outside.  Free room to run and play.  Warm sunshine on our faces after our bellys were ful. 

Truly a day to be thankful for.

After Nana's we headed home for naptime, only to find Kirby had eaten the very last ra-ra.

We wrestled on the couch for about 45 minutes before Easton fell asleep, but he finally did.

 

After nap, we headed to Grandmomma's.

Still stuffed from Nana's but we enjoyed some yummy food and desserts again.

 

At Grandmomma's each year, we make a craft.  I love this tradition.

This year was modge podging a piece of cardboard with old hymns then stenciling your favorite holiday saying on top and painting.

Below is the example.

Then once dry, you put it in a festive frame and you have a new Christmas decoration!

So easy, and so cute!!!

We truly have SO MUCH to be thankful for!

 

 

Bits of Splendor- it's me...

Lance bought a duck hunting boat.  She's a real beauty.  Well, she will be by the time he gest done with her, but for now, she's a mess. 

He's been working on the boat a little in the afternoon but this weekend he really buckled down and got to work. 

We headed to the in-laws on Saturday to work on the boat, because the apartment doesn't really lend itself well to boat working.  Plus, we don't have the tools necessary to do everything.

I wasn't sure what Easton and I were going to do but I was certain we'd find something.  

I had 3 frames I needed to finish distressing and waxing as well as painting a little side table that my grandfather made for my greatgrandmother about 10 years ago. He's since passed away, and she's moved to a different home, so she gave it to me. Natural wood doesn't really 'go' in our house, so this little love needed some distressing.

Have you ever used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint?  It's amazing.  No sanding.  No priming.  Dries fast. 

EXCELLENT PRODUCT!   

Honey's is just the place for that job.

Take a peek into her garage. I promise you, this place is heaven. We could paint until Jesus came and we'd still not be finished. All these treasures will be at the Barn Sale so make sure you come out.


Honey, don't shoot me for posting these pix! Its treasures folks, I swear. Don't you dare call it junk!

I think I get my love of thrifting from Honey {my mother-in-law}.  Before Easton came, we'd go thrifting the first Saturday of each month.  We'd be gone from early morning, till late afternoon.  We weren't in to furniture yet, so it's evolved over the years but that's where it all started for me.  We see things for the beauty that they could become.  Not from what they are in their current state. 

Can I get an amen right there? 

Jesus does that too you know.  Thank goodness he doens't take a look at us how we are now.  Dirty, sweaty, tired, and just throw us out.  He works on us.  Constantly.  He picks us up, wipes us off, take a close look to see what we need, and He gets to work.  Praise the Lord.    

Anyways.  We stayed there all day long.  Painted.  Lunch.  Nap.  More cleaning, painting, organizing.  Easton played with everything possible. Lance worked on the boat.  Seriously, something so simple, made me so happy.

I had such a feeling of accomplishment.  I was tired.  My feet hurt.  I was dirty.  I was still in my running clothes from a glorious morning run. But, that's me.  That's what I love.  I'm not made up. I'm not fancy.  I'm not name brand. 

When you find what you love, and do it, it's not work.  That's exactly how Saturday felt for me.

It was so refreshing to do something I love, be with my boys, spend time with my mother in law and be outside.   

How was your weekend?  Did you do anything crafty?  Did you do something you love?

Hope you all have a wonderful Monday! 

Barn Sale!

I am swamped from head to toe in dresses and Barn Sale Prep.

If you need me I'll be in my sewing room!

Thursday, Friday & Saturday I'll be here...

Come by and say hello!

April 26 Sneak Peek/Early Bird Buying: 4p-7p $10 admission

 

April 27 & 28: 10a-6p free admission

 

1272 Starlite Farm

Hartsville, TN 37074

 

http://thestrawberrypatchjunk.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/thestrawberrypatchjunk

 

Simply Sunday

We woke up a little late, but still managed to make it to church, and only a few minutes late.  There are some mornings, you just know you are supposed to be at church & this was one of those mornings. 

Being Palm Sunday, we worshiped in song the whole service.  It was absoultely powerful and breathtaking.  I had no where else to wipe my eyes by the end of the service. 

I love a good sermon, but there is something so peaceful and cleansing about praising the Lord in song and music.  So powerful.  A service to be remembered in my book. 

I felt the Lord really tugging on my heart.  I feel as a mom, I love so strong.  I love so hard.  I can bring myself to tears when I think of him sometimes. He's just that wonderful to me.  I know I'm not the only mom out there that feels this way.  But he's my first.  And the one who made me a mom.  And he's just special.  So special.    

But, in my loving, I'm also worrying. I'm wondering 'what if?' this and 'what if?' that.  I think 'what would I ever do if...?'  Fill in the blanks.  I'm sure I've thought whatever it is you've filled in.

But I really felt strongly the Lord saying 'Annie, he's Mine.  He is a gift I've give you.  Trust Me with him.  Give him to Me.'  And it clicked.

For so long now, I've felt like 'Lord, I can't give him all the way to You, because what if in doing so You take him back from me?'  But yesterday was different.  Yesterday it was clear. 'He's mine'.

So now, again, instead of focusing on the 'what if's' and the things that could never in a million years happen, I need to take these days I have with him and celebrate.  Choose Joy if you will.

I need to make sure that the little boy I'm raising see's Jesus in what I do.  I need to make sure that I'm teaching him to be happy and live each day to the fullest.  To know and see love in everything we do.  To respond in love.  To radiate love and light. 

It just clicked.  And I wept at the relief and the peace I felt during that sermon.  He's Jesus's.     

I'm so thankful that we made it to church.  Each Sunday is a test in patience as we try to get out the door, on time, but I'm so thankful that yesterday we made it.

On a lighter note, our afternoon was spent outside in the unseasonably warm April temperatures.  The boys napped and I worked on a dress.  I decided if I was going to work, I wanted to be in the sun.  So, I moved my sewing machine outside.  And I did just that.  It's funny how work isn't really work when it's where you want to be, doing what you want to be doing. 

 After nap, we washed our cars and played outside.  To say he's all boy would be an understatement for sure!  He washed and scrubbed and rinsed and washed again.  Cleanest little car I ever did see. 

 And of course, it wouldn't be any fun if we didn't find a puddle to jump in.  This provided a good 17 minutes of entertainment.  He'd run a figure 8 in the front yard through the puddle, across the driveway, around the water table, through the driveway and back through the puddle. 

We rounded out our Sunday with a trip to Target and Joann. I had to pick up some fabric samples because I've sold 17 {17!!!} dresses!  Let the sewing begin! 

This one's mine and this was taken BEFORE hemming...but they've been quite popular!

So, maybe I've found my niche. 

Happy Monday!

Color Me Happy

I wanted to do a little something different for Easton's Valentine's this year. 

After several attempts at coloring at home and only ending up with broken crayons I decided I'd try my hand at some chunky crayons for his friends at school. 

To do this, all you'll need is a box of crayons and a mini muffin tin.

I had seen the silicone heart shaped muffin pans but I decided to just use what I had.

 I picked up 2 boxes of 96 Crayons at Joann. 

This made about 50 chunky crayons. 

At $6.99  a box this could have added up but you know I had coupons. 

The first step was the hardest part, or, rather most time consuming.

But, Aunt Kathy and Paige kept The Boy Friday night and I told him if they were bored, they could peel.  So, they peeled.  And peeled.  And peeled. 

God bless them.  They peeled all 192 crayons.

I only peeled about 25 crayons and my thumbs are still hurting. 

Saints I tell you.  Love my kiddo AND help me DIY!  Double bonus!

SO, first, peel all your crayons.

Next break them into thirds or fourths.  Just small enough to fit in the mini tins.

After this, you simply put your crayons into a non stick muffin tin and bake at 275 for 8-9 minutes.

(I did one batch with liners but they made them look messy so I remelted and they look so much better!)

The time will vary depending on how many crayons you put in.

Also, I made my crayons a heaping pile so they would fill up the cups once melted.

Once they are all melted and glossy on top, pull the pan out.  CAREFULLY.

I threw mine in the freezer to speed up the process.

After about 15 minutes you'll be able to see the crayons have let go from the sides of the muffin tin.

At this point, lay a towel across the top of your pan and flip over.

This will prevent them from chipping or breaking. 

Now you have lots of fun multi colored crayons!!!

Next up: Packaging

I didn't want to use typical valentines.  Much too easy.

I found a set of 16 Martha Stewart Coasters in the scrapbook aisle at Joann.

Sturdy, chipboard in bright polka dots.  This would provide a sturdy base for our Valentine's.

Because I don't have a 2 1/2 inch punch, I traced a cup and cut out the red and yellow circles for the middle layer and attached with double sided photo squares.  Also in the scrapbook aisle. 

I created a little personalized happy and used my 2 inch punch and attached them on top.

Next I found a pack of 6 mini notebooks at the Dollar General in the Valentine's Section.

I needed 15 so this needed to be somewhat cheap.

Dollar General doesn't disappoint.

To package it all up I used clear bags and put the Valentine in front, then the notebook, next an individual pack of gummy bears and 3 Chunky Crayons in each.

I tied it up with a little red ribbon with hearts.

Perfect little Valentine for our friends!

These little crayons really are perfect.  I don't know about you, but when we go out to eat, they give us 2 colors.  Normally blue, green or red and YELLOW.  Yellow???  You can't see Yellow.  So that leaves us one color.  BORING.  But these....you've got a rainbow of colors.  Throw a few in your diaper bag or purse with a little artist pad from Joann dollar section and you'll buy yourself a good 10 minutes of fun! 

Happy Melting.

xoxo

  

HELP!

 

I will not go to Joann's today

I will not go to Joann's today

I will not go to Joann's today

I do not need anymore yarn than I already have

I do not need anymore yard than I already have

I do not need anymore yard than I already have

OH....but look at all those fun colors and chunky textures!

HELP!!!!!!!

Fabric/Bead Jewelry

Sorry for the less than catchy title, I'm working on a name for these lovelies...

Can be worn long...

or short...

and a shorter length for a bracelet....

So, whadayathink???

The bracelet might be my favorite.  It was supposed to be a necklace but with crafting, it's trial and error, and I didn't cut my fabric long enough...so it ended as a bracelet...but I'm glad it did.

I think it's quite cute!

And, another selling feature, is that my lovie can chew on them and it's not going to hurt it- or him.

We are to the point now where everything ends up in his mouth, so these lovelies can serve 2 purposes...cute accessorie and teething toy! 

I'm thinking of selling these at some craft shows this Fall & Winter...

Think they'll sell???

Also, working on 'upcycled bangles', a diaper clutch (for those in & out trips where a diaper bag isn't needed) and some crocheted goodies...more to come soon...

 

Until next time,

So many crafts, so little time...

Looky here what I got...some material...what could this material become?

Stay tuned...

And- let it be known that I went in Hobby Lobby for 2 things- fabric & beads---and only came out with FABRIC & BEADS.  THANKYOUVERYMUCH!

There were several things that made my 'crafting to do list'

• crochet animals
• icing tips- so I can ice cupcakes in my spare time
• tule- for some oh so cute bows
• yarn- yarn's always on my list
• scrapbook paper- to work on Easton's baby book

But I kept telling myself, one project at a time, Annie, one at a time...so for now, I just bought fabric & beads.  I'm quite proud of myself for not filling up my buggy!

So many crafts, so little time...

Hopefully I'll get to this stack of material this weekend.

Until next time,