Happy Holidays!

I hope your holidays were magical and merry and that 2013 brings peace, love and joy to your life!

Our snowman wreath was inspired by these others found on Pinterest.

find me at these parties...

Happy Go Lucky's Pinterest Challenge

Skip to My Lou's Made by You Monday

The Girl Creative's Just Something I Whipped Up

CraftoManiac's Monday Link Party

Keeping it Simple's Motivate Me Monday

Treasures on (Ahem) Tuesday: Elegant Holiday Wreaths

Enjoy these beauties...

Treasures on Tuesday: Re-purposed Wreaths

Yes, I know it's Wednesday...time flies by sometimes, but you just have to roll with it.
Happy 12/12/12, by the way!
Here are some clever and crafty wreaths made from re-purposed items...
Click on the photos to link to the original sources...most have how-to instructions!
Starbucks cups:

Plastic bags:

A garden hose:

Old sweaters:

Cocktail napkins:

and PVC pipe:

Next Tuesday...Elegant Wreaths!

Treasures on Tuesday: Snowman Holiday Wreaths

I love holiday wreaths!  They are the crown on a well dressed holiday home, making a house not only festive, but inviting.  Whether they are simple, sophisticated or whimsical they will put a smile on the face of any holiday visitor.  I have found so many beautiful, fun and interesting wreaths online that I will present a different group of wreaths each Tuesday leading up to Christmas!

Holiday Wreaths week 1...Snowman Wreaths

from Ever Blooming Original Etsy shop

from PriddyCreations

from BooTurtle

from MochiMochi Land

Next Tuesday...Recycled or Repurposed Wreaths!

 

Jazzy Play Pants

 Avery LOVES music, so when I saw this print, I couldn't resist.
But, then after I got it home, I couldn't figure out what to do with it.

Finally, I decided on these 3/4 length Jazzy Play Pants.

I adapted a single piece pants pattern to his size and stitched these right up.

I made the waist band flat in front with elastic around the back

and put elastic around the leg openings.

The pocket is trimmed in red knit.

His accessories include rockin' converse sneaks, a swingin' guitar sweater (a birthday gift from our super-sitter Annie!), uber-hip red shades, not one, but two colorful band-aids, and a dirty face that screams "my life is one big party!"

Avery has left the playground...Peace.

Treasures on Tuesday: Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes

I am a vegetarian.  I celebrate Thanksgiving.  And, I love to eat...
I just don't eat turkey!
Here are some great vegetarian options for a delicious Thanksgiving feast.
Click each link for the recipe!
Pumpkin stuffed with vegetable stew


Roasted Vegetable Cornucopias


Orzo with Roasted Vegetables


Vegetarian Stuffing


Roasted Butternut Squash with Rosemary, Pecans and Gorgonzola

Farm Animal Cupcakes

Oink, Peep, Baaaa...
Here are the farm animal cupcakes from Avery and Zander's Barnyard Birthday Bash!

The sheep were almond flavored cupcakes with vanilla frosting.

 I used a "grass" piping tip to make the flock's wooly coats and I made their faces and ears from black fondant.  Those crazy google eyes were store bought at Michael's.

Oh, little sheep, how I love EWE!  (Sorry, I was going to say how Maaaa-velous they look, but that's more goat than sheep, no?)
The darling little chicks were vanilla cupcakes with lemon frosting and they had a candy corn surprise in the middle! (I just dropped a candy corn into the center of each before baking)

I covered them with glittery yellow sugar and gave them fondant beaks and used large black sprinkles for eyes and colorful sprinkles for a little crown of feathers. 

This little piggy was delicious... not in a bacon or ham kind of way.  Mind you, we are vegetarians...in a chocolate covered cherry cupcake with pink vanilla frosting kind of way. (I promise I'll share the recipe soon, it's so easy and is mouthwateringly good!)

I made their snouts and ears out of bright pink fondant.  Sadly, the curly little fondant tails that I made for them looked more like facial hair gone wild, so I left them off.  I passed them out to the children who were closing in on me trying to steal the rest of the fondant, so, in a way, those little tails saved the cupcakes!

The eyes were chocolate chips.  And, as you can tell, it is cold and flu season in the barnyard.  Some of the piggies have runny noses...The piped icing I tried first was too thick and bumpy (see the top left pig?) and the more fluid icing I made had the flatter look that I wanted but was, well, too fluid.  It looked perfect when it was piped, and then when I looked back at them a few moments later...drippy noses, darn... 

The chicks and pigs were inspired by adorable farm animal muffins that I saw over at Rindy Mae.

The birthday boys enjoyed their cupcakes...

 and so did the whole gang...

 right down to the last lick of frosting!

Join me at these parties...

The Girl Creative's Just Something I Whipped Up

Keeping it Simple's Motivate Me Monday

CraftoManiac's Monday Link Party

Skip to My Lou's Made by You Monday

Terrific Tuesdays with Adventures of a DIY Mom

Carolyn's Homework The Inspiration Board

Nap Time Creations' Tasty Tuesday

The NY Melrose Family's Whimsy Wednesdays

A Sunny Day After the Storms

 

Twelve days after Superstorm Sandy, three days after nor'easter Athena, and two days after our power was restored, we had the good fortune to have a bright, sunny, and  mild day.  

We filled that day with hugs...

peace...

a little bit of mischief...

(ALWAYS a little bit of mischief)...

 

 more hugs...

that, at first, appear to have a VICTIM...

but turn out to be fun...

 and a Mom filled with LOVE for her adorable children (AND her new camera)...

all said, it was a pretty great day...

and then we went to the beach...but that is a story for another day!