Eleventh Day of Christmas – Gingerbread Man Ornament

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11th day of Christmas, 12 Days of Christmas, Christmas, Christmas cheer, Christmas craft, Christmas Ornament, Christmas present, Christmas tree, craft, easy craft, eleventh day of Christmas, embroidery, funny ornament, gingerbread man, handmade, handmade gift, handmade ornament, happy holidays, holiday craft, holiday ornament, holiday season, holiday spirit, holiday tradition, homemade, homemade gift, homemade ornament, kid craft, party favor, present, simple craft, twelve days of Christmas, whimsical ornament, Xmas present

On the eleventh day of Christmas Young Wifey shared with me her Gingerbread Man Ornaments, Fleece Blankets, Bottle Cap Magnets, Fleece Sphere Ornament, Button Wreath Ornament, Christmas Mouse Cat Toy, Melted Frosty Ornament, Crocheted Fan Bookmarks, Crocheted Snowflake Ornaments, Wine Glass Charms and Glass Globe Ornaments…

This morning’s post is a little late… 12 hours too late. I thought this would be a cute whimsical ornament to add to our Christmas tree, a half eaten gingerbread man. Pumpkin designed one and started to put it together then gave up, I designed and assembled the other before helping him finish his. Most of the materials we have left over from other crafts. I didn’t have red button, so we painted them. I only spent 50¢ additional for the two squares of felt.

Gingerbread Man Ornaments

 

How To:
Using a large gingerbread cookie cutter, trace the shape twice on tan or brown felt. Decide where you want him “bitten” and draw teeth marks. Cut out gingerbread men. Cut out eyes from felt or fleece and arrange on face, place red button where you want the mouth. If you’re happy with the layout, glue eyes and mouth on face. Using black embroidery thread, stitch eyebrows above the eyes. Use white shimmery embroidery thread to stitch buttons to chest, making “peppermints”. Glue ribbon to inside of back piece. Place two sides together and stitch around the gingerbread man to create “frosting”, skipping where there are bite marks. Stuff the gingerbread man with fiber fill. Use hot glue gun to close gingerbread man at the bite marks. Sit back and admire your gingerbread man… and try not to eat.

Whimsical Gingerbread Ornament

 

Approx. Cost:
Felt square = 25¢ , spool of ribbon = $1, fiber fill = $, bag of glue sticks = $2, package of buttons = $1, small package of embroidery thread = 25¢    Each ornament costs about 40¢

Gingerbread Man Ornament

 

Can you guess who made which gingerbread man?

2009′s Christmas Countdown – On the twelfth day of Christmas Young Wifey shared with me, her chocolate Christmas fudge, chocolate bonbons, coconut clusters, cranberry almond bark, chocolate amaretto cherries, pecan turtles, raspberry chocolate truffles, gingerbread fudge, peppermint bark, dark chocolate peanut butter balls, cracked glass candy, and her peanut butter fudge recipe…

 

Second Day of Christmas – Wine Glass Charms

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beverage, beverage charm, Christmas, Christmas Dinner, Christmas party, cocktail charm, cocktail hour, cocktail party, craft, drink charm, food, frugal, Frugality, gift, gift giving, gift ideas, handmade, handmade gift, Holiday, holiday menu, holiday season, holiday traditions, homemade, homemade gift, hostess gift, party, party favor, party favors, personalized gifts, second day of Christmas, stemware, thank you gifts, vino, wine, wine charm, wine glass

On the second day of Christmas Young Wifey shared with me her Wine Glass Charms and Glass Globe Ornaments…

Simple and elegant as a gift or party favors. Make them match your holiday decor and give them to guests to keep as party favors. Customize them with a monogram and give them as a gift to the wine lover. Create a festive set and bring them to a party as your hostess gift. Kids can help  create this simple craft.

Wine Glass Charms

How To:
Select a charm and several beads, slide on hoop in desired pattern. Make sure each wine charm is unique to help guest easily recognize their glass. Place a bead of clear drying glue under the last bead to hold them on the hoop.

Approx. Cost of Project:
package of 10 hoops = $1, assorted beads = $2-4, 2 sets of charms = $5, you can make a set of 10 for under $10!

*If you’re hosting a holiday party, hand out wine charms at the beginning as a party favor. Set up a wine charm craft station; arrange little bowls of beads, charms and hoops, then your guest can each make their own wine charm.

Unfortunately all my stemware is in our storage unit, so I couldn’t model the charms in the picture. Remember to check out my blog tomorrow to see what gift idea I’ll be sharing.

2009’s Christmas Countdown – On the twelfth day of Christmas Young Wifey shared with me, her chocolate Christmas fudgerecipe, chocolate bonbons, coconut clusters, cranberry almond bark, chocolate amaretto cherries, pecan turtles, raspberry chocolate truffles,gingerbread fudge, peppermint bark, dark chocolate peanut butter balls, cracked glass candy, and her peanut butter fudgerecipe…

Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish friends!
 

 

Holiday Centerpieces

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autumn centerpieces, Centerpieces, Christmas tradition, cut flowers, edible centerpieces, fall centerpieces, flower arrangement, flower vase, holiday centerpieces, holiday menu, holiday season, holiday tradition, Thanksgiving brunch, Thanksgiving feast, Thanksgiving tradition

For the dining table centerpiece, I fill a vase or bowl with cranberries and arrange seasonal color flowers. I like to keep the bouquets low so conversation can flow (and kids can see too). I also cluster several votive cups on the table (making sure not to use scented candles). I make a small complimentary bouquet for the entry way.

Through out the holidays, I keep a few centerpieces that double as snacks. I keep a trifle bowl filled with mixed nuts and another one filled with clementines and golden delicious apples.

This year I was lucky enough to snip a few pink and yellow roses for my small bud vases in the living room and bathroom, I added some twister rush to fill out the vase.

I’m looking at the heather blooming outside my window and contemplating gathering some to bring it inside.

Holiday Happening

Tags

Christmas tradition, holiday season, holiday tradition, Thanksgiving tradition

With Thanksgiving less than one week away, Christmas has taken over my mind, building up to New Year’s and it’s not over until Three King’s Day. I enjoy Thanksgiving as a holiday when my friends and family get together; I’m thankful all holiday season. It’s the kick off of the Holiday season, worries seem to melt away and people spend more time enjoying things they often take for granted.

I host a Thanksgiving dinner at my house each year, either the Saturday before or after the holiday. My few days off include two days of cooking and baking my tweaked recipes, ones from my family as well as Hubster’s family. We break last year’s wishbone, making a place for this year’s to hang. Yummy leftovers to look forward to, new recipes to create. It’s this week the merlot decorations remain, the oranges ones begins to be replaced by the hunter green. Gingerbread house decorating. Christmas tree selecting & decorating. A drive up to Candy Cane Lane (in South Williamsport every house on this street is decorated to the nines and lit up, the cars line up 9 blocks away, for their chance to drive up and share the holiday cheer) rounds out my kick off week.  And yes, all season long I listen to overplayed Christmas music and watch the cheesy made for t.v.  Christmas movies. There’s the pictures on Santa’s lap and the reindeer in the pen downtown. I wrap the presents as I purchase them and make them, I send out my holiday cards. My kitchen smells of sweet chocolate, fudge, and crisp gingerbread; my living room pine and wood. I drink more hot cocoa and it always seem to be topped with whipped cream and crushed peppermints.

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is when Hubster and I turn off all the lights in the living room except for the tree. We lay down with our heads under the pine and look up at the lights, holiday music soothing into the background. We lay there and look, we talk, we laugh, we enjoy the silence as we watch our dreams unfold.

This is what the holiday season means to me…

What does it mean to you?