Merry Christmas!

Still can't decide...

Here is a Christmas pillow I made for C's preschool teacher, Ms. Lynda (and a lovely view of my ironing board cover).  I'm afraid I love it too much to give it away. 

That's not really the spirit of Christmas, is it?

Jason said that we should just give her the dollar store Christmas salt and pepper shakers that C picked out.  (Note:  For the record, I think that Ms. Lynda is going to totally love the salt and pepper shakers.  I just wanted to give her a little something extra.)

C (from the back seat) chimed in with, "He's got a point, Mom."

They are not helping!

What to do?

Crafty Christmas Panic!!!

Okay.

The crafty crisis was averted and, yesterday, I found my crafty stride.

But then last night, the panic set in and I started thinking that perhaps I should just try to get this crop of gifts ready for next Christmas since there is no way I'll be ready for this one!!!

Ugh!  Must push through the panic.  I can do it.  I can make gifts for every single person I've ever met (and a few I haven't) while also:

1. Taking care of the Kid-who-refuses-to-recover-from-the-sick-bug.
2. Entertaining the plumber this morning while he (God willing) fixes our kitchen sink.
3. Responding to frantic email messages and phone calls from college students who waited until the very last day of the semester to start the individual project that comprises 25% of their grade.
4. Grading a week's worth of assignments (for 98 students).
5. Computing final grades (for 98 students).
6. Assisting with a preschool party the same day that final grades are due (for 98 students).
7. Preparing for my parent's visit (because they are SO hard to deal with).  (TeeHee--Just kidding)

I'm sure there's more, but the sad part is that I can't even remember what it might be.  I know that I'm not alone in my busy-ness or panic.  I'm sure that others out there must have lists three times as long as mine. 

I just know that I had better get off here and get busy because I just thought of three other things to add to my list and the heart palpitations are beginning!

Have a terrfic (and calm) day!

Crafty Christmas Crisis

I had big plans.  Oh, yes I did.
I was going to make a Christmas gift for every single person I have ever met--and maybe even a few that I haven't.
I was going to be awesomely productive and, in the end, everyone would have been incredibly wowed--and dare I say inspired--by the beauty of my craftiness.

But...

I've lost my crafty mojo. 
It's gone. 
Mojo has left the building.

So...

I'm hoping that my mojo just went outside for some fresh air because if it doesn't make a reappearance every single person I have ever met --and maybe even a few that I haven't--are getting construction paper Christmas tree ornaments with a modest amount of glitter bedazzling and preschooler-designed marker work.  (Man, I hope I spelled bedazzling right.)

Do you think that the act of buying more craft supplies will bring the mojo back?  What should I buy?

Gobble Gobble...

Happy Turkey Day!

Halloween 2010

I would like to declare that we are done with Halloween 2010 though I'm not sure we really are. We had about 10,593 visitors (or maybe it just felt that way!) last night and may have more tonight.  Answering the door was fun for the first hour, but I started to tire during hour three.  My helper could have kept going all night! 

Here are some pics:

BearWear Winter 2010

Welcome to BearWear where we are proud to present our Winter 2010 collection (Ha!):

I quickly made these hats and scarves for C's bears while he was at preschool the other day.  He was pretty excited about them, but still wanted to shop the mall for additional clothes.  A bear can never have too many, right?

It turns out that C's desire to purchase a full winter wardrobe at Build-a-Bear was thwarted because (for some strange reason) they don't actually sell long pants and winter coats for bears--at least not in October.  That's okay because they do sell this:

C-3Bear-O

It was love at first sight!

Tis the Season...

It appears that we (the C, the J, and me) have entered the gifting season.  Last week it was my Mother-in-Law's birthday...

(MIL's present: Basket, candle, and apron made by me)

...this week it's a wedding. 

I love making gifts and I love giving gifts, but I find myself at a loss when it comes to this wedding present.  I've never met the couple (the bride is my husband's co-worker), she's not registered anywhere, and I really don't know anything about her.  Ask J, you say?  Done.  He was absolutely no help.

A gift certificate, right?  But for which store? If C has anything to do with it, it will be from Build-a-Bear Workshop.  He announced this morning that we need to go there today to buy long pants, coats, boots, scarves, and hats for his bears.  I told him that I could make some clothes for his bears, but he told me that they need "real" clothes.

Um.  Who knew that caring for stuffed animals could be so expensive?  Who knew that shopping for a wedding gift could be so difficult? 

It's not even 9:00 yet and I'm already lost.

I'm off to make some bear clothes.  Here's hoping that they look "real" enough.

What's Going On Here?

It appears that we have a problem...

What kind of spider makes neon green webs?

What kind of parent buys neon green webs and then helps her son spread them across her plants?

Don't answer that!

Turning My Frown Upside Down

After a not-so-great start to the day, I have decided to turn my frown upside down.  I have...

• Showered and dressed (so what if it was 11:30AM before it happened???)
• Made (yes, I said made) play-doh for my kiddo
• Sat outside in my pajamas (pre-shower) so that my kiddo could play with Molly the Dog
• Washed three loads of laundry
• Read three stories to C
• Sang "Autumn Leaves are falling Down" (all five verses) with C
• Decided to ignore the fact that my living room looks like it has been hit by a toy bomb
• Attempted to ignore the fly that appears to be in love with the smell of my hair
• Climbed into the back corner of C's closet to find his stuffed robots, Kiefer and Khloe
• Reminded myself that my nap-time is less than two hours away

All is well.

Except the fly.  

Where's that swatter?

Random Tidbits for your Reading Enjoyment

Subtitle:  My Head is Stuffed with Cotton and I can't Think Clearly

1. Ragweed.  It's attacking my head and I'm losing the battle.
2. Or maybe it's dog hair.
3. I think Kelly Ripa was so much prettier when she first started doing the Regis show. 
4. Now she looks rather skeletal.
5. I think it's pathetic to contemplate going back to bed at 9:14 AM.
6. I'm going to do it anyway.
7. I got my hair cut yesterday and it appears that the front and back of my head no longer match.
8. Maybe it's because of all the cotton.
9. Or maybe it's dog hair.
10. I'm done now.  You may go about your previously scheduled business or move about the cabin or some such...

Photo source:  www.picapp.com

Day-cation Fall 2010

So maybe we aren't fancy like some people we know (wink, wink) with extravagant vacations to San Diego, but we found a tiny beach yesterday and made the most of it!  Here are some photos of our day-cation to the Lake of the Ozarks:


Dr. H-post presentation





I wasn't kidding--the beach was tiny!





Sand "Snow" Man

C was very excited to dig in the sand.  He built a sand-version of Lake of the Ozarks and then decided to build "Sand Snow Men."  He told us that his new job is to be the "Official Person to Make Everyone Happy" and that his sand people will make people smile.  I think it will work!

Welcome to Our Happy Little Home...

Welcome!  My name is Tricia and I'm...

• a mom to C. (age five)
• a wife to J. (age 40-ish)
• a craft-lover
• an HGTV addict
• an instructor of college undergraduates

...always wishing that I had more time, more energy, and more fabric...

I hope that my little blog will be a spot for sharing crafty ideas, room re-dos, tasty recipes, and the never-ending antics of my preschooler.  Meeting new friends along the way would be icing on the cake!

Happy Friday!

Tricia