**stop the presses** I went out and bought a bunch of these boxes, what do you think of this for packaging?

12:03am Tuesday Morning

I spent all day monday working on the ornament kits for the FREE Domestic Bliss event this Saturday.  You can come visit Santa, eat yummy snacks and purchase an ornament kit from me and we can sit down and sew it together- or you can take it home for later (I’ve included instructions)!

I’m feeling pretty good with how the ornaments turned out.  Not so much though with the kits.  The paper bags looked way cuter in my head than they turned out.

Do any of you amazing crafty readers have some alternative ideas?  I’m pressed for time this week as I am also sewing for Crafeteria on Friday; so it should be cute, but easy to assemble!

Molasses Sugar Cookies -my grandma L’s recipe
(these are my mother’s favorite cookie, I once sent them overnight to her when I knew she was having a bad week)

3/4c butter                              1tsp cinnamon
1c sugar                                   1/2tsp ground cloves
1/4c molasses                         1/2tsp ground ginger
1 egg                                        1/2tsp salt
2c flour
2tsp baking soda

Cream butter and sugar.  Add molasses and egg; beat well.  Sift together dry ingredients add to first mixture.  Mix well and chill dough (15-30min depending on how firm your dough is).  Form into 1″ balls (I roll them in my hands) and roll in sugar.  Bake on cookie sheet for 8-10min at 375.

A few weeks ago I was browsing Goodwill for a pair of pants, instead I found this diamond in the rough for $2.

It was a good size and didn’t have too many tacky “things” on it that would need to be removed, so I bought it.  I used my scissors and wire cutters to remove the ghastly bow and “crystallized fruit”, I did save the little birds nest that were on it though.  After everything was off I fluffed up the branches a bit, making it appear more full.

I ventured out at about 8pm on Black Friday to grab these little things from Micheal’s.  They had a huge selection of do-dads for making your own wreath.

I only used one of each bunch of berries, and about half of each spool of ribbon.  I started by ripping the silver berries off the large stem, and then using their wire to wrap it around different wreath branches.  Then I filled it in more with the aqua berries.  I wanted the birds/nests to be a bit symmetrical at the top of the wreath, I spaced them out enough that I could put a large ribbon in the center and hang it.  After everything else was on I tied a bunch of small ribbons and adhered them to the wreath using some 24 gauge wire I had (I would recommend something a bit heavier).

I wanted something simple but pretty and was very happy with the results!  It now hangs on our front gate, welcoming all who visit!

All together it took me about an hour to create and cost me approx. $9.  I could maybe be talked into making a smaller one…if anyone is interested.  Go forth and create!  Happy Holiday decorating!

After taking mom to the airport I came home to turn the guest room back into a crafting room.

focused on each peice as an individual project instead of a “one of many” approach.  perhaps i may not make as many as my whip ‘em out approach, but each one will be unique and detailed.  One more brown linen one in the works.

I’m brining down the Christmas box from the attic today…will have a fun thrifty re-do tutorial for holiday decorating to show you on Monday.

family + good friends + good food + plumbing problem = thanksgiving!

hope yours was great too!

that i love this man.  it has been nearly 11 years and he really is my best friend.  it’s no fun having good news if i can’t share it with him.

and he is really good at keeping my feet warm.  i love waxing poetic about my husband, but nothing makes him cringe more than when I do.  so this is a brief tribute to my best friend, i love you and i love the life we’ve created together.

procrastination, he and i are close buds.

I’m tracking my mothers flight, she is on her way here from houston, and her plane is still over the skies of texas.  this means really there is PLENTY of time for me to go scrub the bathtub, or wipe down the sink -even the toilet; so that my mother can groom in a clean room tomorrow.  but, despite the time i find myself sucked into the wonderful eye candy world of the internet.  for some reason your fantastic tales of simple middle america life (actually you australian bloggers are pretty fun to read too!) appeal to me- more so than cleaning the bathroom.  thus the bathroom sits waiting for me to please make it smell better and look cleaner.

today, i heard more tales of suffering and heart ache from people i know and care about.  my heart feels heavy with empathy.  i tend to personalize the troubles of others.  i’m told that i take things too personally.  when i hear of another’s suffering i immediatly put myself in their shoes and try hard to imagine what they must be feeling.  this makes it extremly difficult for me to watch the evening news.  the only way i can reconcile these feelings for others (because some problems i can’t solve or even help with) is to remember gratitude for my own life.  here are a few of the things that stand out to me today:

i’m grateful

• that my body functions as it should
• for my strong healthy children (who love each other)
• for my strong husband, who really takes care of me
• for my faith, my eternal perspective
• for my extended family- and their health
• for my home, my small and simple home
• for 2 cars owned outright (even if they are both older than my oldest child)
• and that the 2 cars run- dependably
• that I have enough clothes than i can skip a few days of laundry
• for my safe neighborhood
• for my wonderful and supportive friends- who are always up for a girls night out
• that i can afford to buy my family groceries

i could easily go on and on.  ’tis the season.  what simple things are you grateful for?

A 10+ item to-do list greeted me this morning, I am confident that I will cross off at least 7 today and if not, at least I kissed my husband and children today!

Yesterday was family photo shoot day.  Sarah sent me this sweet out take that I thought I would share.

The Mesa Arts center was the place to be for photographs yesterday, it was crawling with families and photographers!  We also took some shots outside of Domestic Bliss- great old distressed brick.  The kids were bribed with Smarties and the promise of You Tube Donald Duck videos if they would please sit still and smile while looking at the camera!

Sarah sent me a few of the shots from yesterday and there are some really good ones- so I think the bribes worked! I’ve mentioned before that you should email her and schedule an appt to capture your family, I *think* she is offering a discount if you tell her you read my blog.  On that same note of sharing- I have coupons for my stylist Shannon if anyone needs a styling/cut before the pics!

**edit** Sarah is offering a discount, but you must mention in your first email/phone call that you read my blog.  Here are the details:

$40 for a “mini session” (regular price is $50) - includes up to 30 min photo session, CD with a minimum of 5 finished photos for printing, and a copyright release which will allows you full rights to the photos on the CD (printing, publishing, posting, etc.).   Email me sarahephoto@gmail.com for more info and/or to set up a session.   I will be happy to send portfolio links to those who email me (they are private albums on google photos).

at my house.  We had a little friend over today for a “roaring good time”

it is amazing all the fun things you can do with paper plates!

A yummy ham and bean soup is in the crock pot, and I rented “Gone With The Wind” and eagerly look forward to wearing sweats while watching it in bed.

If there is something you’ve been eyeing in the shop, now is the time to get it.  I am closing the shop on Monday the 24th.  I don’t know if I’ll open it again.  I will still be doing holiday photo cards- custom designed specifically for your photo, by word of mouth only.  I will probably take some custom orders starting in January, we’ll see.  Happy Shopping!

If you’re in the PHX area I will be at Crafteria with all new items: