Best & Worst this holiday season

I had such a great Holiday Season this year. In no particular order, here are a few of the things that made this holiday season great...

• My family battling the weather to be with us for Christmas.
• The bar of Ginger-spice soap that I traded Kim (from PepoPark). It's currently just sitting on the counter in my bathroom - but it smells so good that every time I walk in there, it makes me smile.
• My mom & aunt cleaning my house to give me a decent start for the New Year.
• My cupcake holder and the handcart (for doing craft shows) that my In-Laws gave me.
• My husband surprising me with a bracelet I had been coveting from Entangles.
• Watching Mama Mia with my son.
• The felt food that my parents made for my daughter (pictures to come) - she loves playing with them and I've been eating many a pretend taco lately.
• Getting a break from maintaining the many stores I have opened online - and taking the time to make them look the way I want them to.
• The many, many, many Etsy friends I have made this past year.

I could go on forever. But, here is the other side of this list, the things that weren't so enjoyable.

• The snow
• Lyssie's cold

Thankfully, the snow is behind us (for now). We still have some large piles that have yet to melt with the rains we've had these past few days... it I can easily see past those to the wonderfully bare streets and sidewalks. I'm just hoping they remain bare for when Robbie goes back to school. I'm not looking forward to the day Lyssie and I have to wait for him in the snow.

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Store Re-Opening - and Muffin Tin Monday

I'm slowly starting to reopen my World of Whimm shop with a new look - and hopefully improved pictures. Check it out!

I have lots to share as I'm working on getting back into a routine. I'm sure I'll be blogging frequently to catch up on all that has happened. For now, here's our muffin tin from Monday. I didn't do the theme - muffin tin liners - I forgot with all the guests that we had on Monday. Perhaps I'll do the theme another time.

This muffin tin was Breakfast and it was made by my son for his sister.

Contents: Tater-tots, yogurt, banana slices, bacon, raisins and Honeycombs.

My daughter ate everything by the Tater-tots (which was my addition, perhaps I should just allow my son to do these things in the future). My son, of course, ate it all since he's the one that made the tin.

I hope you have a great New Year! And I'll be back to my normal blog schedule in 2009! I'm predicting an awesome year!

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Homemade Christmas Gifts

Now that it's after Christmas, I can share some of the presents that I made for my family. We had a great, low key (as low as it can be with two young kids) Christmas.

I made these pot holders for my dad who likes to do a lot of cooking. I printed a few of my drawings on some fabric that I ran through the printer (iron freezer paper on the back of cotton)

I used two layers of the heat resistant batting (not sure of the proper name for the stuff) on the inside and I quilted it down around the drawings. I was pleased with how they came out. I made him two pear ones and one apple.

I was pleased with how these printed out and hope to experiment with these images for other items in the future.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! I'll be sharing more gifts as I get the chance. My time on the computer is limited right now as I'm trying to spend lots of time with family while they are in town.

And it's still snowing. I'm still waiting for the much missed rain to wash all the white away.

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Desperately trying to get back to a routine

These last few days have been a bit trying for everyone. The snow outside is causing disruption to all of our schedules - both good and bad. Good, my husband has been home more often spending more time with the kids. Bad, it's thrown off our normal routine.

So, this week, I'm a little late on our Muffin Tin Monday. Today I tried for a little bit of Christmas as there wasn't a theme this week. We did our red, green and white (a loose interpretation).

Contents: Green - grapes and edamame (soy beans), red - strawberry yogurt & pepperoni (we've been having decent luck giving Alyssa small amounts of fruit. I hope our luck continues), white - string cheese circles & quesadilla stars.

We finally made it out of the snow yesterday after my husband spent most of the afternoon shoveling the driveway. I did nearly all my Christmas shopping in one store (everything else, I'm making). Unfortunately, not all of the family we were hoping to have here for the holidays will be making it into town. Their flights were cancelled and they were unable to get new ones. My parents are still trying to drive through Portland - wish them luck & a safe ride!

The picture to the right is of the snow under our eve. It is finally starting to melt and drip to the ground... notice it is freezing once it hits the ground. But... we are getting one step closer to losing some of this snow.

I heard that we are expecting another 1-4 inches overnight tonight... then back to our much missed rain. I'm not sure any of us have ever wanted rain so much!

After Christmas, I'll post some photos of a few of the presents I made. I'll also work on getting our Gingerbread (graham cracker) Houses up for all to see. They came out really cute!

Stay safe! And have a Merry Christmas!

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Stop the snow, stop the snow, stop the snow!

Yes, I know... we don't get a lot of snow here in Seattle compared to some places... but for those of us equipped for rain - this is a lot of snow. And we are used to one or two days of snow... not a week +.

This morning we woke up to about 6-8 inches of snow on top of our inch of ice and 4 inches of older snow. In addition, I woke up with my back screaming at me. I'm fairly certain it's in the same place as my bulging disk. Not the condition you want with snow outside.

So, I'm drugging myself up (I hate to take any medication) and I'm pushing through. We have gingerbread houses to make, cookies to bake and presents to make (won't be going to buy any!).

I'm sure by the end of today, I'll have plenty to share. Of course, that's if I can stay focused.

Stay safe!

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More Christmas "Cookies"

Okay, so this last batch of treats aren't really cookies - but they are yummy! My favorite part of these is that they are super simple to make. Thanks to Julia from Entangles... she's the one that told me how to make these little gems.

Chocolate pretzel sticks that we covered with crushed peppermint candies, chopped walnuts, colorful sprinkles, toffee crumbles, and chocolate sprinkles. I hope to also make these with the vanilla chocolate (?) dip that I picked up. We also used the short (3-4 inches) pretzel sticks rather than the long ones. I wanted it to be something that I could eat quickly without the kids catching me :)

I could have done a tutorial for you, but really, it's too simple even for a tutorial. I just used a chocolate that is used for dipping and microwaved it according to the instructions on the package. Using a spatula, I smeared the bottom part of the pretzel with chocolate. I then spooned the topping all over the chocolate (over a bowl to catch any excess). They I put them on a rack to dry. They don't take long to set up - and just an FYI - they are still yummy even if you eat them before they set up :)

We will be including some of these in the gifts we will be giving for Christmas.

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Holiday Cards

Some years, I can get holiday cards out on time... some years, they are a bit late... other years, they never make it to the post office. This year, I passed the on time and I'm shooting for a bit late (they'll probably arrive after the New Year).

But I feel like I'm doing pretty well as I have all 30 + cards done. I've got about half of them addresses and the letter I normally enclose, about half way complete. Doesn't sound like much, but I'm feeling pretty good about my accomplishment.

This year, I decided to use the stack of pictures that the kids have been drawing. Although, this year... it was all Lyssie's drawings that got used. I just couldn't bring myself to chop up Robbie's which are full, story telling pictures. Those will probably get used for gift wrap... not sure why that seems better to me than to chop them up into cards.

I love how these cards came out. I also love that they are plain - no text on the inside. I won't be signing them either since I'll be sending a letter with them - this means that they can reuse them!

Hope everyone has a great Friday... I'm off to get a few errands done before the next storm hits our area. It's been a fun December so far!

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A Full Week of No School

I was never that fortunate growing up. Of course, I grew up in sunny California where I can count the number of days of snow we had on just one hand. Even though I don't care for snow... I'm glad that my kids do get a little taste of it every year.

I'm also glad that this time around, we didn't get the worst of it. We had about 5 inches of snow today... not much in comparison with areas around us. It was enough to close the schools and keep my husband home (he actually stayed home because freeways to work were closed in places and they got near 11 inches of snow in the area he works!).

So we enjoyed a nice relaxing family day at home. My husband took the kids out sledding for a bit. I think Robbie is addicted. Of course, had our hill been a bit steeper, he probably wouldn't have liked it as much. Our hill requires a continuous push - perfect for someone who is not much of a thrill seeker.

Of course a week of missed school... means a longer school year. That's a shame.

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The Beginning of Christmas Cookies

I'm making a half-hearted attempt at doing Christmas cookies with my kids. Like everything, making cookies is a big effort for me as it requires standing in the kitchen for a long time and mixing - both of which are hard for me right now (no, I'm not lazy... these are just a few of many Fibromyalgia symptoms that I am currently dealing with). But they aren't children forever and you can't pass up too many opportunities for traditions.

I grew up making hundreds of Christmas cookies every year. We had enough to give plates full to our neighbors. I am not this ambitious. I am hoping to merely make a few cookies with the kids so that they can share in the fun of making them. I'd say we will give them away - but since my daughter is sick... I'm guessing these are a present that would keep on giving.

I printed up a Gingerbread cookie recipe from the Internet - I used this one because it didn't require molasses. With the current weather outside I have no intention of leaving the house so I needed one with ingredients I had on hand.

Another thing about me is that I'm horrible at following a recipe. I have no problem trying to substitute an ingredient if I need to and I'll guesstimate if I can't find a measuring cup. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Today, I used margarine in place of vegetable shortening. I'm sure that's why the cookies turned out a bit crisp. But the taste was still good. This recipe also worked for me because it didn't require a lot of mixing as the wet ingredients melted together on the stove. However, because the dough needed to be warm, you could only do a little at a time before you had to warm it up again. This became cumbersome (too much standing in the kitchen for me) and I ended up tossing about half the dough. We did get about 28 various sized cookies.

The kids decorated with some icing tubes I had and some sprinkles. It occupied them for a good hour or so - so the whole endeavor was a success. Lyssie, who doesn't normally care too much for cookies, likes these ones. I was a bit surprised as they are a bit on the hard side and not as sweet.

I hope to also make sugar cookies with them - although I might have to wait until my mom gets into town. If I can get to the store, I'll pick up some of the cookie mixes where I just have to add water. I know it's not the same, but it's better than nothing. I'd like to have a few more options to leave for Santa... although, in the past, Robbie has preferred to leave him chicken and broccoli.

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Fun! Fun! Fun!

I've been trying to venture out a little more from my usual blogs - and it's been a lot of fun. And I hope that all my lurking and searching will generate some fun blogs to share. Today, I found a doosie of a blog - All Sorts - and added it to my list of blogs I read, it's

But, more than her blog - you need to check out her website. You can decorate a gingerbread house or a doll... or do any number of fun activities that she offers. It's great. So, check her out!

I've already printed her letter dangles to do with Robbie and I'm hoping to try out her little elf clogs. Fun!

Visit and enjoy!

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Research

I've polled my cat-owning friends - given a few samples out to "testers" (Emma, yours is still waiting to be mailed, I refuse to go out in the snow and ice - even for this cute little catnip toy) and made a few adjustments to my new Scrappy Catnip Monsters. Now to consider pricing.

My Scrappy Little Monsters, that are the same size, sell for $8.00 - so I'd like to keep these toys around the same price - it makes sense to me. But I'm not sure if $8.00 for a catnip toy is appropriate. So... I need to research.

With the ice, snow and frigid temperatures... I've chosen to do my research in the comfort of my own home on the Internet. I love the Internet. In my research, I've found some unusual designs... simple designs... and, well, you decided. I'm going to give you some sample (with links if you decided you can't live with it - click on the picture). I hope to have my Scrappy Catnip Monsters in the On A Whimm shop soon. Seems like an odd mix, but that shop will be primarily Button Tacks, Catnip toys, Scarves, Pin Cushions and Fabric Weights and Zippered bags.

Here are a few of the Catnip Toys I've found...

This toy says "Lick me, Bite me, Bunnykick me" - is that a cat thing??? I don't really get it. It's about 4" across. The words are stamped on. This little heart will set you back $7.15

The Polluck fish. This "little" guy is 11 inches long. He is $8.99

The Flea catnip toy. I'm not sure why you would want a flea toy around... perhaps because this little guy only costs $2.99. This flea is 3" long.

Catnip Chew Mice. I'm guessing this comes in a sew of two of these guys and the netting is supposed to work like floss??? No size given... $5.99

Catnip Critter Mouse. Maybe the closest to my monster??? 4" x 1.5" for $4.99. He has a crinkly sound to him.

So, I'm curious... anyone have any thoughts? Opinions? My toy isn't mass produced so I can't go as low as some of these. And these have catnip which is an added expense that my monsters don't have. Hmmmm....

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Teacher Gifts

Robbie has morning kindergarten and with the icy conditions and the snow in the forecast, there is a chance that he won't make it back to school this week... except for tomorrow when I drive him in for their Christmas program which they have rescheduled for the afternoon.



I wasn't allowed the priviledge of waiting for the last minute to do teacher gifts. I had planned something entirely different - but finding out that I needed to have them the next day meant that I needed to figure something else out. I didn't have all the materials for my original idea and wasn't about to leave the house and drive two kids on icy roads.

So - I went to my scrap box and decided to make something that incorporated the kids drawings (idea taken losely from Sycamore Stirrings pot holders) and a little quilting (idea taken losely from the picture on Family McG's blog of a project she has in progress). The zipper pouches are something I've been working on mastering and I thought they could actually be useful.

Robbie drew a picture of a bus (for his bus driver) and a picture of a dinosaur (for his teacher) and I made them into zipper pouches. The one for the bus driver has a little loop - but I forgot one for the teacher's. I think they came out great (the back is stiped with various fabrics and quilted) and I'd like to someday make a few for myself.

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Star Wars is still all the rage!

I think I saw a tear in my husband's eye as he watched his son play light sabers at his friend's 6th birthday over the weekend. Our son is not your typical boy and to see him hold the light saber in a fighting stance was a bit amusing. After all, he's never seen the movies and really doesn't know any of the characters. He owns some of the toys - but calls them things like "shiny yellow guy".

But he had a great time at the party and for sure, the highlight for the kids, were the handmade (soft) light sabers. If you have a Star Wars fan, you should check them out in Original Cyn's shop.

My daughter, who really would be more likely to play with such a weapon, was envious of all the older kids... so we had to fashion her a cardboard one. A little mistake as she tried to swing at the kids with it like they did and the cardboard is a bit harder than the foam sabers they were using - plus, she has a pretty mean swing!

A fun party and a great take home gift for the kids!

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Muffin Tin Monday - Christmas Shapes

This muffin tin challenge - Christmas Shapes - was a fun one. I went the way of the felt board as there were far too many Christmas shapes for me to choose from. So I opted for everyday shapes so the kids could build their own Christmas shapes. It was a big hit and it got my daughter eating everything because she need to eat her creation before she could make another. Brilliant!

Yes, we are still in our pajamas. Robbie didn't go to school today due to the ice that surrounds our house - so he declared it a pajama day. Who am I to argue?

Toasted bread triangles; grape circles, cheese squares, pepperoni circles, raisin circles, veggie stick lines, string cheese lines.

Robbie and Alyssa both made reindeers for their first ones. So cute! The designs that followed the reindeer became much more jumbled as I think it became a game of use what you want to eat first :)

Be sure to stop by Her Cup Overfloweth for more fun Muffin Tins!

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The first snow

Not of the year - because we had snow in April... but the first snow of this winter. And not only is it the first snow - but I think it could be the coldest we've experienced here in Washington. Normally when we get snow the temperatures remain near freezing for warmer. This time - it's flippin' cold out there! Not only that, but our blasted Seattle winds are here too and that makes for a nasty combination.

Not surprising, our snow experience outside this morning was a short one. Lyssie seems to be getting sick again - it's a hard one to kick this year - so keeping her outside in this weather was not a good idea. Of course, this is the year that she doesn't want to come in. We had to bring her in kicking and screaming.

So, here are a few pictures. I'm sure this show will stick around for a while as our temperatures are supposed to stay where they are or dip a little further. I'm just hoping for no more snow on top of it. This layer of snow is sitting on top of ice. Did I mention that it's cold out there?

This is the front yard (which is in the shade). She doesn't have a jacket on yet but she couldn't resist the fresh snow.

The first thing Robbie does in the show - makes a snow ball.

The second thing Robbie does in the show -makes a snow angel.

Lyssie had to be like her big brother.

This snow was our reminder that we need to get snow gear for the kids again. Lyssie's snow shoes from last year don't fit her. Robbie's snow pants from last year don't fit him. Poor Lyssie doesn't have a proper winter jacket. Time to stock them up on essentials!

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And the winner is....

After waking up to three or four inches of snow (any more than that, I would have been very cranky), getting the kids out to play in it, and having breakfast, I've decided I need to take a moment to pick the winner of my free give-away, before I start getting the house ready for guest later today.

This little guy has been sitting patiently, waiting for me to choose the winner (thanks to everyone who participated in all my forums - I got a lot of great feedback and am anxious to hear if he's worthy).

So, I wrote all the names on to some scrap paper, folded them all up and pulled a name. Last time I took pictures of this whole process... but due to time constraints, you'll just have to take my word for it.

So the winner is.... EMMA!

Yay Emma! Emma is a former EtsyRAIN member who moved to Chicago. She has a great blog too... you should take a moment to check it out. Oh - and don't forget to check out her Etsy shop. She has wonderful jewelry and great cards (I envy her and her Gocco).

Congratulations Emma! Get in touch with me so I can forward this little guy to you for testing :)

Thanks again to everyone who participated!

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EtsyRAIN Ornament Exchange

Finally, I've finished all the ornaments for the two ornament exchanges we participated in this year. The EtsyRAIN one took the most thought, consideration and procrastination. I started with the idea of making a snowman - he was too ordinary. Then I decided I'd make a monster - they were too time intensive (I'll post pictures of the two I did complete later) and last night I tried to crochet a sushi roll. It came out super cute - but I'm not very good at changing colors and it just took too long... and it was a little boring for me to do.

In the end, I decided to do the sushi roll with the same idea of the tshirt ones I made, but using fleece. Then I strung them on some thin wire (not easy to do) and used some beads for decoration. I like the end result, but I do need to say that I'm not a beader... and I have no idea what I was doing. So - to those recipients of these little sushi rolls - beware - they could come apart with too much pulling on them.

Making these really made me crave sushi. And my son, watching me, must have had the same problem because just a few minutes ago he said "I have a great idea! Let's go have sushi!".

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She's creative!

I wasn't happy about her playing with my sign (it's really just a painting on canvas and wouldn't stand up to her standing on it)... but I was impressed with her creativity.

Lyssie loves playing with her felt pieces and I like what she did with my sign. Hmmm... maybe she's on to something!

I do hope to make some pillow covers up, give her some pieces of fleece and allow her to design her own pillows. You should see her houses, trees and people she comes up with. They are so cute - nothing I could ever do myself.

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Puzzle Tree Ornament Tutorial

I finally sent these ornaments out yesterday for our ornament exchange through the Crafty Crow (sorry that they were a little late!). But Robbie had fun making them... and then letting me finish them once he lost interest. He was good for the first few - then got tired of doing it over and over.
Anyhow, I thought I'd share a tutorial on these as they came out really cute. I also made a few for our tree in the shape of a wreath - using the same method, just a circle instead of a triangle.

Materials needed:

• Puzzle (I went to the local thrift store and found a 1000 piece puzzle that had lots of green in it -.99! The 1000 piece puzzles have nice small puzzle pieces)
• Glue (we used a glitter glue)
• Waxed paper
• Permanent marker
• Sequins (optional)
• Twine (string or yarn - something to hang it with)
• Green paint
• Sponges

1. Pull out all the green puzzle pieces. You don't have to use green - you are welcome to make your tree any color you want.

2. Draw the shape of the tree (or whatever shape you want) onto the waxed paper with the permanent marker as a guide.

3. Lay your first layer of puzzle pieces out using your drawing as the guide. Try to get the pieces as close together as you can.

4. Run a line of glue from one pieces to the other in the places you plan to put the second layer. Keep in mind, the second layer pieces will be covering the gaps of the first layer so you will want to keep your glue toward the inside part of your tree and the edge of the pieces. Excess glue is okay if you plan on decorating your tree later with sequins.

5. Place your second layer of puzzle pieces on top of the glue. Be sure to overlap your pieces and cover as many gaps as you can (rather than placing on puzzle piece right on top of the other). Overlapping the pieces will give you a fuller tree - and will keep the tree together.

6. Repeat step 4&5 for a third row.

7. Decorate with sequins if desired. I put sequins on the glue that was left after placing the puzzle pieces - then added a few dots of glue on the to layer. If your tree is a bit "off", you can adjust it now, while the glue is wet, by pushing the pieces together.

8. Allow to dry (I waited about 5 hours) and peel from the waxed paper.

9. Turn it over and paint the back. We used two different color paints and sponged them on to give a more textured look.

** I recommend spraying the finished ornament with a sealant of some sort. I didn't have time before I had to put them in the mail. **

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Family Tree

When I "clean" house, I tend to get distracted. It was no different yesterday. I have been trying to clear surfaces to make room for Christmas decorations. It really is my Mission Impossible as the surface quickly gets re-cluttered.

So yesterday, I was distracted by a large standing frame that was holding a drawing of a Woolly Mammoth that my son drew ages ago. It was time to replace it. But I still wanted to maintain a Christmas color theme in the room... so I came up with a family tree.

We have a lot of family coming this Christmas and I thought it would be perfect. Plus, it was crafty, fun and it kept me from my housework. I like how it came out. I used scrapbook paper for all of it as that was the closest thing to me. I tore the paper for the tree, then cut out leaves.. writing the names of our more immediate family. This tree could have been huge had I gone back one more generation - but I knew I didn't have the time or space.

Still, a great looking addition to our holiday decor.

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Muffin Tin Monday - Children's Christmas Literature - very late

Okay, I FINALLY got to do my Muffin Tin for Children's Christmas Literature. It was fun... and I'm a little sad that it's so late. But it was well received by the kids.

We love the Bear Snores on series of books, so I chose the Christmas version.

Contents of tin:

Yogurt (white snow)

Popcorn (they decorate their tree with it)

Carrots (for the rabbit in the story - but really because I needed a vegetable)

Fruit trail mix (for the Fruitcake they make)

Jelly sandwich tree (for the Christmas tree they get)

Teddy Grahams (for the Bear of course!)

The kids love it - probably mostly because of the Teddy Grahams, which I never buy, and the popcorn, which is more of a snack in this household.

Lots of fun! If you have kids and don't do Muffin Tins... I highly recommend at least doing a meal around a favorite book. It's fun and the kids love it!

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Christmas Preparations

With UCU behind me... my new focus is on preparing for Christmas, Holiday Parties and getting the house ready for company. I've been taking it a bit slow this week. I'm hoping to step up the pace any day now.

Monday we decorated the Christmas tree with the Nana's help. I'm sad that she had to go home... but I'm fairly certain the kids wore her out, and she was ready to go. I am thankful that she was able to come help us out with the kids during the show. I have no idea how we would have managed otherwise.

Anyhow, I had the kids make ornaments with Nana. We took some clear bulbs that I purchased after Christmas last year - I really like how the iridescent ones turned out - we added some paint on the inside and swirled and shook it around. They came out great, minimal mess and both kids were able to participate. It was a great project and it has really made our tree look fantastic! I let the bulbs dry on the tree (lazy), but I highly recommend drying them upside down so that the excess paint can drip out.

We've also been receiving ornaments from our ornament exchange. I hope to get a picture of all those together once we get them all. Shame on me, mine are sitting by the door ready to mail (should have mailed them on Monday).

Our tree is looking great with the ornaments from other people, the glass ornaments by the kids and Nana and all the picture ornaments I have saved through the years. I love a Christmas tree that has memories built into it.

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More on UCU

I really can't talk about UCU enough... I had such a great time. But I wanted to blog once more about my other UCU neighbor. I was next to Marlo (Tote2Go) and Julie (Common Object Jewelry & Crackpot Mosaics)... but I also had one more neighbor.

Even though there was a wall that split us, it was a pleasure to meet her (or them) and - even more important - they had awesome stuff! So check out Heavens to Betsie! Her things would make great Christmas gifts!

Okay, all you cat people out there - be sure to enter my current give-away for a Cat Nip Scrappy Little Monster!

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Give-away - Attention Cat people!

Okay, so I openly admit, I'm not a cat person. I have a dad that doesn't like cats... and several people in my family, including myself, are allergic to cats.

But I do love my Scrappy Little Monsters... and I do value the opinions of my fellow EtsyRAINers. On their suggestion, I have made my first cat nip Scrappy Little Monster.

But here's the deal. This little guy is sad because he does not have a cat companion. He has no way of knowing if he's adequate, no way of knowing if he could improve, no one to tell him... he's a great friend.

And as his creator, I can't let this be. Sooo... I'm doing my second give-away. Hurray! This little guy needs a new home. A home with a cat. A home with a cat that tends to like cat nip. A home with a cat that likes cat nip in cute little cat nip toys. A home with a cat that is not afraid of little stuffed monsters with only one eye.

Is this your home? Do you know someone with a home like this? Then please enter my give-away by leaving me a comment on this post. I'd also love some feedback on the design of this little guy. He has two ears on top, one long tail with a triangle on the end and a round body... about 2.5 inches in diameter. Certain aspects of this design would change from one toy to another, but I'd most likely stick with two earish things and a long tail. Do cats dig two earish things and long tails on their toys? Let me know. You can also gain an additional entry if you follow my blog (top left corner). Since this is a give-away for cat people and not everyone is a cat person... please let me know if you already follow the blog and would like that second entry. I'd hate to enter one of my followers into the give-away, only to find out that they don't like cats.

This give-away is for US residents only as I'm not sure how much he will cost to ship. Sorry to those international folks... I will have other give aways for you to participate in... but if you would like to leave me some helpful cat tips, I'd appreciate it.

I've also promised this little monster a new home by Christmas... so that means I'll be running this give-away through the end of the week only. So, please have your comments in by December 13th.

*** Important *** I am hoping to gain feedback on this product. Please do not enter this contest if you have no intention on giving me feedback once your cat has met my monster. Also, feel free to give this to a friend... but follow up with them so you can report back to me. Thanks!

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UCU was the best!

I am still recovering from a crazy weekend at UCU. If you haven't ever attended the Urban Craft Uprising, I highly recommend it. Either as a vendor or as a buyer - what a great experience. My favorite part of the show was the people. Great people, sooo creative - both buyers and sellers. The babies were soooo cute! I'm glad that my booth attracts the parents of the tiniest buyers... I mean, look at these kids. Aren't they awesome! My husband caught the photo of the Viking - but I got the photo of the Cabbage Patch. His mom made that little hat and I swear, in person, he looks just like a Cabbage Patch doll. Awesome!

People watching was so much fun. Of course, I didn't get to do a lot as my booth was packed more often than not and people were buying (thank you buyers!). I love that Seattle is so supportive of the handmade movement. They are awesome!

Of course, I'm sure my experience wouldn't have been the same had I not had all my EtsyRAIN friends around me. I got to share the UCU experience with Marlo (Tote2Go) and Julie (Common Object Jewelry & Crackpot Mosiacs) and Julia (Entangles), who helped me out on Sunday. Those three gals are truly the greatest and I'm so fortunate to have met them all.

Of course, there were many other EtsyRAINers at the show, but due to the crowds, I didn't get out of my booth often to see them - and neither did they. But the kids made it around and were pleased that they knew many of the vendors as well :) Jonah (Maluhia Designs) gave them each their own little swag bag - those were a HUGE hit with them and Carrie (Finny's Funny Fleece - her store is no longer open) gave each of the kids a helmet... and, well, you can see that they are enjoying those as well.

Such a great weekend. I look forward to applying for this show again next year. And if I don't get accepted... I'll definitely attend. You should too!

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Routines

I'm desperate to get back into a routine. As you can see, I missed Muffin Tin Monday yesterday. Sorry. I volunteered at my son's school yesterday (not sure what I was thinking doing it right after such a big show) and I just didn't have it in me to do this week's theme - Children's Literature; Christmas stories. But I'm excited to try it, so I'm hoping later this week I can give it a whirl. Of course, the kids weren't going to let me miss Muffin Tin Monday all together, so I let Robbie make it this time for the two of them. He stepped right up and make a great muffin tin. He was so proud!

Contents: Honey Roasted Peanuts, Carrots, Komoboko, Wheat Thins, Meatballs and String Cheese.

The only thing still left in his sister's tin were the meatballs and one partially chewed carrot. Nice job Robbie!

For some truly great Muffin Tins, check out Her Cup Overfloweth and the Children's Literature Tins. Then check back this week - I hope to do mine.

I have lots to share this week and hope find the time. I still have the ornament tutorial to post, the decorating of our tree, and some pictures and fun things from the show this weekend! But now, I need to clean. Booo!

Hope everyone has a great week! Since I've closed my stores for the rest of the month, I might also have a give-away or two in the next week or so - so stay tuned!

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Life is good

So, just a quick update on my busy weekend. The first day of UCU was yesterday - and it went very well. We were busy and my items were well received. I'm looking forward to today - and I'll get to spend some time with Julia as she'll be helping me in my booth while Kasey goes to work.

I received my first Christmas present this weekend from my mother-in-law (and father-in-law) and I couldn't have been happier with it! I blogged about this cupcake stand a while back and it was one thing that I had really wanted - but couldn't quite justify buying it for myself. Watch for pictures of it in use - I think I'll be making Christmas cupcakes and my daughter's birthday party will definitely utilize it as well.

There is also the possibility that after the 1st of the year, you might see my NueToMe dresses in a local Seattle shop!

It's been a great weekend already... and I'm looking for a fun Sunday. If you are local, be sure to stop by the Urban Craft Uprising today. The artists there are phenomenal and I'm thankful to be in their company.

Oh! And you could win one of my Robin Hood hats! Check it out here!

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Winter (Haiku #4)

While we've had some nice (not raining) days lately, it is certainly feeling like winter. I've been crocheting hats (more than Lyssie can wear, I'm sure), sewing various scarves and just generally preparing myself mentally for the cold winters that we tend to have here in Washington.

So, it seems appropriate that the latest theme for Haiku Monday (a few Mondays past) is "winter". Here is goes again - my stab at a Haiku.

December is cold
chocolate and Schnapps
mug is all i need

How many syllables is Schnapps anyway? I'm not sure that Haiku is correct as I seem to count Schnapps differently every time. And sorry, but I can't seem to come up with a serious Haiku. I'm not really sure I have it in my. Winter makes me think of Peppermint Schnapps in my hot chocolate while I sit under my warm covers and watch trashy tv. Don't get me wrong... I still do this in the summer... it's just what I think of when I think of winter.

Okay, I'll try one more... a little more serious.

Eyes peeking at me
a hat too big, scarf too long
torture is my game

Hahaha - I almost had that one... it could have been sweet, but it wouldn't have been me :) I love to see my kids all bundled up. Like in a A Christmas Story!

The little snowman above is my first attempt at one of my ornament exchanges. I won't be doing a snowman though - I think I'll be doing little monsters, but in the same vane. I think the snowman is just too ordinary... but he sure is cute!

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So pretty!

I grabbed a treasury this afternoon and with no other obligations toward theme... I just picked some of my favorites (and I threw in one of my own).

Empty George

On A Whimm

Bead Ruby

Livewire (Common Object Jewelry)

Scary White Girl

Muddy River Girl

Kneek (Spiderfelt)

Silent Goddess

Witts Wicks and Knits

LAS Designs

Flanders Field

Crackpot Mosaics

There is one artist that I've used two of her stores... and, I'll be neighbors with her at UCU! I'm a huge fan of Julie's work - you should check out both her shops; Common Object Jewelry & Crackpot Mosaics.

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Blog Make-over???

So, I was thrilled a while back to get three columns on my blog. It's been great! But, I'm really bored with it again and I'd love to see more color on it - but organized color. So, I'm thinking I might need a professional as it took me nearly a month to get that third column.

Does anyone want to give me some recommendations for someone who can do a blog-makeover? I have some ideas of what I'd like, so I need someone willing to work with me - rather than someone that just has templates.

I know, with all that I have on my plate... this really is the last thing I should be thinking about. But I do work on my blog nearly everyday... so it's on my mind a lot. I'd love to at least get the ball rolling.

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Muffin Tin Monday

Another Muffin Tin! This one was done on Sunday, however. With UCU nearing, I'm trying to be proactive about all the things I've piled into our schedule. Thankfully, my mother-in-law will be in town on Thursday so I'm hoping any last minute UCU frenzy will be a bit easier on Friday with an extra set of hands to help out with the kids.

Anyhow, on to our muffin tin. It was well received by both kids - but not completely eaten. They each had their own favorites.

Contents: Ham (from Thanksgiving), rice, letter pasta with feta (Lyssie's had Parmesan), corn, tofu and homemade apple sauce.

Lyssie actually has an intolerance to many fruits - apple being one of the worse. But, I gave her a scoop anyhow. She passed on it - not even trying it. Probably best.

And on with the rest of the week! I'll be sharing another Haiku later this week (was given a bit of an extension on last weeks), a tutorial on some ornaments I made for the Crafty Crow ornament exchange... and perhaps a few peaks at my UCU preparations.

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