Merry Christmas!!/ ¡¡Feliz Navidad!!

No-sew vintage Christmas stockings

I promise I found a video on the Martha Stewart site on how to make these stockings but now I can't find it anywhere on there! I tried to remember as best as I could what I saw on the how-to video to replicate these stockings. What caught my eye was the no 'sewing required'...since at the moment I don't have a sewing machine. They were super easy to put together.

Here are some of the materials I used:

• German Glass Glitter
• A red brocade material (or you can do any vintage type of material)
• Digital reprints of postcards from the early 1900's (even better if you can find some real ones at a flea market. I didn't have time.)
• Fabric Glue
• Buckram
• Pinking Shears (for the toes and tops)

I found that the German Glass Glitter gives it a more vintage look than just normal glitter glue. I had to get mind off ebay but I think it was worth the effort. It is actual crushed glass so it's not for kid's projects. I wrote each of our names and Merry Christmas on each stocking with a liquid stitch clear drying adhesive. Then I sprinkled the glitter over it and let it dry. I just love it when the light catches them now that I have them hanging from the mantel.

Christmas Lighting ceremony

Frosty the Cheese Ball

Here is a cute idea if you are going to any Christmas parties. I started getting the Family Fun magazine a while back and they always have such adorable ideas for kid's crafts and recipes.

• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 10 raisins for eyes, mouth, and buttons
• 1 piece of carrot for the nose
• 4 crackers for the hat (we used Ritz and Dare water crackers)

• 1 thyme sprig for the hat (optional)
• Strips of carrot for the scarf
• 2 broken pretzels for the arms
• 1 (1/2-inch) piece of a canned baby corn for the pipe
• Toothpick for the pipe

1. In a large bowl, let the cream cheese soften at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Stir in the garlic salt and the onion powder, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.

   Make the snowman by rolling two thirds of the cheese into a ball for his body and the other third into a ball for his head. Stack the balls, then add the facial features, clothing, arms, and pipe as shown. Serve with crackers or mini bagels.

Apple blackberry pie with fall leaves

This pie was so much fun to make and super delicious! It's a Martha Stewart recipe and you can find it here. It would be perfect for Thanksgiving dinner or anytime really. =)

video

Chase made this video of our family pictures that we had taken a couple months ago. Enjoy!

COFFEE!!

I just so happened upon this deal when I was looking at some money saving blogs this afternoon. World Market had their coffee buy one get one free and it's double punch on your coffee rewards card on Wednesdays too. ....PLUS I had a 20 dollar off 50 dollar purchase. I bought 16 bags of coffee which came to about 96.00 dollars but with all the deals I only paid 31 bucks for it all! And I got 6 punched out cards for free bags later on. So basically I got $130.00 dollars worth of coffee for $31.00!!!!! What a deal. Now if you're not a coffee drinker you'll probably think we're crazy but if you happen to love the stuff...you KNOW that's an amazing deal. ;O)

Rainy day...

It won't stop raining here. I think it's the perfect day to stay home and catch up on laundry and maybe ...just maybe bake an apple blackberry leaf pie. We'll see. ; )

Halloween

Emma and Luke got some Halloween cards from their Great Grandma Snow today! Luke had to give his a taste. =) We made Jack-o-Lanterns and ate some candy corn. We had already taken Emma to Boo in the Zoo last week and our neighborhood doesn't have any trick or treaters. =( It was a rainy day so it was nice to stay inside.

A Fall Drive

We always love driving up the Blue Ridge Parkway when the leaves start changing colors. Today we were a bit disappointed that they had some of it blocked off because of some rock slides. We got about half way up the mountain though and were able to pick some leaves for a scrapbook and take a 'little' hike and by little I mean a short 10 minute walk. =) Emma was slipping and sliding everywhere but we enjoyed it anyway! I thought it was neat in the last picture on here you can see the Biltmore house in the distance. It's so beautiful standing out in the middle of the mountains.

Falls Park

Chloe had a birthday party downtown at Falls Park on Saturday and Emma and Luke had tons of fun. Chase was able to get off work so he could join us. All the trees are starting to turn beautiful shades and it's starting to get cooler and more fallish. It was a great day to be outside.