Less than a week now!
Just wanted to share some of the creative fun going on at our house.
MyGirl decorated these brownies and gave them to friends. She also shared them last Sunday after Sunday dinner. They were a big hit everywhere.
While you can't tell from this photo we limited the ornaments we put on this year.
The criteria were hearts, representing me and Mike, stars, representing our children, and nativities. Plus a couple my mom made through the years which are part of our heritage.
My goal for when the six of us are all together for Christmas are that we will enjoy the simple things, be Christ-centered, and have family-filled-fun!
These are the cards we sent out. When I got my photos back from Costco, I realized they weren't going to fit into the cards I had already planned, had all the pieces for, and just needed to assemble. This was back in November. Sooooo, I designed this simple greeting to go on the left of the photos, and on the back I had printed our greeting. And I put them all together while watching a Christmas movie on TV one evening. Fortunately, the dimensional star fit the post office's criteria for small enough, and they were off. I like this collage because it shows something each member of my family thinks is fun.
Littlebuddy - being outside and on vacation
BigBuddy - eating the fish he caught
Cowgirl- holding onto her puppy and coming to visit
MyGirl - going to work
Mike and I - just hanging out together.
I bought this pattern from one of my favorite quilt companies, Sweetwater, and several of the kits to make them. So far I've given away two for gifts, and have mine to still make and another for my friend who has a winter birthday, so she's getting hers after Christmas. Its only 11 x 14, and when I gave the last one away, it came with a plate of goodies too. I love that the snowman is looking at the star above, and you must know by now that my favorite symbol of Christmas is the star.
These sugar cookies with peppermint kisses were inspired by the photo above. I made Kulaches, Magic Cookie bars, cut out sugar cookies, caramel brownies, and these kiss cookies or frosted peppermint sugar cookies (for the leftover dough when I ran out of kisses) all in 24 hours, and delivered them too. Its fun to do one day a year, and then I'm done. Fortunately there are enough leftovers when the big kids come home to have them feel like Christmas is here.
Another project I made for others, and am enjoying myself is bright Christmas ruffled dishtowels. Here is the one in my kitchen, with those leftover cookies to the right.
I made each of them a little different. Mine has 4 ruffles, and is somewhat heavy. So, the rest I made have only two rows of ruffles and different colored ribbons. I also have some red towels which I got on sale at Williams Sonoma. I made these in the summer, and just had to finish the ribbon in December, so that was a fun, crafty project also.
In whatever stage of Christmas preparations you are at, I hope it will be simple, fun, and Christ-centered for you also. I'm singing and playing the piano Sunday in our church program and am grateful for the beautiful Christmas music that helps me feel the true spirit of Christmas.
As my son mentioned last night as we were out delivering treats, its when we give we feel the closest to the Savior, but I was reminded by a friend, that the true joy of Christmas is what we receive - the infinite and eternal love and blessings from our Savior, who was born that Holy Night. He is the Great Gift of Christmas that we can all receive!
Merry Christmas Everyone!
