Santa Lucia Day

St. Lucia Day is coming up and I found this darling St. Lucia Day paper doll printable last year but I can't for the life of me find out how to link it to the original source.  Have fun with it.

http://tpettit.best.vwh.net/dolls/pd_scans/xmas_morning/200dpi/kirsten.jpg

I am spending the day making a Lucia Dress for Nutmeg since she has outgrown all of our white things.

Starlings in Gingerbread

The covered porch was not possible THIS year and there is a small inaccuracy involving Nutmeg's bedroom but all in all I am pretty pleased.

St Lucia Day - Age 4

Lucia Day didn't go so smoothly this year.  The baby I tend was scheduled to arrive at 8:30 so there was a deadline.  Nutmeg got up albeit with a bad attitude but Camrock (who was the designated helper) was much too sleepy to be helpful.  There were tears, fighting and commotion for 45 minutes. Meanwhile I was lying in bed pretending to sleep with the camera poised, for 45 minutes thinking the doorbell would ring at any moment and there I was in bed still.

Nutmeg was very uspset because she wasn't able to wake us up for real.   So she had this look on her face when she finally shuffled in the room

We pretended to be asleep and she perked up, then we "woke up" from our pretend sleep as she started singing...

"Away in a manger no crib for his bed, the sweet little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head. The stars in the heavens look down from the sky, the sweet little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay."

Despite the fighting it was a great way to wake up.

Making the Season Bright

My tree is up, the house is decorated and for the first time in nearly a decade I do not have all of the gifts purchased before December. But I am ready, oh, so ready for December, for a month of looking at the lights on the tree and getting lost in thoughts.   I am ready to sing the familiar songs that make my soul rejoice.  I am ready bundle up and stay put. I am ready for a month of reflection of thinking about the gifts god has given us and searching for a map of the path ahead of me.


I, like Jocelyn at We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ, am looking for a way to teach my children that Christmas is more than the gifts under the tree and watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas 500 times.  To teach them that Christmas is about service, love, family and Christ.

I don't know what it is going to look like yet but I know that I am going to let them choose who we serve and how. It will also be inexpensive, we have had a lot of major expenses come up this last fortnight and the giving will have to come from the heart not the wallet.


Do you have any ideas for me?  What are you doing this month to teach your children about the gifts that matter?






This message from President Monson might yeild some ideas.

You Can't Go Looking for One of Those, or Can You?

I was going through my Christmas Around the World Books looking for ideas for our holiday celebrations when I saw a German Pyramid or Christmas Windmill.  I had seen these before and suddenly I thought "If we ever want one of these we need to get it THIS year while the kids are still little enough to appreciate it."

A quick Google search confirmed my suspicion that these little whimsies are very pricey like $500-$600.  Then I found a made in China version on Etsy for about $40 and Moose and I decided to think on it.

This morning, I was out picking up some FREE furniture and decided to stop into a Salvation Army Thrift shop that I had never been in before to see if they had a Christmas Pyramid.  (Yeah Right.)

They did. 

It was missing the propellers and candle holders so I put it in my cart to think about it.  That is how I decide if I want something, I push it around in my cart and look at other things and then right before I checkout I go through everything and see if I still like it and/or the price.

Before I had a chance to decide a couple of employees saw it in my cart and remembered that there were more pieces to it, we searched and found the original box with 6 propellers and no candle holders.  But 6 propellers looked like enough to make it hobble around so I bought it for $4.99!

Here it is at home with the 6 propellers and one candle holder stick.  We are going to have to craft some pieces but I think this will be fun!  For $5 I don't feel one bit frivolous or extravagant.

Oh, and it is sitting on this awsome treadle Singer base table that was FREE.  I have always wanted one.

Scenes from a Chistmas Eve

Boba Fett filming my first music video. He looked like a natural with his wild hair behind the camera and the silent thumbs up he gave.

The kids wearing the Rudolph noses Aunt Jmo sent before spreading reindeer food on the snow.

The gigantic Christmas box we filled and dropped on the doorstep of a needy family.

Cindy Lou Who waiting for the Grinchy Claus.
The best part was listening to a wonderful story my dad recorded.
Finished off the night telling the Nativity story to my daughter after putting calming essential oils on her feet.
To help her fall asleep fast.

Matching Stockings: A Cautionary Tale

In 1959 my mother and father in law started a family. 4 little girls arrived in quick succession and a matching set of Christmas stockings was purchased. Then Moose showed up in 1977 and a matching stocking could not be found and so a stocking was made at a department store. And he was scarred for life, every Christmas the toe pointing in the wrong direction and the glittered name reminded him that he was the caboose. Scarred for 30 years.
And then his fabulous wife made him a reproduction stocking. She also made matching stockings for herself and the children so no one would be left out.
So, let this be a lesson to all the mothers out there who have a set of matching stockings and haven't go around to getting one for the "baby" of the family. Either commit matching or let everyone have different stocking, because you can't guarantee that they will marry someone crafty.

You Don't think I am the Kind of Girl That Would Throw Herself at a Man Do You?

Last Christmas, my Aunt Janie asked me what I wanted for Christmas I told her unhesitatingly that I wanted fabric to make a plaid Christmas skirt. I wouldn't have time to make it that year but definitely for Christmas 2009. She told me to go out and buy the fabric as gift from her. I did. Then at an after Christmas clearance sale I bought a little more of the same fabric to make a matching skirt for Nutmeg.
It is a plain tafetta circle skirt filled with all the joys and pains that go along with a circle skirt. Fantastic look but loads of fabric and nightmarish details. I love my ruffle foot. I need a crinoline.

I got the inspiration for this skirt while watching White Christmas and so I call it the "You don't think I am the Kind of girl that would throw herself at a man do you Skirt" after the scene where the frighteningly skinny Vera-Ellen crawls along a bankette in a checked circle skirt.

You know the one.
I will call Nutmeg's "Mandy" after the should have been cut out and useless to the movie number of the same name. The "Mandy" would probably have actually fit Vera-Ellen.

Thanks, Aunt Janie! I love you!

*Update*  This skirt looks so much better now that i have a proper petticoat!

Knuckle Biting Nutcracker

Last night I took my daughter to the Nutcracker. It was her first time as well as mine. It was magical.We dressed to the nines.
Well, O.K., the elevens, those ARE seams.

It was so worth it too, at intermission we got my money's worth in compliments. Nutmeg was the darling, everyone adored her dress and our hairpieces. It almost made us feel as special as the ballerinas!
Let's go back to the beginning. La Kiera, Laura, Kristin and Bella picked us up just a few minutes late but we weren't worried (we had planned plenty of time) until we hit the freeway and saw 8 miles of tail lights ahead of us. I learned something about my best friend last night, she really doesn't like being late, almost as much as me. There was erratic, snippy behavior and cursing which Nutmeg echoed immediately.

We careened into the parking garage at 7:25 the ballet starting at 7:30. We bailed out of the hastily and poorly parked mini van and it was every woman for herself. Kristin and Bella were in the lead as we ran down 4 flights of stairs. Nutmeg and I brought up the tail as I hobbled down the stairs in 3 inch heels while carrying a 3 year old and not wanting to touch the gooey hand rail. I saw Keira glance back at us once as she crossed the street just to make sure I hadn't fallen down the stairwell. At least I like to think that she looked back because she was concerned about my welfare...
We ran across the 2 intersection crossings ignoring the signs and avoiding headlights. Kristin needed to buy tickets and we wished her luck at the box office and hustled in. Disoriented we found our seats which had someone in them. Thanks to the usher for bouncing him. Kristin and Bella did get seats after all and so we all watched The Nutcracker.And I cried a little as the curtain rose. I just knew it was one of those special moments I would remember forever, the night I took my daughter to The Nutcracker.
Nutmeg watched so carefully at the beginning her little head nodding and following each step. That is what I will remember.
The opening party scene drags...it could really be cut down in the interest of little patrons. Nutmeg asked when they would start dancing.
The Snowflake dance was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen, just beautiful.
After intermission it was hard for Nutmeg to keep her interest she was thirsty, tired and hungry. She couldn't sit still but still she loved seeing the "princesses."
Afterward, we stopped for hot cocoa and in this picture you can see how at 10:30 pm the girls were a little bit strung out. Laura stared off into the distance her eyes glazed over, while Bella and Nutmeg were in a chocolate fueled spiral of hyperactivity feeding off of one another. This picture reminds me of 3 party girls, one is about to pass out while the other two are about ready to start dancing on the table and in the fountain, one with badly smeared make-up.

"Grandmother, What Big Teeth You Have!"

"The better to play with my dear!"
I can't wait until Christmas! This is another gift I made for Nutmeg: a Little Red Riding Hood hood, a dress, a wolf and a Granny disguise.

These pictures were taken at noon today in Portland. There was NO light. I will try to get better pictures another day but in the meantime can we squeal together? Dirndl, angry eyebrows, wire rim glasses!

Here We Come a Wassailing or a Rockin' Christmas List

(start at about 6 minutes)
One movie I love is Under The Greenwood Tree mostly because of the opening scenes of the "quire" caroling on Christmas Eve. Come to think of it I love Little Women too because of the scene where the girls are marching with their Christmas breakfast and singing "Here we Come a Wassailing" I love caroling and I love Christmas Carols but this year I have been wanting only rockin' music for my holiday tunes. Maybe I need high energy songs to keep up with the crafting fever there is nothign like dancing with a hot glue gun or an Exacto knife.
Here are some selections from my Rockin' Christmas list

(I don't know why Mariah Carey is on here twice I guess her Christmas songs are just better than the other versions.)

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/ We Three Kings - Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan
Cool Yule - Louis Armstrong
Christmas Baby Please Come Home- Mariah Carey
Last Christmas- Cascada
Run, Rudolph Run- Brian Setzer Orchestra (This link is good but the recording we bought on Amazon rocks HARDER)
I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - John Mellencamp
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town - The Jackson 5
All I Want for Christmas is You- Mariah Carey

Lucia Day

This year we decided to add some Christmas traditions from the countries of our ancestors. While discovering our Swedish heritage, we decided to adopt Lucia Day because Nutmeg is so very blonde and would make a great Lucia Maiden.It is also a tradition that involves breakfast in bed. I am looking forward to next year when Lucia Day is on a Monday and it won't have to be so early!
Our Lucia served us Kaloche which are Czech though we are not but they were so yummy!

Little Cindy Lou Who

I am now grateful that my garage sale was a bust.

I made this Cindy Lou Who costume 2 years ago for Nutmeg who was just barely two. She wore it once, cried we got a terrible picture and never touched it again. This year I tried to sell it at my garage sale. I tried to sell it at Afton's Garage Sale. I tried to sell it on Craigslist, twice!

Nutmeg has been obsessed with the Grinch for the past 4 days and I dug out the costume 90% sure that it wouldn't fit. I was wrong. It isn't comfy but that doesn't seem to bother Nutmeg who has worn it for 36 consecutive hours. She has also used it as a dust mop as she slithered all over the floor.

She calls herself Little Cindy Windy Lou Who.

We still don't have a decent picture of it.

Deck the Halls

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

A holly wreath could not be had this year but I am very pleased with the replacement. In fact I like it so much more than the traditional holly.
12 1/2 feet of a Christmas tree. The best tree yet. We had the prettiest tree ever a few years ago but this one is tall and skinny and fits just right. We don't have to squeeze by to get into the hall. It was heavy, very heavy.
I just love dollar store decorations don't you?

The kids are finally old enough to understand the advent boxes.
The hanging crocheted snowflakes are beautiful
but really hard to take a picture of.
I just can't convey the feel of the snowflakes and how they spin with every breeze. Everyone loves them.
The papier-mâché Father Christmas my mom made last year and the "Babushka" matryoshka dolls Moose bought me for our very first Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

Remembering

Today has been an especially uplifting Sabbath. To be honest, Sunday wears me out and I generally come home from church exhausted and on the verge of tears - not uplifted. Today was fabulous.

I finally gave my talk on service. I tweaked it a bit so that it wasn't about Christmas, just service. I think the changes made it even better. It went over well. Kristin took my talk literally and brought me a note and plate of cookies this evening.

Sunday School reminded me that Church History is the history of my family and the history of the world. I was reminded that the gospel is woven into the fiber of my being and I would be so very different without it. I was inspired to make the gospel so much a part of my life that it is apparent to everyone who I am. I will study gospel history more diligently.

Relief Society reminded me of the importance of prayer and the simplicity of the gospel. I plan on savoring Elder Bednar's talk over and over again.

To top it off Mommy Bee reminded me of a conversation years ago about spanking. No, I haven't started spanking my children but I don't think that I ask myself if I am parenting as Christ would as often as I used to and not nearly as often as I should. Thanks for the reminder.


"I am satisfied that such punishment in most instances does more damage than good. Children don’t need beating. They need love and encouragement. They need fathers to whom they can look with respect rather than fear. Above all, they need example.”

- Gordon B. Hinckley

A timely post...

Since I don't know where to start in a Christmas Review I will just dive right in with gifts that I made. I know it is 3 weeks after Christmas but after all that crafting I needed some time to recoup.

A Lush and Lacy in Knit Picks Swish Superwash Bordeaux for The Lovely Mrs. Moss. I am modeling it so it doesn't fit just right.
An Extreme robe for Mr. Moss. He had specifications for this robe and I learned it is hard to find good terry cloth - so I went to bed bath and beyond and purchased bath sheets and towels and made it out of that. I had my friend Paula embroider "Extreme" on the lapel.
A Flying W Weezer hat for Moose but he doesn't like it. Commander C however loves it and Boba Fett has requested one as well.
For my Knitting Friends I made Mystery Yarn balls. You buy a skein of Yarn and wrap it around fun knitting accessories so when the ball is unwound there are surprises unwrapped every so often.

I made stitch markers out of beads and buttons. Fixed a Christmas colored stitch marker on the ball and tied with a pretty ribbon.

Commander C designed this sweater and I knit it. He has worn it at least 10 days since Christmas. I am unhappy with the ladder effect on the saddle shoulders but other wise VERY happy. Knit in Knit Picks Swish Superwash in Black and Red Pepper on size 8 needles. Elizabeth Zimmerman saddle shoulder yoke instructions.

Boba Fett requested a Luigi sweater. Oy! What a pain. I didn't know intarsia was SO difficut.

I had to knit the sweater twice once in the round and once in flat pieces. Did the intarsia twice,once in the round and once in flat pieces then scrapped it and did duplicate stitch which is where you kind if embroider over the stockingette to make it look like it is knit. Then I knit the neck not once, ore twice but three times, and it still flips out.Then it turned out that I had placed Luigi too low so he is on the belly rather than the chest. I love the 1 up mushroom on the sleeve!The picture isn't so hot because I haven't blocked it and the yarn has been knit and re-knit and wound around other colors so there are fuzzies everywhere. Knit in Knit Picks Swish Superwash Black, Dublin, and Bare on size 8 needles.

Modern Vintage hankies for my mom. I got a bee in my bonnet the day before we left for Montana and sewed some of these up out of fabrics from my stash.
I made several family history tree picture charms for my dad and Aunt Janie.

I rounded my siblings up to sing a song for my dad. I have video but I haven't watched it yet and I am afraid because it was early and our voices were scratchy.

I think that is all I MADE but not nearly all I gave.