Pillows...

Here are the little camping pillows I stitched together for the kiddos (to go with their sleeping bags).  I just love this zodiac fabric (and the polka dots are pretty awesome too!).  And I know I made them for the kids, but I'm kind of getting attached to them living on our sofa (between camping tips perhaps?!).  They just really make me smile!

Santa Magic...

I tried to keep this holiday pretty simple, but I did have two projects (in addition to stitching a couple of quick and easy "camping pillows" to go with sleeping bags) that are worth (I think) noting here.  One was planned and the other caught me a bit off guard... both involved some Santa Magic!

Project #1:  When my little guy asked for a castle and knights for Christmas, I instantly thought of the Fisher Price castle my sisters and I grew up with (the very one my kids love to play with when we visit Yaya)!  I was very grateful that my mama said that she'd be happy to ship it to us... though she reminded me that it might need a little sprucing up!  When it arrived, I saw what she meant.  The "wood" floors on the bottom level were completely torn up and the moat and one exterior wall were in ruins!  On one of my trips to the craft store, I purchased some craft paper that I thought would work.  Then I carefully cut the paper in the right shape (this took some trial and error) and glued it down where it needed it!  I used a Sharpie to draw on some details here and there... and that was all it took!  It cleaned up nicely if I do say so myself!!  I made sure to explain, in a note from Santa, that Yaya had let him bring her castle to us!  Both of my kids were so excited to see it on Christmas morning.  My daughter said, "Wow! Santa brought it all the way from Yaya's house and he fixed it up real nice!"  He sure did:

Project #2:  We didn't get to see Santa until the 23rd of December this year (I will not repeat this mistake again).  Up until that point, my daughter had been consistently saying she was going to ask Santa for a doll.  I had planned accordingly.  Then as she sat on his lap, I overheard her ask him for a "stuffed animal koala bear"!  I was surprised, to say the least, and later that afternoon I found myself running all over the place trying to find a koala bear (it was too late to ship anything).  I was stumped.  And then as I picked up a few things at the craft store, it dawned on me that I could probably sew her one myself.  I grabbed a few pieces of felt that seemed appropriate and hit the internet for inspiration.  I was planning to sew it for her, but wise friends suggested I create a kit so she and I could sew it together!  It was a brilliant plan and she was so excited that Santa had given us a mama/daughter project to work on... and so was I!  It was a win-win to be sure.  She stitched the eyes, nose, ears, and stuffed the thing while I stitched it together.  Our little koala bear came out even cuter than I had imagined (and she is very very well loved):  

In the spirit...

Birthday girl...

My girl enjoyed a family birthday celebration, a classroom birthday celebration (doughnuts!), a school-friend birthday party (at the planetarium to watch, "The Longest Night" created by the amazing Paper Hand Puppet Intervention folks), and a family-friend birthday/solstice party... all in 48 hours!  It was a lot of celebrating to be sure, but we take birthdays pretty seriously around here ;)  The absolute biggest highlight was teaching her to sew on her very own sewing machine (the very one I found at the thrift store a few months ago)!!  Here are a few of my favorite photos from the past couple of days...

Papa's balloons were re-purposed!

Her sweet birthday ring and a birthday bouquet!

We decorated a bit with the re-purposed balloon strings!

Her machine and sewing box... along with some of her newest friends.

Making her first solo pillow... this machine is perfect to learn on!

Her "winter wonderland" cupcakes... oh how I love whipped cream frosting!

Running around campus after the planetarium show!

Lights shining bright during our winter solstice gathering!

Her "winter mix" which is really more of a collection of  songs
loosely related to winter, solstice, and celebrating the sun's return

Charlie Ann's Winter Mix songs

The Beatles—Here Comes the Sun

The Rolling stones—Winter 

Elizabeth Mitchel—Winter’s Come and Gone

Fleet Foxes—White Winter Hymnal 

Ella Fitzgerald—Let It Snow

Decemberists—January Hymn

Suzanne Vega—Freeze Tag 

Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson—Winter Song

The Be Good Tanyas—Rain And Snow

Bing Crosby—Winter Wonderland

Michael Franti—Sound of Sunshine

40...

The Tofu King turned 40 over the weekend and he came home from a weekend away to a very fun birthday surprise!  40 balloons with 40 things we love about him (written on little hearts and attached to the balloons).  It was a fun way to show him how much we love him and why we love him so!

Counting down...

A painting drop-cloth, some fabric markers, a few stitches... and we have this year's Advent Calendar!  It's simple and pretty rustic, but the kids love it and it makes me smile.  We filled each pocket with a daily to do message and two little chocolates.  Today's note dictates that we must go get hot chocolate after school... well twist my arm Advent Calendar!