Our family has adopted a new Christmas tradition in lieu of shopping for everyone.   We are doing a gift exchange.   There are 6 of us, my husband, myself and our 2 daughters with spouses.    Each of us purchases a $20 gift and we play a fun gift- stealing game when we exchange our gifts. 

 

When it was first suggested, I felt conflicting emotions.   On the one hand, I felt sad that I could not shop for everyone and watch their faces as they saw all of the gifts under the tree and as they opened theirs.  The looks of surprise, pleasure and gratitude as they opened their gifts were special to me.  On the other hand, there was a feeling of relief, relief at not having to stress over shopping for everyone, relief at not having to worry so much financially, relief at not having to worry about whether everyone would like everything they got.    Let’s face it – not everyone always likes what you get them.    Also, everyone feels obligated to get something for everyone else and we don’t need all that stuff.   I am trying to simplify life and this is one way to do it.    Sometimes I still feel guilty, but when I look at the big picture, this is a much better way to do it.   We play games, we have fun with our exchange and everybody goes home with something.  And we all love one another and that is the best gift of all!

I received a beautiful candle and hurricane holder.  I cannot think of what it is really called, but here is a picture for you.   Of course, I did need to steal it, but hey, it is all in the game.

 

Of course the children are another story.   We try and shower them with Christmas presents to the best of our ability.  My husband and I try and make as many gifts as we can.  I know the children don’t necessarily know the difference or know the value in a homemade gift, but they will someday.  We can be more creative with homemade gifts.  I absolutely had a ball making doll clothes and felt figures and am anxious to do more.

 

Some examples of our homemade gifts this year were:   a handmade wooden bowl by Leon for the gift exchange,  Curvy boards for the girls(*still in production), doll clothes, felt figures for their flannel boards, a quilt for Jacob(*still in production), slippers for all of them, a train table for Jacob (*still in production).

 

*still in production – Okay, admittedly, this is a bug in our process.   Working full time and getting everything done is a challenge.   Every year we start a little earlier.    Also, there was a prototype curvy board that went home with the girls, so in a way, that one doesn’t count as much.

An opportunity for the Auto Industry

I have, of late, been considering the automobile and whether we have truly done the automobile justice in the design field.   First of all, consider all the beautiful objects in our lives and how beautifully they are decorated from floral furniture to calico curtins to polka dotted plates.  Then there are paisley purses and tie dyed shirts, striped socks and plaid  tablecloths.  We have decorated everything from our cell phones to our eyeglasses to our shoes.

Why in the world have our cars remained so plain and undecorated.  I think that the auto industry has missed an opportunity to decorate cars.   Why must they all be solid colored?   Why don't we  have printed cars.   A calico Chrysler or a dotted Dodge?   Oh, there has been a half hearted attempt to decorate with racing stripes and a bit of chrome, but the possibilties are so endless, and it would make our drive to work so much more interesting if we could see a striped Saab or a paisley Pontiac on the way.

Anyhow as I was walking out of work into the parking lot to my car, I passed a partially plaid (burberry to be exact) mini cooper parked there just as pretty as can be.    I had to take a picture.





 














Then as I was perusing Pinterest, which is just about my favorite activity, I came upon a floral jeep.   Too cool!!

So there are some creative people in the world and who knows maybe my idea will someday become commonplace.  In the meantime, I just keep dreaming -   jeweled headlights?   door handles of mother of pearl?  Wonder if Ford has an opening for an auto designer.   A whole new career field, eh?

Just sayin'

Cozy this .... and this....and this......

I am a crafter.. it's my hobby. I have done crafting for as long as I can remember. As a crafter, I know how to knit and crochet. I like doing both, buy my favorite to do is crocheting. I think I like the look of knitting better, but prefer to crochet. At any rate, it seems as though knitting and crochet have undergone a real renaissance, and particularly crocheting.

As a member of Pinterest, I have board for crochet that gets fuller and fuller everyday. I am not sure when I think I am going to make all these things, but I keep collecting them anyhow. As I look through Pinterest and also Stumble, I have found that there is a 'crochet movement' that is making cozies for very weird and large things. I have looked at many of them online. It is quite amazing, really!

When I thought of doing this post, I started looking for examples of this phenomenon, and found plenty; but believe me there are many more that I have seen that I wish I could include. I was trying to think of anything that I could make a cozy for, but decided to leave this for the marathon crocheters. I will just keep making my little flowers, doilies and scarves. But a great big Yahoo to those who keep the world "cozy'd".

Wasabi Peas Please

I have developed a fondness for a very strange item, considering that I am not a fan of spicy food. I am lovin' me some wasabi peas. My first contact was in the snack shop at work, where they have several bulk snack mixes. One of those has wasabi peas in them. I generally am not particularly fond of having spicy food. My opinion always has been"why would I want to eat something that makes my mouth burn and makes me sweat and my nose run and my face get all red?"

However, these little gems are just small enough and have just enough spice that I am really enjoying them. When I first ate them, I called them wasabi balls, because I didn't know what they were exactly. When I found out they were peas with wasabi on them, I said "they can't be peas - I don't like peas!"

Well, they are peas and I do like them. I bought them at the grocery today along with some sesame stix and made up my own simple little mix. By the way - 55 wasabi peas is 130 calories. Not too bad!!

An American (wardrobe?)

My grandaughters got American Girl dolls for Christmas. They have been around for ever, and many little girls have played with them throughout the years. Although I didn't do the research, I think that they may have been around when I was a child, but don't quote me on that one.

Abby got Kit Kittridge shown above and Lily got Bitty Baby (now named Sophia), also shown above. I was excited too, because I figured I could make doll clothes for them because every American Girl needs a large wardrobe. I thought I could have several outfits done in a month or so. Well, it is nearly the beginning of March and I just finished the first one. Of course I also had a quilt to make for Miss Lily's third birthday. But the outfit turned out really cute and I am anxious now to do another one. Of course, I cannot give the outfit I finished until I have another one for the other doll. This one is for Kit and now on to Sophia.

Here is the pattern I used for Kit. I still need to get one for Sophia.