Smilings my favorite

We have been Christmas elves these past few evenings after school and work and have been making presents for our family and friends back east. Some nut brittle by Conner and salt dough ornaments. Both easy and fun.

Conner likes the nut brittle because it's like mad science. Simple recipe:

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 1/2 cups sugar
2-2 1/2 cups nuts
dash of salt
tsp. vanilla
tsp. baking soda

you need a wooden spoon, a 13x9 pan, a pastry brush, and a candy thermometer.

butter the bottom of your pan and set aside
bring to a boil the salt, water, sugar and corn syrup
you will want to dip the pastry brush in cold water and brush the sides of your pot to make sure all the sugar crystals are dissolved
leave the mixture on med-high heat and stir occasionally
you want to check it with your candy thermometer every so often
when the mixture reaches the soft ball stage on your thermometer (238 F) add your peanuts
keep mixing to prevent burning and wait till the color is a nice amber
then add your vanilla and baking soda and mix

the mixture will foam up and look scary! (this is the part Conner likes)
then pour it into your pan and spread it out
let it cool completely and DO NOT lick the spoon-this stuff is HOT
when it's completely cool you can break it into chunks (he likes this part as well ;) )

We use peanuts or cashews, sometimes macadamia nuts with shredded coconut (not this year guys, sorry!)


The salt dough ornaments are easy as well.

1 cup salt
2 cups flour
3/4 cup water

mix until smooth.
You can use cookie cutters or do some freehand. Either way they come out great.
bake in a 225 F oven for 2 hours to dry them

You can use acrylic paints or craft paints to decorate them. I used my twinkling H2O's from Luminarte. They are gorgeous, so vibrant and sparkly.

This I tell you is hours of entertainment. Jameson loves to be crafty with me and we made some for all his brothers, sisters and neices plus his MiMi, Aunts and cousins. Everything you need you already have in your kitchen and craft area.

What gifts are you making?

Give Presence this Christmas

So this year, this Christmas time, I am busier than ever. More work, less time, more to do. Then I stop myself and think, what do I really have to do? There is a list somewhere of things I'd like to accomplish this holiday season but none of the things on that list are really that important.

We have less money to spend this year on presents than since Conner was a baby. That was a couple of extremely lean years. I wasn't working though and I remember making up some Christmas cards to sell. They were plain white, with stars I cut out from paper bags and sprinkled with glitter. I hand lettered Merry Christmas on the front and with Conner in a little wagon, I walked the few blocks to town and peddled my cards to some of the businesses. I made enough money to buy a fleece blanket which I appliqued for Bill, a toy telephone and a toy xylophone from the thrift store for Conner, a well needed winter jacket for Clare and an anonymous gift for the angel tree which hung in the bank on main street. It was cold and snowy that year and I felt so glad to have my babies warm and safe. In some ways that was one of the best Christmas's I've ever had. My heart was so full of Spirit that year.

So the other night we had a bit of a rough time at the dinner table. Mom was tired and crabby, Dad depressed and snarky. Lucky kids. The boys, being boys were talking about plans for their ice fishing trip with Bill and their big brother Joel. They were expressing the need for better equipment, maybe an ice house. Bill kinda snapped and was way too harsh and called the boys selfish or something to that effect. Angry silence followed and Bill went to bed early. I wanted to cry but I am no perfect parent myself and I knew Bill would make it right and they would work it out themselves. ( plus, I have a secret stash of coins I add to when we screw up as parents-it might help with the therapy bills)

Later on, Jameson and I were working on some salt dough ornaments, which by the way, are easy, CHEAP, and fun to make. I said, "Jameson, I know this is hard for you to understand but some day when you are a husband and a father you will. Daddy feels bad that he can't find work and can't give you the things you want. He feels guilty that he isn't providing better for his family." So Jameson asked, "Are we poor?" I didn't even stop to think about it, and answered, "No, we have a warm place to live, and food to eat and no matter what, that we'll always have." We were both quiet for awhile and Jameson said, "Well, what more does Dad need to give us than that? If you have those things, you have everything you need. Presents are nice, but they aren't that important."

There will be some presents under the tree, and a few small bits sent in the mail to people loved who are far away. There will be nut brittle, cookies and salt dough ornaments for grown children and aunts and uncles. There will be, God willing, more clean water for people to drink. This won't be a Christmas without presents. Heavens above, that would be silly and boring and blech. But there won't be things we don't really want or need. "Presents are nice, but they aren't really that important."



Whether you are Christian or not, that message is pretty powerful--spend less, give more of ourselves. More time. My biggest present to myself and my family this Christmas? I am taking a week off from both my jobs. We will hang out, truck sled, bake cookies, play board games, watch movies. Be together. So we can't get a game system, or an ipod, or that cashmere sweater I really do want :) but in the end it will feel a whole lot better. I can't wait!

A little magic everywhere

I wanted to share some happy mail I received. Like many of you I have decided to buy handmade for those I love or make things myself. We don't do much shopping in this house for Christmas but when I do, I want to find that special something. So many of our on-line friends have lots of creative shops filled with gorgeous art and crafty things. I'd love to see what shops you enjoy.

Heather has a super cute little shop called magic everywhere. This woman does it right! The packaging, the wrapping, swweeet! I squealed with delight when I opened my order. I can't show you what I bought because it was for Adrienne.

Also, I purchased a little something for someone else at Aimee's shop called Handmade edibles and Vintage Lovelies. She has such amazing vintage goodness there. Makes me smile just looking at those goodies!

I have been breathing deep and trying to pay attention. Hard to manage during this wonderful but often whirlwind time of year. More thoughts on that later.

I hope your preparations for the holidays are filled with Spirit! and deep, deep breaths.

So worth it

These are some of my kids in the after-school program I volunteer for.

In the city we live there is a free after-school program that gives kids in middle school an opportunity to take different classes or belong to clubs. There is cooking, yoga, knitting, outdoor adventures, computer programming, respect club, work out club etc. It runs five days a week after school until 5pm. It is a life savor for working parents like me with preteen/teenage kids!

This fall I was privileged to facilitate an art journaling class with a group of kids. On tuesday afternoons, for two hours, we used old discarded books and with paint, ink, paper, magazines, sharpies and glue changed them into personal works of art.

I will post some pages of their books if I can get some good photos. They are incredible and surprised even themselves. Working with teenagers is always interesting and I find my ability to sit quietly and just listen a helpful skill. I have learned a lot.

The most important thing I've learned is that despite all their big talk about things that can make us cringe...they really do still just want to be kids. They want to engage in wholesome activities and they want us to set limits, even when they grumble about it. They need normal-not perfect role models that aren't on music videos, playing in professional sports or acting on tv or in movies. It's not hopeless but all of us need to help them. Parents, family, friends, teachers, neighbors, citizens.

Anyway, despite my crazy schedual and the occasional cringing I did quietly do, it was SO worth it!

Oh and thanks Kara (who is my favorite teenager) for your help with journaling prompts-it totally worked!

This boy had a birthday

On Thanksgiving day. The last time that happened it was 1998 and we were living in Seattle. Conner thought the Macy's Day Parade was for him!

He has changed so much in the past year, he barely looks like the same person to me. He has grown about 6 inches in the past year but hasn't gained much weight so he is a bean pole! His voice is low and he is growing a moustache. Yikes! What ever happened to that quirky little boy?

Our Conner is a thinker, a dreamer and yet he is hysterically funny-in that smart, quirky way. The past two years have been a challenge for him, getting his diagnosis of inattentive ADD and going through puberty. Some days are hard but boy this kid is awesome!

He has made it onto the honor roll, learned how to surf, caught a shark, conquered the difficult slopes on the ski hill, and is now on his first hunting trip. Having been through teenage years with my beloved step daughter Clare, I am a bit apprehensive of what is in store but at the same time I am excited to watch Conner grow into the young man he is meant to be. We will have plenty of struggles, I know, but if we take it one day at a time-and not let fear creep in and do it's damage, we will get through it!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. All five of the kids with our grandaughters were with us. We also welcomed the newest addition to the family, Bridger. Molly and Ryan have a baby boy! He is so cute and looks just like his big sister. I got to hold him for a bit as I set the table for dessert. It's amazing how tiny they are.

Sooo much yummy food. I brined my turkey this year--well worth it. I am a good cook but busy, so usually anything foofy, or unnecessary I throw out the window. Brining is not that hard and it made for a fabulous bird. Oh and I had heard that it makes the stuffing too salty so don't stuff it but I just rinsed that sucker out for a good ten minutes and my stuffing came out great. Also, I don't think I have every gotten more, or darker gravy. The pan drippings are a bit salty but I didn't have to add any stock, just water so the gravy was yummy!

Been working on Christmas banners and card sets for Adrienne's store French Blue Vintage. I should have them done and shipped to Connecticut by monday.

My new love is this place: Digital collage sheets.

You can buy the digital images and download them to your computer and just print them out yourself. Sweet Mother of Abraham Lincoln! I know this has been going on for a while but I am just catching on now. My printer is pretty decent and if you use good paper, at least 28 lb and experiment with glossy or matte (I like both for different things) you will get good quality prints, just like the ones you buy but you can use them over and over!

My days off are dwindling but I still have day light and tomorrow so I am off to craft. Hope your thanksgiving was wonderful!

The winner is

Gudrun wins the spooky banner! Jameson, my little random number picker chose her so I will be sending that out to you soon Gudrun. Thanks to everyone who stopped by Adrienne's blog to welcome her. Her shop, French Bleu Vintage is so lovely and she will be adding new holiday goodies all the time as the weeks get closer. I have my eye on that gorgeous cake stand for my step daughter Clare!

Speaking of holiday gifts, I do enjoy making Christmas presents. I do what I can with this crazy work schedual I have. I certainly do not go over board, I can't and still enjoy myself. First of all, we don't give many gifts so that solves that problem. I like to bake and make brittle and then I usually make some kind of crafty lovely for my kids and a few close friends. This is a fun little mini I made for Jameson with the photos I edited on picnik (inspired by Where the Wild Things are)

I fashioned it after the mini book kit that I purchased from Revlie. Her etsy shop is called Revolution and it's filled with cool embellies and an awesome christmas mini kit. Seriously, I loved making her kit and the tutorial was fantastic!

French Blue Vintage

It's open! My dear friend Adrienne Byrnes has opened up a new website store called

French Blue Vintage. She is my partner in crime when it comes to flea markets and dumpster dives. She and I had a blast going to the mother of all fea markets in Brimfield Mass. Oh could I tell you stories!

Adrienne loves to shop and has wonderful taste and an eye for the unique. French Blue Vintage is filled with beautiful vintage and not so vintage jewlery, home decor, paper crafts and more. She also has a blog HERE.

So here's the deal. Check out her store and leave a comment on her blog-she is new to the blog world so give her some encouragement. I will randomly pick a comment next Sunday and the winner will recieve one of these spooky banners, a French Blue Vintage exclusive made by me.

Start thinking of holiday presents and go check out her website! I will post the winner of the banner next Sunday night.