The Day After Christmas

Can you believe it? The day after Christmas and we went for a walk on the warm, sunny beach!

As Emily says "Look, Emily tracks!"

We found lots of shells!

Our move has taken us to an entirely different world. Back home, it's cold and snowy, here we're all wearing sweaters because it's 73 degrees! We miss RI, but we're also really enjoying it here.

Keys to the Home Sweet Home

I found this idea on Pinterest, originally pinned by Kim West of the blog "A Girl and a Glue Gun." It's the key from our house in RI - the first house we lived in together.

Barrette, Headband and Photo Holder

I am so excited about this! Mostly because of the amazing fabric. But also because I made it! This is how I made mine:

Step 1:

Acquire a piece of plywood the size you'd like your holder to be. This can be the hardest part, as most plywood comes in 8'x4' slabs. That's a lot of plywood.

Step 2:

Cut an appropriate length of quilt batting, roughly the size of your plywood, but with a little overhang. Using a staple gun, staple the overhang to the back of your board.

Step 3:

In a similar fashion, cover the board with the fabric and staple to the back. You want the fabric to be tight and smooth, but not so tight it has no give.

Step 4:

Decide where you want your ribbons to go, and staple them to the back. (Well... of course.)

Step 5:

Attach two small eye-hooks to either side of the back of the board and run a wire between them. Wrap the ends of the wire around itself to fasten. (I found my hooks and wires in a kit at Lowe's.)

Step 6: (Optional)

My photo holder has a decorative bow to give the appearance of the holder hanging from a ribbon. It's not. I just made a nice bow, reinforced it with hot glue, stapled it to the the board, and places a tiny nail under it.

I made all the barrette, and you can find a tutorial here on my blog. (October archives, I believe.) I did not, however, make the picture of the butterfly woman. I wish...

(Edit: I changed the decorative ribbon at the top)

Monogrammed Tote

This awesome tote was a free gift from a magazine subscription. I love the stripes and colors, but it was missing something. So I pulled out my Cricut! Using the Sophisticated cartridge, I cut my H into some vinyl. I peeled the back off the "negative," applied it to my tote, and used it as a stencil. I used Plaid acrylic paint in Bahamas Blue.

Toothless the Dragon - with Earflaps!

 A customer just ordered a Toothless hat with earflaps and tassels! How cute is that?!

Fancy Nancy Christmas Ornament

It's about time I posted some Christmas decorations! This is a Fancy Nancy glass ball. Michaels has a new, incredibly cute line of Fancy Nancy scrap-booking supplies, including this adorable little crown. I just smoothed in onto a clear glass ball (I'd use a bigger one next time,) filled it with pink feather, added some ribbon, and - to quote Fancy Nancy herself- Oooh La-la! So Posh!

Christmas Time

 It's five days before Christmas and it's 78 degrees outside.

 Having grown up in New England, this is not normal for me. By now the leaves have long since fallen off the trees, the landscape is shades of blue, brown, grey and white. We've seen a little bit of snow, and have our fingers crossed for a white Christmas, even if it's just a bright layer of snow from a few days before. The house has been decorated with garlands, paper chains, and Christmas knick-knacks. All the stockings are on the fireplace, even ones for the pets. We've baked at least four different kinds of cookies, and have brought them to neighbors and friends. 

 This year is different. The grass is still green, as are the palm trees. There are days that are all out hot. The landscape is green and blue, as if it were still summer. There's no chance of snow - instead maybe we'll substitute the white sand at the beach for the white snow in our yards. We've misplaced a box or two of Christmas ornaments, our stockings included, so the Christmas decorations are few. We've baked chocolate chips cookies, but many go stale before we can finish them, as we haven't met many people down here yet. 

 Next year well look back on our scrambled Christmas and laugh. This is the beginning of all our new traditions. Emily will know warm Christmases spent on the beach and palm trees dressed with with lights and ornaments, or Christmases just visiting New England. This is our first Christmas of our new life here in Florida. And it's beautiful.

Merry Christmas to Me!

 My sweetheart gave me my Christmas present early!

Raspberry Ice KitchenAid! Oh, I am in LOVE!

HeatherDoodle Designs Update

Hello, everyone! I just to give you all a heads up: From January 10-February 10, I will be offering 15% off any one hat for anyone who likes the Side Stitches by HeatherDoodle Designs facebook page! Stay tuned, because there just might be a giveaway thrown in there, too....