Have you started yet?

Holiday shopping, that is. Can you believe we are like 40 days away from Christmas? I am already about 1/4 done with my shopping! (You've gotta love Craft Shows!) Since I'm so ahead of the game, I thought I'd help all of my wonderful readers and do a gift guide. Check out these awesome etsians..


CatherineMarissa has GORGEOUS jewelry. I know, there is a ton of jewelry out there. But she actually went to school to learn to do it right! I own two pairs of her earrings, and I love them. I have another pair on the way!



LydiaLayne is another site that I love for jewelry. I have been eyeing this necklace for months...



If you've been reading this blog at all, you know I love LittleBitFunky! She has these awesome towels...I have two sets. I couldn't resist. What a fun, funky gift!


K Bella Bambino has amazing children's clothes. She makes me wish my daughter were 5 again, and I could just dress her up in these little skirts!!!


Then there is Allikayesmama, who makes these adorable blocks. Here we have the Christmas version, but she does ADORABLE custom names, too! What a great gift for a baby's nursery!! Or your last name to put on your side table. Too cute!


And who wouldn't want a monkey from The Monkey Shop? I swear, I have not met a person yet, adult, baby or child. I do shows with Dulce, the creator of these monkeys, and EVERYONE wants one! I have never heard so many squeals!!

And here is one for the tween scene... vmdesigns. Amazing how she can take a scrabble tile and make it that girly! I love the extra ribbons!

And for any child in your life...I love these pillows! Someone in my life is getting one...I just can't say who. :) Go see The Giving Tree to order one of you own!

And last but not least...MariaSoleil, my favorite Paper Girl! After you package up all of those great gifts, you have to tag them, right? Here are my favorites!! She also makes AWESOME clipboards, so keep watching her shop for more fun stuff. :)

And of course, the best place to find stocking stuffers and presents is MY shop, silly! Happy shopping!

My son

Davis is so funny. He is an odd mix of funny, silly and responsible. He is the one that is STRESSED if his homework is not done right away. He is a rule follower, like his mom, but he also has this cute little quirky side. Today he wanted to stay home from school because he was tired. He had woken up VERY early and couldn't fall back asleep. Since he's managed to go to school on days he really didn't feel well, I decided to let him sleep in and stay home. Haley went off on the bus, and Davis and I napped on the couch. Just as school was starting, Davis sat up and said, "Mom, what day is it?" When I replied, "Tuesday" he got the saddest look on his face. He was missing gym. Suddenly he felt a little better, lol. So off we went to school, just in time for Gym, his favorite thing he does all week long. He recently told me he didn't like that Thanksgiving Break made it so that he only had gym once that week. LOL

The other day, he came out into the living room and asked me for some candy. I replied "For breakfast???" and he said, "No, Mom WITH breakfast", lol. As if that were better. He's too smart for his own good. He knows he has me around his little finger when he makes me laugh. :)

Ahhh...

It was so nice to not have a show today! I went to three craft shows on a day when I would usually be sitting in a booth myself. I was sort of bummed when I passed an empty booth at the show I WANTED to do today, but that I had missed out on because they were booked. :( Someone no showed and didn't call. I feel bad for the people around that booth at a show...everyone always looks at the empty space. :( Anyway, I found some pretty fun items today, and just had to share my big find. :) These girls have an etsy shop, but haven't put anything in it yet! I told them to get on it! LOL Their website is http://www.firstgradefriends.etsy.com/, just in case they start stocking it up. I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you convo'd them with an order. :)

Here is my new advent tree...

The really neat thing about it is that they give you stickers to put on the back. They read things like the picture below.

There are also blank ones where you can write your OWN traditions! What I think is neat is that then you can personalize it, but it also gives you OPTIONS. You can put the numbers on as the days arrive...OR you can have all of the numbers on there and turn them over as that day arrives. How neat is that??


I chose a more 'funky' option...but they had papers for any decor. :) I think you should convo them and tell them to get on Etsy! LOL

Best Photographer EVER!

So I'm pretty sure I just found the best photographer in Michigan. ;) I love her. Ashley and her husband met us for a photo shoot downtown on Sunday. I just recieved the pics today and am THRILLED. Okay, I admit, I wish Davis would have opened his eyes more...there's some I LOVE of he and Haley that I just wish he'd open his eyes! LOL (Yup, he did it on purpose, lol). But I just love these pics. Ross and I have not had a real picture taken of just the two of us since our wedding. Yup, almost 11 years ago. And Ross says I need a picture of every breath of life, lol. We went out, had some fun and took some pictures. Have a looksie...


Here is our whole fam. I have to admit...we are pretty cute, lol.


I love my hubby. He is so good to me. :)

This picture is SO THEM! I love it.

After the shoot was all done, we were walking back to our cars, and Ashley caught this shot of the kids outside of the Gerald R Ford Museum. I just love it. Yup, I do realize I've said that after each pic, lol.

Ashley has an amazing talent for just taking pics of people being themeselves. Though it sounds easy, I know from experience that it isn't. :) There are some more pics, but I haven't picked one for our Christmas card, and I don't want to spoil it, lol. Check out Ashley's Blog for more pics if you feel like being sneaky. ;)

Getting excited...

Some of you may know that we are going to go see "The Mouse" in February. I am really starting to get excited! My in-laws decided that for their 40th Wedding Anniversary, they wanted us to take a family vacation, namely, a Disney Cruise!! So our Christmas/Birthday Presents this year are 7 days doing all things DISNEY! We (as a whole) are just a Disney Family. We love the movies...we love The Mouse. :) I think the kids are just the right ages to have a blast, and old enough to remember it all!

We will be going with my mother in law and father in law, along with my sister in law and her family. We will be quite the rowdy bunch. ;) I would love to hear any tips you all have on having a great time in the park while still keeping a budget. The in-laws are very graciously fronting the cruise...but we have to get there, and then feed ourselves the 4 days we are in the park. :) Not all of you have met Ross...but that man can eat! LOL

I'm not convinced...

I'm not so sure about this whole Daylight Saving Time thing. It has been dark since 5:30! I have felt like it was 9 pm since about 6. I enjoy having the daylight in the morning...but goodness! Does anyone else feel this way? I feel like it is time for bed already, and it's only 7 pm!

Tissue Cozy, anyone?

So I've been trying to come up with some fun items for under $5 for craft shows. You know, the stocking stuffer, or random little thing to spoil yourself with. :) So I sat down one night and made about 40 of these Travel Tissue Cozies. Who doesn't love an accessory?

I had to giggle, when the next day I visited one of my favorite blogs, Little Bit Funky, where she had listed a tutorial on how to make them! I'm pretty sure the world was trying to tell me something. :) They should be posted on Etsy shortly...so start thinking Christmas gifts! :)

Halloween

This year was a pretty quiet Halloween for us. Every year I notice how few kids go Trick or Treating in our Neighborhood. Everyone goes to the malls, or a Church Harvest Festival. Though I can see how these things can be fun...I just love the old school style of walking door to door, seeing you neighbors, and "roughing it" through the cold, or sometimes snow to get that extra piece of candy. I think it's sad that that part of Halloween is fading.

Anyway, the kids have been asking to be Aang and Katara from the Avatar Cartoon for months now. They usually change their minds, but this year they were determined. :) I made their costumes, and Haley and Davis made sure to give their tidbits of wisdom. Haley knew that Katara HAD to have a water pouch and some 'water' for bending. Davis just said he was happy with the arrow on his head, lol. Here is a pic of the actual cartoon, for those of you "out of the loop". LOL

We never carved pumpkins. :( Oops! We just never had an afternoon to go get them, and then it just didn't happen. The kids were okay with it though. Next year we'll make sure we go early. :) I think I was just trying to avoid Post Farms (local farm where we buy our pumpkins) because they have the BEST pumpkin donuts EVER, and I'm trying to lose a little weight before our Disney Cruise in February. LOL

Now on to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Has anyone started their shopping yet? I have about a quarter of mine done already! I love craft shows. :) I am trying to have everyone get at least one handmade item. Whether it is the bulk of the gift or not doesn't matter to me, but I just love to support other artisans like myself. :) I also think it really makes you think about who you are giving to, and why. I love that I am truly handpicking everyone's gifts, and not just checking off the list. :) So tell me your favorite handmade gift you have ever gotten...I'd love to hear!