Gifts for a Co-Worker

This week for our 12 Weeks of Christmas Gifts....

The gift is for Co-Workers!

Visit HERE to see past and upcoming Gift ideas.

And please visit HERE to view the gifts we have already posted!

Don't forget to grab the Christmas Gifts Button in the sidebar!!!

I wanted to share with you a few gift Ideas from last year that I thought would be perfect for co-workers. I made these last year and they turned out great! Everyone loved getting them.

Homemade Christmas Ornaments

These first ones are homemade ornaments. Just take muslin and let the kids (or you) color them. Add a plain back, fill with stuffing. Sew edges and add a ribbon for hanging. They are so quick and easy!

To see the whole tutorial, please click HERE or click on photo.

DIY Granola Mix

These cute jars are very easy. Just add in some delicious granola mix, cute christmas fabric and its ready to give!

To see the whole tutorial, please click HERE or click on photo.

Just a few more things I've made...

Hope these help you get some more Christmas Gift Ideas

Christmas Ornaments | Some of the ornaments we have made in the past. A few years ago we made and sent out Jesus Stocking Ornaments to everyone on our Christmas list. We also added a 8x10 version as a coloring page so they could color their own. Last year we made silhouette ornaments and photo ornaments with scrapbook paper, glue, wooden remnants and ribbons. We love how they turned out!

Blessings Jar | Count your blessing by adding them one at a time in this jar! Then read them with your family each Christmas. We got this from our kids this year. Every year they make something for us!

Nursery and Guest Room Tour

I had a great time working on decorating Hannah's room. It's really the first time that I've seen a project start as an idea and come to life pretty much how I anticipated it happening. Now, if money was not an issue there are some things I would change about this room...but I'm not unhappy with how everything came together. In fact I'm very pleased with how it all turned out. Remember we're renting, so there are some things in the room that probably wouldn't be there if we weren't (like the curtains, and I hid the rugs for the photos because they don't match at all but I keep them in there most of the time). Most of the bedding items are from when Greg and I first got married and picked things out for our master bedroom. Once we got a king size bed this comfy queen became our guest bed but all the items that we received as gifts stayed with the bed (thus the burgundy bed skirt and pillow shams), someday I'll save up and buy a new bedskirt and pillow shams but it's not a big priority to me right now.

Most of the items in the room were made by me or bought on clearance or with a coupon. Some of the items are hand-me-downs and I love the added dimension they give the room. There are still a few items that I need to finish as well but I wanted to get the photos taken since it was all cleaned an ready to go for our guests. And since this room doubles as a guest room there are a few things that wouldn't normally be in a nursery but they sure make it easier on me when we have guests, like the towels in the baskets. So without further adieu here is Hannah's Personalized Pink, Green and Orange, Nursery/Guest Room (say that ten times fast).

This was taken before everything was finished for the wall,
but it gives you a good idea of what that wall behind the crib looks like.

The small brown minky lovie was made for Hannah by my good friend Amy. It has her baptismal date on it. The green blanket was a gift from my good friend Angela and it matches the colors in her room perfectly!

The quilt came from someone on my dad's side of the family.
I am not exactly sure who made it...but I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!
I was so excited to be able to put it out after we moved and
had the bed back in a girls room and not a boys room! 

Here's a photo I took in May, but you can get a better idea of what the center of the quilt looks like.

Big windows called for double curtains because I wasn't going to spend money on curtains
when we won't be living here very long.

I'll have a quick tutorial for this chalkboard coming up soon! And that long painting isn't done yet...

Can you see the "H"?
And here's Hannah's view of the paper lanterns!

This little quilt was made by my cousin who is in highschool.
Hannah LOVES to look at all the different colors when I rock her!
 

The little green and purple mini quilt was made by my niece Emily and she's only 13. Didn't she do fantastic? And it matches the green/butterfly theme and
I didn't even tell her that's what I was doing for Hannah's room!
Sorry that one is blurry, I was holding a crabby, teething, croupy baby and she wouldn't hold still. Imagine that. I hope you liked the room tour. I still have a few things to finish up but I am so excited with how everything came together.

If you have any questions about where I got certain things or
how I made anything let me know and I'd be more than happy to answer your questions.

New Friend Fridays

Come by every Friday to "Find New Blog Friends"

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...Top 3 Sites Visited Last Week...

The top 3 will be added to the top of the list each week!

We had the same top three as last week. Congrats to the blogs below again!!!

I'd love it too if you would share this on your blog. It will be a blog hop in hopes to get many new blogging friends!

Have fun meeting new friends!!! Enter your blog link below!

Gifts for Neighbors

I have truly enjoyed my technology time-out and plan to turn my computer off more often. It was so nice to not have the pressure of keeping up with everyone who wasn't part of my immediate family. I didn't have to know what my old high school friends three states away were doing or worrying about and thus had less to worry about myself. I plan on posting more reflections from my time-out sometime this week on my blog so feel free to check it out....

But on to the main reason you're here today...the 12 weeks of Christmas Gifts!

I am excited to share this little gift with you today because I think it's truly one of those very versatile gifts but very personal as well (and also inexpensive and quick to make). This gift could be made for just about anyone on your list! I like to give gifts that people will use. I like to make paintings but it's hard to make a painting for someone without their knowledge. What if it's the wrong colors, wrong saying, etc...and then they feel obligated to hang it up since you spent time on it. Well, this painting is for Christmas. People usually love to receive Christmas decorations as gifts and this way, it's personalized and holiday specific so they can put it away after Christmas and when they bring it out the next year they'll have fun memories of you giving them their cool personalized painting!

This idea is not original. The original idea was from here. Obviously mine is different, but that's what I love about pinterest...you see a good idea, bookmark it, then make it your own!!

What you need:

Canvas (board or stretched)

Paints

Pencil

Sharpies

My board is 8x10...use whatever size will fit the amount of ornaments you need to paint.

Paint a base coat, let it dry and then draw your ornaments and a little outside decorative edge with pencil. I used a small sippy cup cover to make sure my ornaments were actually circles!

 I then painted the outside a contrasting color to give it some life and dimension.

 I then painted my ornaments and added some extra little "flair" with a few sharpies. I added the red border and outlined the ornaments to really finish them up and make them pop.

Can you see the tremendous difference it makes to outline them? Look at the second ornament and notice the difference. And when you outline it you can cover up some of the little mistakes that you may have made :).

So here it is all finished! You could present it like this or hot glue some ribbon to the back so they have the option to hang it as well.

And you could make this cute little card to go along with it. I love it when gifts match their cards!!

And here's my quick little painting tip. Use a Frisbee for your pallet...if you don't already own a pallet, it's washable, sturdy and makes a great cheap pallet. Also, buy some of those "magic towels" from the dollar store and keep a few with your paints. You never know when you may want to use a little towel to wipe off your brush or to use on your painting. It is also very handy to have these around if you're painting with small children...need I say more.

Just another idea.

I will include this painting with a few other family gifts and some home baked goodies.

You can never go wrong with home baked goodies!

What if you don't know your neighbor too well?

How about elfing your neighbor?

I love this idea and think I'll do this as well!!!

And for those of you who like to work with wood

what about this idea.

Love these as well!! I may have to make some just for me!!

Can't wait to see what you make for your neighbors!

Create and Share | Features too!

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Please share it in your post or on your blog. Thanks!

Come by every Wednesday to share your "Creative Side" You can link up anything crafty, recipes, room decor, party ideas, gift ideas, kid crafts, science projects, game ideas, ect. You get the idea.

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Peanut Butter Bars with a twist

This week for our 12 Weeks of Christmas Gifts....

The gift is for NEIGHBORS!

Visit HERE to see past and upcoming Gift ideas.

And please visit HERE to view the gifts we have already posted!

Don't forget to grab the Christmas Gifts Button in the sidebar!!!

Who doesn't love Peanut Butter Bars?!? I DO LOVE THEM! Made some up today for a party and thought I would share them as a Possible Neighbor Gift for you! I just hope no one is allergic to peanuts. That would be a tragedy! My poor son right now is off peanuts. Large amounts anyway. He might be a little allergic. :(

What you will need...

Peanut Butter Cookie Mix

Sugar Cookie Mix

(follow directions on mixes. Mine needed oil, eggs and water)

Large Baking Sheet

Non Stick Spray

Chocolate/Peanut Butter mixed morsels

White Chocolate Morsels

Spatula

First start by following the direction on the cookie mixes. I mixed the peanut butter and Sugar Cookie mixes together in the same bowl. The sugar cookie is the twist. I usually make these with only peanut butter mix, but needed quantity and the sugar cookie mix was what I had. It was a nice touch though. I and everyone who ate them at the party were enjoying them.

Once mixed, spray cookie sheet with non stick spray. Spread cookie mixture over whole pan. Cook at 375 for 10-15 minutes. Depending on oven. I have a convection. It took 10 minutes to be a little overcooked. Oops. Or so I thought. They were actually perfect. YUM!

Let cool. If you are in a hurry, you can put them in the fridge or freezer once the pan has cooled to touch.

Mix up your chocolate/peanut butter morsels and white chocolate morsels in a microwave safe bowl. Cook for 45 sec, stir. Another 30 sec. Stir. And another 10 sec. if needed.Mine didn't need much and I melted it just enough that the white morsels were still somewhat in tact. Can you see the yummy white morsels in the pic? YUMMY!

Once your cookie has chilled enough, spread the chocolate mixture across the whole top of the cookie. Chill in fridge for a couple hours, then cut them up and enjoy.

We like to store ours in the fridge, but can be left out also. We like them cold. Gives them a nice crunch. mmmmm!!!

I think these would make a wonderful give for neighbors. If you like, and make other candies, get a Christmas tin that they can reuse and add in some tissue paper, peanut butter bars, fudge, cookies, truffles, chocolate covered pretzels and more. They will love their tin of treats!

Hand Vibes Review

HandVibes are the newest products on the market for kids! Everyone loves wearing the bracelets, well now you can get your favorite emoticons on a ring too!! There are so cool your kids will be begging for more. I really think these are going to be the next big thing!

My kids were so excited to get to review 6 of them! So cool! Each time you order you will get 2 rings with cool sayings. Plus a mystery ring with each package. That's 3 rings in all!

Just look at how fun these are!

Here are a few examples of what you might find on your rings...

Fresh, Word, Rad, Bro, LOL, Wicked, Swag, Peace, ROFL, Trudat, Coolio and more!

Make sure you check them out today and look for them in stores! Your kids are going to love these! They will be wearing multiple emoticon rings on their fingers and yes, their toes too!

Hint... Christmas is coming soon! Pick up some for Santa to stuff in Stockings!!!


Don't forget to stop by and LIKE HandVibes on Facebook too!