A Quiet Sunday Evening

It's been a restful Sunday for our family. For the past few weeks, we've been watching the Downton Abbey series again. What goes better with that, than a proper cup of tea, Battenberg cakes, and a few other British treats?

                                                                          Yummy!

          My perfect Sunday evening. A lovely way to wrap up the weekend. Happy Sunday!

No Sew Fleece Blanket

I'm back with my craft loving daughter, this time with a no sew fleece blanket. We've had a couple of these kits for quite a while now, and my girl decided that this was the day to get them completed.
Here's how it went.


        She spread out first the bottom layer, and then the top, making sure to line them up evenly.

                                         Crosby wanted to get in on the action for this photo op.

                                  Time to cut! 5 inch strips, all around the edge of the blanket.

        The cutting is finished. Now it's time to knot the strips, both the top and bottom layers.

                                            Done! All ready for a cozy rest on the couch!

Oh, The Wonders of Chapstick!

Hey there everyone,

I'm popping in for a quick post to tout the wonders of this little gem called Chapstick. I've always had a great appreciation for this product, and use it frequently, daily actually. But in the years that I've used it, I never thought of its benefits beyond the obvious, chapped lips. Until now.

Our family has had a couple bouts of the cold virus this season, and you know how it is, when you have to blow your nose constantly, your skin gets red and irritated. I had always tried just using lotion, but it never seemed to do the trick. Then, I thought of Chapstick. It's perfect. That protective balm is perfect for soothing sore noses! And, it's not messy! When the cold has run its course, throw it out (cause it's germy after all that). If you're ultra thrifty, this may not set well with you, but to me, a buck is worth the convenience, and it worked beautifully.

It worked so well in fact, that I tried it on my hands. Every winter, my hands get so chapped and cracked from so much hand washing, and the dry weather. I gave my handy chapstick a try, and seriously, it was considerably better a couple of hours later. By the next morning, they were no longer sore.  Again, the germ factor is a thought of mine, so I would wash my hands immediately before applying. I love this stuff, it works, and maybe it'll work for you too. What everyday product have you found to be a gem?

Styrofoam Snowman Craft

As I sit typing this, the temperature outside is a chilly 19 degrees Fahrenheit, and we're in the midst of a little snowstorm. So, that put my daughter and I in the mood for a winter craft. We headed to our stash of craft supplies to see what we might come up with. We found a few Styrofoam balls, felt, beads, craft foam, and toothpicks. Perfect supplies for a snowman! I wouldn't recommend this for a younger preschooler, as there are small pieces involved, but you can certainly tweak it to make it a safe project for the littles. So, do you wanna build a snowman?

Supplies:

                                                          Styrofoam balls and base

                                                                              Felt

                                                                       Craft Foam

                                                               Beads, Buttons, Jewels

                                                                       Orange crayon

                                                                        Toothpicks

                                                                    

To make:

Using the toothpicks, stick one end in the bottom of the largest Styrofoam ball, and press the other end into the Styrofoam base, so it stands. Put a toothpick in the bottom of the medium ball and press it into the top of the bottom ball, then do the same for the smallest Styrofoam ball. Press beads in the color of your choice, into the smallest, top Styrofoam ball, to make the eyes and mouth. Using a sharp knife ( a parent's job), cut off the tip of the orange crayon. Press it into the face to make the nose

Cut a scarf out of the felt, fringing the ends. Tie it around the snowman's neck. Make a hat out of the felt. Use a glue gun to secure it to the top of your snowman's head. You can glue a bead or jewel to the hat as an embellishment.

Take two toothpicks and stick them in the side of the middle ball to make arms.

Cut out mittens from the craft foam, and glue them to the toothpick arms.

For an extra pop of color, press some beads into the base. That's it! A fun craft for your schoolager, and it makes a really cute centerpiece and table decoration.

My Personal Reading Club

Hello, and Happy New Year! This week, I was thinking about what I want to be reading as the month of January gets going. A couple of these are selections that I began, but, being busy doing the mom thing, and the homeschooling thing, they were left waiting. No longer! I'm eager to get reading! 

Here they are:

Always True , by James MacDonald

When Life Is Hard, by James MacDonald

Way of Wisdom, by James MacDonald

The Excellent Wife, by Martha Peace

Becoming a Woman Whose God is Enough, by Cynthia Heald

Simply Relevant, from the Relational Bible Series for Women

Is College Worth It?, by William J. Bennett

I may need to start getting up a bit earlier, lol. What's on your reading list this year?