I've wanted to do/make an Advent calendar for a few years now. Some specific Christmas activity every day just sounded really fun. This year, I even went so far as to come up with 24 activities. The first one? "Start listening to Christmas music!" because it is seriously killing them that their mom is such a Scrooge and won't listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving. I also had things like bell ringing for the Salvation Army, making Christmas ornaments, watching Charlie Brown and the Grinch, and baking Christmas cookies.
My first idea was to make 24 little fabric stockings. Then, I could "take a day off" and just put some candy in that stocking. Then I realized that it would be easier to just write 24 slips of paper, roll them up, and attach them with ribbon to a streamer. Of course, that sends the candy out the window.
I was telling Jeff the other night that I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it after all. I like the idea, but wasn't sure I was up to the commitment of "this day, you must do this."
At church this morning, both girls got regular paper Advent calendars--no activities, no candy. No problem! I'm glad to be off the hook on this. I have plenty of other stuff going on.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Obstacle Removed
Our Christmas program at church this year is "Christmas Around the World." We already have most of the costumes we need, but we need kimonos for 4 little girls, including Lauren. That's convenient--Lauren already has a kimono from Halloween 2008.
But that still leaves us needing three. A kimono takes a ridiculous amount of fabric--over three 1/2 yards, even for someone as small as Lauren. Blame those crazy sleeves. Brocade fabric is at least $8/yard, even on a half off sale. Um. Yeah, no. I can't expect the church to shell out $75 for three little robes.
I decided to look around for a cotton fabric, more of a "summer" kimono instead of such a formal one. Still, the only fabric I could find was $6 - $8/yard. And if I was going to use cotton, I'd have to make four. It wouldn't be right for Lauren to be in a very luxurious garment, and all the other girls in something noticeably cheaper. This isn't "The Princess and the Peasants."
So I was stumped. It was seriously giving me a fair bit of stress, to figure out what to do. This morning, I went into the costume cupboard and found a huge length of really pretty floral fabric. It would definitely pass for a summer kimono and there was enough to make two for the smallest girls, if I was really careful on the cutting.
I was talking to the Choir director about what she wanted, and the grandfather of one of the little girls overheard us. He said, "If I just give you $30 for fabric, can she keep the kimono when it's all done?" My mouth fell open. "Um. Sure!" I mean, really, why not? It's not like a size 5 kimono is something we're going to need on a regular basis anyway. I talked to another girl's parents, and they're willing to kick in. too. The last girl wasn't there today, but I'll call her parents to find out what color she likes and her size.
So now I only need to make three (if they're all brocade, Lauren can wear hers, of course), and I can get the fabric that will really make it work. Now I need to figure out how much I need to get of each color.
And I need to rethread my Serger. Again.
But that still leaves us needing three. A kimono takes a ridiculous amount of fabric--over three 1/2 yards, even for someone as small as Lauren. Blame those crazy sleeves. Brocade fabric is at least $8/yard, even on a half off sale. Um. Yeah, no. I can't expect the church to shell out $75 for three little robes.
I decided to look around for a cotton fabric, more of a "summer" kimono instead of such a formal one. Still, the only fabric I could find was $6 - $8/yard. And if I was going to use cotton, I'd have to make four. It wouldn't be right for Lauren to be in a very luxurious garment, and all the other girls in something noticeably cheaper. This isn't "The Princess and the Peasants."
So I was stumped. It was seriously giving me a fair bit of stress, to figure out what to do. This morning, I went into the costume cupboard and found a huge length of really pretty floral fabric. It would definitely pass for a summer kimono and there was enough to make two for the smallest girls, if I was really careful on the cutting.
I was talking to the Choir director about what she wanted, and the grandfather of one of the little girls overheard us. He said, "If I just give you $30 for fabric, can she keep the kimono when it's all done?" My mouth fell open. "Um. Sure!" I mean, really, why not? It's not like a size 5 kimono is something we're going to need on a regular basis anyway. I talked to another girl's parents, and they're willing to kick in. too. The last girl wasn't there today, but I'll call her parents to find out what color she likes and her size.
So now I only need to make three (if they're all brocade, Lauren can wear hers, of course), and I can get the fabric that will really make it work. Now I need to figure out how much I need to get of each color.
And I need to rethread my Serger. Again.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
"Good" news
I'm going to have plenty of time to sew and get ready for Christmas. The classes that were supposed to start this week have been postponed until January. They can't get enough people to commit to a class that runs during the holidays. I get it. But it's very disappointing, to say the least.
How many times have I said that I need a job with more stability & regularity? Again, this comes back to bite me in the butt. A little discouraged today.
How many times have I said that I need a job with more stability & regularity? Again, this comes back to bite me in the butt. A little discouraged today.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Truffles
Dark chocolate truffles.
Dark chocolate truffles with bacon.
Insane, right? But the recipient loved them, even though I didn't have a chance to get them into traditional truffle form, and just gave her a bowl of the mixture. I'm not sure if they're quite mainstream enough for the gift bags this year, but we'll see.
Dark chocolate truffles with bacon.
Insane, right? But the recipient loved them, even though I didn't have a chance to get them into traditional truffle form, and just gave her a bowl of the mixture. I'm not sure if they're quite mainstream enough for the gift bags this year, but we'll see.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Bonus Time
Remember how I said that Jeff would get the week of Thanksgiving off work, but not between Christmas & New Year's? Well, not only was I wrong about that, he's also getting next week of as well. Working from home on Monday, but that is still at home! So before the end of this calendar year, he has three weeks at home, yay!
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Time, time, time
We're busy right now: Classical Conversations goes for the rest of this month before winter break. Happy thoughts that we get enough extra students in January to start a new class, which I can then teach (and get paid for, woo-hoo!)
Although I didn't work last week or this week, classes should resume the week after that and go right up until the week before Christmas. Hopefully, I'll get enough students signed up for the MS Word class, too.
Both girls have dance and Scouts. Although Lauren's Brownie troop only has two more meetings before Christmas, I'm the co-leader for her troop, and we're not only doing her investiture ceremony, we're also having a Tea Party, and a Hat & Glove drive (to donate to Oakland Co. foster care). Sarah's working on her own stuff for scouts, but we're still in Candy & Nut sales, and as soon as that is done, cookie sales are upon us!
On the plus side, Jeff is taking off all of Thanksgiving week (gone are the days when he had paid vacation for the week between Christmas & New Year's, but it was nice while it lasted), so I know the house will be spotless when we have everyone over.
One good time management tool that we're using right now is weekly checklists for the kids. For the most part, they detail school work (which pages to do in their math books, diagramming sentences for Sarah, Tin Whistle practice, etc.) but they also have things like Dance/Stretch. Sarah's dance class this year is considerably more challenging, and the extra practice even this early has been helping. By letting them see what all they have to do, and setting daily goals (we use a highlighter to select the boxes they intend to check off each day), we're getting better about getting stuff done.
Although I didn't work last week or this week, classes should resume the week after that and go right up until the week before Christmas. Hopefully, I'll get enough students signed up for the MS Word class, too.
Both girls have dance and Scouts. Although Lauren's Brownie troop only has two more meetings before Christmas, I'm the co-leader for her troop, and we're not only doing her investiture ceremony, we're also having a Tea Party, and a Hat & Glove drive (to donate to Oakland Co. foster care). Sarah's working on her own stuff for scouts, but we're still in Candy & Nut sales, and as soon as that is done, cookie sales are upon us!
On the plus side, Jeff is taking off all of Thanksgiving week (gone are the days when he had paid vacation for the week between Christmas & New Year's, but it was nice while it lasted), so I know the house will be spotless when we have everyone over.
One good time management tool that we're using right now is weekly checklists for the kids. For the most part, they detail school work (which pages to do in their math books, diagramming sentences for Sarah, Tin Whistle practice, etc.) but they also have things like Dance/Stretch. Sarah's dance class this year is considerably more challenging, and the extra practice even this early has been helping. By letting them see what all they have to do, and setting daily goals (we use a highlighter to select the boxes they intend to check off each day), we're getting better about getting stuff done.
Been a While
Blame Facebook.
Now that Halloween is over, my brain has room for other holiday stuff. For example, we're hosting our first ever Thanksgiving dinner this year. Which means I'm cooking my first ever turkey this year. Plus a ham for Jeff, of course. I'd like to make a tablecloth & napkins.
I'm starting to think about Christmas as well, of course. Pajamas, as always, are on the list. I think I might do a small quilt for each girl, also. This tutorial looks like a good one. Trying to figure out what else to buy/make is really difficult right now.
And I'm dismayed to realize that I've done nothing for this year's photo album. I don't even have the pages planned out, which I usually start doing in the beginning of October. I've been taking a lot fewer pictures this year, but don't know why. I'm still committed to the album, but it's not as high on the list this year.
Last major project I'm considering right now is an Advent Calendar. I've thought about it so many times in the past, and have seen many different options. I'm thinking I'd like to make 24 little stocking to string along the fireplace, with an activity or treat in each one. We'll see if that actually happens this year, in that form or another.
Now that Halloween is over, my brain has room for other holiday stuff. For example, we're hosting our first ever Thanksgiving dinner this year. Which means I'm cooking my first ever turkey this year. Plus a ham for Jeff, of course. I'd like to make a tablecloth & napkins.
I'm starting to think about Christmas as well, of course. Pajamas, as always, are on the list. I think I might do a small quilt for each girl, also. This tutorial looks like a good one. Trying to figure out what else to buy/make is really difficult right now.
And I'm dismayed to realize that I've done nothing for this year's photo album. I don't even have the pages planned out, which I usually start doing in the beginning of October. I've been taking a lot fewer pictures this year, but don't know why. I'm still committed to the album, but it's not as high on the list this year.
Last major project I'm considering right now is an Advent Calendar. I've thought about it so many times in the past, and have seen many different options. I'm thinking I'd like to make 24 little stocking to string along the fireplace, with an activity or treat in each one. We'll see if that actually happens this year, in that form or another.
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