Oh, Marshmallow Tree!

We worked on a gingerbread house this morning.

This is what we worked on while we were waiting for the house structure to set.

Why are the ideas that seem like my best usually my worst?  It's rainy and gross here so I thought it would be a fun indoor activity to decorate a gingerbread house.  I ended up frustrated and the kids ended up cracked out on sugar!

I think the house is cute despite all the arguing and threats it took to get it done.  How did I not realize that my children would try to eat all of the candy put in front of them???

Anyway, it turns out you have to wait up to three hours (after assembling the house) before you can actually start decorating it!  *Note to self for next year:  don't gather kids around the table when it is only time to put the house together.  Everyone ends up impatient and a little bit angry.

While we were waiting for the house to harden, we decided to make marshmallow trees with the royal icing.  We started with some large marshmallows and glued them together with the icing.

Then we just kept adding small marshmallows dabbed with royal icing to build up the shape.

I envisioned 3 - 5 tall and stately trees on display.  We ended up with something more closely resembling a shrub.  Cloche (cheese dome) to the rescue!

Doesn't it just dress it up a little?

And here's the tree my daughter made.  She didn't get much past the base.  Note all the half-eaten marshmallows in the background.  She cracks me up!

So, here is something for you and the kids to do while you're waiting for that crazy gingerbread house to harden.  There really should be a warning on the box or something.

I can look back and laugh now.  When I was in the midst of it, not so much.

Hope you're having a fun (and not frustrating) season so far!

Blessings,

Jamie

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15% Off in the Etsy Shop

Hi friends!  I just wanted to let you know I'm offering 15% off all canvases in the etsy shop today.

Just enter the coupon code 4MONDAYONLY

You get to customize the words, colors, and choose from 3 different sizes!

Here's a link to the shop.

Happy shopping!

Blessings,

Jamie

DIY Lampshade and Dry Erase Lamp

I found this lamp at Goodwill last week.

I knew I wanted it immediately, but it didn't have a shade at the time.  And what do you do if you don't have a shade?  You go to the store and buy one!  No, that would be too easy.  I really prefer to do things the hard way.

Here is the shade I made

I used old embroidery hoops (found at a yard sale for .10 each) and hot glued them to some wooden shims.

That part was easy.  I was feeling good.  It was looking good.  It's all good, right?  Nope... I then realized I had to find a way to get it onto the lamp.  Doh!

After searching about 3 different stores, I decided to go back to Goodwill.  I found a lampshade with the right kind of attachment (without the typical harp and finial) and my husband and I went to work snipping and bending the thing.

 Voila!  I'd like it a little lower on the lamp, but I'm pretty much over it at this point.

I love the white, but I felt like it needed a little something else.  It was too stark.  So I got out my dry erase marker and checked 3 times to make sure it wasn't a Sharpie.  Then I wrote some of the lyrics to "Oh Holy Night".  I am well aware I have terrible handwriting, but it's the thought that counts, right?

"Oh Holy Night" was played during worship at church 7 years ago the day I first accepted Christ.  The song will always have such a special place in my heart; hearing it takes me right back to that day when I fell in love with Jesus.  I love having this as a reminder in my home.

Here are a couple more views of the lamp and shade

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Let me know what you think in the comments.

Blessings,

Jamie

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A Wooden Sign for the Mantel

So, this is the second project I've completed with my new Silhouette machine

I'm a little embarrassed of the first project... we'll see by the end of the post if I decide to share it with you.

I really love this machine.  I don't mind hand-painting letters, but this was so much easier!

I have been getting more and more requests from clients for painted lettering on walls, so I finally splurged on the Silhouette.  I am working on a wall this Friday so I thought I'd practice a little this week before I go messing up a "professional" job :)

OK, I might as well show you the failed project.  Because I am very cheap and a little bit lazy, I used contact paper instead of the Silhouette vinyl to make the stencil.  Here is project #1 (and the reason I'll be purchasing some real vinyl for the job on Friday)

Doesn't look terrible, right?  Wrong.  Look a little closer

What a mess!  The paint seeped under the stencil, either because it wasn't sticky enough or I didn't seal it well enough.  I did it in an inconspicuous place, so I'm fine with it for now.  I'll try to touch it up one day.  I wanted it painted on the wall because I figured the kids would be bored on the "naughty step" and eventually get around to peeling the vinyl off.  I mean, wouldn't you?

Anyway, I dry brushed the sign so the paint wouldn't seep under the stencil.  Much better than the naughty step project.

And if you're wondering why I chose Colossians 3:14 for my mantle... this fireplace is in our basement (which is now our master bedroom).  We live in a two bedroom townhouse and moved our bedroom down there when our second child was born.  It's kind of awesome having the fireplace in our bedroom and makes living in the basement a little more cozy.  I wanted this sign to remind us of what is most important while we are getting dressed.

Let me know what you think!  Any tips for this Silhouette newbie?

Have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Jamie
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Yarn Wrapped Ornament Jingle Bell Wreath

Here's another wreath from last year... I was so excited to pull this one out of storage.

I had a lot of fun making this one.  I had seen some yarn-wrapped ornaments on display at Starbucks and fell in love immediately.

I started by wrapping the straw wreath form in yarn.

Then I wrapped a bunch of styrofoam balls with yarn.

I also added in some yarn-wrapped ornaments.  I liked that some of the sparkle of the ornament showed through.

Throw in a few jingle bells and whole mess of hot glue and you have yourself a yarny-ornament-jingle bell wreath!

What do you think?  Are you ready to start pulling your Christmas stuff out yet?  Now that it's getting colder I can't wait to get the tree up!

Blessings,

Jamie

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Naptime Crafters Whipperberry delightful order