Make it Yourself Monday- Holiday Decorations

Yes the air-conditioner may still be in use, but VERY soon, long before you think it should happen, well before you know it, the holiday season will be here. So now is the time to begin preparing, the time for making decorations, and the time to begin making your gifts. think about it, the more that you accomplish now, the less stressed and the more enjoyable your holidays will be! So today's Make it Yourself project is a very easy, yet very cute decoration. This one is so cute. Make several, some to keep for decorations and some to give as gifts!

You will need-
(plastic) ice cubes
paint (black, orange)
artificial snow
glue
*optional components; remnant material for scarf, felt for hat, iridescent and/or textured snow, pipe cleaner, pom poms, and wood or cardboard for a base.

Glue three ice cubes together, either in graduating sizes or if they are all the same size, as mine are, just off-set them a bit for added interest. Leave sit until the glue is completely dry. Once dry, paint a face on your snowman and decorate with a hat and/or scarf. I like to glue some snowmen to wood or cardboard bases. Just paint the wood or cardboard and then cover it in the type of snow that you paint on. I prefer the type that is textured, as it looks more real, but the iridescent kind (that comes in a tube, similar to icing gel) is also pretty neat. These are so quick and easy to make you can easily do some of each! Just let your imagination take you to a winter wonderland, and have fun!

To make ear muffs, cut a portion of pipe cleaner and glue small pom poms to each end. Bend over the top ice cube and glue in place. To make a hat (you can buy these already made in your local craft store), cut red felt, fold in cone shape and glue edges in place. Cut a strip of white and glue to bottom edge, then glue a small pom pom to the pointed end. Once dry, glue hat to corner of top ice cube.

Tripod Thursdays- Winter

As the Mid-West continues to experience winter at its finest, I thought I'd share some of the cold with you!
Look and be glad that you are nice and warm, inside!

Tripod Thursdays

A few days ago I was notified that someone was following my Twitter posts (actually this always surprises me because I haven't really ever gotten the hang of Tweeting, but I do try once in a while). Anyway, I went to see who this person was and it turns out that she lives in Destin, Florida, which is where my Son got married last Valentine's day. I dropped her a quick personal note to tell her how much I liked her city and wished I was there since we were in the middle of a snowstorm. She, in turn, wrote me and said that she was actually from a town nearby my current home, and that she actually missed the snow. Of course I told her that I was open to trading homes for the winter. Sadly, she declined, stating that it wouldn't work well for her family. Actually, she was probably just thinking that I was crazed enough to do it! Lol., but I told her that in lieu of the house exchange, I'd be happy to send her dreams of cold and snow. She immediately responded that she would be happy to send me dreams of beaches and palm trees.

Well, here are some pictures of cold and snow, especially for my new, displaced Buck

eye friend, and I have also included some pictures of beaches and palm trees for other cold-a-phobes, like me. In other words, I am hoping that these pictures contain something for everyone....and just to make sure, I included all Ohio seasons. Enjoy! Of course, I had to also include my own personal ray of sunshine, my first Grandchild, Braidon!

Tripod Thursdays

I love to take photos, and take thousands, so I would love to share some with you...don't worry it wont be more than a few hundred, lol. Now that I think of it, I guess that I should have saved the pictures from yesterday for today, oh well, as I said, I have plenty! I thought it might be interesting to offer to include some of your photos at times, so feel free to let me know if you one or two that you would like to contribute (all copyrights remain the sole property of the contributor and by their submission, they represent that the work is their intellectual property).

I live in Ohio, referred to as the Buckeye state. We have four seasons and weather that changes frequently. Everyone says [that] "if you don't like the weather here, stick around it will change!" And change it does. To help you understand, we had snow on the ground for Christmas, and temperatures down in the single digits. By new years eve we had no snow and temperatures in the 50's! Of course, now it is back down in the 20's. It has snowed a tad, but did not stick, so it is just dreary and cold! The only time I like winter is for Christmas, then I hate the cold and the grey of it all. I can't wait until spring when it will be muddy but colorful again!

The pictures today are all Ohio scenery. I love nature and nature's palate is my favorite photo opportunity, which drives my Mother crazy. She is all for pictures with someone you know in them, so she says "wait, wait, til I get over there" and I am quickly shooting or saying, "move, I want to get that great flower or tree-line, or whatever", lol! As a matter of fact, several people have suggested that I sell some of my (scenery) photographs. That may turn out to be part of my new listing goals, I haven't quite decided. At any rate, I do have about two thousand pictures of my Grandson already, so I take my fair share of people shots too, I just truly love nature shots, they move me!

What's Happening Wednesday

Wednesday, hump day, so I have decided to dedicate Wednesdays to whatever is happening. This will not always be work related, rather, whatever I happen to be up to that day.

Today, as part of my new years' goals mandate, I have been working on organizing and executing my work, in particularly for my on-line shops. To that end, I finished a new pair of earrings the other day, as well as a pre-designed, mini scrapbook. I had not, however, taken the pictures to list them yet. Since both of these items need to go into my uniqueXpression shop, they would never make it there if I didn't get down to business and get those pictures. Soooooo, as of this posting, I have 3/4 of my task completed! The pictures are all taken (of course I allowed myself to get side-tracked and uploaded several holiday pictures and organized some folders) and I have completed the listing for the scrapbook, but the earrings listing is now pushed to the top of my Thursday to do list. I am so out of practice (and maybe a bit unfocused), it seemed to take me most of the day just to complete these few things, lol! Oh well, practice should make perfect, and I expect that I will soon be cranking out the on-line work again, I have confidence....deserved or not, I guess we will soon see!

Since the pictures are all done, even though they are not yet listed, I will share them with you.

These are 19g, sterling silver w/ ball, shepherds hooks, with a Swarovski crystal-studded chandelier. They have champaign and clear crystals and are about a 1 1/2" drop. They are quite lovely, and can be easily incorporated into a more dressy outfit or just used to dress up a casual look.

This is the front of the 8"x8", pre-designed scrap book that I did. The front has a picture frame, and it contains 24 more pages for pictures (for a minimum of 25 pictures, although the framework is set for additional ones). I made each page background either a winter or a Christmas theme, so it will be perfect for anyone who just wants to paste down their holiday and winter pictures and be done with it! Hmmm, maybe I should keep this! LOL Here are some more views of the earrings, as well as all of the individual page pictures of the scrapbook. I hope you enjoy them!

So what have you been up to this Wednesday? Comment and share, maybe you will inspire us all!

Snowtime Like Bathtime

Wind gusting to 60mph and temperatures dipping into the twenties has made me think a LOT about a nice HOT bath! Of course I cannot fathom just a plain water bath, so I have to add oils or salts or something! Today I steeped a while in some Raphael's Healing Garden Bath Soak to help get some arthritic relief, but the Cleo's Bath Soak from my last bath left me feeling quite queenly, I must say! Next bath I am going to use my Luxurious blend, but today I thought you might enjoy some recipes you can try at home, or even make as Christmas presents!

MILKY BATH MIX

1 cup powdered milk

1 cup corn starch

1 cup baking soda

3/4 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup powdered chamomile flowers *

1/4 cup patchouli powder *

1/2 cup powdered lavender buds *

**If you do not have the flowers, you may substitute 3-5 drops of Essential Oils in place of the powders, just make sure that you mix thoroughly. Sifting the mixture works best to ensure even mixing.

Mix all ingredients together, then package as desired. Use 1/2 cup per bath, allowing mixture to dissolve in running, warm water. Relax and soak in bath for 15-20 minutes.

FIZZY BATH SOAK MIXTURE

1 cup baking soda

1/2 cup corn starch

1/2 cup citric acid

2 tablespoons sweet almond oil (or sunflower oil)

1 -2 teaspoons of your choice of Essential Oil or Fragrance Oil

Combine the baking soda & corn starch in a bowl, you can even add a few drops of food coloring if you want (just be careful to not use too much, you don't want a ring around your tub!). Then add the liquid ingredients and mix well, using a wire whisk, until completely combined. Next add the citric acid and whisk again, until well blended. Once well blended you can press into small balls or into molds. Allow to dry for a few hours, then they will be ready to use or to wrap and package for gifts.

WINTER BLUES AWAY BATH OIL

2 oz Sweet Almond Oil

6 drops pink grapefruit essential oil

10 drops sweet orange essential oil

Mix together well, then use in bath of warm water. Soak for 15-20 minutes, as these essential oils help to chase your winter blues away while the oil softens and soothes your skin!