It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas Blog Hop & DIY Christmas Ornaments

Hi, friends!  We are so excited to host a Christmas Blog Hop to showcase your Christmas Decor.  This week we are featuring Ornaments and Christmas decor.  We can't wait to see your Christmas creations!  Please grab a button to add to your post, sidebar or party page to help spread the Christmas cheer.

The only thing we ask is that you follow the hostess each week!  Just let us know you are a new follower, and we would love to follow you, too!

Christmas Poinsettia Burlap Wreath

In the fall, I shared my burlap wreath decked out for fall.  If you missed the tutorial, you can find it here.  I love this wreath because I made it to change with the seasons.  I wish I could say I'm all finished with my Christmas decorations, but I still have to tackle the mantel and the outside decorations.  I did manage to get this wreath changed out.  After trying several different combinations, I decided to go with the Poinsettias.  I can't get enough of them during the Christmas season.

Let's See Your Talent at A Bouquet of Talent #12 & Fabulous Features

Is everybody as busy as I am decorating for Christmas?  My house is filled with boxes at the moment!  I'm getting the party started earlier today, so I can get back to decorating.  Don't miss the big Christmas link party announcement in this post.  I can't wait to see your Christmas decor.  It's time once again to show your awesome talent!

I did update my buttons while I was off this week.  Fingers crossed that they will work.  :)  Once again you are all so amazing!  Here are the features from last week.

                                                           

Christmas Features:

Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Happy Thanksgiving to all my wonderful friends!  May you have a blessed day with family and friends.  I made my traditional Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Icing.   My husband loves this time of year, because he gets his pound cake today and Christmas.  It is so yummy and very rich!

Burlap Candy Cane Wreath Tutorial

I've been wanting to make a candy cane wreath with some red and white burlap I had.  I didn't like the small foam candy wreath forms.  I decided to use a pool noodle.  The only problem was how to keep the shape.  I tried floral wire, etc. and then my husband said why don't you just use a coat hanger?  Brilliant!!  It worked perfectly.  

Show Your Talent at A Bouquet of Talent Party #11 & Features

It's time to party!  I can't wait to see what you've been up to this week! I'm so excited because I have a whole week off to get caught up on everything and finish a few projects.  I always start my Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving.  I love this time of year, even though it is such a busy time.



As always, the talent is incredible!  There were so many wonderful links last week.  You are all pick of the bunch!

Please do me one favor, if you pin any of the features, please pin from the featured blog.  Thank you so much!!   

                                             





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Beautiful Features:

Easy No Sew Christmas Pillow Decor

I can't believe it's already time to start thinking about pulling out all the Christmas decorations.  It seems like I just finished the major task of packing everything away from last Christmas.   All the Christmas magazines coming in the mail have inspired to me start working on my Christmas decor.  This pillow was inspired by one that I saw in the Pier 1 Imports catalog.  

Burlap Turkey

Since I am still working on Thanksgiving decor for my deck, I decided to take a school art project one step farther, and make a burlap turkey.  If you missed that post you can see it here.  It's the beginning steps for this project.

                                       

  

Paper Bag Turkey Craft for Kids

Here is a fun turkey project to do with children.  Every year we make these in my classroom, and they have so much fun.  They can't wait to take these home.   It's super easy,  and they are so cute!  You will need a brown paper bag, markers or crayons, construction paper, and a rubber band or pipe cleaner.  You also need newspaper or old magazines to stuff the turkey.

Color the paper bag on all sides.  

Stuff the bag with paper.

Close the end with either a rubber band or pipe cleaner.  

Fold the ends of the bag around the rubber band, and fan it out.  

Here is the pattern that I use for the turkey head.  Usually the students color it, but I used construction on this one. 

If you use construction, fold it over a piece of folded construction paper.  This way both sides will match.   Add some googly eyes.  The last step is to cut out feathers and glue them on!  So easy and super cute.   

This year I made my own burlap turkey version to use at Thanksgiving.  You can see that post here.  I did them in two parts so the post wouldn't be super long.  

Thank you so much for stopping by. Have fun making these with your children.  

Kathy

Linking to these great parties:  Family Fun Friday

Time to Show Your Talent and Features Linky Party

                                                           
                                                   

Wow,  I cannot believe that it's November already!  This year is flying by.  It's hard to believe that Christmas will be here before we know it.   I am so excited to see the party growing each week!  Last week was the largest one yet!!  Thank you so much friends!!  You made my week.   First of all, I want to apologize for not adding the feature button last week.  I honestly just realized that!  I am so sorry.  I really don't know where to start with just how crazy last Saturday was, so I will give the condensed version


Let me begin by saying there is nothing more eerie than being awakened from a deep sleep by the smell of smoke and the smoke alarms going off!!!  Not to mention a horrible burning in your throat.  That's the way last Saturday began at 6:00 in the morning.  My son decided sometime during the night (that's a college student for you) he would fry some chicken strips.  Instead of turning the burner all the way off, it was left on low.  God is good, and had it not been for Divine Intervention, probably one minute later would have been a disaster.  My husband came downstairs to find the kitchen filled with smoke, and the oil bubbling.  It looked more like butter.  When he moved it to the other burner, it erupted into flames.  Not thinking (we were all still half asleep) he moved it to the sink, and poured baking soda on it.  Well, that's what they say to do anyway! I'm still researching that.  It caused it to flame up to the ceiling, and catch my floral arrangement over the sink on fire!!!  More baking soda, and it was finally out.

We spent the entire day cleaning everything to get rid of the horrible smell.  Every time I wanted to complain, I just reminded myself to be thankful that I still had a kitchen to clean!  I'm very thankful that my husband wasn't burned.  It could have been so much worse.   On a positive note, all the deep cleaning I save for Thanksgiving vacation is now done.  :)  We did have a fire extinguisher, but not sure what happened to it when we moved.  We will be getting a new one!  Here's 2 photos I took with my phone.  Pretty yucky!

  

My sweet husband spent 2 hours cleaning up the sink.  That stuff hardened and was a pain to remove.  

This little arrangement definitely needs some TLC.  Another project to add to the list.  

I wish I could say that was it for the day, but that afternoon my father-in-law called to say my mother-in-law was in the hospital.  She is home now, but still having serious heart issues.  They are trying to control with medication, but so far it is not working.  I would appreciate your prayers for her.

I'm still not done!!  About 10:30 that night, it sounded like someone had run through our garage door!  The spring that holds the door decided to snap into and make it impossible to get the door open.  Okay,  now I've finished my day.  Whew!!!   So if I hadn't worked on the linky party the night before, there wouldn't have been any features.
                                                         
Prayers for all of our east coast friends who have been affected by the horrible storm!  I know there are so many still without power and needed supplies.  My heart goes out to them!

Now for the fun stuff!

                                                       

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The Enchanting Rose created this adorable snowman ornament!  I can't wait to make this.



Western Warmth shared this great tutorial for this cute braided rope scarf!


Lizzi's Creations created this cute pumpkin art!  I love anything with pumpkins.



Simply Silver  shared her beautiful DIY fall wreath!  So pretty.



Sarah SaturDIY did an amazing job painting her pug Roscoe!  Now that takes talent.

There were so many yummy recipes shared.  Here are just a few of my favorites.



Milwaukee Kitchen shared this delicious banana pudding.  YUM



Winnie shared this fabulous pumpkin cheesecake with a caramel pecan glaze.  Her website is in Hebrew, and it's so  intriguing  to see the dynamics of Hebrew.  I love it!



Jenn's Random Scraps also shared another delicious cheesecake and awesome post.  Check out her Pagliacci's New York Style Cheesecake.



Saved Sister shared this super easy Upside Down Meatball Pizza.  My kind of recipe after working all day.

I know Halloween is over, but the next 2 still make me laugh!  After my day Saturday, I needed a good laugh!!  Since we all need a little laughter, I just had to add these.

Crafty in Crosby created this great Halloween fireplace.  It still makes me laugh!!  So cute and creative.



Miss Lady Aga  shared her precious chef and lobster grandsons!  They are just too cute!  How creative is that?