d's delights- cooking and crafts

Addicted to making stuff- I have made even more ornaments since my last post! I made some bird ones with paper piecing and a felt baby Jesus and an adorable felt Christmas tree. I feel like I am just addicted to making these thi ga and trying out new ones! And once I get going on one kind, I keep going until I just get tired of creating different versions of it! I don't even know what I'm going to do with them all! I have given some to friends or students, and plan on giving some to family... But holy cow! I honestly don't think I know enough people to give these things to! I guess it is a bit like when I get into a card making mode- I just keep creating and going... I will post pictures of all these cool ornaments I've made soon!

I was inspired by our church's project to encourage Reduce Reuse Recycle at the Cumberland Weihnachtsmarkt to try my own version of ornaments from aluminum cans. The ones we made at the market were made with aluminum cans and old sheet music. We used a cookie cutter and traced the shape into the aluminum and onto some sheet music. We cut them out, then put a hole and string to hang. I decided to try to cut out stars from a can and put it through my Sizzix Big Shot in an embossing folder. They turned out great! Then I cut out another star to hang with them. I had a stamp of Joy to the World lyrics that was the same size. So, for one I used the stamp. For the other, I just used red paper. I could have used music, because I certainly have plenty of old music-but I was not ready to demolish it yet! Here is how they turned out:

I’m still busy making ornaments! I really loved the felt manger ones I made, and wanted to do more, but I only had enough felt for those.   So, since my main form of craftiness consists of paper crafts, I decided to use my paper crafting skills for ornaments!   I found some paper piecing patterns on the scrapbooks etc .website, and printed them on my basic cream colored cardstock that I use.   I printed a stocking, a santa and a bird.   I decided to try the stocking first, because it looked the easiest! (I was right!) When I trace these, I put the template upside down on the back side of the paper I want to use.   This way, any pencil marks will not be seen, and the picture will still be facing the right way.   The stocking had 4 parts and two colors: The main stocking (color 1) and the top, toe and heels (color 2).   After I glued these together withy mod podge (this made it harder) , I then traced the entire stocking (upside down) on a basic cardstock and cut it out a smidge sma

I am really on a roll with this ornament making thing. I think I am making up for the lack of creations last year at this time. Last night, I just up and decided that I would make salt dough ornaments. I found a recipe on pinterest, of course, and got busy. I used 1 cup of flour and 1/4 cup salt, added about 1/4 cup warm water, then kneaded it and rolled it out. (use cooking oil on your hands to avoid sticking ) I tried 2 shapes- a circle and a star, using cookie cutters. I used a rubber stamp on the star to see how that would work. (put oil on the stamp first) I took a skewer and made a hole to run a ribbon through later for hanging. I cooked them on parchment paper at 250 for an hour, then checked them. I wound up turning the oven off 15 min later and letting them sit in the oven for the rest of the evening.i would say that I made them less than 1/4 inch thick. I imagine it would take longer If they were thicker. Here is how one turned out:

Christmas Ornaments! I love the idea of my Christmas ornaments having meaning and beauty.   I especially love to get handmade ornaments.    I suppose that this comes from when I was little, and my mom and I would make ornaments every year.   From the all-purple painted Virgin Mary, (which always found its way onto the BACK side of the tree) to the beaded candy canes and clothespin reindeer.  I loved this special time with my mom, and giving my hand made ornaments to teachers and friends.  I also loved pulling them out every year to recall memories of Christmases past.   These days, I try to make a little note on a post-it   to record where new ornaments came from.   This is a nice way for me to remember people and family in my life.   I hope to be able to make memories with Will when we can make ornaments together!   Felt Manger Pattern Here Since Pinterest, there is no lack of ideas for crafts to be found!   I downloaded this pattern, and decide to make these cute little mange

Tis the season …for crock pot meals! It’s definitely that time of year when it gets to be time to stay inside and make those dinners in the crock pot! A few weeks back, I found a pin about making pre-made frozen meals to throw in the crock pot.   I decided to try a couple.   The ones that I thought my husband would find the most palatable were:   teriyaki chicken and bbq chicken (which, btw imho tasted nothing like bbq and would, in the future, call it “Italian”) I made them both and they were quite easy and good.   I also made another crock pot meal that the hubby liked.   Here are my recipes: Teryaki Chicken Split between 2 bags: 4-6 Carrots (you can use a bag of baby carrots, but I don’t like the way they taste when cooked.) Red Onion, cut into chunks 1 20 oz can Pineapple chunks 4 garlic cloves, chopped 4 chicken breasts 1 C teriyaki sauce (1/2 C per bag) Freeze the bags, and when you are ready to use them, thaw them out a bit by getting them out of freezer.