Buy Local-Buy Handmade

I am going to adhere to this philosophy as much as possible this Christmas and from here on out! I just feel like so many good things could come out of it, how could we ignore this great idea!

Of course I have & will support Lands End, since it is my employer, and a Wisconsin based company and LE has so many wonderful things to offer!

I also have to support someplace for electronics, as we will be upgrading to the 21st century, now that a decade is almost over:( Not sure who to give this business to, since I don't know of any mom & pop local Nintendo stores. I am always inclined to give my business to Shopko since it is a Wisconsin based company, or Target, another midwest fave.

I have a couple of gifts ordered from a very talented lady, & making a few myself.
So a shopping I will do, and baking and decorating too! Happy Cyber shopping week!

Post 250!!!

Christmas Eve in front of the tree...(if I showed Christmas morning photos you would notice, Sophia still has the same dress on...hee hee) She was just too tired to change. So much fun!

Take a look at the stash I acquired! My friend Amy G, my Aunt Nancy and Liz have supplied me well! I can show my creations soon-

CRAZY around here!

Working on some CRAZY squares before they get made into pillows and sent to live in someone else's home. I spent some time this morning browsing the web. I revisited some of my favorite places, Wise Craft & Heather Bailey to name a few. Check out the awesomeness there.

200th post today!

Sophia's favorite gift from Santa!

Jurnee posing (her specialty this Christmas!)

Merry Belated Christmas to all!

WIPs

These are the birds I have been working (slacking) on. I have many finished they just need to be embellished.

I have beaded hangers on them, and in hindsight, I wish I would have beaded them together to hang on the soffit in my kitchen. Maybe next time. I have also been decorating the house for Christmas some, but over the weekend, relaxed a bunch with the girls.

Jurnee and I watched Enchanted, and she loved it! So that was fun.

Thanks for the ideas for the 22 gifts for Jurnee's class. I think I will do the photo one from Angie. Jurnee and I will work on it this weekend. I will be in the class on Thursday and will have time to take the photo.

Red Friday at my house!

So, Red Friday it is~~~ the Christmas decorations are out! My sister is here helping me with the girls and I am planning to finish a few projects this weekend also! Also I will be working tonight and Saturday night so no rest for me...tis the season!

Thanksgiving was nice, and we came home full and Sophia was tired. Then Aunt Janell and uncle Peter got here and we went through my knitting supplies. I have mostly given up on knitting for the time being, and Janell has just begun. I think I gave her an almost full set of needles, and some pattern books too. If anyone has any fairly easy and great baby knitting patterns, we would gladly welcome them. She is thinking of something for the baby. Monday she has an ultrasound to check on the baby and see if she will have a boy or girl! Woo Hoo! We are very excited for this as you can imagine.

More things on Etsy this weekend also!

Missing my store...

For the first time in 5 years, I am truly missing my gift/floral/interior business. I just looked at the recent blog post on Georgia Peachez
and I am truly missing the merchandising of the Christmas stuff! There are so many great new products out there...I just want to get my hands on them all.

But as I am realizing with 2 small children, and a pretty full schedule, I wasn't even able to participate in the the Christmas decorating at church again this year. I think I was able to get a little bit out of my system when I could work in such a lovely environment, with nice women and nice materials, but no time for that now.

Still trying to get my Etsy store filled up...and I am getting a fair amount of stuff finished.

Oh yeah, the photo is part of one of my new pillows!

Hello from Nanchang China! WE are doing pretty good. Sophia is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! She is a BABY!!! She looks exactly like her referral photo, no hair. She is probably about 15 pounds, we'll find out in a few days. She ate bread pudding for breakfast and has NO interest in a spoon. She loves toys and is very easy to please. She is "conversing" with Rusty, and she is figuring out how to suck on her bottle. Sophia has about 4 teeth and we think 6 more will be coming any time, so she likes to swish the nipple of the bottle in her mouth.

Other than that, Beijing is probably my least fav part of the trip so far, and I have to tell you, I am on the verge of stomach flu or something. So, I am just annoyed with that. I am trying my best to eat and Broccoli is the only thing that tasted good so far. But Iron Tummy Rusty is doing fine.

Yesterday we arrived at the hotel about 9:55am (after our flight from Beijing) and we received Sophia at about 10:00am, we did our government work all yesterday, and the local news had us on at the notary office, though none of us saw it. I will come back to the computer again in a day or two. We have the 22-24 with nothing to to, so we will be venturing out shopping. WE will be travelling to Guangzhou on the 26th.

Everything is decorated Christmas and MERRY CHRISTMAS signs everywhere, even the airpot in Beijing. It does not feel like Christmas though, at all!

Hope Jurnee is doing well, we will probably have to call soon, as I am missing her SOOOOOOO much. But hope everyone is having a great day! We certainly are!

OUT-------------

Another Surprise!!!!!!!!!! Travelling Dec 20-30 to China to get Sophia! We are ecstatic, but freaking about flights and having trouble getting Lawrence at Delight travel to figure something out. I will be posting frequently now and from China also starting next week! We should have Sophia by Dec 20 or 21. Sorry to have to leave Jurnee behind during Christmas, but we know she will be in good hands! And we will all be together in 2007 and beyond!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!