Canning Jar Snowglobes...

Kyler and I had so much fun doing these.  I loved having my little craft helper working on these with me.  If you are looking for a simple gift idea to give to teachers, neighbors and friends this is perfect!

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• Mason jars or any glass jar with a lid (I found wide-mouthed jars easiest to work with)
• Distilled Water
• Glycerin (Found at Michaels in the cake decorating section)
• Coarse Glitter
• E-6000 Glue or Epoxy glue, that dries clear and is waterproof
• Stickers/Scrapbook Papers to decorate the lids (optional - we didn't do this)
• Something cute to put in your jar (all plastic or resin - metal objects, like bottle brush trees, will rust)
• Note:  We had a little trouble finding items to put in the jars.  We found the figurines at Dollar Tree (2 -3 per pkg. for $1.00).  Next time we will look for taller items

INSTRUCTIONS: 

• Apply a generous amount of E-6000 glue to the bottom of your figurine and place on the inside of your lid.  You will need to allow this to dry for at least 24 hours.
• Fill your jar almost to the top with distilled water.
• Add a generous splash of glycerin to the water (I may have added too much as some of my glitter has been clumping).
• Stir the glycerin and water to mix.
• Add desired amount of glitter (we used a LOT - 6 year olds and 43 year old Moms like glitter)!
• Run a generous amount of the glue around the rim of your lid.
• Over a sink gently place the lid on your jar and screw on tightly.
• Allow glue to dry for several hours before playing with Snow Globe. (Good Luck Waiting!)
• HAVE FUN!
  

P.S.

You know how sometimes photos make something look a little better than real-life?  This time, however, I think the Snow-globes look much better in person than the photos show.

Christmas Tree Terrariums...

I spent the weekend Christmas shopping and Christmas crafting.  Kyler (my 6 year-old) and I had a great time making Mason Jar Snowglobes.  I'll be posting about those this week as soon as I take some pictures.  They turned out so cute!  We also made a few Christmas Tree Terrariums.  I really like the simplicity of the way we made the terrariums.  They were super easy to make.  I purchased the trees at Dollar Tree (2 in a package for $1.00) and the bag of "Snow" was approximately $4.00 at Michaels.  I already had the jars, so this was a very inexpensive project.

Don't forget...this was the first crafting project I've done in a few years...so an easy project was good for me.  Pouring fake snow into jars and placing the tree in the middle of the jar is my kind of project.  Easy but Cute!

These trees are on top of the 1970's hutch in my dining room.  I plan to leave this grouping up all Winter.

 

These two trees in the canning jars are inside of the old painted cabinet that was always in my Grandma's house.  This is in my foyer.

Following The Star: A Daily Online Advent Devotional Guide...

Every year at this time I direct you to the Following the Star website.  This website provides a devotional experience each day during the Advent Season.  This year it begins on December 2nd.

I invite you to spend a few moments each day there.

The music and the message are both beautiful.

Each morning I sit in the darkness of my living room while everyone else is asleep with only my Christmas tree lights illuminating the room and take part in these devotions.  My mornings in December are some of the most special of the whole year.  Starting my mornings in December in this way helps to put the focus of the Season where it should be...on Jesus.

I hope you'll join me this year.

P.S.

Devotions are available throughout the year as well at d365.org.  They are in the same format as Following The Star if you would like to check it out and see what it's like.

Twinkle...

We've just finished up enjoying our family and friends over the Thanksgiving Holiday and the Christmas Season is in full swing already.  I have a tendency to get caught up in the busy-ness and stress of the holiday many years.  This year, however, I vow to take it easy and drink it all in and ENJOY.  I'm inspired to collect a few images of Twinkle Lights.  The lights beckon us to slow down...soak it in...and REST.  December 25th will be here before we know it.  For now, grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy the Twinkling...

**Where possible, all images are linked to their original website on my Pinterest Christmas Board.

Christmas Preparation

We're starting to get ready for Christmas around here. We got the Family tree up (filled with our family keepsake ornaments...not a decorative ornament on the tree) and our Snowman tree up. I still have a couple of other areas to decorate and then I'm ready to enjoy the decorations and start Christmas shopping (which I seriously need to get started on). I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Jackie

Following The Star...A Daily Online Advent Devotional

A great morning for me is waking around 5:30am (at least an hour before my kids wake up), starting my coffee maker, throwing in a load of laundry and then heading downstairs to read, journal and pray.  This time by myself each morning is so important to me and gets my day off to a great start.  Sometimes it's hard to do this during the holidays though.  I'm tired and busy and sometimes even sitting for 15 minutes to write something in my journal is difficult.  A few years ago I discovered Following The Star...and I loved it from the first click.

I encourage you to visit the site.  The music is beautiful and helps me focus.  The readings are not long and are relevant to the Christmas season.  If you don't already have a daily devotional time to read scripture, talk to God and focus on your day...this site is a great way to start.  If you would like other devotional time ideas let me know and I would love to chat with you about it.

My Devotional Basket

Jackie

Putting The Apron On...

It's time to pull out the aprons at my house...this coming weekend the oven will be busy with all the baking that will be done.  All my gifts are purchased and wrapped.  My house is somewhat clean...as clean as it's gonna get anyway...and now I can spend some time in the kitchen.  

I'm looking forward to baking bread this weekend.  My boys are really excited about taking gifts to our neighbors this year.  We haven't really done this in the past...but it's never too late to start, I say!   I plan to use my bread maker to make the dough and then bake in mini loaf pans in my oven.  We're doing yeast bread and I have a couple of recipes that I'm going to try out.  The absolute best bread machine recipe that I use often is Light Oat Bread.  I'll probably use that one if the others don't work out.  As my family knows....I frequently have to start over in the kitchen.  I foresee that we'll be eating a few of the test runs before they ever make it out the door.

The top photo is of Ted's Mini Loaves.  I don't know who Ted is...but his bread looks yummy.  We'll be trying out his recipe.

The photo below is from Country Living Magazine and it's another recipe we'll be trying called Mini Country Loaves.  Looks yummy and the box is adorable.  I hope to find something similar to package my loaves. 

I hope all your holiday baking is going well and that you're having fun with it.  We're supposed to have fun, right?  Sometimes, for me, the baking feels like another chore to add to my already over-packed schedule.  This year, I'm trying to enjoy all the moments and not worry about perfection.  So far...it's working.  I'm less stressed and enjoying the holidays more.  I hope you are too.

Jackie

The Night Before Christmas...Jackie Style...

'Twas Five Days Before Christmas, When All Through The House

Lots of Creatures Were Stirring, But Hopefully No Mouse!

The Stockings Were Hung By The Chimney With Care

In Hopes That St. Nicholas Would Soon Be There.

The Children Were Shuttled Off To Their Schools

And They Were Instructed To Please Not Break Any Rules.

Dad sped off To Work With a Clang And a Clatter

I Went To The Window To See What Was The Matter

A Flat Tire Was Had By The Dad Of The House

"Merry Christmas", Said I, "And At Least We Don't Have a Mouse!"

These Days Before Christmas, As I Check Things Off My List

I Wonder...Hmmm...What's The Point Of All This?

And Then I Remember...The Reason For All This Joy,

It's Because Of The Birth Of A Special Little Boy!

So, Five Days Before Christmas We Are As Busy As Little Bees,

Baking, Wrapping, Shopping And Things Such As These,

We Look Forward To St. Nicholas Stopping By,

And...
Celebrating The Birth of Jesus Christ!

Merry Christmas and See You in 2011!

Christmas Is A Time For Celebration...

I have gotten caught up in all the craziness of this Christmas season.  I have already purchased almost all of our gifts, the house is decorated, I'm deciding if I'm going to send out Christmas cards or not, we're scheduled to attend Christmas gatherings and open houses at the schools, I'm trying to get through the maze of Christmas shoppers who invade the side of town I live on every year right after Thanksgiving, I'm planning our Christmas menu and when we'll visit relatives, I'm trying to figure out when I'm going to wrap the gifts, what cookies to bake...etc...etc...etc...

It's exhausting when I think about all the normal activities I have and then pile all this extra Holiday Cheer on top of it.  Overwhelming Anxiety is what I feel.   

Then...I stop and think about what Christmas is really about.  I take the time to focus on the meaning of this holiday.  The Birth of Jesus.  I take time to think about what that means for me and those I love.  Overwhelming Gratitude is what I feel. 

As I have taken time to dig into the meaning and Purpose of Christmas I discovered the first purpose is...

Christmas Is A Time For Celebration!

So, let's celebrate!  Let's gather together with our family and friends and Celebrate the gift God gave us...Jesus!  Let's give each other gifts, share meals together, enjoy the lights adorning so many homes, bake cookies, decorate trees, and attend Christmas parties.  Jolly Old St. Nick may even visit and bring a few surprises.  No matter how we do it...It's time to Celebrate!

**Photos-one of the many "men" on my Snowman Tree and a corner of my dining room.

And Now The Christmas Season Can Begin...

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart."
~ Washington Irving (1783-1859), American short-story writer and essayist.

 

 

 

My Christmas Season Will Begin By Enjoying A Cup of This...

While Reading One of These...

Thanks For Stopping By,

Jackie

Christmas Is A State of Mind...

I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month.  ~Harlan Miller

 

Christmas Carols, Snowmen and Holiday Cheer were enjoyed by all this past weekend at the Holiday Open Houses we attended.  I had a great visit with my Mom and enjoyed seeing my cousin and Aunt as well.  We missed the girls who couldn't be with us.  I can hardly even believe that I'm almost ready to start my Christmas preparations.  I'm not in any hurry to by-pass my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, but I'm in the Christmas Spirit this year.  I have a lot to be Thankful for and I enjoy making my home a warm and inviting place for family and friends to find comfort in.  I look forward to sharing some of my decorating and our family traditions with you this season.

My Cute Shopping Partner...

Christmas Trees on The Old Truck Set the Mood...

The New Winter Sign For My Foyer Will Replace...

...this Fall Sign...

Ice Skating Cuteness...

Thanks For Stopping By,

Jackie

Visiting Bass Pro Shops Santa's Wonderland...

Christmastime wouldn't be complete without the visit to Bass Pro Shops Santa's Wonderland. If you haven't been yet, check out the link to see what you're missing. The boys love it...because... well...Bass Pro Shop is just heaven for most boys...BIG and small. I like it too though...especially at Christmas.

"I really want to like this Big guy...but I'm not totally sure...."

Remote Control Monster Trucks...YES!

The Cool Rock Star Pose!

The Sweet and Innocent Pose! Yeah...Right!

Boys and a HUGE racetrack. You too can take one home for a mere $199.00. As Kyler would say..."No Hank Sue"(no thank you)!

Giant Ceiling Decorations!

"Look at the train, Mom"

My handsome firstborn. Don't forget that he's 9 now!

"Mom, hurry up and take the picture we want snacks...see look behind us"!