Christmas Crafts

This was my big Christmas craft for the year-stockings or "stockin's" as Avery calls them. I finished just in time for Santa to fill them with goodies (mine got a pretty little necklace in a pretty blue box! Way to go Santa!) 

I still cant figure out how to get this Christmas theme template off my blog just yet so until I do I guess I will just keep posting Christmas. 

Brad has the reindeer, Avery has the snowman, and I have the Christmas Tree. They are nice and big so there is room for lots of good surprises. 

Thanks to Jen and Erica for helping me! 

And the winner is......

Presents and Poinsettias! 

Congratulations to Brad!

But it was a close one: 

Presents and Poinsettias: 23 votes

Golden Spirit of Christmas : 22 votes

(there were a few votes submitted by email that aren't reflected in the top right corner)

Thanks to all who voted (well, thanks to the 22 who voted for me. There is always next year)!

And Ben, now you can't say we never tell you the results! 

Let the Wreath Decorating Contest Begin!

A few years ago Brad and I started a wreath decorating contest. It has become a tradition for the two of us every Christmas. Here is how it works:

  1. We each get one wreath (we re-use the same 2 wreaths but switch off)

2. We have a small budget for decorations

3. We decorate them and have family and friends vote for their favorite

4. We dont say who decorated which one until after the voting is closed

5. The winner gets a prize, but I really dont know what it is, or if a prize has ever been claimed. 

Past years results: Brad-1, Autumn-1, Tie-1. This year is Big!!

So here are the entries for the 2008 Christmas Season. 

Presents and Poinsettias

Below is a lovely wreath with a handcrafted touch. The paper poinsettias are of the artists original design giving the wreath a down home feeling we all love this time of year. 

Detail of that handcraftiness

Golden Spirit of Christmas

Below is a beautiful wreath with an excellent color scheme of red and gold. With just the right amount of sparkle and class, this wreath truly is the Spirit of Christmas.

Detail of the red and gold

Voting will end at midnight Christmas Eve. Please vote only once per person. All are welcome to vote, children too! There is a voting box at the top right of the screen. If you are reading this in a RSS Reader window, please go to my actual site to vote. You dont have to say who you voted for and its not a popularity contest (that is not till January) JK! 
I will post the winner on Christmas Day. 

Merry Christmas! 

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

We have been working on this routine all year. We hope 

you like it!

PS It wont play if you are viewing in an RSS reader, go to 

my regular site

Guess what kind of plant this is...

If you said Christmas Poinsettia you would be correct! Doesnt she just exemplify the Christmas Spirit? This is Simerita. She is a 3 year old poinsettia bought at none other than my local Harris Teeter (thats a grocery store for all you West Coasters) for $3.99.  

This plant has an agenda all her own. She does not want to turn red during the holidays (we have tried everything to get her red), she does not want to grow nice and full, she wants to grow in the far side of the pot and she does not want to die (even when we dont water her for weeks at a time)! There have been times I was sure she was a goner, but she came right back. She doesnt get a whole lot of light and she sometimes lives top of the air conditioner.

We love our little plant, she is the only one we have. Maybe we will pick up a relative for her this year at the Teet, but if its as resilient as she is I dont know if I can look two crazy plants all year long.