It's beginning to look a LOT like Christmas!!!!

lawwwwd..... it's glittery up in here!! 

 thankfully, i have been up to my eyeballs in paint and glitter! i've been doing pretty well with my initial ornaments and have been painting, glittering, packing and shipping!

(yes, i blurred her address, i don't have some freaky pen!) 

 Whewww....

i have pre-painted letters that are READY to go, or i can do a custom letter/letters for you! just go HERE: chinamommy on etsy

i'm not just doing letters, here's a peek into my glittery studio

yes, i have found glitter in my mouth, yes, i have found glitter in my eye and no, i will NOT mention the other places it's creeped into....cough, cough!

come on back tomorrow for an easy DIY mirror ornament tutorial. seriously, i'm going to write it now so i don't forget....

~Merry Christmas~

Thanksgiving ideas and...Shabby Apple deal-of-the-day!

1st GREAT idea for Thanksgiving?... save 25% on this dress to wear to your feast!

go HERE! to save 25% off the Cider dress and make SURE you use this code at checkout: "day4"

isn't it cute?

this code is good ONLY today, the 15th!!

2nd idea: an easy-peasy Acorn Tree DIY!

Acorn Tree?, i think that's called an oak tree, but not today!

grab: a branch, leaves, glitter, acorns (you hoard them like i do don't you? if not use felted acorns you can buy on etsy!), twine, glue gun, a tall (kinda heavy) vase and some mod podge! 

 you really want some dry floral foam down in your vase to anchor your branch.  i squeezed some glue on the branch before i stuck it in the foam and then let it sit while i moved on to the glitter steps!

 what is a holiday without glitter? a lame holiday, that's for sure!  i pulled the caps off the acorns (make sure you lay the caps next to the acorns, i was going to put nuts, but i know how SOME of you girls are...). paint the caps with mod podge and sprinkle with glitter!!!!!  i used Martha Stewart glitter in brownstone. 

 while the glitter was drying i tied little bits of twine to the branches and sprayed it with...

 clear acrylic spray. i don't know why...to seal it?!  

 before i glued the caps on, i glittered the acorns with Martha Stewart glitter in turquoise, 'cause TURQUOISE acorns, duh!!  i used the glue gun to glue the caps on and....

 i put a spot of glue on each cap then pressed the twine into the caps.  i also added some leaves around the base of the twig.

 purty, hun?

this isn't that hard, and you wouldn't HAVE to add the glitter, but why you wouldn't i have NO idea!!  it does take a bit of time to add the glitter and let it all dry, but trust me, while it's drying you'll have plenty of glitter to clean from every inch of your bod, every corner of your kitchen, and (if you're lucky) off the dog!

Get away from my Pirate's booty!!

 Our pumpkin.... Blue glitter tears on baby pumpkin and red glitter blood around the mouth... I did the cutting, Darling did the painted eyes.  The bats were attached on wires.  (They are from the Hello Kitty Cricut Cartridge).

 Arrrrrgh, Matey!  Now is that a Glitzy Girly Pirate or WHAT??

 Strips of tulle attached to a wide strip of elastic- Easy Peasy!!!

Yes, that IS Black Glitter on her eye-patch!!

I'm feeling a BIT better, but still not 100%... WASH YOUR HANDS!!

I'll be back tomorrow to share a little crochet goodness.

Happy Monday friends, hope you're not in a sugar coma!

NeW GooDiEs on chinamommy!

Honestly, I can't tell you how many times since new years day I've bitten down & heard a crunch because I have *GLITTER* in my mouth... ugh!  Makes my skin crawl just to think of that, but...

GLITTER.... how I love it!!

I've been working on these little houses... but right now I can't find anymore.  I've also got some bigger wooden ones in the works...  Here are the 2 little ones I have finished.  I'll be listing them on etsy (chinamommy) this Monday...

This one is actually quite pink... my picture looks pretty coral to me... Maybe if I could get 10 min of sunshine I could get some better pictures?  Have I told you, the photo taking is NOT my favorite part of listing on etsy... It's just not my thing.  Anyone have a great program or site where I can really "fix" my photo's?  Let me know!!

Hope you like these... Look for them in my etsy store next week!  I'm back to the studio to finish some paintings I have started & a couple other goodies!

Have a great weekend!

Crochet mamma!!!

Remember the 2 crochet classes I took and my granny squares?  Well, I'm still at it & lookie, lookie what I did!!:

I made a cuff!

I've had this vintage rhinestone pin forever & love the size & style of it, but never really knew what to do with it.  It's in GREAT condition & the perfect touch, don't you think?

I don't know that I stayed exact to the pattern, but for my 1st cuff, I'm pretty happy with it... I may even make more!

I was feeling like such a pro, look what else I made:

Another pin for the finishing touch.  This handmade pin is by Juliet of LittleMissCrafty (go check her out!)

Anyone else out there crochet (or knit?)?  It still feels uncomfortable, but I can tell you the more you do it & the more you MAKE yourself hold the yarn correctly (& the hook), the more your hand gets use to it. I HATED how you have to hold the yarn & kept trying to find a way that felt normal... it never did, so I went back to holding it the RIGHT way & I'm so glad I did.  I'm amazed I've stuck to it, because it's not easy & I just want to know HOW to do it & be ABLE to do it: NOW!  I found this GREAT site: 

http://cache.lionbrand.com/

If you crochet or knit, or you want to, this site is awesome!  Yarn, FREE patterns, a learning center, "community", shopping, help... it's ALL there!  If you're like me you'll have to check out every free pattern & then feel the need to download & print them all off.  Like I can live long enough to finish all these projects I have...

Of course, for more patterns, there is always www.etsy.com!  I bought patterns for 3 CUTE kids hats (for darling daughter) & a really cute neck warmer...

this neck warmer pattern can be found on etsy (of course), her shop name is:

BellaMcBride

for darling daughter:

this cute "newsie hat" by adrienneengar

how stinkin' cute are these girls?! & don't you love her fingernail polish?  that's how I tend to wear mine too :)

all 3 of these hat patterns also found on etsy at:

adrienneengar

she has a GREAT deal going on now with her patterns: buy 3 get 1 free!!

Gotta go get my stitch on!

Check back tomorrow for my new etsy goods!!

I'm excited about them & hope you will be too, let me just say, I felt myself chomping on glitter more than once this week...

Welcome new followers!!  Leave a comment, I'd LOVE to meet you!

Sweet Tooth-Candy Love

Oh brother...I know I've been gone forever... Well, I haven't been gone, but I sure haven't been here!  My connection is SOOOOOOO slow I've wrapped the dog in foil & sent him to the roof!

I typed "candy" & "Glitter Candy" into etsy & 1 1/2 hours later this is all I have to show:

Sugary Lolli-pops by leesiebella (all on etsy.com)

Sugar Sweet bottle pendant by BottleCapJen

TwinkieChan...if you don't know of Twinkie head to etsy & check her out!  She's really known for her AWESOME foodie crochet... the radish scarf-ADORABLE!!

Candy & Glitter resin pendant by applenoggin.

isn't this CUTE??  it's by: funkyeggart

paper beads colored & hand glittered by MigotoChou, pretty, hun?!  did you ever make these when you were a kid?  We did, but we used old magazines.

Pretty candy tags by: madebyjackie

Peppermint bark soap by sherrisscentsandsoys

Do you guys use handmade soap?  I haven't really but I might try this because it's shaped like a bar.  I don't like trying to roll a dog turd or an ice cream cone shape around in my hand.  Yes, there is dog poop soap, 'cause i bought it for 1 of my brothers last year- he's a lucky guy!  For the record, it smelled like cake, not crap!

Wish I had more, but I REALLY need to finish my Christmas cards & the other impossible goals I've set for myself!  I did put down the garland & step away from the decorating.  It's kinda crazy, but no one really ever see my decorating.  My family is in Indiana & we spend Christmas day down there, the Mister's family is getting together the day after Christmas at a resturant, so... why spend a month putting all this stuff up only to have darling daughter & the Mister see it & then take it down by myself?

My parents did come up for Darlings Christmas program, so they did see the tree... & speaking of that Christmas program- Could that boy just stand right in FRONT of my tiny daughter & block my view for the entire 3 songs that her class sang?  Yes, he can!

I hope to be back BEFORE Christmas & I REALLY hope my connection speeds up...

Have a great day!

Don't forget to check chinamommy on etsy... I'll share my new goals for my shop in 2010... big plans people, BIG plans!

Turquoise & Red for Christmas! (& of course some pink)

Here's a little tour around my home:

I'm in ❤ with Red & Turquoise...

Isn't this tray CUTE? Target!! (last year)

Most of the circles are GLITTERY & we all know I ❤❤❤ GLITTER!

Also from Target (last year)

This little snowman is VERY dear to me... He was made by my very special Aunt Renee. Renee was my Dad's youngest brothers wife & they were high school sweet hearts- I really don't remember a time she wasn't in our family. On January 3, 2004 my dear Aunt went to Heaven... she was only 45 years old. I still miss her so much especially at the holidays because that is the time we would see our family in Indiana. It's still so hard to believe she's gone, but I'm pretty sure she's making sugar cookies in Heaven!

Mmmmm... do you like the Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks? Me too! but... this will sure do at home!!

The little houses I did last year with real silver glitter- it's all tarnished this year, but I still love the look!

Ohhhh... how do i love Target & their $$$ bins? This was in their $2.50 bin & I'm quite sure I got the last fuchsia one they had...

A little mixed media collage thing-a-ma-bopper I made with one of my very favorite pictures of darling daughter! This picture was taken the summer she came home from China, so she had JUST turned 1. If there was 1 day I could live over & over again... definitely the day I became her Mommy!!

Target again...

and because PINK is in the mix, here is Mr. Teddy in his sporty PINK (remember: dogs are color blind & he doesn't know he's a boy!) winter coat! That stack of totes... just a small portion of the Christmas that still needs to be put up. You can see in the NEXT picture why he needs his jacket...

Yep, this is today (Friday- November 4th). It's now 12:25 & the snow JUST stopped 25 min ago & the ✺sun✺ is actually OUT!

Here is part of my Red & Turquoise tree... & Mr. Glory Hound himself in the corner... Who loves the camera?

Well gals, have a GREAT day & if you have Christmas decorations you'd like to share, just put the link in my comments!!

Also I added a couple pieces of button jewelry to my etsy store ( chinamommy.etsy.com ), boy have I NOT been on the ball with getting my store stocked for Christmas... maybe next year!

Ok, off to get that Advent Calendar done... you know the one we were suppose to start opening 4 days ago!!