Clair's Christmas Dress

As usual I insisted my girls have matching dresses for the Holidays. I know it's a sickness. The fact that I couldn't find three that matched, in all the right sizes, didn't stop me either. I had NO choice but to make Clair's.  

Kate on the left is showing the original dress purchased for her and big sister Lydia. Clair on the right is wearing her copy-cat dress made by me. Although I couldn't find the exact same materials, I think it's a pretty good match. 

She loves it and declares herself a princess every time she wears it. 

I was quite proud of myself, making my own pattern and once again using an invisible zipper. 

Okay, I took my first leap and went with non-traditional colors for a Christmas dress. Maybe next year I can take another leap and get them dresses that don't match. 

On another side note, I found it interesting that I really didn't save much money making the dress myself. Luckily I got all my fabric at 50% off plus and extra 20%. In the end I spent $16 on supplies and the original dress cost $25. I would have gladly paid ten dollars and saved myself the time.

Fleece Ear Warmers

Okay I think I discovered the best handmade gift ever. Not only is it super cheap to make but also quick and easy. 

While in NY for Thanksgiving my sisters and I were talking about our knit ear warmers and how although they were super cute, they didn't always do the best job of keeping our ears warm. That's when I thought of Delia's ear warmer tutorial and thought I should give fleece a try. 

I was totally inspired by Delia, but made mine a little differently. I doubled up my fleece and simply sewed the two pieces together, leaving the edges raw. I added two buttons so it could be adjusted and rounded the ends. 

I love how they turned out. Cute but also toasty warm. 

I stuck with rosettes, because they were quick and easy, but I can't wait to try some other designs. 

These would make great gifts for your sisters, girlfriends, teachers, and co-workers. They only cost me about $1.25 each (I bought my fleece at 50% off) and they only took about 20 minutes each to make. 

White Chocolate Fudge- with cashews

Today we start our Chocolate making process. We usually start on Monday and do it for an entire week. My sister is flying in and couldn't come until today, so we are attempting the impossible. Wish us luck.
In honor of chocolate week, I thought I would post my White Chocolate Fudge recipe from my guest post a few weeks ago. I've added a few little details I forgot the first time around.

I am so excited to share one of my favorite holiday traditions, CHOCOLATE. My mother, sisters and I spend a week after Thanksgiving making around 350 pounds of hand-dipped chocolates. You can read more about it HERE. 

Not everyone has an amazing mom like me to sit next to them and help them dip chocolates for their neighbors, co-workers and friends. So, I thought I'd give you something almost as good, our recipe for White Chocolate Fudge with cashews. It's to die for. 

It's easy to make yet your neighbors will think you're a professional candy maker. This just may become your newest secret family recipe. 

** A cube of Butter is a stick or 1/2 cup butter**
***The evaporated milk is a 16 oz can***
Another important thing I forgot is, you don't want to scrap the sides of your pan when pouring the hot liquid into the mixer. It will sometimes make your fudge grainy.

Once you've let it set for a couple hours somewhere cold, turn your pan over and let some hot water run over the bottom of the pan. Make sure to hold you fingers over the opening so that your fudge doesn't drop into the sink. After a couple of seconds of hot water the fudge should release.

Drop the pan over onto parchment paper so you can cut it into pieces. I got out my ruler to cut 20 even pieces. Once cut, I wrapped each piece in plastic wrap.

You can deliver your fudge as is or you can dress it up in one of these SWEET bags:

They are the perfect size for one or two pieces of fudge.

I printed this fun images onto Paper sacks from Michaels.
(CELEBRATE IT, paper sacks, 3-1/2" x 2" x 6-3/4", 16 pieces)

To make your own, down load the file HERE.

***To print, click on PRINT in FILE menu. Then click OPEN WITH PREVIEW. Then click on PRINT in preview FILE menu. When the print options box opens change paper size from standard to untitled.  Tape down the bottom flap on the back and print. ***

If making fudge is not for you, you can still fill the sacks with you favorite holiday goodie. 

Hope your holidays are SWEET!

Handmade gifts -part 10

Okay, this is my last post showing what my family made and tomorrow I'll have a link party. 

There is always one unfinished present every year. This year was no exception. 

My younger brother is in the process of making a couple Cornhole games for the family. Don't know what Cornhole is??? Watch this VIDEO.

My younger sister made Temple Envelopes for everyone. 

 She also included white stockings and a bag of Jolly Ranchers. I especially enjoyed her thoughts on how special the temple is to her. 

My oldest brother gave a fun picture book containing all of the photos he took of the family over the year.  It is a great documentation of all the time we spend together.

My youngest brother got one step closer to finishing his gift. 

this is what he gave last year.  This year we actually got the case for our DVD, He says that he's made the DVD he just needs to label them. Maybe next year, we'll get the DVD labeled in the case.  

These dolls were gifts for my daughters made by my sister, the one who made the dammit dolls. About a month ago we were talking and I mentioned I wanted to make the black apple dolls for my girls and her girls.  She said she was going to make dolls for all the girls too.  So, we decided that she could make some for my girls and I would make some for her girls.  

She put so much more work into hers, I was a little embarrassed. She used a pattern from WeeWonderfuls.

She also made them real clothes. 

My girls are still carrying them around and have to sleep with them. My oldest liked her so much I found this the next day. 

I'm just so grateful to be part of such an amazing family.  Each year our love for each other grows deeper and deeper.  We aren't perfect and even like to argue, especially when we play games or work together, but we all know of the unconditional love we have for each other. 

Come back tomorrow ready to link up all your Handmade gift ideas.  I'm really excited to see what you all have made.  It doesn't have to be something you made for this Christmas.  If it's something you made and you think would be a good gift, that works for me. 

See ya tomorrow. 

Handmade Gifts -part 9- a croquet set

This next gift came from my dad. We like to play games in our family (the Kidd family), and we especially like playing lawn games when the weather is good.  Croquet is one of our favorites.  We play it after Sunday dinners and during our summer vacations at the lake. If fact, croquet is one of the main events in our summer family olympics every year. 

Did you recognize what he used for the shafts on the mallets?  He took those balusters from my garage when he finished the tree house. He said he had plans for them, I never thought of this. 

I love how they were personalized by burning our name into the mallets. The face of the mallet is covered in Polyurethane, the same hard plastic the balls are made of. We have been through a lot of croquet sets over the years.  It's been hard to find a set that doesn't fall apart.  When the face is made of wood, it cracks. When it's made of soft plastic, it cracks. This should solve that problem. 

My dad could have called it good with the new mallets, but he took it to a another level by making metal wickets to match our personalities. Yes, these are made of metal and painted. He did a great job. 

a sewer

go Aggies!

We all laughed at how much detail he put into his fish. 

We all can't wait for warmer weather. We especially like playing on unlevel ground with lots of obstacles. I see some good games ahead. 

Homemade gifts- part 8 -Dammit Dolls

What is a Dammit Doll? It's a doll used to relieve stress and frustration. They come in handy when you want to throw a fit. You can hit it, whack it, or throw it till you feel a little better. 

My sister made 10 of these for each person in the family. She personalized each doll to be a character we hate. They were made in a shape for optimal whacking, long legs and no arms. She did a great job making the dolls, but the poems my brother in law wrote to match each doll made them a hit. 

Here is mine: The Perfect Mother

The perfect Mormon mother;

She makes you throw a fit.

Always says words like “bless you,”

And never says “oh shit!”

She bakes for the whole neighborhood

And quilts for the third world.

She sews her children clothing.

Her hair is always curled.

Her minivan is spotless;

It never is a mess.

And after seven children,

Still fits her wedding dress.

She does her genealogy;

Goes jogging every day.

The leader of the book club,

And runs the PTA.

You now you’ll never match her.

Ain’t life just a bitch?

And when you think about her,

You turn into a witch.

Grab Molly Mormon by the legs

And find a place to slam it.

And as you whack the stuffing out

Yell, “Dammit, Dammit, Dammit!”

My husbands: Nancy

There’s not a politician

That doesn’t drive you nuts.

They walk around with high heads,

What a bunch of butts.

With our economic woes

And debt that has no end,

What better way to fix it all

Than spend and spend and spend?

We cannot drill our own oil;

The Saudi’s are our friends.

Terrorist trials in New York

The madness never ends.

Now that we can ask and tell

And no child’s left ahead;

Our poor constitution’s

Left hanging by a thread.

Of socialism you’ve had enough;

You want to scream and shout.

Here is a Pelosi doll

You cannot do without.

Just grasp your Nancy by the legs

And find a place to slam it.

And as you whack the stupid out

Yell, “Dammit, Dammit, Dammit!”

For my new sister in law: The BoBo doll

Your newly wedded bliss

Did not last on and on.

It would still be going,

If it weren’t for Jon.

He travels out of town

And doesn’t call for days.

“I forgot to check my cell phone.”

(Following his sister’s ways)

“What’s this he’s not at work?

You say he didn’t show?”

For a breath of nature,

To the mountains he did go.

You’re learning fast what it means

To be a Kidd outlaw.

Aunika and Renee do it,

You look at them with awe.

There are a few choice words,

That have helped them along.

Most of them have four letters;

You’ll learn them, just be strong.

So when your groom drives you nuts

You want to scream and shout

Here’s a little Bobo doll,

You cannot do without.

Grab Jonathan by the legs

And find a place to slam it.

And as you whack his stuffing out

Yell, “Dammit, Dammit, Dammit!”

For my older brother: A Lawyer

They all think that they’re so smart,

While they take all your money.

A bill for each five-minute-talk;

They probably think it’s funny.

Be it esquire, attorney, lawyer,

Or legal representative;

For all these stupid titles,

I have four-letter expletives.

When men like OJ walk free,

And Ayers who bombed our nation.

The lawyers should be put in the stalks,

And made a public demonstration.

If ever you retaliated,

You know where you’d end up.

So you just keep on paying them,

And learn to suck it up.

Just grasp your esquire by the legs

And find a place to slam it.

As you think how you’ve been robbed

Yell, “Dammit, Dammit, Dammit!”

My 15 year old brother got this one:

You spend your life as a young man

With two people that are old.

Renee and Gerald put together,

You’ve got Reginald.

Sometimes Reggie drives you crazy,

And you know more than they

Just like every teenager,

You want to get your way

They make you want to scream and shout.

They think they are so wise.

You wish that you could kick them out,

Or poke them in the eyes.

Just grasp your Reggie by the legs,

And find a place to slam it.

And as you whack the wisdom out

Yell, “Dammit, Dammit, Dammit!”

Sorry, My camera died Christmas night and I couldn't round them all back up for pictures. But you get the idea. 

I hope you not all sick of seeing our handmade Christmas, because I've got a few more things to share. 

handmade gifts -part 7

Here is the last of the gifts I made this year, I'll share what we got next week. 

For my art loving niece,

a custom art bag filled with supplies and...

a personalized clip board to match. 

Ever since I took this picture of my son at Halloween, he has been begging me to make him a boy apron. 

This is much more manly. Who knew a boy could get so excited over an apron. 

I don't make our Christmas PJ's. I don't need another project. I fell in love with the vintage print on these PJ's and wanted everyone to match again, but couldn't find something for the baby.  

So I bought the largest nightgown in the same fabric I could find and...

made her some to match. 

I then used the tiny scraps left over to piece together a pair for Samantha too. She already had the nightcap. 

Would you be interested in doing a linky party of handmade gifts? Something we could all look at when we need ideas for next year? If there is enough interest, I'll do one.