That Thing Called Life...A Day in the Life of a Crafty Mom

Let the countdowns begin!  I am so ready for a fun season this year.  Last year my pregnancy and complicated delivery slowed me down from doing quite as much, but now I'm ready to be back in the game!  Tomorrow I will be pulling out the Halloween décor and getting it set up.  It will be interesting this year, as my almost ten month old is in to EVERYTHING.  I may have to try that whole hanging a tree from the ceiling deal. ;-) To get the season kicked off, here are a few of my favorite ideas, Pins, and links. DIY Large Outside Halloween Spider Turkey Cupcakes Vintage Christmas I also follow along with 100 Days to Christmas on Facebook , viewing and sharing with other readers some of our favorite ideas. (Website link here .) Tomorrow I'll be posting about my month's worth of cooking in one day, including recipes.  A good start to the hectic and busy season ahead, is to get your dinner time routine simplified.  After some research, I decide...

Seasonal treats can be so much fun to make and experiment with.  Finding sweats to make with the little ones can be more of a trick than a treat though.  Here are some of my favorite Pinterest finds that should be fairly easy to accomplish:   Candy coated pumpkins.  All you need is a package of Orange Wilton Candy Melts, some green icing and pretzels.  I always melt my candy in a microwave safe bowl on half power (or defrost) in the microwave and stir every 30 seconds to a minute.  Insert a pretzel stick in one end and dunk in the melted candy.  Lay on waxed paper or a cooling rack to harden.  I place mine in the fridge or freezer for 10-15 minutes for faster drying.  Pipe on some little leaves and all set.   Candy center piece.  I have been in love with this since the first time I saw it.  Take a large vase and start layering with your favorite Halloween candy.  This would be great for other holidays as well...

Every year I decorate my mantle with a mix of fake and real pumpkins, spider web and other trinkets.  This year, I may have to do something a little different.  With a just crawling infant, I may have my hands full.  Right now, the front of the fireplace is where I keep her box of toys and things.  Not how I want it for the holidays.  So, in searching for new ways to express our Halloween spirit, I'll share with you some really cute and scary finds from Pinterest.   All of these can be found on my Pinterest page here , with links to their original sources.  I apologize if I am posting someone's photo that doesn't approve: please email me and I will remove asap. Keep counting down to all the holidays with me and let me know what you'd like to see! Until next time, Amy~The Dixie Diva

I love decorating for Halloween and finding new ideas every year.  This year, I plan to make my own wreath for the front door.  Even if you are not the crafty type, these examples are really easy to make.  Really want one but do not have the desire to make them yourself?  Check out Etsy.com where other crafters make and sell the product at great prices.  Here are some links to my favorite Pins, as well as links to several Etsy sellers. Tulle Wreath :  Simply cut to desired length and tie on to wreath form. Burlap Wrap Wreath : Same process as above, using burlap.  Add some card stock letters to give it an extra touch. Washi Tape Mason Jar Wreath :  Take the open lids from mason jars and decorate with washi tape, or you could paint them.  String them in to a wreath form. Here are some beautiful Etsy listings: Burlap Wreath in Purple and Orange Deco Mesh Wreath Ribbon Wreath Since these are not my photos, I do not have rights t...

Those that love the summer time do not want to know how close we are to Halloween, Thanksgiving (127 days), or Christmas (155 days).  However, there are those of us that just do not care for the heat and humidity.  We live for cool autumn days, football, bonfires, and decorating for the seasons.  Creepy, crawly, scary and fun fall festivals.  Cooking, (or as in my case-eating) a great turkey with all the fixings.  Cursing as we string lights on an artificial tree but staring in awe at the completed project.  If you fall in to these categories, then make sure to follow along! Here I'll be bringing you fun ideas for all of the holidays to try.  Some will be great Pinterest finds, links to other blogs, or some fun tutorials of my own.  My daughter shares my passion for Halloween, so she is always game to try new projects.  Here are some of my past craft attempts to get things started: Halloween Countdown. 13 Days of Halloween countdown fun...

I really wanted to make sure we sent end of the year gifts to all the teachers my two kiddos had before school let out, but financially I just couldn't figure out what to do.  I have a great board on Pinterest called Teacher Gifts filled with all kinds of lovely and cute ideas.  However, I just couldn't afford to do most of them.  This being on a lay off from work and now being a mom to three has really put a damper on the budget.  I knew I could make something work though, and I did. The one idea I kept coming back to was the "Orange You Glad It's Summer?"   I looked and looked for orange bags and could not find anything.  I couldn't even find an orange gift bag!  Finally I found my inspiration: ORANGE FELT.  For only 27 cents a sheet.  Here is what I came up with.  Felt, ribbon, and sewing machine.  Simply fold the felt in half and stitch up the sides.  If you want a more open bottom, form a triangle on ea...

After the birth of our third child, I had complications that required emergency surgery.  I was unable to do a lot of the things I used to do for quite some time.  The recovery has been lengthy but I feel like I am ready to get back in the game, slowly but surely.  I am under a lay off at work, so I have had extra time to bond with my new baby and recover.  I have also had a lot of time to look at this house and nit pick all the things wrong that need to be updated.  I have been on a major updating spree. First on the list was my craft "room".  Technically it's the dining room my dear husband let me transform to my work area.  I have rearranged, removed, added, you name it, trying to get it just right.  Here are some pictures to show how it started. This worked great for a while but then the tables became "catch all's" for everything from mail to homework, groceries to laundry.  It was a hot mess. I started cleaning everything...