Our Christmas 2006 Decorations

These are snapshots of my 2006 house CHristmas Decor. Our house was not completely furnished, we had only a living room, in which we recently out curtains, and the rest of the house is still empty so you can notice it sounds really empty !

This is my guft wrapping last year, only 2 gifts were under our tree, the rest were scattered here and there in every house of our relatives ... 2 single young couple wouldn't expect much of gifts...you should see our house this year, loads of gifts for our baby !!!

This is scrapbooking paper glued and grouped !



That is our entryway...that alley is laways filled with matching items from the theme, around Christmas I fill it with greenery and poinsettia. For my baby's birth I filled it with vases of bamboo plants, which actually were the favor we gave away for our guests.





These are my Christmas basket, one of them was a goft basket for my MIL :







These are my Christmassy pots :) I put them in my entryway ... my kitchen jars + green artificial trees + string of red miniballs. The snowmen are actually boxes for gold earings and necklace I received years ago... So I used them as Decor in the jars.


Our Door hangers !!! that one is the Guests bathroom door hanger


That is also the entryway, decorated in Chrstmas decor, but different colours. I tend to use different colours in dofferent spots to avoid getting a dull display in every corner :


That is about the only room we had to receive guests. SO these were the 2 decorated spots, our entryway and the living room :)

Metal santa claus and snowmen with hanging legs over the closet boxes... !!!


the countdown calendar + ball vase :


Our Christmassy frame :



A plate decorated with candies, natural nuts, natural pine cones, plastic bag wrapped candles- to form one big candle !!!



Card display on the forst row
Seed plants on the second row
small porcelain reindeers on the third row
glass candleholders with red candles on the thrid row

My baby's first Christmas

This is my baby's first Christmas... I've already started thinking about it long time ago !!! I do tend to make a big fuss out of everything !!! so how about Christmas, my baby's first Christmas... At first I had many ideas of home made ornaments, handprints... but with my father in law going to hospital, me preparing for the big Chistmas dinner at my place, and shopping for the gifts, I had really small chances in actually DIYing the ornaments...
So when I ran through these ornaments at the store, I thought that is the solution; they were the perfect idea for a first Christmas ornaments, because I can personalise them and add my baby's Picture !



The ornaments actually cost me 2 $ each, then I printed my baby's picture on a normal paper. I didn't even had to use glossy paper, because it's a small size pic, so low resolution or paper quality didn't matter, especially that the pic is covered by the glossy frame window. I also bought the organza bags for 5 $ the bunch. I used an old gold pen to write on the back "mon premier noel , and the year" et voila :











As for the kids in the family, instead of getting them big stocking, I used my baby's old socks (not old, old, just socks that don't fit my baby's tiny feet anymore) and filled them with candies (as small as it could contain). I intend to make this a tradition and each year fill my baby's socks with candies... this is a gift that will grow with Joey .... I thought it's nice, they also thought it was nice too, being in love with Joey they actually fell in love with the socks more than the candies inside :)





Here's the final setting for both gifts :

Frame it !

Here's a very easy idea for Christmas decor... add nay Christmas items to existing frames, as shown below:
this is a frame of me and my Husband which I am display all year long, however, I change the decor according to the occasion :
Below is the frame on valentine day , actually I didn't do much here, My Husband got me the roses, i just put them next to the frame :)



And here' the frame on Christmas...well as u can see, I added an artificial poinsettia and some cranberries' branches, which both cost me 2 $ purchased at a 1 dollar store ...
Voila.... Low budget Christmassy Decor !!!

My latest earings

These are my latest earings, designed yesterday evening while watching the TV and thinking about our Christmas dinner.
You can also have a look at my designed decor for this year's Christmas... will post the pics in another post.

Gardening kit

A very cute idea for gardening lovers to present on Christmas :
(idea from marthastewart website)

How to Make Dried Apple and Orange Slices

Dried fruit slices and peels are a great way to give your home a country prim look.

They are fragrant and can be added to potpourri blends, fixins blends, wreaths, swags.

They also make pretty and fragrant gift package decorations. When they are placed around candles, especially bakery candles, they give a nice country prim look.

The picture shown is an orange fixins blend. It combines dried orange slices and orange peels with fragrant spices like cinnamon sticks, allspice, and cloves.

The look and smell is very seasonal and makes a great addition to country prim home decor.

The easiest way to dry fruit slices is to use a dehydrator. If you do not have a dehydrator, you can use the standard oven method.

How to Dry Apple Slices

To dry apple slices using the oven method, core your apples and slice them about 1/4 inch thick. In order to prevent them from oxidizing and turning brown during the process, dip the slices into a solution of 2 cups lemon juice and 3 tablespoons salt. Make sure the slices are well soaked for about 15 minutes. After you remove them, pat them dry with paper towels and place them on cookie sheets and dry for about 6 hours at 150 degrees. Keep the oven door slightly ajar to ensure good air circulation. Turn the slices when they start to curl.

How to Dry Orange Slices

For oranges, slice them about 1/4 inch thick and gently squeeze out as much of the moisture as possible without squeezing and misshaping the slices. Then place the slices on a cookie sheet and dry for about 6 hours at 150 degrees. As with the apples, keep the oven door slighty ajar for air circulation.

What to do with family on Christmas

81 Ideas to do With Your Family at Christmas

By: Patty Getz

Christmas is about so much more than presents and parties, and yet, each year, that is the focus that we as a society place on it. Christmas has become a stress for some, and financial hardship for others. Where there used to be a holiday, to celebrate Family, we have some how lost touch with our roots, and a meaningful soulful Christmas.

Following is a list of of Ideas that cost little or no money, that you can do with your family this Christmas.
Set aside some time, and lets all get back to the basics of Christmas.
Take this list, and let each family member choose one, and then set aside an evening, for each activity, you will be surprised and amazed how much this will Change your and your families outlook on Christmas.

• Make Garland : popcorn garland - garland with construction paper
• Make :

1. - snow globes with old jars
2. - Christmas gifts for your family's pet and other relative's pets.
3. - a manger scene out of playdough or clay or even construction paper
4. - ornaments
5. - paper snowflakes to decorate your windows

• Have parties :

1. - Shows party : Watch Christmas shows together with hot Chocolate and popcorn,
2. - Slumber party : Build a fire, and have a slumber party with your kids
3. - Wrapping party
4. - Tree decoration party : Make Decorating the tree a family event, serve hot chocolate and play Christmas music
5. - Cards party : Make your own Christmas cards to send to people and/or invite your children's friends over to make cards or gifts for their parents
6. - a campout night, and sleep in sleeping bags under your lighted christmas tree or some christmas lights.
7. - a game night

• Donate : to a charity for Christmas Gifts from a 1 $ store, or Clothes/toys for needy children
• If you have snow, enjoy it : make a Snowman, or have a snowball fight
• Cook : Make a ginger bread house out of graham crackers and what ever you have in the house, or Bake and decorate cookies
• Paint Christmassy pictures on the windows with washable paint
• Make up a Christmas scavenger hunt : game out of hunting around the house, for things to make christmas decorations out of.
• Plan to share a plate of goodies with any elderly or young parents in the neighborhood
• Lights :

- Take a Special drive at night to enjoy others Christmas lights, and see who wins for the best lights in town. Make an award for the winner and present it to them.

• Attend a Live Nativity.
• go collect pine cones and use them to make ornaments
• sing Christmas carols
• have the kids write and act out a Christmas play
• Books :

1. - go to the library and borrow Christmas videos and books
2. - read one Christmas short story each night before bed

• Write Christmas letter to all the relatives with the kids all telling what they have been up to in their own words
• Take a picture of the kids in front of the Christmas tree, and make it a yearly tradition.
• Attend a Church service together
• Watch all the videos or home movies of Christmas. Or, look at all the photos from Christmas.
• color some Christmas pages together
• share a favorite Christmas memory
• Help your local church/library/ community center organize a special holiday reading of twas the night before Christmas, A Christmas Carol, etc. Invite seniors/families. Maybe get a local store to donate some cookies or cocoa.
• We make a video of ourselves decorating the tree, making cookies, singing Christmas carols and telling the Christmas story. then we make copies of it for all the far off relatives (beats a humdrum letter).
• Volunteer :

1. - as a family for the local shelter or nursing home.
2. - kids make Christmas cards or snowflakes and take them to the local nursing home.
3. - go caroling at a nursing home.
4. - work in a Christmas wrap booth that gives the proceeds to charity
5. - carry groceries for elder people
6. - food servers at shelters that provide christmas/thanksgiv ing dinners
7. - Visit the local nursing home and present some of the residents with homemade Christmas cards
8. - Do a random act of kindness for a neighbor that you know is sick or feeling down, like take them a plate of cookies or some homemade ornaments.
9. - Invite an older person/couple for a holiday meal

• light up your walkway/driveway with handmade luminaries
• Get out your old records - or borrow your parents- and listen to the Golden oldie Christmas songs from your youth, and share the memories of Christmas past with your children
• Learn about different cultures celebrate Christmas... . and about what they did years ago.
• Sing silly Christmas songs with your kiddos... (Grandma got ran over by a reindeer)
• Create a calendar that the kids can mark off the days til Christmas.
• Have a Christmas Past, Present and Future evening/afternoon. Get out your photo albums/scrapbooks and talk about Christmas Past, remembering those who are no longer here to share it with us; for Christmas Present, discuss what one thing makes Christmas special for each person; for Christmas Future, talk about your hopes and dreams for the coming years ahead.
• Let the kids make their own stockings out of felt and stocking "packages" out of paper grocery sacks to put gifts for others in.
• Let your child decorate their bedroom door for Christmas. A wreath with some small trinkets on it is charming on every door inside the house, too.
• Make snowmen out of styrofoam ball ornaments or styro balls or old Christmas bulbs (the breakable kind) in 2 sizes (one larger and one smaller glued together), paint white or glue on cottonballs or fake snow and add glitter. Use google eyes or dots punched out of a paper punch for eyes, Orange pipe cleaner twisted to a carrot shape for the nose, little buttons or mini m & m's or small pom poms can be buttons or even the gold top of a paper fastener clip. Also can use yarn for eyes, smile, eyebrows or braid yarn for a scarf.. use your imagination and whatever you have around the house, toothpicks or tree branches for arms, etc. An old sweater and flannel shirt can provide scarves and hats, mittens for all the snowmen and snowwomen which can be grouped together under a tree branch from outside. Provide all the scrap materials you have and let the kids have a great time making them.
• Create a God Can for family members

Here is how : use a tall odd shaped can, the one I found was a solid gold color, was maybe 6 inches tall and semi squared with a rounded bubble shaped lid. (Found it at Dollar Tree last year)
This is what I attached.
God Can
When your worries get too heavy, Follow this little plan
Just write it on a little note And drop it in this can
You know that any problem That you place in Our Lord's hands
Will soon be taken care of Because we can't but God Can!

12 Days of Christmas Gag Gift

From Sherri Osborn, about site

This is a great gift idea, especially if you have a secret santa. You present the suggested gift along with the printed verse each day for 12 days! I have even created free printable tags you can use. Of course, you should feel free to make up your own verses and I have even included a blank gift tag you can use.

ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS, your true love gave to you - a partridge in a pear tree... Sorry, but I couldn't find the partridge so I am giving you some pears from the tree the partridge flew away from.
(Leave note along with a can of pears or a few fresh pears.)
1st Day of Christmas Printable Tag

ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS, your true love gave to you - two turtle doves... Unfortunately, I don't have any, will candy turtles on a bar of Dove soap do?
(Leave note along with a box of turtle candy and a bar of Dove soap.)
2nd Day of Christmas Printable Tag

ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS, your true love gave to you - three French hens... The French hens were not available, so I'm giving you some chicken noodle soup, compliments of the three French hens.
(Leave note along with a can -or 3 cans- of chicken noodle soup.)
3rd Day of Christmas Printable Tag

ON THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, your true love gave to you - four calling birds... I can't find those calling birds, but here are four messages they left for you before they flew off.
(Leave note along with four messages describing what a wonderful person the gift recipient is.)
4th Day of Christmas Printable Tag

ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, your true love gave to you - five golden rings... Sorry, I'm too poor to buy five real gold rings, but will some golden pineapple rings suffice?
(Leave note along with a can of pineapple rings.)
5th Day of Christmas Printable Tag

ON THE SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, your true love gave to you - six geese a laying... You don't really want messy geese all over the house do you? How about some of the eggs they left behind?
(Leave note along with six eggs.)
6th Day of Christmas Printable Tag

ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, your true love gave to you - seven swans a swimming... All of the swans have flown south for the winter, but here are some of the bubbles they used while they were swimming.
(Leave note along with a bottle of bubble bath.)
7th Day of Christmas Printable Tag

ON THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, your true love gave to you - eight maids a milking... Here's some milk I got from the eight maids - we think they must have been milking some brown cows!
(Leave note along with carton of chocolate milk.)
8th Day of Christmas Printable Tag

ON THE NINTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, your true love gave to you - nine ladies dancing... Here are some canes used by the ladies to help they walk home after they were out dancing all night.
(Leave note along with a box of candy canes.)
9th Day of Christmas Printable Tag

ON THE TENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, your true love gave to you - ten Lords-a-leapin'...
After the Lords get done leapin', this is what they use for their sore muscles.
(Leave note along with a tube of Ben-gay or other soothing lotion.)
10th Day of Christmas Printable Tag

ON THE ELEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, your true love gave to you - eleven pipers piping... Here's a pipe of your own, have fun and don't blow the whole day!
(Leave note along with a bottle of bubbles and bubble pipe.)
11th Day of Christmas Printable Tag

ON THE TWELFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, your true love gave to you - twelve drummers drumming... No drummers, we thought you could use some quiet time so here is a special treat we drummed up for you so relax and enjoy.
(Leave note along with some homemade cookies or other treats.)
12th Day of Christmas Printable Tag
Again, if you would like to print out a blank Christmas tag, you can find one here.

The Newlyweds Christmas Tree

12 Ornaments

According to tradition, 12 ornaments should be on the Newlywed's Christmas Tree:
(fill a basket & present them to the new couple)
...A heart to signify love in the home
...A house to signify family shelter
...A church or angel to symbolize God
...A basket of fruit to signify plenty
...A teapot to signify hospitality
...A bird in a nest to signify confidence in the shelter
...A pine cone symbolizes eternity
...An animal to signify peace with nature
...A fish to symbolize Christ as wells as fertility
...A rose as a symbol of the Virgin Mary
...A flower basket to represent beauty in the home
...A Santa as the symbol of giving and sharing

Advent gift ideas

Day 1- a quarter
- A quarter! This equals 25 cents. But 25 also stands for the number of days until Christmas, when God gave us His best present. Jesus told about one woman's gift and the way she gave it. Read Mark 12:41-44

Day 2- a piece of grape gum
- Grape gum!. Grapes make jelly and juice, raisins and wine. But Jesus didn't need grapes to preform His first miracle. Read John 2:1-10.

Day 3- a smiley face sticker
-Here's a smile! A smile usually expresses happiness. Jesus gave us many instructions to keep us happy. Read Mattahew 5:1-12.

Day 4- a few fish crackers
- Fish! Well, if you were surprised to find these fish, wait until you read the story today! Others were surprised to find fish, too. Read Luke 5:4-7.

Day 5- one birthday candle
- A birthday candle? As you know , we are getting ready to celebrate Jesus' birthday. However, Jesus talked about something else related to this candle Light. Read Mattahew 5:14-16.

Day 6- a small jingle bell
- You could make noise with this. But it would have bothered a certain man---until he met Jesus. Read Mark 7:31-37.

Day 7- two candy fish
- These would not go very far if you were really hungry! But Jesus could make much out of little. Surely He knew how to multiply! Read Mattahew 14: 13-21.

Day 8- two cotton balls
- These cotton balls would be helpful in a thunder storm, wouldn't they? We could use them for ear plugs to muffle the loud noise that thunder makes. But we know Someone who doesn't need cotton. Jesus can control the weather. Read Mattahew 8:23-27.

Day 9- a piece of road map
- People needing to use other parts of this map are in trouble! Don't you get lost today! Read John 14:1-6.

Day 10- a small piece of soap
- It's soap. Do you like to wash? Your hands and face? Behind your ears? Washing turn out to be a happy time for a man who met Jesus. Read John 9: 1-7.

Day 11- a few candy hearts
- Hearts. Wordlessly, they speak of love, don't they? Jesus spoke some commands about love. Read Mattahew 22: 37-40.

Day 12- a pin on button with a cross printed on it
- we use crosses as a symbol, representing Jesus. Do you know why? Read Philippians 2: 1-11.

Day 13- a small packet of salt
- Ordinary salt. Yes, Jesus related salt to us and our behavior. He also gave us some advice. Read Mattahew 5:13 and Colossians 4:6 (Notice that He doesn't recommend pepper!).

Day 14 - a small bag of sand
- Don't try to eat this ! It's sand. It reminds us that Jesus knows something about architecture, about buildings----and building lives. See His inscructions; Mattahew 7:24-29.

Day 15- a small artifical flower
- Flowers are pretty, aren't they? Jesus used flowers to teach us a reassuring lesson. read Mattahew 6: 28-34.

Day 16- a little box of raisins
- Raisins! Many children are given raisins instead of candy for a snack. That's because they are a health-promoting and delicious fruit. Jesus told us how we can produce good fruit. Read John 15: 1-5.

Day 17- a few flower seeds
- Jesus told a story about seeds that a man planted. Then He explained it, revealing its deep meaning. Read Mattahew 13:3-8 and Mattahew 13: 18-23.

Day 18- a sheet of musice taken from a pamphlet type Christmas carol book
- Christmas is just a week away! And here is an appropriate song. Sing it loudly! Read Psalm 100.

Day 19- a little stone
- A hard stone! Can you change this stone into a piece of bread? Do you think Jesus could? Jesus was asked to do just that. Do you know how He handled it? Read Mattahew 4:1-4.

Day 20- a piece of crumpled aluminum foil
- Try to smooth out this piece of foil and use it as a mirror. It's hard to see your reflection plainly, isn't it? Many circumstances are hard to understand, but someday everything will be clear. Read 1 Corinthians 13:12.

Day 21- one mustard seed placed between two pieces of clear contact paper
- The mustard seed is the smallest there is! When it sprouts, it grows into one of the largest plants! See what Jesus said. Read Mattahew 17:20.

Day 22- a tiny plastic dove
- We've learned the cross represents Christ, but do you know what the dove stands for? Read Mattahew 3:13-17.

Day 23- a swatch of wool cloth
- The thread that compose this fabric came from the wool of a sheep. Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd. Do you know who his sheep are? read John 10:7-18.

Day 24- one blue marble
- A marble! Do you know what is sometimes called the "Big Blue Marble"? The world. God made the world for us. What does God continue doing to the world? And who is the world? Read John 3:16.

Day 25- a small photograph of a baby
- Isn't this baby cute? When he was born, he made a whole family happy. Jesus was born a baby, too. He came to make the whole world happy. read Luke 2:1-20. Enjoy your celebration today. Continue to learn about Jesus---and love Him forever!

Cute Letter from a mom to Santa

Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor and sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes: I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.

I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.
If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music, a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals, and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is calling and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold.

Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet. (you promised me last year you would lose some weight with me so next year you and I could be a cute size two blonde...ok, some requests go too far, but none the less.....

Yours Always,

MOM...

P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children, healthy, safe and of course, young enough to always believe in Santa.

Prayers !!!

Irish Kitchen Prayer

Lord make this Irish kitchen
A place where all can meet,
To share a cup of Irish tea,
Perhaps a scone to eat.
Then bless us with some leisure time,
To talk of memories dear;
Of those who came here years ago,
And taught us how to share
A bit of Ireland here.
And last we ask of you Dear Lord,
No matter how we fare,We not forget,
The lesson taught,Of how to love and share.
"May those that love us, Love Us.
And those that don't love us
May God turn their hearts.
And if He can't turn their hearts
May He turn their ankles, so
we know them by their limp!"

By saint Therese of Avila
"Lord of all pots and pans and things, since I've no time to be a great saint by doing lovely things, or watching late with Thee, or dreaming in the dawnlight, or storming heaven's gates, make me a saint by getting meals, and washing up the plates.
Warm all the kitchen with Thy Love, and light it with Thy peace; forgive me all my worrying, and make my grumbling cease.
Thou who didst love to give men food, in room, or by the sea, accept the service that I do—I do it unto Thee."


Bless This House
Bless this house O Lord we pray; Make it safe by night and day;
Bless these walls so firm and stout, Keeping want and trouble out:
Bless the roof and chimneys tall, Let thy peace lie over all;
Bless this door, that it may prove ever open to joy and love.

Bless these windows shining bright, Letting in God's heav'nly light;
Bless the hearth a'blazing there, with smoke ascending like a prayer;
Bless the folk who dwell within, keep them pure and free from sin;
Bless us all that we may be Fit O Lord to dwell with thee;
Bless us all that one day we May dwell O Lord with thee.

X's and O's Snack Mix

Give your dad lots of hugs and kisses with this easy to make snack mix. Stock up on extra ingredients as it is very easy to munch and munch until you don't have anything left to make the mix with. Remember to save some for dad!

- 2 cups pretzel sticks
- 8 ounce can canned cheese
- 4.5 ounces cheese balls

Lay out several sheets of waxed paper or aluminum foil on your work surface. Break the pretzel sticks in half. Squeeze the canned cheese into a small dish for each person who will be making the X's. Using a pretzel as a dauber, place a small dab of cheese in the center of a pretzel stick half. Top with another pretzel stick half to form an X. Repeat with the remaining pretzels. Let the X's dry for at an hour, then mix the X's with the cheese ball O's. Store in a tightly sealed bag or container at room temperature.
Makes 5 cups snack mix.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Allsorts projects + advent idea

An advent calendar idea :


Felt peppermint candy star http://allsorts.typepad.com/allsorts/2005/12/felt_peppermint.html

Felt Advent calendar : http://allsorts.typepad.com/allsorts/2007/11/advent-calendar.html

numbered felt "pockets" each holding a square of Ghirardelli peppermint bark chocolate and a paper dangle. Each day you would eat the chocolate and hang the dangle from the button, so you could see how close you were getting to the big day!








The numbers were freehand sketched first with a disappearing pen. I strung mine on a long strip of red homespun with shorter lengths tied between each pocket. It wasn't even necessary to sew them on, I just loaded them up, closed the flap around the homespun and looped the thread around the button and voila! The file to print out the dangles is here. Pattern for the felt peppermint star is here.

101 Stocking Stuffer Ideas

1. Chocolate - any kind....bars, candy, cookies.
2. Mandarin oranges or exotic fruit such as star fruit
3. Lottery tickets
4. Lipstick - buy a wild shade of red
5. Cozy mittens or gloves
6. Personalized or Christmas print coffee mug or tea cup
7. Tire gauge
8. Picture frames - buy a plain wooden frame and wrap it with Christmas wrap, glue on Christmas ornaments, paint on holly leaves or apply Christmas stickers.
9. Silly Putty - fun for any age!
10. Baseball, golf ball, rubber ball....
11. Night light
12. Christmas ornament - home-made or store-bought
13. Unique kitchen gadget like an egg slicer, grapefruit spoon, garlic press, etc.
14. Deck of cards - search for one with unusual artwork
15. Hair accessories
16. A book or magazine
17. Magnifying glass
18. Gum or penny candy - buy the stuff that takes you back to when you were a kid
19. Potpourri - create your own easy sachet by placing potpourri in a lace handkerchief, gather the kerchief and tie with a silk ribbon
20. Novelty shoelaces
21. Stamp pad and stamps
22. Batteries
23. Decorative wine stopper
24. Journal or diary
25. Modeling clay
26. Touque or a scarf - hand-knit or purchase in a store - you can add your own personal touch to store bought by stitching on ribbon, bows, buttons or beads
27. Yo-yo
28. Home made cookies
29. Wallet or business card holder
30. Travel games
31. Coupons for fast food, or admission to museums or other attractions
32. Underwear or socks - be racy or pedestrian, your choice
33. Candles - and there are so many to choose from
34. Slinky
35. Popcorn seasoning or spices
36. Nail polish
37. Toothbrush
38. Airplane sized bottles of liquor
39. Packets of flavored hot chocolate or cider mix
40. Die cast metal car
41. Stationary or note cards
42. Bath beads, bubble bath or scented soap - make your own or go shopping
43. A copy of the gift recipient's favorite recipe - you can add some of the ingredients, too
44. Stickers
45. Pencil or pen - try a pen with purple ink, a giant pencil, a fountain pen, a twig pencil, etc.
46. Desk or wall calendar
47. Keychain
48. Soap dish
49. The hottest hot sauce you can find
50. Seeds - try heirloom seeds or native wildflower seeds
51. Fishing lures
52. Glasses case
53. Coloring book
54. Coasters
55. Incense
56. Paper pouches in novelty shapes
57. Craft supplies - paints, brushes, wooden cut-outs, embroidery thread, beads, doll heads, kits, etc.
58. House plant tools or decorative watering can
59. Sports water bottle
60. Vase
61. Mouse pad
62. Exercise bands or hand weights
63. Snow globe
64. Cold mask (the kind you store in the fridge and wrap around your face to relieve aches and stuffiness)
65. Travel mug
66. Photos of the gift recipient as a child
67. Christmas theme costume jewelry
68. A tool - hammer, screw driver, pliers, etc.
69. Harmonica
70. Sewing, knitting, woodworking, needlework patterns
71. Poster
72. Kaleidoscope
73. Decorative bottle opener or cork screw
74. Silly straws
75. Flashlight
76. Address book
77. Cedar balls for keeping closets and drawers fresh
78. Blank diskettes, cassettes, or CD's
79. Piggy bank
80. Kite
81. Jar of homemade jam or syrup or canned fruit
82. Decorative tea towels or hand towels
83. Hand held calculator
84. Jigsaw puzzle or other puzzle game
85. Tarot cards - they only work if you receive them as a gift!
86. Small wooden trinket box
87. Small stuffed toy
88. Napkin rings
89. Model airplane kit 90. Personal radio
91. Sidewalk chalk
92. Personalized birth chart or horoscope book
93. Thermal lunchbag
94. Sheet music
95. Film for the gift recipient's camera
96. Gift certificate for fresh flowers
97. Paperweight
98. Fridge magnets
99. Travel maps
100. Long distance calling card
101. Bird Feeder

Ideas for Him or Her:
1. Hammer
2. Chocolate
3. Lottery Ticket
4. Personalized necklace
5. Special coffee mug with some special coffee
6. Special "Secret" recipe
7. Extra batteries
8. tire guage
9. Garlic Press or other kitchen gadget
11. corkscrew
12. wine stopper
13. Special book
14. Cookies
15. Movie Passes
16. business Card holder
17. socks
18. Toothbrush
19. mini liquor bottles
20. Bath salts
21. Home made soap
22. Thank you or special cards
23. Shopping list pad
24. Glasses case
25. Incense
26. Multi tip screw driver
27. Specialty cheese or jam
28. Woodworking tool
29. Magazine subscription
30. Tea Towels
31. Calculator
32. Cuff links
33. batteries for that digital camera
34. Travel alarm clock
35. Scrap book punches
36. Purse size tissues
37. Mini Screw driver for glasses
38. the ultimate gift....a Recipezaar Premium subscription

For the kids:
1. Toothbrush
2. chocolate
3. silly Putty
4. Christmas Stickers
5. Mittens or gloves
6. Night Light
7. Deck of Cards
8. Hair Accessories
9. Novelty Shoe Laces
10. Fun erasers
11. Journal
12. Stamp pads and Ink
13. Homemade Snow Globe
14. Novelty key chain
15. Mini photo album
16. slinky
17. Novelty Socks
18. Hot Chocolate mix
19. Popping corn
20. Reindeer poop
21. Snowman poop
22. Address and E-mail book
23. Cool pencil case
24. Cool mouse pad
25. Silly straw
26. computer discs
27. Puzzle or Puzzle book
28. Small bank
28. Bubble gum
29. Dental Floss
30. Specialty craft scissors
31. Face tatoo
32. finger puppets
33. Barbie Clothes
34. Yo yo
35. Crayons
36. special ornament for the tree
37. Birthstone angel, or bear etc.
38. shoelace charms
39. Worry dolls

Rudy and trudy Reindeer

Found this project through one of the craft group I joined...
It's very cute, all you need is :

• Two standard-sized washcloths, tan and white
• 2 bars of bath-size soap
• 4 wiggle eyes
• 2 red pompoms
• 4 brown pipe cleaners
• 2 rubberbands
• 12 tiny jingle bells
• Decorative cord or ribbon
• Velvet ribbon for bow
• Small bell for Rudy
• Tacky glue
• Blush make-up for cheeks

And here's how you do it !!!

1. Open washcloth and place it on the table with one corner facing you. This makes the washcloth a diamond shape.

2. Place the soap in the center of it.

3. Bring the corner facing you and the back corner up together. Roll the two corners backwards down to the top of the soap.

4. Take the two side corners in your hands and bring together at the top this will form the ears. Secure them together with a rubberband down next to the soap. Shape to resemble ears.

5. Fold one pipe cleaner in half and poke it between the ears and through the rubberband.

6. Cut another pipe cleaner in half and twist it around to make the antlers. Do this on both sides.

7. Now attach the tiny jingle bells through the ends of the antlers. Fold the pipe cleaners back to secure them on.

8. Tie a decorative ribbon, cord or bow around the bottom of the ears. The bow shown in the sample has a small bell attached.

9. Glue on pompom nose and wiggle eyes.

10. Put a small amount of blush on each cheek.