Stuffin's for the foot bag....

Ok... so I'm sure I don't need to clarify what a foot bag is.... but, aaaaanyway, I will! According to my 6 year old, a foot bag is what we adults like to call a stocking.... Don't ya just love how kids see things so literally? I can still remember last year when we were decorating and he asked me where the foot bags were.... I felt bad because I was laughing (almost uncontrollably) when I responded, "W-w-w-what?". Poor guy, so serious when he asked.... tee-hee, I still get a kick out of that moment.

Any-who.... lets get to the reason why we've all gathered here today, a-hem.... Stocking Stuffers. Do you have as many difficulties as I do, helping Santa fill those darn things? Sheesh.... it seems the standard toothbrush and undies just don't cut it anymore. You know, when I was their age, I was ecstatic to find nuts (in-the-shell people), an apple, an orange and a handful of gumdrops and hard candies tucked into my fuzzy red and white stocking that my mother so lovingly scrawled my name on with a sharpie marker.... and looking back now, everything seemed eerily similar to all of the things that were commonly out on our coffee table during the holiday season.... hmmmm, weird. But, I digress....

Here are a few items that I thought would make great additions to our kids stockings:


Wooden tops, from Urban Turn on Etsy.


Peg dolls, ready to paint.... I'm thinking little ninja men for the two little men in my life. Brought to you by Gemmielou, also on Etsy.... and p.s. shhhh, a certain little ham-hock may be getting some too, shhhh ;)


Keychains like this cool Wimpy Kid item, available at Chapters online


Little flashlights to attach to backpacks. Ready for purchase at Mountain Equipment Co-op.


Pretty little crocheted accessories for the Ham.... headbands like this, some clippies, and maybe a bracelet or two.... made by Mommy.

And, of course, the old faithfuls.... For the boys; Archie comics, hockey cards, a Schleich animal (available at TSC Stores or Scribbles to Scholars where I live), toothbrushes, socks and undies, some kind of holiday treat.... And for the girl-baby; toothbrush, tub toys, hair elastics, toddler-friendly treats, Playmobil people....

I'm sure Santa has some other items that he's hand-picked especially for my little monkeys.... I can't wait to see their faces Christmas morning.... it's, by far, the best gift I could ever receive....

Let me know what great stuffin's you and Santa come up with for your own little bubs.... we'll compare notes....

Have a nice night all ;)

What two year old hands can do....

I love her....

Back soon with some quick and easy stocking stuffer ideas.... Have a great day ;)

Needed a break....

Yesterday, I delivered an order of 5 skull and crossbones hats to a friend, Christmas presents I believe.... and I still have one more order to fill by the end of the week, this one for 7 hats!!!... no biggie, though; 2 are complete, 4 just need the tags and skulls sewn on, and then just to start and finish an adult version....

I've had a great little boom in business just before Christmas, and I'm loving it! But, making that many hats gets a little mindless at times. So after I delivered the order yesterday, I came home and started a little project for myself.... yes, myself! Something just to break up my time between orders. Nothing major that would involve great amounts of time; but, something that is cute, and fast and something I need....


A bath scrubbie (is there a theme beginning here on the blog people???).... I found the tutorial here, and can I just say, this is one of the easiest projects I have ever worked on.... and for a project that is so easy, it looks so, ummm, not easy. The tutorial uses cotton yarn; but I fear that with a scrubbie that big, the cotton yarn would just need a little too much care for my liking.... I opted for a super soft, light-weight acrylic.... just something I had on hand that hasn't really suited any other project.... I'll let you know how it works out....

Bu-ut.... from the picture, you can see that it is not complete.... the reason, and it's a good one, is because while crocheting said scrubbie, I realized that my time would be best spent trying to fill my last order... So, being the self-disciplining person I am, I returned to my order with renewed hat-loving energy and was able to whip up 2 in no time.... Sometimes that's all we need.... a few steps back just to gain a little perspective....

Have a great day friends ;)

Stocking stuffer....

My love of the pot scrubbie seems to have transferred to my Hammy-girl... whenever I finish one she grabs it and plays with it until I'm able to snatch it away....

But don't misunderstand.... I'm not giving my 2 year old pot scrubbies for Christmas.... I've made three smaller, toddler-sized versions;


a red square, a yellow circle and a blue triangle.... get what I've done? Kid friendly shapes in primary colours! Nothing revolutionary by any means.... just simply an extension of my love for these things.... again, I ask you, Is it wrong for me to love these things so much?

The girl-baby and I can learn shape and colour together all the while LOVING the scrubbie.... hey, don't knock the scrubbie love.... if you had some you'd understand....

Hope you've started your Christmas shopping... just over a month away.... have a great day all ;)

A day late....

Yesterday was my husband's 39th birthday.... I didn't forget it.... I could never, and would never....

I'll just say this of him.... he is my very, very best friend, I love him so much that it hurts, and sometimes when I think of where I would be if we had never met.... all I can come up with is lost and alone.... We think so much alike; we're serious when we need to be, but for the most part we are just happy to be together and always, ALWAYS, making fun of each other, hugging each other and loving our little family....

I love this man and feel very fortunate to have realized his true spirit when I was just 18.... and so very lucky that he liked me too....

How could I not love him? He gave me these 3 beautiful children.... and whenever I'm around him he makes me smile like this....



Happy Birthday.... hope you have a great year!
xo a&f Jules ;)

And the Winner is....

This morning, in a secure room, with witnesses and onlookers, ummm, looking on... names were placed into the name drawing vessel...



Two specially chosen officials performed a random draw...



And the winner is..........



Sherry, who said: "...The chicken costume is the best costume of 2010!" Your pot scrubbies are on their way to you!

Thanks ladies, for joining in the fun... and for reading along... you're all very much appreciated! Enjoy your day ;)

Hammy-ness....

There's been much ado around here about our little Hammy-girl... she's almost 2, sniff-sniff... where does the time go? And when you have two older brothers to watch and mimic, the time seems to go that much faster... she talks so much with her half-toddler-half-big-girl words; and we can actually understand what she's saying; and the emotion and sense behind the words both astounds me and melts my heart all at once... I can't put into words the feelings I have for her... but I'll try with a song... I sing this to her before I put her to bed at night...



I love the lyrics... this song should be sung to every little girl, young lady or woman who has ever doubted their own worth... it's my job to make sure that my little Hammy grows up with a great sense of self; she needs to be sure of things like love, support, and happiness.... I owe this to her, and to her brothers...

Hope you enjoy the song as much as I do...

The giveaway closes tonight at midnight... I'll be posting the winner tomorrow morning... good luck everyone ;)

I love prettiness....

I was just taking a little break from all of the crocheting I've been doing lately, and decided to look at some pretty things on the net.... Shabby Apple.... a wonderful site full of beautiful dresses that are reminiscent of times gone by....

Is this not the most sophisticated look for a lovely young lady? I would put this on my little girl-baby in an instant, if it came in her size.... so much more refreshing than all of the skin that seems to be bared by many young girls these days.... The name of this little frock is Girl Friday.... could it be more perfect?

Hope you're enjoying the sun.... and finding your own pretty things to gaze upon.... don't forget to enter the giveaway, it's open until friday.... have a lovely day ;)

FIRST BLOG-iversary GIVEAWAY....

Yes, so it seems I have been blathering on about this and that and nothing at all for a whole year now.... Many thanks to those of you who have chosen to stick with me this past year....

So, in appreciation of the small following I have acquired and become acquainted with I am offering a nice little grouping of my handy-dandy pot scrubbies.... Excited?! I am.... I LOVE THEM!!! And hope you do to....

Please leave me a comment, let me know what you like, don't like or would like to see here on my blog.... I'll do a random drawing, with the help of one of my lovely assistants.... remember to leave me your e-mail address so I can get in touch with the lucky winner.... the giveaway will close at 11:59pm November 12th....

Thanks again for your continuing interest and friendship....
Good luck to you ;)

A little late....

I've been a little under the weather lately and really haven't felt like doing much more than sipping tea and curling up under a nice fuzzy blanket... Yeah! Like that e-ver happens... on t.v. maybe, but not in this person's life! Yes... it's true I have been fighting off a cold for quite some time and now that my Halloween sewing is all complete, the cold has decided to take hold... but, not complaining at all... there are people, all over, much worse off than me...

So aaaanyway, here are the kiddie-kats all decked out for Halloween... the girl-baby has to be whatever Mommy wants her to be; the middle guy gets to choose and tell Mommy what to make (because, apparently Mommy is magic with the machine and can create everything in the universe with her cheap little Singer, lol)... and sadly, the big guy doesn't want Mommy-made costumes anymore, sniff-sniff-sigh... I understand, really I do, but it's still sad to have to let go a little more each year and realize that my first-born is creating a life of his own where Mommy isn't the be-all-end-all... I need a moment...


Nice warm costumes for our verrrry chilly Halloween nights here in Canada. So there you have it, the makings of a joke perhaps... An alien, a chicken and a vampire walk into a bar.... you can finish it off whichever way you like....

My first BLOG-iversary is coming up... November 6th... keep your eyes open for a little giveaway.... Have a fantastically cough-free evening ;)